Uncle Tom's Cabin
Who wrote the original 1852 novel, Uncle Tom's Cabin; or, Life Among the Lowly?
Harriet Beecher Stowe
During which approximate period (decades) was Vaudeville popular in the United States?
1880s to the 1930s
What melodramatic play / movie did we study that was about alcoholism?
Ten Nights in a Barroom
What does Chico think Groucho is saying when Groucho says "viaduct"?
"Why a duck?"
What stage actor did Orson Welles claim was "the greatest Hamlet" he ever saw?
John Barrymore
What was the only book that sold more copies in the U.S. in the 19th century than the novel Uncle Tom's Cabin?
The Bible
What historical forerunners of Vaudeville performers would mount benches outdoors to sell their wares, often presenting a variety bill as a form of bait?
Mountebanks / Snake Oil Salesmen
What kills Little Mary in Ten Nights in a Barroom?
A thrown bottle.
Who wrote the music and lyrics to the songs in The Cocoanuts? He also wrote the famous song "White Christmas".
Irving Berlin
Which of these is NOT an aspect of Screwball Comedies? 1. Strong, independent lead female character / 2. Slow, steady pace, building to a dramatic climax / 3. Farcical situations
2. Slow, steady pace, building to a dramatic climax
The multiple stage adaptations of the novel, known as "Tom Shows," were a small industry built on what popular theatrical genre?
Melodramas or Moral Reform Dramas
What is "continuous vaudeville"?
Theaters would open in the morning and acts would perform continuously until late at night for audiences coming and going at their convenience.
Who is Hertzog?
The Black Crook.
In what US state does The Cocoanuts take place?
Florida
What is the central, "meaningless" gimmick that John P. Wintergreen's campaign team devises to get him elected president in the musical Of Thee I Sing?
Running on "love" and promising to find the First Lady in a beauty contest.
Which character's death scene became famous, often parodied in future sketches and movies?
Little Eva
What three major new forms of entertainment contributed significantly to the decline of Vaudeville?
Radio, Silent Movies/Talkies (talking pictures), and Burlesque.
What melodramatic musical spectacular premiered on September 12, 1866 in New York?
The Black Crook
What two musical instruments does Harpo play in The Cocoanuts?
Harp and clarinet.
What was the first American musical to win a Pulitzer Prize?
Of Thee I Sing.
Did Harriet Beecher Stowe receive royalties or payment from any of the numerous stage versions of her popular novel?
No!
What comedy troupe started their career in vaudeville and went on to make movies, including the musical The Cocoanuts?
The Marx Brothers
The hit song from The Black Crook was called "You _____, _____ Men". Fill in the blanks!
"You Naughty, Naughty Men"
Why is The Cocoanuts famous in film history?
It was the first filmed full-length musical.
Who was the first American writer to win a Nobel Prize in Literature?
Sinclair Lewis.