‘The Outrageous Sophie Tucker’ comes to the JCC

The Dwares Jewish Community Center will host an exclusive Rhode Island screening of “The Outrageous Sophie Tucker,” a documentary about the comedic genius who charmed and delighted audiences in the early half of the 20th century. The event, which features a talk-back session with the producers, takes place on Nov. 18.

Tucker, nicknamed “The Last of the Red Hot Mamas,” was wildly popular for her risqué and wacky songs in the first half of the 20th century. 

“I was in bed last night with my boyfriend Ernie, and he said to me ‘Soph, you got [a flat chest].’ I said to him, ‘Ernie get off my back!’.” This is the type of joke Bette Midler would tell as she imitated the legendary Tucker, a singer, actress and comedian who heavily influenced Midler and is compared to Lady Gaga and Mae West.

However, the word “legendary” is used loosely because while Tucker is a legend to those who know her work, she is not all that well-known.

“She was unfortunately ahead of her time,” Lloyd Ecker remarked during an interview with him and his wife, Susan. The Eckers, who live in New York, are behind a “Sophie Tucker Movement” to make her a well-known name once again in America.

“We want billions of people to know her name,” Ecker said.

In 1973, while on their first date, Susan and Lloyd attended a Bette Midler concert at Cornell University. Afterward, they had dinner with Midler and learned about Tucker’s influence on the Broadway diva. They became fascinated about this revered but relatively unknown entertainer.  

After the Eckers retired, in 2006, they decided it was time to research Tucker. They were able to locate 400 scrapbooks she left behind upon her death in 1966. Each book was filled with letters, programs and documentation about her life and career.

Since then, they have published the fictional memoir “I am Sophie Tucker,” and have two other books on the way. They are also the producers of the documentary. They are currently shopping Tucker’s story around, hoping it will be made into a Broadway musical and/or a movie.  

“Lady Gaga is interested in playing her,” Ecker stated.  He compared Tucker to a combination of Lady Gaga – for her musical talent, and sense of fashion and publicity – and Amy Schumer, for her comedic brilliance.

Tucker was the “queen” of publicity, according to Susan Ecker.

“Before Facebook there was Tuckerbook,” Ecker said. 

The scrapbooks provided letter after letter from fans. Tucker was passionate about her fans and would even send them money or clothing.

“One letter said ‘Dear Sophie, thank you for giving us the money to pay for our heat …’,” Susan Ecker said.

Tucker was also very close to her Jewish faith. Born in Ukraine, she moved to the United States as a young girl, where she was raised Orthodox. As an adult, she continued to attend services and was often a guest at a fan’s home for Shabbat or holidays. She gave money to many Jewish organizations and even worked to find Americans to sponsor Jews who wanted to immigrate during and after the Holocaust.

“At one point, she became the symbol of hope to many Jews,” Susan Ecker said, noting that Tucker even recorded a performance of the Jewish national anthem.

The Eckers said celebrities such as Sarah Silverman and the late Joan Rivers owe Tucker a debt for her “what you see is exactly what you get” persona.

By the time moving pictures became popular, Tucker was too old to play a female ingénue. Instead, she would be cast as the mother – which did not interest her. So she took to the stage, performing in nightclubs and any venue that would have her. 

The Eckers’ mission is to make Sophie Tucker a household name, which is why they are touring the U.S. presenting their documentary.

The 90-minute movie features many celebrities reminiscing about Tucker, including Barbara Walters, Tony Bennett and Carol Channing. 

Admission to the screening, at 7 p.m. on Nov. 18, is $9 or $7 for JCC members.  The Eckers will lead a discussion about Tucker at the event.

For more information, contact Erin Moseley at emoseley@jewishallianceri.org or 401-421-4111, ext. 108.

For more information about Sophie Tucker, go to www.sophietucker.com. 

SETH CHITWOOD is a graduate of Rhode Island College, where he majored in Theater Performance and Film Studies.