Margaret Kelly Leibovici
Encyclopedia
Margaret Miss Bluebell Kelly Leibovici (24 June 1910 – 11 September 2004), Irish
dancer, was the founder of the "Bluebell Girls".
, where, on the direction of a doctor, Kelly was registered in a dance class to strengthen her frail legs. Quickly, it appeared that she had a great talent.
In 1930 Kelly danced in Paris at the Folies Bergère and, decided to remain there. In 1932, when she was 22, she created there her own group called the Bluebell Girls, they are still dancing today in the Lido
in Paris. This is an unmatched world record of longevity in the history of show business.
In 1939, she married Marcel Leibovici, a Romania
n Jew, pianist and composer at the Folies Bergère. During the Second World War, they had two sons: Patrick (1939) and Francis (1941). After the German invasion of 1940, Margaret, pregnant with Francis, was arrested by the French police and interned in Besançon
. The Irish chargé d'affaires
, Count O'Kelly, saved her. But in 1942, Marcel, her husband, was arrested in his turn and deported to the camp of Gurs
. The French Resistance
helped him to flee and go back to Paris. He was hidden by his wife opposite the Prefecture of Police
building until the Liberation
. During this time, Margaret ensured him food and security at the risk of her life. She was interrogated by the Gestapo
, which suspected her of hiding her husband, but succeeded, in spite of intensive questioning, to never give herself away thanks to her self control and her quickness at repartee. François Truffaut
's film, The Last Metro
, is inspired by this episode in the life of Margaret Kelly and her husband Marcel Leibovici.
After the war, Margaret started a very fruitful collaboration with Donn Arden
, the American choreographer and producer, to give shows at the Paris Lido. While beginning with a modest contract in 1947, the Bluebell Girls became the sole stars of the Lido shows and became increasingly more famous. Their shows were different from the others; Bluebell had an inventory of the tallest and most beautiful dancers who, with their costumes and high heels, towered over everybody on stage. Donn Arden's shows differentiated themselves from the others by the mixture of movement, colour, music and light in a kaleidoscope of impetuous rhythm. By the end of the 1950s, the Bluebell Girls had also really become a worldwide organization. Their base in Paris was supplemented by what had become permanent troupes, for example in Las Vegas
, while at any moment, in any part of the world — Europe, Africa, the Far East — the Bluebell Girls appeared in the schedule of the tours. From 1974, the two shows at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas, "Hallelujah Hollywood" and "Jubilee!
" carried the troupe to the height of its fame.
From 1947, Marcel Leibovici had entered in full partnership with his wife, running the orchestrations, business and financial side of her operation and, thanks to his considerable flair, had made the Bluebell Girls the most celebrated and prestigious dancing troupe in the world. Marcel died in a car accident in 1961. The disappearance of the motive force behind its commercial success could have marked the end of the Bluebell Girls. Nevertheless Bluebell had become wholly responsible for the four children: Patrick, Francis, Florence and Jean-Paul, never married again and kept the Bluebell's programme going and even increased the number of her troupes and her activities, by always adding new elements and new artists. One of the most famous innovations was the introduction of the "topless" in 1970. Miss Bluebell invented the untouchable «showgirl», the accomplished woman and very versatile artist, aware of being the member of a disciplined, rigorous and perfectionist troupe.
She refused the beautiful but insipid dancer, preferring the girl with a character, capable of expressing what was unique in her.
, but she continued her global activities, particularly in Las Vegas with the MGM Grand Hotel. The Paris Lido bought her brand name Bluebell Girls to be allowed to continue its use in the shows.
Miss Bluebell devoted a lot of her time and money for charities, but she was also known from her exemplary attitude towards her handicapped granddaughter Alexandra (Angelman Syndrome
). Bluebell had the very therapeutic attitude not to exclude her, but to invite her every weekend to the very posh restaurants and to have her admitted by her professional and social circle of acquaintances.
, Chevalier of the Legion of Honour for 72 years of professional activity as maîtresse de ballet, Chevalier des Arts et Lettres
and Chevalier de l'Ordre National du Mérite
.
In 1986 the BBC broadcast a major drama series called Bluebell produced by Richard Bates and George Perry
wrote her authorized biography. Carolyn Pickles
played her part. Both biography and BBC drama series were a global success, with the sole exception of France where there has been neither a broadcasting of the drama series nor a publishing of the biography.
Within the framework of its mission to present the history of entertainment of the capital of this art the University of Nevada in Las Vegas (UNLV) is paying a permanent tribute to Miss Bluebell by showing photographs of her at the same time in its on-line Exhibit of photos SHOWGIRLS
and in the famous Donn Arden Special Collection, thus reuniting for ever the two partners who played such a signature role in the history of show business and contributed so much to the legend of the Bluebell Girls.
In 1987, the British sculptor Doreen Kern realized Miss Bluebell's life-size bronze portrait bust, it was placed on her tomb (and stolen on 18 July 2008)..
In 1990, Bluebell was granted a private audience by Pope John Paul II
.
She is buried in the Montmartre Cemetery
. Her son Jean-Paul, who died in 1996, is interred with her.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
dancer, was the founder of the "Bluebell Girls".
Biography
Margaret Kelly was born in Dublin on 24 June 1910 at the Rotunda Hospital. She never knew her parents. An Irish priest entrusted her to Mary Murphy, a spinster who worked at home as a dress maker. In 1916, following the Easter uprising, both moved to LiverpoolLiverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, where, on the direction of a doctor, Kelly was registered in a dance class to strengthen her frail legs. Quickly, it appeared that she had a great talent.
Career
At the age of fourteen, Kelly left school and joined a Scottish dance troupe, the Hot Jocks. Nine months later Alfred Jackson, a famous producer who ran teams of precision dancers, the Jackson Girls engaged her at the Scala in Berlin. Kelly danced there for 5 years.In 1930 Kelly danced in Paris at the Folies Bergère and, decided to remain there. In 1932, when she was 22, she created there her own group called the Bluebell Girls, they are still dancing today in the Lido
Le Lido
Le Lido is a cabaret and burlesque house on the Champs-Élysées in Paris, France, famous for its exotic shows, which rival those of Las Vegas and where Elvis Presley gave an impromptu concert...
in Paris. This is an unmatched world record of longevity in the history of show business.
In 1939, she married Marcel Leibovici, a Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n Jew, pianist and composer at the Folies Bergère. During the Second World War, they had two sons: Patrick (1939) and Francis (1941). After the German invasion of 1940, Margaret, pregnant with Francis, was arrested by the French police and interned in Besançon
Besançon
Besançon , is the capital and principal city of the Franche-Comté region in eastern France. It had a population of about 237,000 inhabitants in the metropolitan area in 2008...
. The Irish chargé d'affaires
Chargé d'affaires
In diplomacy, chargé d’affaires , often shortened to simply chargé, is the title of two classes of diplomatic agents who head a diplomatic mission, either on a temporary basis or when no more senior diplomat has been accredited.-Chargés d’affaires:Chargés d’affaires , who were...
, Count O'Kelly, saved her. But in 1942, Marcel, her husband, was arrested in his turn and deported to the camp of Gurs
Gurs
Gurs is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.Gurs was the site of the Camp Gurs concentration camp. Nothing remains of the camp; after World War II, a forest was planted on the site where it stood.-Geography:...
. The French Resistance
French Resistance
The French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...
helped him to flee and go back to Paris. He was hidden by his wife opposite the Prefecture of Police
Prefecture of Police
The Prefecture of Police , headed by the Prefect of Police , is an agency of the Government of France which provides the police force for the city of Paris and the surrounding three suburban départements of Hauts-de-Seine, Seine-Saint-Denis, and Val-de-Marne...
building until the Liberation
Liberation of Paris
The Liberation of Paris took place during World War II from 19 August 1944 until the surrender of the occupying German garrison on August 25th. It could be regarded by some as the last battle in the Battle for Normandy, though that really ended with the crushing of the Wehrmacht forces between the...
. During this time, Margaret ensured him food and security at the risk of her life. She was interrogated by the Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
, which suspected her of hiding her husband, but succeeded, in spite of intensive questioning, to never give herself away thanks to her self control and her quickness at repartee. François Truffaut
François Truffaut
François Roland Truffaut was an influential film critic and filmmaker and one of the founders of the French New Wave. In a film career lasting over a quarter of a century, he remains an icon of the French film industry. He was also a screenwriter, producer, and actor working on over twenty-five...
's film, The Last Metro
The Last Metro
The Last Metro is a 1980 film made by Les Films du Carrosse, written and directed by the French filmmaker François Truffaut, and starring Catherine Deneuve and Gérard Depardieu....
, is inspired by this episode in the life of Margaret Kelly and her husband Marcel Leibovici.
Donn Arden
Donn Arden was an American choreographer and producer.- Biography :Born Arlyle Arden Peterson Arden to a railway executive and a housewife, he grew up in St...
, the American choreographer and producer, to give shows at the Paris Lido. While beginning with a modest contract in 1947, the Bluebell Girls became the sole stars of the Lido shows and became increasingly more famous. Their shows were different from the others; Bluebell had an inventory of the tallest and most beautiful dancers who, with their costumes and high heels, towered over everybody on stage. Donn Arden's shows differentiated themselves from the others by the mixture of movement, colour, music and light in a kaleidoscope of impetuous rhythm. By the end of the 1950s, the Bluebell Girls had also really become a worldwide organization. Their base in Paris was supplemented by what had become permanent troupes, for example in Las Vegas
Las Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Strip is an approximately stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada; adjacent to, but outside the city limits of Las Vegas proper. The Strip lies within the unincorporated townships of Paradise and Winchester...
, while at any moment, in any part of the world — Europe, Africa, the Far East — the Bluebell Girls appeared in the schedule of the tours. From 1974, the two shows at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas, "Hallelujah Hollywood" and "Jubilee!
Jubilee!
Jubilee! is a long-running Las Vegas Strip-based burlesque show. It opened in August 1981 and was originally produced by Donn Arden. As of 2006, this resident show at Bally's Las Vegas is the longest-running production show in Las Vegas. The Jubilee! showgirls are an icon of old Vegas. The show...
" carried the troupe to the height of its fame.
From 1947, Marcel Leibovici had entered in full partnership with his wife, running the orchestrations, business and financial side of her operation and, thanks to his considerable flair, had made the Bluebell Girls the most celebrated and prestigious dancing troupe in the world. Marcel died in a car accident in 1961. The disappearance of the motive force behind its commercial success could have marked the end of the Bluebell Girls. Nevertheless Bluebell had become wholly responsible for the four children: Patrick, Francis, Florence and Jean-Paul, never married again and kept the Bluebell's programme going and even increased the number of her troupes and her activities, by always adding new elements and new artists. One of the most famous innovations was the introduction of the "topless" in 1970. Miss Bluebell invented the untouchable «showgirl», the accomplished woman and very versatile artist, aware of being the member of a disciplined, rigorous and perfectionist troupe.
She refused the beautiful but insipid dancer, preferring the girl with a character, capable of expressing what was unique in her.
Later life
In 1984, Bluebell went into semi-retirement and left the Paris LidoLe Lido
Le Lido is a cabaret and burlesque house on the Champs-Élysées in Paris, France, famous for its exotic shows, which rival those of Las Vegas and where Elvis Presley gave an impromptu concert...
, but she continued her global activities, particularly in Las Vegas with the MGM Grand Hotel. The Paris Lido bought her brand name Bluebell Girls to be allowed to continue its use in the shows.
Miss Bluebell devoted a lot of her time and money for charities, but she was also known from her exemplary attitude towards her handicapped granddaughter Alexandra (Angelman Syndrome
Angelman syndrome
Angelman syndrome is a neuro-genetic disorder characterized by intellectual and developmental delay, sleep disturbance, seizures, jerky movements , frequent laughter or smiling, and usually a happy demeanor....
). Bluebell had the very therapeutic attitude not to exclude her, but to invite her every weekend to the very posh restaurants and to have her admitted by her professional and social circle of acquaintances.
Awards and tributes
Margaret Kelly was decorated Officer of the British EmpireOrder of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, Chevalier of the Legion of Honour for 72 years of professional activity as maîtresse de ballet, Chevalier des Arts et Lettres
Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
The Ordre des Arts et des Lettres is an Order of France, established on 2 May 1957 by the Minister of Culture, and confirmed as part of the Ordre national du Mérite by President Charles de Gaulle in 1963...
and Chevalier de l'Ordre National du Mérite
Ordre National du Mérite
The Ordre national du Mérite is an Order of State awarded by the President of the French Republic. It was founded on 3 December 1963 by President Charles de Gaulle...
.
In 1986 the BBC broadcast a major drama series called Bluebell produced by Richard Bates and George Perry
George Perry
George Perry may refer to:*George Perry , Scottish engineer, ironmaster, draughtsman and cartographer*George Perry , former Ontario MPP*George Perry , 19th century English naturalist...
wrote her authorized biography. Carolyn Pickles
Carolyn Pickles
Carolyn Pickles is an English actress who has appeared in West End theatre and on British television, perhaps most notably in Emmerdale as Shelly Williams.-Life and career:Pickles was born in Wakefield, Yorkshire, England...
played her part. Both biography and BBC drama series were a global success, with the sole exception of France where there has been neither a broadcasting of the drama series nor a publishing of the biography.
Within the framework of its mission to present the history of entertainment of the capital of this art the University of Nevada in Las Vegas (UNLV) is paying a permanent tribute to Miss Bluebell by showing photographs of her at the same time in its on-line Exhibit of photos SHOWGIRLS
Showgirls
Showgirls is a 1995 American drama film directed by Paul Verhoeven and starring former teen actress Elizabeth Berkley, Kyle MacLachlan, and Gina Gershon...
and in the famous Donn Arden Special Collection, thus reuniting for ever the two partners who played such a signature role in the history of show business and contributed so much to the legend of the Bluebell Girls.
In 1987, the British sculptor Doreen Kern realized Miss Bluebell's life-size bronze portrait bust, it was placed on her tomb (and stolen on 18 July 2008)..
In 1990, Bluebell was granted a private audience by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
.
Last years
The eight last years (1996–2004) of Miss Bluebell's life were darkened by a conflict between her children relating to the assumption of her responsibility and managing her estate. In 1996, she was placed under French guardianship and she obtained the assurance to remain in her Parisian apartment according to her wish and to continue to be followed by the best medical specialists in Paris.She is buried in the Montmartre Cemetery
Montmartre Cemetery
Montmartre Cemetery is a cemetery in the 18th arrondissement of Paris, France.-History:Cemeteries had been banned from Paris since the shutting down of the Cimetière des Innocents in 1786, as they presented health hazards...
. Her son Jean-Paul, who died in 1996, is interred with her.