I hope you may be able to help me. I have been doing some family tree research and have discovered that my great grandfathers sister, Phyllis Dicks born c.1913 died 2 June 1964, is much more famously known as Phyllis Dixey.
As I am sure you know, she was the wartime "Queen of Striptease", and most importantly to me, my Aunt. I have gathered together all the following from the internet - my Dad can't tell me very much as she was very much a family black sheep.
She leased the Whitehall Theatre (the Windmill Theatres main West End rival in the 30's-40's). Her main shows were "Peek-a-boo" and "Good Night Ladies" starring her girls the Varga Models, which also toured other theatres. The Vargas Models type of shows ended with the opening of Paul Raymonds Revue Bar, they were a bit too artsy and old fashioned by then and couldn't compete.
She appeared in a couple of films as well, "Dual Alibi" (1947) a crime thriller starring Herbert Lom in which she played a girl called Penny, and a comedy "Up the Pole" (1936). The Herbert Lom film was a good movie, well reviewed and popular at the time.
That is all I know. I will try and buy the Leslie Ann Down film about her, which I haven't yet seen, I didn't know she was Aunt before! The only pictures I have of her are from a tiny little magazine which I have managed to buy a copy of published sometime in the fifties I think.
If you have any further information, or can think of someone who could help, I would be very much obliged. I think she had an American partner, but really know no more than I have written here. Except she died as some sort of housekeeper in obscurity (of breast cancer), which makes me angry with my relatives. I think it is tragic that they kept quiet about her - I am very proud of my Aunt and only wish I had been allowed to meet her.
I would like to make amends, hopefully to gather enough together to make a Phyllis Dixey website. She certainly deserves one, as I understand it she was constantly pushing the envelope of what the censors would allow in her early glory days. Also, apparently she took her art very seriously and had set very high standards, something which you can probably relate to.
Hope you don't mind my asking, perhaps your members can help with any more information? Anything at all about her or the Vargas Girls or any background about stripping then and now really would be appreciated.
Thank you
regards
Jim Fryer
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