Hélène Baillargeon CM (1916–1997) was a Canadian singer, actor, and folklorist probably best known as the host of the CBC Television show Chez Hélène from 1959 to 1973.

Hélène Baillargeon
Baillargeon in 1940
Born
Hélène Marie Baillargeon

28 August 1916 (1916-08-28)
Died25 September 1997 (1997-09-26) (aged 81)
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Other namesHélène Marie Baillargeon-Côté
Occupations
  • Singer
  • actor
  • folklorist
Notable creditChez Hélène (1959–1973)
Spouse
André Côté
(m. 1944)

She was born in Saint-Martin, Quebec, on 28 August 1916 and studied singing in Quebec City and New York City and then in Montreal with Alfred La Liberté.[1] She went on to work as a researcher with Marius Barbeau[1][2] at the National Museum of Canada in Ottawa (later the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Gatineau).[citation needed] In 1944, Baillargeon married André Côté, a Crown attorney in Montreal.[1]

She performed and hosted shows on CBC Radio and Television such as Le réveil rural (1951–1955), Songs de chez nous (1952–1955), and Cap aux sorciers (1955–1958).[1] Baillargeon was named to the Order of Canada in 1973.[1] In 1974, she was appointed a Canadian citizenship court judge.[1] She also recorded a number of collections of French-Canadian folk songs.

She died in Montreal on 25 September 1997.[1]

Selected discography

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  • 1955: Songs of French Canada with Alan Mills (Folkways Records)
  • 1956: French Christmas Songs: Chants de Noël (Folkways Records)
  • 1956: Chansons d'Acadie (Folks Songs of Acadia) (Folkways Records)
  • 1961: Chantons en Français; Vol. 1, Part 1–4: French Songs for Learning French (Folkways Records)
  • 1961: Chantons en Français; Vol. 2: French Songs for Learning French (Folkways Records)

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g King, Betty Nygaard; Panneton, Hélène (2013) [2007]. "Hélène Baillargeon". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Toronto: Historica Canada. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  2. ^ "Baillargeon, Hélène, 1916–1997" (finding aid). Montreal: University of Montreal. 25 January 2001. Archived from the original on 19 February 2005. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
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