George White's Scandals were a long-running string of Broadway revues produced by George White that ran from 1919-1939, modelled after the Ziegfeld Follies. The "Scandals" launched the careers of many entertainers, including W.C. Fields, the Three Stooges, Ray Bolger, Helen Morgan, Ethel Merman, Ann Miller, Bert Lahr, and Rudy Vallée. Louise Brooks and Eleanor Powell got their show business start as lavishly dressed (or underdressed) chorus girls strutting to the "Scandal Walk". Much of George Gershwin's early work appeared in the 1920-24 editions of Scandals.

George White's Scandals is also the name of several movies set within the Scandals, all of which focus primarily on the show's acts, with a thin backstage plot stringing them all together. The best known of these was 1934's George White's Scandals written by Jack Yellen, which marked the film debut of Alice Faye.

Notable Flapper-era cartoonist and designer Russell Patterson worked on Broadway on a number of productions in various capacities, including George White's Scandals of 1936 as Scenic Designer.

George White's Scandals of 1920 was featured in an episode of the television series The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles.

The Scandals Cast (Year-By-Year)

1919

• Lester Allen
• La Sylphe
• Ann Pennington
• Ona Munson
• George White
• The George White Girls

1920

• Lester Allen
• Peggy Dolan
• Lou Holtz
• La Sylphe
• Ann Pennington
• George White
• The George White Girls

1921

• Lester Allen
• Lou Holtz
• Tess Gardella
• Charles King
• Ann Pennington
• George White
• The George White Girls

1922

• Lester Allen
• Dolores Costello
• Peggy Dolan
• W.C. Fields
• Winnie Lightner
• Sally Long
• George White
• Paul Whiteman & His Orchestra
• The George White Girls

1923

• Lester Allen
• Winnie Lightner
• The George White Girls (including Alice White)

1924

• Lester Allen
• Dolores Costello
• Peggy Dolan
• Winnie Lightner
• The George White Girls (including Louise Brooks, Dorothy Sebastian, Sally Starr, and Alice White)

1925

• Helen Morgan
• The George White Girls (including Louise Brooks)

1926

• The Fairbanks Twins
• Portland Hoffa
• Ann Pennington
• The George White Girls (including Alice White)

1928

• Harry Richman
• The Russell Markert Dancers
• George White
• The George White Girls (including Boots Mallory)

1931

• Ray Bolger
• Ethel Merman
• Rudy Vallee
• Alice Faye

1932 (Music Hall Varieties)

• Lili Damita
• Bert Lahr
• Harry Richman
• The Dancing Beauties (including Eleanor Powell and Barbara Pepper)

1936

• Cliff Edwards
• Bert Lahr
• Rudy Vallee
• The George White Girls

1939

• Ben Blue
• Ella Logan
• Ann Miller
• Harry Stockwell
• The Three Stooges

References

1. BroadwayWorld International Database http://broadwayworld.com/bwidb/people/Russell_Patterson/

External links

• PBS article on "George White's Scandals"