Louis Leplée

Louis Leplée (April 7, 1883 in Bayonne, France – April 6, 1936 in Paris, France) was a French nightclub owner who discovered the French singer Édith Piaf singing on a Paris street corner in 1935. Leplée starred Piaf at the popular Parisian nightspot Le Gerny's as "La Môme Piaf" (The Little Sparrow).

Leplée was murdered in his apartment in Paris, on April 6, 1936 a day before his 53rd birthday. Piaf was questioned extensively by the police before being cleared of wrongdoing. There has been speculation of mob involvement in Leplée's death.

In popular culture

He is portrayed by Gérard Depardieu in the 2007 film La Môme also known as La Vie en Rose.