Wilton Sisters

Wilton Sisters – Vaudeville Act. Born and raised in Terre Haute, Rose and Mae Wilton performed in the Vaudeville circuit as the Wilton Sisters from 1915 to around 1930. Known as the “Hoosier Queens of Vaudeville,” the sisters sang, danced and played the violin and piano. From 1919 to 1923, they performed in the Broadway play The Little Whopper, which ran for 224 shows at the Casino Theater. In 1921, they signed a three-year contract with the Keith/Orpheum Theater circuit (an unusually long contract for that time). As part of a European tour, they spent six weeks at the London Palladium. In short, they were so highly regarded that composer Rudolph Friml wrote several songs specifically for their use. In fact, their pictures appeared on sheet music that they helped popularize during the 1920s. Among their signature songs were “Follow the Swallow,” “Bye Bye Blackbird,” and “Dreamer of Dreams.”