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Back in 1920s America, the Back in 1920s America, the Hans Kasemann Midgets Hans Kasemann Midgets

were the biggest little thing were the biggest little thing in Vaudeville. Travelling in Vaudeville. Travelling

from theatre to music hall, from theatre to music hall, the group of little the group of little

performers put on dance performers put on dance routines and comedy skits routines and comedy skits

to delighted audiences to delighted audiences across the U.S.across the U.S.

While they stopped short of While they stopped short of doing the full monty, like doing the full monty, like modern burlesque dancer modern burlesque dancer Dita Von Teese, they were Dita Von Teese, they were at least more likely to fit in at least more likely to fit in

an actual martini glass an actual martini glass (rather than the over-sized (rather than the over-sized receptacle that Von Teese receptacle that Von Teese

uses).  uses).  

The Hans Kasemann troupe The Hans Kasemann troupe featured the pint-sized Pick featured the pint-sized Pick sisters, Olga and Auguste, sisters, Olga and Auguste,

as well as stunted as well as stunted celebrities Anna Rockel and celebrities Anna Rockel and Willie Rolle - all singing, all Willie Rolle - all singing, all

dancing, all vertically dancing, all vertically challenged.challenged.

Kasemann, himself a Kasemann, himself a normal-sized if not tall normal-sized if not tall

man, formed the man, formed the troupe in his native troupe in his native Germany but moved Germany but moved the show to the U.S. the show to the U.S. in the early 1920s.in the early 1920s.

While he tickled the While he tickled the ivories of a full-sized ivories of a full-sized piano, the tiny stars piano, the tiny stars

sang and danced sang and danced around him. At other around him. At other times they took over times they took over the stage entirely, the stage entirely,

performing vignettes performing vignettes and plays satirising and plays satirising the news of the day.the news of the day.

And, while the And, while the Kasemann Midgets Kasemann Midgets might have been might have been

described as a novelty described as a novelty act, they were by no act, they were by no means unique. There means unique. There were the Rose's Royal were the Rose's Royal

Midgets and the Midgets and the Rossow Midgets, as Rossow Midgets, as well as the Klinkhart well as the Klinkhart Midgets... to name Midgets... to name

but a few.but a few.

Vaudeville was a form of variety Vaudeville was a form of variety entertainment popular in the US entertainment popular in the US until the early 1930s. Each show until the early 1930s. Each show was a collection of unrelated acts was a collection of unrelated acts grouped together on one stage. grouped together on one stage. Musicians, comedians, dancers, Musicians, comedians, dancers,

magicians, animals, acrobats, and magicians, animals, acrobats, and actors all got their 15 minutes of actors all got their 15 minutes of fame on the Vaudevillian stage.fame on the Vaudevillian stage.

Back in the days of Hans Kasemann's and Klinkhart’s Midgets, Back in the days of Hans Kasemann's and Klinkhart’s Midgets, 'burlesque' had a different meaning to the striptease style or 'burlesque' had a different meaning to the striptease style or

performance we know today.performance we know today.Burlesque was a literary, dramatic or musical work intended to Burlesque was a literary, dramatic or musical work intended to

be a humorous caricature of serious literature, drama or be a humorous caricature of serious literature, drama or music. The art form died out in England at the end of the 19th music. The art form died out in England at the end of the 19th

century, but was popular in the U.S. up until the death of century, but was popular in the U.S. up until the death of Vaudeville.Vaudeville.

It's longevity in the U.S. was due to the gradual inclusion of It's longevity in the U.S. was due to the gradual inclusion of exotic dancers and strippers. The change was gradual but exotic dancers and strippers. The change was gradual but

nonetheless inevitable, and the word came to by synonymous nonetheless inevitable, and the word came to by synonymous with nudity.with nudity.

Famous burlesque dancers of the day included Gipsy Rose Lee Famous burlesque dancers of the day included Gipsy Rose Lee and Margie Hart, and many famous comedians - including Mae and Margie Hart, and many famous comedians - including Mae West, Abbott and Costello and W.C. Fields made their names West, Abbott and Costello and W.C. Fields made their names

by being bawdy MCs for the dancers. by being bawdy MCs for the dancers.