Louis Baron

Louis Baron (real name Louis Bouchêne or Bouchenez; September 1838 – 2 March 1920) was a French actor and bass singer.
Biography.
Louis Baron was born in September 1838 at Alençon.
His first stage appearances were at the Théâtre de la Tour-d'Auvergne, and subsequently in Limoges (1857–58) and Troyes (1858–59). After military service as a customs officer he then appeared in Toulouse (1863) and Rouen (1864–66).
In July 1866 he made his debut at the Théâtre des Variétés in the comedy "Le photographe" by Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, going on to create many other roles in plays by Labiche ("Les trente millions de gladiator") and Meilhac and Halévy (including "La cigale", "La petite marquise", and "Toto chez Tata").
In the field of operetta he created various roles in works by Offenbach including "La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein", "Les brigands", and "La boulangère a des écus", as well as appearing in revivals. For Hervé he created Célestin in "Mam'zelle Nitouche", as well as roles in "Lili", "La Femme à papa", and "Le Trône d'Écosse".
In 1886, he was briefly co-director of the Variétés with Eugène Bertrand before moving on to the Gaîté.
His son, Louis Baron, fils (1870–1939), was also an actor and singer who had a long stage and film career in France including the premiere of "Dédé" in 1921.
Louis Baron died in Paris on 2 March 1920.