Browse Items (36 total)

This photograph of the exterior of the French Casino appeared in the official souvenir book of the Great Lakes Exposition in 1936, despite the reluctance of officials to allow "vulgar" entertainment.

Featured dancer, Zuzanna, shows off a piece of lingerie for the chorus girls at the French Casino nightclub. Controversy over nudity at the Great Lakes Exposition often centered on the dancers at the French Casino.

This Plain Dealer cartoon proudly demonstrates the city's use of a former dump as the site of the Great Lakes Exposition.

Visitors to the Great Lakes Exposition near the East Ninth Street underpass in the main exhibit area of the expo.

Cartoonist Walter Hagemann captured the hopes and dreams of the organizers and civic promoters of the Great Lakes Exposition in his Plain Dealer cartoon showing visitors streaming into Cleveland from all over the country.

Photograph of the French Casino,featured in the Official Viewbook of the 1936 Great Lakes Exposition. The French Casino offered drinks, dancing and a burlesque style revue with semi-nude female dancers.

Advertisement for the French Casino nightclub at the Great Lakes Exposition. The nightclub featured burlesque dancer, Toto Leverne, and a French style revue with semi-nude performers during the 1936 season of the expo.

These headlines from various editions of the Cleveland Plain Dealer demonstrate the ongoing controversy over nudity at the Great Lakes Exposition. Although several nude shows existed at the 1936 season, they were officially banned for the 1937…

Roger Pryor, Hollywood leading man, visits the Great Lakes Exposition and "proves he is no sissy," according to the verso, by turning the tables on one of the rickshaw pullers at the expo.

Members of the Great Lakes Exposition Executive Committee meet at the Hotel Statler to plan for the second season of the expo. L to R: W.T. Holliday, President of Standard Oil of Ohio, and newly elected president of the exposition, Dudley Blossom,…