Forgotten Names, Unforgettable Faces Part 3
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In his continuing series of retrospective biographies, Jason Croft looks at more gals who helped shape the face of pinup.
This time we feature two gals who were more than just pretty faces. From world traveler to work place crusader, these gals did some amazing things when they weren’t posing for the camera or strutting their stuff on stage.
Jane Dolinger
Jane Dolinger was someone all educated gals should look up to. Think of the pin-up version of Indiana Jones. No kidding. She was a world-traveler, author, and sexy pin-up. She would search out exotic locals, write books about them, and then do a pin-up shoot in the corresponding costume. She would dress like an Amazon princess while visiting headhunters in South America. She would wear veils during a stop at a Moroccan harem. In the South Seas, she would lean against a palm tree wearing her skimpiest island outfit. Scholars and adventure readers alike sought out her many books like The Forbidden World of the Jaguar Princess, The Jungle is a Woman, and Behind Harem Walls.
Her articles and pin-ups appeared in classic men’s magazines like “Sir!” and “Modern Man” when stories of far-away lands helped red-blooded American males escape, for a little while, from their drab suburban lives. Her adventures were always filled with excitement and danger and a strong undercurrent of sexuality. Not only could these men transport themselves to these far-off lands, but they could also imagine this beautiful woman next to them. (You can see more of Jane here.)
Jennie Lee
No one helped preserve the legacy of the golden age of burlesque more than Jennie Lee. It is because of her the memories and artifacts of the era live on in Exotic World, the burlesque museum. Lee was nicknamed "The Bazoom Girl" for obvious reasons. She gave the measuring tape a workout with her 40-28-38 figure. She was a major headliner along the west coast during the 50’s and early 60’s and was known for her tassel-twirling act. It was a routine that could stop men cold. With those propellers twirling, it was a wonder she never became airborne.
Lee was a gal who loved what she did, and it showed. And even though she loved the art form, there were many parts of the business she didn’t like. In 1955, she helped found The Exotic Dancers League of North America (or EDL) and acted as their first president. She fought for what she thought should be better working condition and pay for the gals. Lee didn’t mind strutting her stuff outside of clubs for some free press if it meant better things for her fellow dancers.
Once the era of burlesque faded away, Lee helped gather up all the pasties, g-strings, and costumes from her fellow dancers so these items wouldn’t be lost to history. She also created a network so all the old dancers could keep in touch. It is because of her, in no small part, the memory of burlesque lives on. (Lots of pictures of Jennie Lee can be found here.)
Jason Croft is webmaster of Java’s Bachelor Pad, a website that celebrates the heritage of the classic American bachelor. More pictures of the featured gals can also be found on his Yahoo! Group, Java’s Bachelor Pad After Dark.
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