Roy’s Rangoon

 

Self-portrait, Roy Blakey's photographs made in Burma in 1963.

Roy Blakey, Inya Lake Hotel balcony

Self portrait, Roy Blakey's photographs made in Burma in 1963.

Roy Blakey and Kuniko

Self-portraits have always been on Roy’s radar.

Roy Blakey's photographs made in Burma in 1963.

The Holiday On Ice cast was treated like rock stars at the Rangoon Airport.

Roy Blakey's photographs made in Burma in 1963. Roy Blakey's photographs made in Burma in 1963. Roy Blakey's photographs made in Burma in 1963. Roy Blakey's photographs made in Burma in 1963. Roy Blakey's photographs made in Burma in 1963. Roy Blakey's photographs made in Burma in 1963. Roy Blakey's photographs made in Burma in 1963. Roy Blakey's photographs made in Burma in 1963. Roy Blakey's photographs made in Burma in 1963. 196301_Rangoon032.tif 196301_Rangoon033.tif Roy Blakey's photographs made in Burma in 1963. Roy Blakey's photographs made in Burma in 1963. Roy Blakey's photographs made in Burma in 1963. Roy Blakey's photographs made in Burma in 1963. Roy Blakey's photographs made in Burma in 1963. Roy Blakey's photographs made in Burma in 1963. Roy Blakey's photographs made in Burma in 1963. Roy Blakey's photographs made in Burma in 1963. Roy Blakey's photographs made in Burma in 1963. 196301_Rangoon043.tif 196301_Rangoon044.tif 196301_Rangoon045.tif 196301_Rangoon046.tif Roy Blakey's photographs made in Burma in 1963. 196301_Rangoon048.tif

Star of the show in The Fabulous Ice Age – H.O.I. skater Roy Blakey performed every night in the chorus. The troupe was in Burma for one month at the end of 1962 to the start of 1963.  During that time they were finishing one show and rehearsing for a new show. Roy’s performances in Holiday On Ice International meant traveling the globe and Burma was one of his top favorite countries.

The rare partnership with a US business like Holiday On Ice International being hosted by the Burmese ruling government was a rare open window. So popular, the Rangoon shows packed in audiences that had never before seen ice. General Aung San, the liberator and national hero for Burma died on the day Roy turned 13. Years later, as a skater for Holiday On Ice, Roy performed in the Aung San Stadium to sold-out crowds. I wonder who was in the audience for his shows back in 1962 that we might have met later in our travels there?

When Roy wasn’t working he was photographing the ancient Sule Pagoda and the Schwedagon Pagoda with it’s Buddhist temples, images and architecture. Roleiflex camera in hand, he documented some of the beauty his short time there.

I scanned these images and will share them all with you as they are so beautiful! Roy was so smart to document life and himself as nothing stays the same for long. Seeing his photographs makes me want to go back and look for more pictures in his archives.

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