Paulette Frankl discusses her new book about her relationship with Marcel Marceau. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.comPaulette Frankl has done it all. She was a self-described “hippie farmer,” a photojournalist, a courtroom sketch artist, a magician, a mime and an author. Her latest literary work is a memoir titled, “Marcel and Me,” which details another interesting aspect of Frankl’s life; her relationship with Marcel Marceau, the famous mime, which spanned 36 years.
Frankl discussed her memoir with the Rotary Club of Los Alamos during its regular meeting Tuesday at the Manhattan Project restaurant. Frankl was 35 years old when she caught one of Marceau’s shows in California in 1971. Sitting in the theatre, watching Marceau’s silent performance, she said, “I had to meet this man.”
So she snuck back stage and literally ran into Marceau, nearly knocking him over. She followed up their encounter with a letter and two weeks later Frankl said she got a call from him. He invited her to attend the last leg of his tour. At the time, Frankl said she was a “hippie farmer” so to accept this invitation was a “huge act of bravery.”
Thus began her relationship with the famous performer. Frankl said she wanted to write this memoir because “I wanted the world to know who he was without his mask and I wanted the world to know who I was.”
She added while there have been many books written about Marceau, Frankl said there isn’t one identical to her story. When finished reading her book, she assured her audience on Tuesday that they will feel like they know Marceau.
She described Marceau as a very kind man who had a lot of energy and moodiness.
Readers also will get an intimate look at their lengthy affair. Frankl joked that her son told her he would definitely not read her book.