The Last Ziegfeld Follie Girl 1904-2010

[CasaBlanca]

I saw this news piece and marveled at it. Realizing just what this woman witnessed in her lifetime was too much not to pause for reflection.

World Wars, inventions, automobiles, flight, commercial flight, space travel, telephone-then everything that followed in communication. Newspapers were the only form of information-to today's instant alerts. Depression, Prohibition. Silent film to the "never catch on" talkies, Television, to big screen Imax to small mobile hand held devices to view-her lifespan was probably the most incredible to have lived. What a marvel!

When we see a passing of an entertainer we often focus on what we enjoyed most about their performances. For many of us, we never knew or witnessed Doris preform. So with her, I focus mainly on what she enjoyed in life and experienced. A follie girl was the cream of the crop. They were highly respected, it was an honor to make it and stay with the group. The shows were such incredible exhibitions. Costumes, music pieces that went on for hours, Sets elaborate with flourish, spectacle, ostentatiously larger than life, never ending steps and detail. Larger than super bowl shows today. Way ahead of their time. A harbinger in entertainment.

Well, I just wanted to honor the long life and post this piece. I hope you too get to pause for a second and absorb appreciation an era and tradition of long ago. And for her, such a great run ending at 106 and she "still had game" at 101! Standing O for Doris!

Thanks for the performances Doris! What a life!


Read here about Doris Eaton Travis



OH poo! The two utube or video examples just defaulted to a modern day kid playing the piano. It was previously Doris's life in a small video including her dancing at 101. I hope POPeater corrects the link so you can enjoy the old montage.

 

[CasaBlanca]

at 101 she's still got game


Here is the missing Montage, including her face morphed from the 20's to present.

Listen to that music you young whipper snappers!

 

[brazen_irish_hussy]

My great grandfather lived from before the first commercially produced car until 25 years after the moonwalk, it really is amazing what that generation saw.

 

[Black Jade]

Thanks for posting that!
It made my day. I went to youtube and the video of her dancing, both in her prime and at age 101 was just lovely and inspiring.

I belong to a book club with ladies in their 70''s and 80''s (not quite 101 but they''re getting there) and also go sometimes to ballroom dancing events with a lot of couples who are older like that, and it just makes me think, I want to keep healthy and keep on going!
I''m currently 52, and a lot of people are still athletic and healthy at my age, but to manage it at twice what I am? Bravo, Doris Eaton!
(She was so pretty, too. In her youth--but also a pretty old lady. She way did not like over 100 years old. Maybe about 70).

 

[Cehrabehra]

That was really sweet

You know - I absolutely adore those really old movies and they are just so hard to come by... I used to watch them in the middle of the night back in the 80''s on various UHS channels, but AMC can''t hold a candle to the things I used to see...

 

[elrohwen]

That''s sad! She''s interviewed on a Broadway documentary (available instantly via Netflix) and it was so interesting to hear her stories about that time.

 

[PumpkinPie]

amazing.. my husband`s grandfather is 93 - I always wonder at the way the world changed during his lifetime

 

[HVVS]

Wow, the last Ziegfield Girl. My great aunt was one, and she married a NYC stockbroker who was also a movie producer. Ziegfield Girls were usually from small towns in USA. The native NY-ers generally shunned that job, but it was a great opportunity for women from small towns to get out the the rural areas and have some financial independence and fun, in an era that didn''t offer career opportunities except wife and mother.