Eugénie Buffet

Eugénie Buffet (; 1866–1934) was a French singer who rose to fame in France just prior to World War I. She has been called one of the first, if not the first, performer of the chanson réaliste (realist song) genre. She became a national sensation in France, performing in the fashionable cafés-concerts of Paris as well as embarking on both national and international tours. Her biggest success is said to be her performance of the song "La Sérénade du Pavé" (Sidewalk Serenade), written by Jean Varney in 1895.

Early life Born as Marie Buffet in Tlemcen, Algeria to a French family in 1866 (in an area that was then known as French Algeria), Eugénie Buffet was the daughter of a seamstress and a soldier. The wealthy French count brought Buffet with him to Paris to show off to his friends. and she was also said to have followed prostitutes on their rounds at night in order to better emulate their dress and demeanor in her own performances.

In addition to performing in Paris, Buffet toured and performed for soldiers during World War I,

The film score of the 1931 Jean Renoir film La Chienne included a turn-of-the-century recording of Buffet singing "Sois bonne ô ma belle inconnue" (Be good oh my beautiful unknown).

Other works

In 1927 Buffet appeared in the silent film Napoléon directed by French filmmaker Abel Gance; she played the role of Laetizia Bonaparte, Napoleon's mother.

In 1930 Buffet published her ghostwritten memoir titled: Ma Vie, Mes Amours, Mes Aventures: Confidences recueillies par Maurice Hamel (My Life, My Loves, My Adventures: Confessions obtained by Maurice Hamel), published by writer, poet, journalist and editor Eugène Figuière. French signing icon Édith Piaf also portrayed Eugénie Buffet in the 1954 French musical film French Cancan.