NANCY "Nan" WACHTER

Nan was born in Gary, Indiana on January 6, 1930.  She attended William A. Wirt High School serving as Secretary of the Student Body and enjoyed dancing sparking a desire to work in show business.  Needing money Nan took a job with U.S. Steel on a hot roll line as a bander.  She later attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago studying calligraphy and painting.  She next worked as a hand model for several Chicago Department stores yet the "bright lights" of show biz still cried out to Nan.

Nan quit college driving to Los Angeles to study modern dance.  She then took a job with Don Arden famous for creating the Las Vegas Showgirl Extravaganza at the Desert Inn.  Specializing in statuesque, skimpily clad girls, and standing at almost six feet tall, Nan was an ideal candidate, was hired and soon was dancing for Wayne Newton, Dean Martin, Connie Stevens, and Liberace.  After working several years on the Strip including at the Dunes, Nan joined other dance troupes and danced from the West Coast to New York City.

In New York City, Nan took a job as a dancer at The Latin Quarter Nightclub located in Times Square which presented festive floor shows featuring Nan both as a chorus girl and can-can dancer.  She worked with such headliners as Frank Sinatra, Frankie Laine, and the Andrews Sisters.  Nan became a Rockette for a time testing her dancing skills with this American precision dance company.

Nan also worked the New York burlesque circuit with Pinkie Lee an American burlesque comic and host of a children's television program.  Nan appeared on several episodes of The Tonight Shows with Johnny Carson acting as the statuesque straight girl always elegantly dressed and allowing Pinkie Lee to provide salty comedy with her being the foil.

After working as a talented dancer Nan turned to her next chapter working in a variety of New York City restaurants including the Gas Light Club where she worked as a cigarette girl and later floor manager.  Nan related a story where Mickey Rooney sought refuge in a closet hiding from a man whose girlfriend he was secretly seeing.  Mickey regaled Nan with multiple stories of his many conquests.  Nan got to know Rock Hudson whom she always claimed was the best-looking man she had ever known.  When not working Nan was a regular at Studio 54.

Nan returned to Indiana with Jerome "Jack" Bari her long-time companion to help care for her mother.  Nan lived in Ogden Dunes for 57 glorious years with her succession of two basset hounds and five Shih Tzu.  Nan, her white wine, meat balls, and cigarettes will be missed.  Break a leg!