Annie Fratellini facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Annie Fratellini
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Fratellini (centre) in Rascel-Fifì (1957)
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| Born |
Annie Violette Fratellini
November 14, 1932 |
| Died | July 1, 1997 (aged 64) |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1934-1987 |
| Spouse(s) | Pierre Granier-Deferre (m. 1954; div. 19??) Pierre Étaix
(m. 1969) |
| Children | 1 |
Annie Violette Fratellini (born November 14, 1932 – died July 1, 1997) was a talented French artist. She was known for many things: a circus performer, a singer, a film actress, and especially a famous clown.
Contents
Annie Fratellini's Life Story
Early Life and Circus Roots
Annie Violette Fratellini was born on November 14, 1932. Her birthplace was Algiers, which was then part of French Algeria. Her parents were circus performers who were touring there at the time.
Annie came from a very famous family of clowns. The Fratellini Family was one of Europe's most well-known circus families. They were originally from Italy. Her father, Victor Fratellini, was a clown and an acrobat. Her mother, Suzanne, was the daughter of Gaston Rousseau. He was the director of a huge circus building in Paris called the Cirque de Paris.
Annie's grandfather was Paul Fratellini. He was one of the famous Fratellini brothers. This trio of clowns was very popular in Paris and across Europe between the two World Wars.
From Circus to Stage and Screen
Annie first performed in the circus ring when she was 13 years old. This was at the famous Cirque Medrano in Paris. However, when she was 18, she decided to leave the circus.
She then started a new career in music. She became a musician and a singer, performing in music halls and recording songs. Annie also became a movie actress. In 1965, she appeared in a film called La Métamorphose des cloportes. This movie was directed by Pierre Granier-Deferre, whom she had married in 1954. They had one daughter named Valérie.
Return to the Circus and Clown Duo
In 1969, Annie starred in another film, Le grand amour. This movie was directed by Pierre Étaix. Annie and Pierre fell in love and got married that same year.
Pierre Étaix was a comedian and had worked with the famous filmmaker Jacques Tati. Pierre loved the circus and clowns very much. Annie Fratellini had a natural talent for comedy, which she inherited from her family. Pierre Étaix encouraged her to take her clowning seriously.
Together, they created a classic European clown act. Pierre played the "Clown" character, and Annie played the "Auguste." The Auguste is the funny, clumsy character in a clown duo. They first performed their act while touring with the French Cirque Pinder.
Founding a Circus School
In 1975, Pierre Étaix and Annie Fratellini opened a special school. It was called the École Nationale du Cirque. This was one of the first professional circus schools in Paris and Europe.
They also created the Nouveau Cirque de Paris. This was a small, high-quality traveling circus. It was the performing part of their school. Annie and Pierre often performed their clown act in this circus.
Pierre Étaix and Annie Fratellini divorced in 1987. Annie continued to run the school and the circus by herself. She performed her clown act with her daughter, Valérie. Today, the school is known as the Académie Fratellini. It is one of France's two main state-supported circus schools.
Death
Annie Fratellini passed away from cancer on July 1, 1997. She died in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France. She is buried at the Cimetière de Montmartre in Paris. Her grave is near other members of her famous family.
Selected Filmography
- And Your Sister? (1958)
- All the Gold in the World (1961)
- Le Pas de Trois (1964)
- La Métamorphose des cloportes (1965)
- Le Grand Amour (1969)
See also
In Spanish: Annie Fratellini para niños
