I first heard of Lili when
paging through an issue of "Life" magazine in December 1999. It was
the "Year In Pictures" issue. My Mae West fascination had been going
strong for about three years by then, and I was moving on to study other
female stars of the past like Dietrich and Garbo, and of course Monroe.
On page 109 of that issue
of Life Magazine, there was a photo of a statuesque blonde in a scant outfit.
The blurb was only a paragraph long, but I snipped it out and kept it.
Soon, I searched the web and the library for books on this woman, but I
found nothing. I threw the clipping aside and soon Theda Bara
was to enter my consciousness as one of the great female stars in history.
Then I came across Lili
again, this time alongside background information on a model from the 1950's
who has now gained quite a following. Bettie Page was actually less
known than Lili St. Cyr during their careers, and yet now I can find books
and magazines, trading cards and stickers dedicated to Bettie. So
I began researching Lili St. Cyr on my own, and found that there ARE some
who remember her fondly, and some who discovered her recently, and all
of these people share my fascination with this mysterious and intriguing
beauty. The stories and pictures are out there. They might
not be in your face, available at "Fashion Victim" for 9.99, but once you
find them, you are drawn in, and the search was well worth it. Here
is a woman who was unconventional- in beauty and attitude, and who deserves
a place in history alongside those who are remembered.
