Pretty Things: The Last Generation of American Burlesque Queens

by Liz Goldwyn

“The most comprehensive study on the era of burlesque.” —V Magazine

Training her journalist’s eye on the glitter and glamour of American burlesque’s Greatest Generation, Liz Goldwyn takes readers on an enthralling tour of the original queens of the striptease. Goldwyn’s incisive expose is a retrospective of the sights and spectacles of burlesque’s golden age—and an intimate look at the women whose sexuality, ambition, and verve brought the cabaret stage to life. Today, as burlesque enters a heady resurgence worldwide—with festivals around the globe, popular books like Burlesque Fetish and The Burlesque Handbook, and even a School of Burlesque in New York City—Pretty Things offers a unique and exciting look at its formative past and its earliest heroines.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Photography, Fashion, Gender and Sexuality, Biography, Womens Studies

304 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2006

About the author

Liz Goldwyn is a writer, filmmaker, and artist living and working in Los Angeles. She is the writer and director of the documentary Pretty Things (HBO, 2005) based on her non-fiction book Pretty Things: the Last Generation of American Burlesque Queens, (HarperCollins 2006 Hardcover, 2010 Paperback). Goldwyn’s short films include Underwater Ballet (2008), LA at Night (2009), The Painted Lady (2012) and Dear Diary (2013).

Goldwyn was New York Editor of French Vogue from 2001 to 2002 and has contributed to publications including the New York Times Magazine, the Financial Times, British Vogue and C Magazine. In September 2014 she became the first guest editor of Town & Country in its’ 168-year history.

She has been commissioned as an artist and designer by M.A.C Cosmetics, Van Cleef & Arpels, Altamont Apparel, and Le Bon Marché and has created jewelry for feature films including Running With Scissors (2006).

A collector and authority on vintage clothing since the age of thirteen, Goldwyn was hired as consultant and curator for Sotheby’s newly created fashion department in 1997 while still in college.

In 2014 Goldwyn founded Vintage Vanguard with partner Karen Elson, an innovative fundraising project supporting women’s issues. Goldwyn continues her work with writing, film, and design.

Reviews

[Phil · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three stars because it does what it sets out to do, but little more. Liz Goldwyn (granddaughter of Sam Goldwyn, the G in the studio MGM) interviews retired burlesque queens and puts together a coffee table book with photos, and cuttings and flyers and stuff. It looks pretty, but the text is slight (perhaps 70 pages of sparsely set text in a 260 page book) the research is fluffy and very surface and her approach to the burlesque stars is unquestioning - eg one star, Shirley Britton, claims that another star, Zoritta, used to tape their snakes anus shut until they died and then just replaced them, because she didn’t like dealing with their excreta, and this animal cruelty charge is simply printed - Zoritta isn’t asked about it, nor is it investigated further.

So a great book if you’re looking for pretty pictures of costumes and flyers, but if you’re looking for a serious analysis of the world of burlesque, you’re better heading elsewhere.

[Christine]

This book has some great pictures and is really inspiring me as far as costume design and such go, but I don't think it's very well written. I feel like the author draws too much attention to herself. Especially when there happen to be burlesque-y posing photos of her in the beginning and extensive photos of her burlesque memorabilia. Like I don't know. Liz Goldwyn is great-grand-daughter of Samuel Goldwyn, who is major motion picture royalty or something and while I do my best to not judge or draw conclusions (don't laugh) it really does seem like something invented to bring some spoiled little rich girl some attention. On the other hand it does draw attention to some old time buresque dancers, and have some interviews with them (though not very well done) and it's fun to read about ye old time-y girlie shows.

[Trav S.D. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit of late publicity for Liz Goldwyn's 2006 book, which followed hard upon her 2005 film of the same theme.  (In answer to the inevitable question, Ms. Goldwwn is the granddaughter of movie mogul Sam Goldwyn, and daughter of producer Sam Goldwyn Jr. )

While full of substantial content, Pretty Things can do double duty as a coffee table book, tailor-made for absent-mindedly thumbing through, which is about the extent of what I've been able to do with this top-heavy tome. It takes the form of a scrapbook, full of candid snapshots, formal portraits, ads, newspaper clippings, letters, and sketches for costume designs, alongside Goldwyn's scholarly writing on burlesque history, and her personal interactions with the aging stars of the form's original heyday.

The Intro section provides a nice historical interview, including lots of eye-opening and fascinating material on the influence of Paris and La Belle Epoque.

Part I talks about Creating the Act, which will be of especial interest to young ladies hoping to break into today's revival scene.  This part is broken into subsections, the most entertaining of which is probably "Gimmicks" (as in Gypsy's "You Gotta Get a...") A typical example is one "Jenni Lee, The Bazoom Girl", whose freakish udders make Jane Russell look like Jane Hathaway*, and apparently without the aid of the plastic surgeon's art.

Part Two takes us up and close and personal to several of the Queens: Betty and Dian Rowland, June St. Clair, Lois De Fee, and Zorita (whose work with snakes takes us full circle to gimmicks.)  Ms. St. Claire's life was especially tragic. A "nice girl", reportedly a virgin until age 35, she took her life after she finally succumbed to sex (possibly raped) and conceived a child out of wedlock.

Goldwyn mentions wanting to learn more about that period of decline when classical burlesque gave way to charmless topless bars in the 1960s. I'm very interested in this transition too, though I couldn't find much about it in this book. The definitive book or film on that may be yet to come. Still, the object in question will be a valuable addition to your burlesque library.

* A.k.a., Miss Jane (Nancy Culp) of The Beverly Hillbilles

[Ashli Mason-Johns · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a Boudoir and PinUp photographer I relished every page of this book - inspiring, a little bit sad, and overall beautiful. Couldn't put it down.
There are 2 elements to this book that I thought were well balanced:
1) the attention to costumes and the designers themselves
2) the interviews with the Queens and the details of their personal lives.
I devoured the costume sketches and vintage photographs. I got lost in the stories of the Queens, some of whom have since passed away, and I suddenly got the urge to take a sewing class!

[Jodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't realize this book was so much about the gowns and designers and their work, rather than the women who were listed in the index. I enjoyed it nevertheless. A welcome addition to my Vaudeville, sideshow, burlesque bookshelf :)

[SN · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well-researched and succinctly explained history, but this book is made especially special with it's beautiful and rare photographs.

[N Klepacki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating study of the lives of America's "Bump N' Grind" beauties. I first heard of this book as an HBO Documentary that came out a few years ago. If you can find the film, it is also excellent. One of the more ironic points brought out is that many of the most lusted-after ladies of the Burlesque theatre either despised men from the get-go, or came to. Both the book and film are saucy, spicy and highly entertaining.

[Mintwitch · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very large overview of late-20th century American Burlesque by an author who is extremely enthusiastic about her topic. Unfortunately, the book--coffee-table sized--is not as pretty as the subject. The designers went for a vintage look, which undermines the glamor of the subject--the tome just comes off looking half-assed. It's inappropriate as either a gift or an addition to a scholarly collection, which is too bad. The content really is terrific.

[Rick · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved it, as a fan of true burlesque, this large book was a quick read. the photos are fun and the stories of the ladies featured shows what a tough life they led after ziegfeld and the stage door johnnies vanished. What was considered tawdry then, has been embraced in today's society as an art form.

[Jeanne T. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is visually great for those of us who are postively OBSESSED with vintage burlesque and costuming. It has information about costumers and dancers from a generation gone by. As far as copy that makes a cohesive narrative, it does not. But it sure is a pretty thing.

[Gina · Rating 2 out of 5]

I struggled with this book, and I wish I could articulate why. Was the text too small? Was the writing a bit too dry and/or too juvenile for the content? Whatever the issue, I ended up skimming through this just to clear it from my currently reading list.

[Addie Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

though there are many books on burlesque worthy of my praise out there, this is the one I hold most dear.

[Danielle De Luca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recommend this to anyone who wishes to gain a deeper understanding of the art of burlesque, including its origin and evolution.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

extraordinary review of the burlesque queens of an age that passed long ago. Drags at times, but otherwise has some incredible photographs and is remarkably well documented and researched.

[Tove · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book for a visual journey through burlesque, but the accompanying text is on the weak side.

[Amible Gal · Rating 5 out of 5]

GORGEOUS book of burlesque costumes and burlesque queens of days gone by!

[Robyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVE this book!

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely, lovely history of burlesque. This author's attention to detail, her love for the costuming and the artfulness and the attitude, is apparent on every page, and it was a joy to read.

[Mimi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book and will probably look and read back through it for years to come. I love Burlesque and upon my retirement from the military plan to get heavily involved.