Three Famous Russells at Chariton's Ritz Theatre

One of the curious things about The Three Famous Russells, a vaudeville act booked into Chariton's Ritz Theatre during early May, 1932, is that none of the Russells actually were Russells, having adopted stage names less bulky that their originals.

The act consisted of Osa and Henrietta "Babe" Vonderhide and their brother-in-law, Reuben Rothgery --- and of course the famous trained dogs. Osa was 30 at the time and Henrietta, 28. Reuben was 55 and previously had been married to the Vonderhide sisters' elder sister, Estelle, but they were divorced.

You'll find their story here, in a piece by David Cain entitled "The Three Famous Russells" posted during October 2021 to the International Jugglers Association page. The image above is from that post, shared by The Garst Museum in Greenville, Ohio.

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This is how the interior of The Ritz looked during 1928, courtesy of an article published on April 14, 1928, in the trade magazine Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World. Although extensively damaged in a 1930 fire, the theatre had been rebuilt in the same form and reopened later that year. 

The building on the south side of the Chariton square now is home to Dave Hendricks' Connecticut Yankee Pedaller bike shop and the staff will point out reminders of its original purpose if you stop in.

Here's a front-page article published in The Chariton Leader on May 10, 1932, promoting the arrival of the Russells:

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The Famous Russells will present their entertaining novelty act at the Ritz theatre on Thursday and Friday of this week, Oky Goodman, manager, announced today. The Russells are well known in some theatre circles and their act includes some unusually clever features.

The performance is divided into three acts, act one featuring Miss Babe Russell, the only lady knife and battle axe thrower in the world. The second act will feature the Jewell Sisters and their $10,000 trick, posing and musical dogs. Rags, the dog with almost human intelligence, is a feature of this act. Rube and his comedy rabbit hound constitute the third act.

The Famous Russells feature a group of $10,000 trained trick and musical dogs worked by the attractive Jewell Sisters, and present an act which is pleasing to grown-ups and children alike. There is "Rags," the dog with human intelligence that does a specialty with the real clown, who is part of the show, entitled "Shooting the English Rabbit." The musical numbers are equally marvelous.

Another feature of especial interest is the juggling act in which Miss Babe Russell, the only lady knife thrower in the world, demonstrates her skill, using her sister as a target on the screen. 

The movie will be Joan Bennett in "Careless Lady."

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The Leader published a short, but positive, review of the act in its next edition --- by which time The Three Famous Russells had moved on.

The ensemble continued to perform until the advent of World War II, a cataclysmic event that changed the face of nearly everything, including the U.S. entertainment industry.

The "Russells" retired to manage a resort in Montezuma, Ohio, according to Mr. Cain, but remained together, even unto death. They are buried together in Versailles, Ohio, behind a headstone that immortalizes their 20 or so years of fame. Thanks to Find a Grave for the images.