Today is the birthday of legendary burlesque performer Blaze Starr (Fannie Belle Fleming, 1932-2015). The striking West Virginia native was discovered working in a Washington DC donut shop by a “handler” named Red Snyder and drafted into the business. She began performing in Baltimore’s Two O’Clock Nightclub in 1950 and rapidly became one of the top burlesque stars in the country. Starr’s relationship with Louisiana Governor Huey Long throughout the 1950s became the basis for the 1989 bio-pic Blaze. Her talents were featured in numerous numerous nudie cuties during the 50s and 60s and in 1974 she published her memoir (which became the basis for the film). She retired not long after that and has worked as a gemologist for her last few decades. You can see cool interviews with Blaze Starr in the documentary Behind the Burley Q.
(Travalanche) 