| Actress, TV presenter, director, teacher Date of Birth: 06.08.1925 Country: USA |
Lilyan Chauvin was a French-American character actress, television host, director, writer, former vice president of the non-profit organization "Women in Film", which advocates for the rights of women working in the film and television industry. She was also a member of the Screen Actors Guild and the Writers Guild, as well as a renowned teacher. Over a span of 58 years, Lilyan Chauvin appeared in 126 television and film productions, including the infamous horror film "Silent Night, Deadly Night," Steven Spielberg's "Catch Me If You Can," the crime drama "The Man Who Wasn't There," and "Five Aces." In recent decades, she made guest appearances in popular TV shows such as "The X-Files," "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," "ER," "Murder, She Wrote," "Friends," "Alias," "Malcolm in the Middle," and "Ugly Betty."
Lilyan Zemoz was born on August 6, 1925, in Paris. Her mother was French, and her father was Italian. She initially pursued a career as a radio host in France but had aspirations of becoming a lawyer. However, when Lilyan's income unexpectedly surpassed her parents' earnings, she seriously considered dedicating her life to the entertainment industry. She studied at the Paris Film School and under the renowned actor and director Jean-Louis Barrault.
At the age of 21, Lilyan immigrated to the United States and became an American citizen. She studied under Uta Hagen at the New York Actors Studio and was a member of the Actors Studio in New York. To eliminate her accent, Chauvin attended the Berlitz language school and watched American films every day. In addition to English and her native French, Lilyan was fluent in Spanish, German, Italian, and Russian. Her talent and dedication led her to become one of the best teachers at the school, frequently working with actors who needed to perfect specific accents for their roles.
Chauvin's works on both European and American stages included performances in "Macbeth," "Medea," "Silk Stockings," and "Camille." Actress Judy Anderson, known to Russian viewers for her role as Minx Lockridge in "Santa Barbara," mentored the aspiring actress. Anderson noted that Lilyan resembled the film star Greta Garbo. In 1962, they performed together in "Macbeth" and went on tour.
Chauvin gained recognition on New York television, appearing in an episode of the popular series "Studio One" titled "A Letter from Cairo" in 1953. Soon after, she moved to Los Angeles, closer to Hollywood, and landed small roles in "Crusader" and "Adventures of Superman." Her first feature film was the drama "Lost, Lonely and Vicious," followed by the western "Walk Like a Dragon" and the thriller "Bloodlust!"
Chauvin was twice nominated for an Emmy Award for her roles in the soap opera "The Young and the Restless," which is still on the air, and the adventure series about a World War II pilot called "Baa Baa Black Sheep." She hosted a weekly program on cable television, with guests such as Jacqueline Bisset, Henry Mancini, Linda Gray, Danny Glover, and Anne Francis.
Lilyan Chauvin was one of the most famous, popular, and respected Hollywood teachers in the film industry. Many of her teaching methods became standard tools for other successful educators. As a speaker, lecturer, and consultant, Lilyan Chauvin conducted international seminars, sharing her expertise.
Chauvin was an active participant in the fight for animal rights and provided substantial support to wildlife conservation organizations. After a long battle with breast cancer complicated by heart disease, Lilyan Chauvin passed away on June 26, 2008, at her home in Los Angeles at the age of 82.