Leslie Zemeckis's Blog - Posts Tagged "zemeckis"
Daisy and Violet HIlton
f course this book lead to my documentary Bound By Flesh. Jensen is a thorough, insightful researcher. He brings to life the twins' story in a compassionate, humorous, tragic light. Can't wait for his next book.
Cleopatra
So sorry - it didn't live up to its press. I found it to be as dry as the desert. sorry Cleo. Make a movie!
Going Clear
Fascinating. I resisted reading this for awhile - I studied at the Beverly Hills Playhouse, and Milton Katselas was a mentor. This book was hard to put down. Very well researched.
Publishers Weekly
http://reviews.publishersweekly.com/9...
Filmmaker Zemeckis offers a narrative version of her 2010 documentary film of the same name in this comprehensive history of the golden age of burlesque. Drawing from extensive interviews conducted for the film, Zemeckis profiles a host of colorful dancers, from 4’11” Tiny Kline—a former circus performer turned burlesque star turned Disneyland’s first Tinker Bell—to Sherry Britton, who was named an honorary Brigadier for entertaining troops during WWII and who went on to get a law degree from Fordham University. The author also describes some of the most famous acts, including Kitty West emerging from a giant oyster shell and Gypsy Rose Lee’s “reverse strip,” in which she dressed other women in the clothes she removed. Some stories are nearly too tragic to bear, like that of Faith Bacon, who had her routine stolen from her, survived two freak accidents, became addicted to barbiturates, and finally killed herself. Rounding out Zemeckis’s oral history are profiles of those connected to the burlesque circuit—like comedians Abbott and Costello—and examinations of the legal and social furors and fevers kicked off by the “Burly Q.” This rich history, rife with vibrant quotes and first-hand insights from burlesque’s biggest dancers, is indispensable for fans of the ribald pastime. 80 b&w photos. Agent: Danny Passman, Gang, Tyre, Ramer & Brown. (June)
Filmmaker Zemeckis offers a narrative version of her 2010 documentary film of the same name in this comprehensive history of the golden age of burlesque. Drawing from extensive interviews conducted for the film, Zemeckis profiles a host of colorful dancers, from 4’11” Tiny Kline—a former circus performer turned burlesque star turned Disneyland’s first Tinker Bell—to Sherry Britton, who was named an honorary Brigadier for entertaining troops during WWII and who went on to get a law degree from Fordham University. The author also describes some of the most famous acts, including Kitty West emerging from a giant oyster shell and Gypsy Rose Lee’s “reverse strip,” in which she dressed other women in the clothes she removed. Some stories are nearly too tragic to bear, like that of Faith Bacon, who had her routine stolen from her, survived two freak accidents, became addicted to barbiturates, and finally killed herself. Rounding out Zemeckis’s oral history are profiles of those connected to the burlesque circuit—like comedians Abbott and Costello—and examinations of the legal and social furors and fevers kicked off by the “Burly Q.” This rich history, rife with vibrant quotes and first-hand insights from burlesque’s biggest dancers, is indispensable for fans of the ribald pastime. 80 b&w photos. Agent: Danny Passman, Gang, Tyre, Ramer & Brown. (June)
the apt burly built
these last two roles, she sheds the evocative stage moniker for her real name: Leslie Zemeckis—actress, writer, and wife of Robert Zemeckis, the Chicago-born, Oscar-winning director of blockbusters including Forrest Gump, The Polar Express, and the Back to the Future films.
And most recently, she’s also a filmmaker in her own right, completing her first documentary on the burlesque industry, Behind The Burly Q. It has played to rave reviews on Showtime and at independent cinemas, and will be shown at the Chicago History Museum on February 12, followed by a Q & A with Zemeckis.
Behind The Burly Q was a journey for Zemeckis, who met the ageing burlesque performers when she started to do research for her cabaret act around 2000. “They’re an important part of our nation’s entertainment industry and have compelling stories to tell,” she says. “But they’re literally a dying resource. Someone needed to [document] them.” By 2006, she was doing just that.
Beyond serving as the inspiration for her documentary, the performers Zemeckis interviewed also informed the décor of the Gold Coast co-op she and her husband bought in 2007, since Bob, who grew up in Roseland on the city’s South Side, still has family here. “We wanted our children to know our relatives and have an urban experience,” says Zemeckis.
It also turns out that Bob, like most kids from the city’s far-flung workingclass neighborhoods, spent his boyhood hankering for a house with a grand lake view. The urge was so powerful that “we knew this was the one the minute we walked in,” says Zemeckis of their co-op. “None of the other [apartments] we saw had views like this.”
Next
Slideshow_std_v_house2
Zemeckis has her prized burlesque artifacts on display in the guest bedroom, including a trunk owned by Gypsy Rose Lee
Slideshow_std_v_house3
Playful color gives the period pieces in the foyer, such as a hooded chair covered in bottle green and ornately carved console table, a witty and lively update
Slideshow_std_v_house4
Designer Jessica Lagrange paired the couple’s prized dining pieces with contemporary updates of Louis XVI chairs
Slideshow_std_v_house5
The library was developed around green lacquer walls and handsome Deco club chairs from Italy, refurbished with sumptuous loden mohair
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Zemeckis knew exactly what she wanted décor-wise, too, and pegged Chicago interior designer Jessica Lagrange for the job after seeing a magazine spread of an Art Deco-inspired, black and white master bathroom she’d decorated. “We have a very sleek, modern house in California, and I wanted this place to be over-the-top glamorous, like a little jewel box,” says Zemeckis, who already had a significant stash of furnishings and accessories to use in the co-op thanks to her growing fascination with burlesque. Her documentary subjects had given her things they’d worn or used as props in their acts, and her husband surprised her with burlesque-inspired artifacts like Gypsy Rose Lee’s trunk.
But once the couple bought the co-op, Zemeckis started collecting period treasures in earnest. During a stay in Tuscany, she uncovered a stash of Art Deco chandeliers, a few pairs of sleek club chairs, and a monumental dining room table and buffet, both mirrored and embellished with bronze and rose gold, and trimmed with copper leaf.
Floors of the co-op were covered with exquisite rugs: an Art Deco Chinese number in the dining room and ones with kicky graphic patterns in the bedrooms; walls were sheathed in elegant finishes (Venetian plaster with a lavender tint in the foyer and shimmering silver leaf in the dining room); and upholstered pieces were lavished in plush silk, velvets, and brocades.
Lagrange came full circle with the project in the master bathroom, which looks very similar to the black and white beauty that caught Zemeckis’s eye in the first place.
“She got that bathroom after all,” says Lagrange.
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And most recently, she’s also a filmmaker in her own right, completing her first documentary on the burlesque industry, Behind The Burly Q. It has played to rave reviews on Showtime and at independent cinemas, and will be shown at the Chicago History Museum on February 12, followed by a Q & A with Zemeckis.
Behind The Burly Q was a journey for Zemeckis, who met the ageing burlesque performers when she started to do research for her cabaret act around 2000. “They’re an important part of our nation’s entertainment industry and have compelling stories to tell,” she says. “But they’re literally a dying resource. Someone needed to [document] them.” By 2006, she was doing just that.
Beyond serving as the inspiration for her documentary, the performers Zemeckis interviewed also informed the décor of the Gold Coast co-op she and her husband bought in 2007, since Bob, who grew up in Roseland on the city’s South Side, still has family here. “We wanted our children to know our relatives and have an urban experience,” says Zemeckis.
It also turns out that Bob, like most kids from the city’s far-flung workingclass neighborhoods, spent his boyhood hankering for a house with a grand lake view. The urge was so powerful that “we knew this was the one the minute we walked in,” says Zemeckis of their co-op. “None of the other [apartments] we saw had views like this.”
Next
Slideshow_std_v_house2
Zemeckis has her prized burlesque artifacts on display in the guest bedroom, including a trunk owned by Gypsy Rose Lee
Slideshow_std_v_house3
Playful color gives the period pieces in the foyer, such as a hooded chair covered in bottle green and ornately carved console table, a witty and lively update
Slideshow_std_v_house4
Designer Jessica Lagrange paired the couple’s prized dining pieces with contemporary updates of Louis XVI chairs
Slideshow_std_v_house5
The library was developed around green lacquer walls and handsome Deco club chairs from Italy, refurbished with sumptuous loden mohair
previous
Preview_slider_thumb_house2
Preview_slider_thumb_house3
Preview_slider_thumb_house4
Preview_slider_thumb_house5
next
Zemeckis knew exactly what she wanted décor-wise, too, and pegged Chicago interior designer Jessica Lagrange for the job after seeing a magazine spread of an Art Deco-inspired, black and white master bathroom she’d decorated. “We have a very sleek, modern house in California, and I wanted this place to be over-the-top glamorous, like a little jewel box,” says Zemeckis, who already had a significant stash of furnishings and accessories to use in the co-op thanks to her growing fascination with burlesque. Her documentary subjects had given her things they’d worn or used as props in their acts, and her husband surprised her with burlesque-inspired artifacts like Gypsy Rose Lee’s trunk.
But once the couple bought the co-op, Zemeckis started collecting period treasures in earnest. During a stay in Tuscany, she uncovered a stash of Art Deco chandeliers, a few pairs of sleek club chairs, and a monumental dining room table and buffet, both mirrored and embellished with bronze and rose gold, and trimmed with copper leaf.
Floors of the co-op were covered with exquisite rugs: an Art Deco Chinese number in the dining room and ones with kicky graphic patterns in the bedrooms; walls were sheathed in elegant finishes (Venetian plaster with a lavender tint in the foyer and shimmering silver leaf in the dining room); and upholstered pieces were lavished in plush silk, velvets, and brocades.
Lagrange came full circle with the project in the master bathroom, which looks very similar to the black and white beauty that caught Zemeckis’s eye in the first place.
“She got that bathroom after all,” says Lagrange.
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Michigan Avenue celebrates with cover star Harrison Ford at Chicago Cut Steakhouse.
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Behind the Burly Q
PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY:
Behind the Burly Q: The Story of Burlesque in America
Leslie Zemeckis. Skyhorse (Norton, dist.), $24.95 (352p) ISBN 978-1-62087-691-6
Filmmaker Zemeckis offers a narrative version of her 2010 documentary film of the same name in this comprehensive history of the golden age of burlesque. Drawing from extensive interviews conducted for the film, Zemeckis profiles a host of colorful dancers, from 4’11” Tiny Kline—a former circus performer turned burlesque star turned Disneyland’s first Tinker Bell—to Sherry Britton, who was named an honorary Brigadier for entertaining troops during WWII and who went on to get a law degree from Fordham University. The author also describes some of the most famous acts, including Kitty West emerging from a giant oyster shell and Gypsy Rose Lee’s “reverse strip,” in which she dressed other women in the clothes she removed. Some stories are nearly too tragic to bear, like that of Faith Bacon, who had her routine stolen from her, survived two freak accidents, became addicted to barbiturates, and finally killed herself. Rounding out Zemeckis’s oral history are profiles of those connected to the burlesque circuit—like comedians Abbott and Costello—and examinations of the legal and social furors and fevers kicked off by the “Burly Q.” This rich history, rife with vibrant quotes and first-hand insights from burlesque’s biggest dancers, is indispensable for fans of the ribald pastime. 80 b&w photos.
Behind the Burly Q: The Story of Burlesque in America
Leslie Zemeckis. Skyhorse (Norton, dist.), $24.95 (352p) ISBN 978-1-62087-691-6
Filmmaker Zemeckis offers a narrative version of her 2010 documentary film of the same name in this comprehensive history of the golden age of burlesque. Drawing from extensive interviews conducted for the film, Zemeckis profiles a host of colorful dancers, from 4’11” Tiny Kline—a former circus performer turned burlesque star turned Disneyland’s first Tinker Bell—to Sherry Britton, who was named an honorary Brigadier for entertaining troops during WWII and who went on to get a law degree from Fordham University. The author also describes some of the most famous acts, including Kitty West emerging from a giant oyster shell and Gypsy Rose Lee’s “reverse strip,” in which she dressed other women in the clothes she removed. Some stories are nearly too tragic to bear, like that of Faith Bacon, who had her routine stolen from her, survived two freak accidents, became addicted to barbiturates, and finally killed herself. Rounding out Zemeckis’s oral history are profiles of those connected to the burlesque circuit—like comedians Abbott and Costello—and examinations of the legal and social furors and fevers kicked off by the “Burly Q.” This rich history, rife with vibrant quotes and first-hand insights from burlesque’s biggest dancers, is indispensable for fans of the ribald pastime. 80 b&w photos.
The Lives and Loves of Daisy and Violet Hilton
The sidecar:
1 1/2 oz Cognac
1 oz triple sec orange liqueur
1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
Lemon twist for garnish
Rim a chilled cocktail glass with sugar.
Shake ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice cubes.
Strain, pour and garnish with twist.
Sit back and read Dean Jensen's loving bio.
Another fascinating glimpse into a bygone era of American entertainment. Incredibly written and researched. I love Dean's voice.I was haunted by this work. I had never heard of Daisy and Violet Hilton. Boy do I know about them now (I would devote a couple years to making a documentary on them and interviewing Mr. Jensen who has an incredible brain for dates and names). From their beginnings in 1901 in Brighton, England through their deaths in 1969 Jensen is enthralling in this biography.
Like the author himself the book is articulate, funny, sad, non-judgmental. Jensen recreates the world of carnivals and vaudeville. The twins lives themselves is ultimately sad, but their spirit and those around them – for better or worse shines through.
1 1/2 oz Cognac
1 oz triple sec orange liqueur
1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
Lemon twist for garnish
Rim a chilled cocktail glass with sugar.
Shake ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice cubes.
Strain, pour and garnish with twist.
Sit back and read Dean Jensen's loving bio.
Another fascinating glimpse into a bygone era of American entertainment. Incredibly written and researched. I love Dean's voice.I was haunted by this work. I had never heard of Daisy and Violet Hilton. Boy do I know about them now (I would devote a couple years to making a documentary on them and interviewing Mr. Jensen who has an incredible brain for dates and names). From their beginnings in 1901 in Brighton, England through their deaths in 1969 Jensen is enthralling in this biography.
Like the author himself the book is articulate, funny, sad, non-judgmental. Jensen recreates the world of carnivals and vaudeville. The twins lives themselves is ultimately sad, but their spirit and those around them – for better or worse shines through.
The Shoemaker's Wife
mix a Sgroppino: 1/2 c prosecco, 1 T vodka, 1/4 c chilled lemon sorbet, and chopped mint - slip on a pair of Blahniks and enjoy this slow but ultimately old-fashioned story.
Though I found the characters to be a bit "too good" for reality, I did enjoy the author's great detail and struggle of two italian immigrants. With seemingly impossible coincidences that keep bringing the two main characters together and I did wish the story would move along faster, it made me reveal in the details of early New York. A worthy read.
Though I found the characters to be a bit "too good" for reality, I did enjoy the author's great detail and struggle of two italian immigrants. With seemingly impossible coincidences that keep bringing the two main characters together and I did wish the story would move along faster, it made me reveal in the details of early New York. A worthy read.
Night Circus
1 cup sugar
1 c water
1/4 light corn syrup
1/2 tsp. white vinegar
9 c popped pop corn
tiny white marshmellow pieces
black licorice cut up into pieces
red vines cut into little pices
mix together and sit down and enjoy the most creative, stunningly original voice in fiction in years. A magical circus comes to town and sucks the reader in from the get go. I did not want this book to end and cannot wait for the author's next venture. I don't want to give anything away except to say the characters are heartbreaking, original, sensual - and I love all things circus - even if it only appears at night.
1 c water
1/4 light corn syrup
1/2 tsp. white vinegar
9 c popped pop corn
tiny white marshmellow pieces
black licorice cut up into pieces
red vines cut into little pices
mix together and sit down and enjoy the most creative, stunningly original voice in fiction in years. A magical circus comes to town and sucks the reader in from the get go. I did not want this book to end and cannot wait for the author's next venture. I don't want to give anything away except to say the characters are heartbreaking, original, sensual - and I love all things circus - even if it only appears at night.
