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Keith-Albee manager reports, September 2, 1902 - September 3, 1903

Page 254

NEW YORK SHOW, APRIL 27, 1903.

STEREOPTICON.--The usual selection of views. 7 minutes in one.

HR.-ALLEN WIGHTMAN.--A young fellow who does a clay modeling act and closes with a large crayon drawing. He is about on the average of all the clay modlers, but was handicapped a little this afternoon by having the lights over his easel go out, which destroyed the effect of his work somewhat. During his crayon sketch, he keeps up a running fire of stories, which, while not especially brilliant, make the act somewhat of a novelty and holds the attention of the audience. Can easily be classed as a good act. 12 minutes open in two, close in one.

N. H.-[HODGKINS?] AND LEITH.--A man and woman in a rural comedy sketch. The act is about on a par with the usual run of the three-show-a day acts of this kind, both performers being pretty good delineaters of Yankee character, both as regards dialect and action. The act only went fairly well, however, here. 17 minutes, full stage.

YH.--FRED WATSON.--Coon songs. this is not an especially strong act, but at the figure we place him it is all right in the place which he is filling on the bill. 10 minutes in one.

GHR.--THE DE FORRESTS.--A man and woman in eccentric and character dancing. It is about the same sort of an act that they have always given us, and, while it has not deteriorated any in quality, I am rather inclined to think that our audiences are almost too familiar with it. They got quite a bit of applause, and the act can be called good. 19 minutes, full stage.

AR.--THE VITAGRAPH.--They gave us two or three views this afternoon of rather mediocre quality, and then presented "The Trip to the Moon" which is really the best moving picture film which I have ever seen. It held the audience to the finish and was received with a hearty round of applause. 23 minutes in one.

[GNH?].--ED. [REXNARD?].--Ventriloquist. This performer has got an entirely new way of introducing his act using special scenery and making it something like a comedy sketch, using dummy figures as the different characters. His interlocular work is all right, and mechanically there is nothing to be desired about the act, although he is far from being what I anticipated. 18 minutes,open in full stage, and close in one.

MRR.--THE CYCLE LOOP. For some reason or other, this act does not create much of a sensation in this house. The people are evidently cognizant of the fact that it is a clever mechanical "fake", and look upon it as such. 11 minutes, full stage.

HR.--LOLA COTTON.--A young girl about eleven or twelve years of age, I should think, doing the regulation second sight act, and concluding with a rather remarkable exhibition of apparent memory in reading a lot figures on a black-board. The old system of second sight is apparently used, but it is very cleverly worked and the age of the child makes it in a certain sense rather remarkable, although in no way a sensation. 23 minutes in one.

YNH.--EVA WILLIAMS AND JACK TUCKER IN THE OLD ACT OF "Skinny's Finish," which is presented in as fully an artistic manner as ever. 23 minutes, full stage.

material, the most of it being exceptionally good. [cut off.....]
lost none of his ability to present an act in an original way entirely peculiar to himself, and while he did not go especially strong this afternoon, I agree with Boston that it is about the best act he has given us in the last two or three years. 16 minutes in one.

GNR.--THREE LIVINGSTONES.--One man and two women in a very clever acrobatic act, the man being in evening clothes and the women in full dress. An exceptionally clever acrobatic act. 10 minutes in full stage.

ER.--GILLIHAN AND MURRAY.--Two men in a black faced singing, dancing, and talking act, introducing a change of costume to a wench and fancy dressed coon. It is a good show from the three-shows-aday standpoint. 19 minutes in one.

GRR.--THE TWO RACKETTS. A man and woman in an act which introduces a little dancing, a little singing, and a little acrobatic work. I had been of the opinion that there was considerable  instrumental work, but the only thing that he did was his old imitation of a railroad train on a drum, a small accompaniment to his song with the bells, and his playing of the chimes while balancing himself with one hand on the steeple of the church. It can be called a fair act. 17 minutes full stage.

HR.--DOROTHY WALTERS.--This is a young woman who does a little singing and a little whistling. The whistling being very good indeed. She is attractive so far as he stage appearance goes, and it is a good small act. Seven minutes in one.

The show this afternoon is a pretty difficult one to get a very good line on, for the reason that we had an exceptionally dull audience, even the good big acts like Williams & Tucker and Girard& Gardner did not seem to crate any enthusiasm, but I attribute it somewhat to the gathering, and look for it to be much better tonight.

S. K. HODGDON.

Saving...

NEW YORK SHOW, APRIL 27, 1903. STEREOPTICON.--The usual selection of views. 7 minutes in one. HR.-ALLEN WIGHTMAN.--A young fellow who does a clay modeling act and closes with a large crayon drawing. He is about on the average of all the clay modlers, but was handicapped a little this afternoon by having the lights over his easel go out, which destroyed the effect of his work somewhat. During his crayon sketch, he keeps up a running fire of stories, which, while not especially brilliant, make the act somewhat of a novelty and holds the attention of the audience. Can easily be classed as a good act. 12 minutes open in two, close in one. N. H.-[HODGKINS?] AND LEITH.--A man and woman in a rural comedy sketch. The act is about on a par with the usual run of the three-show-a day acts of this kind, both performers being pretty good delineaters of Yankee character, both as regards dialect and action. The act only went fairly well, however, here. 17 minutes, full stage. YH.--FRED WATSON.--Coon songs. this is not an especially strong act, but at the figure we place him it is all right in the place which he is filling on the bill. 10 minutes in one. GHR.--THE DE FORRESTS.--A man and woman in eccentric and character dancing. It is about the same sort of an act that they have always given us, and, while it has not deteriorated any in quality, I am rather inclined to think that our audiences are almost too familiar with it. They got quite a bit of applause, and the act can be called good. 19 minutes, full stage. AR.--THE VITAGRAPH.--They gave us two or three views this afternoon of rather mediocre quality, and then presented "The Trip to the Moon" which is really the best moving picture film which I have ever seen. It held the audience to the finish and was received with a hearty round of applause. 23 minutes in one. [GNH?].--ED. [REXNARD?].--Ventriloquist. This performer has got an entirely new way of introducing his act using special scenery and making it something like a comedy sketch, using dummy figures as the different characters. His interlocular work is all right, and mechanically there is nothing to be desired about the act, although he is far from being what I anticipated. 18 minutes,open in full stage, and close in one. MRR.--THE CYCLE LOOP. For some reason or other, this act does not create much of a sensation in this house. The people are evidently cognizant of the fact that it is a clever mechanical "fake", and look upon it as such. 11 minutes, full stage. HR.--LOLA COTTON.--A young girl about eleven or twelve years of age, I should think, doing the regulation second sight act, and concluding with a rather remarkable exhibition of apparent memory in reading a lot figures on a black-board. The old system of second sight is apparently used, but it is very cleverly worked and the age of the child makes it in a certain sense rather remarkable, although in no way a sensation. 23 minutes in one. YNH.--EVA WILLIAMS AND JACK TUCKER IN THE OLD ACT OF "Skinny's Finish," which is presented in as fully an artistic manner as ever. 23 minutes, full stage. material, the most of it being exceptionally good. [cut off.....] lost none of his ability to present an act in an original way entirely peculiar to himself, and while he did not go especially strong this afternoon, I agree with Boston that it is about the best act he has given us in the last two or three years. 16 minutes in one. GNR.--THREE LIVINGSTONES.--One man and two women in a very clever acrobatic act, the man being in evening clothes and the women in full dress. An exceptionally clever acrobatic act. 10 minutes in full stage. ER.--GILLIHAN AND MURRAY.--Two men in a black faced singing, dancing, and talking act, introducing a change of costume to a wench and fancy dressed coon. It is a good show from the three-shows-aday standpoint. 19 minutes in one. GRR.--THE TWO RACKETTS. A man and woman in an act which introduces a little dancing, a little singing, and a little acrobatic work. I had been of the opinion that there was considerable instrumental work, but the only thing that he did was his old imitation of a railroad train on a drum, a small accompaniment to his song with the bells, and his playing of the chimes while balancing himself with one hand on the steeple of the church. It can be called a fair act. 17 minutes full stage. HR.--DOROTHY WALTERS.--This is a young woman who does a little singing and a little whistling. The whistling being very good indeed. She is attractive so far as he stage appearance goes, and it is a good small act. Seven minutes in one. The show this afternoon is a pretty difficult one to get a very good line on, for the reason that we had an exceptionally dull audience, even the good big acts like Williams & Tucker and Girard& Gardner did not seem to crate any enthusiasm, but I attribute it somewhat to the gathering, and look for it to be much better tonight. S. K. HODGDON.