Gaby Deslys (born Marie-Elise-Gabrielle Caire, 4 November 1881 – 11 February 1920) was a French singer and actress during the early 20th century. She selected her name for her stage career, and it is a contraction of ''Gabrielle of the Lillies''. During the 1910s she was exceedingly popular worldwide, making $4,000 a week in the United States alone ($ in dollars ). She performed several times on

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...

, at the

Winter Garden Theater The Winter Garden Theatre is a Broadway theatre at 1634 Broadway in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City, New York, U.S. Originally designed by architect William Albert Swasey, it opened in 1911. The Winter Garden's current des ...

, and performed in a show with a young

Al Jolson Al Jolson (born Asa Yoelson, ; May 26, 1886 – October 23, 1950) was a Lithuanian-born American singer, comedian, actor, and vaudevillian. Self-billed as "The World's Greatest Entertainer," Jolson was one of the United States' most famous and ...

. Her dancing was so popular that ''The Gaby Glide'' was named for her.''The Gaby Glide''
streetswing.com; accessed 6 May 2014.] Renowned for her beauty, she was courted by several wealthy gentlemen including King

Manuel II of Portugal Dom (title), Dom Manuel II (Manuel Maria Filipe Carlos Amélio Luís Miguel Rafael Gabriel Gonzaga Francisco de Assis Eugénio de Saxe-Coburgo-Gotha e Bragança; 15 November 1889 – 2 July 1932), sometimes known as Manuel the Unfortunate () or ...

. She eventually made the leap to

silent films A silent film is a film without synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, wh ...

, making her only U.S. film '' Her Triumph'' with

Famous Players–Lasky The Famous Players–Lasky Corporation was an American motion picture and distribution company formed on June 28, 1916, from the merger of Adolph Zukor's Famous Players Film Companyoriginally formed by Zukor as Famous Players in Famous Playsan ...

in 1915. She would make a handful of films in France before her death. In 1919 she contracted

Spanish influenza The 1918–1920 flu pandemic, also known as the Great Influenza epidemic or by the common misnomer Spanish flu, was an exceptionally deadly global influenza pandemic caused by the H1N1 subtype of the influenza A virus. The earliest docum ...

and underwent several operations trying to cure a throat infection caused by the disease. She died from complications of the infection in Paris in 1920, at the age of 38.

Early life

Deslys had many admirers among royalty, most notably King Manuel II of Portugal, and her origins became the subject of dispute. A private detective claimed her true name was Hadiwga Nawrati or Hedvika Navrátilová and that she was a Czech peasant girl, born in the village of

Horní Moštěnice Horní Moštěnice () is a municipality and village in Přerov District in the Olomouc Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 1,700 inhabitants. Etymology The name of Horní Moštěnice is from the time of Great Moravia, when there was an imp ...

, then part of

Austria-Hungary Austria-Hungary, also referred to as the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Dual Monarchy or the Habsburg Monarchy, was a multi-national constitutional monarchy in Central Europe#Before World War I, Central Europe between 1867 and 1918. A military ...

. The investigator reported that Deslys had denied her alleged mother's claim to kinship when he brought her to see the dancer, paying her a large amount of money to leave. Deslys replied that the story was ridiculous and that she was French, not Czech.Marie Elise Gabrille Caire profile at
Valentine Theatre website, accessed 15 April 2012. After Deslys' death, at least two dozen persons with the surnames Navratil/Navratilová attempted to claim her fortune. In January 1930, the French foreign minister said he had settled the dispute about Deslys' birthplace and origins. According to him, Deslys had been born in Marseille on 4 November 1881 (despite some sources claiming her birth year was 1884), daughter of Hippolyte Caire and his wife, Mathilde (née Terras). This study found that the claim of the Navrátil family was incorrect and was based on their daughter's being a look-alike of Gabrielle Caire, who later adopted the stage name Gaby Deslys.

Career

Dancer

Deslys rose in popularity in dance halls around Paris and

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

. She was a practitioner of several types of dance such as the ''Ju-Jitsu waltz'', ''

Ballroom A ballroom or ballhall is a large room inside a building, the primary purpose of which is holding large formal parties called ''balls''. Traditionally, most balls were held in private residences; many mansions and palaces, especially histori ...

'', ''

Grizzly Bear The grizzly bear (''Ursus arctos horribilis''), also known as the North American brown bear or simply grizzly, is a population or subspecies of the brown bear inhabiting North America. In addition to the mainland grizzly (''Ursus arctos horr ...

'', ''

Turkey Trot Turkey trots are footraces, usually of the road running, long-distance variety, held on or around Thanksgiving Day in the United States. The name is derived from the use of turkey as food, turkey as a common centerpiece of the Thanksgiving dinne ...

'' and her most famous ''The Gaby Glide''. Her appearance at the Liverpool Olympia was also well received. She had been to the United States where she had earned $4,000 per week. She was dedicated to the art of dancing. At least a part of her popularity was a result of her desire to please the audiences who came to watch her perform. Gaby Desyls Still

In 1906 ''The Tatler'' featured a full-page portrait of "The famous Parisian actress who takes an important part in ''The New Aladdin'', to be produced at the Gaiety Theatre on Saturday next

9 September Events Pre-1600 *337 – Constantine II, Constantius II, and Constans succeed their father Constantine I as co-emperors. The Roman Empire is divided between the three Augusti. *1000 – Battle of Svolder, Viking Age. *1141 – Yel ...

. She sang "very cleverly in an ultra-modern French manner". Three Images of Gaby Deslys

While she was dancing at the Hyperion Theater at

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Stat ...

, in November 1911, students rushed the stage. The

Yale News The ''Yale Daily News'' is an independent student newspaper published by Yale University students in New Haven, Connecticut, since January 28, 1878. Description Financially and editorially independent of Yale University since its founding, th ...

had complained about ticket prices for the production being raised to $2. The performance followed the Yale ''-''

Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial ...

football game played earlier the same day. The inflated price of admission is thought to have triggered the students to pull the seats to pieces and proceed with the outbreak. Deslys retreated to her room while stage hands used fire extinguishers to subdue the students. The same month Deslys performed at the

in a production of ''

Vera Violetta ''Vera Violetta'' was an operetta including a libretto by Louis Stein and music by Edmund Eysler, additional music by George M. Cohan, Jean Schwartz and Louis A. Hirsch. Set in Paris, the work is about the flirtatious wife of a professor. ''V ...

''. In 1913 Deslys appeared with

(in

blackface Blackface is the practice of performers using burned cork, shoe polish, or theatrical makeup to portray a caricature of black people on stage or in entertainment. Scholarship on the origins or definition of blackface vary with some taking a glo ...

) in the musical comedy ''The Honeymoon Express''. On a number of occasions she appeared at the Grand Casino in Marseille. Her final performance there was in 1919. Her passion for Marseille was matched by her animosity toward her critics among French editors. One of her most prominent detractors was Ernest Charles. She sued him for 50,000

francs The franc is any of various units of currency. One franc is typically divided into 100 centimes. The name is said to derive from the Latin inscription ''francorum rex'' ( King of the Franks) used on early French coins and until the 18th centur ...

in August 1912. She at first considered hiring a

groom A bridegroom (often shortened to groom) is a man who is about to be married or who is newlywed. When marrying, the bridegroom's future spouse is usually referred to as the bride. A bridegroom is typically attended by a best man and Groomsman, ...

to horsewhip Charles before her lawyer advised against it. During the early decades of the last century, her likeness adorned many cigarette trading cards issued in the United States and United Kingdom that were dedicated to series on ‘beauties’ or famous actresses and dancers.

Singer

In 1910 Deslys recorded two songs in Paris, "Tout en Rose" and "Philomène". Both were released on phonograph by

His Master's Voice His Master's Voice is an entertainment trademark featuring a dog named Nipper, curiously peering into the horn of a wind-up gramophone. Painted by Francis Barraud in 1898, the image has since become a global symbol used across consumer elect ...

and are still available. Another song, "La Parisienne" was recorded at the same time but rejected for an unknown reason, and thus never released.

Films

She began her movie career in 1914 with ''Rosy Rapture'', a short film based on the play of the same name in which she had appeared in England. This film according to IMDb had a scene with

George Bernard Shaw George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950), known at his insistence as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist. His influence on Western theatre, culture and politics extended from the 188 ...

in it. Her American feature film debut came in 1915 with ''Her Triumph'' costarring her dancer boyfriend

Harry Pilcer Harry Pilcer (April 29, 1885 – January 14, 1961)In passenger manifests and his Certificate of Registration of American Citizen in Paris (August 4, 1913) Pilcer's date of birth is shown as being one year later (April 29, 1886) was an American act ...

. The film was presented by Daniel Frohman and produced by

. ''Her Triumph'' featured Deslys doing one of her famous dances with Pilcer. The film is lost but surviving stills show a scene with Deslys and Pilcer in Daniel Blum's ''Pictorial History of the Silent Film'', as well as the intro card with Deslys' picture in the credits. She made only two more French silent films in 1918 and 1919, both with Harry Pilcer in the cast, before getting the illness that would take her life.

Personal life

Deslys' celebrity rose following newspaper stories which gossiped about King

's infatuation with her. During the king's visit to Paris in December 1909, he was introduced to Deslys and immediately began a relationship with her. It was thought that after this first meeting the King sent Deslys a pearl necklace worth $70,000. Their relationship was anything but discreet (she would arrive before night at the

Palácio das Necessidades The Necessidades Palace () is a historic building in the Largo do Rilvas, a public square in Lisbon, Portugal. It serves as headquarters of the Portuguese Foreign Ministry. The palace has been classified as a Property of Public Interest since 19 ...

and would pass through Portugal unnoticed; meanwhile, they were on the front pages of newspapers in Europe and North America, especially after he was deposed in 1910. In public interviews, usually on trips, Deslys never negated the obvious, but nearly always refused to comment on her relationship with the deposed king. However, in an interview to a correspondent while she was in Vienna Deslys was very forthright: After his exile, they would continue to meet, especially while she had stage engagements in London. When Deslys moved to New York, in the summer of 1911, their relationship cooled off; Deslys became involved with a fellow stage actor

, and Manuel married in 1913. Despite this, she maintained her contacts with Manuel's personal secretary, the

Marquês of Lavradio Marquess of Lavradio is a Portuguese title of nobility created by Letters Patent of King José I of Portugal on 18 October 1753 for D. António de Almeida Soares de Portugal, 1st Count of Lavradio and 4th Count of Avintes. Titles The first ...

. Deslys and Pilcer became a successful dance act duo during the First World War on a par with the

Castles A castle is a type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders. Scholars usually consider a ''castle'' to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble. This i ...

, but it is unclear if they ever legally married.

Death and legacy

Deslys contracted a severe

throat infection Pharyngitis is inflammation of the back of the throat, known as the pharynx. It typically results in a sore throat and fever. Other symptoms may include a runny nose, cough, headache, difficulty swallowing, swollen lymph nodes, and a hoarse voic ...

caused by the

Spanish flu The 1918–1920 flu pandemic, also known as the Great Influenza epidemic or by the common misnomer Spanish flu, was an exceptionally deadly global influenza pandemic caused by the H1N1 subtype of the influenza A virus. The earliest docum ...

pandemic in December 1919. She was operated on multiple times in an effort to eradicate the infection, on two occasions without the use of an

anesthetic An anesthetic (American English) or anaesthetic (British English; see spelling differences) is a drug used to induce anesthesia ⁠— ⁠in other words, to result in a temporary loss of sensation or awareness. They may be divided into t ...

. Surgeons were inhibited by Deslys' demand that they must not scar her neck. She died in rue Antoine-Chantin, Paris 14 on 11 February 1920. In her will, Deslys left her villa on the Marseille Corniche Road, and all of her property in Marseille, to the poor of Marseille. The property was valued at $500,000. Her other assets were valued at £7,225. According to the ''Pittsburgh Press'' on 18 July 1920: "In an adjoining room was the exquisite bed that belonged to the celebrated Dutchess de Fontanges--one of several beds of equal historical value which Gaby used in rotation. In cabinets about her were Limoges enamels that had been the joy of great King Francis I. On the walls were paintings by Botticelli and other early Italian masters. On the book shelves were priceless volumes printed by Elzevir and

Aldus Manutius Aldus Pius Manutius (; ; 6 February 1515) was an Italian printer and Renaissance humanism, humanist who founded the Aldine Press. Manutius devoted the later part of his life to publishing and disseminating rare texts. His interest in and preser ...

." Her was inspired by the boat in the "Grotto of Venus" scene from the opera "Tannhauser". On its bow, there are two with images from Boucher's "Cupid's Target". The bed was bought at auction in Marseille by Metro Pictures. It was used in the 1922 film ''

Trifling Women ''Trifling Women'' is a 1922 American silent romantic drama film directed by Rex Ingram. It is credited with boosting the careers of its leads, Barbara La Marr and Ramon Novarro. It has been described as Ingram's most personal film. The film ...

'', starring

Barbara La Marr Barbara La Marr (born Reatha Dale Watson; July 28, 1896 – January 30, 1926) was an American film actress and screenwriter who appeared in twenty-seven films during her career between 1920 and 1926. La Marr was also noted by the media ...

. Later, it came into the possession of the Universal Studios prop department, and it was used in the 1925 film ''

The Phantom of the Opera The Phantom of the Opera may refer to: Novel * The Phantom of the Opera (novel), ''The Phantom of the Opera'' (novel), 1910 novel by Gaston Leroux Characters * Erik (The Phantom of the Opera), Erik (''The Phantom of the Opera''), the title char ...

''.Hall, Mourdant, MOVIE REVIEW/THE SCREEN
New York Times, 7 September 1925. In 1934, it was used as Lily Garland's bed in ''

Twentieth Century The 20th century began on 1 January 1901 (MCMI), and ended on 31 December 2000 (MM). It was the 10th and last century in the 2nd millennium and was marked by new models of scientific understanding, unprecedented scopes of warfare, new modes of ...

'' and in 1950, it was in ''

Sunset Boulevard Sunset Boulevard is a boulevard in the central and western part of Los Angeles, California, United States, that stretches from the Pacific Coast Highway (California), Pacific Coast Highway in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, Pacific Palisad ...

'' as the bed of

Norma Desmond ''Sunset Boulevard'' is a 1950 American dark comedy film noir directed by Billy Wilder and co-written by Wilder, Charles Brackett and D. M. Marshman Jr. It is named after a major street that runs through Hollywood. The film stars William Ho ...

. In 1964, it appeared in a dream sequence in the film ''

Good Neighbor Sam ''Good Neighbor Sam'' is a 1964 American Eastman Color screwball comedy film co-written and directed by David Swift, based on the 1963 novel of the same name by Jack Finney. It stars Jack Lemmon, Romy Schneider, Dorothy Provine, Michael C ...

''. In 1943, her life story was bought by

MGM Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...

as a potential film property for

Judy Garland Judy Garland (born Frances Ethel Gumm; June 10, 1922June 22, 1969) was an American actress and singer. Possessing a strong contralto voice, she was celebrated for her emotional depth and versatility across film, stage, and concert performance. ...

to be produced by

Arthur Freed Arthur Freed (September 9, 1894 – April 12, 1973) was an American lyricist and a Hollywood film producer. He won the Academy Award for Best Picture twice, in 1951 for ''An American in Paris'' and in 1958 for '' Gigi''. Both films were musicals ...

, but it was shelved after a few script treatments. She was portrayed humorously by the ballerina

Tamara Toumanova Tamara Toumanova ( ka, თამარა თუმანოვა; 2 March 1919 – 29 May 1996) was a Russian-born Georgian-American prima ballerina and actress. A child of exiles in Paris after the Russian Revolution of 1917, she made her ...

in the

Sigmund Romberg Sigmund Romberg (July 29, 1887 – November 9, 1951) was a Hungarian-born American composer. He is best known for his Musical theatre, musicals and operettas, particularly ''The Student Prince'' (1924), ''The Desert Song'' (1926) and ''The New Moo ...

biopic '' Deep in My Heart'' (1954), directed by

Stanley Donen Stanley Donen ( ; April 13, 1924 – February 21, 2019) was an American film director and choreographer. He received the Honorary Academy Award in 70th Academy Awards, 1998, and the Golden Lion#Golden Lion – Honorary Award, Career Golden Lion ...

. In 1986 James Gardiner wrote a biography of Deslys' life, titled ''Gaby Deslys: A Fatal Attraction''; material from it is available online.

Filmography

(all are believed to be lost films) *''La remplaçante'' (short film, 1914) *'' Her Triumph'' (1915, only American film) *''Rosy Rapture'' (1915) *''

Infatuation Infatuation, also known as being smitten, is the personal state of being overly driven by an uninformed or otherwise unreasonable passion, usually towards another person for whom one has developed strong Romantic love, romantic or sexual feelin ...

'' (*aka ''Bouclette'') (1918) *''Le Dieu du hasard'' (1921)

Theatre

*''The Revue of Revues'' (27 September 1911 - 11 November 1911) *''Vera Violetta'' (20 November 1911 - 24 February 1912) *''The Honeymoon Express'' (6 February 1913 - 14 June 1913) *''The Belle of Bond Street'' (30 March 1914 - 9 May 1914) Gaby Deslys Drian Etching 1910

*''Stop! Look! Listen!'' (25 December 1915 - 25 March 1916)

Discography

*''Philomène'' (1910, His Master's Voice) *''Tout en Rose'' (1910, His Master's Voice) *''La Parisienne'' (1910, Unreleased)

References

External links

*
Gaby Deslys photo
gallery at NY Public Library Billy Rose Theater Collection
Gaby Deslys and Harry Pilcer, June 1915
gettyimages.com; accessed 6 May 2014. {{DEFAULTSORT:Deslys, Gaby 1881 births 1920 deaths French female dancers French stage actresses French film actresses French silent film actresses French musical theatre actresses Actresses from Marseille Deaths from the Spanish flu pandemic in France Infectious disease deaths in France 20th-century French actresses 20th-century French women singers Dancers from Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur