
The name Rose's Royal Midgets held an important place at theatres, circuses and fairgrounds across three continents a century ago, even if each component of the troupe's name crumbles into dust by light of day ("Rose" was a pseudonym", the company held no Royal patent, and the word "midget" has passed out of use in polite society). This large touring production of Little People was the creation of one of show biz history's great impresarios, Ike Rose, now forgotten but once in a league with names like Barnum and Ziegfeld as men who delivered full value for the price of a ticket. Peruse these pages for a glimpse into a vanished world, one as cynical as it was magical, but one that was also always fascinating.
"The definitive history of Rose's Royal Midgets expands to document the 'other little people of Vaudeville," from 1890 when Ike Rose started living the legendary life of a top Vaudeville and Burlesque producer to 1957 when performer Billy Barty founded his advocacy group Little People of America."
Dick Zigun Founder/Director Coney Island USA