Roxanne Carmine | Fan Dancer

Roxanne Carmine was born as Golda (or Goldie) Glickman in Chicago to the "Maxwell Street Glickmans", a Jewish family, around 1915/1916. She went by Rosie as a child. Her father was H.V. Glickman, a Chicago jeweler.

Like many burlesque stars of this era, Roxanne started out in vaudeville and was first discovered by Earl Carroll, who chose her to dance in his 'Vanities' show. She also appeared in George White's "Scandals" before performing at the 1933 Century of Progress Fair in Chicago.

(The Herald Press. St. Joseph, MI. Page 2. February 5, 1934)

Roxanne at the Chicago Century of Progress | 1933

Roxanne Carmine was a fan dancer in Ernie Young's "Manhattan Garden" at the Chicago Century of Progress in 1933. She then was featured in a 'girlie revue' called "World's Fair Follies." Roxanne was just 18 years old and had been performing (presumably) years before making it to the World's Fair.

(Ernie Young's Review at Century of Progress. Chicago, IL. 1933)

Roxanne Carmine in Nebraska

In October 1933, Roxanne performed at the Lincoln Theatre in Lincoln, NE.

(Lincoln Nebraska State Journal. "Fan Dancer at Lincoln." Page 21. October 8, 1933)
(Lincoln Journal Star. Advertisement for Roxanne Carmine at the Lincoln Theater. Page 3. October 7, 1933)
(Lincoln Journal Star. Advertisement for Roxanne Carmine at Lincoln Theatre." Page 2. October 10, 1933)
Caption Reads, "We honestly believe that we have the finest stage and screen show west of Times Square...We challenge you to find a better one, but if you succeed...we'll book it for next week."
"Roxanne Carmine doing her World Fair Fan dance; Your pulse will beat to teh rythmic swing of her graceful body...here is the latest craze...out-dating the Hula, Rhumba, Can-Can or shimmy...see it. Plus the O'Connors, Frank Milano & Co., and Clark & Smith. On the screen! 'Goodbye Again' with Warren William and Joan Blondell."
(The Lincoln Star. Advertisement for Roxanne Carmine at the Lincoln Theatre. Page 20. October 8, 1933)
(The Lincoln Star. Advertisement for Roxanne Carmine at the Lincoln Theatre. Page 4. October 9, 1933)
Caption states, "Here she is! The hula-hula, the rhumba, the can-can, all fade before the latest craze, the FAN DANCE, brought direct from Chicago to THRILL you."

Marriage to Boxer King Levinksy

Roxanne Carmine married the heavyweight boxer, "Kingfish" Levinsky, at Crown Point, Indiana in August 1934. She was 19 years old and the Kingfish was 23. The two were married in the presence of the Justice of the Peace and King's sister-manager, and Roxanne's close friend, "Leaping" Lena Levy. Their wedding was, reportedly, the result of a week-long courtship. They tied the knot at 3:16am.

(Left to right: "Leaping" Lena Levy, Harry "Kingfish" Krakow, & Roxanne Carmine c. 1934)
(Pittsburgh Post Gazette. Page 18. August 17, 1934)
Caption states, "Introducing the newlyweds, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Krakow of the Maxwell street Krakows. The groom is better known as Kingfish Levinsky, pugilist extraordinary. The bride was born Golda Glickman, but became Roxanne Carmine, when she became a fan dancer. King and his bride were wed at Crown Point, Indiana."
(Daily News. New York, NY. Levinksy and Carmine. Page 417. September 25, 1924)
(Roxanne Carmine. Findagrave.com c. 1934)
(Roxanne Carmine. Findagrave.com. c. 1934)

Divorce from Levinsky

In September 1934 she asked for a divorce from her boxer husband, King Levinsky, whose real name was Harris Krakow. The divorce was approved on the grounds of 'cruelty' as Roxanne reported Levinsky had hit her on the chin. She had been married for only five weeks. The Daily News quoted Carmine, 'I am a dancer, not a fighter.'

Time Magazine stated, "Divorced. Harry Krakow ("King Levinsky"), 25, clownish Chicago fisticuffer; by Mrs. Roxanne Glickman Levinsky, 20, onetime Century of Progress fan-dancer; in Chicago. Grounds: cruelty. Five weeks after their wedding he punched her on the chin."

(Albuquerque Journal. "Kingfish Lands, and She Sues." Roxanne Carmine and her lawyer, Ernest Feldon. Page 5. September 30, 1934)
The Chicago newspapers blamed the demise of the marriage on Levy's sister stating, "[Lena] was much to blame for extending her managerial duties to include the bride's affairs."
(Empire Theatre Poster Advertisement for Roxanne Carmine "The Former Mrs. Kingfish Levinsky" at the Empire Burlesk Theatre. c. 1941. Newark, NJ)
Roxanne didn't let her divorce squash her stardom! She continued to perform in Chicago and New York City with the new moniker "The Former Mrs. Kingfish Levinsky." In 1935 she debuted a "bubble dance", in similar fashion as Sally Rand, Rosita Royce, Noel Toy, and Fay Baker.

Roxanne Carmine at Minsky's Burlesque

Carmine was a fan dancer whose performances at Minsky's Burlesque in New York City, resulted in a crackdown of burlesque shows in the summer of 1936.

 

(Minsky's Burlesque c. 1935. Sobel)

She was one of five dancers who performed strip-teases, which led to the arrest and conviction of Sam Krauss, the manager of the Gotham Theater (owned by Abe Minsky on East 125th Street in Manhattan), for staging an "indecent performance."

(Minsky's in New York City. c. 1935)

Minsky's was eventually closed following reform led by New York City Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia and other social groups' protests. Learn more about Minsky's Burlesque here.

(Minsky's Closes - Death of Burlesque in New York City. Sobel)

Roxanne Marries Again | 1940

Roxanne was a true New York showgirl by 1940. She flew into St. Louis and an hour later was married to Aaron (Red) Buttons, a comedian and stuntman. They were married in the apartment of H.K. Minsky by Circuit Judge Eugene L. Sartorius. Right after the ceremony, Buttons returned to the Grand Theater to perform his comedy stunts. Roxanne, now Mrs. Buttons, left for New York the next day where she continued to appear on New York City stages.

Sources

Newspapers:

  • Silver, Mike. “Stars in the Ring: Jewish Champions in the Golden Age of Boxing.” Page 425-426. Roxanne Carmine. Roman & Littlefield. 2016
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roxana_Sand
  • https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/261690080/golda-levinsky
  • https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/roxanne-mrs-kingfish-levinsky-1834517906
  • Albuquerque Journal. “Kingfish Lands, and She Sues.” Page 5. September 30, 1934
  • Lincoln Journal Star. Advertisement for Roxanne Carmine at the Lincoln Theatre. Page 3. October 7, 1933
  • Empire Theatre Poster Advertisement for Roxanne Carmine "The Former Mrs. Kingfish Levinsky." c. 1935
  • Pittsburgh Post Gazette. "Meet the Krakows of the Chicago Krakows." Page 18. August 17, 1934
  • Daily News. New York, NY. "Fan Dancer Bride Wants to Shake King Levinsky." Page 417. September 25, 1924
  • The Lincoln Star. Advertisement for Roxanne Carmine at the Lincoln Theatre. Page 4. October 9, 1933
  • The Lincoln Star. Advertisement for Roxanne Carmine at the Lincoln Theatre. Page 20. October 8, 1933
  • Lincoln Journal Star. Advertisement for Roxanne Carmine at Lincoln Theatre." Page 2. October 10, 1933
  • St. Louis Globe Democrat. "Show Girl, in Rush, Weds Here and Flies." Page 19. October 29, 1940
  • Lincoln Journal Star. Advertisement for Roxanne Carmine at the Lincoln Theater. Page 3. October 7, 1933
  • Lincoln Nebraska State Journal. "Fan Dancer at Lincoln." Page 21. October 8, 1933
  • The Herald Press. "Roxanne Carmine Coming Here." St. Joseph, MI. Page 2. February 5, 1934
  • Jewish Post. "Jewish Sports Slants." Arv Rothschild. Indianapolis, IN. August 17, 1934
  • North Platte Daily Telegraph. "Levinsky's Bride of 5 Weeks Ask Divorce." Chicago, IL. Page 1. September 25, 1934
  • The Lincoln Star. "Odds and Ends." Page 22. May 31, 1936
  • Time Magazine. "Sport: King's Collapse." January 7, 1935
  • Time Magazine. "MILESTONES: Business." January 6, 1936
  • St. Louis Globe Democrat. "Show Girl, in Rush, Weds Here and Flies." Page 19. October 29, 1940
  • The Lincoln Star. "Vaudeville: Lincoln." Page 20. October 8, 1933
  • Vidette Messenger of Porter County. "Harris Krakow, Chicago's Kingfish of Pugilistic Fame, Signs Up for Important Engagement at Crown Point." Page 2. August 14, 1934
  • Sobel, Bernard. “A Pictorial History of Burlesque.” G.P. Putnams Sons; First Edition. 1956.
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