Live shows at movie theaters in the 1930s
May 2, 2024 3:12 PM Subscribe
What were the live shows called that used to play between movies in the silent/early sound era?
Reading about the Rockettes of Radio City Music Hall, who still do this; it seems the combined move/dance show might commonly be labeled a "spectacular" but there must be some way to refer to interstitial routines other than just "filler."
posted by Rash at 4:15 PM on May 2
posted by Rash at 4:15 PM on May 2
In the movie Footlight Parade they are called prologues.
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 5:02 PM on May 2 [4 favorites]
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 5:02 PM on May 2 [4 favorites]
I am a film historian, and can tell you that your question is fairly complicated, actually. The answer depends on the city in which the film played, the type of theater in which it played, the specific historical era you're referring to, the nature of the film itself, the studio that produced the film, the contract between the film's studio and the exhibitor (theater), and a number of other fiddly little factors.
That said, by and large, I think Czjewel is correct: In most cases, at least in mainstream, "high-class," urban cinemas, most of the interstitial acts were some flavor or other of vaudeville or variety show.
If you'd like to learn more about the interplay (of many kinds) between vaudeville and cinema, I strongly recommend Henry Jenkins's book What Made Pistachio Nuts? Early Sound Comedy and the Vaudeville Aesthetic.
posted by Dr. Wu at 5:03 PM on May 2 [11 favorites]
That said, by and large, I think Czjewel is correct: In most cases, at least in mainstream, "high-class," urban cinemas, most of the interstitial acts were some flavor or other of vaudeville or variety show.
If you'd like to learn more about the interplay (of many kinds) between vaudeville and cinema, I strongly recommend Henry Jenkins's book What Made Pistachio Nuts? Early Sound Comedy and the Vaudeville Aesthetic.
posted by Dr. Wu at 5:03 PM on May 2 [11 favorites]
(oh computech_apolloniajames said it.)
Footlight Parade is an interesting 1933 movie about Vaudville dancers trying to adapt to a film-era transition. Busby choreography, Cagney dances. Worth a look!
posted by ovvl at 5:59 PM on May 2 [1 favorite]
Footlight Parade is an interesting 1933 movie about Vaudville dancers trying to adapt to a film-era transition. Busby choreography, Cagney dances. Worth a look!
posted by ovvl at 5:59 PM on May 2 [1 favorite]
It’s a real treat! Cagney! Blondell! Powell!
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 6:12 PM on May 2 [1 favorite]
posted by computech_apolloniajames at 6:12 PM on May 2 [1 favorite]
As a broad, generic term, “vaudeville” is probably correct. There were, of course, several different traveling show circuits, but they all tend to be lumped together (by the general public, anyway) as “vaudeville.”
posted by Thorzdad at 5:19 AM on May 3 [1 favorite]
posted by Thorzdad at 5:19 AM on May 3 [1 favorite]
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posted by Czjewel at 3:55 PM on May 2 [2 favorites]