Joe Alex

Known for

Acting

Born

May 19, 1894

Died

August 15, 1948

Birthplace

Ica, Peru

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.