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 258

258 
(M. J. Kesting)

Boston Show,  Week of May 4, 1903.

Stereopticon, 15 min. in  1--Interesting list of colored and plain views.

Willie and Frances Hale, 14 min. full stage--Club juggling and hoop rolling specialties. They made as big hit as on the occasion of their previous engagement, and I will move them down the bill. Their work is just as good as that of Everhart.

Dorothy Walters, 10 min. in 1--Vocalist and whistler, but only fair as either. She is not the kind of person one would expect to find doing this sort of work, as she is too large and not at all graceful. Just went fair.

Vitagraph, 20 min. in 1--Another corking lot of motion pictures, every one of which were applauded. I retained "Jack and the Beanstalk"  for the benefit of the children, and better value would be obtained in all houses of the circuit if this policy were pursued, as it only gives them time to be talked about during the first week.

Hugh Stanton and Florence Modena, 21 min. full stage--Presenting for at least the third time here their satirical farce, "For Reform", which scored almost as big a hit as if it were being done for the first time. It is a capital sketch and wellacted, which accounts for its success.

La Belle Blanche, 10 min. in 1--The cleverest juvenile vocal impersonator in the varieties, when she scored one of the big hits of the afternoon.

Tim Cronin, 17 min. opens and closes in 1--This entertainer has not appeared jere since he was with the Rosebuds, and went big with his new act, which is one of the best things of the kind, for an early place in the bill, we have had for some time. He had two recalls

The Livingstons, 8 min. full stage--This team consists of 2 women and a man, the females working in long skirts, and the man in evening dress. As general acrobats and tumblers, they are excelled by no team of similar number appearing in this kind today, and they went bigger this afternoon than they have ever done before, receiving three curtain calls.

Charlotte Guyer George, 13 min. in 1--This woman has developed tremendously since she sang with the Symphony players two years ago and I now consider her one of the best soprano soloists appearing in vaudeville. She is of striking appearance, dresses well, and beyond all have a voice of excellent quality and training. She sang four songs and yet the audience wanted more.

Chas. Guyer and Nellie Daly, 14 min. full stage--This is one of the best acts that we play, the finish being a perfect scream. Their singing is fair, but the acrobatic dancing when they knock over about every article on the stage, is simply indescribable. The applause continued after the next act was announced, although the curtain had been raised and lowered four times.

At night the act went better than in the afternoon, but it can never be a big thing. The tricks, for the most part are dwarfed by the great scenic display, and in any event are better fitted for a parlor display than a large stage. The illusions that simply produce a "black art" effects in another way, viz., the plate, egg, etc., are the best things. The man's personality is against him. Instead of moving quickly and with certainty, he is slow and methodical in his movements, due to his training in card tricks for years, and which, while perfectly proper in that work is all wrong in this. No amount of coaching can get him out of this. I will put the act in an unimportant place in the bill and give it o'portunity to improve for the week.

Gillihan and Murray, 16 min. in 1--Blackface talking and singing comedians. Just fair for the place in the bill.

Fields and Whallen, 15 min. in 2--Talking, singing and dancing sketch by a man and a woman, neither of whom are clever or particularly prepossessing. They just serve to fill in.

days during the past 2 years, but today...
turned up first, and I did not know whose place she was to take. Later it transpired that she was here in place of Howe and Scott, and this proved to be a winner.

Then Mr. and Mrs. Darrow did not turn up, and I have heard nothing from them to date. All their billings, etc., had bee3n in hand for weeks.

Williams and Tucker did not show up, and at 1.30 p.m., just as the show started, I got a telegram from them saying that on account of billing they could not afford to play here. This in the face of the fact that I had nothing else but them in the Saturday papers, had her picture in all three Sunday papers, getting cuts made at my own expense, and gave them pracrically all thexreadi ng not devoted to Thurston, and head of one of the columns in the Sunday advertisement, was the absolute limit. Then not to notify me until the show started. I immediately called up Mr. Cronan and told him to proceed against them and a warrant was issued, but up to date we have not been able to catch him. She said he was advised to do this by Jake Rosenthal, who is to be his manager next season, and that he had left for New York as soon as he sent me the telegram. I have done a few things with them in the morning papers, and I mean to do more. They got their first big boost here, and as I wrote him, he is a contemptible cad to so treat the Keith house that made him. We made a bad mistake in allowing them to dictate their position on the bill to us at the time of their last engagement. There is no team in this business we cannot better afford to do without than to allow to dictate to us and go over the country telling about it.

Saving...

258 (M. J. Kesting) Boston Show, Week of May 4, 1903. Stereopticon, 15 min. in 1--Interesting list of colored and plain views. Willie and Frances Hale, 14 min. full stage--Club juggling and hoop rolling specialties. They made as big hit as on the occasion of their previous engagement, and I will move them down the bill. Their work is just as good as that of Everhart. Dorothy Walters, 10 min. in 1--Vocalist and whistler, but only fair as either. She is not the kind of person one would expect to find doing this sort of work, as she is too large and not at all graceful. Just went fair. Vitagraph, 20 min. in 1--Another corking lot of motion pictures, every one of which were applauded. I retained "Jack and the Beanstalk" for the benefit of the children, and better value would be obtained in all houses of the circuit if this policy were pursued, as it only gives them time to be talked about during the first week. Hugh Stanton and Florence Modena, 21 min. full stage--Presenting for at least the third time here their satirical farce, "For Reform", which scored almost as big a hit as if it were being done for the first time. It is a capital sketch and wellacted, which accounts for its success. La Belle Blanche, 10 min. in 1--The cleverest juvenile vocal impersonator in the varieties, when she scored one of the big hits of the afternoon. Tim Cronin, 17 min. opens and closes in 1--This entertainer has not appeared jere since he was with the Rosebuds, and went big with his new act, which is one of the best things of the kind, for an early place in the bill, we have had for some time. He had two recalls The Livingstons, 8 min. full stage--This team consists of 2 women and a man, the females working in long skirts, and the man in evening dress. As general acrobats and tumblers, they are excelled by no team of similar number appearing in this kind today, and they went bigger this afternoon than they have ever done before, receiving three curtain calls. Charlotte Guyer George, 13 min. in 1--This woman has developed tremendously since she sang with the Symphony players two years ago and I now consider her one of the best soprano soloists appearing in vaudeville. She is of striking appearance, dresses well, and beyond all have a voice of excellent quality and training. She sang four songs and yet the audience wanted more. Chas. Guyer and Nellie Daly, 14 min. full stage--This is one of the best acts that we play, the finish being a perfect scream. Their singing is fair, but the acrobatic dancing when they knock over about every article on the stage, is simply indescribable. The applause continued after the next act was announced, although the curtain had been raised and lowered four times. At night the act went better than in the afternoon, but it can never be a big thing. The tricks, for the most part are dwarfed by the great scenic display, and in any event are better fitted for a parlor display than a large stage. The illusions that simply produce a "black art" effects in another way, viz., the plate, egg, etc., are the best things. The man's personality is against him. Instead of moving quickly and with certainty, he is slow and methodical in his movements, due to his training in card tricks for years, and which, while perfectly proper in that work is all wrong in this. No amount of coaching can get him out of this. I will put the act in an unimportant place in the bill and give it o'portunity to improve for the week. Gillihan and Murray, 16 min. in 1--Blackface talking and singing comedians. Just fair for the place in the bill. Fields and Whallen, 15 min. in 2--Talking, singing and dancing sketch by a man and a woman, neither of whom are clever or particularly prepossessing. They just serve to fill in. days during the past 2 years, but today... turned up first, and I did not know whose place she was to take. Later it transpired that she was here in place of Howe and Scott, and this proved to be a winner. Then Mr. and Mrs. Darrow did not turn up, and I have heard nothing from them to date. All their billings, etc., had bee3n in hand for weeks. Williams and Tucker did not show up, and at 1.30 p.m., just as the show started, I got a telegram from them saying that on account of billing they could not afford to play here. This in the face of the fact that I had nothing else but them in the Saturday papers, had her picture in all three Sunday papers, getting cuts made at my own expense, and gave them pracrically all thexreadi ng not devoted to Thurston, and head of one of the columns in the Sunday advertisement, was the absolute limit. Then not to notify me until the show started. I immediately called up Mr. Cronan and told him to proceed against them and a warrant was issued, but up to date we have not been able to catch him. She said he was advised to do this by Jake Rosenthal, who is to be his manager next season, and that he had left for New York as soon as he sent me the telegram. I have done a few things with them in the morning papers, and I mean to do more. They got their first big boost here, and as I wrote him, he is a contemptible cad to so treat the Keith house that made him. We made a bad mistake in allowing them to dictate their position on the bill to us at the time of their last engagement. There is no team in this business we cannot better afford to do without than to allow to dictate to us and go over the country telling about it.