Margaret Hart Ferraro
Encyclopedia
Margaret Hart Ferraro better known as Margie Hart, was a New York City
stripteaser.
, the Los Angeles City Council
president. She died in Los Angeles
on January 30, 2000.
dancers who performed at Minsky's Burlesque
in April 1935, who were arrested for giving an indecent performance. Hart, 21, who resided at the Hotel Forrest in Manhattan, New York, was taken into custody along with Toots Brawner, 22, of the Dixie Hotel, and Gladys
McCormick, 24, of 229 West 49th Street. The three pleaded not guilty and were each held in $500
bail. Jack Keller, 22, of Thayer Street, and Edward Goodman, 27, of 209 West 42nd Street (Manhattan)
were arrested along with the dancers. Keller, a stage manager, was charged with permitting an indecent performance. Goodman was assistant manager of the Republic Theatre. The men were held in $500 bail pending a hearing on April 16,
1935.
Hart, Brawner, McCormick, and three other chorus girls
were arraigned in West Side Court but were freed by Magistrate Guy Van Amringe, who presided in Commercial Frauds Court, on May 7, 1935. Keller was detained in bail fixed at $500, as was Goodman, pending a trial date. Along with them, Van Amringe ordered detained Edward Rowland, assistant manager of the Gaiety Theatre, New York, 1539 Broadway (Manhattan).
, license commissioner, hoped to revoke Minsky's license. He was unsuccessful when the New York State Court of Appeals ruled he needed a conviction to revoke the club's license. Finally, in April 1937, one of Minsky's dancers was observed performing without a G-string
. Moss then acted to shut down Minsky's and its rivals. Following several appeals the Minskys and their burlesque competitors were allowed to reopen, but only if they did not allow strippers to perform. The businesses went along with this, hoping that burlesque might return following the November 1937 election. However, reformist mayor Fiorello LaGuardia, was returned to office, and the Minskys and their rivals were closed again.
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...
stripteaser.
Biography
She was born on September 28, 1913. She married John FerraroJohn Ferraro
John Ferraro was the longest-serving Los Angeles City Council member in the history of the city—thirty-five years, from 1966 until his death in 2001—and the president of the council for fourteen of them...
, the Los Angeles City Council
Los Angeles City Council
The Los Angeles City Council is the governing body of the City of Los Angeles.The Council is composed of fifteen members elected from single-member districts for four-year terms. The president of the council and the president pro tempore are chosen by the Council at the first regular meeting after...
president. She died in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
on January 30, 2000.
Trial for indecency
Hart was one of three burlesqueAmerican burlesque
American Burlesque is a genre of variety show. Derived from elements of Victorian burlesque, music hall and minstrel shows, burlesque shows in America became popular in the 1860s and evolved to feature ribald comedy and female striptease...
dancers who performed at Minsky's Burlesque
Minsky's Burlesque
Minsky's Burlesque refers to the brand of American burlesque presented by four sons of Louis and Ethel Minksy: Abraham 'Abe' Bennett Minsky , Michael William 'Billy' Minsky , Herbert Kay Minsky , and Morton Minsky . They started in 1912 and ended in 1937 in New York City...
in April 1935, who were arrested for giving an indecent performance. Hart, 21, who resided at the Hotel Forrest in Manhattan, New York, was taken into custody along with Toots Brawner, 22, of the Dixie Hotel, and Gladys
McCormick, 24, of 229 West 49th Street. The three pleaded not guilty and were each held in $500
bail. Jack Keller, 22, of Thayer Street, and Edward Goodman, 27, of 209 West 42nd Street (Manhattan)
42nd Street (Manhattan)
42nd Street is a major crosstown street in the New York City borough of Manhattan, known for its theaters, especially near the intersection with Broadway at Times Square. It is also the name of the region of the theater district near that intersection...
were arrested along with the dancers. Keller, a stage manager, was charged with permitting an indecent performance. Goodman was assistant manager of the Republic Theatre. The men were held in $500 bail pending a hearing on April 16,
1935.
Hart, Brawner, McCormick, and three other chorus girls
Chorus line
A chorus line is a substantial group of dancers who together perform synchronized routines, usually in musical theatre. Sometimes, singing is also performed. Chorus line dancers in Broadway musicals and revues have been referred to by slang terms such as ponies, gypsies and twirlies...
were arraigned in West Side Court but were freed by Magistrate Guy Van Amringe, who presided in Commercial Frauds Court, on May 7, 1935. Keller was detained in bail fixed at $500, as was Goodman, pending a trial date. Along with them, Van Amringe ordered detained Edward Rowland, assistant manager of the Gaiety Theatre, New York, 1539 Broadway (Manhattan).
Burlesque banished
Hart's arrest coincided with a 1935 citizen's groups campaign in New York City, calling for action against burlesque. Paul MossPaul Moss
Paul Raymond Moss is the general manager of Media Prima network's media portal and a judge in 8TV's One in a Million singing contest.Moss was the AS A&R director of record company Positive Tone from its inception in 1994 until last year...
, license commissioner, hoped to revoke Minsky's license. He was unsuccessful when the New York State Court of Appeals ruled he needed a conviction to revoke the club's license. Finally, in April 1937, one of Minsky's dancers was observed performing without a G-string
G-string
A G-string is a type of thong underwear or swimsuit, a narrow piece of cloth, leather, or plastic, that covers or holds the genitals, passes between the buttocks, and is attached to a band around the hips, worn as swimwear or underwear by women and men...
. Moss then acted to shut down Minsky's and its rivals. Following several appeals the Minskys and their burlesque competitors were allowed to reopen, but only if they did not allow strippers to perform. The businesses went along with this, hoping that burlesque might return following the November 1937 election. However, reformist mayor Fiorello LaGuardia, was returned to office, and the Minskys and their rivals were closed again.