Ziegfeld Follies Facts for Kids

Promotional artwork for 1912 Ziegfeld Follies

Sheet music for a song from the 1919 Ziegfeld Follies

The dancer Bessie Clayton was, like many of the girls, quite small by modern standards (5' 1)

The Ziegfeld Follies were a famous series of big, fancy stage shows on Broadway in New York City. These shows ran from 1907 to 1931, and then came back for short times in 1934 and 1936.

The idea for the Ziegfeld Follies came from the Folies Bergère, a popular show in Paris, France. A man named Florenz Ziegfeld created and put on these amazing shows. Other important people who helped produce the shows were Klaw & Erlanger, who were very well-known show producers around the year 1900.

What Were the Ziegfeld Follies?
- Living Pictures and Scenery
- After Florenz Ziegfeld
Ziegfeld Follies in Media
Images for kids
See also

What Were the Ziegfeld Follies?

The Follies were like a mix of different types of entertainment, similar to a high-class Vaudeville show or a music hall performance. They featured many different acts, including singing, dancing, comedy, and more.

Many of the biggest stars of that time performed in the Ziegfeld Follies. Some famous names include:

The Ziegfeld Follies were also famous for their many beautiful chorus girls. These dancers were known as Ziegfeld girls. They often wore very detailed and fancy costumes. Famous designers like Erté, Lady Duff Gordon, and Ben Ali Haggin created these amazing outfits.

The very first Follies show happened in 1907. It took place at a special rooftop theater called Jardin de Paris.

Living Pictures and Scenery

The Ziegfeld girls would often walk up and down stairs, dressed in costumes that made them look like everything from birds to battleships. From 1917 to 1925, Ben Ali Haggin designed "Tableau vivants" for the shows. These were like "living pictures" where people posed to create a scene.

Joseph Urban was the person who designed the stage scenery for the Follies shows. He started working on them in 1915, making the backgrounds and settings look incredible.

After Florenz Ziegfeld

After Florenz Ziegfeld passed away, his wife, Billie Burke, allowed his name to be used for new Ziegfeld Follies shows. These new shows were produced by Jake Shubert in 1934 and 1936.

The 1934 show was even recorded completely, from the very beginning music to the end. This recording was first put out on old-fashioned records. Later, in 1997, it was released again on a compact disc.

Ziegfeld Follies in Media

The Ziegfeld Follies also became a radio program. It was called The Ziegfeld Follies of the Air and aired in 1932 and 1936.

In 1936, a movie about Florenz Ziegfeld won an Academy Award for Best Picture. The movie was called The Great Ziegfeld. It starred William Powell as Florenz Ziegfeld and Myrna Loy as his second wife, Billie Burke.