Hope Dare (born Rosie Luetzsinger)
Parents
| Father | William A. ‘Ignas’ Luetzsinger (ca. 1865 - ) |
| Mother | Sarah ‘Dollie’ McCarty (6 April 1889 - 10 October 1968) |
Personal Information
| Record Created: 12 October 2020; Last Edited: 3 February 2022 |
| Person ID | 9873 |
| Name | Hope Dare |
| Birthname | Rosie Luetzsinger |
| Gender | Female |
| Born | 9 October 1908 in Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa1, 2, 3, 4 |
| Married | ca. 1925 to David Swing Ricker5 |
| Married | 6 August 1939 in Nyack, Rockland County, New York to Julius Richard ‘Dixie’ Davis1, 6 |
| Died | 31 March 1999 in Henderson, Clark County, Nevada1, 7 |
Biography
Rosie listed 9 October 1908, and Ottumwa, Iowa, as her birth date and place in her social security application, the date agreeing with her age (1 year 7 months) as shown in the 1900 U.S. Federal Census, where she is found living in Iowa with her maternal grandparents. She was known as Rosie McCarty, her mother’s maiden surname, in her school years. After her mother remarried to Gerald Buxton, Rosie was returned to her mother’s household. Rosie was sometimes known as Rosie Buxton, using her step-fathervs surname.8
At age 17, Rosie married David Swing Ricker, promotion manager of a Los Angeles newspaper. With his aid, Rosie sought to get into the movies by way of beauty pageants. She won and was named the prettiest red-head in a Long Beach, California, bathing beauty contest. In 1926 she was chosen “Miss Southern California” and won as “Miss Ocean Park” in a separate California beauty contest. She changed her stage name first to Rose Dare, and later to Hope Dare. Following her husband David’s death in 1929, she headed for New York, working in a road company of “The Barker.” Her Broadway career credits include “Melody” (1933); “Ziegfeld Follies of 1934” (1934); and “Life Begins at 8:40” (1934-35).8, 9
Her beauty and growing fame attracted the attention of J. Richard “Dixie” Davis, a New York lawyer and racketeer who was the number two man to Dutch Schultz. Hope and Dixie soon became an item, although Dixie was still married at the time. When Dixie was apprehended on racketeering charges, Hope convinced Dixie to turn state’s evidence against other mob members, and after he served a one-year sentence, he and Hope married and moved west, living in Las Vegas, New Mexico, and later Los Angeles, where they raised two children.8
Person/Family
| Spouse 1 |  David Swing Ricker (son of Jewett E. Ricker and Mary Ann Swing) |
| Born | 29 April 1878 in Oxford, Butler County, Ohio |
| Married | 27 January 1904 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois to Elizabeth Shay |
| Married | 18 November 1909 in Seattle, King County, Washington to Madge Voe (born Marion Seaman) |
| Married | 9 December 1913 in Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon to Layne Virginia Donaldson |
| Married | ca. 1925 to Hope Dare (born Rosie Luetzsinger) |
| Died | 2 June 1929 in Santa Monica, Los Angeles County, California |
| Spouse 2 | Julius Richard ‘Dixie’ Davis |
| Born | 29 November 1904 in New York, New York |
| Married | 1932 to Martha Delaney |
| Married | 6 August 1939 in Nyack, Rockland County, New York to Hope Dare (born Rosie Luetzsinger) |
| Died | 30 December 1969 in Los Angeles, California |
| Children | of Hope Dare (born Rosie Luetzsinger) and Julius Richard ‘Dixie’ Davis: |
| 1. | Michael Davis |
| Born |
| 2. | Barclay Davis |
| Born | |
| Married | to Loretta _____ |
Sources
- Find a Grave (website). Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale), Glendale, Los Angeles County, California, Hope Dare Davis, born: 9 October 1909 [sic, her entry in the 1910 census shows her age 1 year 7 months, indicating she was born in 1908, believed to be the correct birth year] in Fairfield, Jefferson County, Iowa; died: 31 March 1999 in Henderson, Clark County, Nevada (from record, which includes two newspaper clippings of with her husband J. Richard Davis; and provides a brief synopsis of her life, indicating her birth name, naming her parents, supposed marriage to a man named Reichert [actually, Ricker], her name change to Hope Dare in 1930, work as a showgirl in Zeigfield Follies, marriage to J. Richard “Dixie” Davis, and several places where she lived; and the names and links for her mother and one spouse).
- National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), Social Security Applications, Rose Luetzsinger Davis, born: 9 October 1908 in Ottumwa, Iowa; father: William J. Luetzsinger; mother: Sarah H. McCarty. Since this application was most likely completed by Rose (aka Hope Dare Davis), it is considered the most reliable record of her birth date, birthplace, and parent’s names.
- U.S. Federal Census, 1910, Iowa, Jefferson County, Round Prairie Township, E.D. 55, Sheet No. 7B, Ross O. McCarty, 55, Kentucky, farmer, general farm; wife of 27 years Rosa McCarty, 45, Pennsylvania, 5 children, 3 living; daughter Sarah Luetzinger [the last name is written over the line intended to continue the McCarty name down to other family members], 21, Iowa, married 3 years; son Anthony McCarty, 14, Iowa; son Ross McCarty, 9, Iowa; granddaughter Rosa Lietzinger, 1 7/12, Iowa.
- U.S. Federal Census, 1920, New Mexico, San Miguel County, Las Vegas City, E.D. 176, Sheet No. 2B, Gerald Buxton, 45, Michigan, fireman, round house; wife Dollie Buxton, 31, Iowa; son Gerald Buxton, Jr., 7, New Mexico; step-daughter Rose Luetzsinger, 11, Iowa.
- Marriage Intentions, Daily News, New York, New York, 5 March 1939, Hope Dare, Dixie Davis Will Wed, Then Separate, It Seems. The article provides details on the intention for the two to wed, prior to the sentencing of Dixie Davis after pleading guilty to conspiracy to contrive and operate a racket, and his testimony against James J. (Jimmy) Hines for racketeering. The article also provides biographical details about Hope Dare, her family background, marriage to David Swing Ricker at age 17, winning beauty contests, her work in the Follies, and meeting Dixie Davis and exposure to the world of gangsters.
- Marriage Announcement, The New London Evening Day, New London, Connecticut, 7 August 1939, ‘Dixie’ Davis and Hope Dare on Honeymoon. The article indicates they married the previous day in Nyack [New York] after serving a prison sentence, and provides biographical information regarding his association with the Dutch Shultz mob as their attorney, and his testimony leading to the conviction of ex-Tammany district leader James J. Hines.
- Obituary, Los Angeles Times, California, 2 May 1999, Hope Dare Davis, died 31 March 1999, predeceased by husband Richard Dixie Davis. The article provides brief biographical details and the names of her children, grandchild, and great grandchildren, and place of funeral.
- Daily News, New York, New York, 5 March 1939, Hope Dare, Dixie Davis Will Wed, Then Separate, It Seems. The article provides detailed biographical information for both Hope and Dixie, and mentions some of Dixie’s mob associates and his first wife, and Hope’s parents and first husband.
- Travalance (website: travsd.wordpress.com), Hope Dare Davis: Follies Girl and Gun Moll. Biographical details of Hope Dare, her theatrical career, and her relationship and marriage to J. Richard “Dixie” Davis.