Presenting historical images that celebrate the Golden Age of Burlesque and Striptease..
Betty (Blue Eyes) Howard headlines the marquee of the ‘BROADWAY To HOLLYWOOD’ carnival burlesque show, at the 1958 New York State Fair.. On the bottom tier of this image, she can be seen standing off to the Right, draped in a white fur stole..
Young men ogle showgirls on the bally stage of a carnival Girlie-Show, during the 1950 Michigan State Fair..
Alouette LeBlanc
Born in 1932, Alouette was raised in rural Montana. She ran away from home at 14, to escape abusive parents. She got her start in Burlesque working as a cootch dancer with a travelling Carnival Tent show.. Eventually, landing steady work along the Bourbon Street nightclubs in New Orleans; she was billed as a newly-arrived star direct from Paris’ FOLIES BERGERE.. Her act was renowned for her acrobatic, tassel-twirling abilities!
Longtime Carnival Circuit comedian Tubby Boots compares his man-boob tassles to those of “The Bazoom Girl”, herself: Jennie Lee..
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A vintage 1948 carnival show poster featuring: Georgia Sothern and her “Night on Broadway Revue”..
Crystal Ames
Vintage 40’s-era promo photo personalized by Miss Ames: “To Vince — May God bless you & keep you.. I would if I could, but I can’t afford to — Sincerely, Crystal Ames Thaw”
Ames was a popular Burly-Queen that began headlining by the late-1930’s. She ended her performing career on the Carnival circuit, sometime during the early 1960’s. In the mid-50’s, she moonlighted as operator of the ‘Follies Costume Shoppe’ in NYC, creating dance costumes for various local Burlesque venues..
Irma The Body was a Burly-Q talent “discovered” in 1951, by already-established star: Zorita.. Irma was still performing in the chorus line of the Miami ‘Latin Quarter’, when Zorita convinced her to join her 28-week ‘World Of Mirth’ travelling carnival tent show.. Irma can be seen seated here with an umbrella, in a Cast photo from that tour..
Showgirls relax on the Bally stage, while the “talker” makes his best pitch to fill the seats of this 50’s-era Carnival girlie-show, headlined by: Diane Ross and Her Monkey..
Val Valentine aka. “Cupid’s Cutie”..
In 1955, she began her career as a chorus girl.. By 1958, she was a feature performer at burlesque theatres.. During the 60’s and 70’s she was still headlining her own ‘Girl Revue’ shows on the Carnival circuit. She performed her last Strip show at an Ohio theatre, in 1986..
