LeCoque, Fluff (1923-2015)

Ffolliott "Fluff" LeCoque (1923-2016) was born Ffolliott Charlton in Butte, Montana in 1923 where her father was a miner. She grew up in Seattle, developing an early interest in acting and dance. LeCoque attended the University of Washington, actively participating in a sorority before graduating with a degree in theater. Before moving permanently to Las Vegas, Nevada, LeCoque danced for 18 months in Hollywood Extravaganza, a Donn Arden & Ron Fletcher production in Paris, France. She then moved on to another Arden-Fletcher production at the Lookout House, a "Syndicate" club in Covington, Kentucky, and then to California where she spent a decade as both dancer and company manager at the Moulin Rouge in Los Angeles.

In 1947, LeCoque was hired as a singer with the Chuck Gould Orchestra, performing on a six-week contract at the Last Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada for $35 a week. The following year, Donn Arden asked LeCoque to join his company as a dancer in Lido in Paris at the newly opened Thunderbird Hotel; she was soon named "Miss Thunderbird" and became the show’s principal dancer.

LeCoque worked for Arden for the remainder of her performing career, as both a dancer and company manager, retiring from the stage at the age of 43. In 1973, Arden asked LeCoque to serve as company manager for his new show, Hallelujah Hollywood!, at the MGM Grand Hotel-Casino. This was the beginning of a new career that spanned the next four decades. As Arden's company manager, LeCoque auditioned thousands of showgirls and dancers over the years to appear in Arden shows, particularly the long-running Jubilee!

"Fluff" LeCoque retired for a second time in 2012 at the age of 87, and passed away in her Las Vegas home in December 2015 at the age of 92.

Sources:

Katsilometes, John. “’Jubilee’ icon Fluff LeCoque dies at age 92,” Las Vegas Sun (Las Vegas, NV), December 10, 2015.

Archuleta, Jon. “Las Vegas ‘Jubilee’ dancer, manager Fluff LeCoque dies at 92,” Fox5, February 19, 2016, http://www.fox5vegas.com/story/30726471/las-vegas-jubilee-dancer-manager-fluff-lecoque-dies-at-92.

Clarke, Norm. “Vegas entertainment pioneer LeCoque dies,” Las Vegas Review Journal (Las Vegas, NV), December 10, 2015.

LeCoque, F., Marshall, J., Las Vegas Women in Gaming Entertainment Oral History Project, & Women's Research Institute of Nevada. (1998). An interview with Fluff LeCoque : An oral history. Las Vegas, Nev.]: University of Nevada, Las Vegas.