Biography
Liliane Montevecchi (October 13, 1932 – June 29, 2018) was a French-Italian actress, dancer, and singer.
Montevecchi took her first dance classes at 8 with Pierre Duprez, primo ballerino.of the Opera in Paris, France. She entered the Conservatoire and completed her training for two years, with Jeanne Schwarz and Mathilde Kschessinska, on the stage of the Opéra Comique. She appeared for the first time on a stage at the Champs Elysées theater in a ballet of David Lichine. She then worked with Léonide Massine and danced in Monte Carlo for the crowning of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, in 1949. She also made her first steps at the Casino de Paris with Jean Guélis.
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Montevecchi began her international career as a prima ballerina in Roland Petit's dance company. She appeared in The Glass Slipper with Michael Wilding and Daddy Long Legs (with Fred Astaire), in both of which she was acting with leading lady Leslie Caron. In the mid-1950s she was signed to a contract by MGM, which cast her in various roles in such films as Moonfleet with Stewart Granger and Meet Me in Las Vegas with Cyd Charisse and John Brascia. She then played in the Jerry Lewis vehicle The Sad Sack, King Creole with Elvis Presley, and The Young Lions with Montgomery Clift, Dean Martin and Marlon Brando. She knew Gene Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor and Clark Gable, and she took classes at the Actors Studio in New York, alongside Marilyn Monroe.
Montevecchi replaced Colette Brosset in the 1958 Broadway revue La Plume de Ma Tante. After some television work in series such as Playhouse 90 and Adventures in Paradise at the end of the decade, Montevecchi opted to leave Hollywood for a star spot in the Folies Bergère in Las Vegas, toured with the company for nine years before the Folies Bergère in Paris from 1972 to 1978. In 1982 she drew the attention of critics and audiences for her performance in Nine, with Raúl Juliá, for which she won both the Tony and Drama Desk Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. Seven years later she starred in Grand Hotel, earning a Tony nomination for Best Actress in a Musical.
On TV she guest–starred in more than 20 shows. Montevecchi also appeared in the films Wall Street and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days with Matthew McConaughey. She appeared in concert at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center and toured internationally with her semi-autobiographical shows On the Boulevard and Back on the Boulevard. Her solo album On the Boulevard is available from Jay Records. She is featured in the recording of the 1985 concert version of Follies staged at Avery Fisher Hall, and she also has starred in musicals such as Irma La Douce, Gigi and Hello Dolly!.
In 1999, she replaced Eartha Kitt as The Wicked Witch of The West in Radio City Entertainment's touring production of The Wizard of Oz co-starring Mickey Rooney as The Wizard and Jessica Grové as Dorothy. Montevecchi appeared as The Witch during the show's limited run at The Theater at Madison Square Garden.
In 2001, Montevecchi appeared as Mistinguett at the Théâtre National de l’Opéra Comique in Paris.
In Seattle, Washington as well as San Francisco, Montevecchi had a very successful turn as "Madame ZinZanni" at Teatro ZinZanni since its opening with Frank Ferrante, Michael Davis (juggler), Les Castors, Dreya Weber, Mat Plendl and many talented artists. She took part in the recording of the album The Divas with Joan Baez, Thelma Houston, Sally Kellerman, Christine Deaver, Debbie de Coudreaux, Francine Reed, Juliana Rambaldi and Kristin Clayton in 2006.
She returned to Teatro ZinZanni in June 2009 to reprise the role and in September 2011 in the show Bonsoir Liliane!, starring alongside Kevin Kent, directed by Tommy Tune and choreographed by Tobias Larsson.
In December 2010, Kaye Ballard, Montevecchi and Donna McKechnie starred in a Santa Fe production of From Broadway with Love, directed by Richard Jay-Alexander and staged at the Lensic Theater. In early 2012, she joined with Kaye Ballard and Lee Roy Reams for the musical review Doin' It For Love, music directed by David Geist. The show played Austin, Texas and Los Angeles. All profits benefited animal protection and advocacy.
In March 2015, Montevecchi won critical praise for recreating her Tony nominated role of Grushinskaya in Grand Hotel: The 25th Anniversary Reunion Concert at 54 Below, in New York City.
In November 2015, at the behest of producer Patrick Niedo, Montevecchi brought a triumphant solo show Aller-Retour (Round Trip) to Paris for the first time.
On July 12 2017, she joined Francesca Capetta and Stacy Sullivan for a birthday salute to late film star and recording artist Dean Martin in the Weill Recital Hall at New York’s Carnegie Hall.
She died on June 29, 2018.
Awards and nominations
In 1982, Montevecchi won both the Tony and Drama Desk Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance as Liliane La Fleur in Nine.
Active in a number of humanitarian causes including fights against AIDS and cancer, Liliane Montevecchi was knighted by the Knights of Malta in 1985.
She earned a Tony nomination for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance as Elizaveta Grushinskaya in Grand Hotel in 1990.
She was given the Columbus Citizens Foundation's 1995 Woman of the Year Award.
In April 2009, she was honored as "Entertainer of the Year" Boys' Towns of Italy at their 64th Annual "Ball of the Year" Gala.
She was honored by the French Minister of Culture as the "Officer of Arts and Culture" to France and the world at large in 2013.
In January 2017, Liliane Montevecchi was given the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Ziegfeld Society of New York City.
Albums
C'est beau l'amour à Paris/Grain de poivre, Versailles, 1981
Nine: Original Cast Album (cast recording), Sony, 1982
Follies in Concert (cast recording), RCA, 1985
Nymph Errant, EMI, 1990
Grand Hotel: The Musical - Broadway Cast Recording (cast recording), RCA, 1992
Nine (1992 London Concert Cast - Highlights) (cast recording), RCA,1992
There's No Business Like Show Business: Broadway Showstoppers, Sony, 1993
Divorce Me Darling! (cast recording), Jay Records, 1998
Follies - The Complete Recording (cast recording), Tee Vee Toons, 1998
On the Boulevard (original cast), Jay Records, 1998
La Tournée des Grands Ducs (various artists), Idol/Marianne Melodie, 2005
The Divas, One Reel/Teatro ZinZanni, 2006
BROADWAY: THE GREAT ORIGINAL CAST RECORDINGS, Masterworks Broadway, 2015
Les Funambules (chansons d'amour pour tous), Blossom, 2017
Filmography and roles
Jours de France (2016) .... Judith Joubert... a.k.a. 4 Days in France (International : English title)
Comment j'ai accepté ma place parmi les mortels (2008) .... Mirna
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003) .... Mrs. DeLauer
L'Idole (2002) .... Nicole ... a.k.a. The Idol (International: English title)
An Evening with Rosanne Seaborn (2001) (TV) .... Mrs. Mannering
Mistinguett, la dernière revue (2001) (TV) .... Mistinguett
Of Penguins and Peacocks (2000) (TV) .... Sarah Bernhardt
The Funny Face of Broadway (1997), documentary by Rémy Batteault
Wall Street (1987) .... Woman at 'Le Cirque'
Chobizenesse (1975) .... Gigi Nietzsche ... a.k.a. Show Business (International: English title)
Au théâtre ce soir .... Francine (1 episode, 1974)
Pétrus (1974) TV episode .... Francine
Musidora (1973) (TV) .... Musidora
La vie rêvée de Vincent Scotto (1973) (TV) .... Gay Deslys
39° Gala de l'Union des Artistes at the cirque d'hiver in Paris (1972)
It Takes a Thief .... Madame Tanya Varhos (1 episode, 1969)
The Blue, Blue Danube (1969) TV episode .... Madame Tanya Varhos
T.H.E. Cat .... Countess De Laurent (1 episode, 1967)
Queen of Diamonds, Knave of Hearts (1967) TV episode .... Countess De Laurent
Mr. Broadway .... Vici (1 episode, 1964)
Maggie, Queen of the Jungle (1964) TV episode .... Vici
The Tab Hunter Show .... Andrea / ... (2 episodes, 1960–1961)
Girl Overboard (1961) TV episode .... Andrea
One Blonde Too Many (1960) TV episode .... Maria
Adventures in Paradise .... Therese (1 episode, 1959)
The Derelict (1959) TV episode .... Therese
Playhouse 90 .... Carla / ... (2 episodes, 1959)
Target for Three (1959) TV episode .... Estrella
Child of Our Time (1959) TV episode .... Carla
Behind Closed Doors .... Marcella (1 episode, 1959)
The Espionage Students (1959) TV episode .... Marcella
77 Sunset Strip .... Tosca (1 episode, 1959)
The Secret of Adam Cain (1959) TV episode .... Tosca
Me and the Colonel (1958) .... Cosette
King Creole (1958) .... Forty Nina
The Young Lions (1958) .... Françoise
The Sad Sack (1957) .... Zita
The Living Idol (1957) .... Juanita ... a.k.a. El Ídolo viviente (Mexico)
Meet Me in Las Vegas (1956) .... Lilli ... a.k.a. Viva Las Vegas! (UK)
Moonfleet (1955) (as Liliane Montevecchi of the Ballet de Paris) .... Gypsy
Daddy Long Legs (1955) (uncredited) .... College Girl
The Glass Slipper (1955) .... Tehara
Women of Paris (1953) (as Montevecchi)
Stage work
Francesca Capetta sings Dean Martin : A Centennial Celebration (2017), Carnegie Hall, New York : Special Guest
We'll Take a Glass Together : The Songs of Wright & Forrest from MGM to Grand Hotel (2017) with Karen Akers, Ida K. Lang Recital Hall at Hunter College, New York
Ziegfeld Follies of The Air : The New 1934 Live from Broadway Broadcast Revue (2017), Birdland Jazz Club, New York
Hotel l'Amour (2016) with Frank Ferrante, Teatro ZinZanni, Seattle, WA
Tigerplast Varieté Show (2016), Tigerpalast, Frankfurt, Germany
Liliane Montevecchi Live at Zédel (2016), Brasserie Zédel, London, UK
Be My Valentine (2016), Feinstein's/54 Below, New York
Concert les Funambules (2015), Sunset/Sunside, Paris, France
Aller-Retour, musical review (2015), Vingtième Théâtre, Paris, France
Tigerplast Varieté Show (2015), Tigerpalast, Frankfurt, Germany
"A Classic Night" A tribute to Liliane Montevecchi (2015), Alvin Ailey Theatre, New York
Steve Ross on Broadway (2015), Birdland Jazz Club, New York .... Special Guest
An intimate evening with Liliane Montevecchi (2015), The Mansion Inn, Rock City Falls, NY
54 Sings Grand Hotel: The 25th Anniversary Concert (2015), Feinstein's/54 Below, New York .... Elizaveta Grushinskaya
Paris on the Thames (2015), Brasserie Zédel, London, UK
Tigerplast Varieté Show (2014), Tigerpalast, Frankfurt, Germany
Zazou (2014), The York Theatre, New York.
Broadway Babes ONE NIGHT ONLY (2014) with Kaye Ballard & Donna McKechnie, Albuquerque, NM
Doin' It For Love (2012) with Kaye Ballard & Lee Roy Reams, Austin, TX & Wilshire Ebell Theatre, Los Angeles, CA
Bonsoir Liliane! (2011), Teatro ZinZanni, Seattle, WA
Tigerplast Varieté Show (2011), Tigerpalast, Frankfurt, Germany
From Broadway With Love (2010) with Kaye Ballard & Donna McKechnie, Lensic Theater, Santa Fe, NM
Majestic (2009) with Les Castors, Palazzo, Vienna, Austria
Bottega ZinZanni : All Dressed Up With Some Place To Go (2009), Teatro ZinZanni, Seattle, WA .... Dina Monte
Back on the Boulevard (2009), Pizza on the Park, London, UK
A La Folie! (2008) with Michael Davis (juggler), Teatro ZinZanni, San Francisco, CA
Love, Chaos and Dinner (2007), Teatro ZinZanni, Seattle, WA .... Madame ZinZanni
The Boy Friend, Regional Revival (2003), UK .... Madame Dubonnet
Love, Chaos and Dinner (2002-2003), Teatro ZinZanni, San Francisco, CA .... Madame ZinZanni
Mistinguett, la dernière revue (2001), Opéra Comique, Paris, France .... Mistinguett
The Wizard of Oz, Radio City Entertainment's touring production (1999) .... The Wicked Witch of the West
Follies, Paper Mill Playhouse Revival (1998), Millburn, NJ .... Solange Lafitte
Gigi (1998) with Gavin MacLeod, TX's Theatre Under The Stars, Houston, TX
Divorce Me, Darling!, Regional Revival (1997), UK
Back on the Boulevard (1996), Kaufman Theatre, New York
Gigi (1996) with Gavin MacLeod, Paper Mill Playhouse, Millburn, NJ
Hello, Dolly! (1995), Opéra Royal de Wallonie, Liège, Belgium
Grand Hotel, London Production (1992), West End, London, UK .... Elizaveta Grushinskaya
Nine, London Concert Revival (1992), West End, London, UK .... Liliane La Fleur
Grand Hotel, National Tour (1992), US Tour
Grand Hotel, Original Broadway Production (1989), Broadway .... Elizaveta Grushinskaya
Nymph Errant, London Concert Revival (1989), West End, London, UK
On the Boulevard (1988), Kaufman Theatre, New York
Star Dust, Concert Reading (1987), New York
Irma La Douce (1986) with Robert Clary, Atlantic City
Gotta Getaway! (1984) Radio City Music Hall, New York
Nine, Original Broadway Production (1982), Broadway .... Liliane La Fleur
Folies Bergère, Original Broadway Production (1964), Broadway
La Grosse Valse (1962-1963), Théâtre des Variétés, Paris, France .... Nana
La Plume de Ma Tante, Original Broadway Production (1958), Broadway
La Croqueuse de Diamants (1952), Théâtre de l’Empire, Paris, France
Other works
Broadway The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There (2003) .... Herself ... a.k.a. Broadway (USA: short title) ... a.k.a. Broadway: The Golden Age (USA: short title) ... a.k.a. Broadway: The Movie (USA: short title)
Tout le monde en parle .... Herself (1 episode, dated 28 April 2001)
NBC's "The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson" with Jay Leno - Season 29 (1991) (TV) .... Herself - Guest
The 44th Annual Tony Awards (1990) (TV) .... Herself - Nominee: Best Actress in a Musical
Follies in Concert (1986) (TV) .... Solange Lafitte
The 37th Annual Tony Awards (1983) (TV) .... Herself - Presenter
The 36th Annual Tony Awards (1982) (TV) .... Herself - Winner : Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a
Musical
The Hollywood Palace .... Herself - Singer / ... (3 episodes, 1965–1966) - Episode #4.10 (1966) TV episode .... Herself - Singer - Episode #3.19 (1966) TV episode .... Herself - Singer/Dancer - Episode #2.29 (1965) TV episode .... Herself - Singer/Dancer
Biography text from Last.fm, available under CC BY-SA.