Mistinguett

 The Mistinguett Legend

Rebelling against the harsh dictates of a conventional Catholic upbringing, Jeanne Bourgeois nurtured a burning ambition to appear on the French stage from an early age. At eighteen she was engaged by the Eldorado as an "added attraction"...less than a decade later, as Mistinguett, she had become the toast of Paris. Even the acid-tongued writer Colette was forced to admit, "Mistinguett is more than just a monument, she is national property!"

During a career which spanned some sixty years, her temper and meanness became almost as famous as her panache of plumes and exotic costumes, her fabulous million-dollar legs, and the handful of songs she delivered quaintly but sincerely in her own inimitable way.

Her countless love affairs with the famous made her infamous. One such with Maurice Chevalier made them 'the most famous couple in Paris', and added spice to headlines around the world. Colleagues and lovers alike admitted to being terrified of her, yet her public - for whom she would have done absolutely anything - only adored her, flocking to see her in droves.

In this frank and colourful biography, David Bret brings us the true story of this exciting and formidable woman in all her decadent glory.