Siggie Nordstrom
Encyclopedia
Sigfred Ann "Siggie" Nordstrom (June 14, 1893 – December 24, 1980) was an American
model, actress, entertainer, socialite and lead singer of The Nordstrom Sisters
.
Born in Chicago
and nicknamed as "Siggie", she was the elder daughter of Anna and Alexander Nordstrom. She started out as a hat model in Chicago. First coming to New York City
to take a part in "Very Good Eddy" on Broadway, she retired from show business during her marriage.
The AP
picked up on a photograph of her on the ice of Lake Michigan
naming her 'Queen of the Polar Bears'. Her future husband saw the photograph and she always said: "That photograph 'got' my husband!" She was married to the head of the Sweets Company of America, (which made the Tootsie Roll
), Samuel Ferebee Williams. When he died in 1931, she began performing with her younger sister Dagmar
.
They sublet a flat
in London
for a year in 1939 when they were the resident performers at The Ritz
. Shortly after their return to the United States
, her sister's song Remembering You was published both as sheet music and the full orchestration.
With the exception of their October in Bad Gastein
for the baths, they regularly performed either in clubs in New York City or on board transatlantic ocean liners. During the Second World War they took provisions in their car to Norway
and Sweden
. During the 1940s they were often on the radio and through the 1960s when they were not otherwise engaged as a team, Dagmar would at times take an assignment alone playing in a club.
Siggie was the story teller and kept the 'oral history' alive. She loved to tell of their return from Havana
both with dark tans and wearing all white spaghetti strap long gowns, when as they were being shown to their table at Casino in the Park
as the Tavern on the Green
was then known, Eddie Duchin looked up from the keyboard, stopped playing, and applauded. Another frequently told story took place toward the end of World War II
, when Dagmar had driven them, at some risk, through the Norwegian mountains after delivering supplies when Perle Mesta
greeted them saying: "My hat's off to you girls!"
They maintained an active social life and were the toast of many private parties in New York City until Dagmar's death in 1976. Fracturing a hip in 1977 led to six months rehab in Annapolis, Maryland
. She returned to the city and held several large parties, but her mobility limited her increasingly and in 1980 she moved in with "adopted" nephew, David McJonathan-Swarm and his family, in Jefferson, Maryland
.
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
model, actress, entertainer, socialite and lead singer of The Nordstrom Sisters
Nordstrom Sisters
The Nordstrom Sisters were an American cabaret act which performed internationally from 1931 to 1976.Dagmar Nordstrom the younger of the two sisters was a composer, arranger and the pianist of the duo...
.
Born in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and nicknamed as "Siggie", she was the elder daughter of Anna and Alexander Nordstrom. She started out as a hat model in Chicago. First coming to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to take a part in "Very Good Eddy" on Broadway, she retired from show business during her marriage.
The AP
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
picked up on a photograph of her on the ice of Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the only one located entirely within the United States. It is the second largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third largest by surface area, after Lake Superior and Lake Huron...
naming her 'Queen of the Polar Bears'. Her future husband saw the photograph and she always said: "That photograph 'got' my husband!" She was married to the head of the Sweets Company of America, (which made the Tootsie Roll
Tootsie Roll
Tootsie Roll is a brand of chewy candy. It is a form of candy that has been manufactured in the United States since 1896. The manufacturer, Tootsie Roll Industries, is based in Chicago, Illinois.It was the first penny candy to be individually wrapped....
), Samuel Ferebee Williams. When he died in 1931, she began performing with her younger sister Dagmar
Dagmar Nordstrom
Dagmar Nordstrom was an American composer, pianist and singer. She performed together with her sister Siggie as a cabaret singing duo known as The Nordstrom Sisters.-Background:...
.
They sublet a flat
Apartment
An apartment or flat is a self-contained housing unit that occupies only part of a building...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
for a year in 1939 when they were the resident performers at The Ritz
Ritz Hotel
The Ritz London is a luxury 5-star hotel located in Piccadilly and overlooking Green Park in London.- History :Swiss hotelier César Ritz, former manager of the Savoy Hotel, opened the hotel on 24 May 1906...
. Shortly after their return to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, her sister's song Remembering You was published both as sheet music and the full orchestration.
With the exception of their October in Bad Gastein
Bad Gastein
Bad Gastein is a spa town in the Austrian state of Salzburg, situated at the northern rim of the Hohe Tauern national park. It has 5,838 inhabitants. The name "Bad" means "spa", reflecting the town's history as a health resort. It is located at the head of the Gastein valley, about 1,000 metres ...
for the baths, they regularly performed either in clubs in New York City or on board transatlantic ocean liners. During the Second World War they took provisions in their car to Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
and Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. During the 1940s they were often on the radio and through the 1960s when they were not otherwise engaged as a team, Dagmar would at times take an assignment alone playing in a club.
Siggie was the story teller and kept the 'oral history' alive. She loved to tell of their return from Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
both with dark tans and wearing all white spaghetti strap long gowns, when as they were being shown to their table at Casino in the Park
Tavern on the Green
Tavern on the Green was a privately owned American cuisine restaurant located in Central Park on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, in New York City. It remained in operation from 1934 to 2009 under various owners...
as the Tavern on the Green
Tavern on the Green
Tavern on the Green was a privately owned American cuisine restaurant located in Central Park on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, in New York City. It remained in operation from 1934 to 2009 under various owners...
was then known, Eddie Duchin looked up from the keyboard, stopped playing, and applauded. Another frequently told story took place toward the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, when Dagmar had driven them, at some risk, through the Norwegian mountains after delivering supplies when Perle Mesta
Perle Mesta
Perle Skirvin Mesta was an American socialite, political hostess, and U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg ....
greeted them saying: "My hat's off to you girls!"
They maintained an active social life and were the toast of many private parties in New York City until Dagmar's death in 1976. Fracturing a hip in 1977 led to six months rehab in Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
. She returned to the city and held several large parties, but her mobility limited her increasingly and in 1980 she moved in with "adopted" nephew, David McJonathan-Swarm and his family, in Jefferson, Maryland
Jefferson, Maryland
Jefferson is an unincorporated community located in Frederick County, Maryland, established in 1774, incorporated as a town in 1831. However, a year later, in 1832, the citizens of the town decided that municipal government was unnecessary, thus, it was disincorporated.- History of Jefferson...
.
Death
She died on Christmas Eve of that year, was cremated and interred with a memorial to both sisters at Resthaven Memorial Gardens, Frederick County, MarylandFrederick County, Maryland
Frederick County is a county located in the western part of the U.S. state of Maryland, bordering the southern border of Pennsylvania and the northeastern border of Virginia. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 233,385....
.
External links
- Siggie Nordstrom's biographic sketch at Find A GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...