His career spans over half a century. It wasn’t until the tender age of 20 that she distinguished herself with the voice and gestures of Quebec’s most popular puppet: Bobinette. She later became an actress and presenter and has also been an author and novelist for 20 years. In March 2024 she will publish her 11th work, The 7 Wives of Adrienbut before that we will have the pleasure of finding them in the series Witches!
Photo: Patrick Seguin / TVA Pu
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The author enthusiastically talks about her return to the screen 30 years after L’or du temps. In fact, she will be joining the cast of Sorcières, which airs on TVA, in January. “My character, Clémence, is really something I’ve never played before, a woman who is a little under the control of her husband. She is the wife of Pierre, played by Carl Béchard. Our son Philippe (Patrick Drolet) is a dermatologist, his partner Beth (Marie-Joanne Boucher) is one of the witches. It’s an interesting role, she’s a nice, gentle person. Something will happen to her husband that will get her back on her feet.”
In addition, Christine Lamer will soon publish another book on the topic of her family. “Without saying that I plundered the life of my husband’s maternal grandfather, Denys (Bergeron), I was a little inspired by that. Isidore Mercier, his real name, led an extraordinary life. He had fought in the First World War and, like most soldiers returning from the front, he didn’t talk about it. However, I managed to get my hands on a notebook from the nurse who treated Isidore at the Veterans Hospital in the 1980s. She had taken note of the stories and anecdotes he told her. I took inspiration from this and decided to name my character Adrien and made up his own story. As for the seven women, I will let readers see who they are.”
From screen to pen
Before devoting herself to literature, Christine Lamer made a name for herself as an actress, on stage and screen, and as a presenter of morning television shows – “Lesanges du matin”, in “La Cuisine des Anges” alongside her husband ( 1987–1994). 1987-1994) and Les Christine (1994-1995), which she hosted with singer Christine Chartrand – a part of her career that was discussed in a recent TV show “Children of”.
“My love for writing came late. First I wrote two biographies, my own, Name of a Bobinette: 50 Years Again (2003) and Henri Bergeron: On a Beautiful Sunday… (2006), about my famous father-in-law’s life and career from 1966 to 1983 Hosted by Les Beaux Dimanches. I didn’t write my first novel, Katerie, until 2013.” Then her two novels Téléroman – Season 1 and Téléroman – Season 2, both released in 2021 in the middle of a pandemic, allowed her to have her own experience as a star actress in Le clan Beaulieu, Marisol and L’or du temps to use. This proved to be a topic as rich for them as it was fascinating for fans of the genre. “My editor had made the suggestion to other authors before me, but none had taken up the challenge of writing a novel with this dramatic plot. Since I knew this world well, I found his suggestion a challenge. Having spent much of my life in television studios, on soap opera sets and in the world of show business, this gave me a unique perspective. Why not make it a trilogy? Because after two novels I felt like I had covered the topic,” she will say openly.
Photo: / VAT
Photo: / VAT
The Bobinette Adventure
And to think, her fruitful career began when Paule Bayard, the puppeteer who brought Bobinette to life from 1960 to 1973, fell seriously ill. Her father, Marcel Laplante, director of the show Bobino, had no choice but to ask his daughter for a replacement at short notice. “At that time I was studying at Vincent-d’Indy. I did my A-levels in music and hoped to become a concert pianist, not a bobinette. Then, on the way to school, I had an epiphany. I was told, “You can read music, but you can’t interpret lyrics.” So give it a try! I accepted the challenge and it worked.”
Unfailing love with Denys
She has been in a relationship for 50 years and married to Denys Bergeron for 46 years and speaks with emotion about her partner, who was once a producer and who never stopped supporting and loving her. Ultimately, perhaps her story deserves to be the subject of one of his novels? “Nobody is interested in stories without scandal! (laughs) Our lives are characterized by laughter and humility. We brought each other beautiful things that improved our character…especially mine. (laughs) Denys is calm, while I’m more confident!” The couple had a daughter, Martine, who made them grandparents to two granddaughters, Clara, 15, and Emma-Saule, 13. What does Christine, newly in her seventies, see? when she looks in the mirror? She takes a long pause before answering: “I’m proud of what I see: a determined, wiser girl who wants to continue to surpass herself.” A sensitive woman, sometimes too much. My change of heart coincides with this new decade that I want to use, use, use!” she says.
The 7 Wives of Adrien will be published in March 2024.
His other books, including his last two, can be purchased at TV showin stores and on digital platforms.
We will see the actress Witchesafter the holidays, in January, Monday nights, 8 p.m., on TVA.