Woody Register
- Published in print:
- 2003
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195167320
- eISBN:
- 9780199849710
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195167320.003.0003
- Subject:
- History, American History: 20th Century
Throughout his eleven seasons at Luna Park, the image of Fred Thompson as the fun-loving boy-capitalist on a spree was as much a feature of the park as its exaggerated “Oriental” architecture or the ...
More
Throughout his eleven seasons at Luna Park, the image of Fred Thompson as the fun-loving boy-capitalist on a spree was as much a feature of the park as its exaggerated “Oriental” architecture or the Shoot-the-Chutes. Thompson staged his performances to show that Luna Park was built by and for a new kind of man, one who would accept no less than all the fun to which he was entitled. Thompson, then, was largely indistinguishable from the Coney Island resort that he named for the continuously mutating moon: a radiant reflection of energy, never the same or in the same place from one moment to the next, the very representation of capricious and insatiable desire. Above all, he said, his park meant unceasing variety and change, “movement, movement, movement everywhere.” What was true of Luna Park would be true of Thompson; he was what he sold.Less
Throughout his eleven seasons at Luna Park, the image of Fred Thompson as the fun-loving boy-capitalist on a spree was as much a feature of the park as its exaggerated “Oriental” architecture or the Shoot-the-Chutes. Thompson staged his performances to show that Luna Park was built by and for a new kind of man, one who would accept no less than all the fun to which he was entitled. Thompson, then, was largely indistinguishable from the Coney Island resort that he named for the continuously mutating moon: a radiant reflection of energy, never the same or in the same place from one moment to the next, the very representation of capricious and insatiable desire. Above all, he said, his park meant unceasing variety and change, “movement, movement, movement everywhere.” What was true of Luna Park would be true of Thompson; he was what he sold.
Larry Hamberlin
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- January 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195338928
- eISBN:
- 9780199855865
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195338928.003.0005
- Subject:
- Music, Opera, Popular
Although much has been written about the “Salomania” that Richard Strauss's opera Salome inspired in the United States, little has been written about the novelty songs that contributed to that mania. ...
More
Although much has been written about the “Salomania” that Richard Strauss's opera Salome inspired in the United States, little has been written about the novelty songs that contributed to that mania. Those songs, examined in this chapter, reveal that much of the uproar was not so much about the opera's supposed indecency as it was the association of that indecency with the “hootchy-kootchy” dancers at the World's Columbian Exposition (Chicago, 1893) and later at Coney Island and other places of lowbrow amusement.Less
Although much has been written about the “Salomania” that Richard Strauss's opera Salome inspired in the United States, little has been written about the novelty songs that contributed to that mania. Those songs, examined in this chapter, reveal that much of the uproar was not so much about the opera's supposed indecency as it was the association of that indecency with the “hootchy-kootchy” dancers at the World's Columbian Exposition (Chicago, 1893) and later at Coney Island and other places of lowbrow amusement.
Louis Parascandola
John Parascandola (ed.)
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- November 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780231165730
- eISBN:
- 9780231538190
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Columbia University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7312/columbia/9780231165730.001.0001
- Subject:
- History, American History: 20th Century
This anthology focuses on the unique history and experience of Coney Island, a beloved fixture of the New York City landscape. It features a gallery of portraits by the world's finest poets, ...
More
This anthology focuses on the unique history and experience of Coney Island, a beloved fixture of the New York City landscape. It features a gallery of portraits by the world's finest poets, essayists, and fiction writers. These include Walt Whitman, Stephen Crane, José Martí, Maxim Gorky, Federico García Lorca, Isaac Bashevis Singer, E. E. Cummings, Djuna Barnes, Colson Whitehead, Robert Olen Butler, and Katie Roiphe. Moody, mystical and enchanting, Coney Island has thrilled newcomers and soothed native New Yorkers for decades. As complex as the city of which it is a part, it is famous for its fantasy entertainments, world-class boardwalk and large beach and, even today, provides a welcome respite from the city's dense neighborhoods, unrelenting traffic and sombre grid layout. Coney Island has long offered a kaleidoscopic panorama of people, places and events, creating, as Lawrence Ferlinghetti once wrote, “a Coney Island of the mind.” This anthology captures the highs and lows of the place, with works that picture it as a restful resort, a playground for the masses and a symbol of America's democratic spirit, as well as a Sodom by the sea, a garish display of capitalist excess and a paradigm of urban decay.Less
This anthology focuses on the unique history and experience of Coney Island, a beloved fixture of the New York City landscape. It features a gallery of portraits by the world's finest poets, essayists, and fiction writers. These include Walt Whitman, Stephen Crane, José Martí, Maxim Gorky, Federico García Lorca, Isaac Bashevis Singer, E. E. Cummings, Djuna Barnes, Colson Whitehead, Robert Olen Butler, and Katie Roiphe. Moody, mystical and enchanting, Coney Island has thrilled newcomers and soothed native New Yorkers for decades. As complex as the city of which it is a part, it is famous for its fantasy entertainments, world-class boardwalk and large beach and, even today, provides a welcome respite from the city's dense neighborhoods, unrelenting traffic and sombre grid layout. Coney Island has long offered a kaleidoscopic panorama of people, places and events, creating, as Lawrence Ferlinghetti once wrote, “a Coney Island of the mind.” This anthology captures the highs and lows of the place, with works that picture it as a restful resort, a playground for the masses and a symbol of America's democratic spirit, as well as a Sodom by the sea, a garish display of capitalist excess and a paradigm of urban decay.
Katherine Roeder
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- September 2014
- ISBN:
- 9781617039607
- eISBN:
- 9781626740112
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University Press of Mississippi
- DOI:
- 10.14325/mississippi/9781617039607.003.0004
- Subject:
- Literature, Comics Studies
Chapter four traces connections between commercial entertainment and McCay's work through a study of the landscapes of Slumberland. From the topsy-turvy funhouse of Befuddle Hall, to the onion domes ...
More
Chapter four traces connections between commercial entertainment and McCay's work through a study of the landscapes of Slumberland. From the topsy-turvy funhouse of Befuddle Hall, to the onion domes of Morpheus' palace, Slumberland is pictured as a faraway dreamworld. However, the fantastic landscapes were recognizable to an audience acquainted with circuses, amusement parks, and world's fairs: the period's most popular forms of commercial entertainment. McCaypepperedLittle Nemo with allusions to circus poster typography, Coney Island thrill rides, and the architecture of the midway. This encouraged readers to draw connections between the various forms of mass culture, providing an entry point into the magical world of the comic. Circuses, amusement parks, and fairs acted in concert to provide audiences with spectacular entertainment and safe encounters with the exotic. Like Nemo, who ends each comic safe in his bed, they provided visitors with the illusion of adventure in a controlled environment.Less
Chapter four traces connections between commercial entertainment and McCay's work through a study of the landscapes of Slumberland. From the topsy-turvy funhouse of Befuddle Hall, to the onion domes of Morpheus' palace, Slumberland is pictured as a faraway dreamworld. However, the fantastic landscapes were recognizable to an audience acquainted with circuses, amusement parks, and world's fairs: the period's most popular forms of commercial entertainment. McCaypepperedLittle Nemo with allusions to circus poster typography, Coney Island thrill rides, and the architecture of the midway. This encouraged readers to draw connections between the various forms of mass culture, providing an entry point into the magical world of the comic. Circuses, amusement parks, and fairs acted in concert to provide audiences with spectacular entertainment and safe encounters with the exotic. Like Nemo, who ends each comic safe in his bed, they provided visitors with the illusion of adventure in a controlled environment.
John Franceschina
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- September 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780199754298
- eISBN:
- 9780199949878
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199754298.003.0005
- Subject:
- Music, Dance, Popular
After leaving RKO Hermes Pan joins Fred Astaire at Paramount to choreograph Second Chorus and Danny Dare at Republic Pictures to choreograph Hit Parade of 1941 before signing with Twentieth ...
More
After leaving RKO Hermes Pan joins Fred Astaire at Paramount to choreograph Second Chorus and Danny Dare at Republic Pictures to choreograph Hit Parade of 1941 before signing with Twentieth Century-Fox to choreograph That Night in Rio with Alice Faye, Don Ameche, and Carmen Miranda. While at Fox Hermes initiates weekly luncheon discussion groups on topics ranging from religion to philosophy, one of the core participants of which, Angela (“Angie”) Blue becomes Pan’s favorite assistant and “dance-in” for films starring Betty Grable. At Grable’s request, Hermes appears onscreen as her dancing partner in several films, including Moon Over Miami, Footlight Serenade, and Coney Island. In his early days at Fox, Pan also designs dances for Sonja Henie, Rita Hayworth, and George Murphy.Less
After leaving RKO Hermes Pan joins Fred Astaire at Paramount to choreograph Second Chorus and Danny Dare at Republic Pictures to choreograph Hit Parade of 1941 before signing with Twentieth Century-Fox to choreograph That Night in Rio with Alice Faye, Don Ameche, and Carmen Miranda. While at Fox Hermes initiates weekly luncheon discussion groups on topics ranging from religion to philosophy, one of the core participants of which, Angela (“Angie”) Blue becomes Pan’s favorite assistant and “dance-in” for films starring Betty Grable. At Grable’s request, Hermes appears onscreen as her dancing partner in several films, including Moon Over Miami, Footlight Serenade, and Coney Island. In his early days at Fox, Pan also designs dances for Sonja Henie, Rita Hayworth, and George Murphy.
Evan Friss
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- May 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780226210919
- eISBN:
- 9780226211077
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Chicago Press
- DOI:
- 10.7208/chicago/9780226211077.003.0005
- Subject:
- History, Cultural History
This chapter charts the development of bicycle paths. Special attention is given to the Coney Island Cycle Path, an early example that set a model for others, and the California Cycle-Way, an ...
More
This chapter charts the development of bicycle paths. Special attention is given to the Coney Island Cycle Path, an early example that set a model for others, and the California Cycle-Way, an elevated cycle path that epitomized some of the bolder plans to create a cycling network. Finally, the chapter explores the ways in which bicycle paths fragmented the emergent bicycle coalition, some of whom saw the paths as the greatest achievement of cyclists, others of whom thought the paths would detract from the good roads movement and undermine the bicycle's status as a legitimate vehicle.Less
This chapter charts the development of bicycle paths. Special attention is given to the Coney Island Cycle Path, an early example that set a model for others, and the California Cycle-Way, an elevated cycle path that epitomized some of the bolder plans to create a cycling network. Finally, the chapter explores the ways in which bicycle paths fragmented the emergent bicycle coalition, some of whom saw the paths as the greatest achievement of cyclists, others of whom thought the paths would detract from the good roads movement and undermine the bicycle's status as a legitimate vehicle.
William Howland Kenney
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195171778
- eISBN:
- 9780199849789
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195171778.003.0002
- Subject:
- Music, History, American
In the 1890s, before the phonograph industry had time to establish what became in to the teenagers of the following century a tidy facade of domestic bourgeois respectability, another largely ...
More
In the 1890s, before the phonograph industry had time to establish what became in to the teenagers of the following century a tidy facade of domestic bourgeois respectability, another largely forgotten world of coin-operated cylinder machines spun forth raucous worlds of popular entertainment. This other, earlier, and formative phonographic world, so suggestive of the juke box circles of the 1930s, provides ample evidence that the industry planted strong roots in turn-of-the-century popular culture. Many Americans learned how to use recorded entertainment as a significant new means of holding reminders of the past in suspension with reactions to the present. The phonograph parlors of the 1890s introduced short samples of the sounds of American popular music into the public urban world of “cheap amusements”, commercialized entertainments like concert saloons, musical halls, vaudeville theaters, dime museums, and burlesque halls that flourished in the emerging bright-light neighborhoods of cities in the United States. The Coney Island Crowd continued to make disc recordings intended for domestic use up to World War I.Less
In the 1890s, before the phonograph industry had time to establish what became in to the teenagers of the following century a tidy facade of domestic bourgeois respectability, another largely forgotten world of coin-operated cylinder machines spun forth raucous worlds of popular entertainment. This other, earlier, and formative phonographic world, so suggestive of the juke box circles of the 1930s, provides ample evidence that the industry planted strong roots in turn-of-the-century popular culture. Many Americans learned how to use recorded entertainment as a significant new means of holding reminders of the past in suspension with reactions to the present. The phonograph parlors of the 1890s introduced short samples of the sounds of American popular music into the public urban world of “cheap amusements”, commercialized entertainments like concert saloons, musical halls, vaudeville theaters, dime museums, and burlesque halls that flourished in the emerging bright-light neighborhoods of cities in the United States. The Coney Island Crowd continued to make disc recordings intended for domestic use up to World War I.
Jamie L. Pietruska
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- May 2018
- ISBN:
- 9780226475004
- eISBN:
- 9780226509150
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Chicago Press
- DOI:
- 10.7208/chicago/9780226509150.003.0006
- Subject:
- History, American History: 19th Century
This chapter examines the policing and prosecution of urban fortune-tellers, primarily in New York, in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, analyzing the entwined histories of ...
More
This chapter examines the policing and prosecution of urban fortune-tellers, primarily in New York, in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, analyzing the entwined histories of fortune-telling as a social fad and a social threat. It traces the growth and transformation of the fortune-telling business in late-nineteenth-century cities, its rise as middle-class entertainment, and fortune-tellers’ professionalization as well as literary and journalistic critiques of fortune-telling and turn-of-the-century moral reform at Coney Island, where fortune-tellers maintained a thriving business despite antidivination prosecutions. The chapter focuses on a series of appellate court decisions in the 1890s and first two decades of the twentieth century that grappled with how to apply the law against “pretending to tell fortunes” to fortune-tellers’ intent and formulated a new legal framework permitting occult predictions that acknowledged their own uncertainty. This chapter emphasizes the significance of gender and race in the history of fortune-telling and especially in the careers of astrologer Evangeline Adams and character reader Adena Minott, both of whom operated successful businesses in New York in the 1910s. It also examines legal frameworks for astrology and Spiritualism in the 1910s and concludes with a discussion of congressional hearings on fortune-telling in 1926.Less
This chapter examines the policing and prosecution of urban fortune-tellers, primarily in New York, in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, analyzing the entwined histories of fortune-telling as a social fad and a social threat. It traces the growth and transformation of the fortune-telling business in late-nineteenth-century cities, its rise as middle-class entertainment, and fortune-tellers’ professionalization as well as literary and journalistic critiques of fortune-telling and turn-of-the-century moral reform at Coney Island, where fortune-tellers maintained a thriving business despite antidivination prosecutions. The chapter focuses on a series of appellate court decisions in the 1890s and first two decades of the twentieth century that grappled with how to apply the law against “pretending to tell fortunes” to fortune-tellers’ intent and formulated a new legal framework permitting occult predictions that acknowledged their own uncertainty. This chapter emphasizes the significance of gender and race in the history of fortune-telling and especially in the careers of astrologer Evangeline Adams and character reader Adena Minott, both of whom operated successful businesses in New York in the 1910s. It also examines legal frameworks for astrology and Spiritualism in the 1910s and concludes with a discussion of congressional hearings on fortune-telling in 1926.
