Josephine Baker and the Rainbow Tribe
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- Опубліковано 3 гру 2013
- bit.ly/rainbowtribe
Creating a sensation with her risqué nightclub act and strolls down the Champs-Elysées, pet cheetah in tow, Josephine Baker lives on in popular memory as the banana-skirted siren of Jazz Age Paris. In later years, her performing days numbered, she did something outrageous: she transformed her chateau into a theme park whose main attraction was her Rainbow Tribe--12 children from around the globe, adopted as the family of the future. Author Matthew Pratt Guterl shows Baker to have been a serious and determined activist who believed she could make a positive difference by creating a family out of the troublesome material of race.
I had the immense privilege and the honor to have worked with Miss Baker in 1975 @ Bobino. I was the youngest dancer in the cast . The show was called “ Josephine “ It was based on her life story celebrating her 50 years in show business from her humble beginning in St Louis to her triumphant comeback to Bobino. She used to call me “ her little page “ (Son petit page )cause of my age ! I just turned 18 th on April 1st 1975. luckily for me I have tons of memorable pics from the show as well as unforgettable stories of this short but amazing run. ! She was extremely engaged with all of the dancers .Wanting to know everyone ‘s names .Josephine really truly care about people She was a true legend immensely talented beautiful ,elegant ,generous , humble and compassionate. Josephine had many lives and reinvented herself many times throughout her long career. Miss Baker had the perfect combination of charisma and humanity . She would bring oranges for the entire company saying “ My children you need lots Vit C for strength and energy “ She was so right cause the rehearsals were long and grueling ,,,. Bobino ‘s stage was too small to accommodate a cast of 8 boys 12 girls 3 comedians 1 little girl who played young josephine and 1 gorgeous dancer who perform the famous banana dance ! So they had to transformed the stage by expanding it including moving the orchestra to the balcony and putting additional seats in the theater and building brand new dressing rooms to accommodate such a big cast all while we were practicing in the lobby of The theater for at least 10 days ! It was bit chaotic to say the list and quite cold being mid -February But no one seemed to care it was so exciting to be part of this legendary show ! Even though None of the big Paris music ‘halls like Le Casino de Paris ,Le Moulin Rouge or les Folies Bergère wanted to take the risk producing Miss baker mostly for insurance purposes There were already rumors circulating of her failing health but a small theater by Paris left bank called Bobino took a chance ...Josephine liked to rehearsed late at night after we were done practicing. She even enjoyed having her favorite dish Spaghetti bolognese around 1 am at a restaurant right across the theater. I was one of the lucky one to have diner with her and only few members of the cast at Jean-Claude Brialy ‘s restaurant called L’ Orangerie where Josephine would reminisce on her career. Saying humbly “Well I was lucky I just had a great body and nice smile “ !!! I Could believe how down to earth she was. I will never forget the very first time I saw her performing once the stage was finally ready. That night She was in the audience watching us dancing with huge smile on her face applauding many times throughout being so proud of the cast. After all she was watching part of her whole life story in front of her eyes. ... In fact during the promotion of the show a French journalist asked her. “ How does it feel to see your life story being played in front you and starring in your own life musical ? She replied “ it’s wonderful At least i will see what they think of me when I am still alive !!!! I When we were done the director Andre levasseur said “ josephine c ‘ est a vous “ she jumped on stage and belt a song from the Brazilian number called” Que c‘est bon de vivre” She seemed to be completely possessed by the rhythm of the Afro Cuban sound very reminiscing of “Princess Tam-Tam “ all those years earlier ...Her moves were so unbelievable. Her body was in perfect shape specially in her Chanel suit !!!! There is No way you would have guessed that this beautiful lady was in her late 60 ‘s. A goddess still !!!! What thrill for me. A true master CLASS ,,,,,,We rehearsed the show for about 1 month and half . We actually did more than 4 performances. We started with one week of previews on March 25 th special Press night on march 31 st to glorious reviews ! We had another full week of performances with a big opening gala on April 8 th with stars like Grace Kelly’s Sophia Loren & Alain Delon. We had another performance on the 9 th but She felt into a coma on the 10 th and past in the early hours on the 12 th. I was invited to her funeral at l ‘eglise de la Madeleine The service was extremely beautiful and so very emotional I went to Monaco cemetery recently to pay my respect for this Grande Dame 46 years later. Josephine paved the way for the Diana Ross Madonna Beyoncé and many other artists. A true legend. Unparalleled. ❤️❤️❤️. La Bakair Forever. 🍌 💃 🕺. Check my clip of photos with la baker and me !ua-cam.com/video/sE0NVLL0pKU/v-deo.html
🤔🤨🤗☺😃➡ ~ I like Your site, 💐 💯 Yup🤠‼ G-G.
@@TheSnoopindaweb thank you so much. 😘🙏🙏👏🤩⭐
She was so loved in France where she was treated like an equal and which she embraced with her whole heart. She also worked for the Resistance in WWII and the French honoured her, justifiably, for her work. Josephine Baker was an amazing woman who lived an amazing life. Edit: In her later years she ran into hard times and Princess Grace helped her. They were good friends and when Josephine died, Princess Grace arranged for her to be buried in Monaco.
My Mother saw her in Los Angeles at The Music Center shortly before she died and was so amazed at her wonderful performance...
It's funny how this video of a complete stranger speculating her life has 88,000 views from 6 years ago yet a interview with her son speaking on what he actually KNOWS only has 5,000 views posted around the same time.
I'm glad for those too. None of them have a bad thing to say about her either.
I'd like to see that video. Where can I find it? :)
This was a beautiful woman with a great deal of talent, a huge heart and a huge sense of humour. I found your description of her to be disrespectful and denigrating. She was a gifted singer, dancer and comedian. I totally agree with everything DeVron83 had to say and yes ... what exactly is your point? Oh, and she certainly does not live on in my memory as "the banana-skirted siren of Jazz Age Paris". She lives on as the person I described and who spent an hour outside of the London Palladium, talking to people and being generous of her time. Seeing a little boy (7yrs. I think), she enquired why he was up so late. Learning that he was staying with his grandparents as his mother was in the hospital. Josephine went into her dressing room, asked a stage hand to come with her, and bring a massive basket of roses to this little boy to take to his mother. And, incidentally, would you also take issue with Ms. Angelina Jolie?
+Kay Baxter It is always easier to be critical when you have never walked in another
man's shoes. I too found this condescending and disrespectful to a
woman whose heart was as big as the world
I think her heart was in the right place and she loved the children. She may have showcased them like that to raise money that was very much needed as her financial challenges grew as she began adopting them. How is that different from reality tv today or child stars? That was something to see a rainbow tribe and a tour of her castle. What exactly is your point? In the end she lost the place which was tragic. But like I said I believe her heart was in the right place.
She failed to realize that these kids were not a cast of characters but actual human beings in a complex situation that she created without a lot of forethought as to the reality that existed beyond her front doorstep.
BookLover Well, Grace Kelley gave them home so it worked out in the end.
Her kids say good things about her too so, it's evident she was good and loved them.
@@booklover2404 Rubbish. If you delved a little deeper, you'd soon discover she was an outspoken person and had a reach acrross oceans.
She was awarded the French Croix de Guerre for her work as a resistance fighter in WW2. Sh was offered Martin Luther King's role after he was assassinated.
It costs money to raise kids, it's got to come from somewhere.
So yeah, that sounds like a selfish character without a clue. Stick to your books, you don't seem to have an association with the real world.
Well, that's good if the kids grew to love her.
It's quite strange to approach adopting children that way, and disappointed me.
Sounds like she was so much of a performer that it just continued on with the kids. Very good that she hung in there with them and tried to figure it out as they got older.
She was quite a fireball.
I would like to point out that she was probably the inspiration for Angelina Jolie adopting her multiracial children.
2024 and we are still watching a ledge ❤
Would love to learn what happened to those adopted children
Most of them die already
They grew up happy and are mostly really close. When she lost Les Milandes castle. They and their mother Josephine all lived in Monaco under the protection of Princess Grace. Monaco is one of the safest most high end places to grow up in the whole world... Two manage a cafe restaurant in New York (including the one she had the most difficult relationship with because he was gay...but they patched up their relationship in the end). Most others live in Europe and about 4 were seen at her pantheonisation as well as their children (her grand-children and great grand children).
@@michaelle8384Not true. Only one of the 12, Moïse, has died early of cancer but all of the other 11 as still alive.
Josephine Baker, artist, mother and resistance member who risked her life during WWII is now being laid to rest in the Pantheon in Paris. A truly great honour for this extraordinary woman. It seems unreal that there seems to any of this ceremony on USA news sources.
Aloha from Hawaii,
Thank - you for your work. I love seeing 'pictures' of what became of the Rainbow Tribe. I'm sure La Baker loved each an everyone one of her babies !
She must of learned from them as well. Naturally in this family ( as in any family) children grow up to find his or her own way in the world.
Her dream to have children came first. Making a 'powerful point' to the world with her 'rainbow tribe' came second.
Very much ahead of her time Josephine La Baker !
Leah Tunkara
I can't criticize her because she definitely had good intentions. In a world where not many can think outside their own interests, that sets her apart. However, I wouldn't have liked to be exploited in this way had I been one of those children. It's too much expectation, I think, because you have to behave a certain way to fit the agenda of the point of the rainbow tribe.
It is so obvious that a personal situation is transcript here and do not reflect the events nor the case .
💯💯💯
She had deep feeling about racism,thats what she was committed too! Trying to change the unfairness of it all...she just couldn't do it all but her heart was in the right place. Thats why she never wanted to live in American...you were a wonderful part of the Americana dream thank u for showing us a piece of the world💃💄💋💖💛💙💜💚❤💛💙💜💚❤💜💙💛
Reminds me of mj with his kids and similar views of the world.
An outstanding personality who died far too early. Josephine Baker captivated with her charisma, determination, willingness to perform and humanity. She was a visionary, a trailblazer who ventured into untrodden territory. Until her death, she prepared a path for other women, and of course especially for those who were discriminated against, for all to follow.
I absolutely understand what she was trying to show the world. She wanted to give the children an experience she didn’t have as a child… other children of various races and backgrounds…. While showing the world how racism is something that is taught/learned. I understand what she wanted to prove to the world. I commend her for adopting those beautiful children and giving them the love she wanted from her own mother as a child. xo, P. 🤍🦋🕊
This is so great, thanks....
Beautiful Incredible woman ! 🙏🏻💖🕊️
Love her ...x
How funny, being adopted myself, I have always had a secret master plan of adopting children from almost every race too! Now I've added an aboriginal woman to the mix as their to be Mother. However, it's gonna take a lot of denaro!
I love josephine!
I don't agree that it was a script .Guess what..
Out of 12 kids most are going to rebel
Families now have one or two and will be lucky to have them listen .let alone keep a bond.
I'm sure she tried her best and I liked the idea behind it
Too bad she was never fully accepted in her birthplace USA. That must have been very disappointing she had to go to Europe to make a name for herself. Great human being I don't like the way this guy describes her . I think we should acknowledge this woman by watching this
ua-cam.com/video/1ZEPQmleikg/v-deo.html
why is this yt man giving his pov of josephine baker and her rainbow tribe?
Anyone can give opinions why you are racist
i’ve always had a special place i. my heart for josephine. RIP❤
Hay artista fantasticos, famosos, populares, que con sus trabajos sean como cantantes, bailarines o actrices son extraordinario, pero fuera del context profecional como seres humanos fueron feas persona, egoistas, turbios y desagradables, Josephine Baker, fue una artista magnifica, de una voz maravillosa, un cuerpo de bella mujer, gran bailarina, grande showgirl, actriz, y de una humanidad explendente, generosa, con una estetica y un servicio a la vida como pocos!,,,,,, un mujer al complete!, gracias ,,, el resto son todos dos de copas! un saludo , Ruben Celiberti
What she was the master mind before United Colors of the benneton? 🙀Family is always hard don’t be silly. All families fail thus progress 😂
“Baker shows to have been serious”. It’s like your crapping on her work.
I agree, this description is so disrespectful and condescending.
Oops, I forgot the main reason for my commenting here. It was to say a Big THANKS for such a great video!
I just could not watch,your tribute ....to american as a vision,the subtext and the obvious lack of international vision.Is this a official Havard what ever ?
He wasn't the right fit
F*** genius I say! Thanks for the post 👍
I keep hearing and reading this narrative, but then watch the adult children interviewed and it is completely different...where is the disconnect coming from?
No different to the late Michael Jackson, Maddona and many other celebrities.
To Whom it may concern
I am an independent artist working on inter-racial adoption.
I would like to know if i can use parts of your (Mr. Matthew Pratt Guterl) interview from youtube about josephine baker-rainbow family for my own short diy experimental video on inter-racial adoption.
Please email me if you have any further question
Best regards
🤔🤨😏🙁😤😠😡🤬➡ ~ 1:45 I know that, it's the reason I was going to watch this❕✋🏻 Bye‼
He talk abut truth and his opinion why you are angry
@@coconutorange7609 Most all the reasons for Josephine doing as She does is in most all videos on Her. That is all I was trying to comment on, I sorry😮💨 😢😭😟⁉ G-G.
The description seems pretty accurate actually.
Josephine Baker said that there is only one race on earth (which is Homo Sapiens of course). Colors do not count only people.
Long before Angeline Jolie
Does this guy know anything about Josephine Baker beyond the details and/or legends surrounding her personal life? Good grief DOES ANYONE? People always know about Josephine Baker from the perspective of race and politics (or even worse, they think of that God-awful HBO movie "The Josephine Baker Story"), but no one seems to ever have a clue about what her actual "occupation" was. Although she certainly was a dancer, Josephine Baker's career, her primary "occupation", was as a singer. I've seen documentaries, books, articles, and even extras on the DVD re-issue of Baker's first 3 films, where the various talking heads were respected critics, writers, etc., and when any of them refer to her career it's clear that even they know little to nothing about her career other than the usual anecdotes about the 1920's/30's, topless costumes with banana skirts, a pet cheetah, a rainbow tribe, and that her career was pretty much as a dancer!
uhg
At least she tried, but it was bound to fail...
This video appeals to the progressive mind; how can one showcase children for wider political purposes, when one is not busy aborting them that is. Guterl misses the wider point...children are better off in the nuclear family, cased closed.
This women was beautiful
Mama needed a B A G and as black women she used what she had. Bravo mama bravo
It’s just various levels of melatonin. I don’t see why it’s so Important that she define exactly what race means. The colours of the rainbow is a manner of speech. We all know you cannot define “all the races of the world “ and so on. Life evolves and changes as circumstances differ. She just meant “all shades” under one roof as a manner of speech. Who cares if it’s each and every nuance. That’s not the point.