Evelyn West
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Evelyn West (January 30, 1921 - November 14, 2004), aka Evelyn "$50,000 Treasure Chest" West, aka "The Hubba-Hubba Girl", was a burlesque legend of the forties, fifties, and sixties.
Career
A fixture at the Stardust on the old DeBaliviere Strip in St. Louis, Evelyn West was best known for her large (39 1/2 inch) bustline. She was reported to have insured her breasts for $50,000 through Lloyd's of London.
Quite the comedienne, she would often quip to her audience "I know you're looking at my shoes."
Evelyn West was also an ardent publicity seeker. She tried to legally change her name to Evelyn "$50,000 Treasure Chest" West at the Menard County Circuit Court, threw a tomato at rival Anita Ekberg, appeared at nudist weddings, charged with indecent exposure, threatened legal action against contemporaries Tempest Storm and Jane Russell, and openly criticized Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield. According to one pinup fansite, Evelyn was quoted as saying,
"And what would you say if I told you, strictly on the Q.T., that Jane Russell's figure ain't what it used to be and that Marilyn Monroe's much-vaunted shape is as phony as her yearning for the Karamazov brothers?" "As far as Jane is concerned, she is way down from her erstwhile 38 bosom...and Marilyn is about four inches removed from the 36 they claim for her."
Ms. West was widely photographed and depicted in pinup calendars and artwork. A couple examples of those who took Evelyn's picture are photographer/former model Bunny Yeager and Tom Kelley (rose to fame for his Marilyn Monroe calendar). Her only known film credit was for A Night at the Follies (1947). She appeared uncredited as "the cook" in Rhythm on the River(1940) and as "woman in theater" in Birth of the Blues(1941).
