Looking back in Springfield: ‘Sennett’s Bathing Beauties’

This photo from 1924 shows Elsie Tarron, Thelma Hill, and Evelyn Franciso, members of Sennett’s “The Little Dippers” swim club in a promotional image.  PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CLARK COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Credit: HANDOUT

Credit: HANDOUT

This photo from 1924 shows Elsie Tarron, Thelma Hill, and Evelyn Franciso, members of Sennett’s “The Little Dippers” swim club in a promotional image.  PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CLARK COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
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By Staff report
Updated June 24, 2018
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Beginning in 1915, Keystone Studios film director and producer Mack Sennett, known for his slapstick comedies, began to assemble young beautiful women, known as “Sennett’s Bathing Beauties” for his films for promotions.

This photo from 1924 shows Elsie Tarron, Thelma Hill, and Evelyn Franciso, members of Sennett’s “The Little Dippers” swim club in a promotional image. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CLARK COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Credit: HANDOUT

icon to expand image

Credit: HANDOUT

The women were popular with film audiences and made public appearances and were in newspapers, on postcards, and in theater lobbies, some going on to be film stars on their own.

This photo from 1924 shows Elsie Tarron, Thelma Hill, and Evelyn Franciso, members of Sennett’s “The Little Dippers” swim club in a promotional image distributed to local Springfield theaters ahead of Sennett’s films.

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Staff report