Farewell Tempest Storm, A Burlesque Star Like None Other

Who was Tempest Storm? Legendary burlesque performer Tempest Storm passed away on Tuesday, April 20 in her Las Vegas apartment at the age of 93. According to the Las Vegas-Review Journal, the late dancer had been battling dementia for months and was also struggling after a hip surgery that took place on April 8 this year.

Tempest Storm was under constant medical care due to her bad health condition until her death. Many of her friends and colleagues from the burlesque industry have mourned her demise, saying they have lost one of the best legends of the golden age of burlesque and will be forever missed.

Burlesque is a form of variety show that is comedic and provocative and features a female chorus, solo dances, slapstick skits, and songs. It may also feature striptease acts, although not necessarily.

Let's have a look at the life of Tempest Storm who was credited for bringing ‘the art of striptease to the masses’.

- The famous burlesque performer was born in Eastman Georgia as Annie Blanche Banks and left her home at the age of 15 when she was in seventh grade.

- Storm worked as a waitress in Hollywood initially and later got an audition with Follies Theater in the year 1951.

- At the theatre, she had to choose a stage name for herself between Sunny Day and Tempest Storm. She chose Tempest Storm as her stage name and kept it till the end.

- By 1956, Storm became the highest paid burlesque performer and had a 10-year contract with Bryan-Engels burlesque production company of $100,000 per-year payment and took the industry by storm.

- She had a successful career and worked in the industry for more than six decades and did shows in Sin City until her 80s.

- Storm became a Las Vegas legend and was also dubbed 'the Queen of Erotic Dancers'. She also boasted of having many famous friends like Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe.

- Storm married thrice in her lifetime. Reportedly, she also had a short spanned relationship with singer Elvis Presley. She also claimed of having an affair with US President John F Kennedy.

- In an interview with DailyMail in 2014, Storm said that the secret to her success was that she was "sexy and classy" at the same time. She said that a performer needs to make the audience believe that at the time they are a part of your life.

- Storm married actor Herb Jeffries in the year 1959 and also had a daughter with him. The couple got divorced in 1967. At the time of her death, Storm was reportedly estranged from her only daughter.