MAURICE CHEVALIER

Maurice Chevalier was a legendary entertainer who is known today for his wonderful French and American movies of the 1930s and 1940s (and his reemergence in the 1950s and 1960s in American movies). But for decades before that, he was a legendary stage performer in France. In 1909, when he was 21, he became the partner of 18 year old Frehel, who was a popular French singer and actress. They performed together (both on and off the stage) for two years, and then Chevalier left her for Mistinguett, a 36 year old French superstar, and they too performed on and off the stage, and a devastated Frehel tried to commit suicide and had drug and alcohol problems the rest of her life. Chevalier then became a major French solo act, and in the late 1920s, he started making movies, and he became an international star through the beginning of World War II. His career was tarnished during World War II when he was accused of collaborating with the Nazis, but he was forgiven after the war, and he resumed his wonderful career, especially with notable performances in Gigi and in some Walt Disney movies. Some of his movies include: Big Pond (nominated for the Best Actor Academy Award for this film), Love Me Tonight, Love in the Afternoon, Love Parade (nominated for the Best Actor Academy Award for this film), and The Smiling Lieutenant. He passed away in 1972 at the age of 83.