The Billboard 1906-03-17: Vol 18 Iss 11 (1906-03-17)

The Billboard MARCH 17, 1906. AT FRANK UPSTAIRS Or, The First Story Of a Second Story 7 BOWBR’S yy, y, PEAEING of the original four minstrels, the late Dan Emmett, author of Dixie Land, wrote authentically, March 19, 1896: ‘‘In the old times each circus company had one or more performers who were called ‘Ethiopian Delineators;’ In other words, singing of negro songs in character. In summer of 1842 J located in New York and played the violin and also the banjo, and thus became acquainted with others who, like myself, performed here and there throughout the city. In the spring of 183 I was residing at No. 87 Catherine street, and one day while playing upon my violin and accompanied by Billy Whitrock on the banjo, the door opened and Frank Brower entered. For awhile he listened and then joined in with the bones. We were delighted with the idea and the music, and were again going through the performance when Dick Pelham entered, and with his tambourine the fourth man joined in this impromptu rehearsal. Struck by the idea, we four began a series of rehearsals which ended in a partnership. We performed in several places, the fist appearance in public was made at the Chatham Theatre for the benefit of Dick Pelham. We gave concerts in the Tremont Temple, Boston, for six weeks, the new amusement ‘minstrels’ going like wild fire at ail times. We then sailed for Europe, giving concerts in Liverpool, Birmingham and Manchester to immense business. We opened in the Adelphi in connection with Professer Anderson, zard. Then we performed throughout the United Kingdom and disbanded in Glasgow.” ORIGINATOR OF MINSTRELSY The originators of minstrelsy were certainly a “big four.’’ In the days of small things in minstrelsy, Charles White, the ‘mmensely popular performer and negro delineator of the Melodeon (Bowery, New York) wrote and sang: ““We are from a place we don’t know wher, Ten miles from sea and land; We've traveled all this Continent Wid dis one darky band. “Our names are Julius, Clem an’ Crow, ‘Wid Erastus and his brudder; We all belong to one family, But never seen one anudder.’’ It will be noticed that Mr. White only mentiens five people in his ditty as being members of the company. : Frank Brower was, during his career, a feature of larger organizations, conspicuously that of Sam Sanford in Philadelphia. His last engagement was with Duprez & Benedict Minstrels, Philadelphia, season of 1869-70. “Happy Uncle Frank,”’ after his fetirement from Sanford’s company opened a-<saloon in a one-story structure on Ninth street, below Market, Philadelphia. It was a small band-box affair which the proprietor waggishly referred to as ‘“‘The Foundry.’’ The dispensary was liberally patronized, especially during the theattrical and minstrel season, which was also the period of rest of a great number of circus attaches who made the Quaker City their home. Bower was aware of the value of advertising, and inserted in the Public Ledger, Philadelphia’s obituary organ and daily Bible, an announcement that the beer he sold was contained in ‘‘a vault nine miles under ground.’’ The morning the advertisement appeared an early customer called and ordered: “Frank, give me a glass of beer from the extreme end of the ninth mile of your vault.’ Bower replied, ‘All right,’’ made no move to wait upon his smart patron, but took a seat and fell to perusing George W. Chilkd’s diurnal. The man in front of the bar stood and stood, shifting from one foot to the other until loseing all patience he exclaimed wrathfully: ‘“‘When are you going to give me that ale?”’ Brower looked up, the picture of injured innocence, and replied: ‘How quick do you suppose you can get a glass of beer from nine miles under the ground?’ WAS FRIEND OF FORREST Edwin Forrest and Frank Brower were great personal friends. The famous tragedian, the most exclusive and distant man to be imagined, and his friend, the erstwhile minstrel man, might be seen of an afternoon sauntering down Chestnut street, chatting familiarly. Frequently Forrest would drive up in front of ‘“The Foundry’’ and hold converse with its proprietor. The tragedian in his early days had been a negro minstrel and a circus athlete, and it is likely that Forrest and Brower had worked together under the white tents, One winter’s evening, at quite a late hour, ea hilariously bappy individual arrived at ‘“The Foundry” and proceeded to patronize the bar largely and evince a disposition to do all the buying and not miss a drink himself. The place was doing a standing-room-only business, the performance of both minstrel halls being over. Troubadours from the companies of Carncross & Dixie and Duprez & Bennedict were on hand in force, as well as delegations of actors from the theatres and the usual circus contingent. The angel who had dropped in and who was dropping his money had been out all the season with a cross-roads circus and was celebrating his return to civilization. On his way to ‘The Foundry” he had imbibed generously and although he was not “‘seeing things’’ he was hearing strange sounds. The whisky was pounding his heart and reverberating on his ear drums. As he settled for the last round he leaned over “Happy Uncle Frank’’ returned: “I don’t hear any thing but the chinning of the company.’ The patron was not satisfied. After ordering “another all around’’ and not forgeting to imbibe himself, isc repeated the qusetion: — I hear a strange noise. What is Brower, to employ the vulgar, ‘“‘tumbled”’ and answered: “That’s Edwin Forrest man rehearsing upstairs.’’ For the time being the patron was satisfied, and then—and not until ‘‘The Foundry” shut down—he made his way to his lodging at the Great Western Hotel. The next morning he started out for a ready remedy for a cracking headache and set pace for Brower’s. As he and Cherlotte Cusli PLEA FOR PARK CIRCUITS By W. J. Channing. (Written for The Billboard.) One of the most crying needs of the day is more and better circuits among parks. The circuit is economical. It is a money saver, both for the park on the one side and the performers or attractions on the other. It saves for the latter in both time and railroad fare. By reason of this, it saves for the park by enabling it to secure its features for less money, for practically every artist or manager is willing to divide equally in the matter of money saved. The economical feature, however, is by no means the only advantage that the circuit has to offer. It saves time for the performer and gives him a sense of certainty and security that a string of disconnected and independent dates never can. On the other hand, it guards the park manager against disappointments. Few artists will hesitate to cancel an isolated date involving a long jump for a tempting offer near at hand, but he will think long and carefully before cancelling an entire circuit. Then there is another advantage. The park manager on a circuit can get better attractions. There is no special inducement t+ « firstclass feature in the offer of a single week’s work, but when you can hold out contracts for six, eight, ten or twelve weeks, it’s different. Then they will set up and take notice. No one can regard from six to twelve weeks’ time with indifference. Even the most popular, the most sought after, will lend a willing ear to such a proposition. HARRY the past season. companies en tour. The past few seasons, tracting agent, of the profession. His welcome year after year. HARDY Above is pictured Harry Hardy, contracting agent with the Ferari Brothers Shows United Mr. Hardy has been connected with some of the most successful theatrical however, the carnival has been devoted to business, Mr. Hardy appearing successively in the business department of the Gaskill-Mundy Shows, the Great Gaskill Shows and the Ferari Brothers Shows the above organizations in every department, including promoter, excursion, press and con has given him a thorough knowledge of the carnival business. has the faculty of making and retaining friends which he numbers by the score both in and out policy is never to misrepresent, over the same territory, do business with the same committees, and be greeted with a warm United. His experience with Mr. Hardy which enables him to go back reached ‘“The Foundry”’ he observed that it was a one-story structure. In a moment it flashed upon him: Entering the saloon, without ordering a drink he asked in apparent anxiety: “Brower, how many stories high is building ?’’ The minstrel recalled his story of the rehearsal of the stars the previous night and answered: ‘*I'wo, of course.’’ The previous patron started for the door. Brower invited him to “have something’’ in vain. He turned and answered as he went out: “No, no. I’ve got ’em sure'’’ “If this is really a one-story building. how could Edwin Forrest and Charlotte Cushman have been rehearsing upstairs?’’ this Master Frankie Readick, the infant prodigy of the company, is rather old-fashioned. He was amusing himself with his toy. paint box, when one of the older members of the company remarked, ‘‘Hello, a new box of paints?’’ ‘*No,"’ sald Master Frankie, “I’ve had it years and years—ever since I wag a little boy.’’ He is six years old now. Chas. Park, jr., writes that he has remain all season with the ©. W. agent. decided to Park Stock Co. in the capacity of Circuits are bound to come. They are the one and only logical Solution of the principal difficulties that park managers are now contending with. They will simplify the bustness, systematize it and make it more satis factory and profitable. HONEST TOIL “In the old days,’’ says a well-known player, “when I was a member of a stock company in Chicago, we used nightly to gather in a Bohemian resort near the theatre. One night, just after the show, a number of us were seated at a table near the entrance, when there entered to us a lean and hungry-looking chap, very thinly and shabbily clad. Noticing his anxious gaze, one of the party immediately divined his purpose, and, anticipating the stranger, said: ‘* ‘Sorry, old fellow, but as we ourselves are playing in rather bard luck we have no money to give you for a meal and a night’s lodging. We're nearly broke ourselves.’ “At this the stranger smiled pleasantly. ‘Permit me, gentlemen, to correct a misapprehension,’ said he. ‘I was not going to ask you for money; I merely wanted to know whether one of you would not lend me a sandane, 80 that I might go out and make a lit TO BE OR NOT TO BE By Harry Hardy. (Written for The Billboard.) There are many things to be considered when one stops to think of the infinite number of conditions that confront one in the carnival world, to decide definitely, if the carnfval business is on the wane, or still will be classed as one of the summer’s popular amusements, It is almost a certainty that if the right sort of a carnival aggregation, carefully organized, properly presented, features truthfully announced, particular attention given to cleanliness, every attraction placed under the acting Management of gentlemen—insuring courteous treatment to patrons—together with other heretofore neglected essentials, will at least have a tendency to keep the carnival up standard of the past seasons. The lack of Interest which is shown at times by the different societies which have held carnivals under their auspices, is invariably occasioned by the management of the carnival organizations themselves, by not living up to their contract, by not furnishing the features promised and advertised; the management of a carnival organization that practices any one of these, to get on to the ‘“‘tricks of the trade.’’ Once a committee loses confidence in the management of a carnival organization, it is seldom, if ever, possible to ever do business again with that same committee, and the chances are if the carnival representative trys to get other parties interested, in that particular city, the new committee will consult with the old, and if the carnival management during their previous engagement, have been right, and have lived up to every letter of the contract, then, you can do business; if they have been wrong in any one particular, then it is simply impossible to get them interested, and consequently no contract ean be secured. RETURNING TO SAME CITIES In cities where these misrepresentations have not prevailed, and the carnival bave fulfilled their contract, have pleased, then one will find that that city wants its annual carnival. Last season in nearly all of the cities under the latter conditions, the business surpassed the previous season, and very seldom did the gross receipts fall below; in nearly every instance if the receipts decreased it was occesioned by unfavorable weather. The question of how to retain, or sustain the interest, to increase the receipts, or even duplicate last season’s business, is a momentous one, and should be given careful consideration before the opening of the carnival season. If the carnival managers will give the public new, novel and at the same time pleasing shows, and free acts that are capable of drawing and holding carnival-goers, the carnival business will be, no doubt, as guod, if not better, than last season. The mistake is in returning to the same cities season after season, with the same attractions, same advertising matter, same old features, same every thing. NOVELTIES ARE WANTED The public can not be blamed for losing interest, and the committee should not be censured if they are not eager to contract. For the proof of this it is only necessary for one to notice on the opening night of an engagement, amusement-seekers looking for someth new, and particularly a novel attraction, after sauntering along the line of attractions offered for their amusement, [f they should happen to discover a novelty how very readily will they pay to see it, and how very willing and anxious are they to tell their friends if it is pleasing or otherwise. The big circuses change their features season after season, and go back over the same territory and get the business. The park and permanent amusement resorts change thefr features every season, and do the business, The merchant changes his wares every season, introducing up-to-date novelties, and does business. The manufacturer each season places upon the market new and improved articles in every line, and does business. The carnival of to-day is a commercial business. A carnival organization that will change their shows, features, free acts, advertising each season, same as in all other industries, there isn’t a question but what they can return and get business, too. Be original, truthful, and, above all, do not misrepresent. WHEN THE CIRCUS COMES TO TOWN By Thos, M. Young (Written for The Billboard.) There’s a sudden streak of goodness In the manners of the boys, And they hall the chores and milking As a nightly round of joys. And I caught my good wife, Jessie, Putting ribbon on her gown— These are things that always heppen ‘When the circus comes to town, For a week before its advent None of us can sleep a wink, But upor a crumpled pillow Lie awake, and think and think Of the airy, fairy rider And the funny, amusing clown, And the glorious time expected, When the circus comes to town. Posters red and blue and yellow, Flaming, paper all the place; Everybody rises early, With a happy, shining face, And we all have urgent business, From old Daddy Dixon down, In the village, on the morning When the circus comes to town. Though the tent is hot and stuffy, And we share it with the files, And when the band begins to tootle We are right in paradise. ade of rainbow colors, Roasted peanuts, crisp and brown— Oh! we all forget our troubles, the circus te town.