| The Ziegfeld Follies were a series of elaborate theatrical productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 through 1931.
Inspired by the Folies Bergères of Paris, and reportedly suggested to Ziegfeld by the actress Anna Held,
the Ziegfeld Follies were produced and managed by Florenz
Ziegfeld.
The Follies were lavish revues, something in between later Broadway shows and a more
elaborate high class Vaudeville variety show. Many of the top entertainers of
the era (including Eddie Cantor, Fanny Brice, Bert Williams, Will Rogers, Ruth Etting, Helen Morgan, Marilyn Miller, W.C. Fields, Ed Wynn, Nora Bayes, and others) appeared in the shows. The Ziegfeld Follies were also famous
for many beautiful chorus girls.
After Flo Ziegfeld's death, his widow Billie Burke authorized use of his
name for Ziegfeld Follies of 1934 (featuring Fanny Brice and a young Buddy Ebsen) and 1936 (featuring Brice, Bob
Hope, The Nicholas Brothers, Eve Arden, Josephine Baker,
and Gypsy Rose Lee). The name was later used by other promoters in
New York City (w/ Milton Berle as emcee), Philadelphia (w/ Tallulah Bankhead as emcee and a young Bea Arthur and Julie Newmar in the cast), and Las Vegas (w/ Beatrice Lillie
as emcee) with less connection to the original Follies.
The 1936 Best Picture winner for
that year was The Great Ziegfeld, starring William Powell as the master showman. Co-starring Myrna Loy (as Ziegfeld's 2nd wife Billie Burke),
Luise Rainer {as Anna Held which won her a Best Actress Academy Award, and Frank Morgan (as a rival showman). Featuring numbers by Ray Bolger, Dennis Morgan, Virginia Bruce, and Harriet Hoctor, the film gave a
glimpse into what the Follies where really like. The MGM blockbuster's show-stopper was "A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody", which
cost more than Ziegfeld could put together a show!
There was also a 1946 feature motion picture entitled "Ziegfeld Follies" with Fred
Astaire, Judy Garland, Lena Horne, William Powell, Gene Kelly, Fanny Brice, Red Skelton, Esther Williams, Cyd Charisse, Lucille Ball,
Kathryn Grayson and others performing songs and sketches similar to
those from the original Follies; see: Ziegfeld Follies (1946 movie).
The Follies
- Ziegfeld Follies of 1907 at the Jardin de Paris
- Ziegfeld Follies of 1908 at the Jardin de Paris
- Ziegfeld Follies of 1909 at the Jardin de Paris
- Ziegfeld Follies of 1910 at the Jardin de Paris
- Ziegfeld Follies of 1911 at the Jardin de Paris
- Ziegfeld Follies of 1912 at the Moulin
Rouge
- Ziegfeld Follies of 1913 at the New Amsterdam
Theatre
- Ziegfeld Follies of 1914 at the New Amsterdam
Theatre
- Ziegfeld Follies of 1915 at the New Amsterdam
Theatre
- Ziegfeld Follies of 1916 at the New Amsterdam
Theatre
- Ziegfeld Follies of 1917 at the New Amsterdam
Theatre
- Ziegfeld Follies of 1918 at the New Amsterdam
Theatre
- Ziegfeld Follies of 1920 at the New Amsterdam
Theatre
- Ziegfeld Follies of 1921 at the Globe
Theatre
- Ziegfeld Follies of 1922 at the New Amsterdam
Theatre
- Ziegfeld Follies of 1923 at the New Amsterdam
Theatre
- Ziegfeld Follies of 1924 at the New Amsterdam
Theatre
- Ziegfeld Follies of 1927 at the New Amsterdam
Theatre
- Ziegfeld Follies of 1931 at the Ziegfeld Theatre
- Ziegfeld Follies of 1934 at the Winter Garden Theatre
- Ziegfeld Follies of 1943 at the Winter Garden Theatre
- Ziegfeld Follies of 1946 at the Winter Garden Theatre
- Ziegfeld Follies of 1957 at the Winter Garden Theatre
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