Leslie Zemeckis

Leslie Zemeckis

Birth : 1969-02-05, USA

History

Leslie Zemeckis is a best-selling actress, writer and award-winning documentarian. Leslie's critically acclaimed films include Behind the Burly Q, the true story of old-time burlesque in America. She the author of Behind the Burly Q, the definitive oral history of burlesque and Goddess of Love Incarnate; the Life of Stripteuse Lili St. Cyr. Her third book Feuding Fan Dancers was published and became a bestseller October 2, 2018 about Sally Rand, Faith Bacon and the golden age of the showgirl. Specializing in women in American pop culture from the early part of the 20th century Zemeckis is a frequent contributor to Huffington Post, Medium, Talkhouse and has written for W Magazine and Stork Magazine. She has presented her work and spoken at panels and Universities including Santa Barbara City College, Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, The Chicago Club, Chicago History Museum, MoMa, Burlesque Hall of Fame, Burly Con. She continues to revisit and shine a light on formerly stigmatize and marginalized female entertainers.

Profile

Leslie Zemeckis

Movies

From Zero to I Love You
Pamela Finley-Logsdon
Darryl Stephens plays Pete Logsdon-just a guy in Philadelphia who happens to have a history of getting involved with married men. His father, played by veteran Richard Lawson and his soon-to-be step mom, Leslie Zemeckis, are on him to find someone who's actually available and to settle down. Instead, he finds a man named Jack who is fifteen years into a perfect marriage with two beautiful children and an enviable wife.
Welcome to Marwen
Suzette
When a devastating attack shatters Mark Hogancamp and wipes away all memories, no one expected recovery. Putting together pieces from his old and new life, Mark meticulously creates a wondrous town named Marwen where he can heal and be heroic. As he builds an astonishing art installation — a testament to the most powerful women he knows — through his fantasy world, he draws strength to triumph in the real one.
Mabel, Mabel Tiger Trainer
Writer
A story of the world's first female tiger trainer who claimed her love for her tigers was so great she wanted to die in the ring. Raised in poverty in Kentucky, Mabel Stark joined the circus in 1911 and became the first woman to train tigers, earning the center ring despite being told that women couldn't work the big cats. In a 57-year career, she headlined shows with Ringling Bros and Barnum and Bailey, survived multiple maulings and marriages, starred in Hollywood movies, and managed up to 20 cats by forming intimate relationships with each, rather than using the whip. Her life ended tragically just outside of Jungleland in Thousand Oaks, CA, and her legacy and the golden era of the American circus is recounted by former animal trailers, performers and historian Janet Davis, with Mabel's voice, from her memoir "Hold That Tiger", provided by Oscar ®-winner Melissa Leo.
Mabel, Mabel Tiger Trainer
Director
A story of the world's first female tiger trainer who claimed her love for her tigers was so great she wanted to die in the ring. Raised in poverty in Kentucky, Mabel Stark joined the circus in 1911 and became the first woman to train tigers, earning the center ring despite being told that women couldn't work the big cats. In a 57-year career, she headlined shows with Ringling Bros and Barnum and Bailey, survived multiple maulings and marriages, starred in Hollywood movies, and managed up to 20 cats by forming intimate relationships with each, rather than using the whip. Her life ended tragically just outside of Jungleland in Thousand Oaks, CA, and her legacy and the golden era of the American circus is recounted by former animal trailers, performers and historian Janet Davis, with Mabel's voice, from her memoir "Hold That Tiger", provided by Oscar ®-winner Melissa Leo.
Bound by Flesh
Screenplay
Conjoined twins Daisy and Violet Hilton were once the cream of the sideshow crop. Taught to sing and dance at an early age, the winsome duo ascended through the early 20th-century vaudeville circuit as a side attraction (working alongside Bob Hope and Charlie Chaplin as well as a memorable turn in the Tod Browning classic "Freaks") before a cascade of unscrupulous management and harsh mistreatment brought their careers (and lives) tumbling down. This engrossing glimpse into a bygone era is filled with fascinating interviews and rare archival footage.
Bound by Flesh
Producer
Conjoined twins Daisy and Violet Hilton were once the cream of the sideshow crop. Taught to sing and dance at an early age, the winsome duo ascended through the early 20th-century vaudeville circuit as a side attraction (working alongside Bob Hope and Charlie Chaplin as well as a memorable turn in the Tod Browning classic "Freaks") before a cascade of unscrupulous management and harsh mistreatment brought their careers (and lives) tumbling down. This engrossing glimpse into a bygone era is filled with fascinating interviews and rare archival footage.
Bound by Flesh
Director
Conjoined twins Daisy and Violet Hilton were once the cream of the sideshow crop. Taught to sing and dance at an early age, the winsome duo ascended through the early 20th-century vaudeville circuit as a side attraction (working alongside Bob Hope and Charlie Chaplin as well as a memorable turn in the Tod Browning classic "Freaks") before a cascade of unscrupulous management and harsh mistreatment brought their careers (and lives) tumbling down. This engrossing glimpse into a bygone era is filled with fascinating interviews and rare archival footage.
Behind the Burly Q
Writer
Dive into more than a century of decadence with this tantalizing look at the evolution of burlesque. Cabaret star Leslie Zemeckis traces the art form from vaudeville-style variety show through its extinction and contemporary rebirth. Vintage photos, film clips and ads illustrate burlesque's resilient history and how the public's sexual appetite kept it alive amid moral and legal ado.
Behind the Burly Q
Director
Dive into more than a century of decadence with this tantalizing look at the evolution of burlesque. Cabaret star Leslie Zemeckis traces the art form from vaudeville-style variety show through its extinction and contemporary rebirth. Vintage photos, film clips and ads illustrate burlesque's resilient history and how the public's sexual appetite kept it alive amid moral and legal ado.
A Christmas Carol
Fred's Wife (voice)
Miser Ebenezer Scrooge is awakened on Christmas Eve by spirits who reveal to him his own miserable existence, what opportunities he wasted in his youth, his current cruelties, and the dire fate that awaits him if he does not change his ways. Scrooge is faced with his own story of growing bitterness and meanness, and must decide what his own future will hold: death or redemption.
Beowulf
Yrsa
A 6th-century Scandinavian warrior named Beowulf embarks on a mission to slay the man-like ogre, Grendel.
The Polar Express
Sister Sarah / Mother
When a doubting young boy takes an extraordinary train ride to the North Pole, he embarks on a journey of self-discovery that shows him that the wonder of life never fades for those who believe.
Sacrifice
Officer Mercedes Calderon
A convicted bank robber breaks free as he is being transported to prison after learning that his daughter has been killed by a serial killer. Determined to find her killer, he joins with a female cop who is working the case. He quickly discovers that his daughter had recently had an abortion, an action common to all of the murdered women. Meanwhile the FBI agent that he escaped from is hot on his trail.
Blowback
Sandra Carlow
After a psychotic religious killer is captured and sentenced to death, he is instead recruited by the US government and trained to become a professional assassin. He now seeks revenge on all those who participated in sentencing him to death.
Spiders
Emma
A DNA experiment on a rare breed of spider is taking place on a NASA space shuttle, when a freak meteor shower engulfs the shuttle, causing everything to go horribly wrong. One survivor is found on the ship and watched over in a secret location deep in the California desert. The problem continues, as the survivor isn't alone, as another deadly spiders climbs out of him and goes on a rampage around the ship. Curious reporter Marci Eyre must now survive, escape and warn everyone before the spider reaches outside the desert.
Dark Nova
Nova
A former criminal, blackmailed into one last heist, seeks revenge on the partners who double-crossed her.
Life of a Gigolo
Rhonda
When Danielle decides to do a story on the life of a sex worker to please her boss and lover Peter, she meets Gage a professional gigolo. She quickly becomes interested in his work and starts to see a change in herself and her life.
I Married a Monster
Bridesmaid #2 (as Leslie Harter)
Kelly's new husband Nick begins behaving oddly, showing a surprising desire to make babies and shun his drinking buddies. Little does she know he's not entirely himself.
Restless Souls
Heather (as Lesley Lindsay)
Newlyweds spend the night at a haunted mansion, having had car trouble. When the wife disappears, the husband's rich father sends a team of parapsychologists to get the wife back. Except for the leader, each of the team has a special power... Dr. Donna Hemming is a telekinetic, Anthony Leeds can see things by touching objects, and Heather Siris is sexually irresistible to both the dead and the living. They soon discover a Civil War general has made a pact with the devil, if he can only find a virgin for the devil to procreate with.
The Sexperiment
Audrey / Marcie (as Leslie Harter)
Two sexologists make a bet: that they can induce an inhibited couple to shed their inhibitions by exposing them to a series of interviews with people who recount their erotic adventures. The two "subjects" are told that they are supposed to write summaries of the stories they will hear. The "sexperiment" works: Carson and Dawson overcome their inhibitions, but they discover that they are being manipulated.
Sex Files: Pleasure World
Sara (as Lesley Lindsay)
Vacationers go to "Pleasure World" to make their sexual fantasies come true with the non-human staff.
Confessions of a Call Girl
Reese (as Lesley Lindsay)
A call girl marries a politician only to have her secret life cause complications.
Damien's Seed
Jane Janzen (as Leslie Harter)
A detective is hired by a rich woman to find her runaway step-sister. Little does he know that the step-sister is actually being held by a cult of women who seek to propagate their male cult-leader of 30 years ago by capturing his son, and the detective's client is in on the deal.
Encounters
Diane
Johnny goes to Athena's Palace to ask for a loan. He enters an exciting and seductive world there. Intrigued by the beautiful strip-dancer Brandy, he agrees to value her house. She insists Johnny pays his valuation with a private striptease dance. Her friend Carlo, a villain, is immediately jealous and threatens Brandy.
Jailbait
Roman's Girlfriend
17 year old Kyle comes to the big city in search of her half-sister Merci. Merci is on the run after being used to set up a murder. The police and the killers both want her.