1. From Annie to Tempest
Born Annie Blanche Banks on Leap Day 1928 in Georgia, Tempest Storm fled poverty and abuse at 14.
She chased Hollywood, landing in L.A. with a new name—”Tempest Storm.”
She joked the alternative was “Sunny Day,” but “she chose the lightning.”
2. Rise to Fame
Starting in striptease by accident, she quickly became a burlesque star in the 1950s.
Known for elegance, not scandal, she earned headlines like “Tempest in a D-Cup” and starred in cult films like Teaserama with Bettie Page.
3. Discipline and Defiance
Despite her image, she lived clean: “no cigarettes, no booze stronger than 7-Up.”
Her interracial marriage to singer Herb Jeffries in 1959 made waves—and cost her work in segregated areas.
4. Legacy
She performed into her 80s, inspiring artists like Dita Von Teese.
When she died in 2021 at 93, she left behind more than glitter—she was “unstoppable. Unforgettable. A force of nature.”
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