Ziegfeld, Florenz (flôr`ənz zēg`fĕld), 1869–1932, American theatrical producer, b. Chicago. In 1907 he first produced the Ziegfeld Follies, for 24 years an annual revue famous for its extraordinarily elaborate staging, variety of performers, and chorus of beautiful women. Anna Held Held, Anna, 1873?–1918, American musical comedy actress, b. Paris. She is remembered for her beauty and charm and for her tempestuous off-stage life. After she had small singing and dancing parts in Paris, success came to her when Florenz Ziegfeld (whom she
..... Click the link for more information. , Billie Burke, Fannie Brice, Eddie Cantor, Will Rogers, and W. C. Fields were among his stars. His other spectacular productions included Sally, Rio Rita, Rosalie, Show Boat, and Bitter Sweet. He was married to Anna Held from 1897 to 1913 and in 1914 married Billie Burke.

Bibliography

See M. Farnsworth, The Ziegfeld Follies (1956).

Ziegfeld, Florenz

(born March 21, 1869, Chicago, Ill., U.S.—died July 22, 1932, Hollywood, Calif.) U.S. theatrical producer. He worked as a publicist for Sandow the strongman before turning to theatrical management in 1896. His press releases promoting the French beauty Anna Held set a pattern of star-making publicity. In 1907 in New York City he produced the first of his Ziegfeld Follies, revues that combined seminudity, pageantry, and comedy in a formula that he repeated successfully for 23 years. Under the slogan “Glorifying the American Girl,” he made the revue an extravagant spectacle and developed stars such as Will Rogers and Fanny Brice. He also produced the hit musical Show Boat (1927).