Also known as “The Society Stripper“
Brandy Martin was pictured in several magazines and books on Burlesque. There was a long article by Arch Ayres in Cabaret Magazine.
In that 1956 interview she said she was then 23, and claimed that Brandy Martin was her real name, but Arch thought it was as ”real as a twelve dollar bill”, and that she was the debutante daughter of wealthy Philadelphia socialites.
Brandy ran away from an arranged marriage, and headed to New York to be a dancer, struggling to make it on her own financially. After working a succesion of chorus lines, she discovered stripping.
Following her very first appearance in her new career, Walter Winchell wrote, “Brandy Martin will give Lilly St. Cyr competition as a stripper.” That cinched it, for she was besieged with offers within in the next week and discovered she could choose the creamiest ones from the top.
The article doesn’t really give us her history, and it was early in her career. But it’s fun to read. Read it in full here (screen shot below).
Brandy Martin did perform at our own Rose La Rose‘s famous Town Hall Theater in 1953, which would have made Brandy only 20 then and headlining already.
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Burlesque Books to look for:
- Here’s some info about the book:
- Mens Magazine put out a book titled A Pictorial History of Burlesque from A-Z.
- Published by Sherbourne Press, Los Angeles in 1964.
- Each letter of the alphabet is represented by a famous Burlesque Star or Stripper.
- It is almost entirely pictorial, very little writing except to explain each star and a brief biography.
- Included are: Arlene Stevens, Blaze Starr, Camille, Bubbles Darlene, Dixie Evans, Carmela, Gilda, Betty Howard, Irma the Body, Jennie Lee, Sharon Knight, Tana Louise, Brandy Martin, Nejla Ates, Liz O’Leyar, Pepper Powell, Queen Murine, Rita Grable, Lee Sharon, Tempest Storm, Paula Uhrsan, Vicki Palmer, Evelyn West, Misty Monaco, Doe May Davidson, Zorita.
- COLLYER, MARTIN Burlesque: The Baubles…Bangles…Babes
- A history of burlesque. B+W photos throughout (Evelyn West; Dixie Evans; Harold Minsky; Tempest Storm; Rosita Royce; Ann Corio; Carmela; Danielle Dao Tien; Brandy Martin; Feline; Debbie Starr; Lili St. Cyr; Lilly Christine; Lady Zorro; Vallkyra; Sherry Britton; Redd Foxx)
Burlesque Babes Blog 