Variety (February 1909)

VARIETY 15 Smith and Campbell. Talk. 17 Mina.; One. Colonial. Smith and Campbell have not selected a title for their new routine of talk. Any one of a dozen would appropriately fit it. "Camping Out/' "Keating" or "Laying Off" would do equally well From the names mentioned it might be judged that the talk had to do with things vaudeville, but it hasn't. The pair are on one of those pleasure fishing trips in which Campbell can see no pleasure whatever and his discomfiture at sleeping in the open, cooking his own meals and wash- ing the dishes gives rise to one of the brightest lines of conversational matter that has been heard in some time. The pair carry their own drop, a pretty wood- land scene. They get a great start from a very funny entrance. Both are weight- ed down with the necessary paraphernalia that goes with an outing trip. Besides the necessary accessories Campbell is carrying a water blister ou the soul of his foot, causing a funny limp and making his continuous grumbling the more laughable. The talk leads up to a short bit of pathos which is turned off at just the right point to bring the big laugh. The act in its present shape runs seventeen minutes from which a minute or two should be dropped, which will do away with a very small lapse about midway in the proceed- ings. It would never do to overlook a medley of old-time popular airs that takes you back about twenty years and as Smith says, "it goes as good now as it did then." Smith and Campbell have again put one across, waist high. Dash. Fiske O'Hara and Co. (4). M Captain Barry" (Comedy Drama), ao Mins.; Full Stage (Woodland Set). Greenpoint. Fiske O'Hara is the newest vaudeville re- cruit from the legitimate. With a support- ing company of four he is giving a tabloid Irish drama at the Greenpoint. "Captain Barry," by Crane Wilbur, follows the 01- cott-Mack-O'Hara traditions. The captain is one of those devil may care lads who sings blithely in a high tenor, although sure is his heart breaking with a hope- less love for a fair colleen. In the pres- ent case the enptnin is an outlaw, having gone into the highway robbery business after (as he supposed) killing a "baste" of a brother officer in his regiment for speaking disrespectfully of Norah Mc- Namara, his lady fair. In the course of his vocation as road agent, it comes about that the captain holds up this same Norah and her father. He identifies himself to the girl by singing to her familiar songs. She agrees to be his true and faithful wife and just in time for the curtain it develops that Barry did not after all kill his brother officer", the latter having been conveniently carried off by some other means. The audience seemed to be famil- iar with Mr. O'Hara. His entrance was greeted with real applause and the prog- ress of the sketch was punctuated with more, particularly after each song, of which there were four. At the Greenpoint the star and his excellent company scored an unquestioned hit. Rush. Burr Mcintosh. «Onx Ships" (Illustrated Lecture). 35 Mina.; One. fifth Avenue. Wow—YIP—W-E-E—E screams the Great American Eagle, Burr Mcintosh aiding and abetting, at the Fifth Avenue this week. As an imitator of the national bird screaming screams Mr. Mcintosh is our best little caliope. He wants it known that the United States has one crackerjack navy. BUT (and here enters the Serious Purpose that Mr. Mcintosh always has concealed about his person) our merchant marine is on the pork. Mr. Mcintosh was really worked up over this. And do you know why this serious situation is per- mitted to obtain, he demanded. Here he hissed, "rotten politics!" Of course the audience was moved to emotion. "Rotten politics" is a bully line. The newspapers have worked it up so nicely. During all these observations the stereopticon was showing pictures of the American war fleet on its globe-encircling tour, you under- stand, while Mr. Mcintosh read from a manuscript. There were several moving picture illustrations, one of a prizefight on ship just as the fleet was crossing the Line. But these were incidental. Mr. Mcintosh wanted to tell the audience all about ship subsidy and he did. Did you know that only 10 per cent, of American products are carried to foreign markets in American ships, and that the auxiliary craft that accompanies the fleet around the world fly foreign flags and would desert in face of a battle T Well, Mr. Mcintosh says this is so and that it is a very terrible dis- grace to us. And then he suggests that we hold a vote—just we here in the audi- ence. All those in favor of ship subsidy sing "The Star Spangled Banner," and those who are against it (there weren't any against, because there were two sailor boys on the stage waving American flags under the spotlight and a reproduction of "The Spirit of 76" was on the screen) keep silent. On the strength of that vote Monday evening Ship Subsidy went to the Harlem River with 175,000 and Mr. Mc- intosh was nominated and unanimously elected to the highest office in the gift of the Fifth Avenue audience. Rush. Richard Hvde will return from Florida March 18. Archonrs Four. Juggling. 12 Mins.; Full Stage. Columbia, Brooklyn. The Archonrs (program spelling) are showing a rather loosely put together acrobatic and juggling offering, which, w?th the proper rearrangement, should frame into a fast moving, entertaining specialty. The Four may be a family of father, mother, daughter and son. The boy is a cute looking youngster, with plenty of life, but doesn't figure to any gTcat extent. The girl is somewhat larger, and a contortionist of the average. Most of the work fulls to the man, who juggles and attempts comedy, more than he is capable of doing. The juggling is of the simpler sort, failing to arouse en- thusiasm. He did some very good ground tumbling at the finish, bv far the boat portion of the act. A routine without comedy, more tumbling and less of the single juggling would benefit. The act as it stands would do very well for the small time. Dash. William Hunter Piatt and Co. (7). "The Widow's Mite" (Musical Farce). 21 Mins.; Full Stage (Special Exterior Set). Keeney's. Edward Paulton, who was responsible for "The Naked Truth," is programed as the author o& "The Widow's •Mite," a very light farce with incidental music. William Hunter Piatt, the principal of the company, is a midget, playing a polite role for which he is not fitted in any par- ticular. Four girls make up a background for several rather catchy, although reminiscent, numbers, beside Vesta Vic- toria's "Widow" song, led by Edna Mason, who makes the usual "audience play." "lazy Days," the opening number, has a pretty melody, and the finale, "Nothing Too Good for the Girls," has a rollicking swing. The girls are a splendid looking quartet, their appearance being perhaps the best thing in the proceedings. At this stage of the piece's development all hands work with mechanical care, perhaps the fruit of overmuch rehearsal. Further playing will probably give them smooth- ness. Edgar Dudley, who has a straight role, is the worse offender in this respect. He is very amateurish. The plot is a negligible quantity. What the sketch really needs is a groups of snappy danc- ers in place of the stately "show girls" now in the cast, unless these can be edu- cated to put some action into their list- less movements. Also there is demand for something approaching comedy busi- ness in place of the polite dialog. Ruth. Chuck Connors and Co. 27 Mins.; Full Stage. Columbia. It takes twenty-six minutes of waiting, and no Marathon miles were ever any longer than these same minutes before Chuck Connors "pulls his spiel," but when he does everything else is forgotten and forgiven, even the "yodle" song of the German in the piece. All the "Apaches," "Salomers" and "coochers"; good night! Chuck Connors is "pulling a new one," with no holds barred. With dancing crazes running around strong, Chuck should go in for that and cut out act- ing. There are so many who can act much tougher than Chuck has been painted any- way, that it leaves no scope for him in that field. Three other people are re- quired in the present sketch beside Con- nors. A girl doing the opposite to Con- nors is the only one to make an im- pression. If someone will take Connors and this girl and frame up a "Gorilla" (this is what Connors terms the hangers- on down around his end of the town) dance, maybe they can start something. At any rate twelve or fifteen minutes should be taken out of the present run- ning time. Dash. 0.">0 guests assembled at the Hotel Astor Monday evening for Hie annual banquet given by New York Lodge, No. 11, B. P. O. K. (Elks). Harry Mock led a delega- tion of 1.10 niciiilx'r* from the Bronx lyodjje. Frank Kogerty was the star en- tertainer of the evening. Josephine Arthur, a .laughter of J. K Burk, has a sketch and a company play- ing on the Sherdy New. England time. Miss Arthur is the principal of the piece. "Winter in Holland." Empire, London. The scene represents Holland in winter, the skaters on the rollers instead of steel runners. The chorus will need much drilling before that part of the act eaa "be made effective. In the production The Videos and The Mayos, professional skat- ers, are introduced, and when they are on, the turn looks good. The comedy at present is very weak. The idea is excel- lent and the costumes and scenery all thai could be desired. There is little doubt but that before the management ia through rearranging the number, it will prove quite an attraction. OUT OF TOWN Amelia Summerville. "Mrs. Get-Rich-Quick's Supper Party.* Monolog. 15 Mins.; One. Shea's, Buffalo, N. T. Amelia Summerville is at Shea's thia week in a monolog. She is dressed in a very fetching costume. The monolog da- scribes a supper party in which "Mrs. Get- Rich" introduces the different singers and dancers, imitated by the comedienne. The) songs have been heard here before and the house did not warm up. Miss Summer- ville is suited for something better. Dick*>*. Henrietta B. Blanke. Pianolog. xx Mins.; One. Temple, Detroit. Henrietta B. Blanke, a former Detroit girl, made her vaudeville debut, giving a pianolog, singing four numbers on Mon- day afternoon and receiving much ap- plause from the crowded house. "Honey- land," her latest composition, was best liked. A very attractive appearance) helped her offering. Leo Letter. "The Dreamers" (3). Operetta. 14 Mins.; Full Stage (Special Set). Young's Pier, Atlantic City. With a background of the Latin Quar- tier life "The Dreamers" sing pleasantly. Two men and a woman present the offer- ing. While none of the voices is extraor- dinary, they made a good impression. The net needs whipping into shape, and should improve. /. B. Publatki. LEONHARDT MANAGING HUDSON. Harry Leonhardt is the managing di- rector of the Hudson, Union Hill, N. J. Mr. Leon hank's reign commenced hut Monday. The first show booked by him will open Washington's Birthday. It will be "A Texas Wooing" ; Rube Welch, Kitty Francis and Co.: Staratt's Horse Show; Tyrolean Quartet; Bertha Noss-Uussell; Bison City Four; Wentworth, Vesta and Teddy, and pictures. The scale of admission hereafter will be at 10-20-30. Mr. Leonhnnit announces that no "try-outs" will find place at the house hereafter. This week Irene Hobson and Co. and Bessie Clayton, in a new a<t, are the fea- tures of the Hudson's bill. Jesse Jewell was buried Wednesday in (i rem wood ( 'etiiri •■! y.