When a young Baltimoron passes the...

When a young Baltimoron passes the imposing facade of this joint, he thinks "there must have been a lot of history here." And he would be right. A half century ago, when I was defending Baltimore against the Commies with my glockenspiel mallet (from the Army band at Ft. Holabird) this place was the Gayety Burlesque theatre, the lone survivor of a "wheel" of burlesque houses up and down the eastern seaboard. It was the first time this young PFC had seen a burlesque show, much less a real live naked woman....the honor went to Irma the Body, (real name Mary Goodneighbor) one of the last fading stars of a shimmering era of burlesque.

Much change today...this is a club where you sit at tables and order real drinks and real food and bring real dates with you. Sentimental me just longed for those good old Cold War days when all the strippers had hearts of gold beneath their scanty raiments. Back in those days you'd see a show and buy some souvenirs from the candy butcher, but today you can make a real evening of it without going out in the weather to frequent some of the neighboring dives.

You can lose your money just as quick and sorry as at the other clubs, but the ghosts of 20th century exotic dancers still leave an aura of class. The Stepchild of the Arts is still alive and well on the 400 Block of East Baltimore Street.