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Keith-Albee managers' report book, March 9-December 14, 1908

Page 16

16.
(Carl D. Lothrop)
Boston Show, Week of March 16, 1908.
(Monday March 16--Afternoon Show.)
Overture. 1.30, 10 minutes.
Tony and Erna Balliott. On at 1.40, 9 min, full stage; 3 shows. An excellent gymnastic act, using a trapeze, rings and heavy weights. Excellent value for the smaller houses. Are good enough to open almost any show.
J. Warren Keane. On at 1.49, 3 min open in 1, 10 min full stage, 4 min close in 1; 17 min in all; 3 shows. There are few better sleight of hand performers than Keane. Can hold an early place in any house. His opening in 1 this week is done as a favor, and handicaps him somewhat.
Terley. On at 2.00, 8 min, full stage. Giving his impersonations of well known men. He poses in a velvet-draped cabinet, the wigs and other bits of make-up being added by his wife. Artistic, but absolutely without action.
Bertha Waltzinger. On at 2.14, 13 min, in 1. Singing two high-class songs, "Honey Boy" in German and a new song of the popular type. There are any number of single women in vaudeville getting from sixty dollars to a hundred and twenty-five per week who have Miss Waltzinger tied to a post, Josephine Davis in this week's bill being a case in point. I do not think that we care to play her again.
Rossi's Musical Horse. On at 2.27, 13 min, full stage. This act made thoroughly good today. "Emir" is a very beautiful animal, his stunts are novel, the staging is capital and Rossi is a good showman. Quite a bit of comedy. Cannot fail to please the younsters.
Lew Sully. On at 2.40, 15 min, in 1. Sully did better than I had dared hope today. Has quite a lot of new material, and one capital new song. Worked in black-face, as he always should.
Jessie Millward. On at 2.55, 21 min, full stage. Assisted by Brandon Hurst, Miss Millward presented "A Queen's Messenger". As a headliner Miss Millward is certainly not strong enough for this house. It was with considerable misgiving that I found myself forced to make her such this week. Hers was the only name I could find that seemed to have even hopes of drawing power, she having recently played a successful engagement in this city in "The Hypocrites". Her playlet is practically a case of words and words, with no action to speak of and no clever bits of dialogue. Miss Millward is unquestionably a good actress; she needs, however, something to act, if she is to be of any value whatever in vaudeville.
Ollivotti Troubadours. On at 3.16, 12 min, in 1. One of the best high-class instrumental acts vaudeville has ever known. At its present price, one fifty, a decided bargain.


Comment. The most unsatisfactory show of the season, lacking a headliner with any drawing power, shy of comedy and novelties. The only change that I have found it possible to make is to transpose the places of Terley and the Rice Brothers, which gets a little more action and comedy in the first of the show. With Hyams and McIntyre in Millward's place and a real feature act in their position, the show would look altogether different.
MEMO. In the review of last Monday's show it was stated that Nat Wills did not make his customary hit. I might state that from Monday night on Mr. Wills got back into his old form and was a riot at every show. His introduction of W. C. Fields and the double stunt they did, with Wills' remarks about Victoria and Tanguay, was one of the funniest things ever pulled off in this house.

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16. (Carl D. Lothrop) Boston Show, Week of March 16, 1908. (Monday March 16--Afternoon Show.) Overture. 1.30, 10 minutes. Tony and Erna Balliott. On at 1.40, 9 min, full stage; 3 shows. An excellent gymnastic act, using a trapeze, rings and heavy weights. Excellent value for the smaller houses. Are good enough to open almost any show. J. Warren Keane. On at 1.49, 3 min open in 1, 10 min full stage, 4 min close in 1; 17 min in all; 3 shows. There are few better sleight of hand performers than Keane. Can hold an early place in any house. His opening in 1 this week is done as a favor, and handicaps him somewhat. Terley. On at 2.00, 8 min, full stage. Giving his impersonations of well known men. He poses in a velvet-draped cabinet, the wigs and other bits of make-up being added by his wife. Artistic, but absolutely without action. Bertha Waltzinger. On at 2.14, 13 min, in 1. Singing two high-class songs, "Honey Boy" in German and a new song of the popular type. There are any number of single women in vaudeville getting from sixty dollars to a hundred and twenty-five per week who have Miss Waltzinger tied to a post, Josephine Davis in this week's bill being a case in point. I do not think that we care to play her again. Rossi's Musical Horse. On at 2.27, 13 min, full stage. This act made thoroughly good today. "Emir" is a very beautiful animal, his stunts are novel, the staging is capital and Rossi is a good showman. Quite a bit of comedy. Cannot fail to please the younsters. Lew Sully. On at 2.40, 15 min, in 1. Sully did better than I had dared hope today. Has quite a lot of new material, and one capital new song. Worked in black-face, as he always should. Jessie Millward. On at 2.55, 21 min, full stage. Assisted by Brandon Hurst, Miss Millward presented "A Queen's Messenger". As a headliner Miss Millward is certainly not strong enough for this house. It was with considerable misgiving that I found myself forced to make her such this week. Hers was the only name I could find that seemed to have even hopes of drawing power, she having recently played a successful engagement in this city in "The Hypocrites". Her playlet is practically a case of words and words, with no action to speak of and no clever bits of dialogue. Miss Millward is unquestionably a good actress; she needs, however, something to act, if she is to be of any value whatever in vaudeville. Ollivotti Troubadours. On at 3.16, 12 min, in 1. One of the best high-class instrumental acts vaudeville has ever known. At its present price, one fifty, a decided bargain. Comment. The most unsatisfactory show of the season, lacking a headliner with any drawing power, shy of comedy and novelties. The only change that I have found it possible to make is to transpose the places of Terley and the Rice Brothers, which gets a little more action and comedy in the first of the show. With Hyams and McIntyre in Millward's place and a real feature act in their position, the show would look altogether different. MEMO. In the review of last Monday's show it was stated that Nat Wills did not make his customary hit. I might state that from Monday night on Mr. Wills got back into his old form and was a riot at every show. His introduction of W. C. Fields and the double stunt they did, with Wills' remarks about Victoria and Tanguay, was one of the funniest things ever pulled off in this house.