Lucien Arnaud
(COMÉDIENS)
25 Rue du Mont-Cenis, 75018 Paris, France

One of the great and relatively unknown theatre actors of the first half of the twentieth century, Lucien Arnaud had a forty year career on the stage. It was a chance encounter with theatre manager and director Charles Dullin that lured Arnaud into the spotlight. At the time of their meeting Dullin was establishing the Théâtre de l’Atelier with a small group of students. This troupe lived together in a commune, sharing their lives and creative endeavours. The group established itself in the Théâtre Montmartre, one of the first purpose built theatres in suburban Paris. Although under thirty years of age Arnaud led the troupe at the Atelier, becoming one of stars of the theatre company. Critics noted his role playing a transvestite in Ben Jonson’s The Silent Woman, and his performance in Antigone, by Jean Cocteau. A film career ran alongside his theatre life but it would always be the stage that held his heart.

Charles Gentes
(CHANTEURS ET CHANTEUSES)
29 Rue du Mont-Cenis, 75018 Paris, France

Known as The Golden Voice, baritone Charles Gentès was a popular singer on the radio. His repertoire on stage was varied, moving from the Barber of Seville to advertising ditties seamlessly. He released a number of EPs for the labels Disques Festival and Decca.

Guylaine Guy
(CHANTEURS ET CHANTEUSES)
29 Rue du Mont-Cenis, 75018 Paris, France

Guylaine Guy (b.1929) is a singer and painter from Montreal, Canada. In 1955 Charles Trenet took Guy to Paris, writing songs for her, and performed alongside her and Louis Armstrong when she debuted at L’Olympia. She settled in Paris, establishing herself on the French music scene with a large catalogue of records, and earning herself the nicknames La Piaf heureuse, and Le Trenette. In 1963 Guylaine Guy married, and her singing career took a back seat, although she made a brief return in 1970 and 1971. She then enrolled at the Académie Frochot, in the Pigalle district of Paris, to learn painting.

Mauricet
(CHANSONNIERS)
11 Rue Saint-Vincent

Montmartrois chansonnier Georges Maurice Renaut was a theatre and film actor, playwright and director. He studied engineering at the l’Ecole Centrale before the life of the artist beckoned. He needed a name fit for a performer, it was fellow chansonnier Martial Boyer who chose it for him, announcing “Mauricet” as he walked onto the stage at the
Théâtre des Noctambules. Mauricet was director of variety shows at Radiodiffusion française. He appeared regularly in the cabarets of Montmartre, including the Les Deux Anes on Boulevard de Clichy. He died in 1968, about the time he lived here, and is buried in the Saint-Vincent de Montmartre Cemetery, which is a bit further down this road.

See an object relating to Mauricet HERE.

Lapin Agile
(Cabarets)
22 Rue des Saules, 75018 Paris, France

Famous watering hole and Montmartre institution Lapin Agile was the hang out of musicians, actors, poets, struggling artists and writers, including Picasso, Modigliani, Apollinaire, Roman Greco and Utrillo. It was bought in the early twentieth century by the cabaret singer and comedian Aristide Bruant. Since 1972, singer and actor Yves Mathieu has been the owner and artistic director of the Lapin Agile. A venue he started singing at in 1948, and he’s still singing there now, in his 90s. The Lapin Agile still retains its charm to this day, keeping alive the famous cabaret traditions of Montmartre.

Guy Luypaerts
(CHEFS D’ORCHESTRES)
16 Rue Paul Féval, 75018 Paris, France

Born in Montmartre, musician, bandleader and composer Guy Luypaerts (1917-2015) started his career between the wars as a jazz pianist. In the late 1930s he teamed up with Charles Trenet to entertain the troops in the Théâtre aux Armées. After WW2 Luypaerts formed his own orchestra, and composed the quintessential Parisian song Pigalle, made famous by singers all around the world in the years to come. He recorded La vie en rose with Edith Piaf in 1947 and would accompany the star throughout her career.

Picolette
(COMÉDIENNES)
2 Rue Gaston Couté, 75018 Paris, France

Singer and actress Picolette (real name Colette Pico) with her short hair and boyish demeanour was often compared to the poulbots who roamed Montmartre. She started her career at the Le Bœuf sur le toit cabaret before moving onto Le Tabou (with the troupe de Max Révol), L’Ecluse, La Fontaine des Quatre Saisons and the Rose Rouge. Picolette worked as a secretary for her best friend, the actress Danièle Delorme, following her into the cinema during the 1950s. Her sister was the singer Jeannette Pico/Picot. She released a just a few records, mostly songs from her beloved Montmartre, including those of Aristide Bruant.