Category: Story

Eddie Cantor: Vaudeville’s Most Versatile “Kid” by David Soren

Eddie Cantor (New York, January 11, 1892 – Beverly Hills, California October 10, 1964) was one of the most popular, enduring entertainers of the 20th century who was famous for vaudeville, Broadway, records, movies and television. He is the only entertainer to have been so successful in all of these media over such a substantial…Continue Reading Eddie Cantor: Vaudeville’s Most Versatile “Kid” by David Soren

Emma Carus: Vaudeville’s First Lady of the Land by David Soren

Emma Carus (March 18, 1879 Berlin, Germany – November 18, 1927, Venice, California) was the daughter of an opera singer and a classical music concert manager, although very little is certain about her early life. As a child in Berlin, she had voice training and remained with her family for some years, no doubt learning…Continue Reading Emma Carus: Vaudeville’s First Lady of the Land by David Soren

Elsie Janis: Vaudeville’s Heroine of World War I by David Soren

Elsie Janis (Born Delaware, Ohio 1-16-1889 – Died Beverly Hills, California 2-26-1956) was an American vaudevillian, Broadway superstar and World War I heroine who was once one of the most famous women in show business. While a little child she showed a gift for mimicry which was encouraged by her divorced mother Jennie, who was…Continue Reading Elsie Janis: Vaudeville’s Heroine of World War I by David Soren

Edward Albee: Controversial Father of Vaudeville by Anna Jennings

Edward Franklin Albee II was born in Machias, Maine on October 8th, 1857 to Nathan and Amanda Albee (“Deaths”). In his youth, he attended primary school in Boston, Massachusetts, where he later sold newspapers and worked as a delivery boy for a department store (“E.F. Albee”). His first exposure to show business came with an…Continue Reading Edward Albee: Controversial Father of Vaudeville by Anna Jennings

Doreen Rae: Fanchon and Marco Star by David Soren

“ Feature movies were often accompanied by Fanchon and Marco prologues known as “Fanchon and Marco Ideas”, theme shows like this one known as “Baby Songs” Pearl Hoff’s family came to Long Beach from Toronto. She first performed at age five as “Lil” Miss Long Beach. By age seven she was performing on the Pantages…Continue Reading Doreen Rae: Fanchon and Marco Star by David Soren

George Burns and Gracie Allen: Vaudeville’s Greatest Comic Duo by David Soren

George Burns (born New York January 20, 1896-died Beverly Hills, March 9, 1996) and Gracie Allen (July 26, 1906 – August 27, 1964) were the most popular comic duo of the 20th century in vaudeville and in the movies as well as on radio and television. Before they found each other neither had had tremendous…Continue Reading George Burns and Gracie Allen: Vaudeville’s Greatest Comic Duo by David Soren

George M. Cohan: Beating Heart of Broadway by David Soren

George M. Cohan (July 3, 1878 Providence, Rhode Island- November 18, 1942 New York City) is considered by most scholars of theatre and vaudeville to be the most important figure in the history of musical theater. He was not particularly talented in the classic sense– his dancing was more hoofing and his singing voice had…Continue Reading George M. Cohan: Beating Heart of Broadway by David Soren

Frank J. Sidney: The Great Sidneys in Vaudeville by David Soren

This series consists of photographs, negatives, papers, and an ad printing block, documenting the career of Frank J. Sidney. The photographs depict a circus tour in India as The Great Sidneys, a performance troupe tour in Australia in 1908, troupe portraits in Johannesburg in 1913, and some acrobatic acts. Some of the photographs are annotated….Continue Reading Frank J. Sidney: The Great Sidneys in Vaudeville by David Soren