Mara Gaye
Encyclopedia
Mara Gaye born Marjorie Helen Ginsberg in Bronx, New York, was a professional showgirl, dancer with the Radio City Music Hall
Rockettes (1938–1943), and exotic burlesque
striptease
dancer of the 1940s through the 1960s. She also performed under the name Marjorie Gaye.
Marjorie Gaye was cast as a dancer alongside the then-unknown Ann Miller
in the 1936 film The Devil on Horseback. She won both the Miss North Dallas and Miss Dallas beauty contests in 1936. In the mid-1930s, she performed at the Little Theatre of Dallas. She traveled with her mother to California in search of a talent agent that wound up not to exist. At that time she was also contemplating forming a tap-dancing duo with Miller until her father made her return home. She studied professional dance in Los Angeles.
In April 1936, she was chosen to participate in the "Discoveries of 1936" show at the Wilshire-Ebell Theatre by the Assistance League of Southern California located in Hollywood, California.
In 1937 she performed at the Casa Manana 4,000-seat theatrical restaurant in Texas as part of the Fort Worth Centennial Frontier Fiesta exhibition produced by Billy Rose
. Fan dancer Sally Rand
was the main attraction of the show. Gaye continued to perform in the Casa Manana show when it moved and opened in New York City.
In 1943 and 1944, she was a dancer in the Broadway and traveling show Mexican Hayride. Other shows she performed in include Yankee, Riviera, and My Dear Public with Nanette Fabray
. During 1944 she danced with the Sande Dancers in musical shorts called the Soundies
such as "Home Again Polka" with Lawrence Welk. In 1945–46, she became the captain (lead dancer) at the Clover Club in Miami, working for Boots McKenna. Other jobs included that of hat check and cigarette girl.
In the 1950s-60s, during her exotic striptease dance career, she performed at Minksy's, Theaters of the I. Hirst Circuit (Wheel) such as the Troc
in Philadelphia, the Hudson Theater, Empire Theater, also Club Samoa on 52nd Street Broadway NYC, the Willows in Rochester, NY, on stage in Detroit, Michigan
, as well as numerous private functions such as the Outdoor Knitwear Association Convention at the Waldorf Astoria in NY..
While on the Izzy Hirst Circuit she was a new strip feature with a different undress-and-dress routine.
At the Holiday Theater, Broadway, New York City
, on the marquee "On Stage Michael Rose Capers PARIS SPICE, in person Mara Gaye. Her many shows were met with reviews such as "An Instant Hit" Boston Record,
Mara was once the birthday surprise for Basehall Hall of Fame Phil Rizzuto
. Numerous display ads for her act appeared in the NY Daily News, NY Daily Mirror, NJ newspapers, as well as mentions in the NY Burlesque Bits and gossip columns.
On stage she performed with Peaches at the Empire, Lili St. Cyr at Minsky's, Lotus DuBois, Flash O'Farrell, Georgia Sothern and many others. Her friends included Ann Corio, Comic Lou Ascol and his wife stripped talker Petti Dayne who named their child after Gaye.
In 1954 at Minsky's in Newark Mara Gaye and Lili St. Cyr had a feud over who would be the first to introduce the black eye patch to burlesque.
In the 1960s, she and Tana Louise
started an exotic bizarre costumes mail-order catalog company called Tana and Mara. Tana was the wife of Lenny Burtman who published Exotique
Magazine.
Photographs of Gaye can be found in many of the early pin-up magazines and publications of the 1950s and 1960s, including Bold, Calvacade of Burlesque, Cherchez la Femme, Dazzle, Frolic, Gala, Hollywood Confidential, Night and Day, Play, Playgirl
, Pose, Tab, Tom Boy, Uncensored, and Vue. The magazine photos do not always credit her by name.
Mara Gaye's vanity and a few personal items are currently on view in the ongoing spotlight section of the Museum of Sex
in New York City.
Radio City Music Hall
Radio City Music Hall is an entertainment venue located in New York City's Rockefeller Center. Its nickname is the Showplace of the Nation, and it was for a time the leading tourist destination in the city...
Rockettes (1938–1943), and exotic burlesque
Burlesque
Burlesque is a literary, dramatic or musical work intended to cause laughter by caricaturing the manner or spirit of serious works, or by ludicrous treatment of their subjects...
striptease
Striptease
A striptease is an erotic or exotic dance in which the performer gradually undresses, either partly or completely, in a seductive and sexually suggestive manner...
dancer of the 1940s through the 1960s. She also performed under the name Marjorie Gaye.
Marjorie Gaye was cast as a dancer alongside the then-unknown Ann Miller
Ann Miller
Johnnie Lucille Collier, better known as Ann Miller was an American singer, dancer and actress.-Early life:...
in the 1936 film The Devil on Horseback. She won both the Miss North Dallas and Miss Dallas beauty contests in 1936. In the mid-1930s, she performed at the Little Theatre of Dallas. She traveled with her mother to California in search of a talent agent that wound up not to exist. At that time she was also contemplating forming a tap-dancing duo with Miller until her father made her return home. She studied professional dance in Los Angeles.
In April 1936, she was chosen to participate in the "Discoveries of 1936" show at the Wilshire-Ebell Theatre by the Assistance League of Southern California located in Hollywood, California.
In 1937 she performed at the Casa Manana 4,000-seat theatrical restaurant in Texas as part of the Fort Worth Centennial Frontier Fiesta exhibition produced by Billy Rose
Billy Rose
William "Billy" Rose was an American impresario, theatrical showman and lyricist. He is credited with many famous songs, notably "Me and My Shadow" , "It Happened in Monterey" and "It's Only a Paper Moon"...
. Fan dancer Sally Rand
Sally Rand
Sally Rand was a burlesque dancer and actress, most noted for her ostrich feather fan dance and balloon bubble dance. She also performed under the name Billie Beck.-Early life and career:...
was the main attraction of the show. Gaye continued to perform in the Casa Manana show when it moved and opened in New York City.
In 1943 and 1944, she was a dancer in the Broadway and traveling show Mexican Hayride. Other shows she performed in include Yankee, Riviera, and My Dear Public with Nanette Fabray
Nanette Fabray
Nanette Fabray is an American actress, comedienne, singer, dancer, and activist. She began her career performing in vaudeville as a child and then became a musical theatre actress during the 1940s and 1950s, winning a Tony Award in 1949 for her performance in Love Life...
. During 1944 she danced with the Sande Dancers in musical shorts called the Soundies
Soundies
Soundies were an early version of the music video: three-minute musical films, produced in New York City, Chicago, and Hollywood between 1940 and 1946, often including short dance sequences. The completed Soundies were generally released within a few months of their filming; the last group was...
such as "Home Again Polka" with Lawrence Welk. In 1945–46, she became the captain (lead dancer) at the Clover Club in Miami, working for Boots McKenna. Other jobs included that of hat check and cigarette girl.
In the 1950s-60s, during her exotic striptease dance career, she performed at Minksy's, Theaters of the I. Hirst Circuit (Wheel) such as the Troc
Trocadero Theatre
The Trocadero Theatre, opened as the Arch Street Opera House in 1870, is a historic theater, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Over the years, it has offered musical comedies, vaudeville and burlesque. Burlesque performer Mara Gaye performed at the Troc in the 1950s...
in Philadelphia, the Hudson Theater, Empire Theater, also Club Samoa on 52nd Street Broadway NYC, the Willows in Rochester, NY, on stage in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, as well as numerous private functions such as the Outdoor Knitwear Association Convention at the Waldorf Astoria in NY..
While on the Izzy Hirst Circuit she was a new strip feature with a different undress-and-dress routine.
At the Holiday Theater, Broadway, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, on the marquee "On Stage Michael Rose Capers PARIS SPICE, in person Mara Gaye. Her many shows were met with reviews such as "An Instant Hit" Boston Record,
Mara was once the birthday surprise for Basehall Hall of Fame Phil Rizzuto
Phil Rizzuto
Philip Francis Rizzuto , nicknamed "The Scooter", was an American Major League Baseball shortstop. He spent his entire 13-year baseball career for the New York Yankees...
. Numerous display ads for her act appeared in the NY Daily News, NY Daily Mirror, NJ newspapers, as well as mentions in the NY Burlesque Bits and gossip columns.
On stage she performed with Peaches at the Empire, Lili St. Cyr at Minsky's, Lotus DuBois, Flash O'Farrell, Georgia Sothern and many others. Her friends included Ann Corio, Comic Lou Ascol and his wife stripped talker Petti Dayne who named their child after Gaye.
In 1954 at Minsky's in Newark Mara Gaye and Lili St. Cyr had a feud over who would be the first to introduce the black eye patch to burlesque.
In the 1960s, she and Tana Louise
Tana Louise
Tana Louise was a burlesque striptease artist, nicknamed the "Cincinnati Sinner", in the 1950s. However, she was more famous as a fetish model. She contributed regularly to the fetish magazine Exotique, as both a columnist and model and even married the owner of the magazine, Leonard Burtman...
started an exotic bizarre costumes mail-order catalog company called Tana and Mara. Tana was the wife of Lenny Burtman who published Exotique
Exotique
Exotique magazine was published by Leonard Burtman in New York City between 1955 and 1959. Gene Bilbrew, also known by his pseudonym ENEG, was an artist who contributed work to Burtman's publications but was not the publisher....
Magazine.
Photographs of Gaye can be found in many of the early pin-up magazines and publications of the 1950s and 1960s, including Bold, Calvacade of Burlesque, Cherchez la Femme, Dazzle, Frolic, Gala, Hollywood Confidential, Night and Day, Play, Playgirl
Playgirl
Playgirl is a print quarterly adult magazine published in the United States that is marketed mainly to heterosexual women, but has also gained a considerable gay following...
, Pose, Tab, Tom Boy, Uncensored, and Vue. The magazine photos do not always credit her by name.
Mara Gaye's vanity and a few personal items are currently on view in the ongoing spotlight section of the Museum of Sex
Museum of Sex
The Museum of Sex, also known as MoSex, is a sex museum located at 233 Fifth Avenue near 27th Street in Manhattan, New York City. It opened on October 5, 2002.-History:...
in New York City.