Knowra Eddie Cantor Eddie Cantor Eddie Cantor (1892–1964) was an American comedian, singer, actor, and radio personality known for energetic performances and the song “Makin’ Whoopee.”
Al Jolson : An American singer and actor whose blackface minstrel performances and starring role in The Jazz Singer made him a major entertainer. Jolson was Cantor’s contemporary and a fellow Jewish-American star of vaudeville and musical comedy.
Vaudeville : A form of popular theater built from varied acts, including comedy, music, dance, and specialty performances. Cantor developed his comic timing and energetic performance style on the vaudeville stage.
Comic timing : The control of pauses, rhythm, and emphasis that shapes the delivery of a joke or comic action. Cantor’s rapid patter and carefully timed reactions made his energetic comedy legible to live and broadcast audiences.
March of Dimes : An American nonprofit organization founded in 1938 to combat polio and later focused on maternal and infant health. Cantor popularized the organization’s name and fundraising through his radio appeals for polio research.
George Jessel : An American comedian, singer, and actor known as the “Toastmaster General of the United States.” Jessel shared Cantor’s vaudeville and musical-comedy world and later became a prominent radio and film personality.
Ziegfeld Follies : A series of elaborate Broadway revues produced by Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. from 1907 through 1931. Cantor became one of the best-known performers in these lavish Broadway revues.
Patter song : A song whose lyrics are delivered rapidly, emphasizing verbal agility and rhythmic precision. Cantor used brisk, word-heavy musical performance to blend singing with comedy.
Polio : A viral disease that can damage the nervous system and cause paralysis, especially in children. Cantor’s fundraising broadcasts helped mobilize public support for research against this disease.
Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. : An American theatrical producer who created the lavish Broadway revues known as the Ziegfeld Follies. Ziegfeld’s revues gave Cantor a major stage platform and helped establish his Broadway fame.
Whoopee! : A 1928 Broadway musical comedy featuring Eddie Cantor and the song “Makin’ Whoopee.” Cantor starred in the production that introduced “Makin’ Whoopee” to Broadway audiences.
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