Background
John Lindström was born in the small town Vissefjärda, but grew up in Karlskrona.
John Lindström was born in the small town Vissefjärda, but grew up in Karlskrona.
Although mostly forgotten today, he toured the world in the early 20th century and was one of Sweden"s most internationally famed artists. The local director of theatre, Hildur Carlsberg, helped the young Lind get a place at the Alhambra variety theatre in Stockholm. At the age of 18 he performed as a ballet dancer dressed as a woman, and was a celebrated member receiving a lot of attention from an audience who in large consisted of sailors from the nearby Skeppsholmen flotilla.
John Lindström changed his surname to Lind, most likely as a reference to the celebrated Jenny Lind.
After touring Finland and Russia he moved on to Hamburg and started up the group Les Petits Filous together with Paul Schneider-Duncker, where Lind danced and sang soprano. He was discovered by an English impresario during a 1902 Paris performance, and in 1904 he became a star at the London Pavilion under the name of ?Lind?.
Lind toured the world with ?Lind? for over 20 years. He performed at stages in Europe, the United States., South America and Africa.
But he only performed once in Sweden, where female impersonators were not quite well considered at the time.
?Lind? was a large and costly show in which John Lind performed acts based on subjects like "the five senses", playe the roles of historical female figures or made pastiches on contemporary dancers like Pavlova, Cléo de Mérode, Louisiana Belle Otero and Isadora Duncan. John Lind moved back to Karlskrona in 1923. John Lind died 1940 after a time of sickness and relative obscurity.
He suffered from diabetes and had lost most of his money in the Kreuger Crash.
The museum displayed an exhibit over Lind that same year. In Sweden today John Lind is still a largely unknown figure.
He remains a larger figure on the international scene, spoken of as a precursor by Danny Louisiana Rue and a part in the history of female impersonation and drag queens.
Touring had worn him out, and while he remained a member of artists societies like the American The White Rats, he would not return to the stage again.