Presenting historical images that celebrate the Golden Age of Burlesque and Striptease..
Gypsy Rose Lee (aka. Louise Hovick)
Vintage candid photo features Gypsy posing in front of a trailer from her 1949 ‘Royal American Shows’ travelling tent show.. ‘Royal American’ was one of the longest-running Carnival circuit burlesque shows.. And the previous year, Sally Rand had broken box office records, travelling with the same organization..
Winnie Garrett is featured in the January 1949 edition of ‘SIR!’ magazine..
It wasn’t uncommon for 40’s-era Men’s mag publishers to have their Art Departments “paint in” additional clothing to skirt prevailing obscenity laws.. Hence, the odd-looking (black) shorts and wide bands on Winnie’s bra!
Vintage lobby card from Val Guest’s 1949 film: ‘Mystery at the Burlesque’.. This British film was shot at England’s famous ‘Windmill Theatre’, and made use of the club’s own showgirls.. The original title of the film was: ‘Murder at the Windmill’; but in 1950, was retitled for release to North America audiences..
TEX AVERY SHOWGIRL
A moment from Tex Avery’s 1949 MGM cartoon: “Little Rural Riding Hood”.. A re-use of the classic Preston Blair animation seen in their previous cartoon: “Swing Shift Cinderella”..
(via mikefrye)
Geene Courtney
Vintage press photo dated from November of ‘49.. Geene was a Feature dancer scheduled to perform at the ‘Carousel Club’ in Chicago.. The photo was a response to a letter-writer that saw a photo of Geene, and suggested that she was not real; that only a mannequin would be able to fill out an evening dress so thoroughly..
Zorita
A news service press photo dated from ‘49, shows Zorita with one of her snakes.. She was still married to her 3rd (and last) husband, at this time; and most news articles would make mention of her married name: “Mrs. Petillo”..
Lois DeFee aka. “Queen of the Amazons”..
A press photo from 1949, features Lois backstage with Bill Wheeler of the Wheeler-Pittman theatrical agency. The accompanying caption describes Ms. DeFee as: “definitely NOT a stripteaser..” Lois instead describes her act as: “undressing with finesse!”..
Image courtesy of the Janelle Smith collection..
BLONDE BOMBSHELL
Trudy Wayne (aka. “The Queen Of Zing”..) is featured in an article featured in the April ‘49 issue of ‘EYEFUL’ magazine..
Özel Türkbas
Vintage 40’s-era promo postcard of this famous Turkish bellydancer..
burlyqnell: A press photo from March of ‘49 features Evelyn West in an Oklahoma City courtroom.. She had been charged with indecency and exhibition. A lawyer displays her net bra, as a point of evidence..
