I graduated from Iowa State in May of 1953 and went to my first duty station, the USS Gainard DD706 in Newport RI, by train via Chicago. There I and my colleagues went to Minsky’s Burlesque at the Rialto Theater and as I recall the headliner was Gypsy Rose Lee. After the normal burlesque fare, her (or her impersonator’s) closing act was poised and left a lot to the imagination.
At that time I felt I had witnessed the end of an era and that was confirmed by the closing of that venue shortly thereafter. In past years I marveled at the last glimpse oportunity that represented. She was a class act and didn’t stoop to the tawdry, bump and grind routine. At 21 years of age, while I was somewhat disappointed, I had great respect for her artistry. Last evening in Boise I attended “Gypsy” at the Morrison Center and that brought back these almost forgotten memories.
I graduated from Iowa State in May of 1953 and went to my first duty station, the USS Gainard DD706 in Newport RI, by train via Chicago. There I and my colleagues went to Minsky’s Burlesque at the Rialto Theater and as I recall the headliner was Gypsy Rose Lee. After the normal burlesque fare, her (or her impersonator’s) closing act was poised and left a lot to the imagination.
At that time I felt I had witnessed the end of an era and that was confirmed by the closing of that venue shortly thereafter. In past years I marveled at the last glimpse oportunity that represented. She was a class act and didn’t stoop to the tawdry, bump and grind routine. At 21 years of age, while I was somewhat disappointed, I had great respect for her artistry. Last evening in Boise I attended “Gypsy” at the Morrison Center and that brought back these almost forgotten memories.