Lilyan Chauvin (; ; 6 August 192526 June 2008) was a French-American actress, television host, director, writer, and acting teacher. A native of Paris, Chauvin began her career performing on French radio and onstage in England. She relocated to the United States in 1952 to pursue an acting career, and was initially cast in minor television parts before making her film debut in 1957.
Chauvin's career in American films spanned over 60 years, and largely consisted of supporting roles. Some of her credits include The Other Side of Midnight (1977), Private Benjamin (1980), the slasher film Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984), Predator 2 (1990), and Steven Spielberg's Catch Me If You Can (2002). She also had a prolific career in television, and guest-starred in such television series as The X-Files, Murder, She Wrote, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Friends, Magnum, P.I., Alias, Malcolm in the Middle, Baa Baa Black Sheep. The Man from U.N.C.L.E., McCloud, Perry Mason, and Ugly Betty.
In her later life, Chauvin taught acting and directing at the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of Southern California. She also served as the Vice President of Women in Film council. She died in Los Angeles in 2008 of complications resulting from congestive heart failure and breast cancer, the latter of which she battled for four decades.
Early life Chauvin was born in Paris, Île-de-France, France, to a French mother, Emilia Speltiens, and an Italian father, Pantion Pierre Zemoz. An article published in The Times of Hammond, Indiana, on June 3, 1963, says of Chauvin, "Her father, Pierre, although French-born, had become an American citizen."
Chauvin began her career working in broadcasting in France. While under contract to a French radio station she had her heart set on becoming a lawyer; however her earnings soon exceeded that of her parents' and she gave serious consideration to making show business her way of life. She studied in Paris at the School of Cinema, and at the Jean-Louis Barrault School, also in Paris.
Career Early career and stage Chauvin moved to New York City in 1952 and became a naturalized American citizen. She studied with Uta Hagen and at the Actors Studio in New York. Chauvin also attended the Berlitz school of Languages and took in American movies every day to improve her English. Already proficient in Spanish, German, Italian, and Russian, she soon became one of the school's top teachers and they sent her out to coach actors in the accents they needed for various roles.
Chauvin's European stage and Actors Equity theatre credits include Macbeth, Medea, Silk Stockings, Camille, and Three for Today. She began landing roles in New York television productions including TV's prestigious Studio One. Soon after she traveled to Los Angeles and found work in film and television.
Transition to film Chauvin made her film acting debut in Letter from Cairo (1953), an episode of the long-running series Studio One. The following year she guest-starred in Crusader. Chauvin made her first motion picture appearance in Lost, Lonely and Vicious (1958) and later starred in Walk Like a Dragon (1960) and Bloodlust! (1961). She also appeared in the Elvis Presley films King Creole (1958) and Tickle Me (1965) and the Barbra Streisand film Funny Lady (1975). Other film credits include Yours, Mine and Ours (1968), The Mephisto Waltz (1971), The Other Side of Midnight (1977), Beyond Reason (1977), Private Benjamin (1980), Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984, as the sadistic Mother Superior), Born in East L.A. (1987), Bad Influence (1990), Predator 2 (1990), Angel Town (1990), Universal Soldier (1992), The Warlord: Battle for the Galaxy (1998), Five Aces (1999), The Man Who Wasn't There (2001) and Catch Me If You Can (2002).
Chauvin was a series regular on Days of Our Lives, Mission Impossible, General Hospital and Falcon Crest. Other television credits include “Jim Bowie’’ Adventures of Superman, Combat!, Baa Baa Black Sheep, Friends, ER, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Tyson, Malcolm in the Middle, Alias, CSI, Ugly Betty, The X-Files, and Murder She Wrote.
Directing In the industry, Chauvin's talents are respected equally as a director and actress. Her DGA directing credits include The Young and the Restless, But She Can Type, Celebration 75 and Windows of Heaven. Chauvin directed productions of Last Summer at Bluefish Cove, Effigies, Seacliffe California, In My Minds Eye, The Happy Time and The Deepest Hunger.
Other ventures Teaching In her later life, Chauvin became a prominent acting and directing coach in Los Angeles, teaching at the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of Southern California. Many of her techniques have become instrumental teaching tools within the industry and have provided inspiration to many other successful educators. As an author and educator she taught internationally at seminars as a keynote speaker, lecturer and adviser.
As the creator and show runner she co-produced and hosted the television series Hollywood Structured, a comprehensive guide to show business careers, Chauvin explored new facets of the industry each week through interviews with top professionals. The 64 episodes covered acting, directing, make up, documentary filmmaking, producing, music, comedy, cinematography, stunt coordinating, modeling, publicity, writing, dancing, sports announcing, production design, entertainment law, agency, casting, union, special effects and more.
Chauvin wrote Hollywood Scams & Survival Tactics, in which she shared many of her own experiences and survival tactics.
She taught acting, multi-cam cinematography and directing for over 10 years at USC and taught acting/directing at UCLA for two years. Some of Chauvin's acting students were Raquel Welch, Suzanne Somers, Margie Haber, Carly Schroeder, Kin and Wil Shriner, Jennifer Runyon, Kevin Nealon and Rex Steven Sikes. She was a technical advisor and dialogue coach at MGM and worked as a dialogue supervisor/drama coach at Warner Brothers. For many years she ran the Women in Film Director's Workshop which drew large numbers of people from the various aspects of filmmaking.
Still photography Chauvin's work with stationary images included taking a photograph of author William Faulkner that was published in The Atlantic Monthly magazine and was to be used on dust jackets of Faulkner books.
Accolades Twice nominated for Emmy Awards (for The Young and the Restless and Baa Baa Black Sheep), Chauvin won the 1991 Angel Award for Hollywood Structured, which was co-produced by Chauvin, Julie Johnson and Irene Lamothe. Chauvin appeared weekly as the host on this cable program with, among others, Jacqueline Bisset, Linda Gray, Morey Amsterdam, Danny Glover, Henry Mancini, Anne Francis, Carmen Zapata and others.
Affiliations Chauvin was on the Women's Steering Committee of the Directors Guild of America and had over 35 credits as a DGA Director since 1979. She was a member of Screen Actors Guild, the Writers Guild of America, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artist and Equity. Committed to furthering women's causes, especially in the industry, Chauvin was a 39-year member of Women in Film. She served on the organization's Board five times, twice as the Board's vice president.
Personal life Chauvin was married to Bernard Chauvin, whom she divorced in Florida in 1953. She retained his surname for the remainder of her career. In the 1960s, Chauvin was diagnosed with breast cancer, which she would battle intermittently for the following four decades.
Death Chauvin died at her Studio City, Los Angeles home on 26 June 2008, aged 82. Her death was attributed to complications from breast cancer and congestive heart disease.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1957 Ten Thousand Bedrooms Reporter Uncredited 1957 Silk Stockings Sonia Uncredited 1957 Tip on a Dead Jockey Dolores Uncredited 1957 Les Girls A Dancer Uncredited 1958 King Creole Catherine Uncredited 1958 The Perfect Furlough French Nurse 1958 Lost, Lonely and Vicious Tanya Pernaud 1959 The Man Who Understood Women Uncredited 1959 The Wreck of the Mary Deare Nun Uncredited 1960 Walk Like a Dragon Mme. Lili Raide 1960 North to Alaska Jenny Lamont Uncredited 1961 Bloodlust! Sandra Balleau 1961 Back Street Paris Airport Employee 1962 The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse French Prisoner Uncredited 1962 Two Weeks in Another Town Bar Girl Uncredited 1965 Tickle Me Ronnie 1968 Yours, Mine and Ours French Actress On TV Screen 1971 The Mephisto Waltz Woman Writer 1971 Machismo: 40 Graves for 40 Guns Kate 1975 Funny Lady Mademoiselle 1975 Medical Story Mrs. Goodman Television film 1976 Victory at Entebbe French Nun Television film 1977 The Other Side of Midnight Mrs. Page 1978 Ziegfeld: The Man and His Women Louise Television film 1978 Child of Glass Madame Dumaine Television film 1979 Portrait of a Stripper Yvette Television film 1980 Private Benjamin Mrs. Trémont 1982 The Junkman French Reporter 1984 Silent Night, Deadly Night Mother Superior 1985 Beyond Reason Nurse Johnson 1987 Born in East L.A. German Woman 1987 Right to Die Raylen Television film 1989 Listen to Me French Professor 1989 Death Doll Madame Zerba Voice 1990 Angel Town French Teacher 1990 Bad Influence Art Gallery Patron 1990 Predator 2 Dr. Irene Edwards 1991 For the Very First Time Sister Eugenia 1991 True Identity Police Station Woman 1992 Stormy Weather Mrs. Comden Television film 1992 Universal Soldier Mrs. John Devreux 1992 Round Trip to Heaven Chaperone 1993 No Place to Hide Mother Superior 1994 Pumpkinhead II: Blood Wings Miss Ossie 1994 The Discoverers French Astronomer Short film 1994 Attack of the 5 Ft. 2 Women Coach Television film 1995 Tyson Camille Ewald Television film 1996 The Rockford Files: Punishment and Crime Alyona Koblets Television film 1998 The Warlord: Battle for the Galaxy Mashwah Television film 1999 Five Aces Grandmother Kalliope 2000 Missing Pieces Old Woman Television film 2000 Stanley's Gig Grace 2000 Skeleton Woman Bone Gatherer 2001 The Man Who Wasn't There Medium 2002 Duty Dating Dr. Hartley 2002 Catch Me If You Can Mrs. Lavalier 2004 Illusion Infinity Nurse 2004 Calling Hedy Lamarr Herself Documentary film 2006 Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film Herself Documentary film 2007 The Kopper Kettle Old Woman Short film 2007 The Brass Teapot Old Woman Short film 2011 The Passing Rebecca Naibert Released posthumously, (final film role)
Television