The Dolly Sisters, twins Rosika (Rose) and Jansci (Jenny) Deutsch, were born October 25, 1892 in Hungary, and traveled to the United States in 1905. They perfected a dance act, under the name of 'The Dolly Sisters' they began earning money in beer halls in 1907. Barred for being under age by the New York City stage, they toured the Orpheum circuit until 1909 when they debuted on the Keith vaudeville circuit till 1911 when they signed with the Ziegfeld Follies for two seasons.
In addition to making about a half dozen films from 1913 to 1920, they toured the theatres and dance halls of Europe. Sometimes they would perform with separate partners as "rival" acts to boost ticket sales.
Rosie lived long enough to see a biopic made in 1945 of their lives called, The Dolly Sisters - starring June Haver and Betty Grable.
The Dolly Sisters (1945) Biographical film, about the Dolly Sisters, identical twins who became famous on Broadway. Cast: Betty Grable, June Haver and John Payne.
In 1904, Hungarian sisters Yansci and Roszika Dolly, travel to America with their uncle Latsie, when they stop by a New York City restaurant. On a whim the little girls dance as the band performs. It is 1912, and the girls, are now grown, they call themselves Jenny and Rosie, and they still love to dance and sing at the restaurant. Needing money to pay bills, Jenny and Rosie talk the restaurant owner help them find a job in upstate New York. On the train, the sisters meet singer Harry Fox, who is not too happy to find out that he has been billed below the two sisters and a performing seal. Harry and Jenny, fall in love. When the girls have to move on, Jenny promises Harry, that she will wait for him. Back in New York City, the sisters, are not having any luck with their singing career, until one day, Harry, comes back into their lives. Harry and Jenny, are very happy to see each other. Harry says, with his help, he can arrange an interview with, Oscar Hammerstein. Harry puts up the girls in an expensive hotel and buys them expensive clothes. The girls audition for Hammerstein, who is very impressed with them, and soon has them starring in one of his shows. But their success takes them out of Harry's league. Lots of wonderful songs. One of my favorite Betty Grable films. I think my favorite scene is when Betty was driving the car and has an accident. She really looked like she was having a nervous breakdown. Also in the hospital scene, she was again very convincing in her performance. Too bad the academy did not nominate her for an Oscar.
FUN FACTS:
Jenny Dolly, Rosie Dolly, and Harry Fox were real people.
The real Rosie Dolly, loaned her scrapbooks to Twentieth Century-Fox, for research on this movie.
Twentieth Century Fox, planned to have Alice Faye and Betty Grable, star in this movie. Miss Faye, becoming weary of musical roles, declined.
Betty Grable, using the pseudonym Ruth Haag (which combined her middle name with that of her husband Harry James), performed as vocalist for Harry James and His Music Makers on the best selling commercial disc, released by Columbia Records, of the movie's Oscar-nominated ballad, I Can't Begin to Tell You.
Video from the The Dolly Sisters (1945) Biographical film.
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