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This chapter begins with the relationship and “marriage” of Anna Held and Ziegfeld (the marriage was never formalized) and discusses how Ziegfeld turned Held into a national celebrity by planting a false newspaper story about her fondness for milk baths. The first signs of strain in the marriage appear as Held’s tours keep her and Ziegfeld apart. Ziegfeld attempts to create shows for Held that critics and audiences will not deem old-fashioned, and his well-known reputation for pessimism regarding his productions is reinforced by several flops. The chapter compares Ziegfeld’s shows with other shows on Broadway, mainly those of George M. Cohan. It also delves into the self-destructive habits Ziegfeld uses to cope with failure, such as gambling and refusing to commit to a settled life with Held. Ziegfeld shows his commitment to Held through the vehicles he finds for her rather than through quality time spent together.

The book begins with Ziegfeld’s upbringing in Chicago and the early influences in his life, including his father’s classical music college, burlesque music halls, and Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. His closeness with his mother and his difficulties with his father result in a lifelong preference for the company of women. The narrative explores Ziegfeld Sr.’s involvement with the 1893 World’s Fair, which leads the younger Ziegfeld to his career path as a producer-manager. He brings Eugen Sandow, a German strongman, to the fair and makes him a star. This chapter covers the early stages of Ziegfeld’s development as a showman and his sensational publicity tactics, which he uses to make his next discovery, a singer named Anna Held, a star. The chapter also analyzes the theater of the 1890s, including the early revues that inspired Ziegfeld, such as The Gaiety Girl and Florodora.

This chapter discusses world events and developments in the theater that directly affect Ziegfeld’s life and work. The sinking of the Lusitania and America’s impending entrance into World War I lead to a wave of patriotism on Broadway. The 1916 Follies cleverly blends American music with spoofs of the army. Fanny Brice continues to be a hit with audiences, as does newcomer Eddie Cantor. The chapter includes a description of how Ziegfeld runs his office, with his clerical methods reflecting little of the perfection he demands from his shows. His fear of death, blood, and hospitals is also discussed as the chapter tells of his daughter Patricia’s birth and Anna Held’s death. He is absent for both events. The chapter also comments on Held’s legacy and the impact she had on Ziegfeld’s life and career. Ziegfeld tries to be a more devoted husband and father, and at Burke’s urging, he endeavors to make the Follies more appealing to families.

The chapter examines Mae Murray’s reluctance to associate herself with Florenz Ziegfeld, who gave her a break and furthered her career in musical comedy. The chapter examines her work in the Follies of 1908, Miss Innocence, The Young Turk, the Follies of 1909, and The Bachelor Belles. The chapter introduces the reader to playboy William M. Schwenker, the son of a millionaire, a stage-door Johnny, and Murray’s first husband. When Murray learns her new husband has no money of his own, the young dancer finds herself cooking on a small gas stove and surviving on $15 a week. The reader is introduced to some of the legendary luminaries of early New York theatre: Anna Held, Diamond Jim Brady, Lillian Lorraine, Nora Bayes, and Eva Tanguay.

The epilogue reiterates the book’s primary argument that Ziegfeld was not the ruthless, womanizing, one-dimensional producer many historians have made him out to be. It reflects on his flaws but focuses more on the unexpectedly tender side of his personality, as shown through his treatment of his daughter, his stars, and his wives. Also discussed is his impact on the image of women in the twentieth century and how his visions changed the popular view of beauty. The innovations Ziegfeld brought to musical theater are reviewed (e.g., integrating song with plot; elevating chorus girls into legitimate actresses; employing a sole songwriter or songwriting team to compose an entire score; and incorporating aspects of different types of musicals, such as the French revue, vaudeville, European operetta, and American book musical, to produce unique shows). The book ends with a statement by Will Rogers asserting that Ziegfeld created a special type of magic that could never be killed.