BURLESK: As You Like It!

Vintage 50’s-era photograph features a quartet of showgirls posing Backstage, at an unidentified nightclub or theatre..

Cover design to the souvenir program from the 1957-edition of the famous ‘LIDO’ burlesque show; located on the Champs-Elysées, in Paris..

Vintage 50’s-era matchbook for ‘The ROSE BOWL’ nightclub, located somewhere in Chicago.. No address listed, but you could always try phoning: “Delaware - 2819”

January ‘53 program ad for the ‘EMPIRE Burlesque Theatre’, featuring: Raven and Francine.. As well as legendary comedian : Billy “cheez’n crackers” Hagan..  “There’s No Show Like A Burlesk Show!”

Vintage photo dated from March of ‘64, features the marquee and entrance to Chicago’s ‘FOLLIES Theatre’ (once known as the ‘GEM Theatre’); located at 450 S. State Street..

she-urchin:

Vintage 60’s-era promo poster for the ‘NEW FOLLIES Burlesk’  Theatre in San Francisco..

“Amateur Striptease Contests” were all the rage during the mid-1960’s.. Rose La Rose ran regular contests at her Theatre in Toledo, Ohio.. Burlesque was waning, and many top dancers began retiring. This kind of promotion was designed not only to find “new” (and cheaper) talent.. But to generate interest in audiences that wouldn’t necessarily attend a Burlesque show..

Evelyn West is featured on the cover of “Artist’s Photographer’s Special” — No. 3 magazine; published in Chicago during the mid-1950’s..

Though these pocket-sized digests featured legitimate information on Photography,— it seems clear the format was designed to skirt postal obscenity laws.. Also featured in this issue, are dancers: Sheila Ryan, Velma Fay, and Virginia Kinn..

Chloe Carter      aka. “The Original Sweater Girl”..

Vintage 50’s-era candid photo captures Ms. Carter presenting herself to prospective audience members, from the Bally stage of an unidentified carnival girlie-show..