Gypsy Rose Lee was an American burlesque entertainer, stripper, actress, author, playwright and vedette famous for her striptease act. Her 1957 memoir was adapted into the 1959 stage musical Gypsy.
Lee in 1956
Gypsy Rose Lee in Los Angeles, c. 1937
Gypsy Rose Lee in 1956
Grave of Gypsy Rose Lee at Inglewood Park Cemetery (with wrong year of birth)
A vedette is the main female artist of a show derived from cabaret and its subcategories of revue, vaudeville, music hall or burlesque. The purpose of the vedette is to entertain and captivate the public. Vedettes are expected to sing, dance and act on stage. Particularly accomplished artistes are considered super vedettes or first vedettes. Vedettes often appear alongside groups of dancers, flashy and revealing costumes, magicians, comedians, jugglers, or even performing animals. Vedettes specializing in burlesque generally do striptease and may also perform nude on stage.
Le Lido of Paris
Mistinguett at the Moulin Rouge
La Bella Otero in an 1894 Folies Bergère poster
Rosita Rodrigo (El Gráfico, 1920)