Pierre-Chéri Lafont

Who was Pierre-Chéri Lafont?

Pierre-Chéri Lafont was a French actor, born at Bordeaux.

Abandoning his profession as assistant ship's doctor in the navy, he went to Paris to study singing and acting. He had some experience at a small theater, and was preparing to appear at the Opera Comique when the director of the Vaudeville offered him an engagement. Here he made his debut in 1821 in La Somnambule, and his good looks and excellent voice soon brought him into public favor. After several years at the Nouveautis and the Vaudeville, on the burning of the latter in 1838 he went to England, and married, at Gretna Green, Jenny Colon, from whom he was soon divorced. On his return to Paris, he joined the Varits, where he acted for fifteen years in such plays as Le Chevalier de Saint Georges, Le Lion empailli, Une dernire con quite, etc. Another engagement at the Vaudeville followed, and one at the Gait, and he ended his brilliant career at the Gymnase in the part of the noble father in such plays as Les Vieux Garcons and Nos bons villageois. He died in Paris on 19 April 1873.