A 5"x7" glass plate negative, full figure portrait photograph of Ruth Etting, David City, Nebraska, wearing a white striped dress gathered from the scoop neckline, a lace-edged fabric ruffle around the neck with a second ruffle forming the short sleeve, two ribbon bows with streamers at the neckline, chain necklace with locket, her curly hair parted in the middle and secured on each side with a small white ribbon bow, looking down at a long-stemmed rose she is holding in her hand.
Thorpe Opera House Foundation/Boston Studio Project
Local Accession Number
00032660003
Source
Original format: 5"x7" glass plate negative from the Boston Studio Project collection.
Historical Notes
Ruth's mother died when Ruth was five years old. She spent her childhood living with her Aunt Rose and Grandmother, Mrs. George Etting. She enjoyed singing in church and at school but never had any voice lessons. While in high school, she became intrigued with clothing design. She designed and made her own dress for the Junior-Senior banquet, a scoop-neck, sleeveless dress that was scandalous at the time. After graduating from David City High School, she attended the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts to study clothing design. She was employed by Marigold Gardens, a new night club in Chicago, as a costume designer for the chorus line. One evening, when they were one girl short in the chorus line, Ruth was asked to take her place. She had natural talent and was soon their lead singer and star. Ruth married Moe Snyder, who worked as a bodyguard for entertainers traveling to Chicago. He used his connections to further Ruth's career. Flo Ziegfield saw her perform in Chicago and hired her as the star of the Ziegfield Follies from 1927-1931. She sang and performed across the U.S. and starred in several Hollywood movies. As Ruth's popularity soared, Moe's jealousy and strong-arm tactics became a liability her career could no longer tolerate. After divorcing Moe, Ruth moved to California and purchased a car agency which she ran with the help of Art Etting. When Moe heard that Ruth was spending a lot of time with Art and her accompanist and arranger, Meryl Alderman, he shot Meryl and shot at Ruth, but missed. Meryl was not critically injured and he and Ruth were married two months later. Ruth's career did not survive the sensational divorce and Moe's trial. After World War II and Meryl's return to civilian life, Ruth and Meryl moved to David City for a short time, then settled in Colorado Springs, CO. Ruth died in 1978 at 81 years of age.
