Network: TVA Television Network
Broadcast Run: 1982 to 1987
Broadcast Medium: Television
In the world of situation comedies, Peau de banane stepped up to the plate from the fall 1982 to the spring 1987. Initially written by Guy Fournier, the latter passed the torch on to his son and writer, Christian Fournier.
The story line, which mirrored a number of feminist concerns of the 1980s, was based upon the anti-conformist couple of Simone St-Laurent (Louise Deschâtelets) and Claude Cayer (Yves Corbeil). She was the Vice-President of an advertising agency, while her husband, formerly a professor, stayed at home to keep the home fires burning. Which didn’t necessarily make him a male feminist, but rather a man “searching for himself”, who fortunately had a good sense of humour.
“This generation was born on either side of 1945, shaped by religion, but also influenced by myriad social pressures”, explained Guy Fournier at the time. Ginette (Marie-Michèle Desrosiers) had sent her husband Claude packing. The latter began his life anew with his new partner Simone. As called for in any good fictional TV series recipe, Ginette constantly reappeared on the scene.
Peau de banane was also the launching pad for the careers of two young actors, a brother and sister in real life, Marie-Soleil (12 years old) and Sébastien (9 years old) Tougas, who played the roles of Claude Cayer’s children, Zoé and Renaud.
The cast also included Madame Cayer, Claude’s mother (Juliette Huot) and Simon’s colleagues, Narcisse (Benoît Girard) and Mireille (Isabelle Lajeunesse).
Written by Yvon Chouinard – September, 2008