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The Sisters G: part two
The sisters with French dancer Mlle. Floryane on the cover of ‘Paris Plaisirs’, July 1927
As I was researching for my previous post on the Sisters G, I came across so many wonderful images that I’ve decided to do a second post to showcase some of those that didn’t make it into the blog. They’re roughly in chronological order.
The sisters with an unknown girl in the centre (she is possibly Mlle. Florayne) in a performance in Paris in 1927, photographed by James Abbe.The Sisters doing an ‘Oriental dance’, photographed by d’Ora in Paris, January 1928This uncredited portrait of the sisters by Dorothy Wilding’s appeared in an article in ‘The Royal Magazine’ in which Peter Bennett interviewed some of the ‘most talented’ sister acts. See my previous blog for the colour version.
The sisters with their terriers, Sweetie and Goodie, in 1928
The sisters with Paul Whiteman, Stanley Smith and Jeanette Loff in ‘The King of the Jazz Revue’, 1930
Performing a classic fan-dance in the ‘King of Jazz Revue’, by Manassé, c.1928
Carla (left) and Eleanor (right) photographed by Elmer Fryer in Hollywood
during the filming ‘King of the Jazz Revue’, 1930
A page from ‘Das Magazin’, May 1930 showing the Sisters G in the ‘King of Jazz Revue’The sisters with one of their terriers (either Sweetie or Goodie), photographed by Manassé, c.1928In costumes designed by Mabel E Johnston, photographed by Achille Vollpé, c. 1931
In a scene from the Ziegfeld Follies in New York, photographed by Melbourne Spurr in early 1931
The sisters with an unknown partner (possibly Dimefrios Vilan) in the Ziegfeld Follies revue in Chicago, 1932. Photographed by Achille Volpé.
Photographed whilst in America, Carla on the left and Eleanor on the right, c.1932
Photographed by an unknown photographer probably whilst in Germany, c.933
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13 thoughts on “The Sisters G: part two”
The sisters’ name was correctly spelled Gutöhrlein (Gutoehrlein). They were supposedly born Knospe, but took the name of a stepfather. Similarly, Carla was spelled Karla as often as not.
No one seems to know what became of them after their return to Germany, altho I seem to remember that they married two Swedes and perhaps emigrated.
According to the IMDb both sisters fled from Germany to Sweden, no doubt escaping the anti Jewish violence prior to world war 2, apparently Eleanor died there in 1997.
Very interesting blog, with wonderful pictures of the sisters.
Karla and Eleanor stayed in Sweden the rest of their lifes. Inez stayed in Germany. Eleanor married a cousin of my mother. I know Elanor best, but also Karla. Inez I saw once or twice.
My mother and I knew the Eleanor Knospe married Brynolf in Gothenburg very well. We, especially my mother, was best friend with Eleanor and her husband Gösta Brynolf. She was a very stylish and an exceptional looking woman with an impressive personality, never forgetting her career as an artist. One was constantly reminded of her dancing career (as seen in various photos together with her sister displayed in their grand flat in the centre of Gothenburg).
Inez(*1908), my mother, left the Circus in 1927, when she married F.W. Koebner, the Berlin editor-in-chief of an early VOGUE, the ELEGANTE WELT.
Eleanor(*1909) was a beauty, but she behaved like a diva all her life, until she caught Parkinson.
Karla(*1910) was the funny Clown, she had a great sense of humor and became 91 years.
Thank you for this update on your mother and aunts, Sven. I recall an article in a 1970 Swedish newspaper that Karla’s daughter became engaged to a Manhattan doctor. Would you happen to know if they married, and if so, did they reside in America? Thanks in advance for your help.
Hello Sven – Please could we be in touch as we are researching your grandmother Margarete’s brother and his two children, your mother’s first cousins, and you will certainly be able to help. We’d much appreciate that. Thanks.
In this short article in german language, the life of Margarate Gutöhrlein, Mother of the sisters, their career and afterlife are very well described: https://www.albert-schweitzer-kinderdorf.de/fileadmin/Dateien/Dateien/Geschichte_Magu_eine_Frau.pdf
Margarete was half-jewish and therefore the sisters avoided Germany since 1933. Margarete and Inez stayed in Germany and survived the Nazi Regime.
Dear Sir or Madam, after writing the authorized biography about Luise Rainer, a german-jewish actress, who won the Academy Awards in Hollywood two times (1937 and 1938), I started writing the biography of these two amazing sisters. They knew Luise Rainer as well in Hollywood. May I can find someone here, who can help me in finding more information.
All my best to you!
The sisters’ name was correctly spelled Gutöhrlein (Gutoehrlein). They were supposedly born Knospe, but took the name of a stepfather. Similarly, Carla was spelled Karla as often as not.
No one seems to know what became of them after their return to Germany, altho I seem to remember that they married two Swedes and perhaps emigrated.
According to the IMDb both sisters fled from Germany to Sweden, no doubt escaping the anti Jewish violence prior to world war 2, apparently Eleanor died there in 1997.
Very interesting blog, with wonderful pictures of the sisters.
No doubt? Were the Jewish? No indication. Also Sweden, although neutral, was rather sympathetic to Third Reich Germany.
Karla and Eleanor stayed in Sweden the rest of their lifes. Inez stayed in Germany. Eleanor married a cousin of my mother. I know Elanor best, but also Karla. Inez I saw once or twice.
I belive the third girl in the picture could be the third sister Inez. Born maybe 1906 or 1907, Eleanor born 1909 and Karla 1910.
My mother and I knew the Eleanor Knospe married Brynolf in Gothenburg very well. We, especially my mother, was best friend with Eleanor and her husband Gösta Brynolf. She was a very stylish and an exceptional looking woman with an impressive personality, never forgetting her career as an artist. One was constantly reminded of her dancing career (as seen in various photos together with her sister displayed in their grand flat in the centre of Gothenburg).
Do you know when Karla passed away, I assume she has otherwise she’d be 117 now.
Wow – do you know if Karla is still alive?
Inez(*1908), my mother, left the Circus in 1927, when she married F.W. Koebner, the Berlin editor-in-chief of an early VOGUE, the ELEGANTE WELT.
Eleanor(*1909) was a beauty, but she behaved like a diva all her life, until she caught Parkinson.
Karla(*1910) was the funny Clown, she had a great sense of humor and became 91 years.
Thank you for this update on your mother and aunts, Sven. I recall an article in a 1970 Swedish newspaper that Karla’s daughter became engaged to a Manhattan doctor. Would you happen to know if they married, and if so, did they reside in America? Thanks in advance for your help.
Hello Sven – Please could we be in touch as we are researching your grandmother Margarete’s brother and his two children, your mother’s first cousins, and you will certainly be able to help. We’d much appreciate that. Thanks.
In this short article in german language, the life of Margarate Gutöhrlein, Mother of the sisters, their career and afterlife are very well described: https://www.albert-schweitzer-kinderdorf.de/fileadmin/Dateien/Dateien/Geschichte_Magu_eine_Frau.pdf
Margarete was half-jewish and therefore the sisters avoided Germany since 1933. Margarete and Inez stayed in Germany and survived the Nazi Regime.
Dear Sir or Madam, after writing the authorized biography about Luise Rainer, a german-jewish actress, who won the Academy Awards in Hollywood two times (1937 and 1938), I started writing the biography of these two amazing sisters. They knew Luise Rainer as well in Hollywood. May I can find someone here, who can help me in finding more information.
All my best to you!