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Maurice Chevalier

Maurice Auguste Chevalier (French: [moʁis ʃəvalje]; 12 September 1888 – 1 January 1972) was a French singer, actor and entertainer. He is perhaps best known for his signature songs, including "Livin' In The Sunlight", "Valentine", "Louise", "Mimi", and "Thank Heaven for Little Girls" and for his films, including The Love Parade, The Big Pond, The Smiling Lieutenant, One Hour with You and Love Me Tonight. His trademark attire was a boater hat and tuxedo.

Chevalier was born in Paris. He made his name as a star of musical comedy, appearing in public as a singer and dancer at an early age before working in menial jobs as a teenager. In 1909, he became the partner of the biggest female star in France at the time, Fréhel. Although their relationship was brief, she secured him his first major engagement, as a mimic and a singer in l'Alcazar in Marseille, for which he received critical acclaim by French theatre critics. In 1917, he discovered jazz and ragtime and went to London, where he found new success at the Palace Theatre.

After this, he toured the United States, where he met the American composers George Gershwin and Irving Berlin and brought the operetta Dédé to Broadway in 1922. He developed an interest in acting and had success in Dédé. When talkies arrived, he went to Hollywood in 1928, where he played 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), which secured his first big American hits, "You Brought a New Kind of Love to Me" and "Livin' in the Sunlight, Lovin' in the Moonlight".

In 1957, he appeared in Love in the Afternoon, which was his first Hollywood film in more than 20 years. In 1958, he starred with Leslie Caron and Louis Jourdan in Gigi. In the early 1960s, he made eight films, including Can-Can in 1960 and Fanny the following year. In 1970, he made his final contribution to the film industry where he sang the title song of the Disney film The Aristocats. He died in Paris, on 1 January 1972, from complications of a suicide attempt.

Birth and Death Data: Born September 12, 1888 (Paris), Died January 1, 1972 (Paris)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1926 - 1952

Roles Represented in DAHR: baritone vocal, lyricist, songwriter

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 128 records)

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BVE-49783 10-in. 3/15/1929 Wait 'til you see 'ma chérie' Maurice Chevalier Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-49784 10-in. 3/15/1929 Les ananas Maurice Chevalier Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-49785 10-in. 3/15/1929 Valentine Maurice Chevalier Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-50942 10-in. 3/14/1929 Louise Maurice Chevalier Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-50943 10-in. 3/14/1929 It's a habit of mine Maurice Chevalier Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-50944 10-in. 3/14/1929 On top of the world, alone Maurice Chevalier Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-58513 10-in. 1/22/1930 Nobody's using it now Maurice Chevalier Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-58514 10-in. 1/22/1930 My love parade Maurice Chevalier Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-58521 10-in. 1/25/1930 Paris, stay the same Maurice Chevalier Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-58522 10-in. 1/25/1930 You've got that thing Maurice Chevalier Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-59617 10-in. 3/7/1930 Mon cocktail d'amour Maurice Chevalier Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-59618 10-in. 3/7/1930 Personne ne s'en sert maintenant Maurice Chevalier Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-59648 10-in. 3/22/1930 All I want is just one Maurice Chevalier Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-59649 10-in. 3/22/1930 Sweepin' the clouds away Maurice Chevalier Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-59672 10-in. 4/4/1930 You brought a new kind of love to me Maurice Chevalier Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-59673 10-in. 4/4/1930 Livin' in the sunlight, lovin' in the moonlight Maurice Chevalier Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-59687 10-in. 4/10/1930 Vous êtes mon nouveau bonheur Maurice Chevalier Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-59688 10-in. 4/10/1930 Paris, je t'aime d'amour Maurice Chevalier Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-62387 10-in. 8/15/1930 My ideal Maurice Chevalier Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-62388 10-in. 8/15/1930 It's a great life Maurice Chevalier Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-62389 10-in. 8/15/1930 Dans la vie quand on tient le coup Maurice Chevalier Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-62390 10-in. 8/15/1930 Mon ideal Maurice Chevalier Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-67465 10-in. 2/22/1931 Hello! Beautiful! Maurice Chevalier Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor BVE-67466 10-in. 2/22/1931 Walkin' my baby back home Maurice Chevalier Male vocal solo, with instrumental ensemble vocalist, baritone vocal  
Victor PBVE-68360 10-in. 6/29/1932 Mimi Maurice Chevalier ; Nathaniel Finston Male vocal solo, with orchestra vocalist, baritone vocal  
(Results 1-25 of 128 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Chevalier, Maurice," accessed March 18, 2024, https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103151.

Chevalier, Maurice. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved March 18, 2024, from https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103151.

"Chevalier, Maurice." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 18 March 2024.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: https://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/103151

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