Chickee James Kulp
was born in Brooklyn, as Nancy James, eventually embracing the monicker, “Chickee” James. She began performing at Lou Walters’ Latin Quarter nightclubs in Miami and New York in 1955, becoming a featured dancer and emcee. In 1962, she joined the Broadway production of La Plume de Ma Tante and appeared on television, including What’s My Line? and The Dick Van Dyke Show. She later returned to acting, with appearances in The Flamingo Kid, Falling in Love, and Prizzi’s Honor.
Chickee married Richard Kulp and together they raised three sons. In 1984, she co-founded the Latin Quarter Showgirls, Inc. with Janie Thomas Freed, reuniting former entertainers for charitable performances for more than 16 years. Chickee passed away in 2015, leaving behind a family that had grown to include grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
