French mime artist Marceau dies

[cali]

Source: BBC


The French mime artist Marcel Marceau has died at the age of 84, his family has announced.
The performer was known around the world for his portrayal of a white-faced clown with battered hat.

Born in Strasbourg in 1923, Marceau studied under mime master Etienne Decroux in Paris.

His daughter Camille said he died on Saturday evening, adding that details of the burial at Paris's Pere Lachaise cemetery would be given out later.

<snip>



Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7009040.stm

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Rest in Peace. Marceau's work was evocative and often lovely.

[yasmina27]

1. Rest In Peace

and condolences to his family.

I once saw him perform here in Pittsburgh when I was in high school. I probably didn't appreciate it as much as I could/should have, but it was still amazing. I still have the program from the show.

[xchrom]

2. peace be with his family. n/t

[Heidi]

3. Safe passage, Mr. Marceau.

[LARED]

4. n/t

[rooboy]

5. I don't know what to say. n/t

[UTUSN]

28. I'm speechless. n/t

[Booster]

34. I think he would approve of you being speechless. RIP.

[Matilda]

6. Mime artist Marceau dies

Source: Australian Broadcasting Corporation

"The world's best-known mime artist, Marcel Marceau, has died, aged 84."

(snip)

"He gained fame in 1947 for his creation of Bip, a sad, white-faced clown in a striped jumper and a battered silk opera hat.

For decades, Marceau epitomised his silent art, eliciting laughter and tears from audiences around the globe.

"Mime, like music, knows neither borders nor nationalities," he once said. "If laughter and tears are the characteristics of humanity, all cultures are steeped in our discipline."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/09/23/2040920.htm




Read more: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/09/23/2040920.htm

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I was fortunate enough to see him perform live in Sydney many years ago, and
was absolutely entranced by his art. His was a glorious talent, and I think
it will be a long time, if ever, that we ever see his like again.

R.I.P. Marcel.

[Skittles]

7. yes

the only mime I have ever known by name

[John Kerry VonErich]

8. Marcel along with Sheilds and Yarnell are the only ones who made Mime an artform

And every other mimes are just bad acts.

[stlsaxman]

22. Forgive me in advance but-

to even think of mentioning the words "Shields and Yarnell" in the same sentence as Marceau HAS to be blasphemous. Shields and Yarnell was a slap-stick act that dressed as mimes (okay, they were ground-breaking in that they mixed mime with vaudeville) and used props. Marceau WAS pure mime.

Even Red Skelton would certainly agree.

[John Kerry VonErich]

23. Actually, Marceau gave them high marks.

He considered the 2 the best mime team in America. He even was on their TV show. Mixing his main character, Pip, visiting the married robot couple S&Y are famous for.

[stlsaxman]

25. Thank you- I didn't know that!

there's the "something new" i learned today. much obliged.

and a belated welcome to DU. Clever nickname you have there!

:hi:

[John Kerry VonErich]

36. Not a problem

Took Theater in college. As a matter of fact, I'll take it a step further, Robert Sheilds was a Marceau apprentice and attended his school.

[parasim]

9. RIP Bip... nt

[mwb970]

10. I assume he went quietly. /nt

[aquart]

13. I hope peacefully in his sleep.

[underpants]

14. He's never getting out of THAT box

rope or not

[grytpype]

17. heh heh

[John Kerry VonErich]

24. He had his school in France

He visited constantly critiquing students and teaching a lil. I think his daughter runs it now.

[Cassandra]

11. Any last gestures?

RIP Marcel.

[Ferretherder]

12. RIP, Messier Marceau.

I still think one of the coolest things ever was Mel Brooks having Marceau be the only actor in his 'Silent Movie' to actually speak! Mel and company call him up to see if he will agree to be in the silent movie they plan to produce. Marceau mimes his way over to the phone(walking against the wind, and maybe even coming up against a wall or walls, if I remember correctly) and when asked by Brooks to appear in the film, he thinks for a second and then, very pointedly, says, 'No!'.

Genius.

[Ilsa]

30. I remember that! I haven't see that movie in decades, but that was memorable. nt

[C_eh_N_eh_D_eh]

15. There will now be a minute's noise.

[melody]

16. lol - my favorite post of the weekend n/t

[Lurking Dem]

19. Heh.

That better get a DUzy!

[dogfacedboy]

18. A Master has been silenced...

n/t

[stlsaxman]

20. Would a "moment of silence" be appropriate?

or would a mime prefer a "moment of vocalization"?

I grew up with Marcel Marceau on the teevee and in books. Loved his work. Bip will be missed.

[PurityOfEssence]

27. Absolutely not. I DEMAND we call for a moment of noise.

He had a great sense of humor and he'd have loved that.

[Festivito]

29. Wasn't the only word spoken in Mel Brooks' "Silent Movie" by our MM?

Placard: "Would you be in my silent movie?"
Marcel Marceau (on telephone): "NO!"

How good the news mentioned his teacher Decroux who would arrive in New York without passport, rent a room, teach with a wind up alarm clock muttering under his breath when it would ring setting it for more time, and called Marcel a prostitute of the art.

Perhaps in heaven, as we read, there is a silent wall touched by four skilled hands at a meeting of two ultimate artists and beloved friends. At least that's the picture in my mind.

pp"==--o/pp (For non-mimes, that is a reclining person at rest, in P's)

[AnneD]

48. I was thinking that too....

The only spoken line that I can remember. Beyond being technically superb, he was such a great artist.

[Vidar]

21. RIP M. Marceau.

[BrotherBuzz]

26. I once played charades and drew Marcel Marceau's name out of the hat

I was stumped. I crashed and burned. I was clueless as what to do.


Rest in peace Marcel

[IDemo]

32. lol - that's worthy of a Stephen Wright routine

[BrotherBuzz]

46. LOL, you know it really is!

Somehow, I think Robin Williams could do something with it, too. :rofl:

[Whoa_Nelly]

31. The silent cry, the silent joy, now and forever quieted

Adieu va, Monsieur Marceau.

Your legend will speak volumes yet for years to come.

[Algorem]

33. guess can rule out the 'killed because he talked too much' thing

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

35. .

:cry:

[HuffleClaw]

37. i seem to recall seeing him on sesame street as a child?

anyone else remember this?

[Xipe Totec]

38. .

[pinto]

39. (.................)

See ya Marcel.

[leQ]

40. Marcel Marceau dead at 84

Source: wires

Marcel Marceau, who escaped deportation to a Nazi death camp and went on to become a mime legend, has died.

His former assistant, Emmanuel Vacca, announced Marceau's death on French radio Sunday but did not provide details. Marceau had died the day before in Paris at the age of 84.

Marceau was born Marcel Mangel to Jewish parents in Strasbourg, France. He changed his name to Marceau to hide his Jewish origins when the Nazis marched into eastern France and he fled with family members. His father was sent to Auschwitz in 1944 and did not survive.

Marceau and his brother Alain worked with the French Resistance to protect Jewish children.


As a mime, Marceau was best known for his onstage persona Bip, a sad and chalk-faced clown who wore a stovepipe hat adorned with a red flower. Among his many other characters were a peevish waiter, a lion tamer and an old woman knitting.

Read more: http://www.jta.org/cgi-bin/iowa/breaking/104301.html

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it always runs in 3s...

[Lautremont]

41. I have no words.

[Whoa_Nelly]

42. DUpe, dear

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=3002683&mesg_id=3002683

[Captain Hilts]

43. What was his last gesture? nt

[Greylyn58]

44. RIP Marcel Marceau

You will be missed.

[semillama]

47. Wow, I never knew he was a war hero too.

I had the pleasure of seeing him perform in Michigan when I was attending a summer arts camp. I was attending for acting and he just blew me away. Very evocative, emotional performance. A true master of the art.

[Mnemosyne]

45. ...