Letters to Fay Tunis

1926-1951

Fay Tunis (1887-1967) was a dancer who appeared in two Broadway shows in the 1910s, and later danced in various burlesque houses in New York and elsewhere. In addition to her stage appearances, Fay Tunis appeared in at least one silent film, a 1915 version of CARMEN which starred Theda Bara. Most of the Fay Tunis correspondence consists of fan mail from persons who had seen her dance, and wanted to meet her. The majority of the fan letters are from men, but one is from a woman who notes that she was recently divorced. There are five postmarked envelopes from a man named George W. Pughe which feature elaborately colored cartoon art, but the letters are not present. There is also a job offer from Nickel's Gayety, "Baltimore's Famous Burlesque Theatre." All but one of these items date between 1926 and 1931, the exception being a brief note from producer Max Gordon dated 1951, in which he remarks that he remembers Miss Tunis and recalls "how he used to chase her.".