American Rose: A Nation Laid Bare: The Life and Times of Gypsy Rose Lee (57 page)

10
a triborough bridge:
The New York Times
, December 7, 1924.

11
The area boasted: Jackson, 523–524.

12
“There’s no such thing”: Van Vechten,
Parties
, 84.

13
rent parties: Adler, 57.

14
A’Lelia Walker: Nathan Miller, 220.

15
character called “Money”: Adler, 57.

16
Sewing Machine Bertha: Caldwell, 292.

17
Madden’s No. 1: Ibid., 238.

18
no darker than “high yellow”: Kisseloff, 309–310.

19
Super Black and White Sensation:
Burlesque Clippings Files, Museum of the City of New York.

20
Lucky Sambo:
Billboard
, August 29, 1925.

21
“You got any more material?”: Minsky and Machlin, 61.

22
she was no longer Mary Dawson: South Florida
Sun-Sentinel
, April 17, 1974, Mary E. Dawson Papers, the University of Maine at Orono.

23
“Mademoiselle Fifi”: Minsky and Machlin, 74.

24
“Dear Sir”:
Variety
, September 3, 1924.

25
a queue that reached:
Variety
, September 17, 1924.

26
“gorgeous golden cape”:
Billboard
, September 13, 1924.

27
“with a few cooch movements”: Shteir,
Striptease
, 92.

28
“burlesque red hot”:
Billboard
, September 13, 1924.

29
“I address you, sir”: Barber, 35–36.

30
“Shakespeare Shimmies in His Grave”: Minsky and Machlin, 78.

31
“splendid cooperation”: Ibid., 177.

32
“Presenting the fair, the fragrant”: Ibid., 265.

33
“This is it, Feef” and scene between Billy Minsky and Mlle. Fifi: Barber, 303–311.

34
the true whereabouts: South Florida
Sun Sentinel
, April 17, 1974, Mary E. Dawson Papers, the University of Maine at Orono.

35
“pelvic contortions” and courtroom scene: Barber, 330–332.

1
“The only time”:
Gettysburg Times
, December 26, 1979.

2
until his ears “smarted”:
The Evening Huronite
(Huron, S.D.), September 30, 1943.

3
“It is not a critic’s play”:
The New York Times
, November 7, 1943.

4
threatens to file a suit: Gypsy Rose Lee to George S. Kaufman, Series VI, Box 44, Folder 8, Gypsy Rose Lee Papers, BRTD.

5
“A waterfall gets ’em”: Cohn, 145.

6
“Mike,” she writes: Gypsy Rose Lee to Michael Todd, Series VI, Box 43, Folder 11, Gypsy Rose Lee Papers, BRTD.

7
“Every time I see”:
The New York Times
, November 7, 1943.

8
“The critics will slaughter us”: Cohn, 145.

9
“I’m taking it to New York”: Ibid.

10
his pending $350,000 deal:
The New York Times
, November 7, 1943.

11
“Written by Louise Hovick”: Todd, Jr., 107.

12
“Mr. Todd,” he requests: Ibid.

13
It’s the first time: Ibid.

14
“I can sort of understand”: Quoted in Preminger, 64.

15
A gleaming gold compact: Ibid.

1
“The first hundred stares”: Frankel, 19.

2
When Grandpa was a little boy: Series VI, Box 42, Folder 4, Gypsy Rose Lee Papers, BRTD.

3
“Mother,” she said: Ibid.

4
“He can’t do this, Rose!”: Havoc,
Early Havoc
, 182–183.

5
died five days later:
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
, January 9, 1934.

6
“We’ll comb the city of Seattle”: Lee,
Gypsy
, 154.

7
The act consisted: Gypsy Rose Lee scrapbooks, 1929, Reel 1, Gypsy Rose Lee Papers, BRTD.

8
Mother sketched out prospective routines and personas: Ibid.

9
“two tiny swellings”: Lee,
Gypsy
, 156.

10
the Tuesday-night entertainment:
El Paso Herald
, April 2, 1929, Gypsy Rose Lee scrapbooks, Reel 1, Gypsy Rose Lee Papers, BRTD.

11
“a kaleidoscopic pageant”: Gypsy Rose Lee scrapbooks, 1929, Reel 1, Gypsy Rose Lee Papers, BRTD.

12
“Mother Machree”:
Tucson Daily Citizen
, Gypsy Rose Lee scrapbooks, 1929, Reel 1, Gypsy Rose Lee Papers, BRTD.

13
“in the shadow”: Havoc,
Early Havoc
, 8.

14
“It’s the same as putting”: Martin, 18.

15
visions of Jesus; another disrobed: Calabria, 77.

16
gnawed off the tops:
The New York Times
, June 23, 1928.

17
talked to imaginary friends: Calabria, 77.

18
dropped dead of heart failure: Martin, 19.

19
“complete Orpheum Circuit”: Gypsy Rose Lee scrapbooks, 1929, Reel 1, Gypsy Rose Lee Papers, BRTD.

20
Attraction Extraordinary: Ibid.

21
“Look at us, Mother”: Lee,
Gypsy
, 163.

22
“Seven Sunkist Sirens”: Gypsy Rose Lee scrapbooks, 1929, Reel 1, Gypsy Rose Lee Papers, BRTD.

23
“really and truly from Hollywood”:
Marion Daily Republican
, December 13, 1929, Gypsy Rose Lee scrapbooks, Reel 1, Gypsy Rose Lee Papers, BRTD.

24
“a number of the larger cities”: Ibid.

25
having merged:
The New York Times
, December 9, 1927.

26
“I am vaudeville”: Stewart, 252

27
Joseph Kennedy: Ibid., 253.

28
“washed up”: Gilbert, 394.

29
only five straight vaudeville theaters remained:
The New York Times
, March 17, 1929.

30
“deliciosos” and “sugestivos” numbers:
El Paso Times
, April 2, 1929, Gypsy Rose Lee scrapbooks, Reel 1, Gypsy Rose Lee Papers, BRTD.

31
“They’d never get”: Lee,
Gypsy
, 165.

32
“I am a hooker”: Ibid., 166.

33
“A dime here, a quarter there”: Ibid., 172.

34
daily expenses: Series V, Box 41, Folder 8, Gypsy Rose Lee Papers, BRTD.

35
“nothing will ever take”: Lee,
Gypsy
, 158.

36
“If it weren’t for that terrible revolution”: Ibid., 171.

37
WALL ST. LAYS AN EGG:
Variety
, October 30, 1929.

38
“Happy Vic Allen”:
Kansas City Star
, January 5, 1930.

39
“Now here’s the deal”: Lee,
Gypsy
, 176. In her memoir, Gypsy writes that they went to the Missouri Theatre, but there are no clippings in her papers from that venue. There are, however, plenty of clippings from the Gayety Theater, including one about a raid—which she cites as the reason they left Kansas City and headed for Toledo, Ohio.

40
“Burlesque!” she whispered: Lee,
Gypsy
, 178.

41
“Don’t touch me!”: Ibid., 179.

42
“Yes, it does”: Ibid., 180.

1
“How can we explain”: June Havoc, interview with Laura Jacobs, 2002.

2
“I am sorry”: June Havoc to Gypsy Rose Lee, December 1942, Series I, Box 2, Folder 9, Gypsy Rose Lee Papers, BRTD.

3
$12,500: Preminger, 63.

4
she’ll claim it was built: Ibid., 44.

5
“Of course it goes without saying”: Series II, Box 15, Folder 1, Gypsy Rose Lee Papers, BRTD.

6
“We know how well”: J. P. McEvoy, “More Tease Than Strip,”
Reader’s Digest
, July 1941.

7
“Dear Miss Hovick”: Seattle Welfare Department to Gypsy Rose Lee, November 14, 1939, Series I, Box 1, Folder 1, Gypsy Rose Lee Papers, BRTD.

8
She was an “insane person”: Aunt Belle and Big Lady to Gypsy Rose Lee, August 27, 1943, Series I, Box 1, Folder 2, Gypsy Rose Lee Papers, BRTD.

9
“I’d rather put a gun to my head”: Ibid.

10
“I can’t imagine why”: Big Lady to Rose Thompon Hovick, October 4 (year undated), Series I, Box I, Folder 7, Gypsy Rose Lee Papers, BRTD.

11
“a total state of heartache”: June Havoc, interview with Laura Jacobs, 2002.

12
“They loved each other”: Ibid.

13
“Louise dear,” she writes: Rose Thompson Hovick to Gypsy Rose Lee, December 24, 1942, Series I, Box 1, Folder 10, Gypsy Rose Lee Papers, BRTD.

14
accuse Gypsy of stopping:
Nevada State Journal
, May 13, 1943.

15
“he loves
his
mother”: Rose Thompson Hovick to Gypsy Rose Lee, December 24, 1942, Series I, Box 1, Folder 10, Gypsy Rose Lee Papers, BRTD.

16
“My life with you”: Rose Thompson Hovick to Gypsy Rose Lee (echoing threats she’d made for years), April 30, 1951, Series I, Box 1, Folder 13, Gypsy Rose Lee Papers, BRTD.

17
“every tooth in my head”: Gypsy Rose Lee to Rose Thompson Hovick, 1943, Series I, Box 1, Folder 11, Gypsy Rose Lee Papers, BRTD.

18
“be brave and try to rise”: Ibid.

19
“This isn’t a pleasure trip”: Gypsy Rose Lee to Rose Thompson Hovick, January 11, 1944, Series I, Box 1, Folder 11, Gypsy Rose Lee Papers, BRTD.

1
“Viewed in retrospect”: Adler, 57.

2
a floral horseshoe:
Billboard
, September 4, 1926.

3
the luminaries: Shteir,
Striptease
, 102.

4
“What fresh hell is this?”: Meade, xvi.

5
“Outspoken buttocks in pink beads”: Crane, 53–54.

6
“Beau Jimmy,” the “Night Mayor,” the “Jazz Mayor”: Jeffers, 132.

7
his entire wardrobe was custom-made:
The New York Times
, February 19, 1928.

8
slip an illuminated wristwatch: Charyn, 108.

9
activate the siren: Mitgang,
Once Upon a Time
, 82.

10
“Jimmy Walker’s Versailles”: Charyn, 108.

11
“Why, that’s cheap!”: Mitgang,
Once Upon a Time
, 53.

12
He forbade: Author’s interview with Ed Orzac, November 2009.

13
“presents”: Minsky and Machlin, 70.

14
“Remember what Mama says”: Ibid., 93.

15
a national sport: Phillips, 26.

16
“Hoover market”:
The New York Times
, December 2, 1928.

17
“Any day now”: Minsky and Machlin, 93.

18
dropped by dozens of points: Phillips, 30–31.

19
more than $32 billion worth: Ibid., 30–32.

1
“I only fucked”: Author’s interview with Gus Weill, former employee of Otto Preminger, July 2008.

2
“You always louse”: Hirsch,
Otto Preminger
, 4.

3
“I’m going to have a baby”: June Havoc, interview with Laura Jacobs, 2002.

4
has her stockings specially made: Havoc,
More Havoc
, 219.

5
“Hungarian Baroness”: Hirsch,
Otto Preminger
, 36.

6
“delectable Viennese manner”: Ibid., 30.

7
“sexual pleasure belonged to him”: Ibid.

8
“good lover”: Ibid.

9
“Louise dear,” she writes: Big Lady to Gypsy Rose Lee, November 24, 1944, Series I, Box 1, Folder 4, Gypsy Rose Lee Papers, BRTD.

10
Gypsy sequesters herself in Reno:
Oakland Tribune
, September 5, 1944.

11
“People here ask”: Bill Kirkland to Gypsy Rose Lee, November 6, 1944, Series I, Box 1, Folder 4, Gypsy Rose Lee Papers, BRTD.

12
“The cake and tea were good”: Frankel, 149.

13
prematurely:
Moberly
(Mo.)
Monitor-Index and Democrat
, December 13, 1944.

14
“I can support my son”: Hirsch,
Otto Preminger
, 116.

15
A radio newscast: From the diary of Rose Thompson Hovick (entries begin September 15, 1944), Series I, Box 1, Folder 11, Gypsy Rose Lee Papers, BRTD.

16
“O please God help her”: Ibid.; Series I, Box 1, Folder 10, Gypsy Rose Lee Papers, BRTD.

1
“I’m really a little prudish”: “Gypsy Rose Lee: Dowager Stripper,”
Look
, February 22, 1966.

2
“got a certain class”: Lee,
Gypsy
, 195.

3
“The quicker you forget”: Ibid., 195.

4
“a troupe a silly virgins”: Ibid., 184.

5
“all of five minutes”: Author’s interview with June Havoc, March 2008.

6
“For a kid”: Ibid., 194.

7
“I’m real”: Ibid., 196.

8
a bottom-billing girl could earn: George Davis, “Gypsy Rose Lee: The Dark Young Pet of Burlesque,”
Vanity Fair
, February 1936.

9
“Meet me round”: Lee,
Gypsy
, 205.

10
The Depression affected female workers:
The New York Times
, March 13, 1932.

11
mothers with children: Dressler, 134.

12
75 percent of performers: Zeidman, 143.

13
Each applicant endured: Dressler, 137.

14
as easy as memorizing: John Richmond, “Gypsy Rose Lee: Striptease Intellectual,”
American Mercury
, January 1941.

15
She learned that a “skull”: Lee,
Gypsy
, 196.