Joe Alex

Born

1894-05-19

Died

1948-08-15

Birthplace

Ica, Peru

Biography

Joe Alex—the pseudonym of Alejandro Saenz Varona, born on May 19, 1894, in Ica (Peru) and died on August 15, 1948, in Lima (Peru)—was a Peruvian dancer, choreographer, singer, and actor. A prominent figure in the interwar music-hall scene, he made his debut in 1918, appearing in revues, operettas, musicals, and comedies at venues such as the Olympia, the Théâtre du Perchoir, the Bataclan, and the Gaîté-Lyrique. Nicknamed the "tragedian of the dark soul" and regarded by Paul Colin as one of the greatest stars of his era, he was a member of the *Revue Nègre* from 1925 to 1928—alongside Josephine Baker and Sidney Bechet—and founded the *Théâtre Africain* in 1938. While often typecast in roles such as a Black dancer, a "native," or a servant—whether on stage or in film (notably as King Malikoko in *Malices-Coco*, a two-act revue by Jean Bastia and Charles-Alexis Carpentier, and as Bamboula in *Bécassine et Bamboula*, a three-act comedy by Caumery)—he also secured more serious roles, such as Vincent Jackson (a man sentenced to death) in John Wexley’s play *The Last Mile* and Diego in the film *L'Étoile de Valencia*, starring alongside Jean Gabin and Brigitte Helm.