Professional Dancer. Jessie Brown will be remembered for being a vaudeville dancer and comedic entertainer. She was listed in credits as Jessie Brown or, after she married noted songwriter Bert Kalmar, as Jessie Brown Kalmar. Her parents, James Smith Brown and Agnes Aitken, were born in Scotland. She debuted as a specialty dancer in the Hanlon Brothers' acrobat show “Superba” about 1905 before performing as a toe dancer for several years. She toured with Carter de Haven, dancing to pizzicato polkas and popular songs. Alongside husband Bert Kalmar, she danced ballet numbers on a popular Sunday concert to "I'd Rather Two-Step than Waltz". In 1916 she toured with her husband in “Nurseryland,” a Mother Goose musical. Dancing to the ragtime tune “Moving Man Don't Take My Baby Grand", she performed in an act which included toe dancing. She retired from professional dancing about 1920, and by 1930, she had moved from California to New York with her son Bert Jr, daughter and husband. She signed as a witness on the copyright applications for several songs written by her husband. The 1950 film “Three Little Words” was the story of the successful Tin Pan Alley songwriting team of her husband, Bert Kalmar, and Harry Ruby; she was portrayed in the film by actress and dancer Vera-Ellen.
Professional Dancer. Jessie Brown will be remembered for being a vaudeville dancer and comedic entertainer. She was listed in credits as Jessie Brown or, after she married noted songwriter Bert Kalmar, as Jessie Brown Kalmar. Her parents, James Smith Brown and Agnes Aitken, were born in Scotland. She debuted as a specialty dancer in the Hanlon Brothers' acrobat show “Superba” about 1905 before performing as a toe dancer for several years. She toured with Carter de Haven, dancing to pizzicato polkas and popular songs. Alongside husband Bert Kalmar, she danced ballet numbers on a popular Sunday concert to "I'd Rather Two-Step than Waltz". In 1916 she toured with her husband in “Nurseryland,” a Mother Goose musical. Dancing to the ragtime tune “Moving Man Don't Take My Baby Grand", she performed in an act which included toe dancing. She retired from professional dancing about 1920, and by 1930, she had moved from California to New York with her son Bert Jr, daughter and husband. She signed as a witness on the copyright applications for several songs written by her husband. The 1950 film “Three Little Words” was the story of the successful Tin Pan Alley songwriting team of her husband, Bert Kalmar, and Harry Ruby; she was portrayed in the film by actress and dancer Vera-Ellen.
Bio by: Linda Davis
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