Broadway enters its most prodigious period; songwriters create a new musical mythology of Broadway and send it across the country.
TIMELINE
100 YEARS OF MUSICAL THEATER
1920-1932: Broadway Melody
01.01.1920
1920
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Marilyn Miller, one of the stars of the Ziegfeld Follies. (Photofest)
The New York Public Library and Photofest
"George White's Scandals" features a full score by George Gershwin.
Rodgers and Hart write the full score for "Poor Little Ritz Girl," but half of their songs are replaced by the producer before opening night without their knowledge.
Jerome Kern writes "Look for the Silver Lining" for star Marilyn Miller in Ziegfeld's showcase, "Sally."
Rodgers and Hart write the full score for "Poor Little Ritz Girl," but half of their songs are replaced by the producer before opening night without their knowledge.
Jerome Kern writes "Look for the Silver Lining" for star Marilyn Miller in Ziegfeld's showcase, "Sally."
01.01.1921
1921
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Chorus girls from ''Shuffle Along'' in 1921. Josephine Baker is sixth from the right. (Sissle and Blake)
Sissle and Blake
Irving Berlin begins his Music Box Revues.
"Shuffle Along," an all-black show written by the African-American team of Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake, is a Broadway sensation.
Fanny Brice introduces "My Man" in the "Follies of 1921."
"Shuffle Along," an all-black show written by the African-American team of Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake, is a Broadway sensation.
Fanny Brice introduces "My Man" in the "Follies of 1921."
01.01.1922
1922
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A young George Gershwin playing the piano. (Library of Congress)
The Library of Congress
George Gershwin and his brother Ira collaborate on the song "(I'll Build a) Stairway to Paradise" for "George White's Scandals."
01.01.1923
1923
Eddie Cantor gets his own star vehicle from Ziegfeld, "Kid Boots," about a wisecracking golf caddy.
British comedienne Beatrice Lillie makes her Broadway debut in "Charlot's Revue."
British comedienne Beatrice Lillie makes her Broadway debut in "Charlot's Revue."
01.01.1924
1924
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Fred and Adele Astaire dancing in ''Lady, Be Good!'' (The New York Public Library)
The New York Public Library
Impresario Earl Carroll begins his "Vanities," a series of risqué revues.
"Lady, Be Good!" is the first full musical comedy produced by the Gershwins and stars the dancing team sensation of siblings Fred and Adele Astaire.
Walter Winchell begins his Broadway column in the EVENING GRAPHIC.
"Lady, Be Good!" is the first full musical comedy produced by the Gershwins and stars the dancing team sensation of siblings Fred and Adele Astaire.
Walter Winchell begins his Broadway column in the EVENING GRAPHIC.
01.01.1925
1925
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The Marx Brothers pose onstage with a beach backdrop for ''Animal Crackers.'' (The New York Public Library)
The New York Public Library
The Marx Brothers star in their first Broadway musical comedy, "The Cocoanuts," written for them by Irving Berlin and comic playwright George S. Kaufman.
"Manhattan" by Rodgers and Hart is showcased in "The Garrick Gaieties" and turns the duo into an overnight sensation.
"No, No, Nanette," already a smash hit in Chicago and London, sets Broadway's toes a-tapping with "Tea for Two" and "I Want to Be Happy."
"Manhattan" by Rodgers and Hart is showcased in "The Garrick Gaieties" and turns the duo into an overnight sensation.
"No, No, Nanette," already a smash hit in Chicago and London, sets Broadway's toes a-tapping with "Tea for Two" and "I Want to Be Happy."
01.01.1926
1926
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A scene from ''Oh,Kay!,'' with Gertrude Lawrence and Victor Moore as servers. (Photofest)
Photofest
Oscar Hammerstein II and Sigmund Romberg score a huge success with their Moroccan operetta, "The Desert Song."
The new songwriting team of DeSylva, Brown, and Henderson strikes it big with "Black Bottom" in "George White's Scandals."
"Someone to Watch Over Me" sung by Gertrude Lawrence in "Oh, Kay!" becomes a standard.
The new songwriting team of DeSylva, Brown, and Henderson strikes it big with "Black Bottom" in "George White's Scandals."
"Someone to Watch Over Me" sung by Gertrude Lawrence in "Oh, Kay!" becomes a standard.
01.01.1927
1927
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A scene from the original production of ''Show Boat.'' (The New York Public Library)
The New York Public Library
Rodgers and Hart bring Mark Twain to the musical stage with "A Connecticut Yankee"; songs include "Thou Swell."
"Show Boat," a collaboration among Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein II, and Florenz Ziegfeld, docks at the Ziegfeld Theatre. Its complex narrative and racial themes make it a groundbreaking show; songs include "Bill" and "Ol' Man River."
THE JAZZ SINGER, the first motion picture to include singing and dialogue, opens with Al Jolson in the lead role and revolutionizes the movie industry.
"Show Boat," a collaboration among Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein II, and Florenz Ziegfeld, docks at the Ziegfeld Theatre. Its complex narrative and racial themes make it a groundbreaking show; songs include "Bill" and "Ol' Man River."
THE JAZZ SINGER, the first motion picture to include singing and dialogue, opens with Al Jolson in the lead role and revolutionizes the movie industry.
01.01.1928
1928
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A scene from the operetta ''The New Moon.'' From left to right: Vincent Clive, Edmund Willard, Evelyn Laye, Jack Livesey, and Harry Welchman. (The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization)
The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization
"Animal Crackers" opens, starring the Marx Brothers. During the day, they film the motion picture THE COCOANUTS in Astoria, Queens.
"The New Moon," an 18th-century romantic operetta, is one of the last successful operettas: songs include "Lover Come Back to Me."
Eddie Cantor sings "Makin' Whoopee" in "Whoopee!".
"The New Moon," an 18th-century romantic operetta, is one of the last successful operettas: songs include "Lover Come Back to Me."
Eddie Cantor sings "Makin' Whoopee" in "Whoopee!".
01.01.1929
1929
Cole Porter, having returned from Paris the previous season, scores a hit with "Fifty Million Frenchmen"; songs include "You Do Something to Me."
Harlem jazz moves downtown, as Louis Armstrong plays "Ain't Misbehavin'" in the revue "Hot Chocolates."
Harlem jazz moves downtown, as Louis Armstrong plays "Ain't Misbehavin'" in the revue "Hot Chocolates."
01.01.1930
1930
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Ethel Merman stands in front of the chorus girls from ''Girl Crazy.'' (The New York Public Library)
The New York Public Library
The Gershwins' "Strike up the Band" is the first musical to open the 1930s; a previous version closed in Philadelphia in 1927.
Ethel Merman creates a sensation singing "I Got Rhythm" in her Broadway debut, "Girl Crazy."
The exodus of Broadway talent to Hollywood begins in earnest: Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, the Gershwins, and the Marx Brothers go to L.A.
BROADWAY MELODY is the first musical to win an Academy Award.
Ethel Merman creates a sensation singing "I Got Rhythm" in her Broadway debut, "Girl Crazy."
The exodus of Broadway talent to Hollywood begins in earnest: Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, the Gershwins, and the Marx Brothers go to L.A.
BROADWAY MELODY is the first musical to win an Academy Award.
01.01.1931
1931
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A scene from ''Of 'Thee I Sing.'' (The New York Public Library)
The New York Public Library
Fred and Adele Astaire perform in their last musical together, the revue "The Band Wagon," written by Dietz and Schwartz; songs include "Dancing in the Dark."
"Of Thee I Sing" opens. Written by the Gershwins, George S. Kaufman, and Morrie Ryskind, it is the first full-length musical to spoof the presidency and the first to win the Pulitzer Prize.
Rodgers and Hart join their colleagues in Hollywood.
"Of Thee I Sing" opens. Written by the Gershwins, George S. Kaufman, and Morrie Ryskind, it is the first full-length musical to spoof the presidency and the first to win the Pulitzer Prize.
Rodgers and Hart join their colleagues in Hollywood.
01.01.1932
1932
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Scene for the song ''Brother Can You Spare a Dime?'' in ''Americana.'' (The New York Public Library)
The New York Public Library
Irving Berlin returns to Broadway to write "Face the Music"; the spoof contains the upbeat tune "Let's Have Another Cup of Coffee."
"Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" by E. Y. Harburg and Jay Gorney appears in a revue called "New Americana"; it becomes the anthem of the depression.
Ziegfeld revives "Show Boat" on Broadway, featuring Paul Robeson as Joe; Ziegfeld dies in Hollywood later in the year, several million dollars in debt.
"Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" by E. Y. Harburg and Jay Gorney appears in a revue called "New Americana"; it becomes the anthem of the depression.
Ziegfeld revives "Show Boat" on Broadway, featuring Paul Robeson as Joe; Ziegfeld dies in Hollywood later in the year, several million dollars in debt.
