Darling Légitimus

Darling Légitimus (born Mathilda (Marie-Berthilde) Paruta on 21 November 1907 at Le Carbet, died 7 December 1999 at Kremlin-Bicetre) was a Caribbean-born French actress. She was the mother of Gesip Légitimus (1930–2000) artist and television producer, Theo Légitimus, and Grand mother to actor, Pascal Légitimus comedian in the "Inconnus" troupe, Diana Légitimus artist, Samuel Légitimus, actor, and David Légitimus, French singers and Billie Richardson, also a musician and psychotherapist.

Born on 21 November 1907 at Le Carbet in Martinique, she spent her early years in Caracas, Venezuela. Mathilda Paruta arrived in Paris, France, at age of 16, wanting to become a dancer. She met Victor-Etienne Légitimus, son of the government deputy, Hegesippe Jean Légitimus, and went on to become his lifelong companion and bear him five children.

Known for a long time as Miss Darling, she later chose to go by the name of Darling Legitimus. She performed as a dancer in La Revue Nègre (1925) with Josephine Baker, and posed for Picasso as well as for sculptor Paul Belmondo, father of Jean-Paul Belmondo, the actor.

During the 1930s, Darling wrote, composed and sang numerous Caribbean songs such as Biguine and Mazurka. She often performed alongside known musicians of the era, including "Pe En Kin Sosso" and his band.

She also performed in plays by Jean Genet (Les Nègres) and Aimé Césaire. She was directed on the big screen by Raymond Rouleau in Les Sorcieres de Salem (The Crucible) alongside Simone Signoret and Yves Montand, and Le Salaire de la Peur (Wages of Fear) by Henri Georges Clouzot, with Sacha Guitry, Jean-Claude Brialy and Bernardo Bertolucci.

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