SALLY RAND

 SALLY RAND, who headlined the original CASA MANANA nightclub shows at the Fort Worth Frontier Centennial in 1936 was an Extraordinary Lady. I know, because I was lucky enough to be able to work with her years later when she made a special appearance at the New Casa Manana in 1973, 33years after her first fan dance on the previous stage.

 At the left above is Miss Rand as she appeared in 1936 and on the right as I knew her...when she was 70 years old and still an incredible dancer! My job was to bring her fans and hand them to her just before she made her entrance. Now Miss Rand was just a bit over 5 feet tall in her heels and those fans with their pink, glitter encrusted celuloid handles and four foot long pink ostrich plumes were VERY HEAVY! I marveled at every performance how she made them seem to float as if they weighed nothing at all! And alhough her body stocking had gotten a bit thicker over the years, she still was a commanding presense onstage....

Offstage Miss Rand was one of the most personable and classy Ladies I've ever had the pleasure to work with. As a group, the technical staff pooled our funds and sent a grand bouquet of flowers to her dressing room for opening night. Above is my copy of the letter she sent to EVERY ONE OF US just before the close of the show. You don't see that kind of thing anymore...you won't see Her kind of professional anymore, either. I'll treasure my memories and this letter until the day I die.