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Mistinguett

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Mistinguett was a legendary French actress and singer.

Mistinguett Moulin Rouge
Mistinguett Moulin Rouge

She was once the highest-paid female entertainer in the entire world. Her professional career spanned an impressive 60 years. Throughout her life, she performed in 31 movies and 9 shows. She also contributed to 389 different musical works. Mistinguett was famous for her flamboyance and her theatrical zest. She possessed a unique magnetism that drew crowds toward her. She described this connection as a way to say, "Come closer."

Jeanne Florentine Bourgeois was born in 1873 in Enghien-les-Bains, France.

Mistinguett plaque
Mistinguett plaque

Her father, Antoine Bourgeois, worked as a day-labourer. Her mother, Jeannette Debrée, worked as a seamstress. As a child, she lived in Soisy-sous-Montmorency. Her early path to stardom began with very humble jobs. She first worked as a flower seller in a restaurant. While selling blossoms, she would sing popular ballads to customers. At age 10, she held a job at the Casino de Paris. Her specific task was raising and lowering the theater curtains.

Her transition to professional performing involved many developmental steps. After taking theater and singing classes, she began her career in 1888. She met a director named Saint-Marcel while traveling to a violin lesson. He hired her first as a stage-hand at the Casino de Paris. During this time, she experimented with several different stage names. She used names like Miss Helyett and Miss Tinguette. Eventually, she settled on the professional name Mistinguett. By 1893, she made her first major appearance in a musical. She soon performed at famous venues like the Moulin Rouge and Folies Bergère.

Mistinguett's career included many distinct types of performance and records. She was a star of the music-hall and cabaret scenes. She also transitioned into film, making her first silent movie in 1908. Later, she performed in her first "talkie," or sound film, in 1936. Her musical repertoire included massive hits like "Mon Homme," recorded in 1920. This song was later popularized in English as "My Man." Another major success was her song "Je Cherche un Millionaire." This track sold 5 million copies before the start of World War II.

Her stage productions were known for their incredible scale and detail. In 1938, she performed in a revue called Féerie de Paris. This show is considered one of her best works. For this production, she wore a massive 7-foot tall headdress. Her costume also featured a 20-foot long train. The outfit included 40 pounds of feathers. Even at age 65, she maintained her elegant grace. She was known for making grand entrances, such as walking down silver staircases.

Her personal life was marked by high-stakes drama and international intrigue. She had a son, Leopoldo, born in 1901 from a liaison with a Brazilian diplomat. Mistinguett also had a long relationship with the entertainer Maurice Chevalier. During a war, she engaged in dangerous espionage to help free him. She acted as a spy for the Germans while also working as a double spy for France. This risky behavior led to her being sentenced to death by the Germans. However, her life was saved through an exchange involving German wives and daughters.

Mistinguett's legacy continues through various cultural connections today. She remains a symbol of a marvelous Parisian epoch. Her life has been the subject of numerous documentaries and even a musical. In 2006, her hometown of Enghien-les-Bains held a festival to honor her. A street in Montpellier is also named after her. She died in 1956 at the age of 82. She expressed her deep love for her audience on her deathbed. She believed she belonged to the public because she owed them everything.

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File:Mistinguett Moulin Rouge.jpg
Mistinguett Moulin Rouge.jpg
File:Mistinguett plaque.jpg
Mistinguett plaque.jpg
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