Ziegfeld Follies

Flash Briefing: Marion Davies

Join host Kari Bovee, award-winning author of historical fiction as she shares stories of strong women of history combined with mysteries of the past. >> Listen to Flash briefing HERE. << Most famously known as William Randolph Hearst’s mistress, Marion Davies deserves credit in her own right as an actress, film producer, screenwriter and philanthropist. In …

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Olive Thomas: Her high powered life and mysterious death

After winning The Most Beautiful Girl in New York City contest in 1914, Olive Thomas’ life would change forever. Her win led her to become a popular artists and illustrators model and she appeared on numerous magazine covers including The Saturday Evening Post. Her beauty captured the eye of Florenz Ziegfeld Jr., and he hired her …

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Women in Show Business History – Fanny Brice, Funny lady

Fanny Brice (sometimes spelled Fannie) was born on New York’s lower east side in 1891 as Fania Borach. She was the third child of Hungarian/Jewish saloon owners, but her interests were not in the family business. At fourteen years old, she made her stage debut during amateur night at Keeny’s Theater in Brooklyn. Shortly after, …

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Women in Show Business History – Olive Thomas, Tragic Beauty

Olive Thomas was born Olivia R. Duffy, October 20, 1894, to a working class Irish American family in Pennsylvania. To help support her family, she left school at 15 years of age.  At 16 she married Bernard Krush Thomas. The marriage lasted two years. After her divorce she moved to New York City, lived with …

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Josephine Baker – Entertainer, French Resistance Agent, and Activist

Born in 1907, Freda Josephine McDonald, Josephine, as she was later called, was destined to be an entertainer. Born  to dancer Carrie McDonald and possibly Eddie Carson, (her father’s true identity has never been confirmed) who was also in show business, Josephine made her first appearance on stage at the age of one when the couple brought her …

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