Ellen M. Peck
- Published in print:
- 2020
- Published Online:
- October 2020
- ISBN:
- 9780190873585
- eISBN:
- 9780190873615
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780190873585.003.0004
- Subject:
- Music, History, American
This chapter examines two musical comedies by Young: Lady Luxury and Sometime. Both shows demonstrate the hallmarks of musical comedy: they take place in the present, use common slang and topical ...
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This chapter examines two musical comedies by Young: Lady Luxury and Sometime. Both shows demonstrate the hallmarks of musical comedy: they take place in the present, use common slang and topical references, use dance as entertainment (rather than to advance plot), and are lighthearted. Lady Luxury is one of Young’s funniest musical comedies and anticipates some of the characters and themes of the 1925 hit No, No, Nanette. Sometime, which Young wrote with Rudolf Friml, contains aspects of operetta and musical comedy. It featured Ed Wynn, who may have written his own dialogue. For both shows, the chapter provides a synopsis and analysis of the libretto and lyrics.Less
This chapter examines two musical comedies by Young: Lady Luxury and Sometime. Both shows demonstrate the hallmarks of musical comedy: they take place in the present, use common slang and topical references, use dance as entertainment (rather than to advance plot), and are lighthearted. Lady Luxury is one of Young’s funniest musical comedies and anticipates some of the characters and themes of the 1925 hit No, No, Nanette. Sometime, which Young wrote with Rudolf Friml, contains aspects of operetta and musical comedy. It featured Ed Wynn, who may have written his own dialogue. For both shows, the chapter provides a synopsis and analysis of the libretto and lyrics.
Cynthia Brideson and Sara Brideson
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- January 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780813160887
- eISBN:
- 9780813165530
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University Press of Kentucky
- DOI:
- 10.5810/kentucky/9780813160887.003.0019
- Subject:
- Film, Television and Radio, Film
As this chapter begins, Ziegfeld produces an unlikely hit—an operetta of The Three Musketeers. Discussed are playwright William Anthony McGuire’s unprofessional, drunken behavior; backstage feuds; ...
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As this chapter begins, Ziegfeld produces an unlikely hit—an operetta of The Three Musketeers. Discussed are playwright William Anthony McGuire’s unprofessional, drunken behavior; backstage feuds; and Patricia’s propensity to fall in love with the leading men in her father’s productions. Ziegfeld’s production of Whoopee with Eddie Cantor is a phenomenal success and the producer’s fourth successive hit in the course of one year. Next he coproduces a film with Jesse Lasky, Glorifying the American Girl, although he still does not consider Hollywood a worthy rival. Ziegfeld reopens the Frolic, despite the fact that Prohibition is still in full swing. He then goes on to produce Show Girl and Noel Coward’s Bitter Sweet. The latter show gets a lukewarm reception, mainly because it opens the same week that the stock market crashes. Ziegfeld loses everything but continues to produce shows. His next one, Simple Simon, flops, and he seriously reconsiders his views on Hollywood. The chapter concludes with Ziegfeld planning to explore career possibilities on the West Coast. Thanks to talking films, musicals are booming in popularity.Less
As this chapter begins, Ziegfeld produces an unlikely hit—an operetta of The Three Musketeers. Discussed are playwright William Anthony McGuire’s unprofessional, drunken behavior; backstage feuds; and Patricia’s propensity to fall in love with the leading men in her father’s productions. Ziegfeld’s production of Whoopee with Eddie Cantor is a phenomenal success and the producer’s fourth successive hit in the course of one year. Next he coproduces a film with Jesse Lasky, Glorifying the American Girl, although he still does not consider Hollywood a worthy rival. Ziegfeld reopens the Frolic, despite the fact that Prohibition is still in full swing. He then goes on to produce Show Girl and Noel Coward’s Bitter Sweet. The latter show gets a lukewarm reception, mainly because it opens the same week that the stock market crashes. Ziegfeld loses everything but continues to produce shows. His next one, Simple Simon, flops, and he seriously reconsiders his views on Hollywood. The chapter concludes with Ziegfeld planning to explore career possibilities on the West Coast. Thanks to talking films, musicals are booming in popularity.
