Yes, Yes, Eddie Cantor!
Today is the birthday of the great Eddie Cantor. (For my full biographical article go here). In honor of the day I attach what may well be my favorite musical number in the world, from the film Palmy Days. For absolute energy and craziness this song cannot be beat — the tempo and energy are downright punk. And the zany arrangements and choreography never fail to put a chill up my spine through THE ENTIRE SONG. When the girls with their pretty harmonies and thumping tap shoes come in, it goes into overdrive. This is some fortunate Jazz Age spillover, even though we’re now into the Depression (1931). You get a real sense of what Cantor must have been like onstage during his heyday, and why he was so popular back then.On further contemplation, I don’t know why I don’t watch this clip every single day:
To find out more about these variety artists and the history of vaudeville, consult No Applause, Just Throw Money: The Book That Made Vaudeville Famous, available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and wherever nutty books are sold.
January 31, 2012 at 12:21 pm
I bought ” No Applause, Just Throw Money: The Book That Made Vaudeville Famous,” Nice Book! Two weeks ago a friend told me that he had a book on the history of theaters and old time performers I just had to read. . You guess it. Now I have two copies of this book in my collection of the Bowery and the beginnings of the Theater in NYC.
January 31, 2012 at 12:27 pm
Thanks! I find it’s always good to have a back-up copy for those times when the book gets you so worked up you spill you drink all over its pages!