America's first performing stars emerged from all of New York's many different theater worlds during the early part of the 20th century. Actors, singers, and dancers began careers as performers, and in the process revealed the cities extensive cultural diversity through their art. A tap dancer named Bill "Bojangles" Robinson first starred in the all-black Broadway revue "The Hot Mikado." He then went on to Hollywood, where he co-starred opposite the famous child actress Shirley Temple. An immigrant from Russia, Al Jolson worked in circuses and vaudeville before going on to Broadway. He is best remembered for his role in the first talking motion picture, "The Jazz Singer. Sophie Tucker was known as "the last of the red hot mamas." Tucker was born in Russia and began her entertainment career singing in her father's restaurant. She became a popular singer on the Yiddish and Broadway stages. Boyhood friends, Joseph Weber and Lew Fields were German-speaking immigrants who became New York's favorite comedy team around the turn of the century, mostly by making fun of other Broadway shows. George M. Cohan was a descendant of Irish immigrants and was part of a theatrical family. He began his stage career as a young boy and later became famous for flag-waving songs like "I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy," "You're a Grand Old Flag," and "Over There," a World War I tune. Born on Manhattan's Lower East Side, Eddie Cantor, who was the son of Jewish immigrants, began as a singer and stage actor, before going on to star in movie musicals.
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	BIG APPLE HISTORY is a production of Thirteen/WNET New York. © 2005 Educational Broadcasting Corporation. All rights reserved.