Show Biz Is a Village

When I was listening to the radio program yesterday, I suddenly had a flash of insight: there’s a set of connections that runs right from Flo Ziegfeld right through to today’s television progams.

Eddie Cantor was a headliner for Flo Ziegfeld’s shows in the teens and 20s.

Phil Rapp wrote for Eddie Cantor’s movies and his radio show (he also wrote for Fannie Brice, another connection as you will see, and television).

Danny Thomas was a co-star of the radio program The Bickersons, which was created by Phil Rapp (who also created the Baby Snooks program that starred Fannie Brice;Thomas was a featured player on the program).

Aaron Spelling, along with Sheldon Leonard, was partners with Danny Thomas and that combine was responsible for many of the classic comedies of the 1960s including The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Andy Griffith Show, and others.

Darren Star, the creator of Sex and the City, was a protege of Aaron Spelling’s.

Show business really is a village.

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