American Rose: A Nation Laid Bare: The Life and Times of Gypsy Rose Lee (55 page)

31
“It was safe”: Author’s interview with June Havoc, March 2008.

32
“Ten percent”: Lee,
Gypsy
, 20.

33
“What are you getting?”: Gilbert, 230.

34
William Morris: Ibid., 226.

35
“It’s a wonder”: Author’s interview with June Havoc, 2008.

36
“A horse on you!”: Ibid.

37
“You keep the change”: Ibid.

38
fleeting and temporary “uncles”: Havoc,
More Havoc
, 174.

39
“What are you doing here?”: Author’s interview with June Havoc, June 2008.

40
first pangs of shame: Ibid.

41
“I’ll never forget”: Ibid.

42
Murray Gordon Edelston: World War I Draft Registration Card, 1917–1918, Franklin County, Ohio; Roll 1832026; Draft Board: 2.

43
a child nearly the same age: Ibid.

44
“I lost their father”: Lee,
Gypsy
, 23.

45
“I’m Baby June”: Ibid.

46
“I hate him”: Author’s interview with June Havoc, March 2008; Series VI, Box 42, Folder 4, Gypsy Rose Lee Papers, BRTD.

1
“If you cry”: Havoc,
More Havoc
, 269.

2
“talked about the things”: Author’s interview with June Havoc, 2008.

3
“original juke box voice”: June Havoc to Gypsy Rose Lee (undated), Series I, Box 2, Folder 12, Gypsy Rose Lee papers, BRTD.

4
“I interviewed Leslie Howard”: Rodgers, O’Hara, and Hart, 86–88 (I abbreviated the lyrics here).

5
She begins sobbing: Author’s interview with June Havoc, March 2008.

6
“You always stopped the show”: June Havoc, interview with Laura Jacobs, 2002.

7
“It wasn’t hilarious”: Ibid.

8
“I … I didn’t think”: Havoc,
More Havoc
, 226.

9
“Well, you see, June”: Ibid., 227.

10
“Men yelling, ‘Take it off’ ”: June Havoc, interview with Laura Jacobs, 2002.

11
Gypsy breaks the news: Tippins, 138.

1
“Puritanism: the haunting fear”: Fessenden, Radel, and Zaborowska, 267.

2
“Ya know”: Minsky and Machlin, 32–33.

3
They planned to advertise: Robert C. Allen, 231–232.

4
more motor vehicles than horses: Ellis, 509.

5
J. Montgomery Flagg’s:
The New York Times
, May 20, 1917.

6
“The First Fifty”:
The New York Times
, May 18, 1917.

7
“Booze or coal?”: Lerner, 29.

8
City Hall bowed:
The New York Times
, November 2, 1917.

9
“a fascinating cross”: Series I, Box 4, Folder 2, Gypsy Rose Lee Papers, BRTD.

10
he worked to cultivate: Hirsch,
The Boys from Syracuse
, 13, 17, 69.

11
Billy Minsky considered him: Undated clipping, Burlesque Clippings Files, Museum of the City of New York.

12
“The people must be amused”:
The New York Times
, November 4, 1917.

13
a sad parade: Minsky and Machlin, 33.

14
Herbert took over “culture”: Ibid., 49.

15
credit to “Will” Shakespeare:
Orlean
(N.Y.)
Evening Times
, December 19, 1925.

16
“plenty of short girls”:
The New York Times
, September 4, 1927.

17
“No name in the history”: Cantor, Freedman, and Johnson, 53.

18
Nude Descending a Staircase:
Charyn, 46.

19
“One type is missing”: Florenz Ziegfeld, “How I Pick Beauties,”
Theatre Magazine
, September 1919; Florenz Ziegfeld, “Picking Out Pretty Girls for the Stage,”
American Magazine
, December 1919.

20
“energetic Amazon”:
Variety
, April 12, 1928.

21
“censorless ginger”: Ziedman, 122.

22
“The Minsky brothers”: Minsky and Machlin, 34.

23
“If people want it”: Ibid.

24
He hadn’t invented: Alexander, 17.

25
having lost his virginity: John S. Sumner,
Half and Half: Somewhat Autobiographical
, 42–44, John Saxton Sumner Papers, Wisconsin Historical Society.

26
Haymarket “resort”: Ibid.;
The New York Times
, July 30, 1902.

27
“died of joy”: Alva Johnston, “Contented Crusader,”
The New Yorker
, February 20, 1937.

28
Two years prior: Shteir,
Striptease
, 93.

29
“I have never before”: Minsky and Machlin, 35.

30
“Have your men drop in”: Ibid.

31
a “Boston”: Robert C. Allen, 247.

1
“Michael Todd was the toughest”: Author’s interview with June Havoc, June 2008.

2
“cruelly”:
Hagerstown
(Md.)
Daily Mail
(AP report), January 28, 1941;
The New York Times
, January 28, 1941.

3
“obscene and abusive language”: Ibid.

4
“I never try”: J. P. McEvoy, “More Tease Than Strip,”
Reader’s Digest
, July 1941.

5
“Did you ever hold”: Ibid.

6
“I’ll do my specialty”: Gypsy Rose Lee to Lee Wright, January 20, 1941, Gypsy Rose Lee scrapbooks, Reel 1, Gypsy Rose Lee Papers, BRTD.

7
“I’m delighted to hear”: George Davis to Gypsy Rose Lee, January 15, 1941, Series I, Box 3, Folder 2, Gypsy Rose Lee Papers, BRTD.

8
“I think it very funny”: George Davis to Gypsy Rose Lee, undated but circa December 1940, Series I, Box 3, Folder 2, Gypsy Rose Lee Papers, BRTD.

9
“Darling, I reread”: Michael Todd to Gypsy Rose Lee, undated, Series I, Box 3, Folder 8, Gypsy Rose Lee Papers, BRTD.

10
“My father was unavoidably detained”: Cohn, 107.

11
making $55,000 per week: Todd, Jr., 70.

12
Bertha Todd bursts into: Preminger, 58.

13
She has her superstitions: Ibid., 14–15.

1
“Forty-five weeks of two shows”: Tucker, 54.

2
Birth certificates were forged: “Gypsy Rose Lee: Naked Ambition,” A&E
Biography
, directed by Jeff Swimmer, 1999.

3
“We never saw or heard”: Author’s interview with June Havoc, June 2008.

4
no salary for the boys: Lee,
Gypsy
, 25.

5
One singer, from Shamokin, Pennsylvania: Lee,
Gypsy
, 24; Havoc,
Early Havoc
, 126 (Gypsy’s memoir says Sonny was from Shenandoah, Pennsylvania; June’s, Shamokin, Pennsylvania).

6
Sonny Sinclair: 1924 Vaudeville Programs, Series V, Box 41, Folder 4, Gypsy Rose Lee Papers, BRTD.

7
“The disease is incurable”: Havoc,
Early Havoc
, 127.

8
“He fondled her”: June Havoc, interview with Laura Jacobs, 2002.

9
chewing the animals’ food: Lee,
Gypsy
, 127.

10
“It’s a wonder”: Ibid., 24.

11
“The toothbrush,” June said: Havoc,
Early Havoc
, 121.

12
“Why, they are only”: Ibid., 223.

13
trench mouth: Ibid.

14
a gold pendant: Author’s interview with June Havoc, March 2008.

15
“special” bars and restaurants and hotels: Ibid.

16
“Tough on Black Asses”: “Vaudeville,” a PBS
American Masters
special, 1997.

17
They met a performer: Story from June Havoc, as told to Tana Sibilio.

18
booking for $750 per week: Lee,
Gypsy
, 26.

19
no profane language: Series V, Box 41, Folder 2, Gypsy Rose Lee Papers, BRTD.

20
“licorice buttons”: Havoc,
Early Havoc
, 132.

21
Mumshay was one: Lee,
Gypsy
, 127.

22
Sambo, perished after: Havoc,
Early Havoc
, 133–134.

23
“imitation children”: Ibid., 131.

24
“She needs a lesson”: Havoc,
More Havoc
, 208.

25
Chaz Chase: “Vaudeville,” a PBS
American Masters
special, 1997.

26
Hadji Ali: Ibid.

27
“The Human Fish”: Gilbert, 53–54.

28
a “cat piano”: Ibid., 58. Though Gilbert claims that the vaudevillian who performed the “cat piano” actually pulled live cats’ tails, this is unlikely; such a cruel act would not have gone over in family-friendly vaudeville houses. There was also a black-and-white Terrytoon cartoon called “Farmer Alfalfa’s Barnyard Amateurs” that featured a “cat piano” and was popular screen fare in vaudeville houses. (November 2008 e-mail exchange with Frank Cullen, Director of the American Vaudeville Museum.)

29
Lady Alice: Author’s interview with June Havoc, March 2008.

30
“insurance”: “Vaudeville,” a PBS
American Masters
special, 1997.

31
“kids,” June said: Author’s interview with June Havoc, March 2008.

32
It meant something when Martin Beck: Wertheim, 65.

33
Sarah Bernhardt at the New York Palace: Gilbert, 6.

34
“sophisticated little miss”:
Wisconsin State Journal
, October 27, 1922.

35
“Pavlova’s Own”: Ibid.

36
“the greatest juvenile”:
Orlean
(N.Y.)
Evening Herald
, December 28, 1922.

37
“I have seen and talked”: Undated clipping from one of June Havoc’s scrapbooks, June Havoc Collection, Boston University.

38
Dainty June dabbled:
Minnesota Daily Star
, March 12, 1924, Gypsy Rose Lee scrapbooks, Reel 1, Gypsy Rose Lee Papers, BRTD.

39
Dainty June and Company would soon: Passport application: Department of Washington State passport, no. 513399, issued February 1925.

40
“She is the most tender-hearted”:
Wisconsin State Journal
, October 27, 1922.

41
“I love everybody”: Ibid.

42
a patent: Researcher Carolyn Quinn checked the Library of Congress for the “Dainty June” patent and found none on record.

43
she once taught acting: Undated clipping from one of June Havoc’s scrapbooks, June Havoc Collection, Boston University.

44
She had designed it herself: Series VI, Box 42, Folder 4, Gypsy Rose Lee Papers, BRTD.

45
“You know I wouldn’t pay”: Lee,
Gypsy
, 27.

46
grouch bag: Havoc,
Early Havoc
, 136.

47
“The Developer of Children”:
Wisconsin State Journal
, October 27, 1922.

48
“We started fixing our room”: Elizabeth B. Peterson, “Education for a Home Girl—Surprising Slant on Gypsy Rose Lee,” undated, Gypsy Rose Lee scrapbooks, Reel 3, Gypsy Rose Lee Papers, BRTD.

49
“I just can’t stand it”: Lee,
Gypsy
, 42. June Havoc insists that Gypsy never slept with boys on the train (June Havoc, interview with Laura Jacobs, 2002).

50
“These child slaves”: Stein, 143.

51
“They won’t make me talk”: Lee,
Gypsy
, 45.

52
“GO IMMEDIATELY TO MASTER”: Series V, Box 41, Folder 3, Gypsy Rose Lee Papers, BRTD.

53
“SEATTLE WASH”: Ibid.

54
“character, skill, and experience”:
Wisconsin State Journal
, October 27, 1922.

55
They listened as she read: June Havoc, interview with Laura Jacobs, 2002.

56
“See for Yourself” field trips: Havoc,
Early Havoc
, 180.

57
“hideously” thin arms: Ibid., 181.

58
“gauche”: Ibid.

59
at least $25,000: Havoc,
Early Havoc
, 136.

60
“It’s a trillion dollars, I bet”: Series VI, Box 42, Folder 4, Gypsy Rose Lee Papers, BRTD.

61
“Where did you children get those?”: Lee,
Gypsy
, 49.

62
“How dare you?”: Ibid., 51.

63
posing as Miss Thompson:
Gypsy Rose Lee: Naked Ambition
, documentary, 1999.

64
“The Duchess”: Laura Jacobs, “Taking It
All
Off,”
Vanity Fair
, March 2003.

65
“I’m going to marry”: June Havoc, interview with Laura Jacobs, 2002.

66
“Money”: Havoc,
More Havoc
, 253

67
“playing to the haircuts”: “Vaudeville,” a PBS
American Masters
special, 1997.

68
One of their programs: Series V, Box 41, Folder 2, Gypsy Rose Lee Papers, BRTD.

69
he performed before:
The Daily Freeman
(Kingston, N.Y.), August 28, 1923.

70
skit done in blackface:
The Daily Freeman
(Kingston, N.Y.), August 24, 1923.

71
Another boy’s solo:
Capital Times
(Madison, Wisc.), February 25, 1924.

72
Louise displayed a flair: Gypsy Rose Lee scrapbooks, 1924, Reel 1, Gypsy Rose Lee Papers, BRTD.

73
“Won’t You Be My Husband?”:
Stevens Point
(Wisc.)
Daily Journal
, June 16, 1922.

74
“Dainty June and Company”:
Wisconsin State Journal
, November 26, 1922.

75
first nervous breakdown: Author’s interview with June Havoc, June 2008; Havoc,
More Havoc
, 27.

76
Franklin Delano Roosevelt: Murphy, 245–249.