Princess Lahoma

Princess Lahoma | 1931-1966

Princess LaHoma was born Oteka Lahoma Willingham on October 5, 1931 in Gregg, Texas. Her father, Richard, was 26, and her mother, Kaliteyo, was 21. Lahoma lived and grew up in Pauls Valley and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. She was 1/16th Chickasaw and born into a family that was active in the Chickasaw Nation. Lahoma's cousin, Floyd MayTubby, became the Governor of the Chickasaw Nation in 1939.

"Chickasaw Princess"

(Lahoma and Governor MayTubby. 1942)

Floyd appointed Lahoma the “Chickasaw Princess” at the 1942 Anadarko Indian Exposition. From then on she frequently represented the Chickasaw Nation in parades and official gatherings. She was often photographed wearing her traditional Chickasaw garb and riding a brown-and-white-painted horse.         

(Lahoma at a Parade. c. 1943)

“Princess Lahoma, 10-year-old Pauls Valley girl, will be a princess in the Chickasaw Indian tribe for the remainder of her natural life. Appointed a princess several months ago by Governor Floyd Maytubby of the Chickasaws as a result of her dancing ability, she was officially crowed at coronation ceremonies at the Anadarko Indian Exposition by U.S. Senator Josh Lee, Wednesday afternoon…The official eagle feather was placed in her headband by the Senator. She is Lahoma Willingham.”

(Pauls Valley Democrat. Page 1. August 20, 1942)

 

(Lahoma and her mother, Kaliteyo. 1942)

(Photo from the Pacific Citizen. "Photographer Meets Princess." Lahoma in center meeting a photographer from Japan. September 20, 1947)

(Lahoma from 1948 Indian Exposition Program)

(Lahoma Willingham. c. 1946)

Dancing with the Molly O'Day Troupe

Lahoma studied at the Molly O’Day School of Dance in Oklahoma City and began performing on stage at just 5 years old. Molly O’Day opened her dance studio in September 1945 in Oklahoma City. In 1946, she created a dance troupe, which began performing all over Oklahoma, including a performance at the Oklahoma State Fair. 

(Princess Lahoma with the Molly O'Day dancers. Muskogee Morning News. Page 1. September 19, 1946)
Caption reads: "Princess Lahoma in the "Mexican Hat Dance" is a part of the Molly O'Day shows to be among the attraction at the Muskogee Fair.

By 1947, at just 15 years old, she quit school and joined the Molly O’Day dance troupe as they traveled the South. The troupe toured mostly in Oklahoma and Texas. They were billed as “The Molly O’Day Girls” or “The Molly O’Day Troupe." The tour was ultimately unsuccessful and when the troupe disbanded, Lahoma was determined to continue her career on stage in burlesque.

(Fort Worth Star Telegram. Page 5. May 18, 1946)

Going Solo in the 1940s

(Amarillo Daily News. Page 5. September 6, 1948)

One of the earliest advertisements for “Princess Lahoma” was in the Amarillo Daily News (Amarillo, TX) in 1948. It read, “The Beautiful ‘Princess Lahoma’ featured in the exotic dances of her tribal ceremonies…and then she swings into the modern dances that will hold you spellbound!” She performed two shows nightly at the Club Victoria with a fellow dancer, Lenore Walton. In 1949, she appeared at the Skyway Club (Shreveport, LA), and was billed as ‘Princess LaHoma—a real Indian Princess in an exotic dance that is making history in the nite clubs of the South.”

(Fort Worth Star Telegram. Page 31. October 26, 1948)
(Advertisement for Princess Lahoma at Joe Ortega's Place in Reynosa, Mexico. The Monitor. January 7, 1949)
The advertisement reads, "Beautiful - Not Rough; An act all the family will enjoy, including the kiddies. Princess Lahoma; A Genuine Chickasaw Indian Princess, elected in 1938 from among 3,000 eligible tribal candidates. She's only 18 years old now and cute as a bug's ear. Her Indian dances are authentic. She has appeared in Hollywood, Florida, New York and leading Texas nite clubs - direct to Reynosa from Dallas. She also has a swell Hawaiian number learned while showing in the islands."

Headlining in the 1950s

Princess Lahoma continued to tour full time as a burlesque dancer, headlining at some of the most well known theaters in the country!

(Princess Lahoma. c. 1950)
(Princess Lahoma Advertisement. Newspaper unknown. c. 1949)
(The Cincinnati Post. Page 40. February 16, 1950)

She was often billed as an “Exotic Indian Dancer” in the 1940s and 50s. Her name was spelled “LaHoma”, “La Homa”, or “Lahoma” by journalists. She gained the nickname “The Beautiful Chickasaw Chick”. Advertisers invented new epithets for her, with no regard to her identity at times. The "Ravishing Indian Beauty”, “The 6 foot Sophisticated Indian Beauty”, and “Sophisticated Exotic Indian." Or the “Full-Blooded Sioux Indian”, the “Only genuine Indian Princess in Burlesk!”, the “6’3” of Regal Chickasaw Tribe Indian Beauty” or “The Indian Charmer”.

(The Indianapolis Star. Page 75. January 8, 1950)

One advertisement read, “Columnists rate her on a par with Evelyn West, Gypsy Rose Lee, Tempest Storm and other stars.” 

(Princess Lahoma. c. 1949)

In 1950, Princess Lahoma began to produce her own group of dancers called the “Frontier Frolics — a Gay Roundup of Rodeo Beauties.” She took this show on the road and performed in Pittsburgh, Buffalo, and Kansas City.

(The Pittsburgh Press. Page 66. October 1, 1950)
(Princess Lahoma c. 1949)

She then topped the cast of ‘Tom-Tom Tempo” a new burlesque show at the Empire Theatre in New Jersey. In 1951, she produced a new burlesque called “Indian Models”, which also began touring the east coast. 

(The Cincinnati Enquirer. Page 14. June 20, 1950)
(The Star Ledger. Page 22. November 10, 1950)
(The Pittsburgh Press. Page 60. January 7, 1951)

(Princess Lahoma. c. 1949)
(The Philadelphia Inquirer. Page 81. January 28, 1951)

Princess Lahoma’s 1951 performance at the Troc Theatre in Philadelphia, PA exceeded all previous attendance records. After this success, Lahoma toured the U.S. with Sirena and her underwater striptease.

(Princess Lahoma c. 1950s)

(Princess Lahoma c. 1955)

Performing with Minsky's Burlesque

(Chicago Tribune. Page 46. December 25, 1950)
Princess Lahoma headlined with Minsky's Burlesque in Chicago, 1950. She would continue to perform in New York and Chicago with Minsky's through 1953.
(Brooklyn Eagle. Page 8. October 16, 1953)

By October 1953, she was headlining at the infamous Minsky’s Burlesque in Brooklyn, NY, in a show entitled “The Anatomy Award Revue.” She continued to perform at Minsky’s and around the country, becoming one of the highest paid burlesque dancers of the era.

(The Star Ledger. Page 12. October 15, 1953)

(Advertisement for the 509 Club. Detroit, MI. Detroit Free Press. Page 28. June 23, 1958)

In addition to Minsky’s, Princess Lahoma headlined many shows in Buffalo, NY at the Palace Theatre— shows like the “Sneek-A-Peek Revue”, “Whirl of Girl Revue,” “American Beauties,” “The Merry Makers,” and “The Lid Lifters.” 

(Princess Lahoma, c. 1958)
(The Kansas City Times. Page 30. April 11, 1958)
(The Indianapolis News. Page 8. May 10, 1958)
(Princess Lahoma. The Weirton Daily Times. April 18, 1959)

Premature Baby is Born | 1951

(Variety Magazine. "This 'Preemie' (Papoose 2lbs., 5oz.) Just Muffs Pro Debut at K.C. Burley." Kansas City, MO. November 6, 1951)

In November 1951, Lahoma unexpectedly gave birth to a premature baby. She was a featured dancer at the Folly Theatre in Kansas City but the show had to go on without her as she was rushed to the hospital. 10 minutes after arrival, Lahoma gave birth to a baby. The newspapers listed the gender of the baby as a girl. Lahoma was unaware of her pregnancy before she gave birth. The baby weighed just two pounds and five ounces. It’s unknown what happened to this baby, as Lahoma continued to perform full time throughout the 1950s.

(The Indianapolis Star. Page 98. April 8, 1951)

She had just married Jules Fritt in Chicago in October 1951. They had two children, Michael and Paul. Michael was born April 25, 1953, in Mississippi. Lahoma continued performing until 1959. She died at the age of 34 on February 2, 1966. She was buried in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma. The Oklahoma City Times newspaper lists Lahoma as the great-great granddaughter of Smith Paul, the founder of Pauls Valley, OK. 

(Tulsa World. Page 25. February 4, 1966)

Michael was 12 and Paul was 11 when Lahoma passed. One son became a business man and the other a successful artist. Lahoma was survived by her mother, Kaliteyo Mahota Paul Willingham, who was born on November 10, 1909 and died on January 25, 2000.

Sources

Newspapers.com

  • Fort Worth Star Telegram. "Morning Call." Eleanor Wilson. Page 5. May 18, 1946
  • Fort Worth Star Telegram. "Concerts, Drama, Ball games; Entertainment Galore Scheduled for Week-End." Gita Bumpass. Page 25. May 6, 1948
  • Fort Worth Star Telegram. "Wahoo." Page 31. December 26, 1948
  • Pauls Valley Democrat. "Princess Lahoma Crowned During Coronation Rites." Page 1. August 20, 1942
  • Pauls Valley Enterprise and Valley News. Page 4. July 9, 1942
  • The Austin American. "Bo McMillin To Speak; UT Grid Fete Tonight." Page 15. January 16, 1947
  • The Daily Oklahoman. "Indians Honor Veterans." Page 8. August 24, 1946
  • Buffalo Courier Express. "New Palace Revue Has Two Exotics." page 10. July 20, 1950
  • Buffalo Courier Express. "Palace Revue Will Do Midnight Show Tonight.' Page 6. December 2, 1950
  • Buffalo Courier Express. "Romances Top New Film Fare for the Week; Palace." Page 19. June 25, 1952
  • Buffalo Courier Express. "Melodramas Popular on Screen Bills; Palace." Page 6. April 30, 1958
  • Detroit Free Press. "Dick Havilland on Gayety Stage." Page 15. August 8, 1952
  • Detroit Free Press. Advertisement for Lahoma at 509 Club. Page 28. June 23, 1958
  • New Pittsburgh Courier. "Princess Set for Casino This Sunday." Page 25. February 25, 1950
  • Pauls Valley Enterprise. "Paul Granddaughter Marries in Chicago." Page 7. October 18, 1951
  • Pittsburgh Sun Telegraph. "Casino Features Indian Dancer." Page 22. February 28, 1950
  • Pittsburgh Sun Telegraph. "Indian Dancer in Casino Show." Page 67. October 1, 1950
  • Pittsburgh Sun Telegraph. "Indian Beauty Casino's Star." Page 49. January 7, 1951
  • Pittsburgh Sun Telegraph. "Casino Has Two Stars." Page 54. November 25, 1951
  • Billboard Magazine. "Burlesque Bits." UNO. March 3, 1951
  • Billboard Magazine. "Burlesque Bits." UNO. November 4, 1950
  • Variety Magazine. "This 'Preemie' Papoose Just Muffs pro Debut at K.C. Burley." Kansas City, MO. November 6, 1951
  • The Buffalo News. "Palace." Page 21. April 15, 1950
  • The Buffalo News. "Palace." Page 65. July 19, 1950
  • The Buffalo News. "Palace." Page 20. November 25, 1950
  • The Buffalo News. "On the Screens Downtown; Palace." Page 22. June 21, 1952
  • The Cincinnati Enquirer. "Indian Dancer." Page 14. June 20, 1950
  • The Cincinnati Enquirer. "Gayety Girl." Page 10. January 10, 1959
  • The Cincinnati Enquirer. "Burlesque." Page 40. February 16, 1950
  • The Kansas City Star. "New Revue to Folly; 'Classie Lassies' the Title of Burlesque Offering." Page 55. September 3, 1950
  • The Philadelphia Inquirer. "Variety in Troc Bill." Page 96. October 22, 1950
  • The Philadelphia Inquirer. "Varied Program at Troc." Page 81. January 28, 1951
  • The Pittsburgh Press. "Indian Dancer Casino Headliner." Page 56. February 26, 1950
  • The Pittsburgh Press. "Indian Dancer Stars at Casino." Page 66. October 1, 1950
  • The Pittsburgh Press. "Indian Dancer Heads Casino Show." Page 60. January 7, 1951
  • The Pittsburgh Press. "Indian Dancers Perform at Casino." Page 18. January 10, 1951
  • The Pittsburgh Press. "International Revue Tomorrow at Casino." Page 14. May 1, 1952
  • The Star Ledger. "Princess Due at Empire." Page 22. November 10, 1950
  • The Star Ledger. "Royalty due at Minsky's." Page 12. October 14, 1953
  • The Indianapolis Star. "Princess Lahoma." Page 75. January 8, 1950
  • The Indianapolis Star. "Princess Lahoma." Page 98. April 8, 1951
  • Oklahoma City Times. "Local Deaths; Mrs. Oteka Lahoma Willingham Fritt." Page 18. February 3, 1966
  • Tulsa World. "Fritt." Page 25. February 4, 1966
  • The Oklahoman. "Kaliteyo Mahota Paul Willingham." Archive ID: 793189. January 28, 2000
  • Muskogee Morning News. "Princess Lahoma to Be at Fair." Page 1. September 19, 1946
  • The Plain Dealer. "Princess Lahoma." Page 18. November 29, 1958
  • The Star Ledger. "At Minsky's." Page 12. October 15, 1953
  • The Weirton Daily Times. Advertisement. Page 12. April 18, 1959
  • Amarillo Daily News. Advertisement for Lahoma at Club Victoria. Page 5. September 6, 1948
  • Buffalo Courier Express. Advertisement for Lahoma at Palace Burlesk. Page 5. December 31, 1949
  • Fort Worth Star Telegram. Ad for Lahoma at Rocket Club. Page 23. October 29, 1948
  • Muskogee Times Democrat. "In the Night Club." Ad for Molly O'Day Girls. Page 8. September 30, 1947
  • The Monitor. Ad for Lahoma at Joe Ortega's Place in Reynosa, Mexico. Page 9. January 7, 1949
  • The Shreveport Journal. Ad for Lahoma at Skyway Club. Page 14. October 19, 1949
  • Brooklyn Eagle. Ad for Lahoma at Minsky's Burlesque. Page 8. October 16, 1953
  • The Brown and White. Lehigh University Student Newspaper. Princess LaHoma. Vol. 70 No. 32. March 6, 1959
  • Buffalo Courier Express. Ad for Lahoma at Palace Burlesk. Page 10. July 20, 1950
  • Buffalo Courier Express. Ad for Lahoma at Palace Burlesk. Page 6. December 2, 1950
  • Buffalo Courier Express. Ad for Lahoma at Palace Burlesk. Page 19. June 25, 1952
  • Chicago Tribune. Ad for Lahoma at Minsky's Burlesque. Page 46. December 25, 1950
  • Chicago Tribune. Ad for Lahoma at Minsky's Burlesque. Page 179. September 30, 1951
  • Chicago Tribune. Ad for Lahoma at Minsky's Burlesque. Page 145. October 4, 1953
  • New Pittsburgh Courier. Ad for Lahoma at Casino Burlesque. Page 24. February 25, 1950
  • Pittsburgh Post Gazette. Ad for Lahoma at Casino Burlesque. Page 22. October 2, 1950
  • The Buffalo News. Ad for Lahoma at Palace Burlesk. Page 4. April 22, 1950
  • The Buffalo News. Ad for Lahoma at Palace Burlesk. Page 17. July 25, 1950
  • The Cincinnati Enquirer. Ad for Lahoma at Gayety. Page 87. February 19, 1950
  • The Indianapolis News. Ad for Lahoma at Fox Burlesk. Page 8. May 10, 1958
  • The Indianapolis Star. Ad for Lahoma at Fox Burlesk. Page 98. April 8, 1951
  • The Indianapolis Star. Ad for Lahoma at Fox Burlesk. Page 24. May 13, 1958
  • The Kansas City Times. Ad for Lahoma at Folly. Page 30. April 22, 1958
  • The Morning Call. Ad for Lahoma at Lyric Burlesk. Page 13. February 24, 1951
  • The Morning Call. Ad for Lahoma at Lyric Burlesk. Page 13. May 5, 1951
  • The Philadelphia Inquirer. Ad for Lahoma at Troc. Page 16. March 28, 1950
  • The Philadelphia Inquirer. Ad for Lahoma at Troc. Page 81. January 28, 1951
  • The Pittsburgh Press. Ad for Lahoma at Casino Burlesque. Page 66. October 1, 1950
  • The Pittsburgh Press. Ad for Lahoma at Casino Burlesque. Page 60. January 7, 1951
  • The Pittsburgh Press. Ad for Lahoma at Casino Burlesque. Page 18. January 10, 1951
  • The Pittsburgh Press. Ad for Lahoma at Casino Burlesque. Page 4. November 24, 1951
  • The Portsmouth Star. Ad for Lahoma at Gaiety Burlesque. Page 28. January 18, 1952
  • The Republican. ad for Lahoma at Belli's. Page 18. August 28, 1951
  • The Star Ledger. Ad for Lahoma at Empire Burlesk. Page 22. November 10, 1950

Photographs

  • 1948 Indian Exposition Program - Lahoma Willingham, Chickasaw
  • Pacific Citizen. "Photographer Meets Princesses." Page 3. September 20, 1947
  • Bernard Sobel. "A Pictorial History of Burlesque." Bonaza Books. New York. 1956
  • Burlesque Hall of Fame. Las Vegas, NV
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