Show business

Show business, sometimes shortened to show biz or showbiz (since c. 1945), is a vernacular term for all aspects of the entertainment industry. From the business side (including managers, agents, producers, and distributors), the term applies to the creative element (including artists, performers, writers, musicians, and technicians) and was in common usage throughout the 20th century, though the first known use in print dates from 1850. At that time and for several decades, it typically included the initial definite article the.