Archive for the 'Vaudeville Legends Revealed' Category

How Did Will Rogers First Become Famous?

Here is the latest in a series of examinations into urban legends related to vaudeville and whether they are true or false. VAUDEVILLE URBAN LEGEND: Will Rogers first made a name for himself in the New York scene by heroically roping a steer that had gone into the crowd during a Western performance at Madison […]

Did Buster Keaton Receive His Famed Nickname From Harry Houdini?

Here is the latest in a series of examinations into urban legends related to vaudeville and whether they are true or false. VAUDEVILLE URBAN LEGEND: Buster Keaton received his nickname from Harry Houdini. Joseph Frank Keaton broke into the vaudeville business in 1899 as a member of his family’s vaudeville act, The Three Keatons when […]

Did Jack Benny Gain Both His First and Last Name Due to Separate Legal Issues?

Here is the latest in a series of examinations into urban legends related to vaudeville and whether they are true or false. VAUDEVILLE URBAN LEGEND: Jack Benny’s stage name came from not one, but TWO separate legal issues, one for each part of his name. Benjamin Kubelsky was born in Chicago in 1894 and by […]