The Passing Show of 1916
Encyclopedia
The Passing Show of 1916 is a revue
featuring the music of Sigmund Romberg
and Otto Motzan, with book and lyrics by Harold R. Atteridge
. It included the first George Gershwin
songs introduced in a Broadway show.
It opened in the Winter Garden Theater on June 22, 1916 and played for 140 performances, closing on October 21, 1916. It was directed by Jacob J. Shubert
and J. C. Huffman and choreographed by Allan K. Foster. The popular song "Pretty Baby
" was included in the show. Ed Wynne
was one of the featured players.
revue was presented in 1894 by George Lederer
at the Casino Theatre. It featured spoofs of theatrical productions of the past season. It was one of the first musical revues on Broadway
and led the fashion for such productions. The Casino Theatre produced a revue each summer thereafter for several seasons. In 1912, Lee and Jacob J. Shubert
began an annual series of twelve elaborate Broadway revues at the Winter Garden, using the name The Passing Show of 19XX, designed to compete with the popular Ziegfeld Follies
. They featured libretti by Atteridge and music usually by Romberg, Gershwin or Herman Finck
. Willie and Eugene Howard starred in many editions of the series. Other stars included Charlotte Greenwood
, Marilyn Miller
, Ed Wynn
, De Wolf Hopper, Charles Winninger
, Fred Astaire
and his sister Adele
, Marie Dressler
and Fred Allen
.
Act 2
Revue
A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance and sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century American popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural presence of its own during its golden years from 1916 to 1932...
featuring the music of Sigmund Romberg
Sigmund Romberg
Sigmund Romberg was a Hungarian-born American composer, best known for his operettas.-Biography:Romberg was born as Siegmund Rosenberg to a Jewish family in Gross-Kanizsa during the Austro-Hungarian kaiserlich und königlich monarchy period...
and Otto Motzan, with book and lyrics by Harold R. Atteridge
Harold R. Atteridge
Harold Richard Atteridge was a composer, librettist and lyricist primarily for musicals and revues. He wrote the book and lyrics for over 20 musicals and revues for the Shuberts, including several iterations of The Passing Show....
. It included the first George Gershwin
George Gershwin
George Gershwin was an American composer and pianist. Gershwin's compositions spanned both popular and classical genres, and his most popular melodies are widely known...
songs introduced in a Broadway show.
It opened in the Winter Garden Theater on June 22, 1916 and played for 140 performances, closing on October 21, 1916. It was directed by Jacob J. Shubert
Jacob J. Shubert
Jacob J. Shubert was naturalized American theatre owner/operator and producer and a member of the famous theatrical Shubert family....
and J. C. Huffman and choreographed by Allan K. Foster. The popular song "Pretty Baby
Pretty Baby (song)
Pretty Baby is a song written by Tony Jackson during the Ragtime era. The song was remembered as being prominent in Jackson's repertory before he left New Orleans in 1912, but was not published until 1916....
" was included in the show. Ed Wynne
Ed Wynne
-Early life and education:Ed Wynne was born in July 1966 in Portland, Oregon and grew up on a farm outside Carlton, Oregon. After learning the recorder at age 10, he decided to play the saxophone because it looked cool in the case. At age 12 he discovered the stage and began an interest in acting...
was one of the featured players.
Background
The original The Passing ShowThe Passing Show
The Passing Show was a musical revue in three acts, billed as a "topical extravaganza", with a book and lyrics by Sydney Rosenfeld and music by Ludwig Engländer and various other composers. It featured spoofs of theatrical productions of the past season. The show was presented in 1894 by George...
revue was presented in 1894 by George Lederer
George Lederer
George Lederer was an American producer and director on Broadway from 1894 to 1931. He was the husband of Reine Davies and father of Charles Lederer and Pepi Lederer....
at the Casino Theatre. It featured spoofs of theatrical productions of the past season. It was one of the first musical revues on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
and led the fashion for such productions. The Casino Theatre produced a revue each summer thereafter for several seasons. In 1912, Lee and Jacob J. Shubert
Shubert family
The Shubert family of New York City, New York was responsible for the establishment of the Broadway district, in New York City, as the hub of the theatre industry in the United States...
began an annual series of twelve elaborate Broadway revues at the Winter Garden, using the name The Passing Show of 19XX, designed to compete with the popular Ziegfeld Follies
Ziegfeld Follies
The Ziegfeld Follies were a series of elaborate theatrical productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 through 1931. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as The Ziegfeld Follies of the Air....
. They featured libretti by Atteridge and music usually by Romberg, Gershwin or Herman Finck
Herman Finck
Herman Finck was a British composer of Dutch extraction.Born Hermann Van Der Vinck in London, he began his studies training at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and established a career as the musical director at the Palace Theatre in London , with whose orchestra he made many virtuoso...
. Willie and Eugene Howard starred in many editions of the series. Other stars included Charlotte Greenwood
Charlotte Greenwood
Frances Charlotte Greenwood was an American actress and dancer. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Greenwood started in vaudeville, and eventually starred on Broadway, movies and radio. Standing around six feet tall, she was best known for her long legs and high kicks...
, Marilyn Miller
Marilyn Miller
Marilyn Miller was one of the most popular Broadway musical stars of the 1920s and early 1930s. She was an accomplished tap dancer, singer and actress, but it was the combination of these talents that endeared her to audiences. On stage she usually played rags-to-riches Cinderella characters who...
, Ed Wynn
Ed Wynn
Ed Wynn was a popular American comedian and actor noted for his Perfect Fool comedy character, his pioneering radio show of the 1930s, and his later career as a dramatic actor....
, De Wolf Hopper, Charles Winninger
Charles Winninger
Charles Winninger was an American stage and film actor, most often cast in comedies or musicals, but equally at home in drama.-Biography:He began as a vaudeville actor...
, Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire
Fred Astaire was an American film and Broadway stage dancer, choreographer, singer and actor. His stage and subsequent film career spanned a total of 76 years, during which he made 31 musical films. He was named the fifth Greatest Male Star of All Time by the American Film Institute...
and his sister Adele
Adele Astaire
Lady Charles Cavendish , better known as Adele Astaire, was an American dancer and entertainer. She was Fred Astaire's elder sister. Her birthdate was often given as 1897 or 1898, but the 1900 U.S...
, Marie Dressler
Marie Dressler
Marie Dressler was a Canadian-American actress and Depression-era film star. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1930-31 in Min and Bill.-Early life and stage career:...
and Fred Allen
Fred Allen
Fred Allen was an American comedian whose absurdist, topically pointed radio show made him one of the most popular and forward-looking humorists in the so-called classic era of American radio.His best-remembered gag was his long-running mock feud with friend and fellow comedian Jack Benny, but it...
.
Musical numbers
Act 1- Wine, Woman, and Song
- Ragging the Apache
- So This Is Paris! (Music by Harry TierneyHarry TierneyHarry Austin Tierney was a successful American composer of musical theatre, best known for long-running hits such as Irene , Broadway's longest-running show of the era , Kid Boots and Rio Rita , one of the first musicals to be turned into a talking picture .Born...
) - Play My Melody
- Sweet and Pretty
- How to Make a Pretty Girl
- Around the Town
- Roosevelt, Wilson and Hughes
- Let Cupid In
- Your Auto Ought To Get Girls
- Pretty BabyPretty Baby (song)Pretty Baby is a song written by Tony Jackson during the Ragtime era. The song was remembered as being prominent in Jackson's repertory before he left New Orleans in 1912, but was not published until 1916....
(Lyrics by Gus KahnGus KahnGustav Gerson Kahn was a musician, songwriter and lyricist.-Biography:Kahn was born in Koblenz, Germany in 1886. The family emigrated from there to the United States and moved to Chicago, Illinois in 1890...
; music by Egbert Van AlstyneEgbert Van AlstyneEgbert Anson Van Alstyne was a United States songwriter and pianist. Van Alstyne was the composer of a number of popular and ragtime tunes from the early 20th century.He was born in Marengo, Illinois...
) - What's the Matter With You? (Music and lyrics by Clifton Crawford)
Act 2
- Any Night on Broadway
- Broadway School Days
- Romeo and Juliet
- Ragtime Calisthenics
- That's Called Walking the Dog
- The Making of a Girl (Co-composed by George GershwinGeorge GershwinGeorge Gershwin was an American composer and pianist. Gershwin's compositions spanned both popular and classical genres, and his most popular melodies are widely known...
) - My Runaway Girl" (Music by George Gershwin; lyrics by Murray Roth)