Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Gypsy Rose Lee

I really love vintage burlesque (the glamour and such) and what is more vintage burlesque than Gypsy Rose Lee? Here are some beautiful photos behind the scenes at a show in 1949.



Gypsy Rose Lee (born Ellen June Hovick in Seattle in 1911) was best known for being a burlesque star, although she also dabbled in writing and acting. Many in modern day burlesque (like Dita Von Tease) cite her as inspiration and as a pioneer of burlesque. I love these candid shots behind the scenes of the show. The girls lounging about, trying on costumes, they all look lovely.









Hope you enjoyed the photos!


xo,
 Em

28 comments:

  1. Oh wow, I love these!! Thank you for sharing!

    I'll confess that I've never been all that taken with burlesque (it just didn't interest me much!), but I just read a biography of Ms. Lee, "American Rose", and she was such a fascinating woman. She definitely had a very dark side, but seemed so clever; I just love that she was such a part of New York literary circles and high-culture... not bad for a stripper ;)

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  2. Thank you for sharing, I loove burlesque! And I've never even heard about Gypsy Rose Lee, thanks for introducing her!

    -Sara
    Ladylike Delicacy

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  3. I love this post! I grew up in theatre and one of my all time favorite Broadways is Gypsy! The whole burlesque feel is so glamorous and mysterious at the same time :)

    <3 Sharmaine Ruth
    underpeachtrees.blogspot.com

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  4. Wow, nice photos! I haven't heard of Gypsy Rose before, but I will definitely need to investigate her more. Thanks for sharing :)

    xx
    Kat
    rebelrousher.wordpress.com

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  5. Beautiful! Have you ever been to a Music City Burlesque or Panty Raid show here in Nashville? You'd probably love them. The old-style burlesque is pretty, but I love when the girls adapt the more modern things they love for the burlesque stage. The best show I ever saw involved a girl dressed as Andy Warhol popping out of a Campbell's Soup can to dance to the Velvet Underground. Surreal!

    <3 jen @ stuffjendid

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    1. No, I haven't but I'd really love to! Wow, that sounds like such a fun act. I almost took a burlesque class here in Nashville, but I think it's offered for beginners periodically through the year, so I might do that this fall :)

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  6. The backstage photos are even more alluring than the stage ones! It is great to see the women just as that sometimes, without that added stage persona.

    <3
    adornedinhollywoodlace.blogspot.com

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  7. Wonderful photos, I love seeing candid shots like this xx

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  8. She is so fascinating. Burlesque, in general, is fascinating. I think it's so beautiful and alluring, but I always have a hard time getting my girl friends to come with me to a show! They get so shy about it...I think they just don't understand that burlesque is nothing like a "men's club." Anyways, beautiful photos! Thanks for sharing!

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  9. Have you seen the documentary "Behind the Burly Q" (its on Netflix instant play, if you haven't). Its all about women who were contemporaries of Gypsy and their experiences in Burlesque. Its really fascinating, though I'm not sure any of these women liked Gypsy all that much... Gypsy's biography that someone mentioned above sounds interesting too.

    Thanks for sharing these.

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    1. Ohh, that sounds like something I'm gonna have to watch super soon, thanks!

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  10. Such neat photos! Thanks for sharing. I love seeing all their hairstyles and outfits. It's like a peek into another (glamorous) world.

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  11. Great photos. My dad saw Gypsy Rose Lee on stage, but I don't know how much of her he saw. He claimed he couldn't remember.

    Love,
    Janie Junebug

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  12. These photos are so intriguing and beautiful! I spied them on Life a few weeks back and bookmarked them for future reference, thinking perhaps I'd do a post with them at some point. You beat me to it though, and I'm happy you did - just love how you presented Gypsy Lee Rose here!

    ♥ Jessica

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  13. beautiful pictures :) very inspirational actually

    XOXO
    Alexandra Marie

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  14. Preciosas fotos llenas de encanto y nostalgia...

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  15. I do love Burlesque too, I go regularly and think it's fabulous. These pictures from behind the scenes are great though, they are so beautiful. Thanks for stopping by my blog.

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  16. These are gorgeous backstage shots. Kinda tickled my fancy too, as I realized from these photos that I was born in the wrong era...that's my body type right there, actually considered beautiful :)

    <3 Cambria
    jupefashion.blogspot.com

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  17. I love backstage photos, it's like looking into another world :) these are really great!

    Charlotte

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  18. these photos are beautiful. The "behind the scenes" photos are especially stunning. I'm not much of a burlesque show girl fan BUT I do think they are beautiful and love the stories behind them.
    xo,
    nancy

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  19. I read a book about Gypsy Rose Lee last year (I think it was the same title Dakota mentioned--but I can't remember for sure) and was utterly fascinated by the woman. What an interesting person--and far more than just the burlesque performer. I think what's really neat is how many decades she worked in the industry!

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  20. Hi there!! they are great photos, thanks so much for sharing and thanks for stopping by too!

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  21. Great photos! I love to see a piece of peoples lives back then! Thanks for sharing!

    -Katie

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  22. How stunning, very glamorous and cool. x

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  23. I didn't know Gypsy Rose Lee, I love these photos, so glamorous and she was amazing!
    Thank you for sharing them! Your style and blog are amazing = I follow you right now, I'm glad that you find me!
    xxxx

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  24. Not even going to lie I would LOVE to be a Burlesque dancer & a vintage one would make it so much better! xx

    {Satin&Souffles}

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  25. I love her -- really enjoyed her son's book.

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