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| '''Vaudeville''' is a style of ], also known as ''variety'', which flourished in ] from the ] through the ]. Its ] rose in step with the rise of ] and the growth of North American ] during this period, and declined with the introduction of ]s and ]. The origin of the ] is obscure, but the term is often considered a corruption of the expression "voix de ville", or "voice of the city". Another plausible ] is that it is a corruption of the ] ''Vau de ]'', a valley in ] noted for style of ]s with topical themes. The original of this style of entertainment began in ] in about ]. | |||
| The first beginnings of a vaudeville type theater was opened by impresario ] in ] in ]. Vaudeville theaters featured ]s of various types: ], ], ], ] ]s, ], ] and ], and ] ] tours. Many early ] and radio performers, such as ], ], the ], ] and The ], started in vaudeville. | |||
| There was no sharp end to vaudeville. The advent of radio and the cinema in the late ] started the decline, furthered in the early ] by the ]. The closing of the prestigious Palace Theater in ] in ] is regarded as an important marker in vaudeville's fading. The difficulties in civilian ]ation during ] and the subsequent rise of ] helped end what was left of the old vaudeville ]s. | |||
| <div style="float:right; width: 210px; padding:2px; margin-right: 1em; text-align:center"> | |||
| ]<br>''From newspaper promotional for vaudeville character actor Charles E. Grapewin''</div> | |||
| The television ] ] owed much to vaudeville, and many vaudeville performers made the transition to television. An equivalent form of theater in the ] at the same time was referred to as "]", and in the UK the term "vaudeville" was used to refer to what in the ] would have been called "]", e.g., a more low-brow form with emphasis on ] and ] ]. | |||
| Vaudeville in the US also marked the introduction of big ] into the ] of popular ]. Several circuits of theaters were built by Keith & Albee, Sullivan & Consodine, Alexander Pantages, Marcus Loew, and others. | |||
| These businessmen hired full-time travelling performers, set strict rules about the kinds of shows allowed in their theaters, and competed fiercely among themselves for the best acts. Keith & Albee in particular tried to maintain high standards for their shows, and did not allow anything bawdy or even suggestive on their stages. Even "legitimate" theater ]s like ] sometimes supplemented their income with appearances in these shows. | |||
| Vaudeville has all but disappeared from the stage, with the exception of small (but popular) throwback acts like ]. | |||
| == Noted Vaudeville Performers Included: == | |||
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| * ] aka ''Ukelele Ike'' | |||
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| == See also == | |||
| * ] | |||
| == External link== | |||
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