Vaudeville.

Variety entertainment was at the height of its popularity in the United States during the first decade of the century. Vaudeville shows were attended by members of all classes and appeared — via the theatrical chains known as circuits — in nearly every town in the country. American vaudeville had little to do with the French vaudeville, a light musical-comedy form. The name vaudeville was developed as a means of distinguishing theatrical variety shows from vulgar saloon entertainments, which featured "leg shows" and striptease. Vaudeville shows consisted of eight to ten acts: jugglers, animal acts, acrobats, song-and-dance teams, magicians, ventriloquists, male and female impersonators, skits, recitations, and appearances by celebrities of the day — including criminals, who reflected on their sordid pasts. Many performers who later became film, radio, and television stars (George Burns and Gracie Allen, Jack Benny, Bob Hope, and Milton Berle among...