Vaudeville career Cherry Sisters

three of cherry sisters siblings strike theatrical pose.

addie cherry described cherry sisters work concerts,--literary entertainments. entitled good, sad, show featured songs, dances, skits, morality plays , essays authored , performed sisters. of songs featured new lyrics set traditional standards; others original compositions. musical accompaniment provided numbers elizabeth , jessie, played piano , bass drum. material had strong patriotic , religious themes; in 1 scene, jessie suspended cross in imitation of crucifixion.

the act received politely sisters neighbors in marion, when went on road, received overwhelmingly negative responses audiences played. spectators routinely laughed, heckled, catcalled, booed , threw vegetables @ sisters throughout entire performance. in several instances audience violence reached dangerous proportions: in 1 incident in dubuque, fire extinguisher sprayed directly 1 of sisters faces, , show stopped local marshals prevent further harm. sisters performed behind wire mesh curtain avoid being struck projectiles audience, although later deny had ever been necessary.

in 1896, cherry sisters brought broadway impresario willie hammerstein in attempt attract attention floundering new venue, olympia music hall. rationale, given in interview, was, ve been putting on best talent, , hasn t gone over...i m going try worst. theory sound: good, sad saved hammerstein bankruptcy twelve days after opening on november 16, , ran 6 weeks, drawing audiences curious see act new york times referred 4 freaks iowa .

the times, in assessment of sisters, considered act more pitiable amusing , noted ...the effects of poverty, ignorance, , isolation same on world, , cherry sisters exhibited every 1 of them pathetic frankness left no question status or character.

the sisters known rigid moral standpoints both on , off-stage. while living in new york during run @ olympia, refused invitations parties , claimed not visit coney island because did not want see women in bathing costumes.

cherry v. des moines leader

the cherry sisters act met derision local press audience. in 1930, time magazine noted, in every town cherry sisters played, invariable custom editor of local paper review act column , half of humor, satire, parody , biting sarcasm. in january 1893, fred p. davis, city editor of cedar rapids gazette, reviewed performance @ greene s opera house, noting, ...their knowledge of stage worse none @ all. sisters demanded retraction, , gazette complied, allowing them write themselves. cherry sisters did not consider retraction sufficient , accused davis of libel. complaint resulted in light-hearted mock trial onstage @ cherry sisters performance in march 1893.

in 1898, odebolt chronicle printed extremely negative review of cherry sisters act, entitled cherries here . critic , newspaper editor billy hamilton s piece described sisters being 3 creatures surpassing witches in macbeth in general hideousness , continued, mouths of rancid features opened caverns , sounds wailings of damned souls issued therefrom. article later reprinted in other newspapers around state, including des moines leader.

in response, cherry sisters sued chronicle , leader $15,000, claiming unflattering descriptions of physical appearance presented in article constituted acts of false , malicious libel. odebolt chronicle kept ongoing log of progress of proceedings, included courtroom performance sisters, noting on april 27, 1899, had lots of fun out of case .

the polk county court decided in newspapers favor in 1899, , sisters appealed iowa supreme court. court upheld verdict, stating in may 28, 1901 decision, editor of newspaper has right, if not duty, of publishing, information of public, fair , reasonable comments, severe in terms, upon made owner subject of public exhibition, upon other matter of public interest; of privileged communications, no action lie without proof of actual malice...surely, if 1 makes himself ridiculous in public performances, may ridiculed duty or right inform public regarding character of performance.

cherry v. des moines leader considered landmark decision confirming right fair comment , critical analysis in press , still held precedent in contemporary court cases.

retirement , later life

the cherry sisters continued perform until 1903, retired after jessie died typhoid while on tour in arkansas @ age of 31.