A King Boosted Her Career

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30897, 2 November 1965, Page 2

A King Boosted Her Career

In the 19305, King Gustav of Sweden heard a young girl cabaret artist in an exclusive Paris night club. He enjoyed her performance so much that he returned to hear her again, writes Susan Vaughan from London.

But the pretty blonde girl was no longer there. She had been dismissed. The king asked where she was, and an embarrassed management quickly renewed her contract. Hildegarde sang regularly at that club moved on—and became the highest paid cabaret artist in the world. She returned to London recently to play a four-week season at a West End club. As she supervised her 25 pieces of luggage Hildegarde, now 60, said: *Us girls over 50 are in the prime of life.” Made Money

As the owner of 11 oil wells, dozens of companies, and still possessor of a voice that can be valued in thousands of pounds, Hildegarde has every reason for holding that opinion.

Her most famous number, “Darling, Je Vous Aime Beaucoup” sold more than a million records and is still being bought. This backs up her theory that “people don’t want rock-and-roll all the time—they want to sit back quietly and reminisce.” Hildegarde Loretta Sell was born in Milwaukee and started her working life as a shop assistant. She practised the piano, and started to wort: her way into vaudeville.

For a long time she lived a hand-to-mouth existence in Paris—a far cry from the luxury penthouse at London’s

newest hotel, the Royal Garden, where she is now staying. High Fees

She made a name for herself in Paris before returning to New York. Soon she was earning £lOOO a week in night clubs there. Later Hildegarde was to command fees of up to 5000 dollars for her performances. When she last came to London in 1950, a London hotel even named a dish after her —“Caneton Hildegarde.” She feels “young and gay” and makes sure she stays that way by taking vitamin pills and having skin exercises. It is typical of her that she should have written a book called: “Over 50—So What?” I (All rights reserved)