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The Rocky Twins: Norway’s Outrageous Jazz Age Beauties

July 17th, 2018

My next book is an illustrated biography about the Norwegian Rocky Twins due 3rd September 2018.

Admired for being stunningly handsome, the Norwegian Rocky Twins were dancers who had a ten- year career in Europe and America appearing on stage and in film between 1927-1937. Their beauty, their androgynous look and their outrageous antics made them legendary.

 

The cover for The Rocky Twins: Norway's Outrageous Jazz Age Beauties

The cover for The Rocky Twins: Norway’s Outrageous Jazz Age Beauties

 

The Norwegian Rocky Twins (born Leif and Paal Roschberg) were deliciously handsome, outrageous and lived life to the full. They made a name for themselves as dancers in the Paris music hall in the late 1920s at the tender age of eighteen. Their act took Paris by storm because in one of their numbers, they dressed up in drag and imitated the famous Dolly Sisters, who had just retired.  Their unique performance enabled them to star on the stage and in film across Europe and America (Paris, London, Vienna, Budapest, Berlin, Oslo, Stockholm, Copenhagen, New York and Los Angeles) and at the same time their good looks became highly sought after by connoiseurs of the body beautiful of either sex.

  • The first illustrated biography of the dancing Norwegian Rocky Twins who were stars of film and stage in the Jazz Age on both sides of the Atlantic.
  • Based on extensive research over 30 years.
  • Includes over 100 photographs in colour and black and white.
  • Insight and detail about nightlife and the entertainment world in London, Paris, New York, Vienna, Scandinavia, New York and Hollywood in the golden age of stage and screen.
  • Exposes some of the secrets of pre-code Hollywood in the early 1930s.
  • Explores the secret gay world on both side of the Atlantic and the ‘Pansy Craze’ in America in the early 1930s.
  • They were regarded as two of the best dressed and most handsome men in the world.
  • Their impersonation in drag of the Dolly Sisters became legendary.
  • A colourful life story that has made them ‘gay legends.’
  • They were once called ‘The Black Orchids of the North.’
  • Covers their career as the Rocky Twins and their later life during and after World War Two.
Full cover for The Rocky Twins: Norway's Outrageous Jazz Age Beauties

Full cover for The Rocky Twins: Norway’s Outrageous Jazz Age Beauties

 

For more information about the book click here for the book webpage

Dolly Tree: A Dream of Beauty Digital Sampler

July 4th, 2017

Here is my digital sampler for my new book Dolly Tree: A Dream of Beauty due at the end of September 2017.

The illustrated biography of the Jazz Age costume designer Dolly Tree with over 600 images and available in hardback, paperback and ebook formats.

 

 

 

The cover the illustrated biography of the Jazz Age costume designer Dolly Tree

The cover the illustrated biography of the Jazz Age costume designer Dolly Tree

 

 

Dolly Tree: A Dream of Beauty Press Release

Dolly Tree died 55 years ago on this day 17th May 1962

May 17th, 2017

55 years ago on this day, 17th May 1962, Dolly Tree, the internationally renowned Jazz Age costume designer, died in obscurity in a psychiatric hospital on Long Island, New York. A sad and tragic end to a brilliant career. http://www.eddittpublishing.com/books/dolly-tree

Dolly Sisters and Mr Selfridge

December 29th, 2015

The Dolly Sisters and Mr Selfridge More interesting commentary about the Dolly Sisters and Mr Selfridge, in advance of the last series of the ITV show, Mr Selfridge is unveiled this time from the Daily Star. We all know that TV drama is not true to life but why oh why do they continue to […]

Dolly Sisters and Mr Selfridge

November 30th, 2015

The commentary about the Dolly Sisters and Mr Selfridge, in advance of the last series of the ITV show, has started already with the latest feature from The Mail on Sunday. Thankfully, this assessment is not too bad and instead of blaming the Dolly Sisters for ruining him and describing them as gold-diggers, the blame […]

The Dolly Sisters in Pictures sampler

October 7th, 2015

View the Dolly Sisters in Pictures sampler here The Dolly Sisters in Pictures Gary Chapman Publication: 4th January 2016 £20 paperback, ISBN 978-1-909230-21-7 £12.99 Apple ebook ISBN 978-1-909230-22-4 £12.99 Amazon Kindle ebook ISBN 978-1-909230-23-1 The glamorous life of the Dolly Sisters as seen in 200 photographic images. Capturing their rise to fame and fortune, from their […]

ICES Reviews Classic Fabric Flowers in Sugar

October 1st, 2015

A wonderful review of Classic Fabric Flowers in Sugar in the October issue of the ICES newsletter – copies available in the USA from ISAC (www.nicholaslodge.com) ICES is International Cake Exploration Society in the USA

Brenton Film – about London’s Hollywood

April 9th, 2015

Extensive feature about Gary Chapman and the creation of the book London’s Hollywood from the brilliant online resource Brenton Film Click here to read  

Dolly Tree and Alfred Hitchcock’s The Lodger (1926)

March 16th, 2015

Did the famous dress-designer Dolly Tree make an appearance in Alfred Hitchcock’s The Lodger? On watching the film closely (once again) I saw something that had not registered before – a rather tantalising and interesting visual connection. The mannequin parade (shown twice) was filmed at the Islington studio in June 1926 and all the gowns, […]

Gary Chapman and His Cakes

March 5th, 2015

I created this presentation for new followers on my Gary Chapman Cakes Facebook page who did not know much about my background in cake decorating.