Patricia ziegfeld stephenson

Florenz ziegfeld grandchildren
Florenz ziegfeld cause of death
Florenz ziegfeld last words

•

Florenz Ziegfeld 101

Compiled by John Kenrick

More than seven decades after his death, the name of Florenz Ziegfeld still embodies Broadway at its most glamorous. It would be fair to suggest his name is better known than that of any living stage or screen producer.

There is almost no one left alive who actually saw any of Ziegfeld's stage productions. Even so, his Follies remain legendary, and his Show Boat is still one of the most beloved musicals of all time. With his gift for publicity and his devotion to "glorifying the American Girl," he royally earned his reputation as one of the greatest showmen the theater will ever know.

Back to: Musicals101's Homepage

•

Ziegfeld 101

Florenz Ziegfeld: A Brief Biography

by John Kenrick

(All the photos on this page are thumbnail images – click on them to see larger versions.)

Please note: Facts are tricky things -- truths are even trickier. Ziegfeld so embellished his life for publicity purposes that it is often hard to separate the facts from his creative fictions. All of his biographers have fallen for at least a few of his whoppers. This brief profile tries to side step the worst of the lot, offering our best shot at "the truth."

Beginnings

In this ad found on the back of a program for Show Boat, Ziegfeld is quoted as saying that Lucky Strike cigarettes "most assuredly protect the voice." Note the portrait, from Ziegfeld's brief moustache period.

Florenz Ziegfeld, Jr. was born in Chicago on March 15, 1867. (Some published sources list March 21 -- I have not seen solid documentation to verify which is the correct date.) His German immigrant father ran the successful College of Music, and raised his family in an atmosphere of

•

Florenz Ziegfeld Jr.

American theatrical impresario (1867–1932)

"Ziegfeld" redirects here. For other uses, see Ziegfeld (disambiguation).

Florenz Edward Ziegfeld Jr. (; March 21, 1867 – July 22, 1932) was an American Broadwayimpresario, notable for his series of theatrical revues, the Ziegfeld Follies (1907–1931), inspired by the Folies Bergère of Paris. He also produced the musical Show Boat. He was known as the "glorifier of the American girl".^[1] Ziegfeld is a member of the American Theater Hall of Fame.^[2]

Early life

Florenz Edward Ziegfeld Jr. was born on March 21, 1867,^[3]^: 8 in Chicago, Illinois. His mother, Rosalie (née de Hez), who was born in Belgium, was the grandniece of General Count Étienne Maurice Gérard.^[4]^[5] His father, Florenz Edward Ziegfeld, was a German immigrant whose father was the mayor of Jever in Friesland. Ziegfeld was baptized in his mother's Roman Catholic church. His father was Lutheran.^[3]^: 7–8 As a child Ziegfeld witnessed th