Tiki Central / General Tiki
Tongolele
Pages: 1 9 replies
Z
Zeta
Posted
posted
on
01/19/2010
The most famous exotic dancer in America. Yolanda "Tongolele" Montes (b. Yolanda Ivonne Montes Farrington, January 3, 1932, Spokane, Washington) is an exotic dancer and actress of the Cinema of Mexico. In Mexico she is considered the seminal "rumbera" and ex´tic dancer along Kalantán and Su Muy Key. Tongolele became a professional dancer when she was only 15 years old. Her father was Spanish/Swedish, her mother French/English and her maternal grandmother was of Tahitian descent. She starred in several films from the 1940s through the 1980s but most people remember her from the classic 1971 film Isle of the Snake People starring Boris Karloff in one of his last roles. Tongolele is still active in television, theatre, and nightclubs. She is still well known in Spain and Latin America. [ Edited by: Zeta 2010-01-19 10:39 ] [ Edited by: Zeta 2010-01-19 10:39 ] |
Z
Zeta
Posted
posted
on
01/22/2010
From the "Exotica girl" thread:
Link doesn't work anymore. Videos have been removed.
[ Edited by: Zeta 2010-01-21 22:38 ] |
Z
Zeta
Posted
posted
on
03/11/2010
|
Z
Zeta
Posted
posted
on
03/13/2010
Revista Somos |
Z
Zeta
Posted
posted
on
04/17/2010
I read in the book "Los Dueños De La Noche" by Cristina Pacheco about 1950's Mexico City's artists and bohemia that Tongolele's all time debut was in The Tropics in the U.S.A. |
Z
Zeta
Posted
posted
on
04/17/2010
|
Z
Zeta
Posted
posted
on
06/24/2010
From the "exotica girl thread"
Long live La Tongolele!!! |
BVT
Baron von Tiki
Posted
posted
on
06/24/2010
Famous ? Yes. Most famous ? That'd probably go to Lili St. Cyr or Gypsy Rose Lee. Even so, Tongolele's nothing to dismiss. |
Z
Zeta
Posted
posted
on
06/24/2010
Those two dancers you mention Mr. Baron where burlesque acts (according to wikipedia). Besides, Togolele was and still is famous in all America. North America, Central America and South America too. That name, "The most famous" is how she used to be called, not by me, but by everyone... And how she sold her act. Did those two dancers you mention where ever called "The most famous exotic dancer in America"? I don't think so. But thanks for the feedback anyway. |
BVT
Baron von Tiki
Posted
posted
on
06/27/2010
I know "burlesque" means something different in Europe but, in America, "burlesque" and "exotic dancer" mean pretty much the same thing: a strip tease act. So, Tongolele was pretty much considered one of the same ilk as Lili St. Cyr, Gypsy Rose Lee, Tempest Storm, and even Bettie Page. As for the phrase "The most famous exotic dancer in America:" That's likely an old carny trick used on posters, flyers, and tickets to promote her performances. Everyone in America used tricks like this to gather a paying crowd. It doesn't necessarily mean it was true. It could have been but fame is so hard to calculate, an act could use the phrase without having to prove it. Perhaps Tongolele has greater cache in other countries; I don't know. But I would still assert that she was not the most famous in America. Let's put it this way: I'm 40 years old and I heard the names "Gypsy Rose Lee" and "Lili St. Cyr" while I was still a teenager and the name "Bettie Page" in my early 20s. And this was decades after all of them had retired and burlesque itself was dead. I'd never heard of Tongolele until I'd joined this forum. But none of this really matters. Everybody has their favorites and level-of-fame really doesn't make a difference to the fans. |
Pages: 1 9 replies