Belgian ventriloquist Michel Dejeneffe, the creator of the famous television puppet Tatayet, has died at the age of 77 in France. He passed away on Friday in the Saint-Étienne region, where he had lived for several years, according to a close friend who spoke to Belgian news publication Sudinfo.
Dejeneffe performed alongside Tatayet for more than 40 years, building a popular comedy act on both sides of the Franco-Belgian border.
Born in Namur, Belgium, in 1948, Dejeneffe worked as a primary school teacher before embarking on his entertainment career. He created Tatayet in 1975 using a fur collar presented to him by a resident at a nursing home.
The puppet derived its name from a young girl's pronunciation of Tante Henriette, the name of Dejeneffe's mother.
Rise to television fame
Featuring a high-pitched voice and an outspoken persona, Tatayet initially gained popularity in cabaret venues before transitioning to French television in the early 1980s. The duo appeared on major variety programs, including Champs-Élysées hosted by Michel Drucker and shows presented by Patrick Sébastien.
In Belgium, the character became a major broadcasting phenomenon with Le Tatayet Show, which aired on French-language public network RTBF from 1986 to 1992.
The puppet's popularity led to spin-off projects beyond television. Tatayet featured in a comic strip series written by Belgian author Raoul Cauvin and released a music single titled Tous au cimetière in 1986.
Retirement and legacy
Dejeneffe retired from stage performances in 2017 to focus on training young ventriloquists. Following his death, numerous broadcasting figures across Belgium paid tribute to his career, while France's National Audiovisual Institute, INA, described him as the precursor to modern French ventriloquist Jeff Panacloc.
Jérôme de Warzée, the presenter of Le Grand Cactus on Belgian television channel Tipik, shared a tribute on Facebook reflecting on Dejeneffe's impact.
De Warzée stated that Dejeneffe belonged to a generation of performers who understood that the hardest part of the profession was not making noise, but creating a true bond with audiences. He noted that Dejeneffe had built that connection with millions of people.
Describing Tatayet, de Warzée said the puppet was extraordinary because he could be insolent without being mean, as well as naive and extraordinarily clever in the exact same sentence. He added that Tatayet could utter shocking statements with an innocence that led viewers to forgive everything.
De Warzée recalled that the puppet appeared so alive that sound technicians during radio interviews would routinely place their microphones in front of Tatayet instead of Dejeneffe.
