Mermaids of Vaudeville: Women Aquatic Entertainers of the 1870s Through 1920s

Swimming entertainment captured the imagination of visitors at dime museums, variety and vaudeville theatres, local fairs, industrial exhibitions, and other venues in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. After beginning with "menfish"--male tank swimmers--these performances were highlighed by Boston's Sallie Swift, the first US water queen, and other women.

This history profiles a series of women aquatic entertainers through the 1920s. Most, such as Canada's Clara Beckwith and Australia's Annette Kellerman, came from working-class backgrounds and chose a "sport-like amusement" as an alternative working environment, seeing an opportunity to earn a more glamorous living far away from the drudgery of waitressing, laundering, sewing, or domestic servitude. They helped lay the groundwork for today's sport of artistic (aka synchronized) swimming.

Author: M. Ann Hall
Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: McFarland & Company
Published: 10/27/2026
Pages: 201
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.26d
ISBN: 9781476658476