Teacher who ran school outside Paris was a formative influence on generations of comedians and actors including Helena Bonham Carter and Emma Thompson Teacher who ran school outside Paris was a formative influence on generations of comedians and actors including Helena Bonham Carter and Emma Thompson Master clown Philippe Gaulier, the influential founder of France’s École Philippe Gaulier , has died aged 82. Gaulier taught the art of clowning for decades and his students included Sacha Baron