Gallagher and Shean - Citizendia

Sheet Music to Mister Gallagher and Mister Shean

Gallagher & Shean was a highly successful double act on vaudeville and Broadway in the 1910s and 1920s, consisting of Edward Gallagher (1873 - March 28, 1929) and Al Shean (real name Albert Schoenberg) (May 12, 1868 - August 12, 1949). A double act, also known as a Comedy duo, is a comic device in which humor is derived from the uneven relationship between two partners usually of the same Vaudeville was a Genre of variety entertainment prevalent on the stage in the United States and Canada, from the early 1880s Broadway theater, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 39 large professional theaters with 500 seats or more located The 1910s decade ran from January 1 1910 through December 31 1919 The 1920s is sometimes referred to as the " Jazz Age " or the " Roaring Twenties " when speaking about the United States and Canada Edward Gallagher (1873 &ndash March 28, 1929) was a Vaudeville actor and half of the act Gallagher and Shean. Year 1873 ( MDCCCLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 37 - Roman Emperor Caligula accepts the titles of the Principate, entitled to him by the Senate. Year 1929 ( MCMXXIX) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Al Shean ( May 12, 1868, Dornum, Germany - August 12, 1949, New York City) was the stage name for comedian Events 1191 - Richard I of England marries Berengaria of Navarre. Year 1868 ( MDCCCLXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap Events 1099 - First Crusade: Battle of Ascalon - Crusaders under the command of Godfrey of Bouillon defeat Fatimid Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

The comedians led separate careers in the vaudeville tradition, but it was when they teamed up that they gained popularity. Gallagher and Shean first joined forces during the tour of "The Rose Maid" in 1912, but they quarreled and split up two years later. Year 1912 ( MCMXII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year starting They next appeared together in 1920, through the efforts of Shean's sister, Minnie Marx (mother of the Marx Brothers). Year 1920 ( MCMXX) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display 1920 of the Gregorian calendar Minnie Schönberg Marx ( November 9, 1865 &ndash September 13, 1929) born in Dornum, East Frisia, was the mother The Marx Brothers were a popular team of sibling Comedians who appeared in Vaudeville, stage plays film and television This pairing lasted until 1925 and led to their fame. Year 1925 ( MCMXXV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Gallagher and Shean remain best known for their theme song "Mister Gallagher and Mister Shean", which was a hit in the 1922 Ziegfeld Follies. "Mister Gallagher and Mister Shean" is one of the most famous songs to come from Vaudeville. Year 1922 ( MCMXXII) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. History The Follies were lavish Revues something between later Broadway shows and a more elaborate high class Vaudeville Variety show. Bryan Foy, son of stage star Eddie Foy and eldest member of the "Seven Little Foys", claimed to have written the song, but it is officially attributed to Gallagher and Shean. Eddie Foy Sr (born Edwin Fitzgerald Foy March 9, 1856 in Greenwich Village, New York City died February 16, 1928 Kansas City Missouri The song endured in popularity and was regularly tweaked and updated with additional verses, so several different versions of the song are still extant. The song was recorded as two-sides of a 10" 78 in 1922 for Cameo. For the "brief appearance" see Cameo appearance. For the "chemical emergency software" see Computer-Aided Management of Emergency #[click on About this recording] Naxos attributes to song to Irving and Jack Kaufman. The recording was extremely popular and well-remembered: a parody of it was recorded by Bing Crosby and Johnny Mercer in the late 1930s, another parody was performed by Jackie Gleason and Groucho Marx (who was Al Shean's nephew) on television in the late 1950s, and Lenny Bruce was able to make an offhanded reference to it in his nightclub act of the 1960s, all of them confident that audiences would recognize it right away. Harry Lillis “Bing” Crosby ( May 3, 1903 &ndash October 14, 1977) was an Academy Award winning American Popular John Herndon "Johnny" Mercer ( November 18, 1909 – June 25, 1976) was an American Songwriter and Singer Year 1930 ( MCMXXX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display 1930 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Herbert Walton Gleason Jr, baptized John Herbert "Jackie" Gleason ( February 26, 1916 – June 24, 1987) was an Lenny Bruce (October 13 1925 &ndash August 3 1966 born Leonard Alfred Schneider, was an American Stand-up comedian, Writer, social

With occasional exceptions, each verse of the song ended with Gallagher speaking a punchline, followed by Shean singing "Absolutely, Mister Gallagher?" and Shean replying "Positively, Mister Shean!". This cross-talk format continues to be imitated, parodied and referenced for audiences who may have no knowledge of the original. Cartoonist Bobby London depicted his characters Dirty Duck and Weevil telling each other "Posilutely, Weevil!" "Absotively, Mr. Bobby London (born 1950 is an Underground comix and mainstream comics artist Duck!". In the 1990s, a radio commercial for Pitney Bowes office equipment used the original tune with new lyrics: "Absolutely, Mister Pitney!" "Positively, Mister Bowes!"

Capitalizing on the post-King Tut craze for everything Egyptian, Gallagher and Shean appeared in Egyptian dress (Gallagher in the pith helmet and white suit of the tourist, Shean in the fez and oddly skirted jacket of a "native" Egyptian colonial). Pitney Bowes Inc ( is a Stamford Connecticut -based manufacturer of software and hardware and a provider of services related to Documents Packaging

In 1921, they were sued by the Shubert organization for breach of contract. Year 1921 ( MCMXXI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1921 calendar of the Gregorian calendar According to Shubert, they could not perform for the competing Ziegfeld Follies. The case claimed that Gallagher and Shean's act was "unique and irreplaceable". The comedians' defense was that their act was mediocre and the judge initially found in their favor, although the decision was later reversed.

For a time in the 1920s, Gallagher was involved with his protegee, vivacious French-Canadian dancer Fifi D'Orsay. Fifi D'Orsay ( April 16, 1904 - December 2, 1983) was an actress

Gallagher and Shean often had personal differences during their partnership. The constant backstage hostilities inspired Neil Simon to incorporate them into his successful show-business-themed comedy The Sunshine Boys. Marvin Neil Simon (born July 4, 1927 in The Bronx, New York City) is an American Playwright and Screenwriter The Sunshine Boys is a play by Neil Simon that was produced on Broadway in 1972 and later adapted for film and television

Ed Gallagher died in 1929; Al Shean worked occasionally thereafter as a solo character actor. The 1941 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer musical Ziegfeld Girl features a re-creation of Gallagher and Shean's act, with Al Shean in his familiar role and costume, and character actor Charles Winninger portraying Gallagher. Charles Winninger ( May 26, 1884 &ndash January 27, 1969) was an American stage and film actor most often cast in comedies or musicals

References

Marxology

External links

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