DIY History | Transcribe | Keith-Albee Collection | Keith-Albee managers' report book, November 28, 1904 - August 28, 1905

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Keith-Albee managers' report book, November 28, 1904 - August 28, 1905

Page 34

GRAND OPERA HOUSE
WEEK COMMENCING Dec. 26th, 04.   PITTSBURG, PA.

GRAFFORD & MANNING-Singing, dancing, talking and burlesque trapeze act. 18 minutes-about 4 minutes in one.
This is only a fair act and does very well about eight o'clock.

Bellman & Moore-20 minutes, full stage. Interior. Singing and talking sketch.
This act is going only fair with us. I think it would be much improved if they would cut the time to about 15 minutes.

Murphy & Francis-Colored singing, dancing and talking act. 13 minutes in one. Olio.
This is without a doubt one of the best three show acts in the business. We have them on at 8:30 and they are going very big.

Colby & Way. The ventriloquist and the doll. 17 minutes. full stage
This act is going very well with us. While we do not consider Mr. Colby a great ventriloquist, the novelty given to the act by the introduction of the dancing doll makes it out of the ordinary.

MAXWELL & SIMPSON-12 minutes in one. Kinetograph drop. Illustrated songs.
This act is going very big with us. It is surely the best act of the kind in the business but I feel sure they are getting entirely too much money for an illustrated song act.

Henry Dixey & Co. 20 minutes, full stage. Interior. In "David Garrick on the Art of Acting". I think Mr. Dixey's sketch is one of the worst that I have ever seen. During the sketch he introduces the very much over-done "learning to act" which is done very poorly
If it were not for the ability of Mr. Dixey it would be a pitiful affair. The act is not going with our patrons and I have not heard one word of praise for it during the entire week.

John D. Gilbert-Monologue in one. 15 minutes.
Mr. Gilbert has never done very well here and I do not think it would do for us to play him a return as he is one of the people that don't seem to be able to change his work.

Loulier Sisters-10 minutes. Wood. Horizontal bar act. 
This act goes very well simply from the fact of the novelty of ladies performing on horizontal bars. Their work is very good but not great.

Elfie Fay-Olio in one. 12 minutes.
Miss Fay is going very big as she has always done here. She is without a doubt among the best single woman performers in the business.

Sam Watson's Barn Yard Circus. Full stage-wood. 25 minutes.
This act is surely a novelty in the way of animal acts and could be improved very much. Mr. Watson's idea of comedy is not good and we were compelled to cut his talking down quite a little. He wanted to do 25 minutes. We cut him down to about 19 and think it would be much better for the act if it were out to about 15 minutes. However, it is going very well and feel sure that with a few weeks work that he will see the necessity of cutting out some of his English comedy.

Kimball & Donovan-Banjo players. 12 minutes in one. 3 shows. This act is as good as any in their line who do three shows.

Marinellas-Gymnasts. 12 minutes. Wood. This act is as good as any in their line who do three shows.

Kinetograph-"The Moonshiners"M This is our second week for this picture and it is going very big. I think it is one of the best pictures we have had.

J. P. Harris.

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GRAND OPERA HOUSE WEEK COMMENCING Dec. 26th, 04. PITTSBURG, PA. GRAFFORD & MANNING-Singing, dancing, talking and burlesque trapeze act. 18 minutes-about 4 minutes in one. This is only a fair act and does very well about eight o'clock. Bellman & Moore-20 minutes, full stage. Interior. Singing and talking sketch. This act is going only fair with us. I think it would be much improved if they would cut the time to about 15 minutes. Murphy & Francis-Colored singing, dancing and talking act. 13 minutes in one. Olio. This is without a doubt one of the best three show acts in the business. We have them on at 8:30 and they are going very big. Colby & Way. The ventriloquist and the doll. 17 minutes. full stage This act is going very well with us. While we do not consider Mr. Colby a great ventriloquist, the novelty given to the act by the introduction of the dancing doll makes it out of the ordinary. MAXWELL & SIMPSON-12 minutes in one. Kinetograph drop. Illustrated songs. This act is going very big with us. It is surely the best act of the kind in the business but I feel sure they are getting entirely too much money for an illustrated song act. Henry Dixey & Co. 20 minutes, full stage. Interior. In "David Garrick on the Art of Acting". I think Mr. Dixey's sketch is one of the worst that I have ever seen. During the sketch he introduces the very much over-done "learning to act" which is done very poorly If it were not for the ability of Mr. Dixey it would be a pitiful affair. The act is not going with our patrons and I have not heard one word of praise for it during the entire week. John D. Gilbert-Monologue in one. 15 minutes. Mr. Gilbert has never done very well here and I do not think it would do for us to play him a return as he is one of the people that don't seem to be able to change his work. Loulier Sisters-10 minutes. Wood. Horizontal bar act. This act goes very well simply from the fact of the novelty of ladies performing on horizontal bars. Their work is very good but not great. Elfie Fay-Olio in one. 12 minutes. Miss Fay is going very big as she has always done here. She is without a doubt among the best single woman performers in the business. Sam Watson's Barn Yard Circus. Full stage-wood. 25 minutes. This act is surely a novelty in the way of animal acts and could be improved very much. Mr. Watson's idea of comedy is not good and we were compelled to cut his talking down quite a little. He wanted to do 25 minutes. We cut him down to about 19 and think it would be much better for the act if it were out to about 15 minutes. However, it is going very well and feel sure that with a few weeks work that he will see the necessity of cutting out some of his English comedy. Kimball & Donovan-Banjo players. 12 minutes in one. 3 shows. This act is as good as any in their line who do three shows. Marinellas-Gymnasts. 12 minutes. Wood. This act is as good as any in their line who do three shows. Kinetograph-"The Moonshiners"M This is our second week for this picture and it is going very big. I think it is one of the best pictures we have had. J. P. Harris.