Gaby Deslys sings two songs, Paris, 1910

Gaby Deslys (1881-1920), the irresistible French actress, singer and dancer, was 'discovered' in Paris by the impresario George Edwardes, who brought her to London for a cameo role, 'The Charm of Paris,' in The New Aladdin at the Gaiety Theatre (29 September 1906). She conquered Broadway in 1911 and later that year effortlessly upstaged her co-star, the rising Al Jolson, in Vera Violetta (Winter Garden Theatre, 20 November 1911). Mlle. Deslys appeared in several films and her only known recordings, of which the present example for the HMV label (2-033039) is one of two or, possibly, three (the exact number is uncertain), were made in Paris on 17 October 1910. Her long-time dancing partner was the American Harry Pilcer (1885-1961) and together they created 'The Gaby Glide,' also in Vera Violetta.

For further information, see James Gardiner's biography, Gaby Deslys, A Fatal Attraction, published in 1986; and Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaby_Deslys

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The recording and images featured here are from John Culme's Footlight Notes Collection.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Gaby Deslys
• Harry Pilcer
• Al Jolson
• Gaiety Theatre
• George Edwardes
• James Gardiner
• Vera Violetta

[footlightnotes]

You are clearly an Al Jolson fan (as am I), but the fact is, Mdlle. Deslys had a fragile, effervescent charm; audiences loved her as much as Jolson (at least on the same stage) loathed her.

[ugha323a]

@LazlosPlane

Nobody, male or female could upstage Jolson.

He was the BEST stage entertainer EVER.

[LazlosPlane]

@footlightnotes Sorry. As a Jolson SCHOLAR and professor of music history, (and quite a fan of Mlle, DeLys) she did NOT up-stage Jolson. First of all, by all accounts she was a LADY. She would not up-stage anyone. Secondly, when Jolson did steal the scene from her and began improvising to the tumultuous applause of the audience, she very graciously took a seat on stage and remained, respectfully, still.

You do her a great injustice.

[papoocanada]

@TaraMoriah

"day-lees "

[grooveyloop]

@TaraMoriah I'm not exactly sure, but having a rather rudimentary knowledge or French, I would assume it's pronounced "day-lee".

[TaraMoriah]

How do you pronounce her last name ?

[albanybeardguy]

MUCH better voice than I'd ever expected!

[kachzvi7]

With all due respect to the author: Gaby Deslys did not upstage AL JOLSON; within 3 months of the opening at the Winter Garden, Mr. Jolson took TOP billing from Ms.

Deslys. In retrospect, one can understand why!

[tossedecao]

and she was girlfriend of the portuguese king D. Manuel II

[MadameLil]

She even has her own Wikipedia entry that tells about her dying of complications from a throat infection.