Sally Rand was a famous American burlesque dancer, vedette, and actress, who rose to fame with her ostrich-feather fan dance and balloon bubble dance. She was also known by the stage name Billie Beck. She performed at the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair, where she was arrested four times for indecent exposure. She died on August 31, 1979, at the age of 75, from congestive heart failure. Here is a brief overview of her life and career, as well as the circumstances of her death.
Early Life and Career
Sally Rand was born as Helen Gould Beck on April 3, 1904, in Elkton, Missouri. Her father was a retired U.S. Army colonel and her mother was a school teacher and a newspaper correspondent. She started on the stage at the age of 13, working as a chorus girl at Kansas City’s Empress Theater. She studied ballet and drama in Kansas City, and then moved to Hollywood, where she worked as an acrobat in the Ringling Brothers Circus and a traveling theater. She also acted on stage and in silent films, working with a young Humphrey Bogart.
She got her name Sally Rand from Cecil B. DeMille, who was inspired by a Rand McNally atlas. She was selected as one of the WAMPAS Baby Stars in 1927, a group of promising young actresses in Hollywood. After the introduction of sound films, she became a dancer, known for the fan dance, which she popularized starting at the Paramount Club, in Chicago. She would play peek-a-boo with her body by manipulating her fans in front and behind her, like a winged bird. She usually performed to “Clair de Lune” by Claude Debussy.
Fame and Controversy
Her most famous appearance was at the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair, known as the Century of Progress, where she was accompanied by her backing orchestra, directed by Art Frasik. She was arrested four times in a single day during the fair due to perceived indecent exposure after a fan dance performance and while riding a white horse down the streets of Chicago, where the nudity was only an illusion. She was also arrested after being bodypainted by Max Factor Sr. with his new makeup formulated for Hollywood films. She also conceived and developed the bubble dance, in part to cope with wind while performing outdoors. She would dance inside a large balloon that gradually deflated, revealing her body.
She continued to perform throughout the 1930s and 1940s, appearing in films, nightclubs, theaters, and carnivals. She also became a businesswoman, owning a ranch, a hotel, and an airport. She was married four times, but none of her marriages lasted. She had one son, Sean, with her second husband, Thurkel Greenough. She was also involved in several lawsuits, including one against the city of Chicago for false arrest and another against Columbia Pictures for using her name and likeness without permission.
Death and Legacy
Sally Rand died on August 31, 1979, at Foothill Presbyterian Hospital, in Glendora, California, from congestive heart failure. She was deeply in debt at her death, owing more than $100,000 in taxes and medical bills. She was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, in Glendale, California.
Sally Rand is remembered as one of the most influential and iconic figures of burlesque and American entertainment. She was a pioneer of erotic dance, who challenged the norms and expectations of her time. She was also a talented and versatile performer, who could act, sing, dance, and play various instruments. She inspired many other dancers and artists, such as Gypsy Rose Lee, Lili St. Cyr, Dita Von Teese, and Madonna. She was inducted into the Burlesque Hall of Fame in 2007.
