By the director of the hit documentary Behind the Burly Q comes the first ever oral history of American Burlesque--as told by the performers who lived it, often speaking out here for the first time. By telling the intimate and surprising stories from its golden age through the women (and men!) who lived it, Behind the Burly Q reveals the true story of burlesque, even as it experiences a new renaissance. Burlesque was one of America's most popular forms of live entertainment in the first half of the 20th century. Gaudy, bawdy, and spectacular, the shows entertained thousands of paying customers every night of the week. And yet the legacy of burlesque is often vilified and misunderstood, left out of the history books. By telling the intimate and surprising stories from its golden age through the women (and men!) who lived it, Behind the Burly Q reveals the true story of burlesque, even as it experiences a new renaissance. Lovingly interviewed by burlesque enthusiast Leslie Zemeckis who produced the hit documentary of the same name, are former musicians, strippers, novelty acts, club owners, authors, and historians--assembled here for the first time ever to tell you just what really happened in a burlesque show. From Jack Ruby and Robert Kennedy to Abbott and Costello--burlesque touched every corner of American life. The sexy shows often poked fun at the upper classes, at sex, and at what people were willing to do in the pursuit of sex. Sadly, many of the performers have since passed away, making this their last, and often only interview. Behind the Burly Q is the definitive history of burlesque during its heyday and an invaluable oral history of an American art form. Funny, shocking, unbelievable, and heartbreaking, their stories will touch your hearts. We invite you to peek behind the curtain at the burly show. Includes dozens of never-before seen photographs: rare backstage photos and candid shots from the performers' personal collections. Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Arcade imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in history--books about World War II, the Third Reich, Hitler and his henchmen, the JFK assassination, conspiracies, the American Civil War, the American Revolution, gladiators, Vikings, ancient Rome, medieval times, the old West, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home. Leslie Zemeckis is an author, actress, and award-winning documentarian. Zemeckis wrote, directed, and produced the award-winning Bound by Flesh about Siamese twins Daisy and Violet Hilton as well as the critically acclaimed Behind the Burly Q , a definitive history of burlesque. Behind the Burly Q The Story of Burlesque in America By Leslie Zemeckis Skyhorse Publishing Copyright © 2013 Leslie Zemeckis All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-62914-496-2 Contents Foreword by Blaze Starr, Note from the Author, Cast of Characters, Introduction, Chapter 1 Welcome to the Burly Show, Chapter 2 The Reunion, Chapter 3 Six Feet of Spice, Chapter 4 Don't Tell Mama (or the Kids), Chapter 5 One Glove at a Time, Chapter 6 Circus Life, Chapter 7 Tiny Kline, Chapter 8 Those Marvelous Minskys, Chapter 9 The Peelers, Chapter 10 It's a Mad, Mad World, Chapter 11 The Straights, Chapter 12 The Tit Singer, Chapter 13 From A to C, Chapter 14 Backstage, Chapter 15 The Censors, Chapter 16 A Bump ..., Chapter 17 The Paddy Wagon, Chapter 18 Little Flower, Chapter 19 The High Cost of Stripping, Chapter 20 Family Life, Chapter 21 All You Need Is Love, Chapter 22 Florida, Chapter 23 On the Road Again, Chapter 24 Sugar Sugar, Chapter 25 Theatres, Chapter 26 Legendary Ladies, Chapter 27 Birds of a Feather, Chapter 28 You Gotta Have a Gimmick, Chapter 29 The Swinging G-String, Chapter 30 Stage Door Johnnies, Chapter 31 Money, Chapter 32 Mixing, Chapter 33 Interlude Before Evening, Chapter 34 Men Who Made Us Great, Chapter 35 The Exotic Others, Chapter 36 Pasties and More, Chapter 37 The Burly Beat, Chapter 38 The Mob, Chapter 39 Texas Justice, Chapter 40 ... And a Grind, Chapter 41 The Show Must Go On, Chapter 42 Gossip, Chapter 43 Women Who Changed Burlesque, Chapter 44 A Leap of Faith, Chapter 45 Bye, Bye Burlesque, Chapter 46 Blackout, A Burly Timeline, Burly in the Sky, Acknowledgments, Notes, Bibliography, Index, CHAPTER 1 Welcome to the Burly Show "Audiences — it was always full. Always." — Mimi Reed "They were there to have fun." — Maria Bradley on burlesque audiences It's been called a variety of names: a girlie show, burly show, tab show, vaudeville, medicine show, strip show, etc. But what was it ? Its performers, numbering in the thousands, are now forgotten, anonymous men and women who lived, breathed, and died for it. At its