All Things Vintage: Ziegfeld Follies and Girls #AprilA2Z
Good-morning, kittens and dawgs! This month zinged by, didn’t it? Your zeal in returning day after day puts a zip in my step and a smile in my heart. In my last chapter of All Things Vintage is about Ziegfeld Follies.
Florenz Ziegfeld (1867-1932) was an American Broadway producer and known best for his theatrical series, Ziegfeld Follies (1907-1931). These were spectacular productions featuring beautify girl with elaborate costumes and stage settings.
Ziegfeld Follies weren’t contain to the theater. His productions crossed into the movie industry starring many old stars such as like Lucille Ball and Fred Astaire. YouTube has a variety of film clips on Ziegfeld Follies, if you’d like to check them out.
Ziegfeld Follies Girls made the show special, while looking for images, I found several from Look Magazine March 1, 1938 from What Became of the Ziegfeld Girls? The History Ziegfeld Group has these photos on their site, here. It was amusing to read what became of the Ziegfeld Girls.
Ziegfeld glorified the American girl, which I love. Here’s a fantastic video of some of the Ziegfeld Girls.
I found a delightful story in the New York Times, Former Ziegfeld Girl Recalls the Glory Days, which was an interesting read. Update: the link originally provided is not accessible unless you subscribe to New York Times forcing me to remove the it. However, if you have a subscription, you can search the site for it.
It was a joy to find blogs and bloggers who find the Ziegfeld days appealing, as I did while researching the topic. Bette’s Classic Movie Blog writes, The Ziegfeld Follies and Their Perfection, and Retro Cinema by Wet Circuit wrote two posts of the topic, The Great Ziegfeld and Ziegfeld Girls (both about movies).
Applauds and special thanks to the incredible A2Z Team for hosting all the April fun!
Arlee Bird @ Tossing it Out
Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh
Heather M. Gardner
Jeremy @ Hollywood Nuts
AJ Lauer
Pam @ An Unconventional Librarian
Damyanti Biswas @ Daily Write
Zalka Csenge Virág @ The Multicolored Diary
Joy Campbell @ The Character Depot
John Holton @The Sound of One Hand Typing
This wraps up this month and year for biggest challenge in Blogosphere. I invite you to hop with me for one last look to see what these amazing A2Zers are sharing. Don’t forget, if you like music then come back Monday for Mewsic Moves Me. Have a good weekend and thanks for hanging with me in April!
23 Comments
Myke Todd
I always enjoy seeing the Follies on old movies. They were so in sync.
The William Powell movie about Flo was really enjoyable.
Cathy Kennedy
Myke, entertainers from yesteryear were truly talented individuals. They did everything ~ sing, danced, and act while displaying a diversity of styles from serious to comedy. Retro flicks are a joy to watch because of these things plus I like the innocence presented in these old movies, too. Always great fun to see!
Jeffrey Scott
Congratulations on completing the AtoZ challenge. It’s been a great theme. I looked forward to all your vintage blog posts. I have heard the name Zeigfeld Follies, but I never knew what it was. Thanks for sharing such interesting information all month.
Cathy Kennedy
Jeffrey, Thank you for continuing with me in All Things Vintage. Your faithful support has meant a lot to me and I’m sorry for my slow return, but I promise to catch up. I’m not sure that I’d heard of Ziegfeld Follies/Girls before doing this post, but I do remember seeing all the beautiful women and elaborate stage settings in vintage photos over the years. I just didn’t know one man was responsible for creating such a sensation in the 20s until now.
Rorybore
Such a golden age!! When everything was glamour and the art was important. I think I would like to come back as a Ziegfeld Girl if reincarnation was a thing: they are beautiful, and alluring without being over the top sexual objects. And many were so multi talented. I’ll have to make a point of watching one of these productions.
Cathy Kennedy
Les, the 20s was a glamorous era, but I love All Things Vintage. Prior to the 60s, women liked being women and men liked treating women like women. I never understood how any one could fault such behavior and yet they did. I love every thing about being a woman and wish for gallantry’s return. I am looking for Ziegfeld Follies/Girls productions, too. I hope I can find something to stream at no extra cost. It would be a lot of fun to watch. Thanks for visiting!
Birgit
I thought I wrote here earlier. First congrats on the A to Z! I have something similar on my Z post today..we are in sync:) there were so many great gals and some had sad lives and others, wonderful. I think the last one passed away only a few years ago and she was over a 100.
Cathy Kennedy
Birgit, I think all entertainers past and present ~ some have good lives and other tragic. I did read about the one Ziegfeld girl who passed in recent years who lived a long life. She had a good outlook on life and I say that’s what kept her going. Thanks for stopping in. I’ll be by soon to visit.
XmasDolly
Somehow I knew you were going to choose the Ziegfeld Gals!!! Great pics you’ve picked and found a song. Awesome. Congrats on finishing the challenge!!!
Cathy Kennedy
Marie, you knew I’d pick the Ziegfeld Girls? You never told me you’re a mind reader. lol Thanks for hanging with me this month, my friend. Now I’m off to see you!
Tonja Drecker
The shows and talent back then was simply amazing! I wonder if actors/entertainers are capable of pulling off the same things today. Enjoyed the flashbacks. And congrats to finishing!
Cathy Kennedy
Tonja, Most of today’s entertainers (actors/singers) and I’m talking about the newer ones aren’t as talented as they were back in the day. It’s really sad when you look back thinking say a band is band to find out they really aren’t bad by the standards is present in most singers now. The actors who did everything – act, sing, and dance were really talented well-rounded artists. That’s one reason why I just love vintage movies; the talent is evident from the start! Thanks for hanging with me this month. Now, I’m off to see you!
Kisma
I have to play catch up with your A- Z challenge but LOVE that you posted vintage. How fun and what an amazing period for generations to learn about!
Cathy Kennedy
Kisma, Kisma, Kisma! Have I ever told you what an interesting name you have? It makes me think of kiss me. 😀 Anyhow, I’m SO happy you liked my vintage theme. I’m super duper behind with visits these past two weeks, but I vow to get caught up. It may take me time, but I’ll do it. I sure appreciate you hanging with me when you did this month, though. It’s been a blast, but I think I’m ready to get on to other things, like hop over to see you. 😉
Claudia Willison| ImagesByCW
The stage settings back then were just amazing, weren’t they?!
Congrats on finishing the A2Z challenge, Cathy.
Cathy Kennedy
Claudia, yes the stage settings are totally amazing! I can’t image what it would be like to see something like that at the theater. When I watch vintage movies, say White Christmas or Holiday Inn, where the actors are portraying entertainers and elaborate stage settings are used in the movies, then I think “WOW, impressive!” Can you imagine the work that goes into the design and construction of these? It blows my mind! Oh well, I better not think too hard on it or my brain might explode before I get a chance to visit you. Here I come to see you!
celticmama36
Thanks for having such an interesting theme through this challenge. I have enjoyed the visits here.
Are those real lions in that picture up there? I love kitties, even big ones, but I think I would have wet my pants (dress?) having them sitting there starting at me. haha
Have a blessed weekend!
Cathy Kennedy
Suzanne, Yes those are real lions in the picture! It’s hard to believe they used them on for live presentations, but they did. I keep thinking about all the many things that could go wrong with that sort of thing, don’t you? An animal of that size doesn’t have to eat you to be dangerous. It can surely hurt you badly with a swipe of a paw easily, if spooked or is temperamental. You couldn’t pay me enough to stand on stage next to a big kitty like that now. 😀 Let me hop over to see you now, my friend!
celticmama36
They couldn’t pay me enough to do it either! One swipe of its paw, and that girl could be out of the theater/movie/fashion/modeling business because of scarring. I sure hope they had handlers nearby.
I have enjoyed your posts very much!
Have a blessed weekend, my friend. 🙂
Arlee Bird
Flo was a giant of entertainment in his time. I would have loved to seen one of his shows in person. Just the other night the biopic The Great Zigfield was on TCM. I would have liked to have watched it. I managed a few minutes but couldn’t see it all. I’ve seen it before but it’s always worth watching again.
Congratulations on making it to Z and doing a fantastic job getting there. Thanks for joining us for another A to Z Challenge.
Arlee Bird
A to Z Challenge Co-host
Tossing It Out
Cathy Kennedy
Lee, Ziegfeld seemed like an amazing personality. The photos of his production sets and costumes are fabulous. It would be so awesome to see something like that in person. It boggles my mind how elaborate everything was AND the cost?! Well, that goes without saying he spared no expense judging how extraordinary thing were. I have not seen The Great Ziegfeld, but I think I would like to. I am going to check my streaming sources to see what I come up with in a few minutes. Now to hop over to your place, my friend.
Thomas Anderson
Hi, dear Cathy!
You finished the A to Z in fine fashion with the Ziegfeld Follies and Girls. A few years ago I made it a point to binge watch vintage motion pictures in order to gain a more complete education of the cinema. I watched several Zigfeld films released in the 30s and 40s that were broadcast on Turner Classic Movies. The grand sets, costumes, music and beauty of the women were all spectacular. I think you’ll agree with me that it’s not a crime for people to strive to be the best they can be, and that includes the girls who took part in these films and theatrical productions. Anyone who watches the Zigfeld Girls slide show video you embedded will get a glimpse of each girl’s soul. When I look at them I see beauty, grace and elegance. People who claim the Follies objectified women are carrying that argument too far, in my opinion. This was artistry.
Thank you very much, dear friend Cathy!
Cathy Kennedy
Tom, that’s interesting that you watched several of Ziegfeld’s films. Lee mentioned having seen the movie, The Great Ziegfeld. Now, I’d want to indulge in a bit more history on this topic by seeing first hand some of his films. It’s absolutely NOT a crime for anyone at any age to try to look his/her best. Ziegfeld girls were beautiful,classy looking women. They presented themselves far better than what many girls today their ages do. It’s usual the liberals (and ugly ones at that) who make claims that women are being objectified. I’m thrilled that you enjoyed my last A2Z installment, my friend. Now, it’s time to pay you a visit. See you soon!