author
Elsie Janis
1889–1956
A fearless vaudeville star who grew into a Broadway and film performer, she became especially famous for entertaining American troops during World War I. Her career stretched across acting, singing, songwriting, and screenwriting, giving her one of the most varied show-business lives of her era.
1 Audiobook
A Star for a Night: A Story of Stage Life
by Elsie Janis
About the author
Born Elsie Bierbower in Ohio in 1889, she began performing as a child under the name "Little Elsie" and went on to build a wide-ranging career on stage and screen. She worked as an actress, singer, songwriter, screenwriter, and radio announcer, and was known for a lively, witty performing style.
She became a major popular figure through vaudeville, Broadway, and appearances in London, but her most lasting public reputation came during World War I. By performing for American troops near the front, she earned the nickname "the sweetheart of the AEF," a sign of how strongly soldiers and audiences connected with her.
Elsie Janis died in 1956 in California. Today she is remembered as a versatile entertainer whose career moved easily between theater, music, film, and writing at a time when few performers did all of those things so successfully.