In the midst of all the Kid Nation hype & the ongoing fascination w/Lynne Spears, Dina Lohan, it seems that the presence of stage mothers is stronger than ever. Here’s a look at few stage moms from yesteryear.

THE MOTHER: Rose Thompson Hovick, aka Madame Rose, Mama Rose
THE CHILDREN: June Havoc and Gypsy Rose Lee
FAMOUSLY: pimped 2 year-old June into a song-and-dance act, dressed Gypsy as a back-up dancing boy, taught her daughters to shoplift, lied to them about their ages, attempted to kill June’s love interests, ran a lesbian boarding house in her later years
TRIVIA: Mama Rose’s last words to Gypsy were: “Wherever you go…I’ll be right there. When you get your own private kick in the a–, just remember: it’s a present from me to you.” The last line of Gypsy (1962), adapted from the memoir: “Only it was you and me wearing exactly the same gown. It was an ad for Minsky. And the headline said, ‘Madame Rose, and her daughter Gypsy.’”

THE MOTHER: Wanda Holloway
THE CHILD: Shanna Harper
FAMOUSLY: offered a hit-man $2,500 to take out the mother of her daughter’s cheerleading rival; she used diamond earrings as a down payment
TRIVIA: Wanda was an organist for her Channelview, TX church; she had previously been reprimanded for handing out rulers urging students to vote for her daughter; two days before Wanda was indicted, the daughter-rivals had to stand next to each other in an honor society ceremony (both had “H” last names)

THE MOTHER: Teri Shields
THE CHILD: Brooke Shields
FAMOUSLY: announced to reporters in the middle of interviewing her daughter that Brooke had to “tinkle”; allowed Brooke to model nude at 10 years-old for Garry Gross; Teri on Brooke: “Well I think any parent who was given the opportunity would do the same thing… I think Brooke is sort of like a work of art. And like any beautiful painting, I think the world should enjoy Brooke and view her.”
TRIVIA: Brooke fired Teri as her manager in 1995; her marriage to Andre Agassi was annulled so she was allowed to marry Chris Henchy in a Catholic church