Ziegfeld girl
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Ziegfeld Girls were the chorus girls from Florenz Ziegfeld's theatrical spectaculars known as the Ziegfeld Follies, which were based on the Folies Bergère of Paris.
These showgirls followed on the heels of the "Florodora girls", who had started to 'loosen the corset' of the Gibson Girl in the early years of the twentieth century. These beauties, of similar size, decked out in Erté designs, gained many young male admirers and they became objects of popular adoration. Many were persuaded to leave the show to marry, some to men of substantial wealth. The Ziegfeld Ball in New York City continued as a social event of the season for years after the last production of the Follies.
Over the years they included many future stars such as Marion Davies, Paulette Goddard, Joan Blondell, Barbara Stanwyck, Billie Dove, Louise Brooks, Nita Naldi, Mae Murray, Bessie Love, Dorothy Mackaill, Claire Dodd, Cecile Arnold, Iris Adrian and other society and business successes such as Peggy Hopkins Joyce, Helen Gallagher, Anastasia Reilly, and Irene Hayes.
Although many future stars started out as Ziegfeld girls, several others were turned down by Florenz Ziegfeld to appear in his revue. Norma Shearer (in 1919), Alice Faye (in 1927), Joan Crawford (in 1924), Lucille Ball (in 1927 and 1931), Eleanor Powell (in 1927), Hedda Hopper (in 1907 and 1908), and June Havoc (in 1931) were among the many hopefuls that the master showman discarded after auditions. In 1957, the then-current members, among them Julie Newmar, were featured as mystery guests on the television panel show What's My Line?.
The survivors of these spectacular chorus lines of the last century are the Rockettes of Radio City Music Hall. The last surviving Ziegfeld girl is Doris Eaton Travis, who is now 105 years of age.
