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Write a Tribute to Lilyan!
We
welcome tributes to Lilyan from all those whose lives were touched by
her presence in our world. New categories and additional pages shall be
added as new tributes come in.
You
are invited to also submit pictures of yourself currently or from the
time period when you best knew Lilyan. Those who had previously
submitted tributes are welcome to have a picture added to their
original tribute as well.
Fans!
Family!
Friends!
Students!
Loved Ones!
Industry Colleagues!
Loving
thoughts, comments, memories, stories and more - all are welcome here
as we continue to pay tribute to our dear Lilyan Chauvin.
Submit a Tribute now!
Poetry, Audio, Video.. use your imagination and we will do our best to have your message added to Lilyan's offiicial website.
Tributes from Family
Tribute from Colleagues
..
Some
performers are described as triple threats, actors, singers, dancers.
Lilyan was a quadruple threat as a stunning linguist in French,
Spanish, German, Russian, Italian and English and all accurate; enough
to fool the natives. As an actress she had amazing range from
hysterically funny to scary as hell. She was an undisputed coach and
director as well.
It was my great privilege to be Lilyan's agent and friend for more than 30 years and she will always have a special place in my memory of extraordinary talents.
It was my great privilege to be Lilyan's agent and friend for more than 30 years and she will always have a special place in my memory of extraordinary talents.
David Sacks
Theatrical Agent
I am so sorry to hear she is no longer with us. But my memories of her will live on.
I was Lilyan's make-up artist on her cable TV show called Hollywood Structured. I was proud to know her. She was a sweet woman and I considered her a friend even though we worked with each other professionally. She was a lot of fun to work with and was a wonderful lady and a great actress. I will truly miss her.
God bless you Lilyan.
Jen Charette
..
Tributes from Students
I
find it hard to express all that Lilyan means to me. She is one of the
most profound people and influence in my life. I met her in early 1974
and she contributed immeasurably and unselfishly to my career
aspirations and to my life. She was always positive, and uplifting - no
matter what. SO I consider myself so lucky to have found her in this
world - especially in the Los Angeles arena. AND I discovered Lil quite
by accident. I was traveling along Ventura by bus to an audition when I
saw a sign in a store front for video training. I got to my interview
early and walked 3 miles back to the storefront - only to discover it
closed. I swore out loud - and a lady, Margaret Gay, came to the door
and asked if she could help me. I stated that I was interested in the
acting class. She said it was filled but a new class would be starting
within weeks and I could come to a "sample" class - then if interested
I could enroll in the upcoming class. Well, I did and that changed my
life. That began over a decade of studying acting with Lil in class,
private coaching at her home, helping at USC, working for her in her
classes and by her side. When I went through tough times she stood by
me - I can't tell you how impressive a person she is. We have remained
in touch as friends through the years. Since those early days she
always expressed an interest in me and my children - she taught me to
live, to love and to laugh. She inspired me to be my best and to live
the best. Lilyan was and is a true friend, a true coach, a true guide
and an incredible spirit. She touch so many people. I m happy to be
counted as one of them she touch and who knew her. WOW! Thank you Lil,
I love you!!!
Rex Steven Sikes
There
were only two acting coaches at Film Industry Workshops whose classes I
happily anticipated. One was Biff Elliot with whom I have remained the
closest of friends to this day. The other, of course, was Lilyan
Chauvin. While they both had (and continue to have) a profound
influence on my career and life it was Lil who achieved something with
me that no one else had. I was at the time a steadfastly "serious"
actor which meant I was quite proficient in producing tension and anger
in my assigned scenes but hopelessly adrift when it came to scenes that
required even the remotest semblance of smile and relaxation. In other
words I was stiff as a board to such a degree that a well-meaning
fellow student accused me of being a graduate of the George Raft
Academy of Dramatic Arts. I can only speculate about the degree of
frustration the teachers at FIW must have felt as countless months went
by and no one could penetrate my Great Stoneface. I really think some
of them threw in the towel but not Lil. She persisted. And persisted.
And persisted. And suddenly (and probably inadvertently) a miracle
happened during a scene I was doing in Lil's class. I smiled. Not just
a tight and constipated smile but a real, genuine big as life
show-all-my-teeth smile. As the scene ended I turned to Lil and I don't
think I ever saw a happier lady. She was positively beaming and she
came over and hugged me tightly and virtually shouted: "Dick, that's
it! Do you realize how devastatingly attractive you are when you smile?
Remember this moment and don't you dare ever lose it!" I remember it
well, Lil. And so much more.
From
that point on I had the feeling that Lil adopted me (though I'd guess
that all of her other students felt exactly the same way). Much to my
eternal shame and regret I was at the time embroiled in a tawdry and
ultimately grim affair with a particularly destructive and predatory
female student at FIW who was simultaneously involved with another
highly respected FIW student and whose reputation left a great deal to
be desired. Though all of my conversations with Lil had previously
centered around acting I was surprised when one night after one of her
classes Lil pulled me aside, looked me right in the eyes and with a
genuinely worried and protective expression on her face whispered "
Dick, be careful." Oh, how I wish I'd heeded her warning. When the
whole ugly mess eventually blew up in my face guess whose shoulder I
cried on and who was always there for me without at any time being the
least bit judgmental?
One of the joys of my eventual career change to casting director was in my ability to pay Lil back in some small way for her continual kindness to me by constantly casting her in the projects I was involved in whenever she was remotely right for the part and boy did she make me look good. I can't recall an instance when the producer and/or director of these projects didn't rave about her warmth and utter professionalism.
Say goodbye to Lil? No possible way. Such was the vibrancy and enormity of her personality that there's not the slightest reason to say goodbye. She's still here. Always will be.
One of the joys of my eventual career change to casting director was in my ability to pay Lil back in some small way for her continual kindness to me by constantly casting her in the projects I was involved in whenever she was remotely right for the part and boy did she make me look good. I can't recall an instance when the producer and/or director of these projects didn't rave about her warmth and utter professionalism.
Say goodbye to Lil? No possible way. Such was the vibrancy and enormity of her personality that there's not the slightest reason to say goodbye. She's still here. Always will be.
Richard Dinman