DIY History | Transcribe | Keith-Albee Collection | Keith-Albee manager reports, September 2, 1902 - September 3, 1903

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

Page 259

259
CRITICISM OF SHOW.
KEITH'S THEATRE, PHILA.
De Witts - 12 mins. - C.D.F. 3 - Girl and boy midget, comedy talking, sing and dancing act. Talk is a little disjointed, but it is a fair act.
Roltare - 18 min. in one - Act booked by Mr. Jordan -- price, MR. I can turthfully say that this man is the best manipulator of billiard balls I have ever seen, not excepting the Great Herrmann. He does but few tricks, but does them exceptionally well. He goes into the audience and does the Herrmann and Kellar clock trick, with the glass dial, allowing anyone in the audience to put the spinner on the dial. A very clever act. Worth HR.
Levine-Cameron Trio - 10 mins. - C. D. F. in 3 - Two men and one woman, in an eccentric comedy acrobatic act that is good. They deserve a better place on the bill. The comedian does great "accident" falls, some of which are equal to those of Rice & Walter's. They were liberally applauded.
The De Foreests - 15 mins. - Pal. in 4 - Well known whirlwind dancers. De Foreest spends more time now with his comedy than he does with his dancing. It can be said that some of the comedy adds materially to the old act.
Robin Frear - 12 mins. in one - Axt booked by Mr. Jordan --prince Mr. This boy is a blackface comedian, doing a monologue and singing act. He is a nephew of Heath's, of McIntyre & Heath. His act went well, especially his singing. He is good enough for the circuit.
Ed. Reynard - 20 mins. - Landscape in 4; close in one - Ventriloquist, has new setting and new figures. This is the most pretentious ventriloquist act in vaudeville. Exellent.
Vitagraph - 20 mins. - Sheet in one - "A Trip to the Moon" holds over and we also have "The Arrival of the Boer Generals" and two dog pictures. The dog pictures are exceptionally good.
Cressy & Dayne - 26 mins. - spec. set in 4 - In "Bill Biffin's Baby." This is a sequel to "A Village Lawyer" and received as much laughter and applause as the latter. Cressy's work is always good and well received.
C. W. Littlefield - 18 mins. in one - Mimic and impersonator. He is no better than many other mimics; but as an impersonator he is an artist, especially where he impersonates a woman making her morning toilet. It was well received with applause and laughter.
Three Mortons - 25 mins. - open in one - C.D.F. in 3 - close in one - As is well known by every manager who has ever played him, Morton is a chronic "kicker" and can cause more trouble and dissatisfaction among the performers in five minutes than most performers can in an hour. He walked in this morning with the nonchalance of an after-dinner speaker and issued his ultimatum. He would positively not go on until his time was changed. He didn't like several things, Will Cressy was billed over him, as was the Sextette--as they should be. He succeeded in raising a rumpus, and compelled us to change the whole show. Of course, the act is an excellent one; but it is a question if it would make good without the little girl, who is really the whole show. She simply carries the act. In the opening in one the elder Morton has to resort to swearing to make any impression. Mr. Albee was greatly displeased with his actions this morning; and if we ever play the act again, there will have to be an understanding before 11 o'clock Monday morning.
Florodora Sextette - 15 mins. - Open in one - close with full stage - Open in one with Pierre Young rendering "Neath the Shades of the Sheltering Palms"; then went to full stage where Boneville & Griffiths offer the "5 A. M." duet. Both songs were well received. As has been said in Boston, the girls' voices are very weak; they lack both volume and tone. If the men's voices were no better than the girls', the act would be a "frost." The girls are very pretty, but beauty will not carry an act of this kind. The at was well received and liberally applauded, responding to three encores.
Three Osnetos - 10 mins. - Gar. 5 - Three men, in an elevated bar act, in imitation of the act of the Four Lukens. A good act.
Allen Wightman - 12 mins in one - Modeler in clay. Good "little" interesting act is fill in time in a "small" part of the bill.
Two Racketts - 17 mins. - Gar. in 3; close in one - Man and woman, in a singing, dancing and musical act. The girl is exceptionally clever in her specialty dances; the man has a good tenor voice. The act can be classed as a good one.
Emma Cotrely - 11 mins. - C.D.F. in 3 - Juggler; good "small" act.
Anna Whitney - 15 mins. in one - Monologue and singing; the weakest act on our bill, but we have an exceptionally strong bill. Act is fair.
The show is positively the best we have had in months. It is good throughout and in many spots excellent. It will have to be changed on account of the "kick" of the Mortons; but xxx aside from this no fault whatever can be found, either in arrangement or quality.
E. A. DANIELS.

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259 CRITICISM OF SHOW. KEITH'S THEATRE, PHILA. De Witts - 12 mins. - C.D.F. 3 - Girl and boy midget, comedy talking, sing and dancing act. Talk is a little disjointed, but it is a fair act. Roltare - 18 min. in one - Act booked by Mr. Jordan -- price, MR. I can turthfully say that this man is the best manipulator of billiard balls I have ever seen, not excepting the Great Herrmann. He does but few tricks, but does them exceptionally well. He goes into the audience and does the Herrmann and Kellar clock trick, with the glass dial, allowing anyone in the audience to put the spinner on the dial. A very clever act. Worth HR. Levine-Cameron Trio - 10 mins. - C. D. F. in 3 - Two men and one woman, in an eccentric comedy acrobatic act that is good. They deserve a better place on the bill. The comedian does great "accident" falls, some of which are equal to those of Rice & Walter's. They were liberally applauded. The De Foreests - 15 mins. - Pal. in 4 - Well known whirlwind dancers. De Foreest spends more time now with his comedy than he does with his dancing. It can be said that some of the comedy adds materially to the old act. Robin Frear - 12 mins. in one - Axt booked by Mr. Jordan --prince Mr. This boy is a blackface comedian, doing a monologue and singing act. He is a nephew of Heath's, of McIntyre & Heath. His act went well, especially his singing. He is good enough for the circuit. Ed. Reynard - 20 mins. - Landscape in 4; close in one - Ventriloquist, has new setting and new figures. This is the most pretentious ventriloquist act in vaudeville. Exellent. Vitagraph - 20 mins. - Sheet in one - "A Trip to the Moon" holds over and we also have "The Arrival of the Boer Generals" and two dog pictures. The dog pictures are exceptionally good. Cressy & Dayne - 26 mins. - spec. set in 4 - In "Bill Biffin's Baby." This is a sequel to "A Village Lawyer" and received as much laughter and applause as the latter. Cressy's work is always good and well received. C. W. Littlefield - 18 mins. in one - Mimic and impersonator. He is no better than many other mimics; but as an impersonator he is an artist, especially where he impersonates a woman making her morning toilet. It was well received with applause and laughter. Three Mortons - 25 mins. - open in one - C.D.F. in 3 - close in one - As is well known by every manager who has ever played him, Morton is a chronic "kicker" and can cause more trouble and dissatisfaction among the performers in five minutes than most performers can in an hour. He walked in this morning with the nonchalance of an after-dinner speaker and issued his ultimatum. He would positively not go on until his time was changed. He didn't like several things, Will Cressy was billed over him, as was the Sextette--as they should be. He succeeded in raising a rumpus, and compelled us to change the whole show. Of course, the act is an excellent one; but it is a question if it would make good without the little girl, who is really the whole show. She simply carries the act. In the opening in one the elder Morton has to resort to swearing to make any impression. Mr. Albee was greatly displeased with his actions this morning; and if we ever play the act again, there will have to be an understanding before 11 o'clock Monday morning. Florodora Sextette - 15 mins. - Open in one - close with full stage - Open in one with Pierre Young rendering "Neath the Shades of the Sheltering Palms"; then went to full stage where Boneville & Griffiths offer the "5 A. M." duet. Both songs were well received. As has been said in Boston, the girls' voices are very weak; they lack both volume and tone. If the men's voices were no better than the girls', the act would be a "frost." The girls are very pretty, but beauty will not carry an act of this kind. The at was well received and liberally applauded, responding to three encores. Three Osnetos - 10 mins. - Gar. 5 - Three men, in an elevated bar act, in imitation of the act of the Four Lukens. A good act. Allen Wightman - 12 mins in one - Modeler in clay. Good "little" interesting act is fill in time in a "small" part of the bill. Two Racketts - 17 mins. - Gar. in 3; close in one - Man and woman, in a singing, dancing and musical act. The girl is exceptionally clever in her specialty dances; the man has a good tenor voice. The act can be classed as a good one. Emma Cotrely - 11 mins. - C.D.F. in 3 - Juggler; good "small" act. Anna Whitney - 15 mins. in one - Monologue and singing; the weakest act on our bill, but we have an exceptionally strong bill. Act is fair. The show is positively the best we have had in months. It is good throughout and in many spots excellent. It will have to be changed on account of the "kick" of the Mortons; but xxx aside from this no fault whatever can be found, either in arrangement or quality. E. A. DANIELS.