Kathryn H. Fuller-Seeley
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- May 2018
- ISBN:
- 9780520295049
- eISBN:
- 9780520967946
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of California Press
- DOI:
- 10.1525/california/9780520295049.003.0003
- Subject:
- Film, Television and Radio, Radio
Reluctant, young Sadye Marks becomes drawn into vaudeville and radio performance through marriage to Jack Benny. The character created for her by Harry Conn, Mary Livingstone, becomes a popular and ...
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Reluctant, young Sadye Marks becomes drawn into vaudeville and radio performance through marriage to Jack Benny. The character created for her by Harry Conn, Mary Livingstone, becomes a popular and unique character in American entertainment. As Jack’s sometimes-secretary and chief heckler, Mary criticizes men with remarkable freedom, yet also retains her independence and attractiveness, much like Hollywood heroines of the 1930s, and yet Mary never has to get married in the final reel. Mary Livingstone had great cultural impact, and star status, in the 1930s as a comic “Unruly Woman.” After World War II, however, Mary’s inhibitions drew her away from the microphone, and her delightfully tart tongue was heard less frequently. With a fascinating affinity for a feminist viewpoint, female characters in the Benny show narrative universe were tough and usually prevailed over the men.Less
Reluctant, young Sadye Marks becomes drawn into vaudeville and radio performance through marriage to Jack Benny. The character created for her by Harry Conn, Mary Livingstone, becomes a popular and unique character in American entertainment. As Jack’s sometimes-secretary and chief heckler, Mary criticizes men with remarkable freedom, yet also retains her independence and attractiveness, much like Hollywood heroines of the 1930s, and yet Mary never has to get married in the final reel. Mary Livingstone had great cultural impact, and star status, in the 1930s as a comic “Unruly Woman.” After World War II, however, Mary’s inhibitions drew her away from the microphone, and her delightfully tart tongue was heard less frequently. With a fascinating affinity for a feminist viewpoint, female characters in the Benny show narrative universe were tough and usually prevailed over the men.
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- March 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780226514543
- eISBN:
- 9780226514567
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Chicago Press
- DOI:
- 10.7208/chicago/9780226514567.003.0004
- Subject:
- Political Science, International Relations and Politics
There have been many American women who have run campaigns to be president of the United States, one of whom was Gracie Allen in the 1940s. Her campaign shows an important truth about presidential ...
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There have been many American women who have run campaigns to be president of the United States, one of whom was Gracie Allen in the 1940s. Her campaign shows an important truth about presidential campaigns. Increasing women's formal political representation as political officeholders promotes both normative and instrumental values central to democratic theory and practice. Political structures matter for women's election to national political office. Maternal public policies in a democratic state have a positive impact on the election of women to national legislatures. It is shown that Sweden, Denmark, and Norway perform gender quotas, welfare provision, and monarchies; Iceland performs welfare provision and gender quotas; and Finland performs welfare provision. The laggard status of the American state compared to other democracies when it comes to women's political representation is explained by its failure, beginning with its very founding, to institute such a state.Less
There have been many American women who have run campaigns to be president of the United States, one of whom was Gracie Allen in the 1940s. Her campaign shows an important truth about presidential campaigns. Increasing women's formal political representation as political officeholders promotes both normative and instrumental values central to democratic theory and practice. Political structures matter for women's election to national political office. Maternal public policies in a democratic state have a positive impact on the election of women to national legislatures. It is shown that Sweden, Denmark, and Norway perform gender quotas, welfare provision, and monarchies; Iceland performs welfare provision and gender quotas; and Finland performs welfare provision. The laggard status of the American state compared to other democracies when it comes to women's political representation is explained by its failure, beginning with its very founding, to institute such a state.
