André Delachenal, who is best known under his pen name André Daix, began his career in animation. In 1934, he started his daily comic 'Professeur Nimbus' through the Opera Mundi agency in Le Journal. The strip appeared in Le Matin from 1940 to 1944. Daix's wordless comic became the archetype of French pantomime comics. In addition, Daix has made strips like 'Les Fratellini' (in Ric et Rac, 1935-37), 'Saladin' (in Marseille Matin, 1937-39), 'Chiffonnette' (in Paris-Soir, 1939-40), 'Le Baron de Crécus' (in Le Matin, 1940-43) and 'Pollycarpe' (in L'Auto).
During World War II Daix collaborated with the Nazi-supporting Vichy regime in France. Several episodes of 'Professeur Nimbus' appeared in Nazi-controlled papers. The character was even used in a very odd propaganda animated short, 'Nimbus Libéré' (1944) directed by Raymond Jeannin. In this cartoon Nimbus and his wife listen to Radio London. The announcer - a Jewish stereotype - claims that the Allied Forces will soon liberate Europe, which excites Nimbus and his family. The cartoon then cuts to U.S. bomber planes which are steered by Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy and E.C. Segar 's Popeye who bomb their house flat. Underneath the rubble the radio is still playing until the Grim Reaper turns off the switch.
Although 'Professeur Nimbus' was an international success, Daix stopped making comics after World War II. His collaboration with the oppressor motivated him to flee to Portugal and Latin America, until he returned to France in amnesty years later. In the meantime, the 'Professor Nimbus' strip was continued by among others Rob-Vel and Pierre Le Goff.
