The year was 1978 and Peg and I traveled to NYC to take the city, see a play and see things we could not see in Southbridge. Believe it or not, Dad suggested that we visited the Melody Burleque when in NYC, and this is the story of when we did.

After eating a dinner at Mama Leone's which was next door to the Melody Burlesque, we decided to check it out.  For those that know me, I almost always carry a camera and while touring NYC this was no exception. At time I had a Minolta SLR camera which took great photos, but certainly was not compact and could not be hidden. I decided Peg and I try would buy ticket, but I had decided I did not trust leaving my camera at the front desk, so resigned myself to being turned away. To my surprise, we were let in with the camera and all without comment.

Once in I was happy to see the girls were gorgeous and fully nude! I had not experienced such a show before and found the show very exciting. As time went by,  I noticed another person with a camera who was taking flash photos and obviously had permission to do so. I saw another camera in the audience, so I began to think - should I try too?

I started clicking photos from my lap without looking thru the viewfinder and without flash. After  a few shots (mostly of the ceiling I would later discover), I got bold and put the camera up to my face, focused and took several more which are on  this page. I recall after taking the ones you see here, a gorgeous woman was on stage when I was ready to take one of her. When she turned and saw me, her mood changed from alluring to killer attitude and she screamed -STOP!!!

 Boy did I. I meekly put the camera down and fully expected to be confronted and asked for the film - but no one did! I later sent the photos out to Kodak, not being sure they would be developed but they were and here they are (minus the ceiling photos)!

History of Melody Burlesque

Another Camera episode - coming out of the movie theater in Shrewsbury MA after seeing the Graduate!

Dad and Bettie Page

The "twenty dollar girl"painting

Dick and Dad in  1953  (with Pinup calendar  in his office); until he died in 1998,
I always remember a Playboy calendar on full display!