History Creator / MarcelMarceau

Born in Strasbourg in a family of UsefulNotes/PolishJews who moved to France, he was fascinated by Creator/CharlieChaplin's {{silent movie}}s as a child. He lived in hiding and worked with the [[LaResistance French Resistance]] with his cousin Georges Loinger during most of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII ("Marceau" was his CodeName), taking up mime to entertain Jewish children that he helped smuggle to Switzerland (and to keep them quiet as well in order to not attract German or French collaborationist patrols) to save them from UsefulNotes/TheHolocaust (which claimed his father, who died at the death camp of Auschwitz). He gave his first major performance to 3000 Free French and American troops after the Liberation of Paris in August 1944. Once the war ended, he studied dramatic art and mime in Paris.

Born in Strasbourg in a family of UsefulNotes/PolishJews who moved to France, he was fascinated by Creator/CharlieChaplin's {{silent film}}s as a child. He lived in hiding and worked with the [[LaResistance French Resistance]] with his cousin Georges Loinger during most of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII ("Marceau" was his CodeName), taking up mime to entertain Jewish children that he helped smuggle to Switzerland (and to keep them quiet as well in order to not attract German or French collaborationist patrols) to save them from UsefulNotes/TheHolocaust (which claimed his father, who died at the death camp of Auschwitz). He gave his first major performance to 3000 Free French and American troops after the Liberation of Paris in August 1944. Once the war ended, he studied dramatic art and mime in Paris.

Born in Strasbourg in a family of UsefulNotes/PolishJews who moved to France, he was fascinated by Creator/CharlieChaplin's films as a child. He lived in hiding and worked with the [[LaResistance French Resistance]] with his cousin Georges Loinger during most of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII ("Marceau" was his CodeName), taking up mime to entertain Jewish children that he helped smuggle to Switzerland (and to keep them quiet as well in order to not attract German or French collaborationist patrols) to save them from UsefulNotes/TheHolocaust (which claimed his father, who died at the death camp of Auschwitz). He gave his first major performance to 3000 Free French and American troops after the Liberation of Paris in August 1944. Once the war ended, he studied dramatic art and mime in Paris.

Born in Strasbourg in a family of UsefulNotes/PolishJews who moved to France, he was fascinated by Creator/CharlieChaplin's films as a child. He lived in hiding and worked with the [[LaResistance French Resistance]] with his cousin Georges Loinger during most of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII ("Marceau" was his CodeName), taking up mime to entertain Jewish children that he helped smuggle to Switzerland (and to keep them quiet as well in order to not attract German or French collaborationist patrols) to save them from UsefulNotes/TheHolocaust (which claimed his father, who died in Auschwitz). He gave his first major performance to 3000 Free French and American troops after the Liberation of Paris in August 1944. Once the war ended, he studied dramatic art and mime in Paris.

[[caption-width-right:300:They say EveryoneHatesMimes, but that wasn't true about this guy.]]

Marceau [[TropeCodifier codified]] a lot of modern mime, finding inspiration in KabukiTheatre and CommediaDellArte. He created his trademark character of Bip the Clown in 1947, as well as his pantomime company that same year, which found success with tours in France and worldwide in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. He founded his school of pantomime in Paris in 1978, which closed in 2005.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: He and Michael Jackson had planned to stage shows together, but that never happened due to Michael's own troubles that started in TheNineties.

[[caption-width-right:300:They say EveryoneHatesMimes, but that wasn't true for this guy.]]

He was friends with Music/MichaelJackson, who acknowledged taking him as inspiration for a number of his dance choregraphies. He's also made a few film appearances, most notably in ''Film/{{Barbarella}}'' and Creator/MelBrooks' ''Film/SilentMovie''. Creator/JesseEisenberg portrayed him in 2020's ''Film/{{Resistance|2020}}'', a {{biopic}} about his life during World War II.

Born in Strasbourg in a family of UsefulNotes/PolishJews who moved to France, he lived in hiding and worked with the [[LaResistance French Resistance]] with his cousin Georges Loinger during most of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII ("Marceau" was his CodeName), taking up mime to entertain Jewish children that he helped smuggle to Switzerland (and to keep them quiet as well in order to not attract German or French collaborationist patrols) to save them from UsefulNotes/TheHolocaust (which claimed his father, who died in Auschwitz). He gave his first major performance to 3000 Free French and American troops after the Liberation of Paris in August 1944. Once the war ended, he studied dramatic art and mime in Paris.

Marceau created his trademark character of Bip the Clown in 1947, finding inspiration in KabukiTheatre and CommediaDellArte, as well as his pantomime company that same year, which found success with tours in France and worldwide in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. He founded his school of pantomime in Paris in 1978, which closed in 2005.

[[caption-width-right:300:They say EverybodyHatesMimes, but that wasn't true for this guy.]]

%%[[caption-width-right:300:some caption text]]

He was friends with Music/MichaelJackson, who acknowledged taking him as inspiration for a number of his dance choregraphies. He's also made a few film appearances, most notably in ''Film/{{Barbarella}}'' and Creator/MelBrooks' ''Film/SilentMovie''. Creator/JesseEisenberg portrayed him in 2020's ''Film/{{Resistance|2020}}'', about his life during World War II.

He was friends with Music/MichaelJackson, who took him as inspiration for a number of his dance choregraphies. He's also made a few film appearances, most notably in ''Film/{{Barbarella}}'' and Creator/MelBrooks' ''Film/SilentMovie''. Creator/JesseEisenberg portrayed him in 2020's ''Film/{{Resistance|2020}}'', about his life during World War II.

He's also made a few film appearances, most notably in ''Film/{{Barbarella}}'' and ''Film/SilentMovie''. Creator/JesseEisenberg portrayed him in 2020's ''Film/{{Resistance|2020}}'', about his life during World War II.

Marcel Marceau (born Marcel Mangel, 22 March 1923 – 22 September 2007) was a French mime artist, and certainly the most well known and influential figure in that field.

Marceau created his trademark character of Bip the Clown in 1947, finding inspiration in KabukiTheatre and CommediaDellArte.

Marceau created his trademark character of Bip the Clown in 1947, finding inspiration in KabukiTheatre and CommediaDelArte.

Marceau created his trademark character of Bip the Clown in 1947, finding inspiration in KabukiTheatre and ComediaDelArte.

Marceau created his trademark character of Bip the Clown in 1947, finding inspiration in KabukiTheatre and ComediaDellArte.

Marceau created his trademark character of Bip the Clown in 1947, finding inspiration in KabukiTheatre and comediaDellArte.

Born in Strasbourg in a family of UsefulNotes/PolishJews who moved to France, he lived in hiding and worked with the [[LaResistance French Resistance]] with his cousin Georges Loinger during most of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII ("Marceau" was his CodeName), taking up mime to entertain Jewish children that he helped smuggle to Switzerland (and to keep them quiet as well in order to not attract German or French collaborationist patrols) to save them from UsefulNotes/TheHolocaust (which claimed his father, who died in Auschwitz). He gave his first major performance to 3000 Free French and American troops after the Liberation of Paris in August 1944. Once the war ended, he studied dramatic art and mime in Paris.

Born in Strasbourg in a family of UsefulNotes/PolishJews who moved to France, he lived in hiding and worked with the [[LaResistance French Resistance]] during most of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII ("Marceau" was his CodeName), taking up mime to entertain Jewish children that he helped smuggle to Switzerland (and to keep them quiet as well in order to not attract German or French collaborationist patrols) to save them from UsefulNotes/TheHolocaust (which claimed his father, who died in Auschwitz). He gave his first major performance to 3000 Free French and American troops after the Liberation of Paris in August 1944. Once the war ended, he studied dramatic art and mime in Paris.

Born in Strasbourg in a family of Polish Jews who moved to France, he lived in hiding and worked with the [[LaResistance French Resistance]] during most of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII ("Marceau" was his CodeName), taking up mime to entertain Jewish children that he helped smuggle to Switzerland (and to keep them quiet as well in order to not attract German or French collaborationist patrols) to save them from UsefulNotes/TheHolocaust (which claimed his father, who died in Auschwitz). He gave his first major performance to 3000 Free French and American troops after the Liberation of Paris in August 1944. Once the war ended, he studied dramatic art and mime in Paris.

Born in Strasbourg in a family of Polish Jews who moved to France, he lived in hiding and worked with the [[LaResistance French Resistance]] during most of UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, taking up mime to entertain Jewish children that he helped smuggle to Switzerland (and to keep them quiet as well in order to not attract German or French collaborationist patrols) to save them from UsefulNotes/TheHolocaust (which claimed his father, who died in Auschwitz). He gave his first major performance to 3000 Free French and American troops after the Liberation of Paris in August 1944. Once the war ended, he studied dramatic art and mime in Paris.

Born in Strasbourg in a family of Polish Jews who moved to France, he lived in hiding and worked with the [[LaResistance French Resistance]] during most of UsefulNores/WorldWarII, taking up mime to entertain Jewish children that he helped smuggle to Switzerland (and to keep them quiet as well in order to not attract German or French collaborationist patrols) to save them from UsefulNotes/TheHolocaust (which claimed his father, who died in Auschwitz). He gave his first major performance to 3000 Free French and American troops after the Liberation of Paris in August 1944. Once the war ended, he studied dramatic art and mime in Paris.