Maurice Chevalier (September 12, 1888 - January 1, 1972) was a French actor, singer, and popular entertainer. Chevalier's signature songs included "Louise", "Mimi", and "Valentine". His trademark was a casual straw hat, which he always wore on stage with his tuxedo.

Maurice Chevalier's first working job was as an acrobat, until a severe accident turned him toward singing and making pictures, that is, short films in France, the year being 1908. He joined the French Army in World War I, but was wounded, captured, and imprisoned by the Germans. While in prison, he learned the English language from fellow prisoners. After the war, he returned to making French films. When Hollywood started to make talkies, Muarice felt he had to be there and left for America in 1928. In 1929, Chevalier was matched up with the beautiful opeattic singer/actress, Jeanette MacDonald to make the movie, Love Parade. Chevalier was immediately attracted to MacDonald, and "made the moves on her" - she rejected him (she only had eyes for Gene Raymond her future husband). Maurice, who considered himself a catch, was not used to being rejected by his female co-stars, called Jeanette a "prude", she called him the "quickest derriere pincher in Hollywood". They made three more pictures together, the most successful being, Love Me Tonight (1932) (1932). In the late 1930's, Maurice returned to Europe, making several French and English films. World War II interrupted his career for he was accused of being a Nazi collaborator - later being vindicated. In the 1950's, he returned to Hollywood, he was older and gray-headed. He made the movie Gigi (1958), this gave him his signature songs, "Thank Heaven for Little Girls", and "I Remember it Well". He also received a special oscar that year. In the 1960's, he continued to make a few more films, and in 1970, he sang the title song for Walt Disney's, Aristocats. This marked his last contribution to the film industry.

His heavy French accent, melodic voice and Gallic charm made Maurice Chevalier the prototype of the gallant French monsieur in the American cinema of the 1930s. Before he went to Hollywood he worked as a farmer, circus acrobat, cabaret singer and, starting in 1908, a comical actor in French films, a few times even with the celebrated Max Linder (I). Chevalier fought as an infantryman in the French army during World War I and was taken prisoner by the Germans in 1914, spending two years in a POW camp. After the war he returned to the entertainment field, and eventually tried his luck in Hollywood. He made his first American movie in 1929, Love Parade, The (1929). The film was a success, and Chevalier made more successful films with directors like Ernst Lubitsch (Merry Widow, The (1934)). He retired from films in 1967, his last few roles being mainly friendly patriarchs.