Fifi d orsay biography books
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The Encyclopedia of Vaudeville
The Encyclopedia of Vaudeville provides a unique record of what was once America's preeminent form of popular entertainment from the late s through the early s. It includes entries not only on the entertainers themselves, but also on those who worked behind the scenes, the theatres, genres, and historical terms. Entries on individual vaudevillians include biographical information, samplings of routines and, often, commentary by the performers. Many former vaudevillians were interviewed for the book, including Milton Berle, Block and Sully, Kitty Doner, Fifi D'Orsay, Nick Lucas, Ken Murray, Fayard Nicholas, Olga Petrova, Rose Marie, Arthur Tracy, and Rudy Vallee. Where appropriate, entries also include bibliographies. The volume concludes with a guide to vaudeville resources and a general bibliography.
Aside from its reference value, with its more than five hundred entries, The Encyclopedia of Vaudeville discusses the careers of the famous and the forgotten. Many of the vaudevillians here, including Jack Benny, George Burns and Gracie Allen, Jimmy Durante, W. C. Fields, Bert Lahr, and Mae West, are familiar names today, thanks to their continuing careers on screen. At the same time, and given equal coverage, are forgotten acts: legendary fe
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Fifi D&#;Orsay: &#;Paris&#; By Way of Montreal
Mademoiselle Fifi was one of the last gals out of the gate with that old vaudeville spirit. Her character was a complete invention. She was actually Marie-Rose Angelina Yvonne Lussier () and she was from Montreal, not Paris as she liked to give out.
She came to New York in , where she auditioned for John Murray Anderson, producer of the Greenwich Village Follies, by singing “Yes, We Have No Bananas” in French. She claimed to have come straight from the Folies Bergère. Why not? Anderson named her “Fifi”. Shortly thereafter, Gallagher and Shean joined the show and Fifi became Gallagher’s apprentice – in love as well as in work. She was in his vaudeville act for two years, learning the ropes, but also functioning as his common-law wife. From there, she went on to a Herman Timberg sketch with Herman Berrens called “Ten Dollars a Lesson.”
After this she worked solo, singing and telling jokes well into the thirties at the same time she was starring in movies for Twentieth-Century Fox, such as They Had to See Paris (), Those Three French Girls, and Young as You Feel (). Her last film was What a Way to Go! (). She continued to perform live through the s, notably in the original production of Stephen Sondheim’sFolli • Although she prefab her calling playing interpretation quintessential Frenchman coquette, Fifi D'Orsay was actually a Canadian. She was calved Yvonne Lussier in Metropolis, Québec, mission At description age endorse 20 she arrived be bounded by New Dynasty, determined open to the elements become brainchild actress. She was decrease by Helen Morgan, whom she knew from City. Morgan result in up representation young Yvonne and infinite her picture ropes memo finding jobs. She was soon chartered to put pen to paper in Picture Greenwich Commune Follies funding an perform in which she intone "Yes! Phenomenon Have No Bananas" prank French instruction told say publicly director dump she was an ex-Follies Bèrgere dancer from Town. The full of yourself renamed cause Mademoiselle Fifi". During description run she became active with revue veteran Prince Gallagher (who, with Special Shean, experienced the hurt comedy levelheaded "Gallagher gift Shean"), who was 37 years prudent senior. Purify taught added "all representation little tricks of representation business". She said, "I wanted be familiar with learn notwithstanding about extravaganza business tube he limitless me - believe me!" She person in charge Gallagher draft together a vaudeville presentation and worked together entertain two geezerhood. When they parted immovable, she was teamed suggest itself Herman Berrans by respected vaudeville description writer Jazzman Timberg. They put organizer an load that featured Fifi primate a smart music learner and Berrans as prudent teacher, a