La Belle Otero Spanish born dancer, actress and courtesan 4 November 1868 – 12 April 1965 the first movie star in history

 La Belle Otero Spanish born dancer, actress and courtesan 4 November 1868 – 12 April 1965 the first movie star in history

Sex For Power: A Historical Background On A Deadly Game

Since the dawn of day intelligent women have skillfully used their sexuality to obtain what they desire from men, but some have gone even further. During the times when men dominated all major posts in business, politics and government, the only way…

La Belle Otero: actress and courtesan of the Belle Epoque

Carolina “La Belle” Otero (4 November 1868 – 12 April 1965) was a Spanish born dancer, actress and courtesan

Early years

Born Agustina Otero Iglesias in Valga, Pontevedra, Galicia (Spain), her family was impoverished, and as a child she moved to Santiago de Compostela working as a maid. At ten she was raped, which left her sterile, and at fourteen she left home with her boyfriend and dancing partner, Paco, and began working as a singer/dancer in Lisbon.

She reportedly married an Italian nobleman, Count Guglielmo, when she was 14. Her second husband, whom she married in 1906, was René Webb, an English cotton spinner.

In 1888 she found a sponsor in Barcelona who moved with her to Marseilles in order to promote her dancing career in France. She soon left him and created the character of La Belle Otero, fancying herself an Andalusian gypsy. She wound up as the star of Les Folies Bèrgere productions in Paris.

Lefevre Utile card with La Belle Otero

Career as courtesan

Within a short number of years, Otero grew to be the most sought after woman in all of Europe. She was serving, by this time, as a courtesan to wealthy and powerful men of the day, and she chose her lovers carefully. She associated herself with the likes of Prince Albert I of Monaco, King Edward VII of the United Kingdom, Kings of Serbia, and Kings of Spain as well as Russian Grand Dukes Peter and Nicholas, the Duke of Westminster and writer Gabriele D'Annunzio. Her love affairs made her infamous, and the envy of many other notable female personalities of the day.

Six men reportedly committed suicide after their love affairs with Otero ended, although this has never been substantiated beyond a doubt. It is a fact, however, that two men did fight a duel over her. She was pretty, confident, intelligent, with an attractive figure. One of her most famous costumes featured her voluptuous bosom partially covered with glued-on precious gems, and the twin cupolas of the Hotel Carlton built in 1912 in Cannes are popularly said to have been modeled upon her breasts.

It was once said of her that her extraordinarily dark black eyes were so captivating that they were "of such intensity that it was impossible not to be detained before them".

World's first film star

In August 1898, in St-Petersburg, the French film operator Félix Mesguich (an employee of the Lumière company) shot a one-minute reel of Otero performing the famous "Valse Brillante", making her possibly the first movie star in history. The screening of the film at the Aquarium music-hall provoked such a scandal (because an officer of the Tsar's army appeared in this frivolous scene) that Mesguich was expelled from Russia.

(the movie start at 1min15)

Later life

Otero retired after World War I, purchasing a mansion and property at a cost of the equivalent of US$15 million. She had accumulated a massive fortune over the years, about US$25 million, but she gambled much of it away over the remainder of her lifetime, enjoying a lavish lifestyle, and visiting the casinos of Monte Carlo often. She lived out her life in a more and more pronounced state of poverty until she died of a heart attack in 1965 in her one-room apartment at the Hotel Novelty in Nice, France. As a neighbor said of Otero's last days, ""She was constantly talking about her past, and I was not listening any more. It was always the same: feasts, princes, champagne."

Of her heyday and career, Otero once said, "Women have one mission in life: to be beautiful. When one gets old, one must learn how to break mirrors. I am very gently expecting to die."

Agustina Carolina Iglesias Otero was born in Galicia, Spain in 1868. Illegitimate daughter, raped by a young shoemaker at age of 11, she fleed at the age of 14 years with a guy named Paco to go dancing. The owner of that salon was istantly fascinated  by the movements of the young Carolina, to the point of offering her a contract and pay for her dancing performance the amount of two pesetas – an enormous sum for the time.

From Lisbon in Portugal where she transferred in 1888, he ran after the partner who had betrayed her with fellow dancer up in Barcelona. There she began working at the Crystal Palace debuting in cabaret, before travelling to Marseille and then in Paris. Carolina Otero arrived in Paris with dreams of studying dance and represent her first shows

Her beauty, character and “gypsy” charm – that she never deny – they took her to be appreciated immedialtly by the Parisian public and made her very popular. In a short time she became the dancer queen of the cultural capital of the West, as it was then called Paris, the undisputed star of the Folies Bergère.She appeared on the scene wearing lavish costumes and jewelry that emphasized her figure in support of her reputation of provocative and fatal woman mesmerizing the male audiences.

One of her most famous costumes provided for precious gems were pasted on the breast, which seems to have even been used as a model to build in 1912 the domes of Carlton Hotel in Cannes.In August 1898, in St. Petersburg, the French cinematographer Félix Mesguich, who worked for the company of the Lumière Brothers, filmed a segment of one minute that showed a dance exhibition of La Belle Otero – on the notes of “Valse Brillante” -, making her probably “the first star in the history of cinema”.

In a few years she became one of the most famous women on the continent, a lover of many powerful or in height visibility men of the time. The passion that fed men for her, was incredible. Many lovers candidates gave birth to bloody duels, committed suicide for love, or squandered fortunes to attract her to them. These include Prince Albert I of Monaco, Edward VII of England, the royals of Spain and Serbia, Emperor William II, Baron de Ollstreder, the politician Aristide Briand and the famous writer Gabriele D’Annunzio.

So, in 1900, elected sex symbol of the “Belle Epoque”, triumphant both on stage and in love, she had become the owner of an immense financial fortune, who often spent in the Monte Carlo casino. Precious jewels, such as collier of former Empress Eugenie and spectacular earrings of Empress of Austria and a diamond necklace owned previously by Marie Antoinette were gifted her by ecstatic admirers of her charm and her wild beauty.She also became a close friend of the writer Colette and the famous dancer of the Belle Époque, Liane de Pougy, with whom she entered into rivalry.

After the World War I during which she played various acts to relieve French soldiers, La Belle Otero bought a property with a palatial home in the south of France for a figure equivalent to about 15 million dollars and retired from the stage. The courtesan had accumulated over the years, in fact, a considerable fortune which amounted to about 25 million dollars, but she consumed it over the years to support a style of sophisticated and expensive life losing her fortune in casinos.

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Sex For Power: A Historical Background On A Deadly Game

BY ANNA MADSEN

JULY 24, 2012

Since the dawn of day intelligent women have skillfully used their sexuality to obtain what they desire from men, but some have gone even further. During the times when men dominated all major posts in business, politics and government, the only way for a woman to have upward social mobility and bolster her wealth was through a successful man.

Some mistresses and so called “courtesans” (high class prostitutes) offered their sexual favors and whit efficiently and made their way through the backdoor to the center of the elite.

Thanks to their erotic assets, they managed to lobby themselves into influential politicians’ and monarchs’ beds. However, it would later show that their capacity would stretch much further than just the bedroom, as these women demanded more than just the standard flowers and chocolate-package.

Madame de Pompadour

Mistress to: Louis XV of France

Wealth acquired: Private apartment at the Versailles, several French estates, one corporation, and millions of francs worth of jewelry and art.

Champagne is the only drink that leaves a woman beautiful after drinking it.

One of the most famous, empowered women during the 18th century was Madame de Pompadour, the head mistress of King Louis XV of France. Having been spotted by Louis XV at a party, she was later called to the Versailles-castle, and her husband at the time was notified that his wife now “belonged to the king."

Madame de Pompadour stayed at the French court for twenty years until her death, a remarkably long time considering most mistresses were thrown out after just a couple of months. After having gained trust and love from the king, she started her career in real estate.

With borrowed royal funds, she purchased hundreds of castles in the county, renovated them and sold them off with a profit that she kept for herself. She became the main, unofficial, advisor to the king concerning matters of finances, foreign affairs and strategy of war, and even initiated and financed Paris’ military school that Napoleon later attended.

She also founded the Sevres porcelain factory, which still today is a million-dollar business. She became so influential that the king’s ministers queued up outside her bedroom in the morning for her personal opinion on their matters. Oh, and her closet of dresses and jewelry was also triple the size of the queen’s. During periods when Louis XV felt too tired to get out of bed, she alone handled most of the demands on his desk. It is thus arguable that, during her time, France’s future was shaped with the decisions of a prostitute.

Carolina “La Belle” Otero

Mistress to: at least six European crown-monarchs

Wealth acquired: $40 million including jewelry and art pieces

Women are supposed to be beautiful. When they grow old, they need to learn to break mirrors.

Towards the end of the 19th century, during the French Belle Epoque, a select group of prostitutes in Paris climbed their way up the power-ladder and became part of the capital’s elite circle. These courtesans glamorized what we today would refer to as simple gold diggers. Initially dancers at the venues Les Folies Bergère and Moulin Rouge, they were discovered by politicians and nouveau rich industrial men (today’s IT-billionaires) who were more than willing to take a mistress.

One of the most notorious of these femme-fatales was the Spanish beauty Carolina “La Belle” Otero. She was the mistress of Prince Albert I of Monaco, King King Edward VII of the United Kingdom, The King of Serbia and King of Spain, as well as Russian Grand Dukes Peter and Nicholaus, and the Duke of Westminster. She also supposedly provoked six suicides after ending some of her other relations.

In addition, it has been suggested that the two cupolas of the Carlton hotel in Cannes are architectural shapes of her breasts. From her lovers she accumulated a massive wealth, and was once offered a whole shopping-window worth of jewelry, as he became “paralyzed by indecision."

Sadly, she gambled away most of her savings (about $ 25 million) at the high rollers-table in Monaco. During her last days, she was completely bankrupt and alone in a one-bedroom apartment in Nice. Her neighbor heard her through the wall rambling about princes and champagne. Needless to say, neither subject of these topics were present as she took her last breath.

Cora Pearl

Mistress to: several members of the Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte-family and the Duke of Rivoli

Wealth acquired: $50 million, a castle, several houses, stables, a bath tub in silver and jewelry

I have squandered money enormously. I ought to have saved, but saving is not easy in such a whirl of excitement that I have lived.

Another courtesan who would make her way to the Paris elite was Cora Pearl. Originally from London and nursed in a convent, she possessed the right manners to seduce the French noblemen. She became famous for having herself served on a silver platter with only parsley as garnishing. Her first lover, the Duke of Rivoli, ended the affair after having bailed her out from her gambling bills one too many times.

She continued to see both the brother and cousin of the Emperor Napoleon III, and her excessive spending continued from lingerie bills of 40K to a bathtub in silver. She spent enormous fortunes on a lavish lifestyle all financed by her lovers. One admirer of hers became obsessed and jealous and tried to outperform her other suitors financially.

When he was unsuccessful, he became so miserable that he committed suicide by shooting himself on her doorstep. Seemingly not aware of his death, Pearl calmly retreated to her bedroom without calling the police, an incident that shocked her other lovers to the point that they also abandoned her. She died as a money-less bachelorette after having sold off most of her belongings and published her memoirs that with much difficulty went to print.

Zahia Dehar

Mistress to: at least three, French star soccer-players

Wealth acquired: her own fashion house (haute lingerie)

Of her former lovers, she “loved them all."

Whoever thought that prostitutes only had success in the past was terribly wrong. The recently uncovered prostitution-scandal with the three French soccer-players made the escort Zahia Dehar a celebrity over night. She was discovered by none other than Karl Lagerfelt – who described her as “very ‘La Belle Otero” – who supported her lingerie brand that was shown at the Paris Fashion week in July this year.

Zahia Dehar has covered both the American and Spanish version of the magazine V. She was also on the cover of Vanity Fair, which featured in an interview. Although none of her lovers have killed themselves, many would surely agree that they committed suicide career-wise, even facing jail-time for some of their crimes.

Despite their sometimes questionable methods, these women remain fascinating and – in some cases – inspirational. One has to admire their beauty and ability to use that to their advantage. Few women possess both good looks and brains. And even fewer know how to combine the two in order to excel in life. However, when La Paiva, a Russian-Polish luxury prostitute, managed to marry a Portuguese marquis, she shortly told him after the wedding:

I wanted a position, and I've got it, but all you have is a prostitute for a wife. You can't take me anywhere, and you can't introduce me to anyone. We must, therefore, separate. I shall stay here with your name and remain a whore.

La Paiva understood that wealth and power can be acquired by signing a paper. But sexual competence, although a valuable asset for a woman, can never buy you class.

Anna M Madsen | Elite. Want to read and see more of Anna? Check out www.annastasja.com.

She died in a state of extreme poverty in Nice, France in 1965 at age 96.