Lilyan Chauvin

Lilyan Chauvin (/lɪliæn vɛn/; née Zemoz; 6 August 1925  26 June 2008)[1] was a French-American actress, television host, director, writer, and acting teacher. A native of Paris, Chauvin began her career performing on French radio and onstage in England. She relocated to the United States in 1952 to pursue an acting career, and was initially cast in minor television parts before making her film debut in 1957.

Lilyan Chauvin
Chauvin in 2004
Born
Lilyan Zemoz

(1925-08-06)6 August 1925
Paris, France
Died26 June 2008(2008-06-26) (aged 82)
Studio City, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupations
  • Actress
  • producer
  • director
Years active1950–2007
Spouse(s)Bernard J. Chauvin
(m. 1946; div. 1953)

Chauvin's career in American films spanned over 60 years, and largely consisted of supporting roles. Some of her credits include The Other Side of Midnight (1977), Private Benjamin (1980), the slasher film Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984), Predator 2 (1990), and Steven Spielberg's Catch Me If You Can (2002). She also had a prolific career in television, and guest-starred in such television series as The X-Files, Murder, She Wrote, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Friends, Magnum, P.I., Alias, Malcolm in the Middle, Baa Baa Black Sheep. The Man from U.N.C.L.E., McCloud, Perry Mason, and Ugly Betty.[1]

In her later life, Chauvin taught acting and directing at the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of Southern California. She also served as the Vice President of Women in Film council. She died in Los Angeles in 2008 of complications resulting from congestive heart failure and breast cancer, the latter of which she battled for four decades.

Early life

Chauvin was born in Paris, Île-de-France, France,[2] to a French mother, Emilia Speltiens, and an Italian father, Pantion Pierre Zemoz.[3][4][note 1]

Chauvin began her career working in broadcasting in France. While under contract to a French radio station she had her heart set on becoming a lawyer; however her earnings soon exceeded that of her parents' and she gave serious consideration to making show business her way of life. She studied in Paris at the School of Cinema, and at the Jean-Louis Barrault School,[5] also in Paris.[1]

Career

Early career and stage

Chauvin moved to New York City in 1952[6] and became a naturalized American citizen. She studied with Uta Hagen and at the Actors Studio in New York. Chauvin also attended the Berlitz school of Languages and took in American movies every day to improve her English. Already proficient in Spanish, German, Italian, and Russian, she soon became one of the school's top teachers and they sent her out to coach actors in the accents they needed for various roles.[1][6]

Chauvin's European stage and Actors Equity theatre credits include Macbeth, Medea, Silk Stockings, Camille, and Three for Today. She began landing roles in New York television productions including TV's prestigious Studio One. Soon after she traveled to Los Angeles and found work in film and television.[1]

Transition to film

Chauvin made her film acting debut in Letter from Cairo (1953), an episode of the long-running series Studio One. The following year she guest-starred in Crusader. Chauvin made her first motion picture appearance in Lost, Lonely and Vicious (1958) and later starred in Walk Like a Dragon (1960) and Bloodlust! (1961). She also appeared in the Elvis Presley films King Creole (1958) and Tickle Me (1965) and the Barbra Streisand film Funny Lady (1975). Other film credits include Yours, Mine and Ours (1968), The Mephisto Waltz (1971), The Other Side of Midnight (1977), Beyond Reason (1977), Private Benjamin (1980), Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984, as the sadistic Mother Superior), Born in East L.A. (1987), Bad Influence (1990), Predator 2 (1990), Angel Town (1990), Universal Soldier (1992), The Warlord: Battle for the Galaxy (1998), Five Aces (1999), The Man Who Wasn't There (2001) and Catch Me If You Can (2002).

Chauvin was a series regular on Days of Our Lives, Mission Impossible, General Hospital and Falcon Crest. Other television credits include “Jim Bowie’’ Adventures of Superman, Combat!, Baa Baa Black Sheep, Friends, ER, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Tyson, Malcolm in the Middle, Alias, CSI, Ugly Betty, The X-Files, and Murder She Wrote.[1]

Directing

In the industry, Chauvin's talents are respected equally as a director and actress. Her DGA directing credits include The Young and the Restless, But She Can Type, Celebration 75 and Windows of Heaven. Chauvin directed productions of Last Summer at Bluefish Cove, Effigies, Seacliffe California, In My Minds Eye, The Happy Time and The Deepest Hunger.[1]

Other ventures

Teaching

In her later life, Chauvin became a prominent acting and directing coach in Los Angeles, teaching at the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of Southern California.[3] Many of her techniques have become instrumental teaching tools within the industry and have provided inspiration to many other successful educators. As an author and educator she taught internationally at seminars as a keynote speaker, lecturer and adviser.[1]

As the creator and show runner she co-produced and hosted the television series Hollywood Structured, a comprehensive guide to show business careers, Chauvin explored new facets of the industry each week through interviews with top professionals.[7] The 64 episodes covered acting, directing, make up, documentary filmmaking, producing, music, comedy, cinematography, stunt coordinating, modeling, publicity, writing, dancing, sports announcing, production design, entertainment law, agency, casting, union, special effects and more.

Chauvin wrote Hollywood Scams & Survival Tactics, in which she shared many of her own experiences and survival tactics.[1]

She taught acting, multi-cam cinematography and directing for over 10 years at USC and taught acting/directing at UCLA for two years. Some of Chauvin's acting students were Raquel Welch, Suzanne Somers, Margie Haber, Carly Schroeder, Kin and Wil Shriner, Jennifer Runyon, Kevin Nealon and Rex Steven Sikes. She was a technical advisor and dialogue coach at MGM and worked as a dialogue supervisor/drama coach at Warner Brothers. For many years she ran the Women in Film Director's Workshop which drew large numbers of people from the various aspects of filmmaking.[1]

Still photography

Chauvin's work with stationary images included taking a photograph of author William Faulkner that was published in The Atlantic Monthly magazine and was to be used on dust jackets of Faulkner books.[5]

Accolades

Twice nominated for Emmy Awards (for The Young and the Restless and Baa Baa Black Sheep), Chauvin won the 1991 Angel Award for Hollywood Structured, which was co-produced by Chauvin, Julie Johnson and Irene Lamothe. Chauvin appeared weekly as the host on this cable program with, among others, Jacqueline Bisset, Linda Gray, Morey Amsterdam, Danny Glover, Henry Mancini, Anne Francis, Carmen Zapata and others.[1]

Affiliations

Chauvin was on the Women's Steering Committee of the Directors Guild of America and had over 35 credits as a DGA Director since 1979. She was a member of Screen Actors Guild, the Writers Guild of America, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artist and Equity. Committed to furthering women's causes, especially in the industry, Chauvin was a 39-year member of Women in Film. She served on the organization's Board five times, twice as the Board's vice president.[1]

Personal life

Chauvin was married to Bernard Chauvin, whom she divorced in Florida in 1953.[6] She retained his surname for the remainder of her career.[6] In the 1960s, Chauvin was diagnosed with breast cancer, which she would battle intermittently for the following four decades.[1]

Death

Chauvin died at her Studio City, Los Angeles home on 26 June 2008, aged 82.[3] Her death was attributed to complications from breast cancer and congestive heart disease.[3][2]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1957Ten Thousand BedroomsReporterUncredited
1957Silk StockingsSoniaUncredited
1957Tip on a Dead JockeyDoloresUncredited
1957Les GirlsDancerUncredited
1958King CreoleCatherineUncredited
1958The Perfect FurloughFrench Nurse
1958Lost, Lonely and ViciousTanya Pernaud
1959The Man Who Understood WomenUncredited
1959The Wreck of the Mary DeareNunUncredited
1960Walk Like a DragonMme. Lili Raide
1960North to AlaskaJenny LamontUncredited
1961Bloodlust!Sandra Balleau
1961Back StreetParis Airport Employee
1962The Four Horsemen of the ApocalypseFrench PrisonerUncredited
1962Two Weeks in Another TownBar GirlUncredited
1965Tickle MeRonnie
1968Yours, Mine and OursFrench Actress on TV Screen
1971The Mephisto WaltzWoman Writer
1971Machismo: 40 Graves for 40 Guns Kate
1975Funny LadyMademoiselle
1975Medical StoryMrs. GoodmanTelevision film
1976Victory at EntebbeFrench NunTelevision film
1977The Other Side of MidnightMrs. Page
1978Ziegfeld: The Man and His Women LouiseTelevision film
1978Child of GlassMadame DumaineTelevision film
1979Portrait of a StripperYvetteTelevision film
1980Private BenjaminMrs. Trémont
1982The JunkmanFrench Reporter
1984Silent Night, Deadly NightMother Superior
1985Beyond ReasonNurse Johnson
1987Born in East L.A.German Woman
1987Right to DieRaylenTelevision film
1989Listen to MeFrench Professor
1989Death DollMadame ZerbaVoice
1990Angel TownFrench Teacher
1990Bad InfluenceArt Gallery Patron
1990Predator 2Irene Edwards
1991For the Very First Time Sister Eugenia
1991True IdentityPolice Station Woman
1992Stormy WeatherMrs. ComdenTelevision film
1992Universal SoldierMrs. John Devreux
1992Round Trip to Heaven Chaperone
1993No Place to HideMother Superior
1994Pumpkinhead II: Blood WingsMiss Ossie
1994The DiscoverersFrench AstronomerShort film
1994Attack of the 5 Ft. 2 WomenCoachTelevision film
1995TysonCamille EwaldTelevision film
1996The Rockford Files: Punishment and CrimeIlovna KobletsTelevision film
1998The Warlord: Battle for the GalaxyMashwahTelevision film
1999Five AcesGrandmother Kalliope
2000Missing PiecesOld WomanTelevision film
2000Stanley's Gig Grace
2000Skeleton Woman Bone Gatherer
2001The Man Who Wasn't ThereMedium
2002Duty Dating Dr. Hartley
2002Catch Me If You CanMrs. Lavalier
2004Illusion Infinity Nurse
2004Calling Hedy LamarrHerselfDocumentary film
2006Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher FilmHerselfDocumentary film
2007The Kopper KettleOld WomanShort film
2007The Brass TeapotOld WomanShort film
2011The Passing Rebecca NaibertReleased posthumously, (final film role)

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1950Kraft TheatreVillagerEpisode: "Kelly"
1953The GoldbergsMignonEpisode: "Simon's Maid and Butler"
1953Studio One in HollywoodEpisode: "Letter from Cairo"
1956CrusaderHedda DanzigEpisode: "Rookie Cop"
1956The Adventures of Jim BowieLiane TrudeauEpisode: "The Swordsman"
1957The Man Called XEpisode: "Passport"
1957Adventures of SupermanAnna ConstantineEpisode: "Peril in Paris"
1957The Court of Last ResortMargarite VelezEpisode: "The George Zaccho Case"
1958The Walter Winchell FileMinnaEpisode: "Flight to Freedom: File #36"
1958The CaliforniansSuzyEpisode: "The Man from Paris"
1958Alfred Hitchcock PresentsSybil DelamontSeason 3 Episode 22: "The Return of the Hero"
1958Panic!Episode: "Fingerprints"
1958Harbor CommandAnna MeyerlingEpisode: "Sanctuary"
1958MaverickSydney Sue 'Frenchy' ShipleyEpisode: "High Card Hangs"
1958PursuitEpisode: "Ticket to Tangier"
1959DragnetEpisode: "The Big Thirteen"
1959One Step BeyondFrancescaEpisode: "The Return of Mitchell Campion"
1959Walt Disney's Wonderful World of ColorFanny DurbachEpisode: "The Peter Tchaikovsky Story"
1960Richard Diamond, Private DetectiveClaraEpisode: "The Mouse"
1960The Law and Mr. JonesFrancoiseEpisode: "The Long Echo"
1961ThrillerMrs. BarristerEpisode: "Man in the Cage"
1961KlondikeEpisode: "Sitka Madonna"
1961The Case of the Dangerous RobinWomanEpisode: "Amsterdam Lapidary"
1962King of DiamondsRenee DuboisEpisode: "Backlash"
1962Adventures in ParadiseForiditaEpisode: "The Baby Sitters"
1962G.E. TrueMrs. TrouchoutEpisode: "The Wrong Nickel"
1964Combat!FauvetteEpisode: "The Short Day of Private Putnam"
1964The RoguesParis AnnouncerEpisode: "The Personal Touch"
1965Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler TheatreSisterEpisode: "The Fliers"
1965The Man from U.N.C.L.E.Madame ClaudileEpisode: "The Hong Kong Shilling Affair"
1965Perry MasonFrau ZimmerEpisode: "The Case of the Fugitive Fraulein"
1966Daniel BooneMadame SimonEpisode: "When a King is the Pawn"
1967Mission: ImpossibleMrs. BeruchEpisode: "Sweet Charity"
1969The OutcastsSilent WomanEpisode: "How Tall is Blood?"
1970McCloudHousekeeperEpisode: "Our Man in Paris"
1970Matt LincolnMichele BartonEpisode: "Angie"
1970To Rome with LoveMademoiselle RogetEpisode: "Fly Away Home"
1971McMillan & WifeMadame JarnacEpisode: "Once Upon a Dead Man"
1972The F.B.I.Episode: "The Hunters"
1973MannixJohannaEpisode: "Out of the Night"
1973The MagicianAnnaEpisode: "The Vanishing Lady"
1973The Bob Newhart ShowOlgaEpisode: "The Fit, Fat, and Forty One"
1977Black Sheep SquadronSister DominiqueEpisode: "Poor Little Lambs"
1977Man from AtlantisFrench ScientistEpisode: "Pilot"
1977Police StoryJune SpenardEpisode: "Ice Time"
1978Flying HighMiss SimmonsEpisode: "Flying High"
1979VisionsGretaEpisode: "Ladies in Waiting"
1979Fantasy IslandSelenaEpisode: "Nobody's There"/"The Dancer"
1981Lou GrantMagdaEpisode: "The Search"
1982DarkroomMadame LeClercEpisode: "Guillotine"
1982Magnum, P.I.Maria, the Sicilian Cook2 episodes
1982Hart to HartMaidEpisode: "The Hart of the Matter"
1982Diff'rent StrokesZenashkaya RokovaEpisode: "On Your Toes"
1982One Day at a TimeNurseEpisode: "Last Time I Saw Paris"
1983The Facts of LifeMarieEpisode: "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?"
1983Ryan's FourEpisode: "Pilot"
1984MasqueradeWoman in Post OfficeEpisode: "The Defector"
1983–1984Falcon CrestSister Jeanette3 episodes
1987Nutcracker: Money, Madness & MurderMiniseries
1989–1991Hollywood StructuredHerself/host64 episodes
1990The Young and the RestlessLil4 episodes
1992BaywatchDr. LesterEpisode: "Shark's Cove"
1993Café AmericainMadame Dussolier5 episodes
1994Murder, She WroteDispatcherEpisode: "Amsterdam Kill"
1995Earth 2KatrinaEpisode: "The Greatest Love Story Never Told"
1996The X-FilesGoldaEpisode: "The Calusari"
1996The PretenderMrs. Nikkos, the Greek LadyEpisode: "Pilot"
1997Star Trek: Deep Space NineVedek YassimEpisode: "Rocks and Shoals"
1997Saved by the Bell: The New ClassOld WomanEpisode: "Foreign Affairs"
1998MaggieStancho's WifeEpisode: "Cats"
1998USA HighFarm LadyEpisode: "Excess's Ex"
1999FriendsGrandma TribbianiEpisode: "The One Where Ross Can't Flirt"
2000Shasta McNastySister MaryEpisode: "Leo is a Pain in My Ass"
2000FrasierMamaEpisode: "The Three Faces of Frasier"
2001The BeastAnnaEpisode: "The Damage Done"
2002AliasSignora VentuttiEpisode: "The Prophecy"
2003ERNurse EdnaEpisode: "Dear Abby"
2005Malcolm in the MiddleMaricaEpisode: "Ida's Dance"
2006CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationMrs. Aloyna IvanovnaEpisode: "Loco Motives"
2007Ugly BettyIsabellaEpisode: "A Tree Grows in Guadalajara"

Video games

Year Title Role Notes
1995PhantasmagoriaEthelVoice
2002Soldier of Fortune II: Double HelixAdditional voicesVoice

Notes

  1. An article published in The Times of Hammond, Indiana, on June 3, 1963, says of Chauvin, "Her father, Pierre, although French-born, had become an American citizen."

References

  1. "Biography". Lilyan Chauvin Official site. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
  2. Lentz, Harris M. III (2009). Obituaries in the Performing Arts, 2008: Film, Television, Radio, Theatre, Dance, Music, Cartoons and Pop Culture. McFarland. pp. 72–3. ISBN 978-0-786-43482-4.
  3. "Lilyan Chauvin Obituary". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 20 December 2017 via Legacy.com.
  4. "Dorchester Music Hall Opens June 11". The Times. Indiana, Hammond. 3 June 1963. p. 6. Retrieved 15 July 2017 via Newspapers.com. open access
  5. "New French Beauty Seen Hit on Studio 1". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. New York, Brooklyn. 30 August 1953. p. 26. Retrieved 15 July 2017 via Newspapers.com. open access
  6. "The Private Lives and Times] of Lilyan Chauvin". Glamour Girls of the Silver Screen. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
  7. "Lilyan Chauvin Passes Away". TrekToday. 3 July 2008. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
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