The Ambassadeurs Show 1929
The fourth Ambassadeurs show in Paris was presented by Edmund Sayag in the summer of 1929 with a vaguely oriental but again distinctively American content.
Once again Sayag along with Henri Lartique, the French booking agent for William Morris, spent March 1929 in New York to book fresh American talent for the Ambassadors show of 1929 in Paris that was launched on 23rd May 1929.
Staged by Bunny Weldon, famous for producing a variety of nightclub shows in New York, the show featured Noble Sissle and his Ambassadeurs Orchestra and starred Lester Allen (who had also appeared in the 1927 edition) and Nelly Breen, Miss Noree, George Dewey Washington, Jimmy Rae and Bobbe Arnst, Carolyn Nolte, the dancing duo Geraldine and Joe and a Chinese troupe of twelve Chinese girls and eight Chinese boys. In July the celebrated American dancing team of Medrano and Donna, described as ‘admirable tango dancers’ were added to the cast.
With twenty scenes, the lyrics were provided by Cole Porter, Rene Pujol, R. Kaiges, Gers Kahn and Dorothy Fields and the music by Cole Porter, Louis Alter, Jim Mac Hugh, Bunny Weldon, Ted Shapiro, Jim Campbell, Zey Confrey and Walter Donaldson.
The programme gave credit for all costumes and curtains to Max Weldy with costume design by Zig and set design by Alex Shanks and yet once again Billboard clearly stated that the Brooks Costume Company from New York, executed a large set of costumes from designs by Dolly Tree. Undoubtedly it must have been a collective effort.
By mid-September it was announced that the Ambassadeurs restaurant was to close and be demolished. In its place the Theatre de Concorde was to be built designed to be the home of smart revues. Adjoining the theatre, a new Ambassadeurs restaurant was to be constructed designed to be a duplicate of the Central Park Casino in New York and tstill be under Sayag’s rule. The new complex was to open in the Spring of 1930.
All images and text © copyright Gary Chapman / Jazz Age Club and must not be re-used without prior consent
Thank you for this. Osvaldo Fresedo, a famous Argentine tango musician, and his Orchestra were here since May and presumably until mid-September, when they went to NYC. Also, Mexican Dancers Celia Montalván and Issa Marcué.
https://www.fresedo.de/2021/04/fresedo-en-paris.html