Polaire
Encyclopedia
Polaire was the stage name
used by French singer and actress Émilie Marie Bouchaud (May 14, 1874 – October 14, 1939).
Born at Agha, Algiers
, Algeria
, according to her memoirs she was one of eleven children of whom only four - Emilie, her two brothers Edmond and Marcel, and a sister, Lucile - survived infancy. Their father died of typhoid fever
when Emilie was five and their mother, unable to support them alone, placed them with their grandmother in Algiers. Marcel died shortly after. Her mother having begun a relationship with a man named Emmanuel Borgia (whom Polaire accuses in her memoirs of attempting to molest her), the family moved to Paris in 1889, where her mother found work. She also tried to find employment for her daughter but eventually, after Lucile had died, Emilie was sent back to her grandmother in Algiers. She did not settle, and in September 1890 ran away to rejoin her mother in France; but afraid of meeting up with her mother's partner, Borgia, she first approached her brother Edmond who had gained some fame as a café-concert singer under the name of Dufleuve. With his help she auditioned successfully and won her first job as a café singer aged about 17.
Adopting the stage name Polaire, she worked as a music-hall
singer and dancer; in 1895, her fame increased significantly when Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
's sketch of her appeared in the satirical magazine Le Rire
; in 1900, attention grew again, when her portrait was painted by Leonetto Cappiello
.
Polaire went on to act in the theatre. Her first major appearance was in 1902, at the Théâtre des Bouffes Parisiens
, in the title role of a play based on Colette
's Claudine à Paris. A gifted comedic actress, she became one of the major celebrities of her day.
At a time when tightlacing
among women was in vogue, she was famous for her tiny, corset
ted waist, which was reported to have a circumference no greater than 14 inches (35.6 cm). This accentuated her large bust, which was said to measure 38 inches (96.5 cm). She stood 5 in 3 in (1.6 m) tall. Talk of her figure and her lavish overdressing in fur coats and dazzling jewels preceded her appearances wherever she went. Jean Lorrain
said of her,
Polaire wore her hair short, unusual in women before the 1920s: she apparently adopted the style in the 1890s. In 1910 she appeared for the first time in London and shortly afterwards in June opened in New York, although this may not have been her debut there. In 1911, she was cast her in her first silent-film
role. In the next year, she was offered a role in a film by the up-and-coming young director Maurice Tourneur
; she appeared in six of his films in 1912 and 1913. She then returned to the musical stage and began a tour of the United States
(garnering some publicity by wearing a nose-piercing
), after which she appeared at the London
Coliseum
. Polaire returned to films in 1922; she performed in ten between then and 1935, some of them talkies.
She died in 1939, at age sixty-five, at Champigny-sur-Marne, Val-de-Marne, France; her body was buried at the Cimetière du Centre, in the eastern Paris suburb of Champigny-sur-Marne
.
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
used by French singer and actress Émilie Marie Bouchaud (May 14, 1874 – October 14, 1939).
Born at Agha, Algiers
Algiers
' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...
, Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, according to her memoirs she was one of eleven children of whom only four - Emilie, her two brothers Edmond and Marcel, and a sister, Lucile - survived infancy. Their father died of typhoid fever
Typhoid fever
Typhoid fever, also known as Typhoid, is a common worldwide bacterial disease, transmitted by the ingestion of food or water contaminated with the feces of an infected person, which contain the bacterium Salmonella enterica, serovar Typhi...
when Emilie was five and their mother, unable to support them alone, placed them with their grandmother in Algiers. Marcel died shortly after. Her mother having begun a relationship with a man named Emmanuel Borgia (whom Polaire accuses in her memoirs of attempting to molest her), the family moved to Paris in 1889, where her mother found work. She also tried to find employment for her daughter but eventually, after Lucile had died, Emilie was sent back to her grandmother in Algiers. She did not settle, and in September 1890 ran away to rejoin her mother in France; but afraid of meeting up with her mother's partner, Borgia, she first approached her brother Edmond who had gained some fame as a café-concert singer under the name of Dufleuve. With his help she auditioned successfully and won her first job as a café singer aged about 17.
Adopting the stage name Polaire, she worked as a music-hall
Music hall
Music Hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960. The term can refer to:# A particular form of variety entertainment involving a mixture of popular song, comedy and speciality acts...
singer and dancer; in 1895, her fame increased significantly when Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
Henri Marie Raymond de Toulouse-Lautrec-Monfa or simply Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec was a French painter, printmaker, draughtsman, and illustrator, whose immersion in the colourful and theatrical life of fin de siècle Paris yielded an œuvre of exciting, elegant and provocative images of the modern...
's sketch of her appeared in the satirical magazine Le Rire
Le Rire
Le Rire, or "Laughter," was a successful humor magazine published from October 1894 through the 1950s. Founded in Paris during the Belle Époque by Felix Juven, Le Rire appeared as typical Parisians began to achieve more education, income and leisure time. Interest in the arts, culture and politics...
; in 1900, attention grew again, when her portrait was painted by Leonetto Cappiello
Leonetto Cappiello
Leonetto Cappiello was an Italian poster art designer who lived in Paris. He is now often called 'the father of modern advertising' because of his innovation in poster design...
.
Polaire went on to act in the theatre. Her first major appearance was in 1902, at the Théâtre des Bouffes Parisiens
Théâtre des Bouffes Parisiens
The Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens is a Parisian theatre which was founded in 1855 by the composer Jacques Offenbach for the performance of opéra bouffe and operetta. The current theatre is located in the 2nd arrondissement at 4 rue Monsigny with an entrance at the back at 65 Passage Choiseul. In...
, in the title role of a play based on Colette
Colette
Colette was the surname of the French novelist and performer Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette . She is best known for her novel Gigi, upon which Lerner and Loewe based the stage and film musical comedies of the same title.-Early life and marriage:Colette was born to retired military officer Jules-Joseph...
's Claudine à Paris. A gifted comedic actress, she became one of the major celebrities of her day.
At a time when tightlacing
Tightlacing
Tightlacing is the practice of wearing a tightly-laced corset to achieve extreme modifications to the figure and posture and experience the sensations of a very tight corset. Those who practice tightlacing are called tightlacers...
among women was in vogue, she was famous for her tiny, corset
Corset
A corset is a garment worn to hold and shape the torso into a desired shape for aesthetic or medical purposes...
ted waist, which was reported to have a circumference no greater than 14 inches (35.6 cm). This accentuated her large bust, which was said to measure 38 inches (96.5 cm). She stood 5 in 3 in (1.6 m) tall. Talk of her figure and her lavish overdressing in fur coats and dazzling jewels preceded her appearances wherever she went. Jean Lorrain
Jean Lorrain
Jean Lorrain , born Paul Duval, was a French poet and novelist of the Symbolist school....
said of her,
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
role. In the next year, she was offered a role in a film by the up-and-coming young director Maurice Tourneur
Maurice Tourneur
Maurice Tourneur was an important international film director and screenwriter.-Life:Born Maurice Thomas in the Belleville district of Paris, France, his father was a jeweler. As a young man, Maurice Thomas first trained as a graphic designer and a magazine illustrator but was soon drawn to the...
; she appeared in six of his films in 1912 and 1913. She then returned to the musical stage and began a tour of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(garnering some publicity by wearing a nose-piercing
Nose piercing
Nose piercing is the piercing of the skin or cartilage which forms any part of the nose, normally for the purpose of wearing jewelry; among the different varieties of nose piercings, the nostril piercing is the most common...
), after which she appeared at the London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
Coliseum
Coliseum Theatre
The London Coliseum is an opera house and major performing venue on St. Martin's Lane, central London. It is one of London's largest and best equipped theatres and opened in 1904, designed by theatrical architect Frank Matcham , for impresario Oswald Stoll...
. Polaire returned to films in 1922; she performed in ten between then and 1935, some of them talkies.
She died in 1939, at age sixty-five, at Champigny-sur-Marne, Val-de-Marne, France; her body was buried at the Cimetière du Centre, in the eastern Paris suburb of Champigny-sur-Marne
Champigny-sur-Marne
Champigny-sur-Marne is a commune in the southeastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.-Name:Champigny-sur-Marne was originally called simply Champigny...
.