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The Dionne quintuplets were born in the province of Ontario, Canada, in the mid-1930s. They made history as the first known quintuplets to have survived infancy. The five sisters became celebrities overnight, had a unique upbringing, and lived an eventful life. Taken from their family shortly after being born, the Dionne sisters went on to become Ontario's biggest tourist attraction at the time. But at what cost?
In this gallery, we revisit the life of the famous Dionne quintuplets. Click on for more.
The Dionne quintuplets were born prematurely on May 28, 1934, near Callander, Ontario, Canada, to Oliva Édouard Dionne and Elzire Dionne.
Their mother, Elzire Dionne, gave birth to the identical quintuplets when she was 24. Dr. Allan Roy Dafoe, with the aid of two midwives, helped deliver the babies.
Being premature, the five girls had to spend some time in hospital. Incubators were brought in and breast milk was donated to feed the babies.
Émilie, Yvonne, Cécile, Marie, and Annette became the first known case of quintuplets who survived their infancy.
The quintuplets made the news and became famous overnight. Exhibitors at Chicago's Century of Progress approached their father with the intent of putting the quintuplets on display. Oliva initially agreed, but then tried to revoke the contract based on the fact that the mother didn’t sign, but to no avail.
In July 1934, Oliva and Elzire Dionne (pictured) signed custody of the quintuplets over to the Red Cross. The guardianship had a period of two years, and aimed to protect the girls from the contract and further exploitation.
In February 1935, the Dionnes began to make stage appearances in Chicago as "Parents of the World Famous Babies."
Mitchell Hepburn, who was the premier of Ontario at the time, leveraged the Dionne vaudeville tour as justification to prolong the guardianship of the quintuplets. He argued that the children needed protection from continued exploitation.
In March 1935, the Dionne Quintuplets Act was passed. The act formally designated the girls as Crown wards and extended guardianship until they reached the age of 18.
While he was a member of the Board of Guardians, Oliva Dionne rarely participated in meetings. Three other guardians were appointed: Dr. Dafoe, Joseph Valin, and David Croll.
The girls lived in the Dafoe Hospital and Nursery until the age of nine. The facility was specifically built for the quintuplets and their caregivers.
There the sisters lived seemingly normal lives, yet they were also tested, examined, and studied. And then things began to get a bit strange when tourists started to visit them.
On Canada Day in 1936, the observatory at Dafoe Hospital and Nursery officially opened. The quintuplets were displayed multiple times a day and people had the chance to observe them through a one-way screen. It is estimated that 3,000 people visited per day.
Oliva Dionne operated a souvenir shop across from the nursery. The souvenirs ranged from autographed photos, spoons, cups, handkerchiefs, and more. The whole area became known as Quintland.
Quintland actually became Ontario’s biggest tourist attraction.
The sisters 'endorsed' several products, including brands such as Quaker Oats, Lysol, Palmolive, Colgate, and Baby Ruth, to name just a few.
The Dionne quintuplets starred in three movies, all of which were fictionalized versions of their lives. One of the movies was called ‘The Country Doctor’ (1936).
The Dionne sisters also starred in two other films: ‘Reunion’ (1936) and ‘Five of a Kind (1938).’
Dr. Dafoe resigned as guardian in 1939. By 1942, the Dionne family was reunited and living together. They moved to a new home they called "The Big House."
The Dionne sisters returned to a Roman Catholic household and the religion became part of their lives.
The quintuplets graduated from Villa Notre Dame, a private convent school in Callander.
They continued to live as celebrities and would make public appearances. Here they are pictured at a press conference in St. Paul, Minnesota.
The quintuplets left home when they turned 18. Three of the sisters, Annette, Marie, and Cécile, got married.
Émilie became a nun, but died of an epileptic seizure in 1954, aged 20. She was followed by Marie, who died in 1970, and Yvonne, who died in 2001.
In 1995, the then-three surviving sisters alleged that they were abused by their father when they were teenagers.
The sisters had a trust fund, which grew exponentially. But years later, it transpired that the provincial government paid for expenses related to research, filmmaking, etc. using the trust fund.
In 1997, the sisters tried to claim some money back from the government. Ontario Premier Mike Harris apologized and agreed to pay them CAD$4 million.
Many books were written about the life of the Dionne quintuplets. Their memoirs ‘We Were Five’ (1964) and ‘Family Secrets: The Dionne Quintuplets’ Autobiography’ (1994) go into further detail about the exploitation they suffered.
Sources: (The Independent) (PBS) (The Washington Post) (Life Magazine) (Britannica)
See also: The first photograph ever taken (and other photo firsts)
The life story of the Dionne quintuplets
A tale of fame, exploitation, and sorrow
LIFESTYLE Society
The Dionne quintuplets were born in the province of Ontario, Canada, in the mid-1930s. They made history as the first known quintuplets to have survived infancy. The five sisters became celebrities overnight, had a unique upbringing, and lived an eventful life. Taken from their family shortly after being born, the Dionne sisters went on to become Ontario's biggest tourist attraction at the time. But at what cost?
In this gallery, we revisit the life of the famous Dionne quintuplets. Click on for more.