While the initial origins of vaudeville are obscure, historians acknowledge that the opening of Tony Pastor's Fourteenth Street Theatre in New York City on 24 October 1881 marks the beginning of American vaudeville. Pastor had refined the rough variety acts into something wholesome enough for women and children. Other theatre owners quickly picked up on Pastor's new style of vaude and theatres began springing up like weeds and would continue in a quick pace until the 1920s. Vaudeville kept the pace up as well reaching its height around 1915. These heights included an industrialization of the business of vaudeville. Following this climax, vaudeville began to struggle with competition from film and in the following decade, radio. These mediums competed not only for audiences, but talent as well. Towards the end of the 1920s, vaudeville theatres began to be converted to cinemas or closed altogether with entire circuits. After the blow dealt the world by the economic downturn of the Great Depression, vaudeville's pulse quickly weakened. Just as historians mark the date of the "birth" of vaude, the date of it's death is marked as well. New York's Palace Theatre on Broadway, was the palace of vaudeville; a place where only the greatest of vaude's performers performed. On 16 November 1932, the last vaudeville bill was played there and the Palace became a full-time movie house. Vaudeville did continue to struggle on, but it never again reached the heights attained in 1915.[1]
Name |
Birth |
Death |
Nationality |
Performance notes |
Reference |
Abbott and Costello |
|
|
American |
Comic duo consisting of William (Bud) Abbott (2 October 1897 - 24 April 1974) and Lou Costello (6 March 1906 - 3 March 1959). Abbott began working in vaude in 1918, producing a "tab show" on the Gun Sun circuit with his wife. Later, he began working as a comic "straight man." Abbott and Costello met around 1929 and possibly performed together in vaude in the very early 1930s. The duo went on to work in radio and film. |
[2] |
Jean Acker |
23 October 1893 |
16 August 1978 |
American |
Actress known primarily for her work on film and as the first wife of Rudolf Valentino. |
[3] |
Jean Adair |
13 June 1873 |
11 May 1953 |
Canadian |
Actress of the "legit" stage who appeared in vaudeville in a sketch, Maggie Taylor, Waitress. Adair usually played mothers and elderly aunts onstage following her New York debut in 1922. One of her best known roles was as Aunt Martha in the play, Arsenic and Old Lace. |
[4][5] |
Milton Ager |
6 October 1893 |
6 May 1979 |
American |
Pianist and songwriter. Ager worked in vaudeville prior to 1910 as an accompanist. He wrote for the stage and Hollywood and composed the song, "Happy Days Are Here Again" with lyrics by Jack Yellen. |
[6] |
Will Ahern |
9 October 1896 |
16 May 1983 |
American |
Cowboy comedian and entertainer who performed in a comic duo with his wife, Gladys Reese. Ahearn told jokes and performed rope tricks while his wife, using a Mexican accent, sang and danced. |
[7] |
Harry Akst |
15 August 1894 |
31 March 1963 |
American |
Pianist and songwriter, Akst accompanied singers including Al Jolson, Nora Bayes and Frank Fay. Perhaps his most notable song is "Dinah," which has been covered by such artists as Bing Crosby, the Mills Brothers and Fats Waller. |
[8] |
Jack Albertson |
16 June 1907 |
25 November 1981 |
American |
Actor, comedian, dancer and singer. After vaudeville, Albertson worked in burlesque, on Broadway and in Hollywood, winning a Tony Award, an Emmy Award and an Academy Award. |
[9] |
Robert Alda |
26 February 1914 |
3 May 1986 |
American |
Actor, singer and dancer whose vaudeville career began in earnest after winning a talent contest. After working in vaudeville and burlesque, Alda appeared on Broadway, winning a Tony Award for the role of Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls. He later appeared in film, as well. He is the father of TV and film actor, Alan Alda. |
[10][11] |
Russell Alexander |
26 February 1877 |
2 October 1915 |
American |
Euphonium virtuoso and musician who performed in a novelty musical act with his brothers, Newton and Woodruff. It was Newton who first formed the act, called "The Exposition Four," which consisted of Newton, Woodruff, James Brady and Willie Patten. Russell replaced Patten later. The group performed a comedy act with some blackface but also performed virtuosic feats on their instruments. Russell would become one of the greatest of circus music composers. |
[12] |
Hadji Ali |
1892 |
5 November 1937 |
Egyptian |
Regurgitator, billed as "The Egyptian Enigma," who performed an act where he swallowed kerosene followed by water. After regurgitating the kerosene and setting it ablaze, he would put out the flames with the regurgitated water. He also swallowed and regurgitated nuts and live goldfish. |
[13] |
Maud Allan |
27 August 1873 |
7 October 1956 |
Canadian |
A dancer, Allan created the famous "Salome Dance," a dance of her own creation. After performing it firsat at London's Palace Theatre, in March of 1908, she appeared at New York's Palace Theatre 20 January 1910. She toured in American vaude from 1916-7 and 1919-20. |
[14][15][16] |
Fred Allen |
31 May 1894 |
17 March 1956 |
American |
Juggler and comedian who also performed in a comic duo with his wife, Portland Hoffa (25 January 1905 - 25 December 1990). His original act featured Allen as a ventriloquist, the comedy coming from his lack of talent (at one point the dummy would fall apart). Later his act featured Allen as a clumsy juggler and once his wife joined, she would act as the "straight man" to his bad juggling routine. Later, the couple would gain prominence on the radio. |
[17] |
Lester Allen |
17 November 1891 |
6 November 1949 |
American |
Comedian who appeared in a double act with Nellie Breen. He also emceed at the Palace. |
[18] |
Louis Alter |
18 June 1902 |
5 November 1980 |
American |
Pianist and songwriter who accompanied Nora Bayes for a number of years and wrote songs for Irène Bordoni, Beatrice Lillie and Helen Morgan. Among his most popular songs are "Manhattan Serenade" and "Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans." |
[19][20] |
Nick Altrock |
15 September 1876 |
20 January 1965 |
American |
Former basbeball player who appeared in a comedy routine with Al Schacht, "The Clown Prince of Baseball." |
[21] |
Kirk Alyn |
31 May 1908 |
6 December 1993 |
American |
Singer and dancer. Later notable as the first actor to play Superman on film. |
[22] |
Don Ameche |
31 May 1906 |
14 March 1999 |
American |
Comedian with Texas Guinan's troupe. After vaude, Ameche worked in film, winning an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1985 for his work on the film, Cocoon. |
[23][24] |
Morey Amsterdam |
14 December 1908 |
27 October 1996 |
American |
Amsterdam debuted in vaude as a cellist with his brother, a pianist. Within a short while, the act had become a comedy routine; Amsterdam's cello becoming a mere prop. After working in a nightclub owned by Al Capone, Amsterdam worked in radio, where he had his own variety show, The Morey Amsterdam Show, and in television where he was cast as one of Dick Van Dyke's co-workers on The Dick Van Dyke Show. |
[25] |
"Broncho Billy" Anderson |
21 March 1880 |
20 January 1971 |
American |
Actor. After vaude, Anderson became the first star of the Western film genre. In addition, with George K. Spoor, he founded Essanay Studios ("S" for Spoor and "A" for Anderson) in Chicago. |
[26] |
Eddie Anderson |
18 September 1905 |
28 February 1977 |
American |
Born into a vaudevillian family, Anderson began performing in a song and dance act with his brother, Cornelius and another young man, at the age of 14. The act was billed as the "Three Black Aces." Following vaude, Anderson appeared with fellow vaudevillian, Jack Benny, as "Rochester" on The Jack Benny Show on radio and later TV. |
[27] |
Andrews Sisters |
|
|
American |
Trio of sisters, LaVerne (6 July 1911 - 8 May 1967), Maxine (3 January 1916 - 21 October 1995) and Patty (16 February 1918) who sang in close harmony. The trio started touring vaudeville in the early 1930s with the Larry Rich band. |
[28] |
Margaret Anglin |
3 April 1876 |
7 January 1958 |
Canadian |
Actress from the legitimate stage who appeared in a sketch of the play The Wager, The Playhouse Theatre, New York, December 1917. Anglin was one of the most noted actresses on the American stage in her time, having gained the admiration of Sarah Bernhardt, the greatest actress of the age. |
[4][29] |
A. E. Anson |
14 September 1879 |
25 June 1936 |
British |
Shakespearian actor who appeared in a vaudeville sketch entitled 1690 which he wrote himself. |
[30] |
Capt. Adrian C. "Cap" Anson |
17 April 1852 |
14 April 1922 |
American |
Former baseball player who appeared in a sketch in 1913 with a monologue and short dance. He reappeared with his daughters in 1921. |
[31] |
Dave Apollon |
1898 |
30 May 1972 |
Russian-American |
Mandolinist. Apollon arrived in the US from Russia in 1921. Finding success in vaude, Apollon appeared as an emcee at the Palace and also appeared with his Filipino Orchestra on the last two-a-day program there, 7 May 1932. He also appeared in the final vaudeville presentation at the Loew's State Theatre, New York City, 23 December 1947. |
[32] |
Maclyn Arbuckle |
9 July 1866 |
31 March 1931 |
American |
Character actor who toured vaude in the sketch, The Welcher in 1910. Arbuckle made his stage debut in Shreveport, Louisiana in 1888 and his New York debut in 1900. He found success playing "homespun" type characters and eventually he moved into film, creating the San Antonio Pictures Corporation. |
[33][34][35] |
Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle |
24 March 1887 |
29 June 1933 |
American |
Arbuckle was a portly comic actor who mentored under vaudeville veteran, Leon Errol. After leaving the stage, Arbuckle became a well-known comedian in silent films, eventually partnering with Buster Keaton. His career was destroyed by accusations that he murdered a young actress. Following two trials ending in hung juries and a final trial that acquitted him, Arbuckle's career was ruined. |
[36] |
Harold Arlen |
15 February 1905 |
23 April 1986 |
American |
Pianist, musician and composer. Among his more well-known songs are "Stormy Weather," "Get Happy" and songs for the movie-musical, The Wizard of Oz. |
[37] |
Armida |
29 May 1911 |
23 October 1989 |
American |
Mexican-American singer and actress discovered while performing with her sister, Dolores, in Los Angeles. After becoming a part of Gus Edwards' vaudeville troupe, she made a number of films, including 1930's On the Border with John Barrymore and Rin-Tin-Tin. |
[38] |
Julia Arthur |
3 May 1868 |
28 March 1950 |
Canadian |
Actress from the "legit" stage who appeared at the Palace in May 1917 in a sketch called Liberty Aflame . As well as working onstage, Arthur made 10 silent films from 1908-1919. |
[39][40] |
Adele and Fred Astaire |
|
|
American |
Ballroom dance duo with Fred Astaire (10 May 1899 - 22 June 1987) and his sister, Adele (10 September 1896 - 25 January 1981). The duo first appeared in vaudeville in 1912, but as Fred was underage, the duo did not return until 1916, when they toured many vaudeville circuits. |
[41][42] |
Roscoe Ates |
20 January 1896 |
1 March 1962 |
American |
Comedian known for his portrayals of comic, stuttering characters. Ates later appeared in films. |
[32] |
Cholly Atkins |
13 September 1913 |
19 April 2003 |
American |
Tap dancer in a noted dance act with Charles "Honi" Coles. Later Atkins became a choreographer for Motown. |
[43] |
Lionel Atwill |
1 March 1885 |
22 April 1946 |
British |
An actor, Atwill toured with Lillie Langtry as her leading man in the play, Ashes during 1915. Following his stage career, Atwill worked in Hollywood, appearing in many horror films during the 30s and 40s. His career was cut short by a scandal involving an orgy at his home where a young woman was raped. |
[44][45] |
Gene Austin |
24 June 1900 |
24 January 1972 |
American |
Singer and songwriter who first appeared in vaudeville in the early 1920s. He performed as one of the first "crooners." Austin appeared on radio in 1923 and began recording as "The Voice of the Southland." |
[46] |
Lovie Austin |
19 September 1887 |
10 July 1972 |
American |
Jazz pianist who toured extensively in vaude, often with her own band, the "Blues Serenaders." |
[47][48] |
Name |
Birth |
Death |
Nationality |
Performance notes |
Reference |
Lloyd Bacon |
4 December 1889 |
15 November 1955 |
American |
Broadway actor who, following a season in vaudeville went to Hollywood where he became a director with Warner Bros. after appearing as an actor in nearly 40 films. |
[49] |
Pearl Bailey |
29 March 1918 |
17 August 1990 |
American |
Singer and actress who followed vaudeville with a career onstage, on film and on TV. She garnered a Tony Award for her role on Broadway in Hello, Dolly!. |
[50] |
Belle Baker |
25 December 1893 |
29 April 1957 |
American |
Baker first ventured onstage with the encouragement of actor, Jacob Adler and later, producer, Lew Leslie. Her debut in vaudeville was in Scranton, Pennsylvania at the age of 15 and she debuted in "big-time" vaude at Hammerstein's Theatre in New York in 1911. As a singer and actress, she established her name in vaude as "The Ragtime Singer." Baker is one of the Palace headliners who performed there numerous times. Her Palace debut was in 1913, when she sang the song, "Cohen Owes Me Ninety-Seven Dollars." Following vaudeville she appeared on Broadway and on the radio. |
[51][52] |
Josephine Baker |
3 June 1906 |
12 April 1975 |
American |
Baker debuted as a chorus girl in vaudeville and in the revues Shufflin' Along, The Chocolate Dandies, and Runnin' Wild. Following that she left the US to become a renowned dancer and singer in the cabarets and nightclubs of Paris. |
[53] |
Phil Baker |
324 August 1896 |
1 December 1963 |
American |
Pianist, accordionist and comedian who began in a double act with Ben Bernie on violin. Originally a serious musical act, over time it developed comic elements. Following their split, both comedians became successful in their own right. Baker headlined at the Palace in 1930 and 1931. He later enjoyed a career on Broadway in musicals and later radio. |
[54][55] |
Nikita Balieff |
c. 1877 |
3 September 1936 |
Armenian |
Singer, dancer, actor, monologist and impresario of the Chauve-Souris comedy troupe. |
[56] |
Ernest Ball |
21 July 1878 |
3 May 1927 |
American |
Accompanist, singer and songwriter known for writing sentimental ballads, usually with Irish themes such as "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling." Ball appeared at the Palace in 1923 and 1926 and died the next year in his dressing room at the Yost Theatre in Santa Ana, California while on tour with his singing group, "Ernie Ball and His Gang." |
[57] |
Barbette |
9 December 1904 |
5 August 1975 |
American |
After seeing an aerialist in a circus, Vander Clyde or Van der Clyde (his real name) desired to become one. He responded to an ad in Billboard for the Alfaretta Sisters, an aerial act, who were looking for a replacement member. He began dressing as a female on their encouragement and continued to do so after leaving the act. In 1923, he traveled to Britain and then Paris, where he became the talk of the town. He toured Europe and returned to the US to continue in vaudeville. Following his stage career, Barbette continued to work with performers for various circuses. |
[58]
[59][60]
|
Ben Bard |
26 January 1893 |
17 May 1974 |
American |
Comedian, in a duo with Jack Pearl. |
[55] |
Wilkie Bard |
19 March 1870 |
5 March 1944 |
British |
Comedian and singer. |
[61][62] |
Reginald Barlow |
17 June 1866 |
6 July 1943 |
American |
Actor and minstrel. Appeared at the age of 9 with the minstrel troupe of Barlow, Wilson, Primrose and West. Later he became a film actor. |
[63] |
The Barrison Sisters |
|
|
Swedish |
Five sisters who performed risqué songs and dances. The sisters were Lona, Sophia, Inger, Olga and Gertrude Barrison. |
[64] |
Ethel Barrymore |
15 August 1879 |
18 June 1959 |
American |
Actress who appeared in "tab" versions of her hits in the legitimate theatre as well as one-act plays. Barrymore's debut in vaude was in the one-act play, Civilization by Richard Harding Davis at the Palace Theatre the week of 28 April 1913. In 1914, Barrymore toured in Drifted Apart and later toured the Oprheum circuit in J. M. Barrie's The Twelve Pound Look with a salary of $3000 a week. The Twelve Pound Look played the Palace, June 1921 and in September and December of 1926. |
[65][61][66] |
John Barrymore |
14 February 1882 |
29 May 1942 |
American |
Actor, Appeared in a sketch called, His Wedding Morn', caused a sensation on Broadway in Justice and later for his portrayals of Hamlet and Richard III. |
[67][61] |
Lionel Barrymore |
28 April 1878 |
15 November 1954 |
American |
Actor from the legitimate stage who appeared in a sketch of Bartley Campbell's play, The White Slave, with Doris Rankin. He also toured in The Still Voice in 1914. |
[67][61][68] |
Maurice Barrymore |
21 September 1849 |
26 March 1905 |
British |
Actor on the "legitimate stage," Barrymore made his vaudeville debut in a one-act version of Augustus Thomas' play, A Man of the World, and headlined many other sketches. |
[67][61] |
Charles Barton |
1902 |
1981 |
American |
Actor. |
[69] |
Eileen Barton |
24 November 1929 |
27 June 2006 |
American |
Sang "Ain't Misbehavin'" in her parents vaude act at the age of 2 in Kansas City, Missouri. At the age of 3 1/2, Barton appeared at the Palace as part of Ted Healy's routine. Barton later became a noted popular music singer. |
[70] |
James Barton |
1 November 1890 |
19 February 1962 |
American |
Comic dancer who made his stage debut at the age of 2. Barton appeared in vaudeville at the age of 4, working steadily in stock and repertory theatre as well. His New York stage debut was in The Passing Show of 1919 and from there on he appeared in many musicals during the 20s, appearing in vaude between roles. |
[71][72] |
Billy Barty |
25 October 1924 |
23 December 2000 |
American |
Diminutive, juvenile actor, Barty originally appeared in film. He appeared in vaude with his sisters in an act called "Billy Barty and His Sisters," where he played the drums and did impressions. Later, Barty founded two service organizations for people with dwarfism. |
[73] |
Count Basie |
21 August 1904 |
26 April 1984 |
American |
Pianist, bandleader and composer. Before the age of 20, Basie was touring on the Keith circuit and later, the Columbia Burlesque and T. O. B. A. circuits as a pianist, accompanist and musical director for singers, dancers and comedians. |
[74][75][76] |
Blanche Bates |
25 August 1873 |
25 December 1941 |
American |
Actress of the legitimate stage who appeared at the Palace in December 1918 in The World Mother. Additionally, she would play vaude houses in between engagements. Bates debuted in 1897 with Augustin Daly's company later working with David Belasco. |
[77][78] |
Clayton "Peg Leg" Bates |
11 October 1907 |
6 December 1998 |
American |
Rhythm tap dancer with only one leg. |
[79] |
Warner Baxter |
29 March 1889 |
7 May 1951 |
American |
Actor. Later won the 1929 Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as the Cisco Kid in the film In Old Arizona. |
[80] |
Nora Bayes |
1880 |
19 June 1928 |
American |
Singer and comedienne who toured with her husband, Jack Norworth from 1908-13. She introduced such standards as 'Shine On Harvest Moon' and Cohan's 'Over There.' |
[65][81] |
Beverly Bayne |
11 November 1894 |
18 August 1982 |
American |
Actress with her husband, Francis X. Bushman. Bayne and Bushman, following successful careers in silent films, appeared at the Palace in a comedy sketch, Poor Rich Man. The couple toured vaudeville throughout the 1920s. Unable to revive her film career in the late 1920s, following her divorce from Bushman, Bayne worked the rest of her life onstage. |
[82][83] |
George Beauchamp |
1899 |
1941 |
American |
Violin and steel lap guitar player. Beauchamp developed the first commercially available electric guitar. |
[84] |
George Beban |
1873 |
5 October 1928 |
American |
Known for his Italian characters. Beban began playing French characters but once he began working in film, he played Italian characters. His initial act involved recitation of a poem called, "Mia Rosa." Beban created a one-act play from the poem, The Sign of the Rose, in which he toured vaude for seven years. A full-length version, also by Beban, premiered at the Garrick Theatre in New York in 1911. Beban signed with silent film director and producer, Thomas Ince, after his work in vaudeville and appeared in a number of films including a version of The Sign of the Rose called The Alien. |
[85] |
Martin Beck |
1867 |
16 November 1940 |
Austrian-American |
Actor and later one of the top vaudeville theatre owners. |
[87] |
Digby Bell |
8 November 1849 |
20 June 1917 |
American |
Comic actor, Bell began his stagework as a singer, but eventually made his mark as a comedian. Bell was the leading comic in Lillian Russell's company and spent much of his later life in plays and vaudeville. |
[88] |
Robert Benchley |
15 September 1889 |
21 November 1945 |
American |
Actor and monologist. |
[89] |
Chief Bender |
3 May 1883 |
22 May 1954 |
American |
Former basbeball player who did an act with Kathryn Pearl called Learning the Game by George Totten Smith with music by Arthur Behim. |
[21] |
Bennie Benjamin |
4 November 1907 |
2 May 1989 |
American |
Guitarist and banjo player with a number of bands, Benjamin would become a major songwriter following his work in vaude. |
[90] |
Belle Bennett |
22 April 1891 |
4 November 1932 |
American |
Trapeze artist and later silent film actress, Bennett, following a career in vaudeville, entered film in 1916 and worked through the end of the age of silent films. |
[91] |
Richard Bennett |
1870 |
1944 |
American |
Actor who appeared in a sketch from the play The Common Man. |
[4] |
Jack Benny |
14 February 1894 |
26 December 1974 |
American |
Comedian and actor, known for his comedic violin playing (a leftover from his stage routine) and for constantly presenting the idea that he is 39 years young. His radio and TV programs featured his wife Mary, comedian Don Wilson as announcer, and character actor Eddie Anderson as Benny's valet Rochester. |
[92] |
Edgar Bergen |
16 February 1903 |
30 September 1978 |
American |
Ventrilogquist with his dummy, Charlie McCarthy. |
[93] |
Sammy Berk |
c. 1894 |
1983 |
American |
Novelty dancer. |
[94] |
Milton Berle |
12 July 1908 |
27 March 2002 |
American |
Comedian and actor, later known as "Mr. Television" for pulling in record numbers in TV's early days for his "Texaco Star Theater". |
[95] |
Irving Berlin |
11 May 1888 |
22 September 1989 |
American |
Musician and songwriter. Known for such songs as "Alexander's Ragtime Band", "White Christmas", "Easter Parade", "There's No Business Like Show Business", and "God Bless America." |
[96] |
Sam Bernard |
5 June 1863 |
16 May 1927 |
British |
Actor, "Dutch" comedian and monologist known for his German characterizations. In 1885, Bernard toured the British music hall circuit later appearing at the Palace in January, 1914 and March, 1926. |
[97] |
Sarah Bernhardt |
23 October 1844 |
26 March 1923 |
French |
Actress, known as "The Divine Sarah" and "The First Lady of the Theater" |
[98] |
Ben Bernie |
30 May 1891 |
20 October 1943 |
American |
Violinist and comedian. Had an act with Phil Baker. |
[99] |
Joe Besser |
12 August 1907 |
1 March 1988 |
American |
Besser first began in show business as a song plugger and magician's assistant. He worked his way up to being a comedian and headlined with acts such as Olsen and Johnson. After appearing on radio, Besser appeared on film and was a member of the Three Stooges for two years. |
[100] |
Amelia Bingham |
20 March 1869 |
1 September 1927 |
American |
Actress of the "legit" stage, Bingham appeared in vaudeville at the Palace in July 1909 in Big Moments from Great Plays, which included excerpts from six plays. Bingham was discovered by a traveling actor while she was waiting tables in her father's hotel while on break from Ohio Wesleyan University. Following her Broadway debut in 1893, Bingham was noted for her sparkling performances in comedies and melodramas. In addition to her performances, Bingham also managed the Bijou Theatre in New York beginning in 1900 and organized her own stock company. |
[101][4][102] |
Billie Bird |
28 February 1908 |
27 November 2002 |
American |
Actress and comedienne who was discovered in an orphanage. Bird toured with the group for some time before creating an act with another girl called, "The King Sisters" which toured the Keith-Orpheum circuit. After vaude began to fade, Bird toured in musicals and comedies and on the nightclub circuit. She also worked in film and on television. |
[103] |
Harry Blackstone, Sr. |
27 September 1885 |
16 November 1965 |
American |
Magician. |
[104] |
J. Stuart Blackton |
5 January 1875 |
13 August 1941 |
British-American |
Stage cartoonist billed as Komikal Kartoonist in an act with his friends Albert E. Smith the Komikal Konjuror and Ronald A. Reader who operated a magic lantern. |
[105] |
Block and Sully |
|
|
American |
Husband and wife comic duo composed of Jesse Block (16 December 1900 - 22 March 1983) and Eva Sully (1902 - 7 August 1990). |
[106] |
Joan Blondell |
30 August 1909 |
25 December 1979 |
American |
Actress. She joined her parents' act at 3, leaving the act in 1926 for Broadway and later Hollywood. |
[107][108] |
Lew Bloom |
8 August 1859 |
|
American |
Comic monologist and "society tramp." |
[109][110] |
Ben Blue |
12 September 1901 |
7 March 1975 |
Canadian |
Comedian and dancer. |
[109] |
Ray Bolger |
10 January 1904 |
15 January 1987 |
American |
Dancer and actor known for his "loose-limbed, comic" dancing style. Appeared on Broadway in On Your Toes and By Jupiter. Best known film role is the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz. |
[111][112] |
Bessie Bonehill |
1844 |
21 August 1902 |
British |
Male impersonator, Bonehill first appeared on the American vaudeville in 1891. She worked heavily in the British music hall as well as playing the principle boy in British pantomimes. |
[113] |
Irène Bordoni |
16 January 1895 |
19 March 1953 |
French |
Chanteuse and musical theatre star. Bordoni's first appeared in the chorus at the Théâtre des Variétés in Paris at the age of 13. She traveled to the US and began appearing on the vaude and the Broadway stages in 1912. The following year she toured the Orpheum circuit with Melville Ellis in tow as both accompanist and costume designer. From 1915-28, Bordoni appeared in a number of Broadway musicals but in vaudeville in her spare time. She appeared at the Palace in May and November of 1927 and September of 1930. After her retirement, she made occasional appearances on Broadway before dying while on tour in the musical, South Pacific. |
[114] |
Boswell Sisters |
|
|
American |
Trio of singing sisters composed of Meldania "Martha" Boswell (1905 - 1958), Constance Foore "Connee" Boswell (3 December 1907 - 11 October 1976), and Helvetia George "Vet" Boswell (20 May 1911 - 1988). |
[115] |
Hobart Bosworth |
11 August 1867 |
30 December 1943 |
American |
Actor appearing in a sketch from the play Sea Wolf. Bosworth was already an accomplished stage actor having worked with the companies of McKee Rankin and Augustin Daly as well as with some of the leading ladies of the day. After contracting tuberculosis, Bosworth traveled west and became a leading man at the Belasco Theatre in Los Angeles, where he also founded the Hobart Bosworth Institute of Dramatic Arts. He entered silent films in 1909 and created Bosworth Incorporated in order to create feature films based on the works of Jack London. In 1917, Bosworth and Ethel Grey Terry, toured in a sketch of London's Sea Wolf. |
[4][116] |
Ray Bourbon |
1893 |
19 July 1971 |
American |
Female impersonator. |
[115] |
Eddie Bracken |
7 February 1915 |
14 November 2002 |
American |
Actor and comedian, started in films as a child and later appeared as comic foil in numerous feature films. |
[117] |
Hugh Bradley |
23 May 1885 |
26 January 1949 |
American |
Baseball player who appeared with the Boston Red Sox Quartette in 1912. The quartet included Buck O'Brien, Marty Hale and Bill Lyons. |
[118] |
El Brendel |
25 March 1890 |
9 April 1964 |
American |
Comedian. |
[119] |
Jay Brennan |
6 December 1882 |
14 January 1961 |
American |
Comedian. Played the "straight man" to Bert Savoy. |
[50][120] |
Walter Brennan |
25 July 1894 |
21 September 1974 |
American |
Actor. |
[121] |
Herbert Brenon |
13 January 1880 |
22 June 1958 |
American |
Had a comic duo with his wife, Helen Oberg. Later he was a Hollywood screenwriter. |
[122] |
Fanny Brice |
29 October 1891 |
29 May 1951 |
American |
Comedienne and singer known for comedic songs, except for "My Man", and her portrayal of bratty Baby Snooks. The Ziegfeld Follies regular was famously portrayed by Barbra Streisand in Funny Girl and Funny Lady. |
[123] |
James Brockman |
8 December 1886 |
22 May 1967 |
American |
After beginning as a comedian in vaudeville, Brockman worked in musicals before settling in Hollywood as a songwriter. |
[124] |
Helen Broderick |
11 August 1891 |
25 September 1959 |
American |
Singer-comedienne who made her stage debut in the chorus of the Ziegfeld Follies of 1907. After becoming a comedienne, she developed a caustic, wisecracking style and appeared in both musical comedies and vaudeville. Later Broderick worked in Hollywood. |
[125][126] |
Harry Brooks |
20 September 1895 |
22 June 1970 |
American |
Pianist and songwriter. |
[127] |
Shelton Brooks |
4 May 1886 |
6 September 1975 |
American |
Singer, pianist and songwriter. Many of Brooks' songs were composed for vaudeville singer, Sophie Tucker and among them, the song, "Some of These Days," which became one of Tucker's most well known songs. Her 1911 recording of this song was selected in 2004 to be added to the National Recording Registry, ensuring its preservation in the Library of Congress. |
[128][129] |
Heywood Broun |
7 December 1888 |
18 December 1939 |
American |
Drama critic who worked as a monologuist in vaude and appearing at the Palace. Broun began working for the New York Tribune in 1912 and went to serve as the drama critic for the New York World from 1921-8 and also as the drama editor for Vanity Fair. |
[130][131] |
Joe E. Brown |
28 July 1892 |
6 July 1973 |
American |
Comedian with the Bell Prevost Trio, Brown was often billed as "The Corkscrew Kid." Brown made his screen debut in 1928 and quickly became one of the leading comedians in Hollywood and later on television, thanks in part to his mouth and yells. Among his best known film roles is the millionaire, Osgood Fielding, in the 1959 film, Some Like it Hot. |
[132][17] |
Nacio Herb Brown |
22 February 1896 |
28 September 1964 |
American |
Pianist and songwriter. Brown was accompanist to performer, Alice Doll, and toured with her on the Orpheum Circuit. Certainly one of his most well known songs is "Singin' in the Rain," which he wrote with lyricist, Arthur Freed. |
[133][134] |
Tom Brown |
3 June 1888 |
25 March 1958 |
American |
Trombonist and leader of Tom Brown's Band from Dixieland. Also put together the vaudeville band, the "Five Rubes" which disbanded shortly thereafter. |
[135][136][137] |
Bothwell Browne |
7 March 1877 |
12 December 1947 |
Danish |
Female impersonator. |
[138] |
Frank Browning |
1882 |
1948 |
American |
Former basbeball player who was in a quartet with 3 other basbeball players around 1925. The three other singers were George Crable, Tom Dillon and Kid Gleason. |
[31] |
Peaches Browning |
23 June 1910 |
23 August 1956 |
American |
Actress, known best for her marriage at the age of 16 to Edward Browning, a 51-year old real estate mogul. Shortly after their marriage, Peaches filed for divorce and her fame lead her to appear in vaudeville. |
[139] |
Tod Browning |
12 July 1880 |
6 October 1962 |
American |
Actor. Later a Hollywood director who directed Dracula (1931 film) and Freaks. |
[140] |
Brox Sisters |
|
|
American |
Trio of singing sisters consisting of Dagmar Brock, born Josephine and later called Bobbe (1900 - 2 May 1999), Kathleen, later known as Patricia (14 June 1903 - 1988), and Eunice, later called Lorayne (d. 1993). |
[141][142][143] |
Buck and Bubbles |
|
|
American |
Dance duo with Ford Lee "Buck" Washington (16 October 1903 - 31 January 1955) and John W. "Bubbles" Sublett (19 February 1902 - 18 May 1986). |
[144] |
John Bunny |
21 September 1863 |
26 April 1915 |
American |
Actor, comedians, and minstrel. Later a film star. |
[145] |
Neil Burgess |
1846 |
1910 |
American |
Female impersonator, mostly playing elderly widows. |
[146] |
Smiley Burnette |
18 March 1911 |
16 February 1967 |
American |
Singer. Later worked with Gene Autry and performed onscreen in Westerns. |
[147] |
Burns and Allen |
|
|
American |
Comic duo consisting of George Burns (20 January 1896 - 9 March 1996) and his wife, Gracie Allen (26 July 1895 - 27 August 1964). Their radio and television shows proved their enduring popularity, thanks in part to Gracie's scatterbrained publicity stunts. |
[65][148] |
Pesach Burstein |
1896 |
1986 |
Polish-American |
Actor, comedian and singer mostly in Yiddish vaudeville with his family. Burstein, his kids and his wife, Lillian Lux are profiled in the 2002 documentary, The Komediant. |
[149] |
Mae Busch |
18 June 1891 |
19 April 1946 |
Australian |
Actress and comedian who found success in American vaudeville and later appeared in a number of Laurel and Hardy films. |
[150] |
Francis X. Bushman |
10 January 1883 |
23 August 1966 |
American |
Actor who toured with his wife, actress Beverly Bayne. Following his initial silent film career in Hollywood, where he had become a matinee idol, Bushman and Bayne appeared at the Palace in the comedy sketch, Poor Rich Man in 1921 and toured various circuits throughout the 1920s. Bushman returned to Hollywood and continued work in film. |
[82][83] |
Butterbeans and Susie |
|
|
American |
Comic duo composed of Jodie Edwards (1895 - 1967) and his wife, Susie Hawthorne (1896 - 1963). Their act was composed of duets and comedy routines about marital troubles. The duo was active on the TOBA circuit. |
[151] |
Name |
Birth |
Death |
Nationality |
Performance notes |
Reference |
James Cagney |
17 July 1899 |
30 March 1986 |
American |
Actor, before winning an Academy Award, Cagney dressed in drag for a musical number while working as a chorus boy in a Broadway show. After several other bit parts on the stage, Cagney was spotted by Al Jolson while appearing in the musical Penny Arcade and was soon signed to a Warner Bros. contract. |
[152][153] |
Marie Cahill |
7 February 1870 |
23 August 1933 |
American |
Singer and actress. |
[152][154] |
Cab Calloway |
25 December 1907 |
18 November 1994 |
American |
Musician and bandleader. Calloway headlined at the Palace in June, 1931 and at the Loew's State Theatre in 1932. Most famous song is "Minnie the Moocher". |
[156] |
Emma Calvé |
15 August 1858 |
6 January 1942 |
French |
Operatic soprano. |
[157] |
Mrs. Patrick Campbell |
9 February 1865 |
9 April 1940 |
British |
Actress from the legitimate stage who appeared in vaude in Expiation (a Russian tragedy). |
[158][159][160] |
Judy Canova |
20 November 1913 |
5 August 1983 |
American |
Comedienne and singer. Performed with her brother and sister in an act called the "Three Georgia Crackers" and later in an act called "Annie, Judy & Zeke." |
[161] |
Eddie Cantor |
31 January 1892 |
10 October 1964 |
American |
Singer and comedian who often appeared in blackface. Appeared in various editions of the Ziegfeld Follies and Broadway musicals such as Kid Boots and Whoopee!. |
[162] |
Cardini |
1894 |
11 November 1975 |
Welsh |
Slight-of-hand magician |
[163] |
Mutt Carey |
1891 |
3 September 1948 |
American |
Jazz trumpeter who toured the vaudeville circuits in 1917. |
[164] |
Leo Carillo |
6 August 1881 |
10 September 1961 |
American |
Character actor. |
[165] |
Richard Carle |
7 July 1871 |
28 June 1941 |
American |
Comic actor who appeared in vaude in 1914 in A Slice of Life where he played Mr. Hyphen-Brown and in April of 1915 in If We Said What We Thought. Carle debuted on the New York stage in 1891 and performed primarily in musicals until 1913 when he left the stage for vaudeville. |
[166][167] |
Alan Carney |
22 December 1909 |
2 May 1973 |
American |
Comic dialectician. Later worked on Broadway and in films of the 1940s where he was partnered with comic Wally Brown. |
[168] |
Georges Carpentier |
12 January 1894 |
28 October 1975 |
French |
Former boxer and song and dance man. |
[169] |
Harry Carroll |
28 November 1892 |
26 December 1962 |
American |
Songwriter, pianist and singer. |
[170] |
Mrs. Leslie Carter |
10 June 1862 |
13 November 1937 |
American |
Actress of the legitimate stage who toured vaude in the role of Zaza, one of her most famous roles from the play by David Belasco. |
[171] |
Emma Carus |
18 March 1879 |
18 November 1927 |
German |
Singing comedienne who first appeared in vaudeville at Proctor's 23rd Street Theatre in New York in 1894. From 1915 onwards, she performed mostly in vaudeville. |
[172][173] |
Diana Serra Cary |
26 October 1918 |
|
American |
Juvenile actress billed as Baby Peggy. Following her film career, Baby Peggy worked in vaude, making $1500 a week, but with the death of vaudeville, Baby Peggy's career was over as well. |
[174] |
Charlie Case |
1858 |
1916 |
American |
Blackface singer and pioneering monologist. |
[158][175] |
Vernon and Irene Castle |
|
|
American (Irene) and British (Vernon) |
Ballroom dance team consisting of Vernon (2 May 1887 - 15 February 1918) and his wife, Irene (17 April 1893 - 25 January 1969). Introduced such dances as the foxtrot and tango to U.S. audiences. |
[152] |
Walter Catlett |
4 February 1889 |
14 November 1960 |
American |
Comedian who worked in vaudeville and on the legitimate stage before working in film. |
[176] |
Joseph Cawthorn |
29 March 1868 |
17 April 1959 |
American |
Minstrel and comedian, Joseph Cawthorn, made his stage debut at the age of 4 at Robinson's Music Hall in New York City. Later, he joined Haverly's Minstrels in 1872 and worked in vaudeville as a Dutch dialect comedian. He continued working in musical comedies and in 1926, made his screen debut. |
[177][178][179] |
Lon Chaney, Sr. |
1 April 1883 |
26 August 1930 |
American |
Actor, "the Man of a Thousand Faces" later scared moviegoers after years in vaudeville houses in films such as The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Phantom of the Opera. |
|
Charlie Chaplin |
16 April 1889 |
25 December 1977 |
British-American |
Actor and comedian, toured the US with the Fred Karno troupe in 1910 and 1912. Thought of by many as the greatest comedian of all time. |
[180] |
Chaz Chase |
1902 |
4 August 1983 |
American |
Comedian whose act was to seemingly eat all manner of inedible objects, such as matches and paper (in reality he would turn upstage and spit them into his oversized top hat). |
[181] |
Dave Chasen |
18 July 1898 |
16 June 1973 |
Russian-American |
Comedian who worked with Joe Cook. |
[181] |
Doc Cheatham |
13 June 1905 |
2 June 1997 |
American |
Trumpeter, singer and bandleader who toured TOBA working in bands accompanying blues singers. |
[182] |
Cherry Sisters |
|
|
American |
An act consisting of five sisters, Addie, Effie, Ella, Elizabeth and Jessie Cherry who sang, danced and acted. It was known as the worst act in vaudeville and audiences often attended to hurl produce and catcalls at them. |
[183][184] |
Albert Chevalier |
21 March 1861 |
10 July 1923 |
British |
British music hall actor and comedian. |
[158] |
Frank Christian |
3 September 1887 |
27 November 1973 |
American |
Trumpeter. |
|
Ching Ling Foo |
1854 |
1922 |
Chinese |
Magician. |
[185] |
Chung Ling Soo |
2 April 1861 |
24 March 1918 |
American |
Magician. |
[186] |
Paul Cinquevalli |
1859 |
1918 |
German |
Juggler. |
[187] |
Ina Claire |
15 October 1893 |
21 February 1985 |
American |
A singing-comedienne, Ina Claire, is considered the finest singing-comedienne of her generation. She made her vaudeville debut in 1907 impersonating Harry Lauder. Calire's first appearance on the musical stage in 1911 and appeared at the Palace in 1915. She toured vaude on the Orpheum, Keith and Proctor circuits and appeared in the Ziegfeld Follies of 1915 and 1916. She continued on the stage in musical comedies. |
[188][189] |
Bobby Clark |
16 June 1888 |
12 February 1960 |
American |
Comedian. Member, with Paul McCullough, of the comic team of Clark and McCullough. |
[190] |
Bessie Clayton |
1878 |
21 July 1948 |
American |
Dancer. |
[191] |
Stanley Clements |
16 July 1926 |
16 October 1981 |
American |
Actor and comedian. |
|
Laddie Cliff |
13 September 1891 |
8 December 1937 |
British |
Eccentric dancer. |
[192] |
Kathleen Clifford |
16 February 1887 |
28 December 1962 |
American |
Male impersonator billed as "The Smartest Chap in Town" who appeared in a top hat, tails and a monocle. Clifford's first appearance on the legitimate stage came in 1903 in the musical comedy, The Girl from Kay's. She worked in film from 1917 to 1928 returning to vaude in the 30s. |
[193][194] |
Herbert Clifton |
19 October 1885 |
26 September 1947 |
British |
Female impersonator and singer. |
[195] |
Maggie Cline |
1 January 1857 |
11 June 1934 |
American |
Singer. |
[196] |
E. E. Clive |
28 August 1879 |
6 June 1940 |
British |
Actor. |
|
June Clyde |
2 December 1909 |
1 October 1987 |
American |
Actress, singer and dancer billed as "Baby Tetrazini." Clyde began working in vaudeville at the age of seven progressing to stage musicals and eventually appearing in films in 1929. |
[197] |
Ty Cobb |
18 December 1886 |
17 July 1961 |
American |
Former basbeball player. |
[31] |
Imogene Coca |
18 November 1908 |
2 June 2001 |
American |
Comedienne who was born into a showbiz family. Coca's first stagework came at the age of 11 as a dancer and she worked in nightclubs and vaudeville houses before being discovered as a comedienne. In the 50s, Coca began work on television with comedian, Sid Caesar. Her work in TV spanned decades. |
[198][199] |
Ann Codee |
5 March 1890 |
18 May 1961 |
Belgian |
Comedienne who toured with her husband, Frank Orth. Their act toured the world and could be performed in 5 languages. |
[200] |
Cole and Johnson |
|
|
American |
Singing and dancing duo consisting of Bob Cole (1 July 1869 - 2 August 1911) and J. Rosamond Johnson (11 August 1873 - 11 November 1954). |
[201] |
Michael Coleman |
1889 |
1945 |
Irish |
Irish fiddler. |
|
Charles "Honi" Coles |
2 April 1911 |
12 November 1992 |
American |
Tap dancer. |
[202] |
Lottie Collins |
1866 |
1 May 1910 |
British |
Singer-comedienne. Most well known for popularizing the song, "Ta-Ra-Ra-Boom-De-Ay!." |
[203] |
Pinto Colvig |
11 September 1892 |
3 October 1967 |
American |
Comedian, the voice of Goofy in Disney cartoons and was the first Bozo the Clown. |
|
Chester Conklin |
11 January 1886 |
11 October 1971 |
American |
Comedian and actor. Later worked as one of Mack Sennett's Keystone Kops and appeared in some of Charlie Chaplin's films. |
[204] |
Conlin and Glass |
14 October 1884 |
7 May 1962 |
American |
Comic duo consisting of Jimmy Conlin (14 October 1884 - 7 May 1962) and his wife, Myrtle Glass. |
|
Jackie Coogan |
26 October 1914 |
1 March 1984 |
American |
Child actor, best known as Charlie Chaplin's sidekick in The Kid and (as an adult) as Uncle Fester on TV's The Addams Family. The infamous Coogan Law is named after him. |
[205] |
Elisha Cook Jr. |
26 December 1902 |
18 May 1995 |
American |
Actor. Cook first appeared onstage at the age of 14 and worked onstage in stock theatre, vaudeville and Broadway. His first film appearance was in 1929. |
[206] |
Joe Cook |
1890 |
16 May 1959 |
American |
Born Joseph Lopez, Joe Cook first appeared in vaudeville in a juggling act with his brother, billed as "The Juggling Kids." He made one of his first solo appearances in July of 1907 at Proctor's 125th Street Theatre, New York. He began incorporating comedy, props and monologues into his act and on 2 January 1922, he played the Palace. Following vaudeville, Cook appeared on Broadway and was heard on the radio. |
[207][208] |
Baldwin Cooke |
10 March 1888 |
31 December 1953 |
American |
Actor who toured vaudeville with his wife, Alice and Stan Laurel. |
|
John W. Cooper |
1873 |
1966 |
American |
Ventriloquist with his dummy, Sam Jackson. |
[209] |
James "Gentleman Jim" J. Corbett |
1 September 1866 |
18 February 1933 |
American |
Former boxer |
[210] |
Maurice Costello |
22 February 1877 |
30 October 1950 |
American |
Actor and comedian. |
[211] |
Willie Covan |
1896 |
7 May 1989 |
American |
Tap dancer. |
[212] |
Ida Cox |
25 February 1896 |
10 November 1967 |
American |
Blues singer who toured in vaudeville from 1923-9. One of the bandmembers accompanying her was Earl Palmer. |
[213] |
Joseph E. Coyne |
27 March 1867 |
17 February 1941 |
American |
Comedian. |
[214] |
Henry Creamer |
21 June 1879 |
14 October 1930 |
American |
Singer and songwriter. |
|
Will Cressy |
20 October 1863 |
7 May 1930 |
American |
Actor and writer. |
[212] |
Crumit and Sanderson |
|
|
American |
Husband and wife singing duo with Frank Crumit (26 September 1888 - 7 September 1943) and Julia Sanderson (20 August 1887 - 27 January 1975). |
[215] |
Pauline Curley |
19 December 1903 |
16 December 2000 |
American |
From the age of 7, Curley appeared onstage, including in vaudeville, where she was a singer and dancer. From 1915-28, Curley appeared in silent films. |
[216] |
Name |
Birth |
Death |
Nationality |
Performance notes |
Reference |
Dan Dailey |
4 December 1913 |
16 October 1978 |
American |
Dancer, singer and actor. |
[217] |
Peter F. Dailey |
1868 |
1908 |
American |
Comedian, one of the members of the popular act, "The American Four." His debut on the legitimate stage was with the Howard Atheneum Company. Later, he appeared with Webber and Fields. |
[218] |
Dorothy Dalton |
22 September 1893 |
13 April 1972 |
American |
Actress. |
|
Viola Dana |
28 June 1897 |
3 July 1987 |
American |
Actress. Before she worked in silent films, Dana worked extensively on the legitimate stage. Her first foray into vaudeville was in a playlet called There Goes the Bride which received bad reviews. She tried her hand at vaude again with a sketch by Anita Loos called, The Inkwell, supported by Edward Arnold which did much better. |
[219] |
The Dancing Cansinos |
|
|
Spanish |
A family Spanish dancing act, The Dancing Cansinos included Eduardo Cansino, Sr. (2 March 1895 - 24 December 1968), his wife, Volga Hayworth (1900 - 5 February 1945), daughter Rita Hayworth (17 October 1918 - 14 May 1987), and son, Eduardo, Jr. (13 October 1919 - 11 March 1974). |
[161] |
Marion Davies |
3 January 1897 |
23 September 1961 |
American |
Singer, dancer, actress and Ziegfeld girl. Davies appeared in the Ziegfeld Follies of 1916 and her debut on the silver screen occurred shortly thereafter. |
[220] |
Reine Davies |
6 June 1886 |
5 April 1938 |
American |
Singer and actress. |
|
Benny Davis |
21 August 1895 |
20 December 1979 |
American |
Pianist, singer and songwriter. |
[221] |
Joan Davis |
29 June 1907 |
22 May 1961 |
American |
Actress and comedienne. |
[198] |
Sammy Davis, Jr. |
8 December 1925 |
16 May 1990 |
American |
Dancer and singer, performed with his father and uncle as "The Will Maston Trio". As an adult, he became one of the most celebrated entertainers of his time and a member of the infamous Rat Pack with Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. |
[222] |
Sammy Davis, Sr. |
12 December 1900 |
21 May 1988 |
American |
Dancer. Father of Sammy Davis, Jr.. |
[222] |
Hazel Dawn |
23 March 1890 |
28 August 1988 |
American |
Musical comedy actress. Dawn debuted in vaudeville at New York's Alhambra Theatre in 1923 in a sketch called, The Pink Lady. She appeared at the Palace in January of 1924 in a playlet called, The Land of Love by Edgar Allen Woolf. Additionally, Dawn appeared in 11 feature films for the Famous Player Film Company between 1914-7. |
[223] |
Mlle. Dazie |
16 September 1884 |
12 August 1952 |
American |
Toe-dancer. Dazie's first appearance in vaudeville was as "Le Domino Rouge" in an act where she wore a red mask. After she got rid of the mask, she was billed as "Mlle. Dazie" and it was under this name that she appeared in the Ziegfeld Follies. She toured the Keith circuit in a ballet panotmime, L'Amour d'Artiste and headlined the Palace in 1917 in another ballet pantomime directed by Herbert Brenon. |
[224] |
Vaughn De Leath |
26 September 1896 |
28 May 1943 |
American |
Actress and singer. |
[225] |
Dizzy Dean |
16 January 1910 |
17 July 1974 |
American |
Former basbeball player. |
[21] |
Carter DeHaven |
5 October 1886 |
20 July 1977 |
American |
Comedian. |
[226] |
Dorothy Dell |
30 January 1915 |
28 June 1934 |
American |
Singer and dancer in a duo with Allan Mann. |
[227] |
William Demarest |
27 February 1892 |
28 December 1983 |
American |
Comedian and later character actor, popular in Hollywood in the 1940s and 50s, best known as "Uncle Charlie" on the TV sitcom My Three Sons. |
[228] |
Gaby Deslys |
4 September 1881 |
11 February 1920 |
French |
Singer and dancer. |
[229] |
Elliott Dexter |
29 March 1870 |
21 November 1949 |
American |
Actor. Later worked in silent films. |
[230] |
William Dillon |
6 November 1877 |
10 February 1966 |
American |
Singer and songwriter. |
[231] |
Henry E. Dixey |
6 January 1859 |
25 February 1943 |
American |
Actor, dancer and comedian. |
[232] |
Lew Dockstader |
1856 |
26 October 1924 |
American |
Comedian and minstrel. |
[233] |
Dolly Sisters |
|
|
Hungarian-American |
Twin sisters, Rosie and Jenny (25 October 1892 - 1 May 1941 Jenny and 1 Janusary 1970 Rosie) who had a dance act. |
[234] |
Kitty Doner |
1895 |
26 August 1988 |
American |
Male impersonator and dancer. Of the male impersonators in vaude, Doner was the best known American-born male "imp". She was the first male impersonator to play the Palace, in 1919 and she played there again in May of 1926. |
[235] |
Mike Donlin |
30 May 1878 |
24 September 1943 |
American |
Former major league baseball player who entered vaudeville after marrying a vaude actress, Mabel Hite. Acted in a one-act play, Stealing Home and later worked as a comedian with Tom Lewis. |
[236] |
Jack Donohue |
1892 |
1 October 1930 |
American |
Dancer, singer and actor. Worked with his wife, Alice Stewart, as Donohue & Stewart. |
[237] |
Red Dooin |
12 July 1879 |
12 May 1952 |
American |
Baseball player who appeared in vaude first with a singing act and a singing and talking act with Dumon's Minstrels in Philadelphia, 1910. |
[118] |
Fifi D'Orsay |
16 April 1907 |
2 December 1982 |
Canadian |
Singer and Comedienne. |
[238] |
Billie Dove |
4 May 1901 |
31 December 1998 |
American |
Ziegfeld girl in the Follies of 1917 and 1918. Later, Dove appeared in films and was a minstress to William Randolph Hearst. |
[239] |
Eddie Dowling |
9 December 1894 |
18 February 1976 |
American |
Actor and singer. |
[240] |
Johnny Downs |
10 October 1913 |
6 June 1994 |
American |
Child actor who appeared in the Our Gang series of shorts along with several feature films. Following his film work, he appeared in vaudeville in the early 1930s. |
[241] |
Thomas Nelson Downs |
16 March 1867 |
September 1938 |
American |
Magician specializing in coin tricks. |
|
Louise Dresser |
5 October 1878 |
24 April 1965 |
American |
Singer and actress. |
[242] |
Marie Dressler |
9 November 1869 |
28 July 1934 |
Canadian |
Actress and comedienne, who later found greater fame in movies such as Min and Bill and Dinner at Eight. |
[243] |
Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Drew |
|
|
American |
Husband and wife comic team with Sidney (28 August 1868 - 9 April 1919) and Gladys Rankin Drew (c. 1874 - 9 January 1914). |
[244] |
Dave Dreyer |
22 September 1894 |
1967 |
American |
Pianist and songwriter. |
|
Duffy and Sweeney |
|
|
American |
Knockabout comedy act consisting of James Terence Duffy (1889 - 30 March 1939]] and Frederick Chase Sweeney (1894 - 10 December 1954. |
[245] |
Margaret Dumont |
20 October 1882 |
6 March 1965 |
American |
Actress and singer, best known as the comic foil for the Marx Brothers, performed under the name "Daisy Dumont" before entering motion pictures. |
|
Duncan Sisters |
|
|
American |
Singing sister act comprised of Vivian (17 June 1899 - 19 September 1986) and Rosetta Duncan (23 November 1896 - 4 December 1959). |
[246] |
James Dunn |
2 November 1905 |
3 September 1967 |
American |
Actor. |
|
Jack Durant |
12 April 1905 |
7 January 1984 |
American |
Acrobat and comedian. |
[247] |
Jimmy Durante |
10 February 1893 |
29 January 1980 |
American |
Comedian and actor, known for his huge nose. |
[248] |
Walter Dyett |
11 January 1901 |
17 November 1969 |
American |
Violinist and conductor of vaudeville pit orchestras. Following his work in vaudeville, Dyett became a noted music educator working at Chicago's DuSable High School. As a music teacher and director of school ensembles, Dyett influenced many up-and-coming jazz, blues and rock musicians.[249] |
Jacqueline Dyris |
|
|
Belgian |
Dancer. |
|
Name |
Birth |
Death |
Nationality |
Performance notes |
Reference |
Janette Hackett |
1898 |
16 August 1979 |
American |
Dancer with Harry Delmar (9 September 1892 - 29 August 1954) in the duo Hackett and Delmar. |
[313] |
Jack Haley |
10 August 1898 |
6 June 1979 |
American |
Actor and comedian. |
[281][314] |
Adelaide Hall |
20 October 1904 |
7 November 1993 |
British |
Singer. |
[315][316] |
Nan Halperin |
1898 |
30 May 1963 |
Russian-American |
Singing comedienne. |
[317] |
Walter Hampden |
30 June 1879 |
11 June 1955 |
American |
Actor. |
[171] |
Hunter Hancock |
1916 |
4 August 2004 |
American |
Singer. Later he became a noted disc jockey. |
|
Lou Handman |
10 September 1894 |
9 December 1956 |
American |
Pianist and songwriter. |
|
W. C. Handy |
16 November 1873 |
28 March 1958 |
American |
Musician and composer known as "The Father of the Blues." |
[318][319] |
Fred Haney |
25 April 1896 |
9 November 1977 |
American |
Former basbeball player. |
[21] |
Poodles Hanneford |
1892 |
9 December 1967 |
British |
Clown and bareback horse rider. |
[320] |
Theodore Hardeen |
4 March 1876 |
12 June 1945 |
Hungarian |
Magician and escape artist; Harry Houdini's brother. |
[321] |
Otis Harlan |
29 December 1865 |
21 January 1940 |
American |
Actor. Appeared in a burlesque called Hell by Renold Wolf in the first show at New York City's Folies Bergere, April 16, 1911. |
[322] |
Ben Harney |
6 March 1872 |
2 March 1938 |
American |
Pianist, singer and songwriter. |
[323] |
Harrigan and Hart |
|
|
American |
Comic duo comprised of Edward Harrigan (26 October 1844 - 6 June 1911) and Tony Hart (25 July 1855 - 4 November 1891). |
[314][324] |
Marion Harris |
1896 |
23 April 1944 |
American |
Singer. |
[325] |
Mildred Harris |
29 November 1901 |
20 July 1944 |
American |
Harris began as a juvenile actress in vaudeville, burlesque, on the legit stage and on film where she appeared at the age of 9. Later Charlie Chaplin's first wife, she appeared in a playlet, Getting the Money at the Royal Theatre in New York in February of 1922. |
[326][276] |
Hartman and Hartman |
|
|
American |
Comedy dance team with Paul (1 March 1904 - 2 October 1973) and his sister, Grace Hartman (7 January 1907 - 8 August 1955) |
[327] |
Morton Harvey |
1886 |
1961 |
American |
Singer. |
|
Loney Haskell |
1870 |
20 October 1933 |
American |
Monologist. |
[328] |
June Havoc |
8 November 1916 |
|
American |
Actress and dancer. Sister of Gypsy Rose Lee. |
[329] |
George 'Gabby' Hayes |
7 May 1885 |
9 February 1969 |
American |
Actor who appeared in vaudeville before entering films in the 1920s where he was seen mostly in Westerns. |
[330] |
Grace Hayes |
23 August 1895 |
1 February 1989 |
American |
Singer. |
[331] |
Helen Hayes |
10 October 1900 |
17 March 1993 |
American |
Actress. |
|
Peter Lind Hayes |
25 June 1915 |
21 April 1998 |
American |
Actor. |
[332] |
Rita Hayworth |
17 October 1918 |
14 May 1987 |
American |
Dancer in her family's Spanish dancing act, The Dancing Cansinos led by her father, Eduardo Cansino, Sr.. |
[161] |
Ted Healy |
1 October 1896 |
21 December 1937 |
American |
Blackface comedian, dancer and singer. |
[333] |
Lew Hearn |
15 February 1882 |
February 1965 |
Polish |
Comedian. |
[334] |
Hy Heath |
1890 |
1965 |
American |
Comedian and songwriter. |
|
Millicent Hearst |
16 July 1882 |
5 December 1974 |
American |
Performer until she became the wife of William Randolph Hearst. |
|
Horace Heidt |
21 May 1901 |
1 December 1986 |
American |
Pianist and bandleader of the band, "Horace Heidt and His Musical Knights". |
[335] |
Anna Held |
8 March 1872 |
12 August 1918 |
Polish |
Actress and singer. |
[336] |
Percy Helton |
31 January 1894 |
11 September 1971 |
American |
Appeared in his father's vaude act at the age of 2. |
|
Fletcher Henderson |
18 December 1897 |
28 December 1952 |
American |
Pianist, bandleader and composer at one time teamed with Eubie Blake. Henderson later toured with Ethel Waters from 1921-2. |
[255][337] |
Ray Henderson |
1 December 1896 |
31 December 1970 |
American |
Song and dance man and songwriter. |
[251] |
Herschel Henlere or Hendler |
14 December 1890 |
13 January 1968 |
Canadian |
Pianist and comedian. |
[338] |
Beatrice Herford |
1868 |
1952 |
British-American |
Monologist. |
[339] |
Al Herman |
1886 |
2 July 1967 |
American |
Blackface comedian. |
[340] |
Woody Herman |
16 May 1913 |
29 October 1987 |
American |
Clarinetist, saxophonist, singer and bandleader. |
[341] |
Juano Hernández |
19 July 1901 |
17 July 1970 |
Puerto Rican |
Originally a boxer, Hernández quit the sport in the early 1920s and worked in traveling and minstrel shows, circuses and in vaudeville before entering film. |
[342] |
Alexander Herrmann billed as "The Great Herrmann" |
11 February 1844 |
11 December 1896 |
German |
Magician. Upon his death, Herrmann's wife, Adelaide (1854 - 1932) took over his act. |
[340] |
Art Hickman |
13 June 1886 |
1930 |
American |
Bandleader. |
[343] |
Hildegarde |
1 February 1906 |
29 July 2005 |
American |
Singer. |
[344] |
Bertha "Chippie" Hill |
15 March 1905 |
7 May 1950 |
American |
Blues singer. Initially Hill appeared on the TOBA circuit as a singer and dancer with the Rabbit Foot Minstrels. |
[345] |
Daisy and Violet Hilton |
5 February 1908 |
6 January 1969 |
British |
Conjoined twins. |
[346] |
Raymond Hitchcock |
22 October 1865 |
24 November 1929 |
American |
Monologist. |
[347] |
Gertrude Hoffman |
17 May 1871 |
21 October 1966 |
German |
Interpretive dancer. |
[348] |
Ernest Hogan |
1859 |
20 May 1909 |
American |
Blackface comedian billed as "the Unbleached American." Credited with the creation of the "coon" song and as one of the creators of ragtime music. |
[349] |
Fay Holderness |
16 April 1881 |
13 May 1963 |
American |
Actress. |
|
Taylor Holmes |
16 May 1878 |
30 September 1959 |
American |
Light actor. |
[350] |
Lou Holtz |
11 April 1893 |
22 September 1980 |
American |
Comedian and dialectical singer. |
[351] |
Bob Hope |
29 May 1903 |
27 July 2003 |
British-American |
Actor and comedian. |
[352] |
DeWolf Hopper |
30 March 1858 |
23 September 1935 |
American |
Actor and comedian, known for his recitations of the poem, Casey at the Bat. |
[353] |
Edna Wallace Hopper |
17 January 1874 |
14 December 1959 |
American |
Actress. |
[354] |
Edward Everett Horton |
18 March 1886 |
29 September 1970 |
American |
Singer and dancer. |
|
Allen "Farina" Hoskins |
9 August 1920 |
26 July 1980 |
American |
Child actor who appeared in the Our Gang series of short films. He and his sister, Janie, had an act together. |
|
Harry Houdini |
24 March 1874 |
31 October 1926 |
Hungarian |
Magician and escape artist. |
[355] |
Howard Brothers |
|
|
American |
Comic duo made up of Willie Howard (1886 - 1949) and Eugene Howard (1880 - 1965). |
[356] |
Joseph Howard |
12 February 1867 |
19 May 1961 |
American |
Singer and songwriter. |
[357] |
Buddy Howe |
c. 1910 |
4 March 1981 |
American |
Acrobatic dancer. |
[358] |
Alice Howell |
5 May 1888 |
12 April 1961 |
American |
Comedienne in an act with her husband, Dick Smith. |
[359] |
Waite Hoyt |
9 September 1899 |
25 August 1984 |
American |
Singer and dancer. |
|
Doris Humphrey |
17 October 1895 |
29 December 1958 |
American |
Dancer. |
|
Walter Huston |
6 April 1884 |
7 April 1950 |
Canadian |
Actor and singer. |
[324] |
Hyams and McIntyre |
|
|
American |
Husband-wife comedic duo with John Hyams (6 June 1869 - 9 December 1940) and Leila McIntyre (20 December 1882 - 9 January 1953). Their daughter, Leila (1 May 1905 - 4 December 1977), appeared with them as a child. |
[360][332] |