DIY History | Transcribe | Keith-Albee Collection | Managers' report book, July 4, 1915-November 13, 1916

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Managers' report book, July 4, 1915-November 13, 1916

Page 193

BOSTON SHOW    (R. G. Larsen)    WEEK of JULY 31, '16.
WENTWORTH, VESTA and TEDDY  8 minutes in two. Garden drop. This act has been seen here many times. Acceptable opener for summer season.
McGUINESS BROTHERS  13 minutes in one. Garden drop. One of Boston's favorite "coast-Defender" acts. They have played every ten cent house in town, some more than once. Still doing the same old act they gave us on their last visit three or four seasons ago. Since then they have become a familiar figure to the patrons of the Loew and Gordon theatres. When we got through cutting out blue stuff, they had only a dancing act left.
RUDINOFF  19 minutes f.s. Palace set. Smoke painting and whistling. This man is a finished entertainer. He put over a hit.
BILLY HALLIGAN and DANA SYKES  18 minutes in one and two. Street drop and office set. IMPORTANT: their new act is NOT in one. We were obliged to re-arrange the bill before they opened Monday, to avoid a long stage wait. Open in one and close in an office scene in two. Have some bright lines and a couple of original songs. A pleasing light comedy act that went first-rate.
RALPH RIGGS and KATHERINE WITCHIE  15 minutes f.s. Palace Set. Songs and dances. These people had a long Boston run last spring in "The Princess Pat." They were one of the hits of the show at both performances Monday.
BEN DEELY and LILLIAN STEELE in "The New Bell Boy." 22 minutes in one and two. Street, special drop in two, and olio drop. This act played a dozen weeks for the Boston United Booking Offices last winter, opening in the Boston Theatre, next door to Keith's, and followed by every family and neighborhood theatre in Boston and vicinity. Monday afternoon in next-to-closing spot, they fell flat. Went better Monday night, but were by no means the hit of former days. The same old act.
LAURA HOPE CREWS and CO in "Her Husband's Wife." 26 minutes f.s. Special set. Miss Crews is a clever actress, and she is worthy of a better sketch. Has a good company, but the piece itself is draggy, talky, and hardly up to the standard of a headline feature for this house. Went pretty well at night.
JOHNNIE DYER, FRANK FAY and GIRLIE  22 minutes in one. Olio Drop. This is a good act. A straight man, a pretty girl, and a clever eccentric comedian with some excellent material. Scored the comedy hit of the show.
FRED and LYDIA WEAVER  7 minutes f.s. Special set. "THE OCTOPUS" Iron jaw and trapeze work in an under-the-sea scene, with disrobing and aerial swings. The Mayor has forbidden disrobing acts in Boston. We were obliged to put a sash on the lady, who works in full white fleshings. Whether we can get away with the disrobing stunt, remains to be seen. Good act of its kind, and staged in a novel manner.
CUTS:- McGuiness Brothers: all slighting reference to President Wilson, ex-President Roosevelt, story about "Mrs. Wilson wants a little son," "September morn sandwich gag;" derogatory reference to "Boston American;" "69th regiment composed of harps" story; and business of thumbing nose.
DYER, Faye & Girlie: final line of closing song "I used to be a boarder myself" with reference to another man living with wife.
Halligan & Sykes: references to President Wilson and suggestive business with vest when lady inquires all about him.
Ben Deely - gag about "colored boy stronger in July and August" word "damndest," and "bed a little buggy" gag.

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BOSTON SHOW (R. G. Larsen) WEEK of JULY 31, '16. WENTWORTH, VESTA and TEDDY 8 minutes in two. Garden drop. This act has been seen here many times. Acceptable opener for summer season. McGUINESS BROTHERS 13 minutes in one. Garden drop. One of Boston's favorite "coast-Defender" acts. They have played every ten cent house in town, some more than once. Still doing the same old act they gave us on their last visit three or four seasons ago. Since then they have become a familiar figure to the patrons of the Loew and Gordon theatres. When we got through cutting out blue stuff, they had only a dancing act left. RUDINOFF 19 minutes f.s. Palace set. Smoke painting and whistling. This man is a finished entertainer. He put over a hit. BILLY HALLIGAN and DANA SYKES 18 minutes in one and two. Street drop and office set. IMPORTANT: their new act is NOT in one. We were obliged to re-arrange the bill before they opened Monday, to avoid a long stage wait. Open in one and close in an office scene in two. Have some bright lines and a couple of original songs. A pleasing light comedy act that went first-rate. RALPH RIGGS and KATHERINE WITCHIE 15 minutes f.s. Palace Set. Songs and dances. These people had a long Boston run last spring in "The Princess Pat." They were one of the hits of the show at both performances Monday. BEN DEELY and LILLIAN STEELE in "The New Bell Boy." 22 minutes in one and two. Street, special drop in two, and olio drop. This act played a dozen weeks for the Boston United Booking Offices last winter, opening in the Boston Theatre, next door to Keith's, and followed by every family and neighborhood theatre in Boston and vicinity. Monday afternoon in next-to-closing spot, they fell flat. Went better Monday night, but were by no means the hit of former days. The same old act. LAURA HOPE CREWS and CO in "Her Husband's Wife." 26 minutes f.s. Special set. Miss Crews is a clever actress, and she is worthy of a better sketch. Has a good company, but the piece itself is draggy, talky, and hardly up to the standard of a headline feature for this house. Went pretty well at night. JOHNNIE DYER, FRANK FAY and GIRLIE 22 minutes in one. Olio Drop. This is a good act. A straight man, a pretty girl, and a clever eccentric comedian with some excellent material. Scored the comedy hit of the show. FRED and LYDIA WEAVER 7 minutes f.s. Special set. "THE OCTOPUS" Iron jaw and trapeze work in an under-the-sea scene, with disrobing and aerial swings. The Mayor has forbidden disrobing acts in Boston. We were obliged to put a sash on the lady, who works in full white fleshings. Whether we can get away with the disrobing stunt, remains to be seen. Good act of its kind, and staged in a novel manner. CUTS:- McGuiness Brothers: all slighting reference to President Wilson, ex-President Roosevelt, story about "Mrs. Wilson wants a little son," "September morn sandwich gag;" derogatory reference to "Boston American;" "69th regiment composed of harps" story; and business of thumbing nose. DYER, Faye & Girlie: final line of closing song "I used to be a boarder myself" with reference to another man living with wife. Halligan & Sykes: references to President Wilson and suggestive business with vest when lady inquires all about him. Ben Deely - gag about "colored boy stronger in July and August" word "damndest," and "bed a little buggy" gag.