We’d heard the legendary stories about the time Lesllie Bovee and Serena supposedly appeared in a live show at Melody Burlesk in New York in the late 1970s. According to people who worked there, the duo broke all box office records during their short appearance together.
But we’d never been able to obtain much evidence relating to the event – until now.
It apparently started out as a week-long double bill featuring Lesllie Bovee, fresh from her success in the film Eruption (1978), and west coast actress Phaedra Grant. The show changed when Serena, who was living in New York with her boyfriend Jamie Gillis at the time, gatecrashed the event, and performed an impromptu show with Lesllie on several nights.
Regular Melody Burlesk customers have often told us colorful stories about seeing the two famous stars appearing on stage together, but we’d never been able to obtain much evidence relating to the event.
Until now.
We recently acquired a collected of never-seen-before Polaroids that were taken over the course of the week recording this event, and are pleased to present a selection of them here.
(The story of the Melody Burlesk was told on The Rialto Report and can be found here.)
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Lesllie Bovee and Serena at the Melody Burlesk
The Live Show
Signing autographs
After-Show Party
Lesllie, with Eric Edwards and Arcadia Lake
Lesllie (in the red hat), with Arcadia Lake, Jill Monroe and others
Marvelous post. What a coup to find these!
If only I’d been there……
Leslie…. please please please do an interview with the Rialto Report.
They are the GOLD STANDARD….. you’re memories are so important to us.
In the black and white photo of Leslie on stage is that the late great Linda Wong on the background? Linda was another San Francisco based porn legend. Also RIP George McDonald, I always wondered if another San Fran legend was still around “King Paul” star of the Diamond Collection loops, but I guess he would be in his 80’s now, not likely he is still around. We lost Linda in 1987, way too young.
Good eye! That is indeed Linda in the background. What a fox. RIP.
Great stuff!
Lesllie (in the red hat), with Arcadia Lake, Jill Monroe and others
That photo was in Gloria Leonard’s apt and she is the one in purple.
Wow! Great pics! Thanks for sharing them. Arcadia Lake was incredibly beautiful!
Need to have an interview with Leslie!
These are amazing.
Ah, back when life was sweet…
It is so cool that The Rialto Report has gained such a reputation as the unofficial archive of porn’s true beginnings, that people are digging out these (unknown at the time) treasures from their past in order to show them to the world. I was so in love with Leslie Bovee, when she came on the scene, that I bought every magazine I saw that featured her! Thank you April and Ashley and anyone involved in finding these interviews, pictures and stories for all of us to reminisce over and enjoy!
Leslie Bovee was/is a goddess. PLEASE do a profile on her!
These photos should be in the Library of Congress. If it is at all possible a podcast with Leslie Bovee would be a wonderful addition to the history of mankind!!!!
I wish I was there! Two of my favorites together, must have been a wild time.