Marcel Mangel (stage name Marcel Marceau) was born on March 22, 1923, in Strasbourg, Alsace, France. He changed his family name to Marceau when his Jewish family was forced to flee their home at the beginning of the Second World War. His father, a kosher butcher, was deported to Auschwitz, where he was killed in 1944. Both Marceau and his brother Alain were in the French underground, helping children to escape to safety in neutral Switzerland. Then Marceau served as interpreter for the Free French Forces under General Charles de Gaulle.

Marcel Marceau gave his first big public performance to 3000 troops after liberation of Paris in August of 1944. After the war, in 1946, he enrolled as a student in charles Dullin's School of Dramatic Art in the Sarah Bernhardt Theatre in Paris. There his teacher was Etienne Decroux, whose other apprentice Jean-Louis Barrault hired Marcel Marceau, and cast him in the role of Arlequin. In 1947, he created Bip, a white-faced clown with a tall, battered hat.

Marceau became acknowledged as a peerless style pantomime. His classic silent works such as The Cage, Walking Against the Wind, The Mask Maker, In The Park, and satires on artists, sculptors, matadors, has been described as works of genius. Marceau established his 'Compagnie de Mime Marcel Marceau' in 1949, also known as 'Compagnie de Mimodrame, was then the only company of pantomime in the world. His extensive tours have included countries on five continents during the last 50 years. Marceau played several silent film roles and only one with a speaking part, as himself, speaking the single word "Non" in Mel Brooks' _Silent Movie_ (1976).

Marcel Marceau established his own school in Paris, and the Marceau Foundation to promote mime in the United States. His latest performances in 2000-2001 received great acclaim. Marceau was made "Officer de la Legion d'Honneur" (1978) and "Grand Officer de la Legion d'Honneur" (1998). He is an elected member of the Academy of Fine Arts in Berlin, the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich, the Academie des beaux-arts France and the Institut de France. Marcel Marceau is living on a farm near Paris, France.

Marcel Marceau is known to the World as a "master of silence."


Born at 8:00am-UT One of the world's finest mime artists. His father, Charles, perished in Auschwitz in 1944. Likened his character, Bip, to a modern-day Don Quixote. In the early 1950s, he was virtually unknown in his native France (which has a strong mime tradition). Laurel & Hardy were doing a world tour, and while they were playing Paris, someone tipped them off that Marceau was doing incredible mime in an insignificant suburban theatre. They went to see him, and, a few days later, instead of doing the second half of their regular show, after the Interval, Stan introduced Marceau, and more or less scolded the audience for ignoring such a talent... and then Laurel & Hardy walked offstage and gave the second half of their show to Marceau. His "Walking Against the Wind" routine inspired Michael Jackson's moonwalk. Held honorary doctorates from Ohio State University, Linfield College, Princenton University and Michigian University. Was the great grandfather of actress Vanessa Marcil though the two never met, as remarked on "Today" (1952), 5 November 2004, by Marcil.