The Mutual Burlesquer (1929-12-30)

Scrollable Cover

Well, I’m going to put off the girlie pulp post a bit to get a couple of other things up, but here’s a related and very interesting item, The Mutual Burlesquer a trade and news publication for a conglomeration of burlesque clubs. I came across this issue in my hunt for Gayety and Paris Gayety, sister pulps to Paris Nights, as this publication was distributed from the Gayety theatre in Washington D.C. The cover artist is Hap Hadley who is more well known for his movie posters of Keaton and Chaplin which you can see HERE The publication contains coming events like the “Speed Girls,” letters from fans, news from the various theaters, little spot illustrations, jokes, and even a couple pieces of fiction apparently solicited from aspiring stage girls. One of the pages is a little singed in the corner, I’m prone to flights of fancy – perhaps this page lit a cigar.

The scan is here

I’m going to do something a bit different this time, because it’s only an 8 page publication I’ll make a scrollable image for each page for web surfers…

Page 2 A list of the theatres. Prospects for the new year in the depression, a trend towards pants, and more.

Page 3 Coming attractions, letters from fans.

Pages 4 and 5 The centerfold. A growing organization in the industry, some mention of legendary feuds in Vaudeville, some happenings in the lives of the stars, and descriptions of “Speed Girls” the season’s event. The union printers stamp didn’t quite take but I think it says Allied…

Page 6 “The Come-Back” by Lulu Michael, possibly a performer. A short story on the camaraderie of showgirls and the desire for that one big break.

Page 7 Jokes, a spool rolling promotion, the addition of red, blue, and white lights to some of the theatres, letters to the editor including a gent who recently took his mother too one of the shows…

Page 8 A rainbow of girls, an ad for Jack Lamont and his oriental girls with Chubby Drisdale.

An intriguing look into the business of burlesque and a gorgeous little pub to boot, the red ink, the girly sketches, I love it…