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Stage Name |
Birth Name |
Gypsy Rose Lee |
Rose Louise Hovick |
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Gypsy Rose Lee, the legendary woman who told the police during a raid at the famous Minsky's burlesque house, "I wasn't naked. I was completely covered by a blue spotlight." was known as "The most publicized women in the world". Gypsy Rose Lee was one of the most famous strippers of all time. She received more free press than anyone in the business. Was also a movie actress and Author.
She first came on the scene as a child when
she and her sister June
Hovick in a small time act called "Dainty June and her newsboy songsters."
and later "Madame Rose and her dancing daughters." Later Gypsy would
have her own dancing act called "Rose Louise and Her Hollywood Blondes."
June |
would later become a Champion
Marathon dancer and Hollywood Movie Actress. Gypsy learned her craft from Burlesque
dancer "Tessie the Tassle Twirler" and made her debut on October 6th
in Kansas City, MO.
H.K. Minsky would spot her and make her a featured performer
at his famous New York club. While in New York she became the toast of the town
while working at the Irving Place Theater, eventually working her way uptown
to become a
Ziegfeld girl in "Hot Cha". The last Ziegfeld Follies had her
as a featured performer. Her first legitimate role was in "I Must Love
Someone" and a summer theater tour of the play "Burlesque." She
was the star of Michael Todd's "Streets of Paris," along with "Theater
Cafe, Gay New Orleans and Star and Garter".
When she started her Movie career, she was urged to use her
real name Louis Hovick. Gypsy also an accomplished writer wrote books such as
"The G-string Murders" and "Mother Finds a Body (1944)."
Gypsy's mother (Rose Hovick) was also a Burlesque dancer as well, and her sister
June
Hovac (Stage spelling) became a World Champion Marathon
dancer, who turned movie actress and author.
Gypsy had a son by the name of Erik Lee Priminger in 1945 who was twelve years of age when she retired as a stripper at the young age of 42. However she still wrote and appeared in plays and Films under the name of Rose Louise Hovick.
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