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{{Short description|American burlesque performer (1918–2008)}}
[[Image:Sherry Britton.jpg|right|200px]]
{{Infobox person
⚫
'''Sherry Britton''' (July 28, 1918 – April 1, 2008) was a [[burlesque]] performer of the 1930s and early 1940s. The 5'3" (160 cm) Britton had an 18" (46 cm) waist, and was once said to have a "figure to die for". She was born Edith Zack, in [[New Brunswick, New Jersey]].
⚫
| name = Sherry Britton
| image = Sherry Britton.jpg
| alt =
| caption = Britton in 1945
| birth_name = Edith Zack
| birth_date = {{birth date|1918|07|28}}
| birth_place = [[New Brunswick, New Jersey]], United States
| death_date = {{death date and age|2008|04|01|1918|07|28}}
| death_place = [[Manhattan|Manhattan, New York]], United States
| occupation = [[Erotic dance|Burlesque dancer]], [[Actor|actress]]
| years_active =
| alma_mater = [[Fordham University]]
⚫
}}
[[File:Portrait of Sherry Britton at Leon and Eddie's, New York, N.Y., ca. July 1948 (LOC) (5268916977) (cropped).jpg|thumb|198x198px|Portrait of Sherry Britton at Leon and Eddie's, New York, N.Y.,July 1948]]
⚫
'''Edith Zack''' (July 28, 1918 – April 1, 2008), better known by the stage name '''Sherry Britton''', was an [[American burlesque]] performer of the 1930s and early 1940s. The {{convert|5|ft|3|in|m|adj=on}} Britton had an {{convert|18|in|cm|adj=on}} waist, and was once said to have a "figure to die for."


Her known measurements were listed at 34B-18-34.
⚫
When burlesque went by the wayside due to the NYC ban in 1940, Britton turned to plays, eventually appearing in almost 40 of them. Britton also spent much time during WWII entertaining troops, for which she was made an honorary Brigadier General by President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]].


Legend has it that she decided on her stage name when she saw a bottle of [[Harvey's Bristol Cream]] [[Sherry]] while passing through a liquor store.<ref>{{cite book |title=Behind the Burly Q: The Story of Burlesque in America |last=Zemeckis |first=Leslie |year=2013 |location=Delaware |publisher=[[Skyhorse Publishing]] |chapter=Chapter 26: Legendary Ladies |isbn=978-1-62087-691-6}}</ref>
⚫
Britton was performing in [[Washington, D.C.]] clubs as late as 1958 (at or near age 40). She was barred from appearing at the 1964 New York World's Fair, because she was too risque. She instead became a cabaret singer and appeared in many theater productions.


==Biography==
⚫
In 1971, Britton, who had been married twice previously, and who once said she'd been engaged "14 times", married wealthy businessman Robert Gross (no relation to aviator [[Robert E. Gross (businessman)|Robert E. Gross]]). Gross urged her to attend [[Fordham University]]. Although Britton had never attended high school, she was said to have a very high IQ. She attended Fordham and graduated pre-law in 1982, magna cum laude, at the age of 63.
Britton performed in many theaters and clubs during the Golden Age of burlesque. She once said, "I despised burlesque." However, she did enjoy stripping in nightclubs, like the famous Leon & Eddie's where she was a regular for seven years. She stripped to classical music, wore lovely long gowns and tiaras and crowns. When burlesque went by the wayside due to the NYC ban in 1940, Britton turned to the stage, eventually appearing in almost forty plays.


⚫
Britton also spent much time during World War II entertaining troops, for which she was made an honorary Brigadier General by President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]].
⚫
After Gross died in 1990, Britton lived a life of retirement, stepping back into the limelight in 1993 on her 75th birthday performing at the Marriott Marquis Hotel on Broadway in NYC.


⚫
Britton was performing in [[Washington, D.C.]], clubs as late as 1958, the year she turned 40. She was barred from appearing at the [[1964 New York World's Fair]], because she was too risqué. She instead became a cabaret singer and appeared in many theater productions.
Britton died of natural causes on April 1, 2008.

⚫
In 1971, Britton, who had been married twice previously, and who once said she'd been engaged "14 times," married wealthy businessman Robert Gross (no relation to aviator [[Robert E. Gross (businessman)|Robert E. Gross]]). Gross urged her to attend [[Fordham University]]. Although Britton had never attended high school, she was admitted to Fordham University where she majored in courses appropriate for pre-law students. Gifted with a very high IQ, she graduated magna cum laude in 1982, at the age of 63.

⚫
After Gross died in 1990, Britton lived a life of retirement, but stepped back into the limelight in 1993, on her 75th birthday, performing at the [[New York Marriott Marquis|Marriott Marquis Hotel]] on Broadway in NYC.

Britton died of natural causes on April 1, 2008, in New York City.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/03/arts/dance/03britton.html?_r=1&oref=slogin |title=Sherry Britton, 89, a Star of the Burlesque Stage, Dies |first=Dennis |last=Hevesi |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=3 April 2008}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
*{{cite AV media
| people = Leslie Zemeckis (Director)
| title = [[Behind the Burly Q]]
| medium = DVD
| publisher = [[First Run Features]]
| asin=B004I45MUC
| year=2010}}


==External links==
==External links==
{{commons category}}
{{commons category}}
* {{IMDb name|2000509|Sherry Britton}}
*{{YouTube|id=E5dcuSYr0Rg|title="Sherry Britton Interview (1966)"}}
*{{IMDb name}}
* [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/03/arts/dance/03britton.html?_r=1&oref=slogin Obituary: ''New York Times'']
*{{IBDB name}}
*[http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GS|n=britton&GSfn=sherry&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSob=n&GRid=32240907&df=all& Sherry Britton at findagrave database]
{{authority control}}


{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. -->
⚫
| NAME = Britton, Sherry
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION =
| DATE OF BIRTH = July 28, 1918
| PLACE OF BIRTH =
| DATE OF DEATH = April 1, 2008
| PLACE OF DEATH =
⚫
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Britton, Sherry}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Britton, Sherry}}
[[Category:1918 births]]
[[Category:1918 births]]
[[Category:2008 deaths]]
[[Category:2008 deaths]]
[[Category:People from New Brunswick, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Artists from New Brunswick, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Burlesque performers]]
[[Category:American burlesque performers]]
[[Category:American dancers]]
[[Category:American female dancers]]
[[Category:Fordham University alumni]]
[[Category:Fordham University alumni]]
[[Category:20th-century American dancers]]
[[Category:20th-century American women]]
[[Category:21st-century American women]]

Latest revision as of 21:44, 23 April 2024

Sherry Britton
Britton in 1945
Born
Edith Zack

(1918-07-28)July 28, 1918
New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States
DiedApril 1, 2008(2008-04-01) (aged 89)
Manhattan, New York, United States
Alma materFordham University
Occupation(s)Burlesque dancer, actress
Portrait of Sherry Britton at Leon and Eddie's, New York, N.Y.,July 1948

Edith Zack (July 28, 1918 – April 1, 2008), better known by the stage name Sherry Britton, was an American burlesque performer of the 1930s and early 1940s. The 5-foot-3-inch (1.60 m) Britton had an 18-inch (46 cm) waist, and was once said to have a "figure to die for."

Her known measurements were listed at 34B-18-34.

Legend has it that she decided on her stage name when she saw a bottle of Harvey's Bristol Cream Sherry while passing through a liquor store.[1]

Biography

[edit]

Britton performed in many theaters and clubs during the Golden Age of burlesque. She once said, "I despised burlesque." However, she did enjoy stripping in nightclubs, like the famous Leon & Eddie's where she was a regular for seven years. She stripped to classical music, wore lovely long gowns and tiaras and crowns. When burlesque went by the wayside due to the NYC ban in 1940, Britton turned to the stage, eventually appearing in almost forty plays.

Britton also spent much time during World War II entertaining troops, for which she was made an honorary Brigadier General by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Britton was performing in Washington, D.C., clubs as late as 1958, the year she turned 40. She was barred from appearing at the 1964 New York World's Fair, because she was too risqué. She instead became a cabaret singer and appeared in many theater productions.

In 1971, Britton, who had been married twice previously, and who once said she'd been engaged "14 times," married wealthy businessman Robert Gross (no relation to aviator Robert E. Gross). Gross urged her to attend Fordham University. Although Britton had never attended high school, she was admitted to Fordham University where she majored in courses appropriate for pre-law students. Gifted with a very high IQ, she graduated magna cum laude in 1982, at the age of 63.

After Gross died in 1990, Britton lived a life of retirement, but stepped back into the limelight in 1993, on her 75th birthday, performing at the Marriott Marquis Hotel on Broadway in NYC.

Britton died of natural causes on April 1, 2008, in New York City.[2]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Zemeckis, Leslie (2013). "Chapter 26: Legendary Ladies". Behind the Burly Q: The Story of Burlesque in America. Delaware: Skyhorse Publishing. ISBN 978-1-62087-691-6.
  2. ^ Hevesi, Dennis (3 April 2008). "Sherry Britton, 89, a Star of the Burlesque Stage, Dies". The New York Times.

References

[edit]
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sherry Britton.
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