Archive · 31 May 2025
Miss Atomic Bomb Mystery Solved After 25-Year Quest
Imagine a famous photo from the 1950s of a showgirl dressed like a mushroom cloud in Las Vegas.
For 25 years, a scientist named Robert Friedrichs wanted to know who she was.
This photo was a promotion for 'nuclear tourism', where people visited sites related to nuclear tests.
The showgirl went by 'Lee A. Merlin'.
Friedrichs searched everywhere, collecting clues and interviewing people.
Finally, he discovered her real name was Anna Lee Mahoney.
She was a dancer from the Bronx, became a lead dancer, and later a mental health counselor.
The photo is now an important piece of history, and her story is finally known.
A retired scientist spent 25 years searching for the identity of 'Miss Atomic Bomb'.
The photograph was created as a promotional image for 'nuclear tourism' in Las Vegas.
The woman in the photo was known by the stage name 'Lee A. Merlin'.
Friedrichs' search led him to discover her real name: Anna Lee Mahoney.
Mahoney was a dancer who later became a mental health counselor.
- Who
- Anna Lee Mahoney, known as 'Lee A. Merlin'.
- What
- The identity of the woman in the 'Miss Atomic Bomb' photograph was discovered.
- When
- The photograph was taken in 1957; Mahoney's identity was revealed after a 25-year search.
- Where
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- Why
- Retired scientist Robert Friedrichs sought to uncover the woman's identity.
- Photograph Year
- 1957
- Location
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- Stage Name
- Lee A. Merlin
- Real Name
- Anna Lee Mahoney
- Search Duration
- 25 years
- Museum
- Atomic Museum