Dolly Dimples was billed as "The World's Most Beautiful Fat Lady". Also an accomplished singer and impersonator of celebrities of the day, such as Kate Smith, Dolly's act became a big draw on the sideshow circuit. Her husband also worked with the sideshow as a road assistant and acted as Dolly's manager. By the late 1930's they were working for the Ringling Brothers, the pinnacle of the traveling circuses. By this time, Dolly was consuming approximately 10,000 calories daily, enough for five average women. By the time she was in her 40's her weight peaked at 555 lbs (252 kg) and she sported measurements of 74 1/2-68-84 inches. Her height was 4ft-11in (150 centimeters).

She was quoted as saying: "I ate from the time I got up until I went to bed."

Her daily diet typically consisted of five pounds of meat, several pounds of potatoes, four loaves of bread, a gallon of milk, and almost two pounds of sugar primarily consumed in the form of baked goods and pastries.

Dolly and Frank toured for over 20 years, wintering in a home they eventually established in Florida. The home became a haven for Dolly, away from the crowds and fitted out with suitably sized furniture and bathroom fixtures. During the winter months, she earned money by doing psychic readings from her home. Her weight eventually caused her to slow down and she began to suffer physically by her late 40's, making traveling with the circus more difficult.