The name Rose's Royal Midgets held an important place at theatres, circuses and fairgrounds across three continents a century ago, even if each component of the troupe's name crumbles into dust by light of day ("Rose" was a pseudonym", the company held no Royal patent, and the word "midget" has passed out of use in polite society). This large touring production of Little People was the creation of one of show biz history's great impresarios, Ike Rose, now forgotten but once in a league with names like Barnum and Ziegfeld as men who delivered full value for the price of a ticket. Peruse these pages for a glimpse into a vanished world, one as cynical as it was magical, but one that was also always fascinating.
"What’s great about this book are, well, a number of things. The care and detail in which the facts, artifacts, and interviews are presented is
very evident, and the skill in which other troupes are mentioned and how this particular troupe is place in the context of vaudeville, of sideshow,
and of the greater movement away from Little People exploitation is just well-done.
You will finish reading this relatively short book with a thorough appreciation of times gone by, and a desire to find out more about
other aspects of vaudeville."