Margaret Kelly Leibovici - Awards and Tributes

Awards and Tributes

Margaret Kelly was decorated Officer of the British Empire, Chevalier of the Legion of Honour for 72 years of professional activity as maîtresse de ballet, Chevalier des Arts et Lettres and Chevalier de l'Ordre National du Mérite.

In 1986 the BBC broadcast a major drama series called Bluebell produced by Richard Bates and George Perry wrote her authorized biography. Carolyn Pickles played her part. Both biography and BBC drama series were a global success, with the sole exception of France where there has been neither a broadcasting of the drama series nor a publishing of the biography.

Within the framework of its mission to present the history of entertainment, the University of Nevada in Las Vegas (UNLV) is paying a permanent tribute to Miss Bluebell by showing photographs of her in its on-line exhibit of photos SHOWGIRLS and in the famous Donn Arden Special Collection, thus reuniting for ever the two partners who played such a signature role in the history of show business and contributed so much to the legend of the Bluebell Girls.

In 1987, the British sculptor Doreen Kern realized Miss Bluebell's life-size bronze portrait bust, it was placed on her tomb (and stolen on 18 July 2008)..

In 1990, Bluebell was granted a private audience by Pope John Paul II.