As we saw yesterday, French photographer Willy Michel set up the first photobooth in Paris in 1928. There he pioneered the “selfie with star”, which has become the red-carpet scourge of anyone anywhere famous for anything. Michel squeezed into the shot with dozens of between-the-wars notables, though many of his booth companions, it must be said, would only be recognizable to the keenest aficionado of the Parisian stage. The selection below features some of the more notable names; common to almost all (Erich von Stroheim being the exception) is an infectious, joyful candour.
Jean Marais
Jean-Louis Barrault
Maria Casarès
Erich von Stroheim
Maurice Chevalier
Yvette Guilbert
Artur Rubinstein
Bing Crosby
Edwige Feuillère
Further reading
Missy and Willy
Phantom of the empire (Jean Marais, Edwige Feuillère)
Death becomes her (Maria Casarès)
Moondog on film (Jean-Louis Barrault)
