Leslie Zemeckis

Leslie Zemeckis
Zemeckis at the 2025 San Diego Writers Festival
Born
Leslie Harter

(1969-02-05) February 5, 1969
Occupations
  • Writer
  • film director
  • actress
  • producer
Years active1984–present
Spouse
  • ​
    (m. 2001)​
Children3
Websitelesliezemeckis.com

Leslie Zemeckis (born February 5, 1969) is an American author, documentary filmmaker and actress. She has directed four documentary films including Behind the Burly Q, Bound by Flesh, Mabel Mabel Tiger Trainer, and Grandes Horizontales.[1] She has also written three non-fiction books. Her work focuses on women involved in burlesque, strippers, and the circus.[1] She is married to filmmaker Robert Zemeckis.[2]

She also created and starred in her own burlesque show called "Staar: She'd Rather Be A Mistress",[3] which she adapted into a short mockumentary "Staar: She’s Back and Mistresser Than Ever!” with Carrie Fisher and Fabio.[2]

She has a monthly book column in the Montecito Journal.[4]

Career

Behind the Burly Q was first begun as a documentary that Zemeckis later adapted into a book.[2]

For Burly Q, Zemeckis went across the country to interview men and women from burlesque shows of the past for her book and documentary.[2][1] This included gathering over 50 people to interview at the Stardust Hotel in Las Vegas before it was demolished.[2][1]

Zemeckis has written several articles about burlesque and has participated in burlesque shows, including a clothed reading of her book Goddess of Love Incarnate: The Life of Stripteuse Lili St. Cyr accompanied by naked women.[5][2][6] She has also performed as her burlesque alter-ego Staar with the Santa Barbara Symphony.[7]

Zemeckis' most recent documentary, Grandes Horizontales, concerns the lives of French courtesans navigating upper-class society in the 19th century.[8]

Awards

In 2023, she was awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.[9][10]

Books

Zemeckis in 2013
  • Behind the Burly Q (2013)
  • Goddess of Love Incarnate: The Life of Stripteuse Lili St. Cyr (2015)
  • Feuding Fan Dancers: Faith Bacon, Sally Rand, and the Golden Age of the Showgirl (2018)

Filmography

As director

Source:[11]

  • Behind the Burly Q (2010)
  • Bound by Flesh (2012)
  • Mabel Mabel Tiger Trainor (2018)
  • Grandes Horizontales (2022)

As actress

Source:[12]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Meet Leslie Zemeckis". canvasrebel.com. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Leslie Zemeckis sashays into the history of burlesque". Chicago Tribune. May 19, 2013. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  3. ↑ Schwab, Jennifer (March 26, 2014). "Leslie Zemeckis, an Unconventional Supermom". HuffPost. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  4. ↑ "Leslie Zemeckis, Author at Montecito". Montecito. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  5. ↑ Zemeckis, Leslie (December 20, 2016). "Viva la Différence". HuffPost. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  6. ↑ Kogan, Rick (March 28, 2016). "'Naked Girls Reading' adds sensuality to the printed word". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  7. ↑ Woodard, Josef (November 6, 2020). "Santa Barbara Symphony". The Santa Barbara Independent. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  8. ↑ Indy Staff (April 10, 2024). "Leslie Zemeckis's Newest Documentary 'Grandes Horizontales' Screens in Exclusive Event". The Santa Barbara Independent. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  9. ↑ "EIHS Medalists". medalists.eihonors.org. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  10. ↑ The Ellis Island Honors Society (EIHS) (May 1, 2023). "Ellis Island Honors Society announces the 2023 Ellis Island Medals of Honor recipients". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  11. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (February 8, 2023). "Filmmaker Leslie Zemeckis Signs With Buchwald". Deadline. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
  12. ↑ "Leslie Zemeckis | Actress, Director, Writer". IMDb. Retrieved November 19, 2024.
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