Old Look

Montreal, sometimes described as "the only town in Canada that stays open on Sunday," seemed more like its old gusty, uncorseted self last week. Gambling, fast women and lively entertainment had returned to "Little Paris."

Singer Sarah Vaughan, the "Bop" girl, was at the Chez Maurice; Roger Dann, "the young Maurice Chevalier," was at the Gayety vaudeville house, where Stripteaser Lili St. Cyr had just finished a four-week run. Besides the Gayety, there were strippers at the Roxy, Rockhead's Paradise and the Cafe St. Michel,

Little Paris had suffered a spell of unaccustomed purity in 1947-48 under the racket-busting rule of deputy police director Pacifique ("Pax") Plante (TIME, Nov. 10, 1947). Pax had closed the dice games, bookies and brothels down tight.

Things began to relax as soon as Pax was suspended last year. By last week the fast-paced barbotte, Montreal's pet dice game, was rattling away all over town, and bookies were easy to find. Montreal's fabulous oldtime bordellos (evening dress only) were long gone, but there were plenty of girls operating from tourist homes and rooming houses.

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