As I reflect upon the life and times of Jerry Jackson, it’s clear that his journey has been nothing short of extraordinary. From humble beginnings as a piano-playing prodigy to becoming an iconic figure in the world of Vegas entertainment, Jerry’s story is one for the ages.
Showgirls with ostrich feathers were once closely associated with Las Vegas’ vibrant entertainment scene. However, Gia Coppola’s film “The Last Showgirl” delves into the twilight of this glamorous dance era. The first showgirls, in fact, were introduced to the United States through the Ziegfield Follies, a string of Broadway revues from 1907 to 1927, which were modeled after the renowned dancers at the Folies Bergère in Paris.
The Folies Bergère cabaret in Paris, established in 1869, propelled Josephine Baker’s career with her striking performance in 1926, which included dancing without a top but covered strategically with pearls and a skirt made of artificial bananas. Jump ahead to Christmas Eve, 1959, Lou Walters, then the entertainment director for the luxurious Tropicana Las Vegas and father of broadcast journalist Barbara Walters, brought this sensationally risqué act from Paris. At a time before Cirque du Soleil, French revues were popular, and this performance went on to become the longest-running show in Vegas history, ending its run in March 2009. Eventually, the legendary hotel was demolished in October to pave the way for a $1.5 billion baseball stadium for the moving Oakland A’s.
88-year-old dancer and choreographer Jerry Jackson, currently residing in Los Angeles, shared insights with The Hollywood Reporter about his extensive tenure at the Folies Bergère at Tropicana from 1975 to 2009. During this period, he was responsible for a wide range of duties, including choreography, costume and set design, original music composition, and lyric writing.
What challenges did you face while trying to launch your career as a dancer?
Originally hailing from the quaint town of Bristow in Oklahoma, I was born with an unusual foot condition that required me to wear specially designed shoes until I turned 18. Despite this, a love for dance had always burned within me. When my household was empty, I’d turn on classical music and let loose dancing in our living room, as it was the only way I could express myself. Upon graduating high school, I seized an opportunity to travel with my aunt who was breaking in her new Cadillac, eventually finding ourselves in Los Angeles. The doctors said my feet were improving, so I enrolled in dance classes at Eugene Loring’s American School of Dance on Hollywood Boulevard and took up residence at the Garden Court Apartments. Walking a few blocks to Highland Avenue, I studied under concert dancer-choreographer Carmelita Maracci, while taking the Red Car to Beverly Hills to learn from Russian-American ballet dancer-choreographer David Lichine.
And was there a big Hollywood break?
Two months into my dance lessons, I made my film debut in “Deep In My Heart,” a 1954 MGM musical production. This prompted me to request a refund for my tuition from the University of Oklahoma and transfer to UCLA instead, where I specialized in art with a supporting focus on music. During summer breaks, I graced stages at The Desert Inn in Las Vegas. In my second year at UCLA, I performed at the Moulin Rouge supper club on Sunset Boulevard and Vine Street before entertainers like Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald would arrive.
1962 saw me, among four American boys, selected for an Italian TV series titled “Studio Uno” by Hermes Pan, Fred Astaire’s choreographer. This led to a six-month stint dancing on Italian television. Upon my return to the United States, I tried out and was chosen as one of two male dancers on the “Danny Kaye Show” on CBS, which I did for two years. Later, Hermes Pan was commissioned to choreograph Francis Coppola’s movie “Finian’s Rainbow,” starring Fred Astaire. He asked me to help him with the choreography. Fred was meticulous; he repeatedly refined every step until it was flawless.
Later on, Ron Field, a Tony-winning choreographer from New York, was working on the 1967 Academy Awards and asked me to be one of the dancers for a number based on “Thoroughly Modern Millie”. I expressed my interest but mentioned that I was currently engaged in choreography. He assured me he would keep it in mind and follow up. True to his word, he contacted me again, revealing that he and his assistant Tom Rolla, Tucker Smith from “West Side Story”, and another individual would join him. I responded positively, finding the company quite appealing. As Angela made her grand entrance onto the stage via an elevator, we donned tuxedos, danced, and sang alongside her.
When did you pivot to Vegas and the Folies Bergère?
In 1966, Hermes entrusted me with the role of assisting him as he choreographed shows at the Folies in Las Vegas. Every few years, they would update the show with a new edition. The costumes were designed and made in Paris, while the scenery was also imported. The French team took a liking to me and asked me to choreograph their 100th anniversary show in Paris, which premiered in 1967. At around the same time, the Trop in Las Vegas enlisted my help to create a dance troupe, The Jerry Jackson Dancers, for one of their shows. This number was a unique New Orleans-themed act that was well-received and became particularly successful. It featured contemporary moves, such as hip-hop steps and James Brown-inspired moves, which were novel in a French revue show at that time in Las Vegas. In the early 1970s, Alan Lee, the entertainment director at the Trop, asked me to refresh the show. By 1975, I started developing, directing, and choreographing the Folies Bergère in Paris.
How did you give the Folies your own unique twist?
Instead of typical French revue shows, I consistently incorporated a central theme into our productions and assigned an emcee. My vision was to make it more akin to a Broadway musical. The inaugural show in 1975 focused on the music hall theme, spanning from the 1700s up until the present day. Upon opening the curtain, spectators were greeted by a large picture frame and a dynamic reenactment of Fragonard’s oil painting, “The Swing,” which seemed to come alive. The narrative then transitioned from the can-can in the 1800s to jazz in the 1920s, featuring a screen adorned with 13,000 lights that ascended towards the ceiling, exposing seven red mirrored pianos with dancers performing atop them as they moved around the stage. The 1930s segment was a gangster-themed number where 12 showgirls emerged from a 1936 Rolls Royce. And so forth. Our 1983 production paid tribute to American music. I designed a large, inclined mirror that reflected a turntable upon which the dancers formed intricate patterns with pink fans in the style of Busby Berkeley. This idea was inspired by a mirror above my bed in the hotel suite (a peculiar detail we won’t delve into), and I choreographed the overhead shots while playing music on the bed.
Tell us about how you took over design for those opulent costumes.
Prior to 1975, the costumes were imported from Paris. However, during my collaboration with ventriloquist Shari Lewis, who is renowned for creating Lamb Chop puppet, she introduced me to costume designer Nolan Miller. Upon meeting him, I began sketching preliminary designs due to my artistic background, and he transformed them into finished sketches. With his expertise in period construction, he crafted stunning costumes. Some of the velvet gowns from the turn of the century made by Nolan weighed around 30 pounds. He was particularly prominent at the Academy Awards, having designed costumes for Joan Crawford and stars such as Elizabeth Taylor and Lana Turner. I made a few alterations to numbers in 1980, which he dressed, but Aaron Spelling subsequently secured an exclusive agreement with him for Dynasty, preventing him from designing for me further.
In 1983, when I was tasked with creating a new show, Nolan suggested, “Jerry, you’re familiar with this. Why don’t you try designing your own costumes, and if you prefer, we can even make some of them here at my workshop in Los Angeles?” For the very first time, I took on the task of designing all the costumes for the show. Nolan’s beadwork and jewelry were simply breathtaking. In the 90s, as budget cuts became a recurring issue, I began handling the set designs as well, enabling us to secure more funds for materials and construction. The scenery for my can-can, which was part of the show until it closed, was modeled after a Toulouse-Lautrec painting, giving it a vivid, lifelike quality that won awards. One costume I particularly cherished was a butterfly costume for the opening, boasting a wingspan of 12 feet and held aloft by a harness.
And then how did you get into composing music and lyrics?
As a child, my mom made me commit to learning piano until I turned 18, after which she didn’t mind what path I chose. Consequently, my brother and I practiced the piano for half an hour every day. Since it was all classical music, this education served as a foundation when composing period pieces, and my college major was in music. One tune I composed for the 1975 Folies was titled “The Music Hall,” as I couldn’t discover a song that could establish the theme effectively.
In the past, topless dancers were a more striking spectacle compared to today’s prevalence of nudity. This could potentially contribute to a decline in public interest due to desensitization over time.
Absolutely. One of the main attractions of Las Vegas was indeed its unique display of nudity, as the alternative was typically confined to seedy strip clubs. However, the presentation in the revues was quite stylish and unusual compared to that expectation.
How did you feel when you learned the Tropicana was being leveled?
Originally known as the “Tiffany of the Strip,” the Tropicana was once the most elegant and opulent hotel in Las Vegas upon its construction, featuring a gourmet dining room with a violinist playing. However, since the 1990s, it has been allowed to deteriorate following the discontinuation of the Folies Bergère shows, for which there was no budget allocated. The Folies were renowned for their extravagance and creativity, so reusing old costumes and sets from the warehouse was a significant disappointment. When I learned that the hotel was going to be demolished, I felt it was long overdue, given how poorly it had been maintained. In 2009, they asked me to create a new show but stated there was no budget available. Consequently, I suggested they close the show, as producing one under such circumstances was unfeasible. By that point, I had utilized all available resources from the warehouse for previous editions, attempting to keep the show looking its best despite the lack of resources.
Any thoughts about the new film The Last Showgirl with Pamela Anderson?
I haven’t watched the movie yet, but I’ve read a summary. It appears that the story revolves around a showgirl who was once admired for her beauty and allure, now grappling with an identity crisis as she grows older and finds it difficult to secure jobs in an industry that is declining. However, this perspective can also be viewed from another angle, considering the showgirl as a victim of change. I’ve known several high-earning showgirls who worked for five or six hours each night and used their spare time to pursue personal interests, such as getting a degree at UNLV, planning for the future, and studying during downtime in the dressing room. One is now a forensic expert for the Las Vegas police department, another has a master’s degree in literature and is a published author, another specializes in child psychiatry, one owns a thriving beauty salon, and let’s not forget Cassandra Peterson, who created the character Elvira Mistress of the Dark, which remains popular to this day.
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2024-12-19 00:55