Phyllis Dixey (10 February 1914 – 2 June 1964) was an English singer, actress, dancer and

impresario An impresario (from Italian ''impresa'', 'an enterprise or undertaking') is a person who organizes and often finances concerts, Play (theatre), plays, or operas, performing a role in stage arts that is similar to that of a film producer, film or ...

. Her earlier career was as a singer in variety shows in Britain. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, she joined ENSA and entertained the British forces. She sang, recited and posed in naked tableaux which were very popular.

Early life and career

Phyllis Selina Dixey was born in Merton,

Surrey Surrey () is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Greater London to the northeast, Kent to the east, East Sussex, East and West Sussex to the south, and Hampshire and Berkshire to the wes ...

to Ernest Dixey and Phyllis Selina Haycroft. She had one elder brother, Ernest Dixey (b. 1912). In 1938, she married Jack Tracey. In 1942, she formed her own company of girls and rented the Whitehall Theatre in

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

to put on a review called ''The Whitehall Follies''. This was the first

striptease A striptease is an erotic or exotic dance in which the performer gradually undresses, either partly or completely, in a seductive and sexually suggestive manner. The person who performs a striptease is commonly known as a "stripper", "exotic d ...

show put on in the West End of London, but not the first show to have nude studies as the Windmill reviews were already in existence. She stayed at the Whitehall for the next five years producing the ''Peek-a-boo'' reviews. Her performance was at the time considered artistic and she thought that it was an art form. She was known as the "Queen of Striptease". She appeared in two films ''Love up the Pole'' (1936) and ''Dual Alibi'' (1946).

Last years

By 1947 the tastes of the London audience had changed, and Phyllis Dixey was forced to return to the provinces. She was not able to adapt to the direction that the public required; leaving the stage in the late 1950s, bankrupt.Jasper Coppin
"English Heritage plans a really 'blue' plaque for stripper"
''Sunday Telegraph'', 13 November 2011 In the early 1960s she worked as a cook at Loseley Park near

Guildford Guildford () is a town in west Surrey, England, around south-west of central London. As of the 2011 census, the town has a population of about 77,000 and is the seat of the wider Borough of Guildford, which had around inhabitants in . The nam ...

. She died of cancer in 1964, aged 50, in

Epsom Epsom is a town in the borough of Epsom and Ewell in Surrey, England, about south of central London. The town is first recorded as ''Ebesham'' in the 10th century and its name probably derives from that of a Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain ...

Posthumous

Her life was portrayed in the British television film '' The One and Only Phyllis Dixey'' (1978), in which she was played by Lesley-Anne Down. It was written by Philip Purser.Jerry Robert
''Encyclopedia of Television Film Directors''
Lanham Maryland & Plymouth, UK: Scarecrow Press, 2009, p.600 In 2011,

English Heritage English Heritage (officially the English Heritage Trust) is a charity that manages over 400 historic monuments, buildings and places. These include prehistoric sites, a battlefield, medieval castles, Roman forts, historic industrial sites, Lis ...

made plans to erect a

blue plaque A blue plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place in the United Kingdom, and certain other countries and territories, to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person, event, or former building on the site, serving a ...

at Dixey's former home at Wentworth Court in

Surbiton Surbiton is a suburban neighbourhood in South West London, within the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames (RBK). It is next to the River Thames, southwest of Charing Cross. Surbiton was in the Historic counties of England, historic county of ...

; however, the installation of the plaque was turned down by the residents' association of the building due to the proposed title 'Striptease Artiste' being used on the plaque.

Filmography

* '' Love Up the Pole'' (1936) * '' Dual Alibi'' (1947)

References

*Roger Wilmut ''Kindly Leave the Stage: Story of Variety, 1919-60'', 1985, Methuen, *Philip Purser and Jenny Wilkes: "The One And Only Phyllis Dixey", 1978, Futura Publications, London; *"Phyllis Dixey Her Show-Her Home", 29 January 1944. Illustrated Magazine. *Roye: "Phyllis Dixey Album The Spotlight on Beauty Series No.3". The Camera Studies Club, Elstree. *Roye: "Phyllis in Censorland", 1942, Elstree Publications Ltd. and The Camera Studies Club, a larger edition 1950s. *British Pathe film. ''Meet Phyllis Dixey''; released 30-10-1944 {{DEFAULTSORT:Dixey, Phyllis 1914 births 1964 deaths Actor-managers British erotic dancers Actors from the London Borough of Merton 20th-century English singers 20th-century English women singers Deaths from cancer in England