French fin-de-siecle writer and music critic who is today mostly known by his nom-de-plume, ‘Willy,’ and as the mentor and first husband of novelist Colette. Other pseudonyms used by Gauthiers-Villars are: Henry Maugis, Robert Parville, l’Ex-ouvreuse du Cirque d’été, L’Ouvreuse, L’Ouvreuse du Cirque d’été, Jim Smiley, Henry Willy, Boris Zichine.
In 1889, Willy, a ladies man, met Colette, 14 years younger than he was; they married on 15 May 1893. As a writer and music critic he was an incessant and effective self-promoter, under whose directions his “slaves” wrote articles and novels. His ghostwriters may or may not have received recognition but participated because publication under the Willy name secured a high publication rate and good income.
Colette was initially handling his correspondence, but soon became involved in writing on her own starting with Claudine, her first oeuvre under the Willy label. The success led to more novels in the “Claudine” series. It is generally acknowledged that these books were written by Colette, but he had his hand in it editing and honing the manuscripts.
Colette soon learned that Willy had other affairs, and she met his mistress Charlotte Kinceler, who later became her friend. Later, Willy and Colette had an affair unbeknownst to each other with the same woman, the American socialite Georgie Raoul-Duval, née Urquhart. Upon discovery, they made it a threesome.
The marriage to Colette lasted until 1910, although in the years prior they were already separated. While Willy made a lot of money, he squandered it with ease on women and gambling and was facing bankruptcy. Willy went on to marry Marguerite Maniez, also known as Meg Villars after her marriage. He had no children from his two marriages; his son, Jacques, was the offspring from an earlier affair (with Marie-Louise Servat, the wife of caricaturist Émile Cohl).
Willy died on 12 January 1931 in Paris.
Link to Wikipedia biography