burleskateer:R.I.P. Ricki Covette aka. “The World&
burleskateer: R.I.P. Ricki Covette aka. “The World’s TALLEST Exotic Dancer”.. I just learned that we lost another LEGEND in Burlesque, today.. In 1925, Ricki Covette (aka. Irene Siewert) was born in Onaway, Alberta; to American parents.. In her teens, she left home to join the chorus line in one of Gypsy Rose Lee’s touring revues. She eventually landed in NYC and worked her way to a Feature performer at one of the Minsky theatres.. Before Burlesque, Ricki had viewed her 6′8″ height as a disadvantage. But soon found endless ways to use it, to publicize and promote her appearances throughout North America, Europe, and Japan. Including an 82-week run on Bourbon Street in New Orleans.. She also worked in legit theatre, as well.. Appearing in touring editions of “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” and “Marriage-Go-Round”.. She would retire in the mid-1970′s to live with her partner Stuart Jewell; who was a famous Nature photographer.. His stop-motion film work in Disney’s “The Living Desert”, won an Oscar in 1953. She had been experiencing health problems in the past few years, including a broken hip. She had talked about writing an autobiography on her showbiz career, as well.. All of her memorabilia has previously been donated to the ‘Smithsonian Museum of Natural History’.. -- source link