Biography

Actress, songwriter ("Love, Your Magic Spell Is Everywhere"), production supervisor and author. She performed in vaudeville as a child (known onstage as "Little Elsie") and appeared in the Broadway musicals "The Vanderbilt Cup", "The Hoyden", "The Fair Co-ed", "The Slim Princess", and "The Lady of the Slipper". She was a charter member of ASCAP in 1914 and made her London debut the same year, and was the first American to entertain the Allied Expeditionary Forces in World War I. She wrote and produced the musical "Elsie Janis and Her Gang", with ex-servicemen. She starred in 6 silent films from 1915-1919. After making her Paris debut in 1921, she gave concerts in the USA from 1923 into 1925, eventually re-entering the film industry. Her chief musical collaborators included Jerome Kern and Edmund Goulding, and her other popular-song compositions include "Any Time's the Time to Fall in Love", "I'm True to the Navy Now", "Live and Love Today", "Molly-O-Mine", "From the Valley", "Your Eyes", "Some Sort of Somebody", "Oh, Give Me Time for Tenderness", and "A Little Love".
- IMDb mini biography by: Hup234!

Co-wrote with Jack King the song "I'm True To The Navy" sung by Clara Bow in "Paramount On Parade" (1930).

Starred in a "Talkie" short performing for the troops on location in "Behind The Lines' (1926), one year before "The Jazz Singer" (1927), which was generally accepted as the first full length feature with sound.

She entertained troops during World War I so tirelessly that she became known as "The Sweetheart of the AEF.".

Mother had been quite a good friend of Mrs. William McKinley during the time that she was the Governor's Lady in Ohio. The fact that she had become the First Lady of the land did not affect her memory, and so we were 'bidden' to the White House. Once inside any house, irrespective of color, there was no escape from my precocity. I recited and sang for the president and his charming chatelaine in the Blue Room! I sang, 'Break the News to Mother'. The president, suiting his action to the lyric, told mine that I was predestined to be a star, and kissed me on the brow. I turned to Mother and said,'You kiss me too. I may never be kissed in the White House again'.