DIY History | Transcribe | Keith-Albee Collection | Managers' report book, November 13, 1916-January 21, 1918

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Managers' report book, November 13, 1916-January 21, 1918

Page 197

PHILADELPHIA    B. F. KEITH'S    OCT. 29,    7
PATHE. A good average of pictures featuring war scenes.
POTTER & HARTWELL. 12 min. Special set. A mixture of dancing and acrobatics attractively staged and well handled. A very good novelty act which did very well in the opening spot.
ELINORE & CARLETON. 15 min. A lot of material formerly used by Kate Elinore & Sam Williams furnishes the comedy in this act and got some laughs. Both women use songs, finishing with a comedy number. Closed to a light hand.
CARLYLE & ROMER. 14 min. Special Set. The new act, called, "The Composer" gives this couple a very high class musical number. Their program consists of two vocal and two instrumental numbers. The violin selections by Mr. Romer were a big applause hit and the act went over splendidly. It is artistically staged.
"THE RACE OF MAN." 20 min. Special Drop. A distinct novelty in the singing line and a good sized hit. Five men representing different races sing solo numbers and finish with an ensemble. They are dressed in native costume and there is a little comedy injected.
PERCY HASWELL & CO. 21 min. Special set. The one-act play, "Heartsease" is a sketch of light texture unsuited to Miss Haswell and not well played. It is talky and the comedy is forced. It got a few laughs and closed to a fair hand, but considering Miss Haswell's prominence and billing, the act did not come up to expectations.
MARGUERITE FARRELL. 16 min. Special Drop. One of the applause hits of the show. She has good songs and with plenty of personality, which she uses effectively, she gets excellent results from her material. She made several changes of costume and finished strong.
SANTLEY & MILLERSHIP. 24 min. Special Set "The Girl on the Magazine." Getting in too late for a full rehearsal, this act got a bad start. There are several catchy numbers, several changes of costume and the numbers which worked smoothly got over in good shape. Owing to the handicaps, the act started slowly but picked up and finished strong. It is elaborately staged and costumed.
MOORE & WHITEHEAD. 24 min. Their stuff is simply a conglomeration of nut comedy, full of noise and action. Much of it is very rough and the act will have to be watched closely. They got a lot of laughs but the act is hardly suited to high-class vaudeville.
"THE STAMPEDE RIDERS." 12 min. F.S. Special Set. The elimination of some of the draggy material formerly used for an opening has improved this act. Now they get right down to the roping without loss of time and finish with the bucking horses. They closed the show, held the audience interested and got several hands of applause.
GENERAL REMARKS. This afternoon, although there were a number of individual hits, the show as a whole failed to come up to expectations. This was due principally to the fact that Percy Haswell & Company failed to live up to their billing and also the very rough performance given by "The Girl on the Magazine." In the latter case, however, the act arrived an hour late and had to go on with practically no rehearsal and although the curtain was held until almost 2.30 in order to hang their stuff, it was impossible to have a scenic rehearsal. Tonight, however, with all the kinks straightened out we look for better results.
CUTS
FRANK MOORE & WHITEHEAD. Elimination of the word "God" used several times; bit of business imitating St. Vitus Dance, picking spit from the floor, speaking to a person leaving the theatre and the line "She's dirty but classy."

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PHILADELPHIA B. F. KEITH'S OCT. 29, 7 PATHE. A good average of pictures featuring war scenes. POTTER & HARTWELL. 12 min. Special set. A mixture of dancing and acrobatics attractively staged and well handled. A very good novelty act which did very well in the opening spot. ELINORE & CARLETON. 15 min. A lot of material formerly used by Kate Elinore & Sam Williams furnishes the comedy in this act and got some laughs. Both women use songs, finishing with a comedy number. Closed to a light hand. CARLYLE & ROMER. 14 min. Special Set. The new act, called, "The Composer" gives this couple a very high class musical number. Their program consists of two vocal and two instrumental numbers. The violin selections by Mr. Romer were a big applause hit and the act went over splendidly. It is artistically staged. "THE RACE OF MAN." 20 min. Special Drop. A distinct novelty in the singing line and a good sized hit. Five men representing different races sing solo numbers and finish with an ensemble. They are dressed in native costume and there is a little comedy injected. PERCY HASWELL & CO. 21 min. Special set. The one-act play, "Heartsease" is a sketch of light texture unsuited to Miss Haswell and not well played. It is talky and the comedy is forced. It got a few laughs and closed to a fair hand, but considering Miss Haswell's prominence and billing, the act did not come up to expectations. MARGUERITE FARRELL. 16 min. Special Drop. One of the applause hits of the show. She has good songs and with plenty of personality, which she uses effectively, she gets excellent results from her material. She made several changes of costume and finished strong. SANTLEY & MILLERSHIP. 24 min. Special Set "The Girl on the Magazine." Getting in too late for a full rehearsal, this act got a bad start. There are several catchy numbers, several changes of costume and the numbers which worked smoothly got over in good shape. Owing to the handicaps, the act started slowly but picked up and finished strong. It is elaborately staged and costumed. MOORE & WHITEHEAD. 24 min. Their stuff is simply a conglomeration of nut comedy, full of noise and action. Much of it is very rough and the act will have to be watched closely. They got a lot of laughs but the act is hardly suited to high-class vaudeville. "THE STAMPEDE RIDERS." 12 min. F.S. Special Set. The elimination of some of the draggy material formerly used for an opening has improved this act. Now they get right down to the roping without loss of time and finish with the bucking horses. They closed the show, held the audience interested and got several hands of applause. GENERAL REMARKS. This afternoon, although there were a number of individual hits, the show as a whole failed to come up to expectations. This was due principally to the fact that Percy Haswell & Company failed to live up to their billing and also the very rough performance given by "The Girl on the Magazine." In the latter case, however, the act arrived an hour late and had to go on with practically no rehearsal and although the curtain was held until almost 2.30 in order to hang their stuff, it was impossible to have a scenic rehearsal. Tonight, however, with all the kinks straightened out we look for better results. CUTS FRANK MOORE & WHITEHEAD. Elimination of the word "God" used several times; bit of business imitating St. Vitus Dance, picking spit from the floor, speaking to a person leaving the theatre and the line "She's dirty but classy."