Jean Sablon (Nogent-sur-Marne 25 March 1906 – Cannes 24 February 1994) was a French singer, songwriter, composer and actor. He was one of the first French singers to immerse himself in jazz. The man behind several songs by big French and American names, he was the first to use a microphone on a French stage in 1936. Star of vinyl and the radio, he left France in 1937 to take up a contract with NBC in the United States. His radio and later televised shows made him a huge star in America. Henceforth the most international of French singers among his contemporaries, he became an ambassador of French songwriting and dedicated his career to touring internationally, occasionally returning to France to appear on stage. His sixty-one year career came to an end in 1984.

Biography

Sablon was born in

Nogent-sur-Marne Nogent-sur-Marne () is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. Nogent-sur-Marne is a '' sous-préfecture'' of the Val-de-Marne ''département'', being the seat of the Arrondissement of Nogent- ...

, the son of a composer, with brothers and sisters who had successful careers of their own in musical entertainment. A pupil at the Lycée Charlemagne in Paris, Jean Sablon dropped out, intending to study at the Conservatory of Paris. Too late, however, to apply for his year, he concentrated immediately on a professional singing career. He made his debut at the age of seventeen in an operetta in Paris. It was in operettas that he came to share the stage in 1923 first with

Jean Gabin Jean Gabin (; 17 May 190415 November 1976) was a French actor and singer. Considered a key figure in French cinema, he starred in several classic films including ''Pépé le Moko'' (1937), '' La grande illusion'' (1937), ''Le Quai des brumes'' ...

in ''La Dame en Décolleté'' and then with

Charles Boyer Charles Boyer (; 28 August 1899 – 26 August 1978) was a French-American actor who appeared in more than 80 films between 1920 and 1976. After receiving an education in drama, Boyer started on the stage, but he found his success in American fi ...

and Falconetti in ''Simili'' in 1925. 1927 found him appearing in the review of ''Au Temps de Gastounet'' (written by Rip) with

Jacqueline Delubac Jacqueline Delubac (1907–1997) was a French stage and film actress.Williams p.158 She was married to Sacha Guitry and appeared in a number of his productions on both stage and screen. Selected filmography * '' Let's Get Married'' (1931) * '' To ...

. It was Paul Colin who created the first billboard for the young singer. After appearing in the operetta "Lulu" with Fernand Gravey, he embarked on a transatlantic journey to

Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the state of the same name, Brazil's third-most populous state, and the second-most populous city in Brazil, after São Paulo. Listed by the GaWC as a b ...

in the company of Georges Milton and Alice Cocéa for the inauguration of the Copacabana Palace (1928). In 1929, Jean Sablon recorded his first demo record for

Columbia Columbia may refer to: * Columbia (personification), the historical female national personification of the United States, and a poetic name for America Places North America Natural features * Columbia Plateau, a geologic and geographic region i ...

with Georges Van Parys, as well as sharing the stage in the operetta ''Vive Leroy'' with Arletty, Dranem and

and then ''Music Hall'' with Damia and Germaine Rouer. The following year, he appeared in ''Cocktail 328'' with Damia again, as well as making his first film, ''Chacun sa Chance'', the same year, with

who also made his film debut with him.

Henri Diamant-Berger Henri Diamant-Berger (9 June 1895 – 7 May 1972) was a French director, producer and screenwriter. In a career that lasted more than 50 years, he directed 48 films between 1913 and 1959, produced 17 between 1925 and 1967 and wrote 21 scre ...

approached Sablon in 1931 for the making of Tante Aurélie alongside his sister Germaine Sablon. That year, he was back on stage in La Revue Argentine, then Parade de Femmes with

Carlos Gardel Carlos Gardel (born Charles Romuald Gardès; 11 December 1890 – 24 June 1935) was a French-born Argentine singer, songwriter, composer and actor, and the most prominent figure in the history of tango. He was one of the most influential int ...

. It was in 1931 that he met Mireille, whose song "Couchés dans le foin" became a great success, the introduction being made by the editor Raoul Breton. Other important encounter in 1931, Jean discovered the guitarist Django Reinhardt in ''La Boîte à Matelots''. On stage, Jean appeared with Mistinguett at the Casino de Paris in ''Paris qui brille''. 1932 was a year rich in recordings for the record company Columbia. He was accompanied by Don Barretto, sang with his sister Germaine and was accompanied by the pianist and composer Mireille while interpreting songs from the operetta ''Un Mois de Vacances''. At the same time, Mireille and Jean Nohain wrote "Couchés dans le Foin". That song, first performed by Pills et Tabet became a huge hit for them and later for Jean Sablon. In 1933, Jean was reunited with Reda Caire in the operetta ''19 ans'', accompanied by Django Reinhardt, with whom he shared success in the recording studio at Columbia, who had initially been reluctant to take the costly risk of engaging Reinhardt who, as a guitarist, couldn't read music. Sablon thus became the first singer to have recorded with Django. He then embarked on another journey to America, Hollywood this time, with Mireille at the invitation of Ramon Novarro, famous for Ben Hur on the big screen. In Los Angeles, he gave a concert in front of a panoply of stars. Back in Paris, he created ''Ce Petit Chemin''. It was in 1934 that

Jean Cocteau Jean Maurice Eugène Clément Cocteau (, , ; 5 July 1889 – 11 October 1963) was a French poet, playwright, novelist, designer, filmmaker, visual artist and critic. He was one of the foremost creatives of the s ...

encouraged Sablon to initiate a "tour de chant" (one man show), accompanied on the piano by Jean Wiener and

Clément Doucet Léon Clément Doucet (9 April 1895 – 15 October 1950) was a Belgian pianist. He was born and died in Brussels, Belgium. He studied for a time at the local Conservatoire, where his teacher, Arthur De Greef, had been a pupil of Franz Liszt. His ...

, at the Rococo, an establishment that belonged to Louis Moysès, founder and owner of the cabaret Le Bœuf sur le toit. The London cabaret

Monseigneur Monseigneur (plural: Messeigneurs or Monseigneurs) is an honorific in the French language, abbreviated Mgr., Msgr. In English use it is a title before the name of a French prelate, a member of a royal family or other dignitary. Monsignor is ...

invited him to perform there. His success on the BBC radio with his trio ( Django Reinhardt,

André Ekyan André Ekyan (born André Echkyan; October 24, 1907, Meudon - August 1972, Alicante, Spain) was a French jazz reedist. Ekyan was the leader of a jazz ensemble at the club Le Perroquet in Paris late in the 1920s. in the 1930s, he played with Jack Hy ...

and Alec Siniavine) was so considerable that the transmissions were often repeated and the programs of the radio station modified. Back in France, he appeared on the stage in Nice with Django Reinhardt and Joséphine Baker. He was also instrumental in the reopening of the venue Le Boeuf sur le Toit and gave recitals at the Rex and the Folies-Bergère in "Femmes en Folie". In 1935, he created the song "These Foolish Things" at the Boeuf sur le Toit and was on the stage with Pierre Dac in ''Pirouette 35''. In 1936, the film "Le Petit Chemin" reunited Sablon with Mireille. Their interpretation of "Ce Petit Chemin" represented of sorts a preview of what was to come in video clips decades later. Sablon became the presenter of the radio show ''Cadum Variétés'', on which he also sang. Guests included

Maurice Chevalier Maurice Auguste Chevalier (; 12 September 1888 – 1 January 1972) was a French singer, actor and entertainer. He is perhaps best known for his signature songs, including " Livin' In The Sunlight", " Valentine", " Louise", " Mimi", and " Thank H ...

, Damia, Fernandel, Mistinguett, Yvette Guilbert,

Albert Préjean Albert Préjean (27 October 1894 in Paris – 1 November 1979 in Paris) was a French actor, primarily in film. He served in World War I, and was decorated with the Croix de Guerre and the Legion d'honneur. With Lysiane Rey, he was the ...

Henri Garat Henri Garat (born ''Henri Garascu''; 3 April 1902 in Paris – 13 August 1959) was a French actor and singer of Romanian origin.(French) "Du Temps Des Cerises Aux Feuilles Mortes" Selected filmography *'' The Road to Paradise'' (1930) *'' Our Mas ...

to name a few. He was also given a radio show, "The Magic Key". He then found himself at the Café de Paris in London, returning to France for "Le Chant des Tropiques" at the

Théâtre de Paris The Théâtre de Paris is a theatre located at 15, rue Blanche in the 9th arrondissement of Paris. It includes a second smaller venue, the Petit Théâtre de Paris. History The first theatre on the site was built by the Duke of Richelieu in 1730 ...

. It was at the Théâtre Mogador and then at Bobino that he created a scandal by using a microphone, the first to do so in France. It became Sablon's kind of brand image. In 1937, he won the Grand Prix du Disque for the song "Vous qui passez sans me voir", created by him and written for him by

Charles Trenet Louis Charles Augustin Georges Trenet (; 18 May 1913 – 19 February 2001) was a renowned French singer-songwriter who composed both the music and the lyrics to nearly a thousand songs over a career that lasted more than 60 years. These include ...

Johnny Hess Johnny is an English language personal name. It is usually an affectionate diminutive of the masculine given name John, but from the 16th century it has sometimes been a given name in its own right for males and, less commonly, females. Varian ...

and

Paul Misraki Paul Misraki (28 January 1908 – 29 October 1998) was a French composer of popular music and film scores. Over the course of over 60 years, Misraki wrote the music to 130 films, scoring works by directors like Jean Renoir, Claude Chabrol, Jac ...

. That same year, contracted by the producers of The Magic Key, thanks to his success in France, he left for New York, engaged at the NBC studios of Radio City Hall. It was there that he made a few recordings in English, with celebrities such as

Cole Porter Cole Albert Porter (June 9, 1891 – October 15, 1964) was an American composer and songwriter. Many of his songs became standards noted for their witty, urbane lyrics, and many of his scores found success on Broadway and in film. Born to ...

and

George Gershwin George Gershwin (; born Jacob Gershwine; September 26, 1898 – July 11, 1937) was an American composer and pianist whose compositions spanned popular, jazz and classical genres. Among his best-known works are the orchestral compositions ' ...

lending him their material, respectively "In the Still of the Night" and "Love walked In". In Hollywood, Sablon was contracted to star in "The Story of Irene and Vernon Castle" with

Fred Astaire Fred Astaire (born Frederick Austerlitz; May 10, 1899 – June 22, 1987) was an American dancer, choreographer, actor, and singer. He is often called the greatest dancer in Hollywood film history. Astaire's career in stage, film, and tele ...

and

Ginger Rogers Ginger Rogers (born Virginia Katherine McMath; July 16, 1911 – April 25, 1995) was an American actress, dancer and singer during the Classical Hollywood cinema, Golden Age of Hollywood. She won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her starri ...

. Due to production disagreements, he demanded the withdrawal of scenes in which he starred. The final version conserves merely his interpretation of the song "Darktown Strutters Ball". In the movie capital, he appeared at the Trocadero. He also presented and sang his songs on the radio show

Hollywood Hotel The Hollywood Hotel was a famous hotel, society venue of early Hollywood, and landmark A landmark is a recognizable natural or artificial feature used for navigation, a feature that stands out from its near environment and is often visible fr ...

on which he invited numerous big stars. In January 1939, he was in Montreal, creating a swing version of "Sur Le Pont d'Avignon" which would go on to have a huge success. It was there that he met La Bolduc, whose technique of "turlutage" as well as her earthy songs impressed him greatly. It was thanks to Sablon that

and La Bolduc were introduced. In the 1940s, he animated the "Show Jean Sablon" on the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) radio and was accompanied by the American accordionist and songwriter John Serry Sr, with Toots Camarata as musical arranger. He returned to Paris to appear on the stage of the ABC and took part to television experiments. Then he returned to New York, his hometown since 1937. He was a star on Broadway and then Boston in the musical "Streets of Paris". The producer teamed him with

Carmen Miranda Carmen Miranda, (; born Maria do Carmo Miranda da Cunha, 9 February 1909 – 5 August 1955) was a Portuguese-born Brazilian samba singer, dancer, Broadway actress and film star who was active from the late 1920s onwards. Nicknamed "The Br ...

, who appeared for the first time outside of Brazil. He in turn starred in Brazil on shows at the Casino Atlantico in Rio de Janeiro and Casino Urca. Sablon made his debut at the Teatro Municipal in São Paulo in 1940, and then in Argentina, Uruguay and Chile. In 1941, he had further engagements in New York, at the Waldorf Astoria, the Plaza and at the San Regis hotels, before going on, in 1942, in Los Angeles and in Cuba, and then touring in America, Brazil and Argentina. Some of his appearances were at the profit of war victims. Meanwhile, in 1943, in London, his sister Germaine was the first to perform Le Chant des Partisans, which became the anthem of the French Resistance. That year, Sablon continued to sing in Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay, appearing there through 1945, when he returned to the US to perform in New York, Chicago and Washington. The following year found him again in New York, as well as in Hollywood, Boston, Brussels (ABC), Paris (ABC), Mexico (Ciro's) and Canada. A further US tour in 1947-48 took him to New Orleans, San Francisco, Hollywood (Ciro's), Boston, Los Angeles (Beverly Hills) and Palm Beach, and then onto Brazil, Argentina and Canada. Sablon's recording of " Les Feuilles mortes" in the summer of 1947 in New York (RCA Victor 855332) is the earliest version of this classic, known as " Automn Leaves" in the US. In 1948 he followed and equaled the box office receipts of Danny Kaye at the London Palladium. In France, Jacqueline François received the award for the Grand Prix du Disque for C'est le printemps, the French version of It Might As Well Be Spring written by Sablon. Thereafter, one international success followed another. In 1949 in New York, then Holland, Switzerland, France and the UK. In 1950, he appeared again in Switzerland (Gstaad) and the UK. It was in London that he recorded on 30 March "

C'est Si Bon "" (; ) is a French popular song composed in 1947 by Henri Betti with the lyrics by André Hornez. The English lyrics were written in 1949 by Jerry Seelen. The song has been adapted in several languages. History In July 1947, Henri Betti ...

" with the orchestra of Woolf Philips, and on 23 November he recorded the English version with lyrics by Jerry Seleen in Buenos Aires, with the orchestra of Emile Stern. In the intervening months he appeared again in Holland and Brazil, concluding his South American tour in Uruguay and Chile. He was cheered at the Theatre de l'Etoile, where Gene Kelly unsuccessfully attempted to persuade him to play the role of Henri Baurel in An American in Paris (subsequently taken by Georges Guetary). Throughout the 1950s, Sablon traveled constantly (except for a year's sabbatical in 1957). He appeared repeatedly in the US, the UK, France and Brazil, as well as in Canada, Portugal, Morocco, Algeria, Greece, Italy and Egypt, and Mexico, Cuba and Spain. In 1952, he starred in the film Paris Chante toujours, and the same year became the first French entertainer to be featured in his own show in Las Vegas. Under the banner of the Moss Empire, Sablon toured the UK and Ireland. Later in the decade he extended his travels to include India, Australia and New Zealand, Tahiti, Panama and Venezuela. With the increasing popularity of television, Sablon was able to reduce his travels while at the same time reaching a larger new audience on both sides of the Atlantic. Nonetheless, he managed to maintain a tight schedule of international appearances throughout the 1960s, attracting enthusiastic crowds not only in Europe, South America and the US, but in South Africa, Bermuda, New Caledonia, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Japan (where he spent three months) and Iran (where he appeared before the Shah at the royal palace). Towards the end of the 1960s, Sablon revolved to limit his overseas travels and settled into his house at Theoule-sur-Mer on the Côte d'Azur. He was engaged at the Paris Cabaret Don Camillo which became one of the first colored transmissions on TV. In 1971, he was asked by Pierre Granier-Deferre to record "Le Temps des Souvenirs" for the soundtrack of the film "Le Chat". The 1970s and the 1980s found Sablon performing regularly on TV, not only in France, but in Switzerland, Italy, Brazil and the US. In addition, he regularly offered his services on behalf of charitable causes: The Red Cross Gala in Monaco in 1972, the gala for the restoration of Versailles in 1973 and the International Festival of Song first in Brazil and then in Uruguay. At the urging of US impresario George Wein and singer-pianist Bobby Short, Jean celebrated his 75th birthday at the Met (Lincoln Center) in New York, appearing with the orchestra of Frank Sinatra, thus making his farewell to his American followers. His ''Adieux'' in Paris in 1982 were televised in prime time from the Pavillon Gabriel (the former Alcazar d'Eté) and he made his last performance in Rio de Janeiro at the Copacabana Palace in 1984. Jean Sablon became the most widely acclaimed male French singer of his generation in the world, considered second only in overall lifetime popularity to

, a senior model for him. His records sold in the millions around the world and he is frequently referred to as the French equivalent of America's

Bing Crosby Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, musician and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwide. He was a ...

and

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the " Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular entertainers of the 1940s, 1950s, and ...

. During his career, he recorded with some of the world's top musicians, including Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli. Sablon appeared in a number of motion pictures and television films performing as a vocalist or pianist, his last being in 1984 when he sang " April in Paris" in '' Mistral's Daughter'', the popular American TV miniseries filmed in France. Jean Sablon died in

Cannes Cannes ( , , ; oc, Canas) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. The ...

in 1994 and was buried in the

Cimetière du Montparnasse Montparnasse Cemetery (french: link=no, Cimetière du Montparnasse) is a cemetery in the Montparnasse quarter of Paris, in the city's 14th arrondissement. The cemetery is roughly 47 acres and is the second largest cemetery in Paris. The cemetery ...

in Paris.

Personal life

Jean Sablon was the son of composer Charles Sablon and the brother of composer André Sablon and singer and actress Germaine Sablon. The actor

Jacques Sablon Jacques Sablon (1920, Nogent-sur-Marne – 1981, Nice) was a 20th-century French film actor. He was the grandson of actor Gustave Hamilton, the nephew of singers Jean Sablon and Germaine Sablon and the cousin of actress Berthe Jalabert. Filmo ...

was his nephew.

Respects

* On 30 April 2004 the ''allée Jean Sablon'' was inaugurated in the

16th arrondissement of Paris The 16th arrondissement of Paris (''XVIe arrondissement'') is one of the 20 arrondissements of the capital city of France. In spoken French, this arrondissement is referred to as ''seizième''. The arrondissement includes part of the Arc de T ...

. * On 7 September 2006 the ''promenade Jean Sablon'' was inaugurated along the Marne, in

, on the occasion of an exhibition for the centenary of Sablon's birth. * On 10 April 2010 the ''allée Jean Sablon'' was inaugurated on the Promenade de la Croisette in

. * On 15 May 2015 the ''esplanade Jean Sablon'' was inaugurated in Théoule-sur-Mer.

Revues

* 1927 : ''Au temps de Gastounet'', by Georges Gabriel Thenon, Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens. * 1931 : ''Revue Argentine'', by Manuel Romero and Bayon Herrera. ''Parade de femmes'', by Henri Varna, Léo Lelièvre and Marc Cab,

Le Palace Le Palace is a Paris theatre located at 8, rue du Faubourg-Montmartre in the 9th arrondissement. It is best known for its years as a nightclub. Created by impresario Fabrice Emaer in 1978, intellectuals, actors, designers, and American and Europ ...

. ''Paris qui brille'', by Henri Varna, Léo Lelièvre and Earl Leslie, Casino de Paris. * 1932 : ''Ces messieurs dames'', by Francis Carco, Le Studio de Paris. * 1934 : ''Femmes en folie'', by Maurice Hermitte and Jean Le Seyeux,

Folies Bergère The Folies Bergère () is a cabaret music hall, located in Paris, France. Located at 32 Rue Richer in the 9th Arrondissement, the Folies Bergère was built as an opera house by the architect Plumeret. It opened on 2 May 1869 as the Folies Trév ...

. * 1935 : ''Pirouette 35'', by Fernand Rouvray and Max Eddy, Théâtre des Dix Francs.

Operettas

* 1924 : ''Madame'', by

Albert Willemetz Albert Willemetz (14 February 1887 – 7 October 1964) was a French librettist. Career Albert Willemetz was a prolific lyricist. He invented a new type of musical, with a humorous and "sexy" style. He was the author of more than 3000 songs, inc ...

, music by Henri Christiné, Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens. * 1928 : ''Lulu'', by

Serge Veber Serge may refer to: *Serge (fabric), a type of twill fabric *Serge (llama) (born 2005), a llama in the Cirque Franco-Italien and internet meme *Serge (name), a masculine given name (includes a list of people with this name) *Serge (post), a hitchi ...

, music by Georges Van Parys and Philippe Parès, Théâtre Daunou. * 1929 : ''Vive Leroy'', by Henri Géroule and

René Pujol Amédée Ferdinand René Pujol (21 August 1887 - 21 January 1942) was a French screenwriter, film director, and librettist. Biography Partial list of publications *1919 : ''L'Homme qui gagne'', Éditions françaises illustrées *1928 : ''S.O. ...

, music by Fred Pearly and Pierre Chagnon, Théâtre des Capucines. * 1933 : ''Dix-neuf ans'', by

Jean Bastia Jean Bastia (21 February 1919 in Bastia, Corsica - 16 February 2005), was a French film director, screenwriter and film producer. Filmography Director * '' Nous autres à Champignol'' (1957) * '' Les Aventuriers du Mékong'' (1958) * '' Le Ge ...

, music by Pascal Bastia, Théâtre Daunou. * 1936 : ''Le Chant des tropiques'', by Louis Sauvat and

Champfleury Jules François Felix Fleury-Husson (17 September 1821, in Laon, Aisne – 6 December 1889, in Sèvres), who wrote under the name Champfleury (), was a French art critic and novelist, a prominent supporter of the Realist movement in painting an ...

, music by Moyses Simons,

Musical theatre

* 1923 : ''La Dame en décolleté'', by Yves Mirande and Lucien Boyer, music by

Maurice Yvain Maurice Yvain (12 February 1891 – 27 July 1965) was a French composer noted for his operettas of the 1920s and 1930s. Some of which were written for Mistinguett, at one time the best-paid female entertainer in the world. In the 1930s and 1940s, ...

, Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens. * 1925 : ''Trois jeunes filles nues'', by Yves Mirande and Albert Willemetz, music by Raoul Moretti, Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens.

Filmography

* 1924 : '' Madame Sans-Gêne'' by

Léonce Perret Léonce Joseph Perret (14 March 1880 – 12 August 1935) was a prolific and innovative French film actor, director and producer.The Museum of Modern Art(retrieved 7 June 2007) He also worked as a stage actor and director. Often described as avant ...

. * 1930 : '' Everybody Wins'' by René Pujol and Hans Steinhoff. * 1939 : '' La Grande Farandole'' by H. C. Potter. * 1951 : ''

Paris Still Sings ''Paris Still Sings'' (French: ''Paris chante toujours'') is a 1951 French musical comedy film directed by Pierre Montazel and starring Lucien Baroux, Clément Duhour and Madeleine Lebeau with performances from a large number of leading French si ...

'' by

Pierre Montazel Pierre Montazel (5 March 1911 – 8 September 1975) was a French cinematographer and screenwriter.Kay Weniger: ''Das große Personenlexikon des Films.'' Berlin 2001, Band 5, S. 520 Selected filmography * '' Vidocq'' (1939) * ''Sing Anyway'' (1940 ...

References

* * * ''

The Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...

'', 1 September 1946, p. 24