The feats and follies of Florenz Ziegfeld

January 05, 2009|Mark Griffin

'The world will never forget the Ziegfeld Follies," proclaims William Powell in MGM's sumptuous 1946 musical revue, "Ziegfeld Follies." Sadly, it would appear that the world has a very short memory. For if master showman Florenz Ziegfeld is remembered at all today it's most likely by way of Walter Pidgeon's portrayal in "Funny Girl" or as a name synonymous with the sort of lavish theatrical spectacle that long ago went the way of ice wagons and hourglass corsets.

In "Ziegfeld: The Man Who Invented Show Business," author Ethan Mordden reacquaints readers with this half forgotten impresario and reminds us that it was Ziegfeld (the son of German immigrants) who "made Broadway the identity of American art." From 1907 to 1931, Ziegfeld won unprecedented acclaim for producing an annual extravaganza known as the Follies that celebrated feminine beauty and featured such rising stars as W.C. Fields, Will Rogers, and Fanny Brice.

Since Ziegfeld's death in 1932, his legacy has proven to be somewhat problematic for cultural historians, who seem simultaneously awestruck and embarrassed by him. After all, this was the man who carved out a career of presenting scantily clad showgirls in opulent settings (which made the near nudity seem somehow more respectable); but he was also a risk-taker and maverick who financed the original 1927 production of "Show Boat" (with its then daring racial themes) and championed the talents of black performer Bert Williams.

Later known for "glorifying the American girl," Ziegfeld was an equal opportunity exploiter and he launched his career by promoting a slab of beefcake in the form of Eugen Sandow, a muscle-bound Adonis whose sole "talent" involved exhibiting his godlike physique. Although the public eventually tired of Sandow as a theatrical novelty, Ziegfeld learned some invaluable lessons from his first foray into showbiz: a star can be created as much through publicity as stage presence and no matter how buttoned up audiences of the day seemed to be, the collective American libido was bursting at the seams.