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“Bip The Clown”

I’m sure everyone at some point looks back and remembers attending certain live performances by legendary actors, musicians, comedians, writers or, some other talented person or group. I remember being in Las Vegas with my family in 1972 sitting in the showroom at Caesars Palace for one of Jimmy Durante’s shows. I was also lucky to see one of Andrés Segovia’s last solo performances. How about those of you who were in attendance at Woodstock in August 1969?

One of the most memorable shows I attended was performed in complete silence. Not one word was said, and you could hear a pin drop. In fact, there was only one person on stage for the entire two-hour show and Marcel Marceau never spoke.

Marcel Marceau during a performance. Photo by anonymous (c. 1971). PD-No Copyright Notice. Wikimedia Commons.
Marcel Marceau during a performance. Photo by anonymous (c. 1971). PD-No Copyright Notice. Wikimedia Commons.

Did You Know?

Did you know why women in Singapore (and presumably other Asian countries) keep themselves covered from head to foot in extremely hot and humid weather? Our guide told us they don’t want to get a tan because in their culture, it is preferable to have very pale skin. This got me thinking back to the Elizabethan Age in England. Nobility during that time valued fair and pale skin to the point where some went to the extreme of making sure their skin was white ⏤ really white. They used a poisonous lead based white paint and over time, their skin was eaten away. That called for more make-up and so, a vicious cycle began.

Since we’re talking about the Elizabethan era, did you know that refined sugar was only available to the wealthy back then? One of the results was that people had rotten teeth. Ironically, rotten teeth became a status symbol for the wealthy since it identified them as being rich ⏤ another vicious cycle.

Thank goodness Marcel Marceau had modern make-up which did not contain lead. I’m not sure about his teeth.


Let’s Meet Marcel Marceau

 Marcel Mangel (1923-2007) was born in Strasbourg, France to a Jewish family. His parents, both butchers, came from Poland and the Ukraine. The family was rounded out with Marcel’s older brother, Alain (1921-?). When Marcel was five, his mother took him to see one of Charlie Chaplin’s silent films and that experience influenced his decision as a teenager to become a mime (decades later, Michael Jackson would credit Marcel Marceau for the inspiration behind many of his dance routines including the iconic “moonwalk”). At a very young age, Marcel was entertaining the neighborhood children and Alain always said that Marcel had an insatiable appetite to perform. As part of his education, Marcel learned to speak fluent English and German (in addition to French, his native tongue). The languages and his talent as a mime would save the lives of many children during the German occupation of France. Read More “Bip The Clown”

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“The Red Virgin”

Those of you who have been long-time readers of my blogs know that I like to highlight women who were significant to the historical periods I write about (e.g., Medieval Paris, French Revolution, and now, World War II and the Occupation of Paris). So many of these women are overlooked for their roles and accomplishments.

Today, you will be introduced to a woman who was considered a revolutionary as well as an anarchist. Over her lifetime, Louise Michel was given many nicknames: La Louve rouge (the red she-wolf), the “French grande dame of anarchy,” and la Bonne Louise (the good Louise). But it was “The Red Virgin” label which most people knew her by. Michel was a sought-after speaker, a playwright, an author, and a well-known advocate for women’s rights including education and property rights.


Did you Know?

Did you know that Queen Elizabeth II’s profile faces right on every coin she’s featured on? The tradition is to reverse the profile with each succeeding reigning monarch. So, going back to Queen Victoria, her profile faces left while her son, Edward VII (r. 1901-1910), faces right. His son, George V (r. 1910-1936), looks to the left, but his successor, George VI (r. 1936-1952) also faces to the left. Did George VI (Queen Elizabeth II’s father) break tradition? Not really. It was Edward VIII who chose to break tradition and during his short reign (eleven months; he abdicated in December 1936), the coins were minted with his profile facing left. After the abdication, George VI took the view that his brother’s profile should have been to the right and as such, opted to continue the tradition by facing left. His daughter carried on the tradition and her profile is to the right.

British coin with Queen Victoria (Great-great-great grandmother of Elizabeth II) facing left. Photo by anonymous (date unknown).
British coin with Queen Victoria (Great-great-great grandmother of Elizabeth II) facing left. Photo by anonymous (date unknown).
1908 British coin with King Edward VII (son of Queen Victoria) facing right. Photo by anonymous (date unknown).
1908 British coin with King Edward VII (son of Queen Victoria) facing right. Photo by anonymous (date unknown).
British coin with King George V (son of King Edward VII) facing left. Photo by anonymous (date unknown).
British coin with King George V (son of King Edward VII) facing left. Photo by anonymous (date unknown).
British coin with King Edward VIII (eldest son of King George V) facing left. Edward abdicated the throne eleven months after being crowned king. Photo by anonymous (date unknown).
British coin with King Edward VIII (eldest son of King George V) facing left. Edward abdicated the throne eleven months after being crowned king. Photo by anonymous (date unknown).
British coin with King George VI (younger son of King George V) facing left. Photo by anonymous (date unknown).
British coin with King George VI (younger son of King George V) facing left. Photo by anonymous (date unknown).
Coin with Queen Elizabeth II (daughter of King George VI) facing right. Photo by Rabax63 (2017). PD-CCA-Share Alike 4.0 International. Wikimedia Commons.
Coin with Queen Elizabeth II (daughter of King George VI) facing right. Photo by Rabax63 (2017). PD-CCA-Share Alike 4.0 International. Wikimedia Commons.

Let’s Meet Louise Michel

Louise Michel (1830-1905) was the illegitimate daughter of a maid. Coincidentally, she was born in the year when the citizens rose to depose the last Bourbon king, Charles X. Raised by her grandparents, Louise received an excellent education and ultimately became a teacher. In 1865, she opened a progressive school in Paris and began to associate with radical members of society including Théophile Ferré. By this time, Napoléon III and his Second Empire ruled the country and as the years went on, general dissatisfaction with the emperor grew.

Louise Michel, Communard and Anarchist. Photo by anonymous (c. 1879). PD-70+. Wikimedia Commons.
Louise Michel, Communard and Anarchist. Photo by anonymous (c. 1879). PD-70+. Wikimedia Commons.

Read More “The Red Virgin”