The original hourglass: The model who changed
With fiery red hair and fearless charm,
Tempest Storm became one of burlesque’s most iconic stars.
Born Annie Blanche Banks on Leap Day, 1928, in Georgia,
she escaped poverty and abuse by running away at fourteen.
After two failed marriages, she moved to Hollywood,
where a casting agent offered her a choice: Sunny Day or Tempest Storm.
She chose the name that matched her fire.
Starting as a waitress, she tried striptease and instantly captivated audiences.
By the 1950s, she was a top headliner, earning $100,000 a year and starring in films like Teaserama with Bettie Page.
Known as “Tempest in a D-Cup,” she blended elegance with allure and even had her famous curves insured for $1 million.
Linked to Elvis Presley and Mickey Rooney, she later married jazz singer Herb Jeffries.
Performing into her eighties, Tempest Storm remained a symbol of confidence and resilience until her death in 2021 at ninety-three.
