Ollie Fitch facts for kids

Ollie Fitch was an American-born Dutch singer, dancer, and cabaret artist. She was born on September 14, 1880, in Staunton, Virginia, and passed away on July 1, 1950, in The Hague, Netherlands. Ollie Fitch became famous for her performances across Europe in the early 20th century.

Early Life and Family

Ollie Fitch was born as Arlethia Gertrude Fitch. Her family and friends called her Ollie, which became her stage name. She was born in Staunton, Virginia, to Elizabeth Davidsen and William Fitch. Ollie had an older sister named Pearl, who was born a few years earlier.

In 1892, after her father William Fitch passed away, Ollie and her family moved north. They settled in Brooklyn, New York, where her grandmother and aunt lived. By 1900, Ollie was 19 years old and working as a stenographer. Her mother worked as a housekeeper for a local family.

Ollie's Amazing Career

Starting with the Florida Creole Girls (1902–1903)

Ollie Fitch began her career in 1901. She joined a group of eleven Black women called the Fencing Musketeers. This show opened in New York City in October 1901. The group performed fencing and other acts.

In February 1902, the group traveled to Europe. They performed in cities like Liverpool, Bremen, and Hamburg. They were known as the 10 Fencing Musketeers Company. Later, they went to Copenhagen and Stockholm. In July, while in Budapest, the performers had a big argument with their manager over pay. Police had to step in to calm things down.

After this, a new manager renamed them Die 7 Florida Creole Girls. They continued touring Europe. They performed in Düsseldorf, Leipzig, Brussels, and Amsterdam.

In January 1903, the group performed at the Casino de Paris in France. They were highly praised for their "Cakewalk" dance. The Cakewalk was a lively dance that became very popular. People loved them so much that their photos were made into postcards. The group slowly broke up as some members started solo careers.

The remaining four members continued to perform. They went to Vienna and then back to Budapest. In June, they traveled to Imperial Russia, performing in Moscow. However, the Russian police stopped their show. They said the American Cakewalk was "too suggestive." On July 4, 1903, Ollie met the famous magician Harry Houdini at a celebration in Moscow. He even wrote about the Florida Creole Girls in his diary.

After Russia, the group performed in St. Petersburg and Riga. In October, they were in London. The group then fully dissolved. Many members joined another popular Black musical comedy show called In Dahomey.

Becoming La Olliette (1904-1911)

In early 1904, Ollie Fitch returned to St. Petersburg, Russia. She started her solo career as a variety artist. She performed in music halls across the Russian Empire. This included cities like St. Petersburg, Odessa, and Moscow.

In 1905, Russia faced a lot of unrest. There were riots and protests, including the "Bloody Sunday" event. The country was also losing the Russo-Japanese War. Despite the chaos, Ollie continued to perform. She joined in the "forced gaiety" that people used to forget their troubles.

By 1906, violence was widespread in Russia. Many wealthy people fled to their country homes. Ollie managed to escape the danger. She traveled to Budapest in June. She briefly toured with another African-American artist, Susie Taylor.

In 1907, the unrest in Russia finally ended. But the country was still tense. The Bolshevik movement was growing. Despite this, entertainment boomed again. Many Black entertainers came to Russia. They filled music halls with excitement. Ollie returned to Russia and continued her tours. She performed at the Demidov Garden Amusement Park in St. Petersburg.

In 1909, Ollie took on a new stage name: La Olliette. She teamed up with Joseph "Happy Joe" Williams. They formed a duo called the Kreolen Duett (Creole Duet). They toured Germany, performing in Hamburg. The next year, they performed in Odessa, Ukraine. Odessa was a lively city with many different cultures. Ollie also performed in Constantinople (now Istanbul) in Turkey.

In 1911, Ollie performed solo in Riga and Reval.

The Solo Artist: Miss Olita (1912–1913)

By July 1912, Ollie was performing solo in Hamburg, Germany. Around this time, she met Jakob August Jensen. He was a Danish show manager. Jakob and Ollie fell in love and got married in Copenhagen, Denmark.

With Jakob as her manager, Ollie started a new solo career. She adopted another new stage name: Miss Olita. In the winter of 1912, the Jensens moved to Amsterdam, Netherlands. Ollie made her debut there on November 17 at the Palace Cabaret.

Performing During World War I (1914-1918)

In June 1914, World War I began. The Netherlands declared itself neutral. This meant they did not take sides in the war. Many foreign artists returned home. But the neutral Netherlands became a safe place for others.

In 1915, one million Belgian refugees came to the Netherlands. They were bored and looking for entertainment. So, cafes, dance halls, and cinemas became very popular. Many African-American artists found shelter there. These included Elmer Spyglass, Arabella Fields, and Josephine Morcashani. Miss Olita was also among them. They performed across the Netherlands.

In October 1916, Ollie took part in a two-week singing contest. It was held at the Palace Concert Hall. She performed alongside Arabella Fields, another popular singer. Ollie continued to perform in cities like Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Nijmegen.

In July 1917, there were food riots in Amsterdam. People were upset about not having enough potatoes. Soldiers were called in, but the rioters fought back. Despite the difficulties, Ollie continued her performances. She appeared at the American Music-hall in September. In late 1918, she performed in Amsterdam and Breda.

After the War (1919-1950)

After World War I ended in 1919, Ollie continued to perform in Amsterdam. She appeared at 'T Brouwhuis and the Cabaret de la Monnaie.

In 1920, Ollie renewed her American passport. She wanted to tour Europe again. Her husband, Jakob, decided to return to Denmark. Ollie went with him. She even retired from the stage for a short time. The 1921 Danish Census listed her as a housewife.

In the spring of 1921, Ollie visited the United States. It was her first time back in 18 years. She reunited with her sister Pearl. Shortly after returning to Denmark, she divorced Jakob. In 1923, she moved back to the Netherlands to continue her singing career.

Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, Ollie was a popular singer in Holland, Scandinavia, and Germany. She focused more on singing in cabarets and theaters. After a final visit to the United States in 1930, her performances became less frequent. She mostly stopped performing after 1934.

By the late 1930s, Ollie was living in The Hague, Netherlands. She lived in the Jewish Quarter. Records of Ollie disappear during World War II. It is thought she may have been hiding during the German occupation of the Netherlands. Life would have been very hard for a 60-year-old unemployed African-American woman living in that area.

Ollie Gertrude Fitch passed away on July 1, 1950, in The Hague. She was 69 years old. She was likely buried in her adopted country, the Netherlands.