''The Follies of 1907'' is a 1907 musical revue which was conceived and produced by

Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. Florenz Edward Ziegfeld Jr. (; March 21, 1867 – July 22, 1932) was an American Broadway impresario, notable for his series of theatrical revues, the ''Ziegfeld Follies'' (1907–1931), inspired by the ''Folies Bergère'' of Paris. He also p ...

The first of several theatrical revues that are collectively known as the " Ziegfeld Follies", the work contained songs material written by a variety of individuals; including music by

Seymour Furth Seymour Furth (1876, New York City − May 22, 1932, Boston) was an American songwriter, composer, and librettist active from the late 1890s until his death in 1932. He wrote popular songs for Broadway musicals, vaudeville, tin pan alley, and minstr ...

, E. Ray Goetz, Gus Edwards, Billy Gaston, Jean Schwartz,

Silvio Hein Silvio Hein (March 15, 1879 – December 19, 1928) was an American composer, songwriter, conducting, conductor, and theatrical producer. He was a songwriter for Tin Pan Alley and composed the scores to fourteen Broadway theatre, Broadway musical ...

, Matt Woodward and Gertrude Hoffman; and lyrics by

Vincent Bryan Vincent Patrick Bryan (June 22, 1878 – April 27, 1937) was an American composer and lyricist. In the 1903-1909 production of '' The Wizard of Oz'' he was called upon to introduce new songs in numerous revisions. *with Theodore F. Morse * ...

, Edgar Selden,

Will D. Cobb William Denight Cobb (July 5, 1876 – January 20, 1930) was an American lyricist and composer. He and a partner, Ren Shields, produced several popular musical theater, musicals and musical comedies in the early 20th century. Cobb also had a lon ...

, Billy Gaston,

William Jerome William Jerome Flannery, September 30, 1865 – June 25, 1932) was an American songwriter, born in Cornwall-on-Hudson, New York of Irish immigrant parents, Mary Donnellan and Patrick Flannery. He collaborated with numerous well-known composers a ...

, Matt Woodward, Martin Brown and Paul West.

Harry B. Smith Harry Bache Smith (December 28, 1860 – January 1, 1936) was a writer, lyricist and composer. The most prolific of all American stage writers, he is said to have written over 300 librettos and more than 6000 lyrics. Some of his best-known works ...

authored the words for the comedic and dramatic sketches used in-between the musical numbers; as well as serving as head lyricist.

Herbert Gresham Herbert Gresham (1852, London - February 23, 1921) was an English-born American theatre director, choreographer, and actor. Life and career Herbert Gresham was born in London in 1852. He began his career as an actor as a member of Augustin Daly's ...

staged the production and Max Hoffman, Sr. served as the musical director. ''The Follies of 1907'' premiered at the Savoy Theatre in

Atlantic City, New Jersey Atlantic City, often known by its initials A.C., is a coastal resort city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The city is known for its casinos, boardwalk, and beaches. In 2020, the city had a population of 38,497.

on July 3, 1907, for tryout performances prior to its presentation on Broadway. The production included many well known entertainers from

vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic composition ...

, including singer

Emma Carus Emma Carus (March 18, 1879 – November 18, 1927) was an American contralto singer from New York City who was in the cast of the original Ziegfeld Follies in 1907. She frequently sang in vaudeville and sometimes in Broadway features.'' ...

, actresses

Grace La Rue Grace La Rue (born Stella Parsons; April 23, 1882 – March 13, 1956) was an American actress, singer, and vaudeville headliner. Early life Grace La Rue was born Stella Parsons in Kansas City, Missouri, on April 23, 1882, to Lucy L. Parson ...

and

Lillian Lee Lillian Lee was a stage actress in New York City beginning in the early 1880s. She was in the cast of the original Ziegfeld Follies in 1907. Acting career Lee was only a child when she was assigned the part of ''Meenie'' in ''Rip Van Winkle'' ...

, actor Charley Ross, comediennes

Florence Tempest Florence Tempest (born Claire Lillian Ijames, June 25, 1889 — died after January 1932), sometimes billed as Florenze Tempest, was an American comedian and dancer, a vaudeville and musical theatre performer, best known as part of "Sunshine and Te ...

and

Harry Watson Jr. Harry Watson Jr. (June 12, 1876 – September 23, 1930), also known as Harry B. Watson, was an American actor and comedian. Before his Vaudeville, Broadway and film careers, he was a clown for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Am ...

, dancer Mademoiselle Dazie, and the entire troupe of chorus girls from Anna Held's touring company among other entertainers. The work premiered on Broadway at the

Jardin de Paris Moulin Rouge (, ; ) is a cabaret in Paris, on Boulevard de Clichy, at Place Blanche, the intersection of, and terminus of Rue Blanche. In 1889, the Moulin Rouge was co-founded by Charles Zidler and Joseph Oller, who also owned the Paris Oly ...

on July 8, 1907.

References

External links

The Follies of 1907 at IBDB
{{Ziegfeld Follies 1907 musicals Revues Broadway musicals Ziegfeld Follies