Madeleine Milhaud
Actor
About Madeleine Milhaud
Madeleine Milhaud was an actress who appeared in the avant-garde experimental film 'Ghosts Before Breakfast' (German: 'Vormittagsspuk') in 1928, directed by Hans Richter. This film was a significant work of the Dadaist movement, featuring surreal and absurdist imagery without a conventional narrative. Milhaud's participation in this experimental project suggests she was connected to the European avant-garde art scene of the late 1920s. Her career appears to have been extremely brief, with no other known film credits documented. The lack of additional information about her indicates she was likely not a professional actress but possibly an artist, model, or acquaintance involved in the experimental film community. Her contribution, though minimal in scope, was part of an important artistic movement that challenged conventional cinema and influenced future experimental filmmakers.
The Craft
On Screen
Given the non-narrative, experimental nature of 'Ghosts Before Breakfast,' her performance likely embraced the surreal and absurdist qualities characteristic of Dadaist art rather than traditional acting techniques
Milestones
- Appeared in Hans Richter's experimental Dadaist film 'Ghosts Before Breakfast' (1928)
Best Known For
Must-See Films
Working Relationships
Worked Often With
Why They Matter
Impact on Culture
Madeleine Milhaud's cultural impact is minimal due to her extremely limited filmography, consisting of only one appearance in an experimental film. However, her participation in 'Ghosts Before Breakfast' connects her to the significant Dadaist movement that challenged conventional artistic expression. The film itself became an important document of avant-garde cinema, influencing future experimental filmmakers and artists working in non-narrative forms. While her individual contribution was small, she was part of a collective artistic endeavor that expanded the boundaries of what cinema could be.
Lasting Legacy
Madeleine Milhaud's legacy is that of a footnote in the history of experimental cinema, remembered primarily for her appearance in Hans Richter's influential Dadaist film. Her name survives in film credits and scholarly discussions of avant-garde cinema, but little else is known about her life or career. She represents the many anonymous contributors to experimental art movements whose individual stories have been lost to history, even as their collective work continues to influence contemporary artists and filmmakers.
Who They Inspired
Given her brief appearance in only one experimental film, Madeleine Milhaud's direct influence on other actors or filmmakers appears to be negligible. Her work exists primarily as part of the broader Dadaist movement's influence on cinema, rather than as an individual artistic contribution that inspired others specifically.
Off Screen
Very little is documented about Madeleine Milhaud's personal life. Her single film credit suggests she was not a professional actress but possibly involved in the European avant-garde art circles of the late 1920s. The lack of biographical information indicates she may have been a transient figure in the experimental film scene rather than a dedicated cinema professional.
Did You Know?
- Appeared in only one known film throughout her entire career
- Participated in a groundbreaking Dadaist film that featured no dialogue and rejected conventional narrative structure
- The film she appeared in, 'Ghosts Before Breakfast,' was banned by the Nazis in the 1930s as 'degenerate art'
- Her single film credit makes her one of the most obscure actresses in cinema history
- The film she appeared in was created by Hans Richter, a prominent figure in both Dadaism and Abstract Expressionism
- Despite the film's artistic significance, virtually no biographical information about her survives
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Madeleine Milhaud?
Madeleine Milhaud was an actress who appeared in only one known film, the experimental Dadaist work 'Ghosts Before Breakfast' (1928) directed by Hans Richter. Very little is known about her life or career beyond this single appearance in an influential avant-garde film.
What films is Madeleine Milhaud best known for?
Madeleine Milhaud is known exclusively for her appearance in 'Ghosts Before Breakfast' (1928), an experimental silent film that was part of the Dadaist art movement. No other film credits for her have been documented.
When was Madeleine Milhaud born and when did she die?
Unfortunately, no biographical information about Madeleine Milhaud's birth or death dates has been preserved in historical records. The extreme scarcity of information about her suggests she was not a professional actress but possibly someone involved in the avant-garde art scene.
What was the significance of the film Madeleine Milhaud appeared in?
'Ghosts Before Breakfast' was an important experimental film that exemplified Dadaist principles, rejecting conventional narrative in favor of surreal imagery and absurdist sequences. The film was considered controversial and was later banned by the Nazi regime as 'degenerate art.'
Why is so little known about Madeleine Milhaud?
The lack of information about Madeleine Milhaud likely stems from her having only one film credit and possibly not being a professional actress. Many participants in experimental art films of the 1920s were artists, friends, or acquaintances of the directors rather than career actors, and their biographical details were often not preserved.
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Films
1 film
