4. Josephine Baker kept a cheetah as a pet, with sometimes entertaining consequences
Another Josephine associated with France was the American-born singer, dancer, actress, and member of the French resistance during the Second World War, Josephine Baker. Largely a burlesque performer before World War II she became world famous for her exploits during the war and in its aftermath a much more serious performer. Her life was frequently made more difficult through controversies she created with her outspoken views on civil rights and communism. She performed in Castro’s Havana at a celebration of his revolution in 1966, earning public disapproval in the United States. For most of her post-war career, she was based in France, her adopted home.
While living and performing in Paris before the war, the dancer who appeared nearly nude in exotic costumes supplemented her act with her exotic pet, a cheetah named Chiquita. Chiquita was bestowed a diamond-studded collar by her mistress, and the two were often seen on the streets of Paris, with Josephine giving her pet its exercise on a leash. As part of her act, Chiquita was often allowed to slip its collar and plunge into the orchestra pit, creating a mad scramble as the startled musicians attempted to evade the onrushing cat, difficult with cheetahs being the fastest land animal on earth. The animal’s escape added to the unreal atmosphere of her show.