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406 Archive of Lois DeFee, Burlesque Star The term “burlesque” is derived from the Italian burla, a joke, mockery, parody. The meaning has expanded since its early literary forms, and the form was applied to music and theater. American burlesque theater derives from English burlesque, and it is generally traced to the arrival on American shores of Lydia Thompson and the “British Blondes.” They were an immediate sensation, with long lines for tickets even before they arrived in 1868. Eventually British and American burlesques went their own ways, with the American form incorporating elements of minstrel shows and vaudeville, and later, cancan from France. The British form evolved into musical comedy by the turn of the 20th century. American burlesque hit its peak by 1900 and continued as a major entertainment form through the 1930s and into the war years. The focus was increasingly on exotic dancing and comedy. As Ann Corio and Joseph DiMona note in “This Was Burlesque,” (1968: 3940): Burlesque was like a rocket that got off the ground in 1900 when Sam Scribner formed the Columbia Circuit. Along the way there were some of the brightest sparks ever seen in show business – sparks that issued forth from a group of comedians whose names read like a roll call of a Hall of Fame of humor. Among them were W.C. Fields, Will Rogers, Bert Lahr, Ed Wynn, Joe E. Brown, Leon Errol, Buster Keaton, Joe Penner, Eddie Cantor, Bobby Clark, Al Jolson, Jimmy Durante, and Abbott and Costello. Burlesque was the breeding grounds for these great comics. It gave them a stage, an audience, and a chance to develop the acts, mannerisms, pantomime, or whatever made them famous. Al Jolson sang his first song in a burlesque house. Joe E. Brown was part of an acrobatic team; he had never said a word on stage or tried to be funny until he entered burlesque. …In his autobiography, [Joe E.] Brown wrote: ‘The public’s low opinion of burlesque today has caused more than one prominent star to soft-pedal his (or her) humble beginnings in the field. I am much too grateful for the things I learned in burlesque to belittle its importance in my story….’ As far as the “girls” went, the transition from dance to strip was gradual and subtle. To advertise their attractions, many of the “Burlesque Queens” had a trademark – Sally Rand’s fans, Zorita’s snakes, other “girls” used doves or parrots or even exotic furs, Lois DeFee (6’ 4”) and Ricki Covette (6’ 8”) had “stature.” Even though it was in its heyday, burlesque took a number of “hits” in this time period – two world wars, a depression, and, worst of all, Prohibition. Then many of the performers, especially actors 244
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and comedians, began moving to film and television – good for a wider audience, not as good for burlesque. By the 1950s it became strictly a strip show, and incorporated what many of the earlier stars saw as coarser elements, including what many people identify with striptease, the “bump and grind.” When asked about modern striptease, Lois once quipped: “Modern day girls are nude, lewd, and get screwed.” (Goldwyn, 244) Not so in her day. This was seldom part of early burlesque, and when it came to be expected, many of the stars, including Lois and Zorita, who (it must be admitted were also aging) retired. The earlier performances were more sensuous, more suggestive. Many of these stars of the stage are now gone, and many forgotten for their earlier roles. Only those who made it “big” in film or television tend to be remembered, which is a shame in many ways. These were the pioneers of mass entertainment. These were the ones who made the “transition.” In many respects they also crafted the forms that entertainment took in the second part of the 20th century. Born in a small town, either Missouri (passport) or Texas (Goldwin, 2006), depending on the source, Lois DeFee lost her parents early and was raised in Texas by an aunt (her father’s sister) and uncle. It was not a happy situation, and Lois began trying to run away at the age of four. She finally succeeded at 13. In her early attempts she headed west; this time she went south, and ended up in Miami. One club owner was recruiting showgirls for a stint in Cuba. Lois recalls: “Brass monkey me. I walked right in and got the job.” (Goldwyn, 239) But she was tall and probably did not appear to be barely a teenager. She would advertise her height in her heyday as a burlesque queen at 6 foot 4 inches, or thereabouts. She was a bit shorter in stocking feet, but not much. The show played in Cuba for several months. The producer discovered Lois’ lack of dancing talent, so they had her stand as a nude statue in the back of the line or parade slowly across the stage – elements that apparently became part of her later performance style. She also made lifelong friends in Cuba, including the ambassador and his wife. When the show left Cuba, it was to open in Miami. Lois missed the train stop and continued to New York. She contacted a friend of another acquaintance from Cuba, and he gave her a job as bouncer at The Dizzy Club. The job grabbed attention, including that of Walter Winchell, who also would become a friend. It was Winchell who later dubbed Lois the “Eiffel Eyeful.” In 1933, she moved to Leon & Eddie’s club on 52nd, also as a bouncer. She later recalled that she never really “bounced” anyone, but served more as a hostess and occasionally BID LIVE ONLINE AT BIDSQUARE.COM