The Encyclopedia of Vaudeville provides a unique record of what was once Americas preeminent form of popular entertainment from the late 1800s through the early 1930s. It includes entries not only on the entertainers themselves; but also on those who worked behind the scenes; the theatres; genres; and historical terms. Entries on individual vaudevillians include biographical information; samplings of routines and; often; commentary by the performers. Many former vaudevillians were interviewed for the book; including Milton Berle; Block and Sully; Kitty Doner; Fifi DOrsay; Nick Lucas; Ken Murray; Fayard Nicholas; Olga Petrova; Rose Marie; Arthur Tracy; and Rudy Vallee. Where appropriate; entries also include bibliographies. The volume concludes with a guide to vaudeville resources and a general bibliography.Aside from its reference value; with its more than five hundred entries; The Encyclopedia of Vaudeville discusses the careers of the famous and the forgotten. Many of the vaudevillians here; including Jack Benny; George Burns and Gracie Allen; Jimmy Durante; W. C. Fields; Bert Lahr; and Mae West; are familiar names today; thanks to their continuing careers on screen. At the same time; and given equal coverage; are forgotten acts: legendary female impersonators Bert Savoy and Jay Brennan; the vulgar Eva Tanguay with her billing as "The I Dont Care Girl;" male impersonator Kitty Doner; and a host of "freak" acts.
#4265583 in eBooks 2011-11-01 2012-04-10File Name: B007Y39PCK
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