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Good Time Party Girl: The Notorious Life of Dirty Helen Cromwell, 1886-1969
“I’ll roast the goose that pisses on your grave!”
Dirty Helen Cromwell takes you through her life and adventures-from her small-town dreams to how she earned her name. This long-lost autobiography of a woman who lived life with no regrets from the 1880s to the 1960s offers a rare look into the colorful criminal underworld from New York to San Francisco and every whorehouse, tavern, and mining camp in between.
Demure, sweet, yet wild teenage Helen flees from Indiana to Cincinnati with her first of six husbands. She soon realizes that the traditional role of wife and mother isn’t for her. She meets cunning millionaires, bank robbers, detectives, and gangsters as she hustles her way through life. Her friends were everyone else’s enemies ? Al Capone, Big Jim Colosimo and Johnny Torrio all spend time with Helen as she bounces from adventure to adventure.
It’s the true-life story of a woman who never said “No” and carved out an independent life that transgressed every societal boundary. Her life is a rarely seen look into the reality of a woman who chose sex-work as a path to the good life. This is the story of a mother, a sex-worker and entrepreneur who lived by her own rules.
Helen Worley Cromwell born in Cicero, Indiana in 1886 was known far and wide as “Dirty Helen” because of her poetic and prolific cursing. In the 1930s, 40s, and 50s, her Milwaukee bar was a rendezvous for the famous and the infamous.
Assisted by Robert Dougherty, ‘Dirty Helen’ was first published in 1966. The updated Feral House edition contains private family photos and images from a raucous night at the Sun Flower Inn. Afterword about Helen’s end of life and legacy by Christina Ward.
Dirty Helen Cromwell takes you through her life and adventures-from her small-town dreams to how she earned her name. This long-lost autobiography of a woman who lived life with no regrets from the 1880s to the 1960s offers a rare look into the colorful criminal underworld from New York to San Francisco and every whorehouse, tavern, and mining camp in between.
Demure, sweet, yet wild teenage Helen flees from Indiana to Cincinnati with her first of six husbands. She soon realizes that the traditional role of wife and mother isn’t for her. She meets cunning millionaires, bank robbers, detectives, and gangsters as she hustles her way through life. Her friends were everyone else’s enemies ? Al Capone, Big Jim Colosimo and Johnny Torrio all spend time with Helen as she bounces from adventure to adventure.
It’s the true-life story of a woman who never said “No” and carved out an independent life that transgressed every societal boundary. Her life is a rarely seen look into the reality of a woman who chose sex-work as a path to the good life. This is the story of a mother, a sex-worker and entrepreneur who lived by her own rules.
Helen Worley Cromwell born in Cicero, Indiana in 1886 was known far and wide as “Dirty Helen” because of her poetic and prolific cursing. In the 1930s, 40s, and 50s, her Milwaukee bar was a rendezvous for the famous and the infamous.
Assisted by Robert Dougherty, ‘Dirty Helen’ was first published in 1966. The updated Feral House edition contains private family photos and images from a raucous night at the Sun Flower Inn. Afterword about Helen’s end of life and legacy by Christina Ward.
328 pages, Paperback
Published August 27, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
March 20, 2021
A very readable auto-biography, I had never heard of Dirty Helen despite her being a Milwaukee legend during what was ostensibly her retirement? I'm glad the updated edition includes photographs and a foreword by the person who helped edit the book, and was struck by some of the parallels between 1920 and 2021, especially the Butterfly Theater ad which indicated they had "good ventilation and air exchanged every 3 minutes."
Dirty Helen met so many people during her time as a salesperson, a sex worker, and a bar owner. Definitely recommend a read.
CW for racial slurs, violence
Dirty Helen met so many people during her time as a salesperson, a sex worker, and a bar owner. Definitely recommend a read.
CW for racial slurs, violence
July 6, 2020
This book was a hoot! It was a reprint of an autobiography oby Helen Cromwell (Dirty Helen) who lived a full life, not always on the side of the law. She was a call girl, a madame, ran a speakeasy, was married 6 times, knew Al Capone and other gangsters. She tells her own story in detail and without regret. What drew me into this book was the fact that she lived in Milwaukee during prohibition years and ran a speakeasy downtown and a tavern after that until 1961.
so many of her anecdotes feature Milwaukee of that time, including the Braves baseball team and Joe McCarthy (a law student at Marquette who worked for her).
It's hard to believe that all the stories are true altho her co-author did corroborate most of them.
Helen was one tough lady who made her own way in the world!
so many of her anecdotes feature Milwaukee of that time, including the Braves baseball team and Joe McCarthy (a law student at Marquette who worked for her).
It's hard to believe that all the stories are true altho her co-author did corroborate most of them.
Helen was one tough lady who made her own way in the world!
April 9, 2021
So I was looking for something to read when I stumbled across this book on my library's "Recommended Reading" list. *takes a closer look* A book about a woman called "Dirty Helen"? *I'm intrigued* With ties to Milwaukee? *getting closer* The afterword is written by Christina Ward, my husband's high school friend, of whom I've heard hysterical stories about? *SOLD*
Am I glad I checked this out! If this had been a fiction book, I would've panned the hell out of it. Unbelievable! Preposterous! Absurd! But as they say...truth is stranger than fiction. What a phenomenal, eye-popping and weird life. (Certainly not something I can relate to at all.) But jeezo-peezo I couldn't put this down!
Five dirty stars!!!
Am I glad I checked this out! If this had been a fiction book, I would've panned the hell out of it. Unbelievable! Preposterous! Absurd! But as they say...truth is stranger than fiction. What a phenomenal, eye-popping and weird life. (Certainly not something I can relate to at all.) But jeezo-peezo I couldn't put this down!
Five dirty stars!!!
August 15, 2024
Fantastic! I couldn't put it down! A fascinating slice of American history told from the point of view of a woman who very much lived life on her own terms.
April 20, 2025
Criminal Life. Helen Cromwell’s life was full of flirting with the idea of legality as she was known acquaintances with Al Capone, bank robbers, jewel thieves and pimps. However, she was honest with police officers and didn’t seem to have much legal trouble until later in life. Was this a life of crime? Was she a criminal? Who would have been the victim of her crimes?
Perception versus Reality. I thought the afterward of the book was the best part. It was the best written section, provided clarity on her experiences, nuance for her decisions, and validated a lot of her stories. I’m still struggling with the believability of her story and the level of embellishment but the afterward made me pause and reevaluate my position. My wish was that whoever wrote the afterward would have written the rest of the book.
Writing style. I thought the writing style was very poor. There was limited development and quick transitions that confused me as the reader. I don’t remember many of Helen’s husbands or relationships and thought many of her decisions were not explained fully. Helen lived a very interesting life, met many interesting characters along the way, but I don’t think the style of writing fully captured all of these stories.
Role of a Woman. I do believe that Helen’s first husband and his treatment of her forced her to evaluate her life and make troubling decisions. Helen seemed to be a great student, very intelligent, but she had a weakness for men and fashion and flare. The book, and her story, highlight the double standards for women. As the afterward points out, her generosity for strangers and college students is most likely a beard for her guilt at not being there as much for her own children. The book is largely silent on Helen’s relationship with her two boys although the afterward addresses this in a great way.
Really enjoyed reading about her story although I wish the writing could have captured her in a more engaging way.
Perception versus Reality. I thought the afterward of the book was the best part. It was the best written section, provided clarity on her experiences, nuance for her decisions, and validated a lot of her stories. I’m still struggling with the believability of her story and the level of embellishment but the afterward made me pause and reevaluate my position. My wish was that whoever wrote the afterward would have written the rest of the book.
Writing style. I thought the writing style was very poor. There was limited development and quick transitions that confused me as the reader. I don’t remember many of Helen’s husbands or relationships and thought many of her decisions were not explained fully. Helen lived a very interesting life, met many interesting characters along the way, but I don’t think the style of writing fully captured all of these stories.
Role of a Woman. I do believe that Helen’s first husband and his treatment of her forced her to evaluate her life and make troubling decisions. Helen seemed to be a great student, very intelligent, but she had a weakness for men and fashion and flare. The book, and her story, highlight the double standards for women. As the afterward points out, her generosity for strangers and college students is most likely a beard for her guilt at not being there as much for her own children. The book is largely silent on Helen’s relationship with her two boys although the afterward addresses this in a great way.
Really enjoyed reading about her story although I wish the writing could have captured her in a more engaging way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 25, 2020
Enjoyed hearing about the interesting life of "Dirty Helen". She was a lot of things, but a great writer was not one. Still, she led an amazing life. I wonder how her children felt about her, especially the oldest whom she walks away from rather early on and we don't hear much about for the rest of the book. I can say without knowing her, she was most likely a rather selfish person. But boy did she met a lot of people! Cool background knowledge of prohibition era.
December 29, 2019
I had never heard of Helen Cromwell until Great Lakes Distillery released their whisky named for her.
She died before I graduated from high school, but I sincerely wished I could have met her.
A remarkable woman.
She was an iconic figure in the history of Milwaukee. It makes me wonder how many other interesting figures in Milwaukee history I have never heard of.
She died before I graduated from high school, but I sincerely wished I could have met her.
A remarkable woman.
She was an iconic figure in the history of Milwaukee. It makes me wonder how many other interesting figures in Milwaukee history I have never heard of.
March 16, 2022
an Interesting story about a woman born in Indiana, that eventually ends up running a speakeasy/bar in Milwaukee. vague synopsis, it is an Autobiography as told/edited to the other author. it's written in a way that makes you feel like you've been told this tale over several days and several drinks... light reading, and very enjoyable. Grab a drink, a comfy chair, and enjoy.
June 8, 2022
Interesting story. Liked hearing about that time period from a woman.
Wanted to read it because I knew her oldest son.
At the end of the book (very last chapter) her Great-granddaughter leaves out some family members. Phil Jr. actually had two children.
Wanted to read it because I knew her oldest son.
At the end of the book (very last chapter) her Great-granddaughter leaves out some family members. Phil Jr. actually had two children.
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August 9, 2020Fascinating story about someone I knew nothing about though she connected with Capone and Torrio here in Chicago before going to Milwaukee
August 15, 2020
A very interesting character
November 17, 2020
Interesting read about a woman who certainly didn’t follow the rules.
November 11, 2025
Very entertaining!! What a crazy, big-hearted gal!!
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews