Unknown Faces of Django's Legend (2)

François RAVEZ · November 2011

Here are more photos

Francisco Cariolato was another virtuoso who played with young DR. He was a talented multi-instrumentist and you can see him here on xylophone, cymbalum, trumpet and guitar.

And last but not least, here is a very rare picture of one of the most mysterious figure of Django’s legend : Lulu de Montmartre (aka Madame Lucie Franchi).

Lulu used to run some night clubs in Pigalle. She appears in Yves SALGUES « La Légende de Django » as Madame Frankie who found a painter’s studio to rent for Django where Babik was born. That’s her who sold ‘La Roulotte’ to Django at the end of WW2. You can see the name of Lulu de Montmartre wriiten in neon over the door in the first photo (circa 1939) the nit was replaced after a few changes by DR’s name.

She had discovered Edith Piaf who was singing in the streets and whose first gig in a cabaret was at Lulu’s « Juan-les-Pins » in rue Pigalle. Edith was singing dressed as a ship’s boy and her 14 ½ years old half-sister Simone was dancing naked behind a big balloon.
Lulu was suited twice by Justice once because she had fired a violinist who by revenge had played the communist anthem ‘L’Internationale’. The other time because she and her brother forced an old man who was in love with one of the entraîneuse (hostess) of her Club who was called Raymonde to sign false IOU.

Hope you enjoyed these photos and (exact) stories

Best

François RAVEZ