Vaudeville Singer/Comedienne and Actress. The daughter of Russian emigrants, she joined the Ziegfeld Follies in 1909 as a fill-in singer. Due to her size and girth, she was initially made to perform in black face because they thought people would not like her natural appearance. She became so popular that by 1911 she was the headliner. That same year she recorded her lifelong theme song, "Some Of These Days." Later she went into Vaudeville and became legendary for her bawdy songs. It was at this time that she was given the nickname "Last Of The Red-Hot Mamas." In 1929 she starred in an early "talking" movie titled "Honky Tonk." She also co-starred in the movie "Broadway Melody of 1938." On Broadway she starred in several shows in the late 1930s and early 1940s, most notably "Leave It To Me" and "High Kickers." In 1963 a show based on her early years titled "Sophie" debuted on Broadway. Her 50 year show business career came to an end with a performance at the Latin Quarter in New York just a few months before she died.
Vaudeville Singer/Comedienne and Actress. The daughter of Russian emigrants, she joined the Ziegfeld Follies in 1909 as a fill-in singer. Due to her size and girth, she was initially made to perform in black face because they thought people would not like her natural appearance. She became so popular that by 1911 she was the headliner. That same year she recorded her lifelong theme song, "Some Of These Days." Later she went into Vaudeville and became legendary for her bawdy songs. It was at this time that she was given the nickname "Last Of The Red-Hot Mamas." In 1929 she starred in an early "talking" movie titled "Honky Tonk." She also co-starred in the movie "Broadway Melody of 1938." On Broadway she starred in several shows in the late 1930s and early 1940s, most notably "Leave It To Me" and "High Kickers." In 1963 a show based on her early years titled "Sophie" debuted on Broadway. Her 50 year show business career came to an end with a performance at the Latin Quarter in New York just a few months before she died.
Bio by: Decal
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