BONJOUR PARIS

The middle of the twentieth century was not just the peak of bowling’s popularity in the United States, but also a time of rapid international expansion of the sport. Just as bowling alleys stateside sought promotional visits from the hottest stars, international alleys also pulled out all the stops to promote themselves. In November 1960, French actor and cabaret star Maurice Chevalier attended the opening of a bowling alley at Paris’s Bois du Boulogne. In an impressive bit of fanfare, he was accompanied by drummers of the Imperial Grenadier Guard.