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At 709 this celebrated French entertaim
A LIFE
in TITO
m m if
Ml
March 1. 1959
TT j fH j n D
unce
Cheval
ler
A few days ago, a journalist joined me for lunch.
I thought we had a very enjoyable and en
lightening discussion till I read in his story a few
days later that I was a lonely old man.
If you can call 70 old and I don't he may be
correct on that point. And certainly there are
times at my age when a man wants to be a little
lonesome, to reminisce, to get prepared for where
everyone goes.
But I'm not a lonely old man. On the contrary,
I'm a very happy man who has had a rich, wonder
ful life and still has.
So please, don't feel sorry for me. I wouldn't
want to trade places with anyone!
Besides, I still carry on the love affair of my
life my work. And I'll keep at it till I read three
times in the paper that I bore people, or till I get
tired of it. I don't think there's much chance of
the latter; I wouldn't know how to get along
without my work.
I quit school when I was only 10. My father was
a painter who drank heavily and left my mother
when I was barely eight. I didn't know what ever
became of him. At first I heard from him occa
sionally, and when I could afford it, I offered to
help him financially. He never embarrassed me
by accepting my help.
I started out as an engraver's apprentice, but in
short order became a carpenter's assistant, a doll
painter, and a pen maker. One day I -persuaded my
older brother Paul that we should become circus
acrobats. But I broke so many bones that I went
back to the carpenter's bench.
Early in life I had discovered an ability to attract
a crowd whenever I sang, so I cajoled myself an
audition at the Casino des Tourelles and got my
first singing job at 12 francs a week. That was a
few days before my 12th birthday.
My fortunes improved slowly. I began to tour
the "cafe circuit" of the Paris suburbs, where I
became known as "Le Petit Chevalier." But my
big break came when I was 17 and singing at the
Eldorado Theatre. The fabulous music-hall queen,
Mistinguett, saw me and insisted I join her act at
the Folies Bergere.
I don't think any woman could do more for a
man than Mistinguett did for me. She deserves
credit for some of my success and. much of my
happiness. I have never admired anyone more.
In 1909, Maurice Chevalier
appeared with Mistinguett
.and a doomed topper.
r amity Weekly, March I, 19J