American-born dancer, singer, and actress Josephine Baker spent most of her career performing in France. She is one of the key cultural icons of not just 1920s Paris, but the 1920s as a whole. And as an African American woman, her cultural significance is quadrupled given she rose to so much fame in an era where many people of color had their careers limited by racism.
Baker grew up poor in St. Louis, and from age 13, she worked as a street dancer. She found a role in vaudeville, and in that same year (still 13!) she moved to New York City where she began performing. In 1925, she moved to Paris, where she made headlines for her “Danse Sauvage” performed wearing only a feather. She became a HUGE star there, and while she did return to the United States to perform, she settled in France, where she married a Frenchman and thus gained citizenship.
During World War II, Baker worked with the French Resistance. She was also a strong supporter of the American civil rights movement. She died in 1975, and in 2021, was reinterred in Paris’s Panthéon, which is one of France’s highest honors and reserved only for those who have had an exceptional impact on France.
Baker has depicted been on screen a number of times, although surprisingly fewer than I initially expected! Let’s run her down:
Diana Ross in An Evening with Diana Ross (1977)
Ross recorded a live album, after which she recorded a TV special version. She performed several of Josephine Baker’s songs dressed as the original.
Lynn Whitfield in The Josephine Baker Story (1991)
A well-received TV movie biopic about the star that won several Emmys.
Karine Plantadit in Frida (2002)
There’s a long-standing rumor that Baker and artist Frida Kahlo had an affair, which is depicted on screen in this biopic of Kahlo.
Sonia Rolland in Midnight in Paris (2011)
Baker turns up as in the background of one of the clubs visited by a time traveler from our modern era who repeatedly visits the 1920s while staying in Paris.
Ligia Manuela Lewis in Das Adlon. Eine Familiensaga (2013)
Per IMDB, “Follows the construction and history of the famous Adlon hotel in Berlin, as seen through the eyes of Sonja Schadt, the youngest member of the wealthy fictional Schadt family who are friends with the Adlons.” I guess Baker shows up to perform at the hotel!
Tiffany Daniels in Timeless: “The Lost Generation” (2017)
Another time traveling story, in which various modern characters try to “save” history. In this episode they are in 1927 Paris, so of course they have to see Baker perform!
Astrid Jones in El ministerio del tiempo: “La memoria del tiempo” (2020)
Maybe Baker attracts time travelers? Because this Spanish TV show, about modern-ish people trying to “save” history, sees her appear in one episode!
Carra Patterson in Lovecraft Country (2020)
A horror TV show set in the 1950s. I haven’t seen the series, so all I can tell you is that one of the main characters performs with Baker!
Who’s your favorite Josephine Baker on screen?
Ruth Negga would make a terrific Baker.
Hell yeah!
Born to play Baker.
I saw El Ministerio del Tiempo on RTVE streaming channel, Astrid Jones plays Josephine in that episode, I can confirm
I read somewhere that Baker is thought to be the inspiration for Betty Boop.
Isn’t Josephine Baker thought to be the inspiration for Betty Boop?
While I can see the similarity — especially when Baker is depicted with spit curls framing her face — “Betty Boop” was originally created by the Fleischer cartoon studio in 1930 as a nameless French poodle girlfriend for their popular anthropomorphic male dog “Bimbo.” While some accounts say she was also based on Clara Bow, Fleischer maintained she was based on baby-voiced singer Helen Kane.
After a couple of cartoons where she was billed as “Nan McGrew” in reference to a film Kane did, they gave the canine character an even more Kane-like makeover to the now-famous human version — and renamed her “Betty Boop” in reference to Kane’s signature “boop-oop-a-doop” vocalizations, which Betty also copied.
This was all too much for Helen Kane, who sued Fleischer. Fleischer’s legal team countered that not only was Kane’s look not her invention — Clara Bow and others had it first — her sound had been copied from a Black child performer, “Baby Esther” Jones, who used the same baby voice and interjections of “baby talk” syllables. Surprisingly, Fleischer prevailed.
And as for “Baby Esther” herself? By this time she had made it out of nightclubs and across the Atlantic, and was appearing at the Moulin Rouge — where she was dubbed “the Miniature Josephine Baker!”
FKA Twigs just began filming last week!
Still waiting for a full miniseries centering on zjosephine!
Didn’t she also adopt several orphans?
My favorite piece of WW2 Resistance lore is the black piano player in Paris who somehow managed to keep his job in a restaurant popular with German officers. They of course totally ignored him as beneath contempt. He spoke fluent German, so he was able to pass on a great deal of valuable information to the Resistance. Never underestimate your opponent!
She adopted about 14 children, who she referred to as her “Rainbow Tribe.” This was in the 1950s, when society turned too conservative for her usual advocacy efforts. Hence she turned to motherhood to prove people of different races can get along.
About “El Ministerio Del Tiempo” you can easily find of the Spanish Streaming site RTVE PLAY, just not sure if it will be available on the US in the case it’s not, pretty sure a simple VPN will do! Take the chance to see what many other Period shows they have to offer too! some Spanish productios a incredibly beautiful!
Lynn Whitfield looks the role, but in truth, other than Midnight in Paris, I haven’t seen any of the films. Every now and again, Classic Arts Showcase will play video clips of some of Baker’s old films, and although her actual 1930s singing voice isn’t my vibe, she was so charismatic, you can’t take your eyes off of her when she’s on the screen.
CHEF’S KISS –
The only correct answer is. of course, “All of them”. Fabulous, Darling, FABULOUS.
I have no memory of seeing her in Lovecraft Country, though I saw the entire series.