The Ross Sisters were a trio of female sibling singing dancers consisting of Aggie Ross, Elmira Ross, and Maggie Ross (whose real names were Veda Victoria, Dixie Jewel and Betsy Ann Ross). The Ross Sisters performed as a 3-part harmony trio wherein they also danced and did acrobatics

Acrobatics

Acrobatics is the performance of extraordinary feats of balance, agility and motor coordination. It can be found in many of the performing arts, as well as many sports...

 and contortionism. Their public attention peaked during the 1940s, during which they were featured prominently in the film Broadway Rhythm

Broadway Rhythm

Broadway Rhythm is an MGM Technicolor musical film. It was produced by Jack Cummings and directed by Roy Del Ruth. The film was originally announced as Broadway Melody of 1944 to follow MGM's Broadway Melody films of 1929, 1936, 1938, and 1940. The movie was originally slated to star Eleanor...

. This footage has since gained popularity on YouTube

YouTube

YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....

. This clip also appears in the compilation film That's Entertainment! III (1994).

Biographies

The Ross Sisters were born in West Texas, to Charles Adolphus and Veda Cordelia Ross. Shortly after they made "Broadway Rhythm," they moved to Europe where they appeared in "Piccadilly Hayride," a post-war London stage revue that ran from 1946 to 1948. They also recorded "Five Minutes More

Five Minutes More

"Five Minutes More" is a 1946 American pop song written by Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne , originally recorded by the Ross Sisters and later recorded by Frank Sinatra. The song was often referred to as "Give Me Five Minutes More"....

," a song later covered by Frank Sinatra

Frank Sinatra

Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...

.

Betsy Ann Ross was born June 26, 1926, in Colorado City

Colorado City, Texas

Colorado City is a city in and the county seat of Mitchell County, Texas, United States. The population was 4,281 at the 2000 census....

, Texas. She married Robert "Bunny" Hightower, an American dancer, on January 11, 1947. He was an alcoholic and suffered from schizophrenia. On one schizophrenic occasion, he beat Betsy till she almost died. They had a son named Dana. The couple appeared together many times on The Ed Sullivan Show

The Ed Sullivan Show

The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June 20, 1948 to Sunday June 6, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan....

.
Robert Hightower was previously married to dancer Vera-Ellen

Vera-Ellen

Vera-Ellen was an American actress and dancer, principally celebrated for her filmed dance partnerships with Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, Danny Kaye and Donald O'Connor.-Early life:...

, best known as Rosemary Clooney

Rosemary Clooney

Rosemary Clooney was an American singer and actress. She came to prominence in the early 1950s with the novelty hit "Come On-a My House" written by William Saroyan and his cousin Ross Bagdasarian , which was followed by other pop numbers such as "Botch-a-Me" Rosemary Clooney (May 23, 1928 –...

's sister in White Christmas

White Christmas (film)

White Christmas is a 1954 Technicolor musical film starring Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye that features the songs of Irving Berlin, including the titular "White Christmas"...

.

Veda Victoria (Vickie) Ross was born November 8, 1927, in Roscoe, Texas

Roscoe, Texas

Roscoe is a town in Nolan County, Texas, United States. The population was 1,378 at the 2000 census, but has decreased to only 900.-Geography:Roscoe is located at ....

. She married Robert Lamouret April March 10, 1950, in Paris. She later had a second marriage to Bob Hender.

Dixie Jewel Ross was born August 9, 1929, in Loraine, Texas

Loraine, Texas

Loraine is a town in Mitchell County, Texas, United States. The population was 656 at the 2000 census.George H. Mahon , a former county attorney, district attorney, and U.S. representative from the Lubbock-based congressional district is interred at Loraine City Cemetery...

. She married on July 10, 1948, to Richard (Dickie) Henderson

Dickie Henderson

Dickie Henderson, OBE was a London-born entertainer.-Early years:His father, Dick Henderson was a music hall comedian and singer famous for his short, rotund appearance, bowler hat and beautiful singing voice...

, OBE, (October 30, 1922 - September 22, 1985), whose father was a Music Hall

Music hall

Music Hall is a type of British theatrical entertainment which was popular between 1850 and 1960. The term can refer to:# A particular form of variety entertainment involving a mixture of popular song, comedy and speciality acts...

 comedian and singer famous for his short, rotund appearance, bowler hat

Bowler hat

The bowler hat, also known as a coke hat, derby , billycock or bombin, is a hard felt hat with a rounded crown originally created in 1849 for the English soldier and politician Edward Coke, the younger brother of the 2nd Earl of Leicester...

, and beautiful singing voice. He was also famous for making the original recording of the popular song "Tiptoe Through the Tulips

Tiptoe Through the Tulips

"Tiptoe Through the Tulips" is a popular song originally published in 1929. The song was written by Al Dubin and Joe Burke .‘Crooning Troubadour’ Nick Lucas’ recording of "Tip-Toe Through The Tulips" hit the top of the charts in May 1929. The song he introduced in the 1929 musical talkie Gold...

." Dixie died at age 34 on July 10, 1963 (ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer is a cancerous growth arising from the ovary. Symptoms are frequently very subtle early on and may include: bloating, pelvic pain, difficulty eating and frequent urination, and are easily confused with other illnesses....

), and is buried in Gunnersbury Cemetery, London, England.