The New York
Public Library for the Performing Arts > Vaudeville
Nation
Vaudeville and Broadway
Oscar Hammerstein in
front of his theaters at
Times Square, 1900.
Billy Rose Theatre Collection
Vaudeville and Broadway co-existed after the Times Square
district began in the 1890s. Oscar (I) and Willie Hammerstein
managed the "legitimate" Victoria Theater on the NW corner
of 42nd Street and Broadway and the Paradise Roof
above it. Willie Hammerstein was famous for presenting imitators
of other producers' stars, at one point starting the "Salome
War" in which everyone in Vaudeville was doing the Dance
of the Seven Veils.
Florenz Ziegfeld, Jr. had a variety-bill roof garden over
the New Amsterdam Theater as well. The huge Hippodrome Theater
served as a vaudeville house at times but also presented
programmed bills for multi-month bookings. Many performers
alternated between vaudeville and Broadway bookings.
Related Images
