Origins & Early Life

Marie Frances Van Schaack (June 3, 1917 – January 29, 1999), known professionally as Lili St. Cyr, was an American burlesque dancer and stripper. St. Cyr was born Marie Frances Van Schaack in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on June 3, 1917, the daughter of Idella Marian Van Shaack (née Peeza) and Edward Van Shaack, Idella's first husband.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

She had two half-siblings, a sister and a brother, from her mother's second marriage, and two half-sisters, Idella Ruth and Rosemary, from the third, to John Blackadder. Idella Ruth, born in 1924, had some minor roles in films under the name Barbara Moffett before marrying Louis Marx, a millionaire toy manufacturer. Rosemary, born in 1925 and also a burlesque dancer and stripper (under the stage name Dardy Orlando), married Harold Minsky. Marie was raised by her maternal grandmother, but visited regularly with Idella and Rosemary. In 2004, Rosemary appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Having taken ballet lessons throughout her youth, she began to dance professionally as a chorus line member at the Florentine Gardens in Hollywood. St. Cyr had to beg her manager at a club to let her do a solo act. From her self-choreographed act, she eventually...

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