Fireside Guide
We’ve compiled a list of classic pin-up and burlesque reads and films for those cozy winter nights.
Must See Films for the Vintage Minded:
Lady of Burlesque (1943) Starring Barbara Stanwyck, a burlesque murder mystery based on “The G-String Murders” written by Gypsy Rose Lee herself
Gilda (1946) Stars Rita Hayworth, one of the most famous pin-ups of WWII, who whispers the line- “I can never get a zipper to close. Maybe that stands for something.”
Dinner at Eight (1933) Ah, New York Socialites and their dinner parties! An all star cast including Jean Harlow.
Gypsy (1962) Based on the life of burlesque legend Gypsy Rose Lee
Guys and Dolls (1955) There’s a reason this one of the most famous comedic musicals of all time. Features Frank Sinatra and Marlon Brando, and the delightful “Hot Box Girls”
Ziegfeld Follies (1945) A film tribute to the great Ziegfeld, packed with astounding acts and top-notch performers.
A Night at the Opera (1935) The Marx Brothers at their finest
Dita Von Teese at the Crazy Horse: Paris (2009) The notorious Dita in all her glamour & spectacle at her recent live Parisian show.
Our 2009 Fireside Guide featured: Some Like It Hot (Marilyn Monroe), I’m No Angel (Mae West), and A Wink and a Smile(Indigo Blue)
Must Read Books:
No Applause, Just Throw Money: The Book that Made Vaudeville Famous, Trav S.D.
Bombshell: The Life and Death of Jean Harlow, David Stenn
The Bare Truth: Stars of Burlesque From the ’40s and ’50s, Len Rothe
Burlesque and the New Bump-n-Grind, Michelle Baldwin
The Burlesque Handbook, Jo Weldon
Complicated Women: Sex and Power in Pre-Code Hollywood, Mick LaSalle
Pretty Things: The Last Generation of American Burlesque Queens, Liz Goldwyn