Odette Laure

Odette Laure, an actress and cabaret singer, had been born Odette Roussillon on February 28, 1917, to the owners of the Café des Arts in Belleville. At the age of 4, she already climbed up on the tables of the establishment to sing Damia and Mistinguett's songs, while at school, her fantasy and her fun were a hit. Accustomed to be the star of school revues, she participated in radio contests: on one of these occasions, Saint-Granier, the host of Le Poste Parisien, noticed her and advised her a career as a fancy singer. In spite of her natural disposition, her father refused to allow her to enter the Conservatory. To please her parents, she became a hairdresser and beautician and got married. But her husband turned out to be unfaithful, which led her to divorce him. After the Second World War, now free of all parental and marital influence, she decided to pursue her lifelong passion. Knocking on the door of Suzy Solidor's cabaret proved a right move since she soon became, and for a long