For much of its history the Columbia Wheel promoted relatively "clean" variety shows featuring comedians and pretty girls.

[1] The concept, credited to Gus Hill, was to mount approved burlesque shows that would progress from one theater to another in succession, as though around a "wheel".

[2] Sixteen managers and producers incorporated the Columbia Amusement Company on 12 July 1902[3] with Sam A. Scribner at the head and with principals William S. Campbell, William S. Drew, Gus Hill, John Herbert Mack, Harry Morris, L. Lawrence Weber and A. H.

In August 1905 Will Rogers signed with Columbia for five one-week shows in Brooklyn, New York, Buffalo, Cleveland and Pittsburgh.

[10] Performers who worked in Columbia shows included Bert Lahr, Rose Sydell, Sophie Tucker, Fanny Brice, Leon Errol, Jean Bedini, and Bobby Clark and Paul McCullough.

In 1914 Columbia launched its "No.2" circuit to compete with the cheaper shows offered by the Progressive Wheel and local stock burlesque companies.

[14] While tastes were changing after World War I, Scribner still insisted on keeping Columbia shows comparatively clean.

The following shows were on the Columbia circuit in 1922–23: American Girl; Beauty Revue; Big Jamboree; Bon Tons; Bowery Burlesquers; Broadway Brevities; Broadway Flappers; Bubble Bubble; Chuckles of 1922; Frank Finney; Flashlights of 1923; Follies of the Day; Folly Town; Giggles; Greenwich Village Revue; Hello Good Times; Sam Howe; Keep Smiling; Knick Knacks; Let’s Go; Maids of America; Dave Marion; Mimic World; Radio Girls; Al Reeves; Sam Sidman; Social Maids; Step On It; Talk of the Town; Temptations of 1922; Town Scandals; Varieties of 1922; Billy Watson; Sliding Billy Watson; Mollie Williams; Wine, Women and Song; and Youthful Follies.

The American Wheel was dissolved in 1922 due to a rift between Scribner and Herk, who felt that Columbia was out of step with the times.

[17] Mutual shows were less elaborate than Columbia's, but took inspiration from the modern risqué revues of Flo Ziegfeld and Earl Carroll.

[14] During the 1925 season Scribner grudgingly authorized chorus girls, who had worn tights for over twenty years, to perform barelegged.

[22] Mutual also stumbled in the late 1920s, and merged with Columbia in 1927 to form the United Burlesque Association,[21] with Herk as president and Scribner as the chairman of the board.