Isidore H. Herk (or Isadore, Izzy; 1882 – 5 July 1944) was a burlesque manager who played a major role in the evolution of this entertainment before World War II.
[2] He moved to Chicago and became the personal assistant of the producer Herman Fehr, head of the Empire burlesque circuit, or Western Wheel.
[2] In 1913 the Eastern and Western wheels were consolidated into the Columbia Amusement Company, headed by Samuel Scribner and Isidore Herk.
[5] Herk was put in charge of the American wheel, set up to provide an illusion of competition.
The American wheel played raunchier shows than its owner, with runways, hootchy-kootchy dancers and risqué comedians.
Faced with fierce competition from the B.F. Keith circuit, the Shuberts closed their vaudeville operation in February 1923.
[2] At the Mutual Herk cut costs, paid low salaries and eliminated elaborate costumes and scenery.
"[18] On 3 May 1937 Herk, then owner of the Gaiety Theatre in Times Square, proposed a compromise where the shows would be cleaned up.
Herk's show at the Gaiety Theatre finally closed in 1941, marking the end of burlesque on Broadway.
[17] In 1942 Herk and the Shuberts co-produced a Broadway show called Wine, Women and Song, starring Jimmy Savo and Margie Hart.
The show was advertised as a combination of vaudeville, burlesque and Broadway revue, and ran for seven weeks.