Marion "Kiki" Roberts (née Strasmick) (born 1909 in

Boston, Massachusetts Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

to Martha Strasmick) was an American dancer and showgirl. She was better known as the girlfriend and moll of American gangster

Legs Diamond Jack "Legs" Diamond (possibly born John Thomas Diamond, though disputed; July 10, 1897 – December 18, 1931), also known as John Nolan and Gentleman Jack, was an Irish Americans, Irish-American gangster in Philadelphia and New York City during ...

Early life

Roberts dreamed of being a celebrity from a very young age and she placed eighth in a children's beauty pageant. She won a contract to participate at the

Ziegfeld Follies The ''Ziegfeld Follies'' were a series of elaborate theatrical revue productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 to 1931, with renewals in 1934, 1936, 1943, and 1957. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as '' The Ziegfeld Foll ...

as a "

Ziegfeld girl The term "Ziegfeld Girl" (or "Ziegfeld Follies Girl") is used broadly to describe the "singers, showgirls, comediennes, nddancers" who appeared in Florenz Ziegfeld Jr.'s theatrical Broadway revue spectaculars known as the ''Ziegfeld Follies'' ...

", but as she was too young to sign that contract, she could not participate at that time. At age 16, however, searching for bigger fame, Roberts and her mother Martha moved to New York City. In 1930 they were living in Manhattan. She began working for

Texas Guinan Mary Louise Cecilia "Texas" Guinan (January 12, 1884 – November 5, 1933) was an American actress, producer, and entrepreneur. Born in Texas to Irish immigrant parents, Guinan decided at an early age to become an entertainer. After becoming a s ...

at Guinan's nightclub the Moritz. At age 17, she was signed as a Ziegfeld girl.

Legs Diamond

Jack "Legs" Diamond was a major Irish-American bootlegger and mobster of the 1920s and 1930s. There are various accounts as to how Diamond and "Kiki" Roberts met, but one was that she had befriended a lady named Agnes O. Laughlin, who was in turn friends with Diamond and introduced them. The two soon became lovers, gaining Roberts the celebrity she wanted. Diamond helped Roberts get introduced to New York City choreographers in order to improve her dancing skills. It is widely believed that Roberts was one of the last people to see Diamond alive before he was gunned down in December 1931. "Kiki" Roberts and Diamond's wife Alice were both questioned in connection with the murder's investigation, but they were not suspected of wrongdoing.

Later life

Roberts did an interview for the ''

Boston American The ''Boston American'' was a daily tabloid newspaper published in Boston, Massachusetts from March 21, 1904, until September 30, 1961. The newspaper was part of William Randolph Hearst's chain, and thus was also known as ''Hearst's Boston Ameri ...

'' newspaper, recorded in film in 1931, where she expressed a desire to return to the stage. In 1935, Roberts made front page news when she was rescued from drowning by comedian

Jackie Gleason Herbert John Gleason (born Herbert Walton Gleason Jr.; February 26, 1916June 24, 1987), known as Jackie Gleason, was an American comedian, actor, writer, and composer also known as "The Great One". He developed a style and characters from growin ...

Budd Lake, New Jersey Budd Lake is an Local government in New Jersey#Unincorporated communities, unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located within Mount Olive Township, New Jersey, Mount Olive Township, in Morris County, New Jersey, Morris C ...

. Gleason had been playing at The Oasis nightclub in Budd Lake. When photos of him and Roberts were featured in New York tabloids, Gleason remarked that Roberts "couldn't have drowned with those boobs." By 1937, she was headlining a show titled ''Crazy Quilt'' at the Allentown Lyric Theater in Allentown, Pennsylvania. By the 1940s, she had disappeared from the limelight. Attempts at finding her whereabouts and her death date have been unsuccessful. Marion Lived in Menands NY

In pop culture

"Kiki" Roberts features prominently in writer William Kennedy's novel about Legs Diamond, titled ''Legs''. She is played by actress Amanda Greer in the 2019 biopic '' The Last Day of Legs Diamond''.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Roberts, Marion 1909 births Year of death missing People from Boston Dancers from New York (state) American female dancers