In the mid-eighties, Scott became close with burlesque enthusiasts Katy K, John Sex and International Chryssis, all who were insistent that burlesque was the godmother of punk. During this time he scrambled to see as much of and meet as many people from the vanishing Times Square striptease underground as possible.

With the help of Paula Klaw, he began his burlesque collection in 1986. This collection has expanded to a private collection that is one of New York City’s largest, including full size marquee neon signs, life size sepia cutouts, an extensive collection of hand painted signage and copious ephemera.  In 1992 he co-founded ‘Burlesque’, a weekly party featuring Los Angeles’ burlesque performers including Madison and Patty Powers among others. That same year, he was privileged to incorporate burlesque songs from his collection of strip club records in Thierry Mugler’s haute couture collection in Paris – a landmark event. This was the first time this had ever been done in such a high-brow setting.

Scott developed a long-running burlesque night at Beauty Bar in New York.  In 1994 he met Liz Renay, with whom he was great friends for the last 13 years of her life.  She shared many inside stories from with Scott. He eventually curated her last art show at Deitch Projects and finished a forthcoming coffee table book on her art and her life. In 1996 he began illustrating a book with Marc Almond on Times Square, which included semi-realistic portrayals of newly closed Times Square Burlesque houses as well as classic theaters like Minksy’s. In 1997 he was hired to work at the legendary soon-to-be-opened Cock. This allowed him to book male burlesque dancers being displaced by the end of Times Square’s renovation, and gain his reputation as one of the most landmark DJ’s of his time.

In addition to her work as a choreographer, she has performed as a dancer with The Stanley Love Performance Group and Julie Atlas Muz. As a writer, her short stories and poems have been published in the Gallatin Review, and she self-published the national sex and literary ‘zine Pulp from 1995-8. She currently writes comedy, such as The Baby Daddy Show, a sketch comedy show she performs with her writing partner Laura Sweeney.

As a director, she specializes in collaborating with performers on developing their original works. These artists include Julie Atlas Muz, Ed Hamell (who won the Herald Angel Award at the 2007 Edinburgh Festival), and the World Famous *BOB*, among others. Her first effort as a feature filmmaker, Rant and Roll, was completed in spring 2008.

As an actress, she has performed in film and television as well as original and classic works. She is best known for her character-based comedy performances in the downtown NY scene, particularly the Germanic singer/emcee character Miss Astrid.

Katherine was a member of the first neo-burlesque troupe in the country, Los Angeles’ Velvet Hammer. Not long after, she created her own burlesque/vaudeville show The Va Va Voom Room (1997-present) thus arguably becoming neo-burlesque’s first female emcee as Miss Astrid. Besides having the first bicoastal burlesque show ever (in NYC and San Francisco), Miss Astrid and The Va Va Voom Room have performed all over the US and Europe, most recently the Toronto Burlesque Festival and the Helsinki Burlesque Festival. Miss Astrid is famous for her acerbic sharp-tongue and deadpan hosting of the annual New York Burlesque Festival and Burlesque Hall of Fame Pageant in Las Vegas.

Ellion was instantly hired into the showgirl line, by choreographer Chuck Gregory.  As she was only 5’5” and too short to be a showgirl, she was moved be in the Dancer Line.   When she was self-conscious about her large breasts, Chuck Gregory encouraged her to “point those girls up to the second balcony!”   Ellion states, “I knew when I hit the stage, I found a home”.

From 1957-1958 she worked four shows a day, five on Saturday, with new shows each week.  During her tenure at Minsky’s, she worked with Lili St Cyr, Dixie Evans, Tempest Storm, and Ann Arbor.  Lili St Cyr took a special liking to Ellion, and taught her tricks of the trade, as well as tips to improve her grace and style.   She worked with some of the best comics in the business, including Irving Benson, Jo De Rita, Dick Dana, and talking ladies such as Grace Reed.

Following her time at Minsky’s, Ellion went on the road and performed in the Bryant & Engle Burlesque circuit as well as other bookings arranged by her agent Dave Cohen.  On the circuit she worked with countless performers, including Virginia Bell, and Chili Pepper.  She was often billed as “The Untouchable Ellion Ness”.  When she worked at Rose La Rose’s theater in Toledo, OH, Rose changed her name to “The Touchable Ellion Ness”

In 1959 she had a baby, whom her sister-in-law took care of while Ellion was on the road.  In 1963 Ellion took a holiday trip to California to visit her brother, and fell in love with San Francisco. Once she moved to San Francisco, she began working at the Chez Paris on Mason St and the Chi Chi on Broadway, as well as performed at many club dates. She worked with West Coast Burlesque dancers Velvet Ice, Viva La Fever, Eartha Quake, and Holliday O’Hara until the mid-1970’s.