Gypsy Rose Lee was one of the most famous and influential burlesque performers of the 20th century. She was known for her witty and sophisticated striptease act, as well as her acting, writing, and activism. She was also the inspiration for the musical and film Gypsy, based on her memoir. But how did she die, and what legacy did she leave behind?
Early Life and Career
Gypsy Rose Lee was born Rose Louise Hovick on January 8, 1911, in Seattle, Washington. Her mother, Rose Thompson Hovick, was a domineering and ambitious stage mother who pushed her daughters, Louise and June, into show business from an early age. Louise was often overshadowed by her younger sister, who was a talented dancer and singer. Louise had to endure a childhood of constant traveling, poverty, and abuse from her mother.
When June eloped with a dancer in 1928, Louise and her mother were left to fend for themselves. They eventually found work in burlesque, a form of lowbrow entertainment that featured comedy, music, and striptease. Louise was initially reluctant to perform, but soon discovered that she had a knack for making people laugh and teasing them with her clothes. She adopted the stage name Gypsy Rose Lee and became a sensation in the burlesque circuit.
Fame and Fortune
Gypsy Rose Lee rose to fame in the 1930s and 1940s, when she performed at prestigious venues such as Minsky’s Burlesque in New York and the New Amsterdam Theatre on Broadway. She also appeared in films, such as Stage Door Canteen (1943) and Belle of the Yukon (1944), and wrote a mystery novel, The G-String Murders (1941), which was adapted into a film starring Barbara Stanwyck. She was admired for her intelligence, humor, and elegance, and was friends with celebrities such as Orson Welles, H. L. Mencken, and Salvador Dali.
Gypsy Rose Lee was also a social activist and a supporter of various causes, such as labor rights, civil rights, and animal welfare. She was involved in the formation of the American Guild of Variety Artists, a union for performers, and donated money to the Spanish Civil War relief efforts. She also hosted a radio show, The Gypsy Rose Lee Show, where she interviewed guests and discussed current affairs.
Personal Life and Death
Gypsy Rose Lee was married three times, but none of her marriages lasted. Her first husband was Robert Mizzy, a comedian, whom she married in 1937 and divorced in 1941. Her second husband was Alexander Kirkland, an actor, whom she married in 1942 and divorced in 1944. Her third husband was Julio de Diego, a painter, whom she married in 1948 and divorced in 1955. She had one son, Erik Lee Preminger, whom she had with Otto Preminger, a film director, in 1944.
Gypsy Rose Lee died of lung cancer on April 26, 1970, in Los Angeles, California. She was 59 years old. She was cremated and her ashes were scattered over the Pacific Ocean. She left behind a legacy of being one of the most influential and iconic figures in the history of burlesque and American entertainment.
