Bruno Coquatrix

Bruno Coquatrix (5 August 1910, Ronchin, Nord – 1 April 1979) was mainly known as the owner and manager of the music hall Paris Olympia. He was instrumental in recognizing and exposing the talent of up-and-coming performers and brought international stars to Parisian audiences.

Famous facade of Olympia in 2016 used for Dalida film projection, first time in the history of Olympia

Career

Coquatrix firstly made himself known as songs and music writer. He wrote over 300 songs, e.g. Mon ange (1940) ; Clopin-clopant (1947); Cheveux dans le vent (1949)), as well as some operettas.

He was as impresario, representing, among others, Jacques Pills and Lucienne Boyer. He managed the variety theatre Bobino before he took over the Olympia, Europe's biggest music hall in 1954. He then staged all the era's celebrities, e.g. Georges Brassens, Jacques Brel, Gilbert Bécaud, Johnny Hallyday, Violetta Villas, Dalida, Édith Piaf, Annie Cordy, Charles Aznavour, Mireille Mathieu, Yves Montand, and others. He co-founded a records company, the Disques Versailles.

An astute and successful businessman, he was very influential within the French musical world. He was also the mayor of Cabourg (Calvados) from 1971 until his death in Paris eight years later.

Personal life

Coquatrix was married to Paulette Coquatrix.[1]

He was the best man of Henri Betti in 1949 and André Hornez in 1963 who were the authors of C'est si bon. Coquatrix was buried in the Père Lachaise Cemetery (division 96).

References
  1. "Mort de Paulette Coquatrix, ancienne propriétaire de l'Olympia". leparisien.fr (in French). Retrieved 5 June 2018.

Sources
  • Paulette Coquatrix. Les coulisses de ma mémoire (1984) Grasset & Fasquelle; ISBN 2-246-31071-7
  • Jean-Michel Boris. Olympia, Bruno Coquatrix (2003) Hors Collection; ISBN 2-258-06234-9


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