Gypsy Rose Lee (1911–70,) born Rose Louise Hovick, was an American burlesque entertainer, actress, author, and playwright, best known for her elegant striptease act and memoir Gypsy: A Memoir (1957,) which inspired the Broadway musical Gypsy (1959.)
Born in Seattle, Washington, Lee was pushed into vaudeville by her ambitious mother, Rose Thompson Hovick. Initially performing with her sister, June Havoc, she transitioned to burlesque after June left the act, developing a sophisticated and witty striptease style that made her a star in the 1930s.
Lee became a Hollywood actress, appearing in Stage Door Canteen (1943) and Belle of the Yukon (1944.) She also wrote the mystery novels The G-String Murders (1941) and Mother Finds a Body (1942,) blending burlesque culture with crime fiction.
Her memoir Gypsy: A Memoir (1957) detailed her tumultuous upbringing and rise to fame, later adapted into Gypsy (1959) and multiple film versions. She was also active in labor rights and social causes.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Gypsy Rose Lee
Praying is like a rocking chair – it’ll give you something to do, but it won’t get you anywhere
—Gypsy Rose Lee
Topics: Prayer
Leave a Reply