Glossary: Script References
(Note: The terms are listed in order of appearance in the script.)
Chaperone- a person who accompanies or supervises a person or group to a social occasion, usually with the specific intent of preventing inappropriate social or sexual interactions or banned activities (e.g. drug use or underage drinking); an older escort, similar to a companion; during the 1920s, the Victorian convention of having a chaperone was still seen by some as a necessary social requirement in certain situations for young ladies of high social standing, especially in New York; however, the practices of adult chaperones and parlor engagements (young people spending supervised time together leading to marriage agreements) were fading, partly because of the advent of automobiles
Fourth wall- a theatrical term for the imaginary wall that exists between the stage world and the audience; often used in modern drama to keep up the illusion that the actors can’t see or hear the audience, so the audience is like “a fly on the wall.”
Fourth wall- a theatrical term for the imaginary wall that exists between the stage world and the audience; often used in modern drama to keep up the illusion that the actors can’t see or hear the audience, so the audience is like “a fly on the wall.”
Ronny Howard- one of his first big roles was in the 1962
film version of the musical The Music Man,
where he played Winthrop Paroo, the child with the lisp, alongside Robert
Preston and Shirley Jones
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| The exterior of the Morosco Theatre (1917). |
Morosco Theatre- a Broadway theatre near Times Square in New
York City from 1917 to 1982; it housed many notable productions and its
demolition, along with four adjacent theaters, was controversial (hence the
reference).
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| The interior of the Morosco (1917). |
Pu-pu platter- a tray of American Chinese cuisine or
Hawiian cuisine consisting of an assortment of small meat and seafood appetizers;
a typical American Chinese platter might include egg rolls, spare ribs, chicken
wings, beef teriyaki, fried wontons, crab rangoon, fried shrimp, etc.
Follies- lavish musical revues, something between later
Broadway shows and more elaborate high class vaudeville variety show; many of
the top entertainers of the day appeared in the Ziegfeld Follies; see The Roaring Twenties article for more
Prohibition- nationwide constitutional ban on the sale,
production, importation, and transportation of alcoholic beverages that
remained in place from 1920 to 1933; private ownership and consumption was not
legal under federal law; to many, the implementation of prohibition just made
drinking more fun; the ban also boosted organized crime, bootlegging, and the
establishment of speakeasies
Aviatrix- a female pilot; the word just came into usage around
1925;-trix is the suffix to form feminine nouns
Lothario- a man who obsessively seduces and deceives women; a
Don Juan or Casanova
...give up a successful career...- while women had been granted the right to vote in 1920 and many had started working outside the home, the wife was usually still expected to stay at home to care for the kids and do the cooking, cleaning, etc.; meanwhile, the husband worked to provide the household income
Toledo- most likely refers to Toledo, Ohio, which in the
late 1880s to 1930s, had a reputation as an immoral and corrupt city due to
gang violence, illegal bootlegging, gambling, prostitution, and political
corruption
A coma… Seattle- Probably a reference to Tacoma, a city near
Seattle
Holy Cats!- 1920s slang expression; equivalent to “Holy cow!”
Cocaine- during the 1880s, cocaine became a popular additive
used in elixirs, tonics, and other products, due to its euphoric and energizing
effects on the consumer; it was broadly used by people of all social classes
through the early 1900s; cocaine was famously an ingredient in Coca Cola from
the soft drink’s introduction in 1886 until public pressure regarding the
dangers of the drug forced a change to the recipe in 1903; cocaine became a
mainstay in the silent film industry; in 1920, cocaine was added to the list of
banned narcotics, but a market had already become established
Boutonniéres- floral decoration worn by men, traditionally
worn pushed through the lapel buttonhole
Lido deck of the Ile de France- French ocean liner, the lido
deck is an open sun deck with a large swimming pool; the ship was especially popular among wealthy Americans and quickly became the chosen ship of the
youthful, the stylish, and the famous
Spooned- a 1920s euphemism for kissing, or at least talk of
love
Olives… Gibson- cocktail traditionally garnished with a
pickled onion, a mixture of dry gin and vermouth, it can also be made with vodka;
regarded as a more sophisticated drink than a martini, but the garnish is the
main distinction
Cat’s pajamas- a typical term used by the Jazz Age flappers or
other hipsters to describe a person who is the best at what they do or highly
desirable
Chewing the scenery- vaudeville slang for performing in a
hammy, over-the-top manner
Gimlet- a cocktail commonly made with gin and lime juice,
there is a variation made with vodka instead
Falklands War- 1982 armed conflict between Argentina and the
United Kingdom over two British overseas territories; lasted ten-weeks
Mind reading act- a typical two-person vaudeville act, the
greatest vaudeville mind reading act was performed by Anna Eva Fay
Chinoiserie- European interpretation and imitation of
Chinese and East Asian artistic traditions, especially in the decorative arts,
garden design, architecture, literature, theater, and musical performances.
Sigmund Freud- Austrian neurologist and father of
psychoanalysis; possibly a reference to his famous quote: “Flowers are restful
to look at. They have neither emotions
nor conflicts.”
Gertrude Stein- American writer of novels, poetry, and
plays; probably a reference to the oft-quoted line “a rose is a rose is a rose”
that Stein was fond of using
Busby Berkeley- Hollywood movie director and musical
choreographer; considered one of the greatest musical choreographers, he was famous
for devising elaborate production numbers and kaleidoscopic arrangements using
chorus girls
Jane Goodall- British researcher and ethologist who studied primate
behavior; famous for her work with chimpanzees
Tiny Tim’s autopsy photographs- Musician famous for his ukulele
playing and falsetto rendition of “Tip-toe Through the Tulips”; he died after a heart
attack suffered during a performance; an odd character (to say the least), there has been much
gossip about his life
Cockamamie- ridiculous, pointless or nonsensical
Huppah- a canopy under which a Jewish couple stands during a
Jewish wedding ceremony
Characters
Most of the characters are stock types, but they are played
by specific actors, usually from vaudeville.
The following will give you an idea of some possible character models to
look at.
Chaperone/ Beatrice Stockwell- Possibly Daisy Dormer, born Kezia Beatrice
Stockwell, an English music hall singer famous for her rendition of the 1890s
Tin Pan Alley song “After the Ball is Over.” Another model from a later period could be Tallulah
Bankhead.
Feldzieg & Kitty/ Jack & Sadie Adler- On one hand
big New York producer and the dim-witted but ambitious chorus girl; Florenz
Ziegfeld and first wife, Anna Held (?) or possibly second wife, Billie Burke; on
the other hand, a vaudeville husband and wife team similar to comic duo George
Burns and Gracie Allen, where Burns played the straight man to Gracie’s silly
“Dumb Dora” (a common 1920s stereotype).
Gangsters 1 & 2/ Tall Brothers, John and Peter Tall
(Abram and Mendel Mosloskowicz)- Possibly based on the vaudeville act of the
Marx Brothers, another Jewish comedic brother act.
Robert Martin/ Percy Hyman- typical dashing leading man,
1920s matinee idol such as Wallace Reid or Thomas Meighan.
Janet van de Graaff/ Jane Roberts- (Note: named after Bob
Martin’s fiancé) Possible models
include: Fanny Brice, Marilyn Miller, or a Broadway star who gave up the stage
for marriage, like Adele Astaire. Another possibility would be the “It Girl” of
the 1920s, Clara Bow, star of the 1927 film It.
Adolpho/ Roman Bartelli- Possibly somewhat similar to Rudolph
Valentino, silent film star and the “Latin Lover” of the 1920s; another Latin
Lover-type from silent films and vaudeville was Ricardo Cortez; a slightly
later influence, and more accurate in terms of comedic style, would be Eric
Rhodes from The Gay Divorcee and Top Hat.
Underling & Mrs. Tottendale/ Noel Fitzpatrick &
Ukulele Lil – Possibly Ukulele Lew and Lera (although I can’t find any info
besides names), but a vaudeville team also similar to George Burns and Gracie Allen
with the addition of the ukulele, which was a popular instrument in vaudeville.
