Isadora Duncan

AKA:

The Mother of Dance

Birth Name:

Angela Isadora Duncan

Birth Date:

May 26, 1877

Birth Place:

San Francisco, California

Death Date:

September 14, 1927

Place of Death:

Hotel Negresco, Promenade des Anglais, Nice, France

Age:

Cause of Death:

Ligature strangulation

Cemetery Name:

Cimetière du Père Lachaise

Claim to Fame:

Show Business

Known as the Mother of Dance, Isadora Duncan was an American dancer and choreographer, who was a pioneer of modern contemporary dance, who performed to great acclaim throughout Europe and the US. Born and raised in California, she lived and danced in Western Europe, the US and the Soviet Union from the age of 22 until her death at age 50 when her scarf became entangled in the wheel and axle of the car in which she was travelling in Nice, France.

Not-So-Fun-Facts

On the night of September 14, 1927, in Nice, France, Duncan was a passenger in an Amilcar CGSS automobile owned by Benoît Falchetto, a French-Italian mechanic. She wore a long, flowing, hand-painted silk scarf, created by the Russian-born artist Roman Chatov, a gift from her friend Mary Desti. Desti, who saw Duncan off, had asked her to wear a cape in the open-air vehicle because of the cold weather, but she would agree to wear only the scarf. As they departed, she reportedly said “Je vais à l’amour” (“I am off to love”). Her silk scarf, draped around her neck, became entangled around the open-spoked wheels and rear axle, pulling her from the open car and breaking her neck and spine. Desti said she called out to warn Duncan about the scarf almost immediately after the car left. Desti took Duncan to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

In medicine, the Isadora Duncan Syndrome refers to injury or death consequent to entanglement of neckwear with a wheel or other machinery.

There is only one film that exists of Isadora Duncan’s dancing. It is a few seconds of footage of a recital given outdoors in an open space.

The last of Isadora’s children dancer Maria-Theresa Duncan, who danced with her mother for nearly two decades, died in 1987 at the age of 92.

Cemetery Information:

Final Resting Place:

Cimetière du Père Lachaise

16 Rue du Repos, 6ème division, Chemin Lesseps

Paris, , 75020

France

Europe

Map:

Map of Cimetière du Père Lachaise in Paris, France

Grave Location:

Division 87, Niche 6796

Grave Location Description

The Mother of Dance Isadora Duncan can be found on Avenue Transversale No. 2 on the outside wall of the Columbarium du Père Lachaise (Division 87) across from Division 44 on the bottom row about 200 feet from the intersection of Avenue Aguado. Isadora is located on the bottom row and her two children, Deirdre and Patrick, who perished when their car plunged into the River Seine are buried three rows above their mother.

Grave Location GPS

48.862458166748404, 2.3954220644181894

Visiting The Grave:

Photos:

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FAQ's

Isadora Duncan was born on May 26, 1877.

Isadora Duncan was born in San Francisco, California.

Isadora Duncan died on September 14, 1927.

Isadora Duncan died in Hotel Negresco, Promenade des Anglais, Nice, France.

Isadora Duncan was 50.

The cause of death was Ligature strangulation.

Isadora Duncan's grave is in Cimetière du Père Lachaise

Videos Featuring Isadora Duncan:

Isadora Duncan (1877-1927) – Film of an Outdoor Recital

Isadora Duncan Documentary

Elsa Lanchester talks about Isadora Duncan

Glimpses of Isadora Duncan of Film

Who was Isadora Duncan? Isadora Duncan Dances and Dance Technique

The Death of Isadora Duncan | Disturbing Content

See More:

Dominique Dunne

Rudy Vallée

popular name: Rudy Vallée

date_of_death: July 3, 1986

age: 84

cause_of_death: Throat cancer

claim_to_fame: Show Business

best_know_for: Rudy Vallée was an American singer, musician, actor, and radio host who is considered by many to be the first modern American teen idol and pop star. After playing drums in his high school band, Vallée played clarinet and saxophone in bands around New England as a teenager. From 1924 to 1925, he played with the Savoy Havana Band at the Savoy Hotel in London and upon return to the states he graduated with a degree in philosophy from Yale University. After graduation, he formed Rudy Vallée and the Connecticut Yankees, having named himself after saxophonist Rudy Wiedoeft. With this band (formed in 1928), which included two violins, two saxophones, a piano, a banjo, and drums, he started singing. He had a thin, wavering tenor voice and seemed more at home singing sweet ballads than jazz songs. But his singing, suave manner, and boyish good looks attracted attention, especially from young women. In the 1920s and early '30s he had a hit radio program, The Fleishmann's Yeast Hour (although his explosive, ego-driven personality made his cast and crew hate him). In the early 1930s he was ranked with the likes of Bing Crosby and the tragic Russ Columbo in the Hit Parade. A huge hit on radio in 1933 with his program Vallee was considered a bastard by his staff. He was known to instigate fist fights with virtually anyone who got on his nerves. During his show's run he slugged photographers, threw sheet music at pianists' heads, and socked hecklers in their noses. While audiences loved him, most of his staff hated him. As a very popular star in nightclubs, on records, and in movies, he helped other singers, such as Alice Faye--who was his band singer for a while--and Frances Langford to start their careers. In his early movies he often played the romantic lead, but later he switched to stuffy and comic parts and later also appeared on Broadway. In his final years Rudy took a turn at performing standup comedy ... badly.

Isadora Duncan