VICTORIA, Texas, Jan. 2 (UPI) -- Candy Barr, an exotic dancer who entertained Dallas club-goers in the 1950s, died of pneumonia Friday at the age of 70.
Barr, born Juanita Dale Slusher, earned fame as part of the burlesque show at the Colony Club, two doors down from competitor Jack Ruby's Carousel, the Dallas Morning News reported.
Barr was acquainted with Ruby, who gained notoriety for shooting an accused presidential assassin, the newspaper said.
In 1957, Barr was arrested for possession of marijuana. She was convicted and sentenced to 15 years in prison. While her case was on appeal, Barr performed in Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Her career ended in 1959, when the Texas Supreme Court affirmed her conviction. She was paroled in 1963.
The newspaper said Ruby offered to help Barr get out from under a Texas parole restriction forbidding her return to work as a stripper. She declined the offer. The FBI a week earlier had questioned Barr about Ruby, who was charged in the shooting death of Lee Harvey Oswald, the newspaper.
