MARCEL MARCEAU HOLOCAUST HERO

He was born Marcel Mangel on March 22, 1923, in Strasbourg, Alsace.
His father, Charles, was a kosher butcher who loved the arts.
Marcel’s mother Anne nee Werzberger, took him to a Chaplin movie when he was five. He was entranced.

Although he was trilingual, Marcel taught hundreds of Jewish children the art of communicating in mime because it was important for the children to converse silently. The children were brought to safety by Marceau in Switzerland .

In 1944, he joined the Free French Forces under General Charles de Gaulle, acting as liaison officer to General Patton’s army. Marceau entertained thousands of US troops after the liberation of Paris .

Marceau was “discovered” by Laurel and Hardy. He spoke only once in a performance…. In Mel Brooks’ film “Silent Movie.”

His career lasted over 60 years as an actor, director, teacher, interpreter, and public multilingual speaker on five continents.

He died on Yom Kippur in 2007.