The strict code of conduct that built an entertainment empire
Before it became the heart of American show business, vaudeville was a disciplined machine. To keep the peace and attract families, legendary managers enforced a strict moral code, threatening to blacklist any performer who uttered a single 'suggestive' word or even used the phrase 'son of a gun.'
Emerging in the 1870s and lasting until the early 1930s, vaudeville was a highly organized variety genre. While it drew from diverse, sometimes gritty sources like concert saloons, freak shows, and minstrelsy, it underwent a massive transformation into 'Polite Vaudeville.' This shift was led by impresarios like Tony Pastor, who, by 1876, began replacing 'variety' with the term 'vaudeville.' To attract middle-class families and female shoppers, Pastor famously banned liquor and even offered gifts of coal and hams to his audience.
The industry's true industrial strength came from the development of massive theatre circuits. Managers like B. F. Keith and E. F. Albee revolutionized booking by creating a chain of allied houses. This allowed performers to embark on regional or national tours lasting anywhere from a few weeks to two' years. However, this stability came with intense censorship. Keith was notorious for his discipline; performers faced 'black marks' or permanent expulsion if they used sacrilegious or suggestive language. Managers even sent 'blue envelopes'—instructions to omit specific provocative lines from songs.
Despite this push for modesty, the era also saw the rise of 'blue' material—provocative acts that used sexualized imagery to drive revenue. This tension between the 'polite' and the 'provocative' defined the era. While the 'big time' featured stars like Harry Houdini and Eubie Blake in grand urban theatres, the industry also provided a platform for women to find professional success, even as they navigated the objectifying 'male gaze' of the period. At its height, the industry employed over 12,000 people, creating a pervasive cultural fabric that rivaled schools and churches in its reach.
Source: Vaudeville
