The beautiful Ida, Iva and Eva Hanna were in the business from age 10 months old. As Iva explained in 1967 from her retirement town of St. Augustine, Florida, there weren't too many triplets in those days who survived...so I guess you could call them freaks who weren't freaks. Their father had them each wear different color ribbons in their hair so he could tell them apart. They worked for Ringling brothers and the A.B. Marcus Musical Comedy group after they learned how to dance. They stopped performing at age 20 when they started getting married. Iva married a stagehand, Eva married Blumpsie, A.K.A Blumpsy the clown. I'm not sure who Ida married, but she did...and all three were happy and kicking their heels up some 60 years after these photos were taken. They regrouped briefly in 1956 to perform and celebrate their 50th birthday. These photos are also posted on WONDROUS WORLD OF FRANK WENDT my tribute and biography of the photographer.
Group of Frank Wendt Cabinet Card Photos of the Hanna Triplets, c. 1910. Collection Jim Linderman
These little ladies make me smile and just brought back memories of the first time I saw the Del Rubio Triplets. When I lived in Los Angeles I used to use a place in Glendale for all my photostats. Their shop was next door to a rest home. One day I pulled up to the curb and saw this little car parked in front of the rest home with these three women in short short hot pants, big blond hair, carrying drums and guitars going into the rest home. This was probably around late 70s to very early 80s. I must have had a strange look on my face when I walked into the stat house because the woman started laughing. I sort of shrugged like "What the heck was that?" and she told me they were the Del Rubio Triplets and they came each week to perform for the people in the home. In a few years the Del Rubios were famous. I don't think the rest home had anything to do with it. I think it was the hot pants. Look them up.
ReplyDeleteI just found a post card of Ida, Iva & Eva in with my Grandfather's pictures, the same as the first picture above. Interesting.
ReplyDeleteEva married "Bumpsy" Anthony who is in the clown hall of fame and the circus hall of fame.
ReplyDeleteThis picture of Eva, Iva, and Ida are my great Aunts, they were my Grandma's sisters, there is an interesting story behind them, they became famous entertainers in vaudeville, and yes Eva did marry Bumpsy the clown in the Barnum and Bailey Circul.
ReplyDeleteThese triplet were my Great Aunts my Grandmother Laura Lupro's sisters. She didn't know them until she grew old because she was placed in an orphanage as a child, but she looked for them for most of her life and found them eventually, they were famous entertainers in vaudeville, I have a picture of them with their mother, and one when they were older and into entertainment in the 20's.
ReplyDeleteThese little girls were my great aunts, I have pictures as well.
ReplyDeleteTerri Gatton:
ReplyDeleteIva Hanna was my grandmother, as a young girl I remember having the hardest time knowing which one was which because as they aged they remained identical! Iva passed first followed by Eva and then Ida. I still think of them so often. I remember the family getting together at Idas' hotel cottages on the ocean in St. Augustine, FL.
Eva Hanna was my grandmother & wife to Bumpsy Anthony the stories they could tell. Her sister Ida was married to Arthur Wilson they are still together in a cemetary in St. Augustine. My mother was there only child and she grew up on the circus.
ReplyDeleteMike Headley
Thanks Mike, that is MUCH appreciated. I hope you enjoyed the post. It IS a lovely group of photographs, and I much appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts.
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother Iva, we called her Nanny was my moms mother. Also hi mike, tell David and Mike I said hello. The stories my Granpa and Nanny would tell us were awsome. When they lived in Wash. DC they rented thebasement out two 2 Cherokee chiefs and boy they had some wild stories about the 1860's. I have all the pics you have and a few more. I anyone wants to get intouch my email is cheftony09@cox.net I loved them so much it was very sad to have them leave us.
ReplyDeleteBumpsy Anthony was my great uncle!
ReplyDeleteLaura Hanna is my great grandmother
ReplyDelete