Dorothy W. Raphaelson, 100; One of the Last Surviving Ziegfeld Girls

L.A. Times Archives

Nov. 16, 2005 12 AM PT

From Times Staff and Wire Reports

Dorothy Wegman Raphaelson, 100, one of the last surviving Ziegfeld Girls who performed in Florenz Ziegfeld’s “Follies,” died Nov. 7 at her home in New York City of natural causes of aging.

She was born Dorothy Wegman on Nov. 27, 1904, in New York to Eastern European immigrants and dropped out of school at 14 to support her widowed mother and younger brother. Steered toward the stage by her mother, the reluctant girl made her debut as a dancer in a Shubert revue, “The Passing Show of 1921” at Broadway’s Winter Garden Theater.

For the record:

12:00 a.m. Nov. 19, 2005 For The Record
Los Angeles Times Saturday November 19, 2005 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 1 inches; 33 words Type of Material: Correction
Raphaelson obituary -- The obituary in Wednesday’s California section about former Ziegfeld Girl Dorothy Raphaelson said she had performed in Florenz Ziegfeld’s show “Big Boy.” That show was produced by the Shubert brothers.

Ziegfeld cast her in his “Follies of 1924,” and she later performed in his shows “Big Boy” and “Rio Rita.” In 1927, during the “Rio Rita” run, she eloped with playwright Samson Raphaelson. She remained married to him until his death in 1983.

She wrote two novels: “Glorified” in 1930 about her experiences as a Ziegfeld Girl and “Morning Song” in 1948.