From the 1880 by the and of the 19...

From the 1880 by the and of the 1920S, the live variety performances known as vaudeville exhibits were Americans' most popular form of entertainment.

Vaudeville's attraction began in 1865 when Tony Pastor, a former circus lout and theater manager in novel York City, began promoting variety performances tailored to families in the country's growing middle class. Banning liquor from his theaters, Pastor eliminated vulgar satisfy from performances and sought to schedule a variety of acts within a point out to that would appeal to all ages.

Adopting Pastor's gauge Benjamin Franklin Keith used the French-sounding name "vaudeville" to provide a refined image for