Moving Picture News (Jan-Dec 1911)

THE MOVING PICTURE NEWS 19 Vaudeville Music VARIETIES IN MOVING PICTURE THEATRES BY FRA. Illustrated Songs FOUSTEENTH STREET THEATRE Any one who goes to this theatre is sure not only to see the latest moving picture but — and this is a most important point — they will be thrown upon the screen in first-class shape. People do not think enough about the operator; he can make or he can spoil the best film ever made. At this theater the operator is up in the gallery, but he must not be forgotten. Tony Pierson is as good a fellow, and as good an operator as a man can find in a very long walk. Long life to you, Tony; long may you reign from your throne, to rule over us folk lower down in the world. John Driscoll, the illustrated balladist, hit the popular fancy to the dot. The pianist has my sincere thanks for the way he accompanied the Imp's "Melody." It was beautiful. The vaudeville included: The Alvares Duo. A man and woman billed as a European novelty. The turn is neat, clean and clever. The balancing upon the trapeze reminded me of Japanese days. Their costumes are just the thing. Work of this sort, when it goes smoothly and shows careful rehearsing, is always popular. The duo merited the applause thev got. Gotham City Comedy Four. This quartet of comicalities marched in to the strains of Guonod's '•Soldiers' Chorus," and set the folk laughing. Mr. Levin sky has a humor of his own; it took. The whole thing is a real hit. Five Licorice Sticks. Five, and Nettie Glenn. The licorice sticks are a man and a woman and two boys — colored. Their dancing stunts are funny, and I think I may say, on one or two points, unique. They are laugh getters, especially "Mammy," and her lingerie. Nettie flits in in varied garbs. More care must be taken over that last song, or it will be flat. The theater was filled with laughters and claps. Frint George & Co. Comedy sketch, A Midnight Mishap." The title's a bit of a misfit. The joke turns up a brokendown pair, a young man and his colored man. They go to a house, supposed to be haunted, in order to earn the reward offered by the lady of the house. Tliere are ghostly happenings, and the terror of the colored man, who apes a brave soldier, makes the fun. Burns and Pryor. A pair who did an Irish turn. Howard's Performing Bears. Very good. Linden & Dorman. Conversationalists who convulsed the house. KEITH & PROCTOR'S UNION SQUARE THEATER Some excellent epigrams on the screen call for attention. The lecture on Quebec, both as to slides and matter, is a marked improvement upon its immediate predecessor. The way in which Operator Bastedo handles the reels is a delight to all lovers of moving pictures. He is an old-timer of whom I shall speak more fully ere long. Crowded houses all day have been the ordinary state of affairs all the week. On Wednesday morning there was a departure, the pianist sang the chorus of "Kiss Me, Honey," with success. The men in the audience followed to a man, and by their applause showed an encore was desired. Jas. Grady and Company. A rural sketch. The audience liked this. The staging was good, and the whole thing was punctuated with laughs, and concluded with applause. There is an old curmudgeon of a man, who was satisfactorily personified, a bully of a nephew, who overdoes his villainy, and a pert little minx, who makes snappy and also acid remarks that tickle. There is a little plot that runs through. I wish the wicked points of the men were not quite so wicked. The girl finds out who she is, and lo! all is well. Paul Azard and Company. Acrobats. There is a simplicity and directness about the work of the two men and the girl that are good. At the outset the performers are clothed in white togas of the classic cut. When these are shed, the classic air still prevails. Much of the work is clever; all is clean cut and capable. The spring-board vault fetched the house. A genuinely interesting turn that deserved the applause it got. ■ Ethel A. Clark. Singing and dancing. Three changes of costumes, all pretty. This young lady has a very pleasing voice, and deserved more applause than she got. A Night on the Bowery. For the life of me I couldn't make out the reason of the name. The Salvation Boy sang "The Rosary" well, the "Bum's" monologue wasn't bad, while the mate of the "Katydid" got a laugh or two. But that Bowery stuck in my throat, the real one was too near. La-La-Mi. An English lord, who, by the way, had better take a dose of glycerine or dynamite, falls in love with an Indian girl, who has operatic possibilities; his sister very promptly squashes all matrimonial ideas. The Indian _ girl has a good voice, of considerable range, which won some ap plause. Her song appeal to the Wilderness, in Indian garb, when she determines to go to the pueblo and her people, was somewhat novel. The whole does not hang together properly; the sketch contains some good points, but ought to be recast. Gretchen Hartman. Singing. Bigney. Fur Musical Mays. Harvey and Harvey. Comedy. THE THEATER UNIQUE This go-ahead home of moving pictures and vaudeville goes on its way rejoicing. Large and appreciative audiences fill the theater daily. There have been some good runs of Independent pictures this week, that more than once got a good clap. Here are some of the good things in vaudeville offered : Frank and Shumann. A man and woman in character songs; the audience liked them. Dunn Sisters. Singing and buck dancing who carried the role satisfactorily. Ledman and Buckner. Colored comedians who got all kinds of laughs. Reta Redmond. Singing; one of the features, and deservedly so. Walter Wilkins. "Little Tich." Singing, dancing and juggling. A medley which the people thoroughly enjoyed. MICHAEL COSTELLO It is with deep regret I have to record the death of my good friend, Michael Costello, doorman of the Theater Unique since its opening. Always the same kindly, courteous son of Erin, he will be greatly missed and deeply regretted by the patrons of the house. He was one who had "seen better days," and showed it both in manners and speech The management and his fellow employees sub scribed for a beautiful pillow of nowers as a token of their respect. He was sixty-eight years of age, a widower, and only really sick for six days. His funeral took place on Monday, from his late residence, 20 East Eighty-eighth .Street, the services being held in the Roman Catholic Church. A good, earnest, simple-minded brother was Michael, one we could ill spare. — R. I. P. THE DEWEY This vigorous, bustling house keeps one on the jump to know what is happening there. A good selection of moving pictures, changed daily, and a vaudeville, changed very nearly as often, affords the patrons a good, up-to-date entertainment of a varied and comprehensive kind. Here's a selection from the menu: Ryan and Manning. Singing and dancing; good. Nalon. Electrical JIusical Act. Interesting and novel. Weodall. Fifteen minutes of song and story that went. Bernard and Curran, Singing, dancing and talking. Riley and Fearrent. In a live and gingery sketch. THE CITY THEATRE, FOURTEENTH STREET Five Flying Hallys. 'Way up. Clark and Verdi. Walker and 111. Pleasing comedy, "Just a Girl.'' Nelson, Oswald and Berger. The Van Cooks. Parks and Mayfield. In their interesting playlet. Besides which, reels of moving pictures. MANHATTAN OPERA HOUSE In addition to first-class moving pictures the bill included Sam Mann in his jolly sketch, "The New Leader," a satisfactory first appearance here. Irere Franklin, with some first-class new songs; McGinness Brothers, in the one-act, "Circumstantial Evidence," and the Ten Pianophiend Minstrels. FIFTH AVENUE Julius Stieger, in the "Fifth Commandment," and the rest of the "Split," "The Way to the Heart." Edwin Holt gave "A Mayor and the Manicure," and Max Gruber's "Equestrian." BUCKNER VAUDEVILLE Here is the exceedingly attractive program given at Miner's in the Bronx Theater. Seven feature and novelty acts as well as an excellent selection of moving pictures. THE FULTON Ed. Blondell, a Brooklyn favorite, and his company in a funny sketch, "The Lost Boy." The bill also includes the Altus Brothers, club swinging. Musical Loew, in a skillful musical turn; the Diamond Comedy Four, eccentric singers and dancers; Belle Meyers, a pleasing musical comedi enne, and the Clark Brothers, songs and pianologue. GREENPOINT Nat. M. Wills, with all the fun he has gathered at the other side of the ocean, also Sidney James and company; pretty Mabel Russell, with Eddie Leonard, the blackfaced singer; and Beatrice Ingram and company, in "The Duchess.'' THE BIJOU CHANGES HANDS Corse Payton has said a fond farewell to the Bijou. It has passed over to Marcus Loew, who installs moving pictures and vaudeville. Mr. Loew has leased the building until 191.3. Payton has gone on the vaudeville stage, opening at the American JIusic Hall, where he made a big hit in "Lend Me Five Shillings." No Back Seat for "Vaudy" I don't see why under the canopy anybody need to apologize for working. We've simply got to, and I guess the man or woman that must work to keep a home together and live an honest life has no need to be ashamed of any honoralDle labor. Nursing dogs in childless homes, buying yachts and diamonds on other folks' w'ork, and living useless lives, made up of divorces, Delmonico's and the devil, is looked up to by some with awe. Why? Half the millionaires could be sent to Alaska and be less loss than one white singer or shirt-waist girl. I know we're supposed to be democratic — with a small "d" — but our press will give a front page scare head to a monkey dinner at Newport, and a scant few lines, if even that, to the death of a real man — who's only been honest. That's nothing. On the vaudeville stage for years I've been told by men, and especially women, why they were there. Jumping Jehosophat, it makes my blood boil. The vaudeville stage has no need to apologize, it's as good as any other. All the world does not want to go and look wise, when the music is over their heads and Signer Belfusco is tearing the air to tatters with arpeggios in Italian; every one does not wish to witness drama, or Mrs. Anderefsky discuss social problems. We want to be amused sometimes and besides to be honest we work for the fellows who have the boxes at the )))g houses, and so we cannot afford to go there. Vaudeville with its skilled acrobats, its trained singers and dancers, its clever humorists and its jolly, human short sketches fills the bill. The press howls for short stories. Vaudeville gives them, alive and hot, in the scores of clever, living eighteen-minute country and city sketches. Vaudeville has no need to apologize, it has its place — and a mighty strong one, don't you forget it! Comrades, don't you apologize for being on the vaudeville stage, you don't have to. If a man or woman has to leave a different phase of life, and use some talent in "Vaudy" to get a living, is there any need to apologize? These days the vaudeville stage demands the best. Let anybody with a "swelled head" try a turn, we know where their first turn will be their last. Boys and girls, working vaudeville is a darned sight better than being a thieving bank somebody. We're not thieves, if we can't fill the bill, we're 'fi'red," but, thank the Fates, we're not "fired" into jail. Of course, there are "bad eggs" among us, headliners, too; so there are in cathedrals. My point is, there's no need to apologize for honest work in "Vaudy." You're not playing "Hamlet," nor singing "II Trovatore," true, but a good many folks want to hear "Home, Sweet Home." There's a few folk that can only afford ten cents — they make the millions that pay for operas, and they want something. Is it a 10 or 25-cent audience, that's nothing, the vaudeville folk do their best, and that best tliey have no need to be ashamed of. If in vaudeville, let's stand together, no apologizing. "The guinea's but the gowden stamp. The Man's the man for a' that!" LEVI LO. RELEASES "First You Get the Money, Then You Get the Flat, Then It's Time Enough to Get the Girl." .. Bew,;f?N7 havuX-'CUt'r ?omC sh rdlu cmfy Published by Shapiro, words by Al Bryan and music by Fred Fisher. Another great novelty song by the writers of "Any Little Girl That's a Nice Little Girl Is the Right Little Girl for Me.'' It is absolutely original and so are the slides. Every slide means a laugh, consequently every singer cleans up with it. Be sure and get it. "Pity Is Kin to Love." Words and music by Seymour Brown and Nat Ayer, published by Shapiro. The title tells the story. One of those beautiful sentimental songs that reach the heart and we all love to hear. The Levi Co. has illustrated it in a befitting manner, every picture full of meaning, and it will probably become a big favorite.