Bart Williams (Producer/Writer - 1949-2015)
Bart Williams spent more than 50 years in show business. On a set for a film, on stage, or waiting for his next cue. Bart knew everyone and had stories. A lot of stories and he never failed to entertain. One afternoon while lounging poolside we came up with the script for a short comedy film - The Wiccan Actors Guild. It was hilarious and it was all Bart. A collaborator, a co-worker and a friend. We miss him.
A native Los Angelino, Bart Williams began acting professionally at age 11. Film credits include, "Bye Bye Birdie", "Hello Dolly", "An Enemy of the People", "Hadley's Rebellion" and "The Doomsday Clock". On television, Bart was seen on "General Hospital", "MAD TV", "Weird Science", and "The Richard Simmons Show". On stage, Bart played numerous roles in national tours and regional productions including the title role in "The Wizard of Oz" at Radio City Music Hall. Bart won two Drama League Critics Awards, one for comedy and one for dramatic acting.
A native Los Angelino, Bart Williams began acting professionally at age 11. Film credits include, "Bye Bye Birdie", "Hello Dolly", "An Enemy of the People", "Hadley's Rebellion" and "The Doomsday Clock". On television, Bart was seen on "General Hospital", "MAD TV", "Weird Science", and "The Richard Simmons Show". On stage, Bart played numerous roles in national tours and regional productions including the title role in "The Wizard of Oz" at Radio City Music Hall. Bart won two Drama League Critics Awards, one for comedy and one for dramatic acting.
Irving Benson (Comic - 1914-2016)
Irving Benson was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1914. He started his show business career at age twelve, winning the amateur contest at his neighborhood's Vaudeville Theatre - The Kismet.
By the early 1930's Benson worked his way into the world of Vaudeville and Burlesque. He excelled as a Burlesque comedian learning his craft and worked his way up the ladder to the position of "first comic" or "top banana". His life has taken him from the stages of the greatest American theaters, to nightclubs, television and finally to the great hotel resorts in Las Vegas, where his shows broke records for their long runs.
Irv passed away peacefully three months after he turned 102, on May 19th, 2016.
By the early 1930's Benson worked his way into the world of Vaudeville and Burlesque. He excelled as a Burlesque comedian learning his craft and worked his way up the ladder to the position of "first comic" or "top banana". His life has taken him from the stages of the greatest American theaters, to nightclubs, television and finally to the great hotel resorts in Las Vegas, where his shows broke records for their long runs.
Irv passed away peacefully three months after he turned 102, on May 19th, 2016.
Ed McMahon (Comedian & Straight Man - 1923-2009)
Ed is probably most well known for his stint on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson where he was Carson's sidekick, playing straight man for many years. The straight man and the comic were regulars in comedy teams going back to Vaudeville with one of the two comedians acting as straight man. Well known comedic teams such as Abbott and Costello, Laurel and Hardy and Burns and Allen used this format.
McMahon was the consumnate professional when we came to interview him at his house. Ed paid for his own make-up person and even had lunch brought in. He'd been looking at cameras for most of his life and was comfortable as he talked about Carson's love for Burlesque comedy and how Johnny took great delight in acting as Irv Benson's straight man in his 88 appearances on The Tonight Show.
The interview featured in this film is Mr. McMahon's final film appearance before his passing.
McMahon was the consumnate professional when we came to interview him at his house. Ed paid for his own make-up person and even had lunch brought in. He'd been looking at cameras for most of his life and was comfortable as he talked about Carson's love for Burlesque comedy and how Johnny took great delight in acting as Irv Benson's straight man in his 88 appearances on The Tonight Show.
The interview featured in this film is Mr. McMahon's final film appearance before his passing.
Alan Young (Actor and Comedian - 1919-2016)
Alan Young is a true pioneer of radio and television - winning one of the first Emmy awards. Despite his numerous film roles, he will always be known as Wilbur Post on the classic TV series "Mr. Ed".
Starting in 1983, Young provided the voice of Scrooge McDuck for Disney Films.
Bart Williams arranged the interview with Young. Bart, Irv Benson and Young worked together at the Plaza Hotel in Las Vegas on a production of "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" - a lively interpretation of the famous show specifically adapted for the Vegas audiences.
Starting in 1983, Young provided the voice of Scrooge McDuck for Disney Films.
Bart Williams arranged the interview with Young. Bart, Irv Benson and Young worked together at the Plaza Hotel in Las Vegas on a production of "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" - a lively interpretation of the famous show specifically adapted for the Vegas audiences.
Dixie Evans (Stripper - 1926-2013)
Dixie Evans is probably best remembered for her burlesque impersonation as Marilyn Monroe. Evans entered show-business as a model and later chorus girl before becoming a star dancer.
By the early 1950's she was a headlining burlesque star on the West coast when she was approached by producer Harold Minsky with a promise of steady work in his chain of theaters if she adapted her stage persona to that of then-rising star Marilyn Monroe. At first Evans objected but soon agreed.
Like other strippers of the time period (including Lili St. Cyr and and Jennie Lee), Evans was extremely well known in nightclubs and was largely under-paid. Evans's Monroe-burlesque act was the dancer's gimmick.
We interviewed Dixie at her Burlesque Museum in Las Vegas, Nevada. The feather fan behind Dixie in our film once belonged to the dancer Sally Rand who used it in her famous fan dance.
By the early 1950's she was a headlining burlesque star on the West coast when she was approached by producer Harold Minsky with a promise of steady work in his chain of theaters if she adapted her stage persona to that of then-rising star Marilyn Monroe. At first Evans objected but soon agreed.
Like other strippers of the time period (including Lili St. Cyr and and Jennie Lee), Evans was extremely well known in nightclubs and was largely under-paid. Evans's Monroe-burlesque act was the dancer's gimmick.
We interviewed Dixie at her Burlesque Museum in Las Vegas, Nevada. The feather fan behind Dixie in our film once belonged to the dancer Sally Rand who used it in her famous fan dance.
Andrew H. Davis (Theatre Historian)
Andy Davis is a theatre historian and author of several books including America’s Longest Run: A History of the Walnut Street Theatre and Baggy Pants Comedy: Burlesque and the Oral Tradition.
In addition to a full-time teaching schedule at Cal Poly Pomona, he continues to perform regularly as one-half of the comedy team of Doc and Stumpy. They produce and perform four shows a year in North Hollywood, and appear in Burlesque shows around Los Angeles and at Burlesque Festivals around the country.
We interviewed Andy in the library of his house where he shared his photo collection of Burlesque comedians' headshots with us.
In addition to a full-time teaching schedule at Cal Poly Pomona, he continues to perform regularly as one-half of the comedy team of Doc and Stumpy. They produce and perform four shows a year in North Hollywood, and appear in Burlesque shows around Los Angeles and at Burlesque Festivals around the country.
We interviewed Andy in the library of his house where he shared his photo collection of Burlesque comedians' headshots with us.
Armond Fields (Vaudeville Theatre Historian - 1930-2008)
A prolific author, the Chicago-born Fields researched and wrote many books on the American theatre, including From the Bowery to Broadway: Lew Fields and the Roots of American Popular Theatre (1993), a biography of his great uncle and vaudeville star.
Following the success of Bowery, Fields began his long relationship with the USC Libraries, where he researched the histories of such famous performers as Lillian Russell, James Corbett, Eddie Foy and Sophie Tucker.
Armand gave us access to the USC library, and his own collection of film images of Burlesque performances.
Following the success of Bowery, Fields began his long relationship with the USC Libraries, where he researched the histories of such famous performers as Lillian Russell, James Corbett, Eddie Foy and Sophie Tucker.
Armand gave us access to the USC library, and his own collection of film images of Burlesque performances.
Betty Rowland (Stripper 1916-2022)
Betty Rowland at her 100th birthday.
Betty Rowland was the oldest living stripper from the Burlesque era. Rowland tuned 100 in January of 2016. Rowland was known as "The Ball of Fire" due to her red hair, which she dyed every week.
Rowland and her two sisters started dancing in Burlesque when Rowland was 13. "We didn't tell our parents." She told an interviewer at her 100th birthday party. Betty danced as fast as she could move, that, with her hair, earned her the nickname.
Rowland and her two sisters started dancing in Burlesque when Rowland was 13. "We didn't tell our parents." She told an interviewer at her 100th birthday party. Betty danced as fast as she could move, that, with her hair, earned her the nickname.
