Evelyn West
Evelyn West was born Amy Mae Coomer, in Adair County, Kentucky. Her parents were Henderson and Annie Coomer of the poor farming community of Elroy, Kentucky. A few years after her birth, her parents divorced. Annie and Amy moved to Illinois where her mother remarried Curtis Hinds of Petersburg, Illinois, where Amy grew up on a farm. Her two brothers, many years older than Amy remained in Kentucky with their father.
Amy started working at the Illinois State Fair in a sideshow. Her career was not recognized until she was seen in a 1940s newspaper clipping for a performance in Calumet City. During World War Two, Amy and her mother, Annie came to Sacramento, California. Amy went to work at Mather Army Air Field. After World War II, she got a job stripping at the President's Club on Market Street in San Francisco. In 1947, she made the film "A Night at the Follies" in Los Angeles. She left California for Missouri. In her act she used a dummy of "Esky" the mascot of Esquire magazine as her pseudo lover. By the 50s, Amy had married club promoter Al Charles. They had no children together.
A fixture at the Stardust on the old DeBaliviere Strip in St. Louis, Evelyn West was best known for her large (39 1/2 inch) bustline. She was reported to have insured her breasts for $50,000 through Lloyd's of London.
Quite the comedienne, she would often quip to her audience "I know you're looking at my shoes."
Evelyn West was also an ardent publicity seeker. She tried to legally change her name to Evelyn "$50,000 Treasure Chest" West at the Menard County Circuit Court, threw a tomato at rival Anita Ekberg, appeared at nudist weddings, charged with indecent exposure, threatened legal action against contemporaries Tempest Storm and Jane Russell, and openly criticized Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield. According to one pinup fansite, Evelyn was quoted as saying,
"And what would you say if I told you, strictly on the Q.T., that Jane Russell's figure ain't what it used to be and that Marilyn Monroe's much-vaunted shape is as phony as her yearning for the Karamazov brothers?" "As far as Jane is concerned, she is way down from her erstwhile 38 bosom...and Marilyn is about four inches removed from the 36 they claim for her."
Ms. West was widely photographed and depicted in pinup calendars and artwork. A couple examples of those who took Evelyn's picture are photographer/former model Bunny Yeager and Tom Kelley (rose to fame for his Marilyn Monroe calendar). Her only known film credit was for A Night at the Follies (1947). She appeared uncredited as "the cook" in Rhythm on the River(1940) and as "woman in theater" in Birth of the Blues(1941).
After her husband Al Charles died, Ms. West, lived quietly as Amy Charles in Hollywood, Florida. A long time baseball St. Louis Cardinal fan, late in life she rooted for the Florida Marlins She sold collectibles through eBay and made friends with fans online.
Evelyn West died as Amy Charles in 2004 in Florida. Due to her reclusive lifestyle and no immediate family, her death almost went unnoticed. A fan of West's, Terry Klasek, was responsible for contacting the St. Louis Post-Dispatch to publish her obituary since she had no next of kin.