Lorett Fulkerson: The “Last” Tattooed Lady?

Today is the birthday of Lorett Fulkerson (Loretta Love, 1915-2007), often called “the last tattooed lady”, although judging by the streets around Williamsburg and Park Slope, nowadays ALL woman are tattooed. But Fulkerson was the last of the old time, first run performing tattooed women. 90% of her body was inked and her performing career dated back to the 1930s. In her time she had worked for Ringling Bros, Hubert’s Museum, Hall and Christ and many others. She retired in the early 1990s — when there were plenty of others willing to take up the torch.

To find out more about  the history of show business, consult No Applause, Just Throw Money: The Book That Made Vaudeville Famous, available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and wherever nutty books are sold.