Ziegfeld and His Follies

Florenz (Flo) Ziegfeld, Jr. was a legend in his own time who has often been called Broadway’s greatest showman. He was a theater manager and producer who is best known for the musical Show Boat and the long running Ziegfeld Follies revue. Ziegfeld’s business card read "Impresario Extraordinaire" and that wasn’t an exaggeration.His shows were opulent events, featuring beautiful women, chic costumes and elaborate sets.

The Ziegfeld Follies paraded up and down flights of stairs as anything from birds to battleships.They usually wore elaborate costumes by designers such as Erté, Lady Duff Gordon and Ben Ali Haggin.

Ziegfeld girls were the pinups of the their day. Beautiful and talented they were the chorus girls of the spectacular Ziegfeld Follies which ran from 1907 to 1931. Many Ziegfeld girls went on to fame and fortune in the cinema and stars including (click on the images below), all launched their careers from the boards of Ziegfeld’s theatres.

Gypsy Rose Lee

Nita Naldi

Marilyn Miller

Barabara Stanwyck

Josephine Baker

Paulette Goddard

Marion Davies

Louise Brooks

Joan Blondell

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