The Ventriloquist who refused to be a Stripper

Here is a sordid little tale from the annals of talking dummys. According to the information on the reverse of this press photograph from 1937, "She didn't mind traveling about the country gypsy-like when Ellis K. Short, her husband, quit his bank job, Mrs. Annabelle Short testified in court yesterday. But when he ordered her to work as a strip-tease dancer she quit him, according to her testimony. Photo shows Mrs. Annabelle Short, who is a ventriloquist, with her dummy, after judge Charles has granted her a divorce." There is no quote reported from the dummy (or "vent figure" as they are properly called)

Original Press Photograph 1937 Collection Jim Linderman