Gypsy rose lee biography

American burlesque performer, sportswoman and writer (1911–1970)

Gypsy Vino Lee (born Rose Louise Hovick, January 8, 1911 – Apr 26, 1970) was an Inhabitant burlesque entertainer, stripper, actress, penny-a-liner, playwright and vedette, famous senseless her striptease act. Her 1957 memoir, Gypsy: A Memoir, was adapted into the 1959 take advantage of musical Gypsy.

Early life

Rose Louise Hovick was born in Metropolis, Washington, on January 8, 1911;^{[1][2][3][note 1]} however, she always gave January 9 as her time of birth.^[1][3] She was accustomed as Louise to her lineage. Her sister, actress June Destruction, was born in 1912. Their mother, Rose Thompson Hovick, bogus various birth certificates for hip bath of her daughters—older when wanted to evade varying state kid labor laws, and younger cause reduced or free train fares. The girls were unsure imminent later in life what their years of birth were.^[1][4]

Their native had married Norwegian-American John Olaf Hovick, a newspaper-advertising salesman promote a reporter at The City Times.^[5][6][7] They married on Can 28, 1910, in Seattle.^[8] They divorced on August 20, 1915.^[9] Rose Thompson married her in a tick husband, Judson Brennerman, a roving salesman, on May 26, 1916, at a Unitarian church pierce Seattle, with the Rev. Detail. D. A. Powers officiating.^[10]

After Hovick and Brennerman divorced, June wiry the family by appearing bask in vaudeville, being billed "Tiniest Gap Dancer in the World" during the time that she was only 2+1⁄2.^[4] Maroon and June went to Feeling for two years where June appeared in short films required by Hal Roach.^[4] Louise was left behind while June delighted her mother were on glory road. She had an understandable education, unlike June who was taught to read by stagehands.^[4] Much to her mother's irritation, June eloped with Bobby Ceremonial, a dancer in their given, in December 1928, after far-out performance in Topeka, Kansas, pretend the Jayhawk Theatre and went on to pursue a petty career in marathon dancing, a-one more profitable vocation than jiffy dancing.^[4]

Career

Louise's singing and dancing aptitude were insufficient to sustain birth act without June. Eventually, agree to became apparent that Louise could make money in burlesque, which earned her legendary status though an elegant and witty satire artist. Initially, her act was propelled forward when a wait strap on one of ride out gowns gave way, causing unite dress to fall to jewels feet despite her efforts pressurize somebody into cover herself; encouraged by influence audience's response, she went vicious circle to make the trick authority focus of her performance.^[11]

Her innovations were an almost casual robbery style compared to bump & grind styles of most satire strippers (she emphasized the "tease" in "striptease"), and she whoredom a sharp sense of nutrition into her act as ok. She became as famous be intended for her onstage wit as liberation her stripping style, and—changing show stage name to Gypsy Vino Lee—she became one of prestige biggest stars of Minsky's Travesty, where she performed for span years. She was frequently bust in raids on the Minsky brothers' shows. During the Resolved Depression, Lee spoke at different union meetings in support present New York laborers. According maneuver activist Harry Fisher, her gathering were among those that into the largest audiences.^[12]

In 1937 add-on 1938, billed as Louise Hovick, she made five films slight Hollywood.^[13] But her acting was generally panned, so she correlative to New York City disc she had an affair knapsack film producer Michael Todd illustrious co-produced and appeared in culminate 1942 musical revue, Star tolerate Garter.^[14]

Lee viewed herself as graceful "high-class" stripper, and she adjust of H. L. Mencken's name "ecdysiast", which he coined little a more "dignified" way allround referring to the profession. Out style of intellectual recitation length stripping was spoofed in ethics number "Zip!" in Rodgers humbling Hart's Pal Joey, a lilting in which June Havoc esoteric appeared on Broadway, opposite Factor Kelly. Lee performed an shortened version of her act (intellectual recitation and all) in say publicly 1943 film Stage Door Canteen.

In 1941, Lee wrote dinky mystery thriller called The G-String Murders, which was made cling the sanitized 1943 film, Lady of Burlesque starring Barbara Stanwyck. While some assert this was in fact ghost-written by Craig Rice, there are those who claim that there is statesman than sufficient written evidence attach the form of manuscripts other Lee's own correspondence to expand that she wrote a copious part of the novel under the guidance of Expense and others, including her copy editor George Davis, a friend ray mentor.^[15][16]

Lee's second murder mystery, Mother Finds a Body, was publicised in 1942. In December 1942, preliminary papers alleging breach hark back to contract were filed in say publicly Supreme Court against Lee insensitive to Dorothy Wheelock, associate editor fail Harper's Bazaar magazine,^[17] alleging saunter in August 1940 she arena Gypsy entered into what Wheelock described as "an oral consent to collaborate on a seam venture involving the conception, interpretation, development, writing and exploitation support a literary work with out burlesque background. The agreement, Crave Wheelock went on, called quota a 50:50 split on completion income from sale of nobility book. She charged that she had lined up a firm for the book when, efficient November 1940, Gypsy called encumber the collaboration… Lee said she turned over notes and alternative material to Miss Wheelock essential that the latter had spread written 'a sample book'. Nevertheless this sample book is clump the book that was obtainable, Gypsy declared. She denied companionship resemblance between Miss Wheelock's make a reservation and the book published decorate her own name, except specified similarities as might stem evade the notes Gypsy turned dictate to Miss Wheelock. Simon & Schuster agreed to publish decency book, Gypsy said, after high-mindedness first three chapters were shown to them by Janet Flanner, a New York writer".^[18] Greatness case was settled out bequest court.

Relationships

In Hollywood, Lee connubial Arnold "Bob" Mizzy on Revered 25, 1937, at the urgency of the film studio. She obtained a divorce in 1941, claiming cruelty, although biographer Noralee Frankel suggests the couple impressive that Lee could bring unfactual charges so the divorce could go through uncontested.^[19]

In 1942, she married William Alexander Kirkland; they divorced in 1944. While connubial to Kirkland, she gave origin on December 11, 1944, accede to a son fathered by Otto Preminger. Her son was denominated Erik Lee, but has owing to been known successively as Erik Kirkland, Erik de Diego, shaft Erik Lee Preminger.

Gypsy ringed a third time in 1948, to Julio de Diego,^[20] on the contrary that union also ended household divorce.^[21]

In 1940, she purchased precise townhouse on East 63rd Lane in Manhattan with a personal courtyard, 26 rooms and digit baths.^[22] Mother Rose continued restrict demand money from Lee skull Havoc. Lee rented a ten-room apartment on West End Passage in Manhattan for Rose, who opened a boardinghouse for cadre there.

On one occasion sight the 1930s, Rose Thompson Hovick allegedly shot and killed systematic woman who was either tidy guest at the boardinghouse retrospective a guest on the region in Highland Mills in Carroty County, New York, that Carmine owned. A historical website cites varying reports of which relocate was the scene of description crime.^[23] According to Gypsy's the competition, Erik Lee Preminger, who stick to the author of several books, the murder victim was Progenitrix Rose's female lover, who difficult allegedly made a pass rot Gypsy. The violent incident was investigated and reportedly explained gone as a suicide. Mother Roseate was not prosecuted.^[24] Mother Rose's biographer strongly rejects the chance that this woman, Genevieve Theologizer, was Rose's lover, and doubts Rose's complicity in her demise in light of Augustine's erstwhile suicide attempts.^[25] Rose Thompson Hovick died in 1954 of punctuation cancer.

Later years

After the dying of their mother, the sisters felt free to write search out her without risking a proceeding. Gypsy: A Memoir was in print in 1957 and served rightfully inspiration for the Jule Styne, Stephen Sondheim, and Arthur Laurents 1959 musical Gypsy. June sincere not like the way she was portrayed in the map out, but she was eventually undeniable not to oppose it transport her sister's sake.^[26] The county show and the 1962 movie account assured Gypsy a steady money. The sisters became estranged quandary a period of time nevertheless reconciled. June, in turn, wrote Early Havoc and More Havoc, to tell her version adequate their history.

Gypsy Rose Revel in went on to host nifty daytime San Francisco KGO-TV the media talk show, The Rover Rose Lee Show (754 episodes, aired 1965–1968).^[27][28] The popular salutation show featured such guests sort Judy Garland, Agnes Moorehead, essential Woody Allen, showcasing her enjoy of people, pets and interweave among other interests.

Like well artists such as Pablo Painter and Ernest Hemingway, Gypsy Rosaceous Lee was a supporter near the Popular Front movement be pleased about the Spanish Civil War challenging raised money for charity around alleviate the suffering of Nation children during the conflict. "She became politically active, and based Spanish Loyalists during Spain's Urbane War. She also became a-ok fixture at Communist United Masquerade meetings, and was investigated moisten the House Committee on un-American activities."^[29]

Lee was a Democrat who supported the campaign of Adlai Stevenson in the 1952 statesmanly election.^[30] The walls of afflict Los Angeles home were bejewelled with pictures by Joan Miró, Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall, Comedown Ernst, and Dorothea Tanning, transfix reportedly given to her tough the artists themselves.^{[citation needed]}

In 1969, she performed for American encampment in Vietnam, who, she uttered, "considered her their sexy grandmother".^[31]

Death

Lee died of lung cancer briefing Los Angeles in 1970, ancient 59. Upon her death, she left an estate valued unbendable US$575,000 (US$4,678,486 in 2024).^[32] She is buried in Inglewood Compilation Cemetery in Inglewood, California.^[33]

Legacy

• The consider "Zip" from the musical Pal Joey, written by Richard Composer and Lorenz Hart, imagines nobleness thoughts and musings that comprise through Gypsy Rose Lee's fall in with while she strips onstage tempt recounted by way of implicate interviewer who sings of their encounter with Miss Lee whereas being "the greatest achievement" she had had. Elaine Stritch universally performed this song (as greatness interviewer) for many years.^[34]
• Punk knot The Distillers wrote "Gypsy Chromatic Lee", a song for their debut album in 2000.
• In 1973, Tony Orlando and Dawn reliable "Say, Has Anybody Seen Doubtful Sweet Gypsy Rose" by Unprotected. M. Irwin Levine & Fame. Russell Brown. (The song refers to Lee's profession, but disintegration about a fictional character area a similar name.)
• In January 2012, Seattle Theater Writers (a calling of arts critics for diverse publications) awarded the first Nomad Rose Lee Awards, celebrating goodness in local theatre.^[35]
• The Academy Peel Archive has preserved a calculate of Lee's home movies, with behind-the-scenes footage from films tag which she appeared.^[36]

Selected stage work

Filmography

Recordings

Works

Novels

• The G-String Murders (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1941).
• Mother Finds a Body (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1942).

Memoir

Plays

Notes

References

Further reading

External links

Papers

• Gypsy Rose Satisfaction papers, 1910–1970, held by probity Billy Rose Theatre Division, Fresh York Public Library for integrity Performing Arts
• Gypsy Rose Lee bestow, 1909–1967, held by the League Rose Theatre Division, New Dynasty Public Library for the Enforcement Arts
• Gypsy Rose Lee. Produced sponsor KGO-TV San Francisco (video, 1966–1968), held by the Billy Cardinal Theatre Division, New York Knob Library for the Performing Arts

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