Help Penny Starr Sr in a tight spot

A Call to Action from “Miss Bump-and-Grind '63”, Burlesque Super Legend Penny Starr Senior!

The following information was given to BurlyCares with full permission from Penny Starr Sr and her self-appointed confidant, friend and helper Visa V (aka John Timson).

She is known as the one of the ‘World’s Oldest Strippers’ and she has delighted audiences the world over for decades! She is Penny Starr Sr. and she is a living legend of burlesque! Penny is still very active within the art of burlesque, but she has recently encountered more than a few challenges during the Covid pandemic.

After the recent passing of her husband, and also not being able to teach or perform regularly over the last year due to Covid, she has come upon unexpected finances with her home as well as her beloved animals. Penny is in need of funding for her home to replace and treat all of the insulation in her attic, as well as controlling and treating a severe termite and rat infestation. In addition to housing needs, Penny has had to treat her dogs more frequently with veterinarian visits and schedule surgery for one of them. Penny is deeply connected to her dogs, and they have provided her with a constant source of comfort and love during the Covid
pandemic. [1]

BurlyCares, along with her trusted confidant, friend and helper Visa V, would like to set a goal to raise $5,000 for Penny. Any additional money raised passed the above stated needs will go towards a fund kept for any additional housing needs or care for her dogs. BurlyCares is also committed to continue to work with Penny and her family on addressing any other long term needs as well.

Penny’s fundraiser is currently set up on Go Fund Me via John Timson. You may also donate directly to BurlyCares on behalf of Penny as well. 100% of all the proceeds collected from the BurlyCares links will go directly to Penny. Below are the three links to donate easily!

We greatly love and appreciate all that donate to helping Penny during this time and to all who continue to support our Legends!


About Penny Starr Sr

Penny Starr Sr has been delighting audiences since the 1950’s! Penny Starr was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania. She had a quiet childhood, graduating from Allentown High School in 1951 and marrying soon after.

In her earlier performance years, she did modeling at Hess's Department Store at the behest of Max Hess. In 1957 she had the distinct opportunity to join the Christiani Brother’s Circus. She started out as a trapeze artist but soon found a love for the elephants she worked alongside. She was then paired with an elephant where she performed a pachyderm waltz that ended with the elephant holding one hoof over her head. During the time when the circus set up winter shows in Tampa, Fla., she signed on as a dancer at a burlesque club called ‘Guys and Dolls’, and her burlesque career was born!

Penny continued to work the East Coast burlesque circuit and made a name for herself in coal-region clubs and in Atlantic City. She was then named “Miss Bump-and-Grind of '63" at the Cotton Club in Atlantic City.

In the early 2000’s Penny Starr Sr then paired with her granddaughter Penny Starr Jr, and they went on to dance together in top hats and tails to Paul Anka's version of Van Halen's "Jump" They are, to date, the only grandmother-granddaughter striptease act known.

Penny Starr Sr continues to perform and teach the art of burlesque to this
day and is quoted as saying "If I can walk, I'll dance. And I'm not giving my
high heels up for anyone" [2]

References –
[1] ‘Help Penny Starr Sr in a Tight Spot’, Go Fund Me Fundraiser by John Timson.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-penny-starr-sr-in-a-tight-spot?sharetype=teams&member=13221053&utm_medium=social&utm_source=instagram&utm_campaign=p_na+share-sheet

[2] ‘At 79, Penny Starr Sr is a Happy Burlesque Legend’, newspaper article by
The Morning Call Newspaper of Pennsylvania.
https://www.mcall.com/news/local/mc-xpm-2012-09-29-mc-allentown-burlesque-grandmother-20120929-story.html