#2 Gypsy Rose Lee was born as Rose Louise Havoc. She became "Gypsy" at 15 and started her career in burlesque as a "literary stripper" reciting humorous lines, telling elaborate jokes and not revealing much skin until the end of her act. Her first official striptease was at the Gayety Theater in Toledo, Ohio.
I went to see Gypsy Rose with some friends. We were in our late teens. This "coming of age" outing would have been in the mid to late 1950s. She was truly the queen of burlesque. She had mastered the art of the tease in striptease. As she got towards the end of her act, the lights went to blue and dimmed as I recall. Gypsy made a few movies and was also an author--a brainy woman.
Of course we all went to see Gypsy to enjoy the literary readings and stories. |
