Mara Gaye
- This article is about a deceased Burlesque performer
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Mara Gaye (born Marjorie Helen Ginsberg on ✦16 September 1920 in Bronx, New York; died †22 July 2005) was a professional showgirl, a dancer with the Radio City Music "Hall Rockettes" (1938-1943), and exotic burlesque striptease dancer of the 1940s through the 1960s. She also performed under the name Marjorie Gaye.
Marjorie Gaye was cast as a dancer alongside a then-unknown Ann Miller in the 1936 film The Devil on Horseback and she won both the Miss North Dallas and Miss Dallas beauty contests in 1936. In the mid-1930's she performed at the Little Theatre of Dallas. She traveled with her mother out to California in search of a talent agent that wound up not existing. At that time she was also contemplating on becoming a tap-dancing duo with Miller until her father made her return home. She studied professional dance in Los Angeles.
In April 1936 she was chosen to participate in the "Discoveries of 1936" show at the Wilshire-Ebell Theatre by the Assistance League of Southern California located in Hollywood, California.
In 1937 she performed at the Casa Manana 4,000 seat huge theatrical restaurant in Texas as part of the Fort Worth Centennial Frontier Fiesta exhibition produced by Billy Rose. Fan dancer Sally Rand was the main attraction of the show. She continued to perform in the Casa Manana show when it moved and opened in New York City.
From 1938 through 1943 she was a Radio City Music Hall Rockette under the direction of Russell Markert.
During 1943 and 1944 she was a dancer in the Broadway and traveling show Mexican Hayride. Other shows she performed in include Yankee, Riviera, Soundies and My Dear Public with Nanette Fabray. In 1945-46 she became the captain (lead dancer) at the Clover Club, in Miami working for Boots McKenna. Other jobs included that of hat check and cigarette girl.
In the 1950s-60s during her exotic striptease dance career she performed at Minsky's Burlesque, the Troc, the Hudson Theater, Empire Theater, Club Samoa on Broadway, the Willows, on stage in Detroit, Michigan, as well as numerous private functions. She was once the birthday surprise for Phil Rizzuto. Numerous display ads for her act appeared in the NY Daily News, NY Daily Mirror, NJ newspapers as well as mentions in the NY Burlesque Bits and gossip columns.
In the 1960s she and Tana Louise started an exotic bizarre costumes mail order catalog company called "Tana and Mara".
Photos of Mara can be found in many of the early pin-up magazines and publications of the 1950s and 1960s which include Bold, Calvacade of Burlesque, Cherchez la Femme, Dazzle, Frolic, Gala, Hollywood Confidential, Night and Day, Play, Playgirl, Pose, Tab, Tom Boy, Uncensored, Vue. The magazine photos do not necessarily include her name.
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