Editing Maurice Chevalier (section)

==Early life==
Chevalier was born on 12 September 1888 in Paris to Victor Charles Chevalier (1854–1916), a French house painter, and Joséphine (''née'' Van Den Bossche, 1852–1929) a lace-maker of Belgian (Flemish) descent.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1963/02/16/solo-3|title = Solo|magazine = [[The New Yorker]]|date = February 9, 1963}}</ref> He had two brothers, Charles (1877–1938) and Paul (1884–1969).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://gw.geneanet.org/mumudu62?lang=fr&p=maurice+auguste&n=chevalier&oc=0|title=Généalogie de Maurice Auguste CHEVALIER}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://musique.rfi.fr/artiste/chanson/maurice-chevalier|title=Artiste|website=Musique.rfi.fr|access-date=October 22, 2019}}</ref> Victor, an alcoholic, deserted the family in 1896, leaving Joséphine to feed and take care of the children on her own; forced to work much longer hours, she was hospitalized for overwork in 1898. Charles, the eldest, took over some responsibilities but was married in 1900, leaving his mother to take care of Maurice and Paul on her own.

Paul was forced to find work, and eventually secured a job at a metal-engraving factory; the brothers became very close with their mother during this time, nicknaming her "''La Louque''", which Maurice would later name his [[Marnes-la-Coquette]] estate after. Determined to be an acrobat, Maurice left school aged ten but was convinced to abandon this after a severe injury. He tried a number of other jobs: a carpenter's apprentice, an electrician, a printer, and even as a doll painter. Chevalier was eventually able to hold down a job at a mattress factory, and became interested in performing; while daydreaming his finger was crushed in a machine and he was forced to stop working.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Chevalier |first1=Maurice |title=Dans La Vie Faut Pas S'en Faire |date=2012 |publisher=OMNIBUS |isbn=978-2258091443}}</ref>

While recovering, in 1900, he offered his services as a performer to the skeptical owner of a nearby cafe. Chevalier performed his first song there, ''V'la Les Croquants'', although his performance was met with laughter as he had sung three octaves too high. Discouraged, Maurice returned home, where his mother and brother Paul encouraged him to continue practicing. He continued singing, unpaid, at the café until a member of the theatre saw him and suggested he try for a local musical. Chevalier got the part, and began to make a name as a mimic and a singer. His act in l'Alcazar in [[Marseille]] was so successful, on his return to Paris he was met by an admiring crowd.

In 1909, he became the partner of the biggest female star in France, [[Fréhel]]. However, due to her [[alcoholism]] and [[drug addiction]], their liaison ended in 1911. Chevalier later said that he became addicted to cocaine during this time, a habit he was able to quit because he had no access to the drug as a prisoner of war in World War I.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Chevalier |first1=Maurice |title=Les Pensées de Momo |date=1970 |publisher=Presses de La Cite |location=Paris}}</ref> After splitting with Fréhel, he then started a relationship with 36-year-old [[Mistinguett]] at the [[Folies Bergère]],<ref name="Larkin50"/> where he was her younger dance partner; they eventually played out a public romance.