Stéphane Grappelli

Stéphane Grappelli

Born: January 26, 1908
Died: December 1, 1997
in Paris, France
Stéphane Grappelli (26 January 1908 – 1 December 1997, born Stefano Grappelli) was a French jazz violinist. He is best known as a founder of the Quintette du Hot Club de France with guitarist Django Reinhardt in 1934. It was one of the first all-string jazz bands. He has been called "the grandfather of jazz violinists" and continued playing concerts around the world well into his eighties.

For the first three decades of his career, he was billed using a gallicised spelling of his last name, Grappelly, reverting to Grappelli in 1969. The latter, Italian spelling is now used almost universally when referring to the violinist, including reissues of his early work.

Stéphane Grappelli (26 January 1908 – 1 December 1997, born Stefano Grappelli) was a French jazz violinist. He is best known as a founder of the Quintette du Hot Club de France with guitarist Django Reinhardt in 1934. It was one of the first all-string jazz bands. He has been called "the grandfather of jazz violinists" and continued playing concerts around the world well into his eighties.

For the first three decades of his career, he was billed using a gallicised spelling of his last name, Grappelly, reverting to Grappelli in 1969. The latter, Italian spelling is now used almost universally when referring to the violinist, including reissues of his early work.

Grappelli was born at Hôpital Lariboisière in Paris, France, and christened with the name Stefano. His father, Italian marchese Ernesto Grappelli, was born in Alatri, Lazio, while his French mother, Anna Emilie Hanoque, was from St-Omer. Ernesto was a scholar who taught Italian, sold translations, and wrote articles for local journals. Grappelli's mother died when he was five, leaving his father to care for him. Although he was residing in France when World War I began, Ernesto was still an Italian citizen, and was consequently drafted into the Italian Army in 1914.

Having written about American dancer Isadora Duncan, who was living in Paris, Ernesto appealed to her to care for his son. Stéphane was enrolled in Duncan's dance school at the age of six, and he learned to love French Impressionist music. With the war approaching, Duncan fled the country; she turned over her château to be used as a military hospital. Ernesto subsequently entrusted his son to a Catholic orphanage. Grappelli said of this time: " I look back at it as an abominable memory ... The Place was supposed to be under the eye of the government, but the government looked elsewhere. We slept on the floor, and often were without food. There were many times when I had to fight for a crust of bread." ...

Source: Article "Stéphane Grappelli" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.

Movies for Stéphane Grappelli...

Stephane Grappelli - In New Orleans 1989
Title: Stephane Grappelli - In New Orleans 1989
Character: Violin
Released: December 11, 2001
Type: Movie
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Title: Champs-Elysées
Character: Self
Released: January 16, 1982
Type: TV
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Private Benjamin
Title: Private Benjamin
Character: Wedding Violinist (uncredited)
Released: October 6, 1980
Type: Movie
A sheltered young high society woman joins the US Army on a whim and finds herself in a more difficult situation than she ever expected.
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King of the Gypsies
Title: King of the Gypsies
Released: December 20, 1978
Type: Movie
Zharko, leader of the Romanis in NYC, passes his position of leadership on to his unwilling grandson, Dave, leading to infighting between Dave and his father.
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Title: Fan School
Character: Self
Released: January 30, 1977
Type: TV
Host Jacques Martin invites different talented children from various backgrounds to showcase their beautiful voices. The participants entertain and wow the audience with their lovely performances.
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Title: Le Grand Échiquier
Character: Self - Main Guest
Released: January 12, 1972
Type: TV
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Title: Le Grand Échiquier
Character: Self
Released: January 12, 1972
Type: TV
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Title: Discorama
Character: Self
Released: February 4, 1959
Type: TV
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Django Reinhardt
Title: Django Reinhardt
Character: Self
Released: January 1, 1957
Type: Movie
One of the first filmed portraits of a jazz musician.
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Time Flies
Title: Time Flies
Character: A Troubadour
Released: May 8, 1944
Type: Movie
The Professor (Felix Aylmer) is showing Susie (Evelyn Dall) around his time machine when it accidently takes off with Tommy (Tommy Handley) and Bill (George Moon) also on board. They are transported to Elizabethan England where they come across Walter Raleigh, William Shakespeare, Queen Elizabeth 1, Captain John Smith and Pocohontas. Will our time travellers return?
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Jazz Hot
Title: Jazz Hot
Character: Self
Released: January 1, 1939
Type: Movie
JAZZ HOT is a major discovery, a unique sync sound film recorded of Django Reinhardt, greatest of jazz guitarists, here with violinist Stephane Grappelli and the Quintet of the Hot Club of France.