|
|
|
Stage Name |
Birth Name |
The Four Fords |
Edwin Ford |
| The Ford Sisters, The Four
Fords |
Dora Ford |
| The Ford Sisters, The Four
Fords |
Mabel Ford |
| The Four Fords, Max and Urma |
Max "Maxie" Ford |
| Max and Urma |
Hetty Urma-Ford |
| |
Thomas John "Johnny" Ford |
Mabel Ford was born in Ohio on January 1st,
1888 to John William Ford and Miriam Landau Ford. She was the
youngest of five children. They were all taught to dance as soon
as they were able to walk. Mable Ford made up 1/4 of famous Vaudeville
tap dance |
| team called "The Four Fords"
which was made up of Maxie Ford, Edwin Ford, Dora Ford and Mabel
Ford. There was another Brother named Johnny who danced but did
not tour with the group, he would later marry Eva Tanquay. Harland
Dixon is said to have got his calling when watching Johnny
Ford and Mamie Gerhue dance
in Lovers and Lunatics at the Grand Theatre in Toronto. The Four
Fords were billed 2nd only to Sarah Bernhardt. They broke up in
1913 but the Ford Sisters continued to tour the US and Canada
on the Palace and Orpheun circuits and toured Europe from 1914
- 1916. They came home and continued to top bills for another
10 years. During the war, Max and Urma sold photo's of themselves
to raise money for the soldiers [pic].
Mabel owned a pet Silver Fox which she named
Mexico. They kept it at the Hippodrome in New York when she was
away on tour. In September of 1925 Mabel married Jack Curtis Sr.,
a Keith Albee Agent, who had been married twice before. Mabel
became Aunt to Beatrice Curtis Fox (Curtis' daughter 1st marriage
to Vaudeville's Anna Chandler) and her husband Harry
Fox and grandmother to their child.
On June 16, 1926 Mabel gave birth to Jack Curtis
Jr. at the age of 38, in Queens, New York. Mabel is the paternal
grandmother of Liane Curtis. Brother Max Ford a Buck and Wing
dancer invented a step called the Maxie Ford. Mabel Ford died
in Queens, New York in October of 1982 at the age of 94... submitted
by James Stout (imdb.)
After Maxwell left the Four Fords he supposedly became a successful
movie choreographer. |
Name |
Birth Place |
Birth Date |
Spouse |
Offspring |
| Dora |
?? |
n/a |
n/a |
Elizabeth Sharon Ford Garner
(1943) |
| Edwin |
?? |
?? |
|
|
|
Madeline Louise Ford Selby
(1944) |
| Mabel |
Ohio |
1/1/1888-10/1982 |
Jack Curtis Sr. |
<-- Jack Curtis Jr. |
| Max |
?? |
?? |
Hetty "Nana"
Urma (2nd wife) |
Linda Carol Grimes (1945) |
| John |
?? |
b. 10/7/1921 |
Eva Tanquay,
Evelyn Louise Garten |
< -- Thomas John Ford (1948) |
| Miriam |
?? |
b. 1923 |
Robert Morrison |
Gary Alan Ford (1952) |
| Hetty |
?? |
?? |
?? |
Deborah Kay Ford (1958) |
| |
|
|
|
James Anthony Ford |
| |
|
|
|
(Arrows indicate parents) |
|
Sheet Music |
Theaters |
Stage |
| n/a |
Apollo Theatre (1910) |
1910 - The Follies of 1910 |
| |
Bushwick Theatre (1914) |
1914 - Hindu (Bushwick Theatre,
Max/Mabel) |
| |
Keith Theatre |
1916 - Passing Show, the (Ford
Sisters) |
| |
Majestic Theatre |
1954 - Lunatics and Lovers |
| |
Palace Theatre |
|
|
|
| |
Toronto Grand Theatre: Lunatics
and Lovers
(John & Mamie) |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
Wintergarden Theater (1910) |
|
|
|
Books, Magazine Articles on the dance... |
| Title |
Author |
Date |
Publisher |
| n/a |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Films |
Television |
Publications |
| n/a |
n/a |
5/25/1910 - NY
Times section |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ballrooms
