Not just bumps and grinds, but comedians, singers and variety acts, that's what burlesque used to be. Some called it the poor man's vaudeville it was soon replaced by Seedier forms of entertainment culminating in the "Gentleman's Clubs" which feature little more than nudity and lap dances.
Well, a few people feel burlesque can sill draw a crowd and at Manhattan's Slipper Room they are being proven right. Neo-Burlesque is slowly starting to become a recognized entertainment.
I was lucky enough to see the last vestiges of real burlesque in my home town of Dallas. Years ago, back in the 1970's there was still one small club called the Busy Bee that featured not only strippers, but variety and more. Hosted by the genial tap-dancing MC, "Uncle Willie" the show featured performers who did real striptease, not just naked dancers. These women had class and even exotic props, including Shane, who regularly danced with her pet python and Nikki whose acrobatic adagio dancing would compare with that you might see on the legitimate stage.
Alas, all that ended with the passing of Pappy Dolsen the godfather of the Dallas Nightclub scene, and the Busy Bee and Burlesque are gone. I hope his new breed of performers can resurrect this lost art and bring back the fun, class and genuine entertainment it held.
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2 comments:
Hello, I'm French and I'm looking for info about UNCLE WILLIE who begun in show business from the early Forties and who got fame in the movie SENSATIONS OF 1945 as the "shadow of Cab Calloway".
Here's a clip where you can see him at 12 :
http://youtu.be/BRnJuRPSPvQ
Did you know Uncle Willie personally? If so, do you know his real name? Any info, picture, newspaper clip about him would be of importance. I'm trying to write an article for my website dedicated to Cab Calloway and there's only a few things about the local star Uncle Willie.
Thank you very much for your reply.
Sincerely,
www.thehidehoblog.com
I did indeed know Uncle Willie. I have long forgotten his real name, but he was in his mid 50's in the early 1970's when I used to attend the shows with him as MC. He worked for the night club impresario, Pappy Dolens and appeared at the Busy Bee club on Industrial Blvd.
The clip you referenced had Breck Wall in it, I also knew Breck though briefly when he revived his "Bottom's Up" review.
Willie was a dancer and comedian and used to do several "lip sync" numbers in his routine, the most memorable was his version of "Mule Skinner" to the Rawhide Theme which was later copied by Andy Kauffman on several of his TV appearances. Not sure if Willie created it or just borrowed it from someone else.
Hope this helps.
Hardy Haberman
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