Gypsy Rose Lee was a legendary burlesque entertainer, stripper, and vedette who captivated audiences with her witty and sophisticated striptease act. She was also an actress, author, and playwright, whose 1957 memoir was adapted into the 1959 stage musical Gypsy. But behind her glamorous persona, there was a dark and troubled life that led to her untimely death.
Early Life and Career
Gypsy Rose Lee was born as Rose Louise Hovick on January 8, 1911, in Seattle, Washington. She was the daughter of Rose Thompson Hovick, a domineering and ambitious stage mother who pushed her daughters into show business from an early age. Her sister, June Havoc, was a child star who performed as a toe dancer in vaudeville. Gypsy was often left behind as a secondary act, and received little education or affection from her mother.
When June eloped with a dancer in 1928, Gypsy and her mother were left without a source of income. They moved to New York City, where Gypsy found work in burlesque theaters. She soon discovered that she could make more money by stripping than by singing or dancing. She developed a unique style of striptease that emphasized the tease rather than the strip, and incorporated humor, intelligence, and elegance into her act. She also changed her name to Gypsy Rose Lee, inspired by her love of roses and the Romani people.
Gypsy Rose Lee became a sensation in the burlesque circuit, and later moved on to perform in nightclubs, Broadway, Hollywood, and television. She was admired for her beauty, charm, and wit, and became friends with celebrities such as Orson Welles, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and H. L. Mencken. She also wrote two mystery novels, The G-String Murders and Mother Finds a Body, and a memoir, Gypsy: A Memoir, which revealed her turbulent relationship with her mother and her sister.
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 was diagnosed with lung cancer in 1969, and underwent surgery to remove part of her right lung. She continued to work and perform until her condition worsened. She died on April 26, 1970, in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 59. She was cremated and her ashes were scattered over the Pacific Ocean, according to her wishes.
Gypsy Rose Lee was a remarkable woman who rose from poverty and obscurity to fame and fortune. She was a pioneer of burlesque, a talented writer, and a cultural icon. She left behind a legacy of art, humor, and courage that continues to inspire generations of performers and fans.