Facade of Minsky’ s Burlesque Theater, NYC, 1936.
Photo: Peter Stackpole / Time Life Pictures
In 1937, on a cold, dreary April morning, a swarm of New York City policemen barged into the Hotel Forrest looking for Margie Hart, the infamous“ striptease” dancer of Minsky’ s Burlesque Theatre on 42nd Street. At that time, Minsky’ s was the capital of burlesque in the United States— known for“ pushing” the rules. Minsky’ s Burlesque was owned by four brothers: Abe, Billy, Herbert and Morton Minsky. The eldest brother, Abe, a worldly man who had traveled extensively, was the brains of the gang. In the early 20th-Century, he came up with the idea to show raunchy films in the bowels of theaters on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. He became a very wealthy man. And then, one night, he was raided, and shut down( allegedly ratted-out by his own father). Abe quickly put together the remainder of his nest-egg and bought the National Winter Garden, which had a theater conveniently located on the sixth floor. After looking at the space, one of the Minsky brothers purportedly quipped“ This is a place fit for burlesque!” Abe knew a good idea when he heard one. Burlesque acts were cheap and Abe, who had been to Paris and seen the famous
Folies Bergère and Moulin Rouge, knew that success with burlesque was largely dependent upon the“ show” as much as“ the girl.” Abe quickly imported one of the classic burlesque trademarks he’ d seen in Europe: a runway to bring the girls out into the audience. The brothers reconfigured the theater and with that Minsky’ s became the first to feature Europeanstyle runway burlesque in the United States. Billy had the sign out front changed to“ bUrleSQUe As You Like It— Not a FAMily Show.” The crowds came in droves. The money in, literally, barrel-loads. the Minsky’ s were used to trouble— they were raided for the first time in 1917 when a dancer absent-mindedly began removing her costume before she reached the wings. When the crowd cheered, she returned to the stage and continued to remove her clothing— to wild applause— and an eventual visit, later that evening, from local law enforcement. But nothing quite prepared them for what happened this bleary, early April morning.
Margie Hart was a striptease superstar. A Missouri farm girl with a pretty, oval face and flaming red hair, she had a picture-
42 treatsmagazine. com