Lifestyle
Betty Rowland, One of Burlesque’s Last Queens, Dies at 106
She was referred to as the “Pink Headed Ball of Hearth,” a title given her for her stature — she was a diminutive 5-foot-1 — and her fiery hair. She discovered the moniker, which was typically shortened to “Ball of Hearth,” corny. However Betty Rowland was a burlesque queen nonetheless. A headliner within the racy selection reveals’ glory years within the Thirties and ’40s, she labored properly into the ’50s.
Ms. Rowland had a languid, balletic fashion (hers was a delicate grind) and she or he typically threw in an undulating stretch and drop referred to as a German roll. Her costumes have been elegant: She favored lengthy skirts with a aspect slit to the hip, bandeau tops and night gloves. After a gradual burn, she shed most of her gear; however, like most burlesque stars, she stored her pasties and her G-string on.
One among her signature items was referred to as “Bumps within the Ballet,” a spoof of a ballet routine that she appreciated to introduce to her viewers with a little bit of patter: “Let’s put just a little juice within the Ballets Russes, and provides the dying swan a goose. In a classical kind of manner, would possibly I put a bump on this ballet?”
Ms. Rowland died on April 3 at an assisted-living dwelling in Culver Metropolis, Calif. She was 106.
Her dying, which was not extensively reported on the time, was confirmed by Leslie Zemeckis, the director of the 2010 documentary, “Behind the Burly Q,” which informed the tales of Ms. Rowland and different burlesque stars.
Outdoors the tribal world of burlesque, Ms. Rowland was maybe not as well-known — or as properly paid — as different headliners like Tempest Storm, one other redheaded queen, who dallied with John F. Kennedy and Elvis Presley, whose breasts have been stated to be insured by Lloyd’s of London, and whose earnings at her peak within the mid-Fifties have been about $100,000 a 12 months (roughly $950,000 right now). Ms. Rowland did properly, however not that properly; in 1945 she earned $500 each two weeks, the equal of greater than $200,000 a 12 months right now.
Nonetheless, it was “massive dough,” as Ms. Rowland informed The Los Angeles Occasions in 2009, including that she didn’t squander it on alcohol or cigarettes. “I by no means smoked or drank,” she stated. “It wasn’t in my household. After we have been in present enterprise, we took it severely. We noticed a number of of them fall by the wayside due to that.”
Ms. Rowland was of an early-vintage of burlesque star: She had a pre-teenage vaudeville act together with her sister Rozelle, performing a bit of soppy shoe and faucet. When vaudeville light out and its stars migrated to the livelier burlesque reveals, Betty and Rozelle went on the highway as refrain ladies.
Burlesque, typically referred to as “the poor man’s theater,” was, like vaudeville, a seize bag of acts — comedy, acrobatics, just a little music and dance — with the added zest of a striptease or two.
Betty had her first star flip when she was simply 14 and filling in for a performer who had sprained her ankle. She was so engrossed within the music that she forgot to take off any garments.
“We teased. That was the secret. You grow to be a fantasy to different folks,” she informed Liz Goldwyn, writer of “Fairly Issues: The Final Technology of American Burlesque Queens” (2006). However, she added, “folks whisper, for heaven’s sake, they are saying, ‘Have you learnt what she used to do?’ And so they’re saying it like I used to be a porno employee or one thing. Effectively they shouldn’t whisper — I used to be a dancer. It was the one factor I knew learn how to do, and I used to be successful at it.”
Betty Jane Rowland was born on Jan. 23, 1916, in Columbus, Ohio, one among 4 daughters of Alvah and Ida Rowland. The ladies took dancing classes, and beginning when Betty was about 11, she and her sister Rozelle helped out the household financially by performing collectively in beginner vaudeville reveals, and, later, as burlesque stars, touring a bit however principally primarily based in New York Metropolis.
Betty typically carried out on the flagship Minsky theater in Occasions Sq., amongst different venues. On the time, the Minsky identify was a burlesque franchise and an establishment, from which Abbot and Costello, Phil Silvers and Gypsy Rose Lee launched their careers.
Rozelle Rowland discovered fame as “the Golden Woman,” performing utterly nude — however painted head to toe in gold paint. Throughout a tour of London, she met a Belgian baron, Jean Empain, who was one among Europe’s richest males, inheritor to holdings that included the Paris subway. Because the story goes, they fell in love, she obtained pregnant, and the baron stated he’d marry her if she had a son. “Gilded Lily of 14th St. Burlesque Weds Baron,” learn a neighborhood headline in 1937, the 12 months of her marriage.
Ms. Rowland moved to Los Angeles in 1938, a 12 months after Mayor Fiorello La Guardia put the burlesque homes out of enterprise for corrupting the morals of the town. Her personal brushes with the regulation, nevertheless, have been uncommon.
She was fined $250 for lewdness in 1939, after a trial during which a burly cop imitated her act on the witness stand, leaving the court docket weak with laughter. In 1952, she was jailed when a box-office employee at a theater the place she was performing failed to acknowledge two vice squad officers who have been within the behavior of attending the reveals totally free. As payback, they arrested Ms. Rowland and the theater supervisor; a decide sentenced them each to 4 months in jail. A neighborhood columnist took up Ms. Rowland’s case, mentioning that the sentence was as extreme as that given the perpetrator of a latest capturing, and she or he was launched after three weeks.
In 1943, Ms. Rowland sued the Samuel Goldwyn Firm for utilizing her stage identify because the title of the 1941 movie “Ball of Hearth,” a screwball comedy starring Barbara Stanwyck as a mouthy nightclub singer on the run, and for breach of contract. Ms. Rowland stated she had been employed as a technical adviser to Ms. Stanwyck however was by no means paid. Ms. Rowland obtained a variety of publicity for her case, however she didn’t prevail.
Burlesque misplaced its luster within the postwar years. By the early Sixties, the crowds have been seedier, the golf equipment grubbier and the manufacturing all however gone. Quickly there have been solely hard-core strip joints, and most of the former burlesque theaters have been enjoying pornographic movies. Ms. Rowland was disdainful of her crude successors.
“What’s a lap dance, anyway?” she requested a reporter in 1997.
Ms. Rowland had a long-term relationship with a fellow Minsky burlesque star, a comic named Gus Schilling — a baggy-pants prime banana, in burlesque parlance. Newspapers typically described the couple as married, however Ms. Rowland informed Ms. Zemeckis and others that though she and Mr. Schilling lived collectively, he was married to another person. Her marriage in 1956 to Owen S. Dalton, a lumber service provider, resulted in divorce in 1963. She leaves no instant survivors.
Within the late Sixties, Ms. Rowland inherited an curiosity in a Santa Monica bar referred to as Mr. B’s. Within the mid-Nineteen Nineties, she misplaced management of its possession to traders, who renamed the place the 217 Lounge. She stayed on as a hostess, and was nonetheless working there in 2009, on the age of 93. She had filed for chapter safety in 2003.
Ms. Rowland stopped dancing when she married Mr. Dalton. However after her divorce, she got here out of retirement for every week or so in 1966, acting at a theater in downtown Los Angeles. (On the time, she informed The Los Angeles Occasions, she was writing her memoirs, with the working title “Ham and Legs.” Sadly, no manuscript was ever found, stated Ms. Zemeckis, who purchased Ms. Rowland’s costume assortment to assist together with her funds in her final years.)
“The theater was dingy past description, the band lowered to a drummer and a pianist and the midweek viewers painfully spare,” The Los Angeles Occasions wrote of that 1966 efficiency. “But to the unsteady strains of ‘Hi there, Dolly!’ got here out the petite Miss Rowland, as regal and redheaded as ever, to show that have can conquer youth, that grace and humor can beat the passing of time to a draw.”
Kitty Bennett contributed analysis.
Lifestyle
The lesson Chris Pine learned after his new film was 'obliterated' by critics : Wild Card with Rachel Martin
Chris Pine says he has “fantastic anxiety dreams.”
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Dia Dipasupil/Getty
Chris Pine says he has “fantastic anxiety dreams.”
Dia Dipasupil/Getty
A note from Wild Card host Rachel Martin: The other day I was talking to It’s Been a Minute host Brittany Luse. I was asking her some of our Wild Card questions and one that came up was about what it means to live a good life. She said a good life is one in which you get to be exactly who you are — one where you don’t have to fake how you show up in the world.
I keep thinking about that answer. I think we all find ourselves doing things that aren’t authentic to us — to please our parents, impress our friends or to meet some societal standard of success. But as someone who recently took a big leap away from that, I can tell you it feels pretty liberating. It can be scary too, though, because creating something new and personal means when people don’t like it, well, it’s on you.
And this is where Chris Pine is at right now in his life. By most accounts, he’s got it made. He’s played Captain Kirk in a few Star Trek films. He was Wonder Woman’s boyfriend and played the hero in the Dungeons and Dragons movie. He could have just ridden that handsome hero thing off into the sunset. But it turns out, Pine is a lot more than that (and frankly he’s a lot weirder than any of those roles let him be.)
His recent movie, Poolman, is his way of showing up in the world in his real skin, so to speak. Pine wrote the movie with his friend Ian Gotler, and Pine directs the film and stars in it. This is his baby from start to finish. So when critics trashed the movie, it was tough, as you’ll hear in our conversation. But he’s not sulking about it, because he made a thing he loved that felt true to his creative brain. And you can tell in the movie, he’s just having the best time. That seems like the good life to me.
The trailer for Poolman.
YouTube
This Wild Card interview has been edited for length and clarity. Host Rachel Martin asks guests randomly-selected questions from a deck of cards. Tap play above to listen to the full podcast, or read an excerpt below.
Question 1: What was a recurring dream you had growing up?
Chris Pine: I grew up with this beautiful sycamore tree in my front yard. And I had a dream that this elf lived in this sort of subterranean lodge that had a connection with the tree in my front yard and this little door next to my garage.
And I remember going in and having tea with the elf. It probably was engendered by my mother. She told this fantastic recurring story about this family of mice that lived in the sycamore. So I think that’s probably what dropped in my brain and percolated around and flowered into that dream.
Rachel Martin: I love that though, because it was mostly positive.
Pine: I don’t have nightmares, thank God. I have anxiety dreams, I have fantastic anxiety dreams. But no, that was the one growing up that I remember the most.
Martin: Did you have any anxiety dreams when you were young or that’s mostly an adult experience?
Pine: I’m sure I did. I was a very anxious child and a pretty anxious young man and still am, but have wrestled with that demon for long enough that I think we’re in a stalemate, at least for the most part now. But no, my more interesting anxiety dreams are now.
Question 2: What’s a goal you’re glad you gave up on?
Pine: Perfection. My film got absolutely just decimated when it premiered in Toronto, just like obliterated. I didn’t read any of [the reviews]. Thank God. But I heard enough to know that people really didn’t like it. Which brings up for me one of my primary triggers, or whatever, is not being liked or this idea of perfection, of not creating something that is perceived as [perfect].
So in many ways, this journey thus far has been so great to remember: I had joy. I experienced joy. It still gives me joy. That’s it. That’s enough. There is no perfect. That is perfect. There’s nothing more perfect than that.
Question 3: Is there anything in your life that has felt predestined?
Pine: Poolman felt predestined. I call it, like, a snowball. A snowball starts growing and at a certain point, the snowball is so f****** large, it’s just falling downhill. You can’t do anything about the snowball falling down. You just get out of its way and let the snowball fall down the hill.
That’s what acting has felt like. That’s what writing and directing and acting in this film has felt like. That idea of it being fated, I totally buy.
Martin: Huh. And that surrendering – I mean, you had total agency over this film. You made this film, but in some ways, it got to a point where it took on a life of its own and then you just let it happen?
Pine: One of my defense mechanisms is being cerebral, using words to block the emotion. And so this process of making this film was a way for me to simply follow instincts, simply follow emotion. So this idea of, like, it came out — this is what my brain and body wanted to do collectively together. It was the most harmonious in that regard.
If you buy a product linked on our site, The Times may earn a commission. See all our Coveted lists of mandatory items here.
JK3D Limited Lake Edition Flora Decanter, $1,375
Given the color of the glass and the sand-looking base, JK3D’s Flora Decanter was born in Los Angeles to make a statement. Whether you keep this treasure on display on a shelf or put it to use at a dinner party, your guests certainly won’t forget seeing it — that’s for sure. Julia Koerner, who specializes in computational design and 3D printing, and Austin Fields, who’s known for her experimental glassblowing techniques, found inspiration in flora and fauna, light, the ocean and California landscapes when they created the Flora Decanter. The Limited Lake Edition decanter comes in turquoise, deep blue and amber, and its digitally crafted and 3D-printed base is available in ash and sand. This limited-edition version of the decanter was created for the 2023 millstART exhibition in Austria. It was made with sustainable plant-based renewable material in Los Angeles for North America and in Vienna for Europe and other international markets.
Purchase 👉🏽 here.
Tom Ford Oud Wood candle, $135
Maybe it’s time for a break from the world — a chance to get cozy in your favorite space at home. If that’s the case, turn up your favorite track from “The Tortured Poets Department,” pour another glass of sauvignon blanc and light your Tom Ford Oud Wood candle. The candle, with its scent of wood and spices, is based on the brand’s fan-favorite Oud Wood fragrance, which has a rich woodsy scent featuring notes of cardamom, patchouli and amber. (When you’re finished cocooning, you can wear the scent into the world via the new Oud Wood parfum ($445 for 50 milliliters) or the beloved eau de parfum ($195 for 30 milliliters).
Purchase 👉🏽 here.
Carl Hansen Children’s Wishbone Chair, $845
Danish architect and furniture designer Hans J. Wegner was a prolific and innovative force behind Danish Modernism, and among his pieces for Carl Hansen & Son is the Wishbone Chair, which was designed in 1949 and has remained in continuous production since 1950. To celebrate the 110th birthday of the godfather of Danish Modernism in April, Carl Hansen released a children’s version of the classic Wishbone Chair. The mini version is made from solid oak and woven paper cord and involved more that 100 production steps to produce. It’s available at various retailers, including Design Within Reach, 8612 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood , and the Carl Hansen & Son flagship store in San Francisco.
Visit the Carl Hansen website to find a dealer.
Roche Bobois Apex Outdoor ottoman, $2,005
Bring the indoors outdoors with this adorable outdoor ottoman from the spring and summer collection from Roche Bobois. It was designed by French product designer Sacha Lakic and comes in colors including vert d’eau (light blue), forêt (green), nuit (dark blue) and tangerine. Pro tip: This ottoman, which is made with fast-drying foam, looks just like a scrumptious popover or a delicious jelly candy. With that said, you might want to have a tray of snacks, drinks and other accoutrements for relaxing on hand in case you and your guests get hungry while you’re lounging by the pool.
Visit the Roche Bobois website for showroom details.
Kelly Wearstler Studio Echo Collection bench, $7,995
The Kelly Wearstler Studio continues to indulge the sensibilities — this time, with its new Echo Collection of homewares. Inspired by California landscapes, the collection, with pieces ranging from $5,500 to $20,000, is made up of eight pieces: a handcrafted dining table, a drinks table, benches, a totem, a side table and stool. Each piece in the collection has repetitive organic forms as part of its design and comes in white gesso, natural Douglas fir and ebonized Douglas fir. Also, the Echo Collection is made at the Kelly Wearstler Studio near downtown Los Angeles, with each piece carved by one artisan who’s an expert in timber and has a background in sculpture.
Purchase 👉🏽 here.
Opame Collective Benton Box, $4,995
Sometimes you need the perfect designer spot to hide all of your treasures (and deep, dark secrets). That’s where Opame Collective’s lovely Benton Box factors into your life. Reminiscent of a ceremonial box, this sculptural bronze-cast box, which has a separate lid, might be at home on a living-room or office shelf or close by you — say, on your nightstand. It can be purchased through various retailers including Fred Segal Home, and there’s a limited edition of eight available.
Purchase 👉🏽 here.
Francesca Grace Somme bed collection, $3,500 and up
Are you looking for a dreamy upgrade to your current bed — one with a touch of whimsy, character and French inspiration? If so, you’re in luck thanks to Los Angeles home stager and celebrity interior designer Francesca Grace, who has designed the lovely Somme collection of five beds with names such as Cosette, Penelope, Amélie, Estelle and Colette. The bed-frame options come with walnut wood-trim headboards, satin or velvet upholstery and bullion fringe around the base. (The frames don’t require box springs.) Prices range from a twin at $3,500 to a spacious California King at $7,700.
Purchase 👉🏽 here.
Casa Branca x Nine Fair backgammon board, $2,500
It’s the perfect time to learn backgammon and other board games thanks to a host of fashion and lifestyle brands producing them with colorful designer touches this season. Take for example Casa Branca x Nine Fair’s fun and festive backgammon board collaboration. (We particularly like the mushroom design and we can’t stop thinking about the Apple TV+ show “Palm Royale” whenever we look at these boards.) Produced by Nine Fair, the boards were hand-painted by artist and Casa Branca collaborator Margot Larkin. They come in three fresh designs: malachite, mushrooms and what’s being called a graphic version of wicker.
Purchase 👉🏽 here.
Creative Ireland
YouTube
Music fans, have we got a new, totally infectious bop for you: “The Spark,” a song created by a group of kids in Cork, Ireland. “I searched for my spark and I found it,” they exuberantly sing over a vibrant techno beat. They let their rhymes fly, too: “Making bangers at a young age,” one girl raps, “My pen setting fire to the page.”
As one listener enthused on X: “They had no business putting out something this deadly.”
“The Spark” was created by Rhyme Island, a youth rap initiative in Cork. The kids worked with a local producer named GMCBeats and The Kabin Studio, a music and creativity-focused nonprofit in the Knocknaheeny suburb of Cork.
They made the song in advance of Cruinniú na nÓg, an annual “national free day of creativity for young people” in Ireland. It features over 1,000 free events for kids and teenagers across Ireland, sponsored by the Irish government and supported by the Irish public broadcaster RTE. This year’s Cruinniú na nÓg activities take place on Saturday, June 15.
Rhyme Island’s video for “The Spark” was released by Creative Ireland, the Irish government initiative behind Cruinniú na nÓg. The video is just as cheery and wholesome as the song: The band of kids bounce down the aisle of a school bus and zip along a Cork sidewalk, decked out in colorful bucket hats and shades.
While “The Spark” does not yet seem to be available on digital platforms, Rhyme Island has a playlist of their other work on SoundCloud.
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