George White's Scandals

George White's Scandals were a long-running string of Broadway revues produced by George White that ran from 1919–1939, modeled after the Ziegfeld Follies.[1] The "Scandals" launched the careers of many entertainers, including W. C. Fields, the Three Stooges, Ray Bolger, Helen Morgan, Ethel Merman, Ann Miller, Eleanor Powell, Bert Lahr and Rudy Vallée.[1] Louise Brooks, Dolores Costello, Barbara Pepper, and Alice Faye got their show business start as lavishly dressed (or underdressed) chorus girls strutting to the "Scandal Walk". Much of George Gershwin's early work appeared in the 1920–24 editions of Scandals. The Black Bottom, danced by Ziegfeld Follies star Ann Pennington and Tom Patricola, touched off a national dance craze.

Tom Patricola and Ann Pennington dance "The Black Bottom" for George White

George White's Scandals is also the name of several movies set within the Scandals, all of which focus primarily on the show's acts, with a thin backstage plot stringing them all together. The best known of these was 1934's George White's Scandals written by Jack Yellen, which marked the film debut of Alice Faye.[2] Flapper-era cartoonist and designer Russell Patterson worked on Broadway in various capacities; for George White's Scandals of 1936, he served as scenic designer.[3] George White's Scandals of 1920 was featured in an episode of the television series The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles.

George White

White was an American theatrical producer and director who also was an actor, choreographer, composer, dancer, dramatist, lyricist and screenwriter, as well as a Broadway theater-owner. Appearing in the Ziegfeld Follies of 1915, he popularized the Turkey Trot dance.[4][5]

The Scandals casts

Christine Welford appeared in the 1919, 1920 and 1921 editions.[6]

1919

1920

1921

1922

1923

1924

1925

1926

1928

1929

1931

1932 (Music Hall Varieties)

1934 (film)

1935 (film)

1936

1939

References

  1. MUZE. "Broadway The American Musical". PBS. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
  2. Arnold, Jeremy. "George White's Scandals 1945". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
  3. Profile, BroadwayWorld International Database; accessed March 30, 2014.
  4. "George White", PBS, accessed October 7, 2015
  5. Edwards, Bobb. "George White". Find a Grave. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
  6. Christine Welford at IBDB
  7. Li, Leslie. Just Us Girls, Four Seasons Press (2015), p. 1067, Kindle
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