Poll as the Entertainer of the century

French singer, song writer, actor Charles Aznavour, has been chosen on July 1998 as Entertainer of the Century by CNN and users of Time Online from around the globe. Mr. Aznavour is the century's outstanding performer, with nearly 18% of the total vote, edging out such greats as Elvis Presley and Bob
Dylan.

After Frank Sinatra passed away, Charles Aznavour is the last of the "Great’ According to an internet poll recently undertaken by Time Magazine and CNN Aznavour was elected "The Entertainer of the Century", surpassing Elvis Presley, Charlie Chaplin and John Lennon.

Born in Paris of Armenian parents he made his debut at the age of nine, acting, dancing, singing, and he has not left the stage since then, except for a short period during the Second World War when he strolled the Parisian boulevards crying out the headlines of the newspapers he sold. Could this have been when he developed his famous "frog" in the throat?

His first song "J'ai Bu" received first prize for the record of the year. After that his songs were one success after the other, and several great singers sang and recorded them. among them were Edith Piaff, Maurice Chevalier, Bing Crosby, Ray Charles, Shirley Bassey, Fred Astaire, Liza Minelli, Placido Domingo.

For his role in "La Tete Contre Les Murs" he received the prize of the Cristal Star as the best the male actor. 60 other acting roles followed, among them -Tirez sur le Pianiste" by Francois Truffaut, "Un Taxi pour Tobrouk", "Le Diable et les Dix Commandments", "Les Aventuriers" and "Le Tambour”

Now Charles Aznavour's success is worldwide, but he did not become famous until the age of 30. In fact he only became a star after a tour in Casablanca (Morocco) and a terrible car accident, which nearly cost him his 1ife. "I managed very well", he says today after a new triumph at the Alhambra theatre. And which made a journalist comment: "France is completely Aznovourian'.

After his first appearance on Broadway Walter Kerr u rote: "Charles Aznavour is as dynamic as five Beatles." And time Magazine described Aznavour "as the best salesman of himself '.

Aznavour says about himself; "My face is just an ordinary one."

Unlike most! Composers he insists on having the words of his songs translated into the language of the country in which he is to sing.

He sings with a voice the French find so sensual as to describe it as "the voice after making love".

After the terrible earthquake that hit Armenia in 1988 he founded with Levon Sayan the movement "Aznavour for Armenia". He brought in with him 89 artists to record 'Pour Toi Armenie" which was the first of the top fifty from the first week it was out, remained on top of the list during several weeks and sold over 2 million records in France.

In 1975 he wrote -Is Sont Tombes in memory of the Armenian genocide during World War One. Since then he has undertaken frequent visits to Armenia. And in 1993 the Armenian president appointed him Ambassador of the new Armenian Republic to the Unesco.

In 1996 he returned to Armenia for the fifth anniversary of the Republic and the thirtieth anniversary of his first concert in Armenia In 1997 President Jacques Chirac named Charles Aznavour "Officier de la Legion d'Honneur" (the highest honor in France).