DIY History | Transcribe | Keith-Albee Collection | Keith-Albee managers' report book, June 13, 1910-February 20, 1911

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Keith-Albee managers' report book, June 13, 1910-February 20, 1911

Page 111

Union Hill 2.

JAMES B. DONOVAN & RENE ARNOLD," The King of Ireland and Queen of Vaudevill

I have never seen Donovan fall down with an audience yet and I have played him a number of times. He has a personality that makes itself felt and his Irish stories, clean and inoffensive always get over in good shape. Miss Arnold looks nice, dresses becomingly and makes three changes. Our Monday afternoon crowd is coldly critical but Donovan kept them howling for 18 minutes and then had to go back for a 6 minute encore that is pretty old but went over in good shape.
Street in 1.   Time 18 min.

THE FOUR NORINS, Fancy Swimming and Diving.

These people have an act that ought to prove a positive sensationa in vaudeville. The argument may be raised that swimming acts are becoming rather chestnutty but here is one that is away and beyond all others, and, in my opinion, is the greatest novelty act in vaudeville at the present time. Two men and two women go through a series of fancy dives, some of them almost hair-raising in their execution, that held the audience spellbound today and created more talk than any act we have ever put over in this house. One of the girls does some of the most wonderful diving I have ever seen. The girls are not beauties but they sure can dive. A little subdued comedy is introduced by one of the men that gets some laughs. At the present time the Norins are carrying an equipment of scenery that the artist must have charged for by the foot and slapped in all the extras he could. As a result the scenery was altogether too large for our stage and caused a bad wait before we could get the act started this afternoon. On a big stage the scenery, with its cyclorama, its leg drops, the waterfall affect and the other accessories will serve to make this one of the most attractively staged swimming and diving acts in the business.
Own set in 4.   Time 18 min.

NOTE: Were this anything but the week prior to an important state election we would probably pack the house at every performance with two such talk-creating features as the Norins and "The Man From the Sea."

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Union Hill 2. JAMES B. DONOVAN & RENE ARNOLD," The King of Ireland and Queen of Vaudevill I have never seen Donovan fall down with an audience yet and I have played him a number of times. He has a personality that makes itself felt and his Irish stories, clean and inoffensive always get over in good shape. Miss Arnold looks nice, dresses becomingly and makes three changes. Our Monday afternoon crowd is coldly critical but Donovan kept them howling for 18 minutes and then had to go back for a 6 minute encore that is pretty old but went over in good shape. Street in 1. Time 18 min. THE FOUR NORINS, Fancy Swimming and Diving. These people have an act that ought to prove a positive sensationa in vaudeville. The argument may be raised that swimming acts are becoming rather chestnutty but here is one that is away and beyond all others, and, in my opinion, is the greatest novelty act in vaudeville at the present time. Two men and two women go through a series of fancy dives, some of them almost hair-raising in their execution, that held the audience spellbound today and created more talk than any act we have ever put over in this house. One of the girls does some of the most wonderful diving I have ever seen. The girls are not beauties but they sure can dive. A little subdued comedy is introduced by one of the men that gets some laughs. At the present time the Norins are carrying an equipment of scenery that the artist must have charged for by the foot and slapped in all the extras he could. As a result the scenery was altogether too large for our stage and caused a bad wait before we could get the act started this afternoon. On a big stage the scenery, with its cyclorama, its leg drops, the waterfall affect and the other accessories will serve to make this one of the most attractively staged swimming and diving acts in the business. Own set in 4. Time 18 min. NOTE: Were this anything but the week prior to an important state election we would probably pack the house at every performance with two such talk-creating features as the Norins and "The Man From the Sea."