Variety (January 1914)

VARIETY 23 Cecelia Wright. Songs. 12 Mint.; One. Palace. Cecelia Wright is a young English soprano who made her first appear- ance in American vaudeville at the Palace Monday. She is billed as "the adopted daughter of the navy." Miss Wright is beautiful of face and form and made a favorable impression. She works in front of a rose plush drop, and sings five songs, one in French, another in Italian and the rest in English. "Comin' Through the Rye" among the latter. Miss Wright has appearance and a charming personality that docs as much to make her a success as the voice. The latter is by no means the most wonderful in the world, but it is sweet and clear. She does an enjoy- able twelve minutes. Mary. Hunter and Davenport. Talk, Singing, Dancing. 13 Mins.; One. Grand O. H. (Jan. 18). Man blackface, woman straight feed- ci and a bit of a vocalizer—a small bit. Man a very funny comedian. In ap- pearance not unlike Irving Jones. He has a comedy entrance, singing off in Italian creating impression the act is a tcaim of "wop" operatic vocalists. When he makes his appearance as a "sloppy coon" it's good for a big laugh. It was done before by Joe Jackson. He also shines as an acrobatic dancer, but should not when he uses Buster Keaton's "Let Go" struggle with himself. With a classier partner and the routine care- fully edited would stand a good chance on the big time. Join. Suzanne Morgan and Co. (3). Farcical. 16 Mins.; Interior. !25th Street. Two^men and two women, with the basic idea of "The Temperamental Journey" treated farcically and "writ- ton down" for small time appreciation. Rather carefully and intelligently re- hearsed for that time. Jnio. Ruby Montiore. Songs. 10 Mins.; One. 125th Street. Slender maid, with some top notes and a clear enunciation. Minus reputa- tion, her only chance would seem to be in musical comedy, or else be content with three-a-day. /«'&• Power Bros. Talk, Singing, Dancing, Roller Skating. 11 Mins.; Full Stage. 125th Street. After a prolonged amount of "com- ply" of the singing, dancing, crossfire and slapstick calibre, some clever "step- ping" on skates. Thrcc-a-day turn. Join. Thomas and Wright. Singing, Dancing. 9 Mins.; One. 125th Street. Man and woman. Man strives for in- dividuality in intricacy of stepping and qualifies as a good small timer, with woman trailing behind. J° l °- Elsie La Bergere. Posing Turn. 9 Mins.; Full Stage (Special Set). American Roof. Elsie La Bergere is said to be from France, appearing for the first time over here on the Loew Circuit. She has two dogs, fine-looking animals. They pose with her, and she also dis- plays her face and figure alone. The turn Works fast, with little delay be- tween pictures, rather unusual in an act of this sort carrying but one human without a revolving stand. Its speed, prettiness and Miss La Bergere herself all combine to make it a nice, quiet, clean, artistic number. shnr. OBITUARY Three Arthurs. Bicyclists. 7 Mins.; Full Stage. Fifth Avenue. Man and two you.ig women, all clad in Brown, with very fast routine in bicycles. Women do a two high on unicycle, man a double twist or spin on handle bars. Women have petite figures and all work "easily." Good closing turn for any bill. /"'"• Morris and Beasley. "The Manicure Shop." 17 Mins.; Full Stage (13); one (4). Fifth Avenue. Crossfire, so.ig. more cross-kidding, song, more conversation, song, stepping (while kidding), song. Built on regu- lation "bench act" lines for man and woman. Would pass in a No. 2 spot on a two-a-day bill. /"/«. Stua.t and Hall. Singing, Talking, Dancing. 15 Mins.; One. Grand O. H. (Jan. 18). Mixed couple, open with straight vocalizing; good, trained voices. He i liangcs to English chappie and she :| vs straight for him. Finish with a It tie stepping. Classy couple, fit for two-a-day. Jolo. Crouch and Richards. Ban joists. 9 Mins.; One (7) Full Stage (2). Grand O. H. (Jan. 18). Man and woman, Colonial garb. Heavy overture, old Southern melodies. etc. For finish drop is raised disclos- ing special drop in rear, showing battle between Merrimac and Monitor, while they arc thrumming violently "The Star Spangled Banner."—sure fire on any bill. h>U>. Reddy and Murray. Songs and Piano. 9 Mins.; One. Judging from reception applause these two boys must be doing cabaret service in the 14th Street neighbor- hood. The act savors of the rathskel- ler, with one boy doing the songs and ibe other the piano work. The singer works hard with topical numbers. He appeared to have all his personality bottled up, but sings well. If the boys eared to eschew cabaret duty they might find bookings on the "pop" time. Mark. If you don't advertlNe In VARIETY. don't advrrtlM at all. George C. Catlett died suddenly at his residence, 1924 Eighth avenue, Oak- land, Jan. 9. He is survived by a wid- ow and two sons, one, Walter Catlett, with "The Girl at the Gate," in San Francisco. Charles Sandgran died Jan. 12 at the Isolation Hospital, San Francisco, of facial erysipelas. He was known in musical comedy circles and was playing at the Gaiety, there, when taken ill three weeks ago. George Bastow, a prominent English comedian, died in London Jan. 8, after a lengthy illness. He leaves a wife, known as Ruth Lytton, a Scotch come- dienne. Fred Booty, who played the Loew Circuit and Family Department time of the United Booking Offices as Grapho. cartoonist, died Jan. 13, at the Peter Hurt Brigham Hospital, Boston, following a few days' illness of pneu- monia. His assistant, Jimmy Holt, also succumbed to pneumonia Jan. 11. Booty's widow and a five-year-old) son were located in London, destitute and unable to care for the remains. She sent word that she was helpless and for the body to be cremated. The Brit- ish Charitable Society and Actors' Fund of America were notified. F. H. Put- nam, proprietor of Putnam's Hotel, and a number of artists quartered there last week, sent two cables to the wid- ow. The Hootys lived in Sidney, Au- stralia. Mrs. Booty's London address is 12 River street. Mrs. Elizabeth Creech, mother of tie tic Lamest (Gene and Arthur), died ai Albany, Jan. 12, aged 59, of heart failure. Maurice Minart, a Frcnch # actor, died in Paris Dec. 30. Mme. Alfred Capus, wile of the Frendh playwright, died at \ ernou-sur-Brenne. France, Dec. 31. Mark Melford. the elderly English playwright, died at his desk at home, Jan. 3. Raoul Pugno, a leading musi- cian of Paris, died an. 3, at Moscow. Russia. Peter Bijou, an English hall artist, died at his London home Jan. 3. The mother of the Three Hickey Bros, died Jan. 17 in Chicago. They wire notified just as they were about to make up for the matinee at the Col- onial, but left for home immediately. Mrs. Albert Henriques, a prominent actress of the past generation, died Jan. \t\ nf cancer. Her Mage name was I modern* Van Dyke, and she was a daughter of Gen. Kowe of Ohio. She appeared with John Mcfullough a nd Lester Wallaek. Mrs. Alice Fisher Gerson, wife of Ki- lls R. (iersoii. eonnected with the thea- trical advertising business in Denver, died I ni 11 D< eea>ed was 38 years (l |d. an.I I.ad been ill for six months, fol- low :ii'.' .; I'..i .tlviie stroke. Donald Francis, the 2-months' old son of Mr. and Mrs. Mark M. Vance ("Mark"), died Jan. 10. The baby was buried in Greenwood cemetery, Brook- lyn. Mrs. A. G. Derners (Georgiana Pel letier). sister of Pierre Pelletier, died suddenly Jan. 12 at her home in Hoi yoke, Mass. Three children survive. John A. Supples, of Burns and Sup- ples, aged 29, was found dead in bed at 62 Bergen street, Providence, R. I., Jan. 18. Death was due to suffocation through improperly turning off the gas jet. Chicago, Jan. 21. Rupert B. Coyne, connected with the Harry Williams Music Publishing Co., died Jan. 18 at St. Luke's Hospital from typhoid pneumonia. Chicago, Jan. 21. Judge James E. Purnell died Jan. 17 at Kankakee. 111. He was known as a theatrical lawyer. His daughter is the wife of Bob Jcnncttc, manager of the Globe, Boston, and he was the stepfather of Robert R. Clarke, well known along the Chicago Rialto. Cincinnati, Ja.i. 21. Norman Syfers, aged 21, of this city, who was director of the orchestra in the Princess theatre at Hopkinsville, Ky.. died Jan. 18 of peritonitis. Philadelphia, Jan. 21. Thomas Flynn, aged 65, an artist appearing at the Broadway theatre last week, dropped dead in the house Jan. 16. The mother of Emma Siegel died Liii. V). THKATKK (KNHOKING BOA HI). Pittsburgh, Jan. 21. Pittsburgh at last is to have a the- atre censorship. After long discussions and predictions from time to time, the matter was suddenly resurrected by the new mayor, Joseph G. Armstrong, ami it will not be long before a board is appointed to decide what is moral i nough for Pittsburgh to see and what needs changing. l.'p to now the matter was up to managers. If what they decided on did not suit the policemen who happened to be around, the superintendent of police would send out an order to have things changed. Dances have been stopped and plays toned down. The tensors have not yet been named, but the board will be cosmopolitan in chat acter and powerful. At the same time Mayor Armstrong's recommendation to council that it look into the picture industry will be taken tip and an investigation made. The mayor declared films derogatory to the moral welfare of the community were being exhibited, and advised that coun- cil pass an enabling ordinance giving power to regulate the kind of films to be shown. The mayor, himself, likes a good motion picture show, and the large houses are offering splendid bills. What he objected to is the off-color kind shown in several out-of-the-way places that have gained some notoriety.