MAURICE CHEVALIER

September 12, 1888

Maurice Chevalier was born on September 12, 1888 in Paris. He started in show business in 1901. He was singing at a café when it was suggested he audition for a local musical. He got the part. Chevalier made a name as a mimic and a singer. In 1909, he became the partner of the biggest female star in France, Fréhel a partnership that ended in 1911. He went to London, where he found new success, even though he still sang in French.

During World War I he enlisted in the French army. He was wounded in battle, captured and placed in a POW camp by the Germans. During his captivity he learned English from fellow prisoners.

After the war, Chevalier went back to Paris and created several songs still known today, such as “Valentine”. He met the American composers George Gershwin and Irving Berlin and came to Broadway in 1922. 

“The cinema is rather like a beautiful woman whom you would court only by telephone.” ~ Maurice Chevalier

When talking pictures arrived, he made his Hollywood debut in 1928 with Paramount Pictures and created his first American role in Innocents of Paris. 

In 1930, he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for his roles in The Love Parade (1929) and The Big Pond (1930).  In 1959, he won an honorary Oscar for his contributions to the world of entertainment. He won a special Tony Award for contributions to theatre in 1968. 

In “The French Revue” (ILL S3;E7) in 1953, Chevalier did not appear, but everyone impersonated him by donning straw hats and singing “Louise,” a song he introduced to the world in 1929. Later at the Tropicana, Ricky sings “Valentine,” another of Chevalier’s signature tunes. 

He sang it for himself (with Ricky and Little Ricky) in 1958′s “Lucy Goes To Mexico” (LDCH S2;E1).  

While it might seem odd to have iconic Frenchman Chevalier in an episode that takes place in Mexico, Lucy and Desi had always wanted Chevalier on the show, and time was running out. In addition, his 1958 Oscar-winning film Gigi was an MGM movie, and Lucy and Desi had done two films for the studio, The Long Long Trailer (1953) and Forever, Darling (1956). 

In addition to Gigi, Chevalier was tapped for several other French-themed musical films: Can-Can (1960) and Fanny (1961). 

In 1960′s Pepe, a showcase for Cantiflas starring Dan Dailey and Shirley Jones, Chevalier was one of 35 stars playing themselves. He was in the company of other “Lucy” actors Jimmy Durante, Sammy Davis Jr., Hedda Hopper, Ernie Kovacs, Jay North, Edward G. Robinson, Cesar Romero, and Dean Martin. The film was set in Mexico (just like Chevalier’s episode of “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour”) and the Sands Casino in Las Vegas (the location of yet another “Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour.”) 

The logical time for Chevalier to guest star was during their trip to Europe.  But Chevalier was not available, and the episode that had been written for him was re-written for film star Charles Boyer.  

The only other time Chevalier and Ball were on screen together was for “A Tribute To Eleanor Roosevelt on her Silver Jubilee” as part of “Sunday Showcase” in 1959 on NBC.  

In “The Danny Kaye Show with Lucille Ball” (1962) Kaye sang, danced, and told a story imitating Maurice Chevalier’s English accent.

Following in her mother’s footprints, Lucie Arnaz (as Kim Carter) imitated Maurice Chevalier singing “Louise” in a 1970 episode of “Here’s Lucy.”  Kim is showing off for her brother Craig’s home movie camera. 

In 1922 Chevalier met Yvonne Vallée, a young dancer, who became his wife in 1927. They divorced in 1933

divorced on grounds of incompatibility. Chevalier took up with dancer Nita Raya shortly after but never remarried. 

In 1970 he sang the title song for Walt Disney’s The Aristocats. This marked his last contribution to the film industry. Maurice Chevalier died on New Years Day 1972 in Paris. He was 83 years old. 

On his death the Times of London wrote: “Paris has lost another piece of its history and of its legend”.

“An artist carries on throughout his life a mysterious, uninterrupted conversation with his public.” ~ Maurice Chavalier