Southern Exposure

About the Book

“Southern Exposure” is my autobiography, in a nutshell:  Family saga, coming of age, father/daughter relationship—love turned sour, humor/drama.

Unlike other books about strippers, i.e., Lenny Bruce’s widow, “Honey”, “Blaze Starr”, “Georgia” Southern, “Gypsy” Rose Lee, I was not ambitious, a star, dirt poor, on hard drugs, nor did I ever go to bed with a celebrity.  (I ‘passed’ on George Raft.)

Instead, I come from a wealthy, prominent, old Southern Family.

From 1951 until 1960, I was a stripper on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter, New Orleans, with about a year on the road, Coney Island girlie show, nightclubs on 52nd St., Manhattan, NYC—one owned by the Syndicate, (read Mafia), Miami, L.A., comic misadventures in Panama, et al.  My theme song—saxophone blues rendition of “Summertime”.

I relate humorous events that happened in 1950’s strip joints, profile French Quarter characters, my subsequent involvement with small-time hoods, a four year love affair with Lee J, (or Leajy), tall, sexy, Cajun with a slight limp who turns to crime in order to gather a stake to get married on, one fugitive formerly on the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted List, my participation in an escape from custody and capture, my jail time—six weeks in the Parish Prison, not bad, a few laughs, my lawyer, soon to be celebrated District Attorney, Jim Garrison, twice defended me in court.  (After becoming D.A., he threw out of court two of my old cases.)

However, that is the subplot of my story.  The theme and main plot is the conflict and eventual breakdown and court case blowup of a father/daughter, love turned sour relationship.  (What I want to be when I grow up?  “Just like my daddy—a cattle buyer.”)

W. G. Brown, my father, now deceased, a self-made multi-millionaire cattleman and owner of multiple world champion Registered Quarter Horses, began in 1920’s Arkansas by killing cows and hanging them from trees to butcher.  During World War II, he made millions selling meat to the Army and on the black market.

I was born in 1933, and describe rural life from the standpoint of a wealthy family in poor surroundings

As a true Southerner, my family history is as important as my own, it defines us, so I tell stories handed down beginning with Benedict Arnold, (an omen?), Jessie Blair, who was ambushed and killed by Indians on his way to the Alamo, Great-great uncle Seth J. Howell, owner of a plantation at Old Pittsburg, Arkansas, and two hundred slaves, his flight to Divine, Texas with most of his slaves at the outbreak of the Civil War, and what happened to his wife, Lutitia, my daddy emulating him, Daddy’s adolescence, fathering five babies with the family housekeeper, on the other hand, my mother’s poor, sad childhood around Hot Springs.

Their marriage and, when I was twelve, bitter divorce, a failed shooting, my mother’s suicide attempt, my rebellious years as a New Orleans’ stripper, and fulfilling my life’s dream of living close to Daddy, return as caregiver when he is 77 years old, his eighteen year third marriage dissolving because of the revelation of his eight year affair with his barber, Lilly.

Finding myself under his complete domination, unable to cope, my breakaway attempt to walk away with a quarter million dollars worth of gold coins he had given me two years earlier, results in a courtroom drama.  Allowed a monologue on the stand, he swears he’ll get the gold back ‘by hook or crook!’  (The Old Boy Network)

About the Author

I was born in Arkansas on January 18, 1933. The year prohibition was repealed. My name is Billie Jeane Brown. I’ve lived many lives -- wealthy cattleman’s daughter, rebel, sailor’s wife, striptease artist, gun moll, felon, dutiful daughter, disinherited heiress. I felt equally at ease in every role I played.