I ated

These photos of Gypsy Rose Lee was taken in 1949 at the Cotton Festival. The carnival in the back ground is the Royal American. Gypsy struts her stuff on the show bally platform at the far end of the midway along with the other burlesque performers. Gypsy received a salary of five thousand a week. The only other burlesque dancer that was paid this amount was Sally Rand. Among Gypsy’s personal friends were Sonny Nite, Casino Vickie and Ward Hall, just to name a few. Gypsy Rose Lee got her start on a carnival bally platform along with many other famous burlesque dances. There were other venues where one could be entertained by these seductive damsels like the Frisco Follies in New Orleans and the Lido Tampa Florida. A little known fact is that Ward Hall performed at the Frisco Follies in 1950. There were burlesque clubs in just about every major city during the 20′s, 30′s, 40′s and even up to the 1950′s. The midway girl shows and Burlesque night clubs are all but gone…..however these shows can still be seen on any Sea shore beach…… and they are free.

A little stroll down the midway between shows. Some ice cream and a cigarette. In those days cigarettes were quite fashionable. Sorry to say she did die of lung cancer.

Ivan M. Henry