Monsieur Roger LeClerc

For the American Football player of the same name see Roger LeClerc (American football).

Monsieur Roger LeClerc
'Allo 'Allo! character
First appearance	Pilot: The British Are Coming
Last appearance	All in Disgeese
Portrayed by	Jack Haig
Information
Occupation	Forger
Nationality	French

Monsieur Roger LeClerc was a fictional character from the British sitcom series 'Allo 'Allo!, played by Jack Haig.

Outline

The first episode

Roger LeClerc appeared for the first time in the very first episode of the series. He is a Resistance activist and bad counterfeiter under arrest in the local prison. Michelle of the Resistance literally breaks him out of jail (by tying a rope around his bed, the other around a truck and driving off), and he settles down to work officially as a bartender in René’s café.

René asks him to make a forgery of the Fallen Madonna with the Big Boobies, but he only knows how to counterfeit signatures. He then decides to create fake passports for the British Airmen.

Development

It is later revealed that Roger LeClerc was Madame Fanny La Fan’s (Edith’s mother's) former boyfriend - but not Edith’s father. Roger is often found sleeping in the same bed as Fanny, and her daughter is not pleased with the idea. He also gets involved in Michelle’s crazy plans, like robbing banks or performing rescues.

LeClerc also has the habit of (badly) disguising himself as a seller, from sellers of cheese to pillow stuffers and onion sellers (a popular disguise in the series). Everyone sees it is him, but thinking his disguise is brilliant, he approaches René, lifts up his glasses and whispers "It is I, LeClerc!" René once described him as "The man with a thousand faces - every one the same." Ironically when other characters dress in similar diguises, which are either amazingly effective or extremely poor, they will always introduce themselves in an identical manner. Several times characters other than LeClerc have introduced themselves with the phrase "It is I, (name)" which prompts LeClerc to state angrily, "Hey, no, it is I, LeClerc" - with an appropriate raising of his glasses.

LeClerc usually plays the piano alongside Edith. Unlike Edith's poor singing, LeClerc appears able to play the piano well, and he frequently rushes to the end of a song if Edith finishes early.

Leaving the series

Jack Haig, the actor who portrayed Roger LeClerc, died between seasons 5 and 6. So in the beginning of Season 6, René explains Roger LeClerc's sudden absence by saying that he preferred to leave René’s Café to go back to prison (whence he came at the start of the show) because the food was better there. LeClerc's character was already scheduled for Season 6, so in his place came his brother Monsieur Ernest LeClerc. (Ironically, the actor playing Ernest in Season 6 died at the end of that season, so another replacement had to be found for seasons 7-9.)

Quotes

• It is I, LeClerc! (Usually accompanied by raising his spectacles);
• Onions, onions! Who will buy onions from a poor old onion seller? (or any other product like cheese, or pigeons, or fruit…);
• Ahhh…! (Rising from beneath Fanny La Fan’s blanket);
• I have a message from Michelle! (He usually brings messages from Michelle);
• Zeese are the batteries (holding up more knockwurst he was selling) with the electric terminals at this end, and this end (gets a shock);
• For a simple farmhand perhaps you have a cognac? René: If you are simple farmhand, you must have simple tastes - you can have a beer;
• (Once gave a horrified Hitler salute, dumping a tray of drinks behind him).