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Keith-Albee managers' report book, March 9-December 14, 1908
Page 139
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Boston Show, Week of September 14, 1908. Carl D. Lothrop (Monday, Sept. 14,--Evening Show) Bert & Lottie Walton, On at 7.09, open 5 minutes full stage, close 4 minutes in one, 9 minutes in all. The man is a very good acrobat but not a very pleasing comedian. The woman makes a pretty good stage appearance, and is an excellent hard shoe dancer. All right in the three show houses, and would get by as an opening act in the small cities. XX Brown & Hodges. On at 7.18, 13 minutes in one. Harry Brown, the colored cartoonist, and a woman, dressed in Indian costume. They open the act by drawing heroic size heads of an Indian chief and an Indian maiden, Brown following this with a comedy sketch, and then doing a "Rock of Ages" drawing while she sketches a nun. Brown sings an Indian song with the first pictures, a comic song with the second, and "The Palms" with the third. In the afternoon show the woman sang with him, but her voice was so harsh and off key that she is not singing any more. I suggested to Brown that it might be wise for him to get up two comedy drawings for the third number in place of the semi-religious affair, and he promised to do so. XX Overture. On at 7.31, 12 minutes. Selection from "Lohengrin" which gives our organ a fine chance. Joseph K. Watson, Toma Hanlon and Co. On at 7.43, 17 minutes in one. should be set in full stage to get the best possible results from the act, however. The entire affair strikes me as much better fitted for the burlesque houses rather than vaudeville. Would not care to play them here again. X1 Selma Braatz. On at 8.00, 16 minutes, full stage. This young girl is a really remarkable juggler. The entire act has showmanship written all over it, and it will be a hit in any bill. XX1 J. Warren Keane. On at 8.16, 16 minutes in one. Keane had an earlier spot on the bill in the afternoon show, but I was obliged to take a chance with him here, on account of Watson and Hanlon's fall down. It proved to be no chance, however, fir he scored a distinct success. His palming is much above the ordinary. He works rapidly and has a side line of conversation that keeps an audience in good humor He is a fine at his figure and his act has additional value on account of his being able to do it all in one. In fact I told him that I preferred the act in one. Can hold almost any spot in the smaller houses. XX1 would naturally always have the advantage of an audience thoroughly in sympathy with him. I have my doubts, however, as to his success in vaudeville outside of Boston, Pittsburg, Philadelphia and possibly two or three other cities. XX Ezra Kendall. On at 9.41, 23 minutes in one. A more bitter disappointment than Kendall proved to be in the afternoon, I have seldom experienced. He seemed absolutely to have lost his wonderful facility in handling an audience, as well as much of his unique method. He had some new material, but his points did not reach the audience. When he walked off the stage, after doing about 18 min., fully two hundred people started to leave the house, and when he returned to do an encore it was hard for him to retain the attention of the audience. A night he changed considerable of his stuff and went much better. His reception at both performances was nothing startling, showing that he has been almost forgotten by vaudeville patrons. Kendall has grown very stout and seems to have become heavy in wit as well as in flesh. In fact, to state it in a few words, he has lost his personality. At his present salary he is a prize gold brick. If he picks up and goes better through the week, shall be pleased to send a supplementary report. (Everything considered X1 "The Hazardous Globe." On at 10.06, 8 minutes full stage. Did not create one tenth part the excitement that it did when first shown here about two years ago. It seems to me that a partial explanation of this is, at that time motor cycles were a novelty, while now they are almost as common as bicycles were ten years ago. However, the act will create a lot of talk in any town where it has not been previously seen. M Kinetograph Cook and Stevens. Were late in arriving from New York on Tuesday afternoon, so had to change them with Mullen and Corelli. On at 3.33, 19 minutes in one. Two real coons, one made up, as a Chinaman, the other a la Bert Williams. Proved to be just what was needed for this bill, their singing and comedy work scoring emphatically. A corking good turn for the money and can cordially recommend them.
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Boston Show, Week of September 14, 1908. Carl D. Lothrop (Monday, Sept. 14,--Evening Show) Bert & Lottie Walton, On at 7.09, open 5 minutes full stage, close 4 minutes in one, 9 minutes in all. The man is a very good acrobat but not a very pleasing comedian. The woman makes a pretty good stage appearance, and is an excellent hard shoe dancer. All right in the three show houses, and would get by as an opening act in the small cities. XX Brown & Hodges. On at 7.18, 13 minutes in one. Harry Brown, the colored cartoonist, and a woman, dressed in Indian costume. They open the act by drawing heroic size heads of an Indian chief and an Indian maiden, Brown following this with a comedy sketch, and then doing a "Rock of Ages" drawing while she sketches a nun. Brown sings an Indian song with the first pictures, a comic song with the second, and "The Palms" with the third. In the afternoon show the woman sang with him, but her voice was so harsh and off key that she is not singing any more. I suggested to Brown that it might be wise for him to get up two comedy drawings for the third number in place of the semi-religious affair, and he promised to do so. XX Overture. On at 7.31, 12 minutes. Selection from "Lohengrin" which gives our organ a fine chance. Joseph K. Watson, Toma Hanlon and Co. On at 7.43, 17 minutes in one. should be set in full stage to get the best possible results from the act, however. The entire affair strikes me as much better fitted for the burlesque houses rather than vaudeville. Would not care to play them here again. X1 Selma Braatz. On at 8.00, 16 minutes, full stage. This young girl is a really remarkable juggler. The entire act has showmanship written all over it, and it will be a hit in any bill. XX1 J. Warren Keane. On at 8.16, 16 minutes in one. Keane had an earlier spot on the bill in the afternoon show, but I was obliged to take a chance with him here, on account of Watson and Hanlon's fall down. It proved to be no chance, however, fir he scored a distinct success. His palming is much above the ordinary. He works rapidly and has a side line of conversation that keeps an audience in good humor He is a fine at his figure and his act has additional value on account of his being able to do it all in one. In fact I told him that I preferred the act in one. Can hold almost any spot in the smaller houses. XX1 would naturally always have the advantage of an audience thoroughly in sympathy with him. I have my doubts, however, as to his success in vaudeville outside of Boston, Pittsburg, Philadelphia and possibly two or three other cities. XX Ezra Kendall. On at 9.41, 23 minutes in one. A more bitter disappointment than Kendall proved to be in the afternoon, I have seldom experienced. He seemed absolutely to have lost his wonderful facility in handling an audience, as well as much of his unique method. He had some new material, but his points did not reach the audience. When he walked off the stage, after doing about 18 min., fully two hundred people started to leave the house, and when he returned to do an encore it was hard for him to retain the attention of the audience. A night he changed considerable of his stuff and went much better. His reception at both performances was nothing startling, showing that he has been almost forgotten by vaudeville patrons. Kendall has grown very stout and seems to have become heavy in wit as well as in flesh. In fact, to state it in a few words, he has lost his personality. At his present salary he is a prize gold brick. If he picks up and goes better through the week, shall be pleased to send a supplementary report. (Everything considered X1 "The Hazardous Globe." On at 10.06, 8 minutes full stage. Did not create one tenth part the excitement that it did when first shown here about two years ago. It seems to me that a partial explanation of this is, at that time motor cycles were a novelty, while now they are almost as common as bicycles were ten years ago. However, the act will create a lot of talk in any town where it has not been previously seen. M Kinetograph Cook and Stevens. Were late in arriving from New York on Tuesday afternoon, so had to change them with Mullen and Corelli. On at 3.33, 19 minutes in one. Two real coons, one made up, as a Chinaman, the other a la Bert Williams. Proved to be just what was needed for this bill, their singing and comedy work scoring emphatically. A corking good turn for the money and can cordially recommend them.
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