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W. C. Fields from Burlesque and Vaudeville to Broadway

Becoming a Comedian

  • Book
  • © 2014

Overview

Authors:
  1. Arthur Frank Wertheim
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Part of the book series: Palgrave Studies in Theatre and Performance History (PSTPH)

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Table of contents (19 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xxv
    Download chapter PDF

  2. Introduction

    1. Introduction

      • Arthur Frank Wertheim
      Pages 1-5

  3. The Fledgling Years

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 7-7
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    2. Meet the Dukenfields

      • Arthur Frank Wertheim
      Pages 9-25

    3. Life with Father

      • Arthur Frank Wertheim
      Pages 27-40

  4. The Training Ground

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 41-41
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    2. The Tramp Juggler

      • Arthur Frank Wertheim
      Pages 43-55

    3. Initiation Rites

      • Arthur Frank Wertheim
      Pages 57-69

    4. The Sly Conjurer

      • Arthur Frank Wertheim
      Pages 71-84

    5. The Big Time

      • Arthur Frank Wertheim
      Pages 85-94

  5. “All the World’s a Stage”

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 95-95
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    2. “A Master Pantomimist”

      • Arthur Frank Wertheim
      Pages 97-111

    3. “My Art Never Satisfies Me”

      • Arthur Frank Wertheim
      Pages 113-124

    4. To the Antipodes

      • Arthur Frank Wertheim
      Pages 125-137

    5. The Trouper on the Flying Trapeze

      • Arthur Frank Wertheim
      Pages 139-147

    6. The Ham Tree

      • Arthur Frank Wertheim
      Pages 149-153

  6. “What Therefore God Hath Joined Together, Let Not Man Put Asunder”

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 155-155
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    2. The Breakup

      • Arthur Frank Wertheim
      Pages 157-167

    3. The Affair

      • Arthur Frank Wertheim
      Pages 169-177

  7. The Labyrinth to the Ziegfeld Follies

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 179-179
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Keywords

About this book

W. C. Fields was a virtuoso comedian, often called a comic genius, legendary iconoclast, and "Great Man," who brought so much laughter to millions while enduring so much anguish. This book explores his little-known, long stage career from 1898 to 1930, which had a major influence on his comedy and screen presence.

About the author

Arthur Frank Wertheim has written several books on twentieth-century American culture, including Vaudeville Wars, The New York Little Renaissance, and Radio Comedy. He has co-edited three volumes: The Papers of Will Rogers and edited Will Rogers at the Ziegfeld Follies and American Popular Culture. A former American history professor at the University of Southern California, USA, as well as visiting professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, USA, his awards range from a Fulbright grant to teach at the University of Indonesia to a fellowship on biography at The Norman Mailer Center, USA. 
 

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