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American Vaudeville Museum |
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All material © 1998-2008 American Museum of Vaudeville, Inc. Page 2 |
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► The Stage (UK), February 2007: Richard Anthony Baker, author, reviewer for Stage and Call Boy periodicals in the U.K., reports that “All that you could ever want to know about vaudeville is contained in a monumental two-volume work, Vaudeville Old and New: an Encyclopedia of Variety Performers. It surpasses anything previously written about the American equivalent of British music hall and will stand as the major reference work on the subject for many years to come… fine writing evinces some deft and delicate touches…The extensive knowledge and deep love of vaudeville by the author, Frank Cullen [working with Florence Hackman and Donald McNeilly], shine through in each of these tomes' 1,300 magnificent pages.” |
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► Amazon.com: David Soren, Regents Professor of Classics at University of Arizona nominates Vaudeville, Old & New as “The Best Vaudeville Book Ever… well written and, like vaudeville itself, immensely entertaining…if you want to know all about vaudeville, this is the magnum opus. It is lavishly illustrated and has about it that aura of love and care that comes when a writer is totally engrossed in his subject matter and approaches it with honesty, integrity and admiration.” |
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► Amazon.com: Armond Fields, social historian and biographer, calls Vaudeville, Old & New an “Outstanding vaudeville history…A monumental and definitive encyclopedia by an outstanding theater historian…everything you wanted to know about vaudeville and its performers…the bible for historians and researchers of early American popular theater… Nicely laid out, easy to read, ample photographs and humor make the two-volume set a must for libraries, archives and theater buffs, or anyone who has an interest in American social history.” |
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► Amazon.com: Stan Spence, theatre researcher/historian, writes: “This massive two volume work [Vaudeville, Old & New] is without a doubt the greatest tribute to vaudeville and its performers ever written. In this book you relive the lives and stories of a group of hard working entertainers, many of whom went on to give birth to the motion pictures, radio, and television industries…You won't read this book in one night, but it could provide a thousand nights of some of the greatest entertainment you've ever experienced. If you love show business, then you will absolutely love this masterful work.” |
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Rave reviews for: Vaudeville, Old & New: an Encyclopedia of Variety Performers in America |
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► TCG’s The American Theatre, March 2007: Trav S. D., author, producer & performer, writes “[F]or sheer scope, scale and ambition nothing holds a candle to Vaudeville, Old & New: an Encyclopedia of Variety Performers in America by Frank Cullen, Florence Hackman & Donald McNeilly… the book surpasses the previous authoritative work on the subject…an appreciation (beyond usual scholarly perspectives) for what precisely makes certain performers successful with audiences…it is the ultimate cornucopia for show business fanatics.” |
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► Library Journal, April 2007: “These two volumes chronicle 150 years of the "people's art" through short biographies of hundreds of performers both great and small. The rich A-to-Z text is enlivened by crisp black-and-white publicity photos and vintage sheet-music covers. Male and female impersonators, song-and-dance teams, animal acts, burlesque performers, comedians, comedy teams, and acrobats strut, tap, shimmy, and fly through the pages of this entertaining reference work. Special features include an extensive bibliography, a list of pertinent periodicals, a selection of Internet resources, and the names of libraries, museums, and institutes with relevant research collections. Bottom Line Whether it's used as a starting point for research or a fascinating glimpse into our theatrical history, this resource deserves top billing. Highly recommended for large reference as well as performing arts and popular culture collections.” —Carolyn M. Mulac, Chicago Public Library |