- While Dalida was professionally very successful, her private life was marred by a series of failed relationships and personal problems. In January 1967, Dalida took part in the Sanremo Festival with her new lover, Italian singer, songwriter and actor Luigi Tenco. The song he presented was "Ciao amore ciao" ("Bye Love, Bye"), which he sang together with Dalida. But stressed, Tenco failed despite Dalida's performance. Tenco committed suicide on 27 January 1967, after learning that his song had been eliminated from the final competition. Tenco was found by Dalida in his hotel room with a bullet wound in his left temple and a note announcing that his gesture was against the jury and public's choices during the competition. In September 1970 her former husband (1956-1961) Lucien Morisse, with whom she was on good terms, committed suicide, shooting himself in the head. In April 1975, her close friend singer Mike Brant leapt to his death from an apartment in Paris. He was 28. In July 1983, her lover from 1972 to 1981, Richard Chanfray, committed suicide by inhaling the exhaust gas of his Renault 25 car.
- Was Miss Egypt 1954 before becoming an international singer
- She recorded 500 French songs, 200 of which were translated into Italian, and 200 into other languages. She sold more than 80 million records world-wide.
- In 1967 her lover, singer Luigi Tenco, took his own life. She discovered his dead body. She herself attempted suicide a few days later.
- Older sister of Orlando (Bruno Gigliotti), who became her career manager and kept on taking care of her estate, legacy and legendary fame after her suicide.
- Was Joan Collins stand-in in Land of the Pharaohs (1955), shot in Egypt at the time she was trying to make her name as an actress.
- Had been Richard Chanfray's lover for 9 years. He committed suicide in 1983, three years after they broke up.
- She's portrayed by Sabrina Ferilli in Dalida (2005).
- Buried in the Montmartre Cemetery, Paris, France.
- In 1997, the corner of the rue Girardon and rue de l'Abreuvoir in Montmartre, Paris, was inaugurated as Place Dalida and a large bust in her memory was erected.
- Lived with Jean Sobieski, Leelee Sobieski's father, in Paris in the 1960s.
- She received more than 70 gold records and was the first singer to receive platinum and diamond discs.
- Twice honoured with the Oscar mondial du succès du disque (the "World Oscar of Recording Success"), she is the only European singer to have won this award more than once.
- In December 1967, just after her first suicide attempt, she became pregnant by a 22-year-old Italian student, Lucio. Her decision to have an abortion left her infertile.
- She sold more than 170 million albums worldwide.
- In 1987, Dalida was honoured with a commemorative coin minted by The French Mint, Monnaie de Paris, issued in gold, bronze and silver, bearing her likeness.
- She is a gay icon in France and the Middle East.
- On the night of 2-3 May 1987, Dalida died by suicide by overdosing on barbiturates. She left behind a note which read, "La vie m'est insupportable. Pardonnez-moi." ("Life is unbearable for me. Forgive me.").
- In 2019, she was featured as a Google Doodle on what would have been her 86th birthday.
- In 1988, a Encyclopædia Universalis poll, published in the French newspaper Le Monde placed Dalida as second in personalities who had the greatest impact on French society, behind Général de Gaulle.
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content