The Billboard 1911-01-14: Vol 23 Iss 2 (1911-01-14)

PEE OTR JANUARY 14, 1911. The Billboard TT The Vaudeville Week in Chicago VARIETY AT BUSH TEMPLE WITHOUT A HEADLINER New Venture Attended with Variable Degrees of Success. Gladys Vance and The Count Divide Headline Honors. Aerialist Works U nder Disadvantages. Chicago, Jam. 7 (Special to The Billboard).— rhe bill that was presented at the Bush Temple Theatre this week, where Manager Walter Shaver is playing vaudeville to fill the gap prior to the opening of Winninger Brothers next week, was very good taken as & whole, but was not without its drawbacks. ever, to the fickleness of fate, the newness of the offering and to the fact that the stage bands and orchestra had not yet acquired the de sired team work, it being the opening night of | the new venture. The Braminos opened the bill with a nonsensical musical offering and their rendering This was due, how| the banjo—which -e also plays well, “and company’’ (colored), and the is some dancer. The selection from The Chocolate Soldier, in which they both take part, was a riot, and they held | | | the curtain several minutes. | Ralph Cummings and Company. | in a comedy | sketch, have a very good offering. They both handle tueir lines well, put over some good comedy and finish with a weak ending, which, however, is not the fault of their acting. With |a stronger sketch they would work wonders. Count de Beaufort and his dog, Bob, who | (Continued on page 45.) of grand opera selections on sleigh bells was | excelent, Gladys Vance, singing comedienne, offered two songs, I'd Like Another Situation and I Don’t Care. She was given a good band and was the recipient of two curtain calls. Dayton and Edwards, in a comedy sketch, which had to do with the marrying of a daughter, Kitty, by one woman, and the selling of a horse, Kitty. by another woman of the same pame, was very suggestive, even to the ~oint of being vulgar, and they would do well to seek another playlet. The applause they received was for their rendering of the skit, which was very good, and not for any of the risqueness of the offering. Burkhardt and Barry, in song and dance were ~ladly received and were well worth al! of the applause given them. Their pavement patter was of exceptional merit and was well bandled by this celebrated team. who changes from street clothes to those of a smal! girl, handles her part well and appears very ludicrous with her avoirdupols tucked into the clothes of a three-year-old. The Four Flying Banvards. in a casting act, as signified by their title, were seen at a disadvantage, being cramped for space as they were. but they have a good offering and are better than many playing the bigger houses. Bert Earl and Company, No. 1 after the intermission, were the hit of thé bill, in point of acting. Mr. Earl has some excellent, original comedy, and offers some good stunts with Personal and Otherwise Chicago. Jan. 7 (Special to The Billboard).— On Dec, 18, the unexpected arrived at the home | of Mr. and Mrs. Checkers Von Hampton, in the person of a bouncing baby boy to the extent of eleven pounds. Both the mother and baby are doing splendid. It has been heard that the little blonde couple have given up the professional, as Mr. the producing business on his own behalf, and so far has successful in staging bumbers Kiss, Marathon Girls, Kentucky Belles, Parisian Widows and several vandeville acts, The Russian Imperial Chicago. than one sense, and one which is pleasing to the theatre patrons. The band is made up of ten musicians and two dancers, and includes both brass and string instruments. Balalaika is the name of the string instruments which = the order of our guitars, mandolins and violins. derfully in making the Dy a decided hit. Military Band is in The Three Shannons are playing the Doyle | time, and are making good wherever they appear. The act was formerly known as the Four Shannons, but they were forced to omit the best part of the specialty when Charley Shannon came in contact with the Child Labor Law. Young Charles was ordered to take a rest, by this well-known corporation, and since then the other members of this well-known fam ily find it pretty hard, as they are forced to | go through the act at home twice daily, for the benefit of the youngster, who insists he is not | an actor unless he works every day. Schwartz and Lorch have in rehearsal a new vaudeville musical comedy playlet, which will open about Jan. 15. e act runs about forty minutes, with eight original musical num bers, and it is sald to be the most pretentiously staged act of this kind ever played in vaudeville. The cast is made up of well-known vau deville people, and the entire company numbers sixteen In all. The playlet is entitled, A Married Bachelor, and should prove to be a big drawing card wherever played. Adelaide Keim, the well-known stock actress, who has been playing In vaudeville for the Inst two seasons, has caused a commotion among the booking agents, as she is wanted on all sides by their managers. She has played return engagements with Miss Bright Decorator, in nearly every house booked by the Morris office. and is now playing In her new playlet, entitled The Little Mother, supported by a capable company. + Billy Ward has been transferred to the Star since the Schaffer Jones and Linick forces have taken the reins in hand at this popular West Side house. Billy was formerly stage manager at the Comedy, which fs now known as the Plaza, and tater at the Willard, where (Continued on page 45.) Miss Barrv. | Von Hampton has entered | The!r offering is a novelty in more | The two Russian dancers help won One Score and Two Acts at American Music Hall Vie With Each Other for First Honors—Twenty-Two-=Act Policy to be Continued Indefinitely Chicago, Jan. 7 (Special to The Billboard).— | Without a headliner, but with such acts as Cliff Gordon, Trovollo, William Morrow and Co., Irwin and Herzog and The Great Albini on the bill, at the home of the twenty-two act | program. it looks as though William Morris, | Inc., has made good and intends to continue the policy forever. Last week capacity ruled at nearly every performance, and is it any wonder, when one stops to consider the quantity | and quality of the shows, and the comfort of this theatre? Cliff Gordon was there with his | German politician monologue, and was the same big hit, as usual. i MABEL McKINLEY. _ TY) CSN IAS -bOOAA UIE RB: 2 « 4 —g > g : 8 | | | | | 7 | s a | | | | $y | 4 a | | | | | if : sm . <a . .o } a % | | FX og e on a A | a ou SIT EE TO In vaudeville. Good Bill at Empress Chicago, Jan. 7 (Special to The Billboard).— The Empress, formerly the Trevett, is now playing the Sullivan & Considine road shows. Man ager Montague is highly elated with the new policy, and although the house has been enjoying good business since the S. & C. forces have taken charge, last week was as he termed it, ‘A Humdinger."’ Charles De Haven and Jack Sidney, and the Matinee Girls, were the headline attraction, and Franklin Ardell and Company. Edwin George, West and Van Siclin, Jere Sanford and the Bragaar Brothers made up the balance of the bill. The Bragaar Brothers perform some | very clever feats on the horizontal bar, and | their burlesque comedy is of unusual merit. They are foreigners, who, as a rule, overdue comedy and cause it to be tiresome, but not so with this pair, as their offering contains only the necessary amount, which is of the best in the comedy line. Jere Sanford appeared second on the program and entertained with songs, talk and whistling. Jere is also a yodler of no mean ability and was well liked by the Woodlawnites. Franklin Ardell and Company appeared in The Suffragette. This sketch is written along the lines of a good idea, but has a few draggy momente, which should be remedied, as the sketch Is of the kind that is liked by most any audience and offers many openings for new thoughts. West and Van Siclin, in an act entitled, The Apology, introduced a neat musical offering, which necessitates the playing of such instruments as_ the | cornet, French horn, cello and saxophone. They | (Continued on page 45.) The Bill at | the Majestic | Chicago, Jan. 7 (Special to The Billboard).— | Another good vaudeville bill was presented at the Majestic last week, a program of unusual merit, containing all of the necessaries of an | excellent entertainment. The Dill was ina | —— ge Q64d 04) | | lined by Amelia Stone and Armand Kalisz in a musical romance, entitled, Mon Amour. Claude | Gillingwater and Company, The Casting Dunbars, Dan Burke and The Wonder Girls, and last, but not least, Ed. Wynn and O’Malley Jennings were the other shining lights on this eleven act bill. The Savages opened the show with feats on a revolving ladder. and although the act runs rather siow, it is not wanting in good qualities. The male member of the team attempts comedy, which is out of his line and should be omitted for the improvement of the offering. When it comes to playing a number of different musical instruments, the Mullini Duo must be called upon, as their specialty consists of solos and duets on French horns, cornets, xylophones, saxophones and numerous other instruments. Although they received a good hand at the finish, it was nothing to what it should have been. | which was due to their early position on the | bill. The Five Satsudas, gymnasts and equil| ibrists, presented sixteen minutes of real jug| gling and comedy. The juggling as presented | by this troupe of Japs, was nothing short of | marvelous, as it is done entirely by the feet. K. Mankicki, the Japanese comedian, handles the comedy end of this novelty in his own (Continued on page 50.) | | | to life and a story well thought out. Trovollo and Co. present something neat, novel and entertaining iu the ventriloquial line in the production, entitles The Boston Road Inn, wkich contains rich, clean comedy and mechanical dummies that are an improvement in the ventriloquial field. William Morrow and Co., and That Annie Laurie Song were sketches on last week’s bill, and both are of the calibre that is pleasing to patrons of the Musie Hall. William Morrow and Co. present a bright singing comedy playlet, entitled Happy’s Million, which is brimming over with comedy lines and good acting. It is a western sketch, which contains characters true The other sketch, That Annie Laurie Song, also is written around a good theme and is also of the West. The characters in this also handle their lines well, and have an opportunity to display good acting, of which they take advantage. The act has a corking good finish, and was well liked by the patrons of the American at every performance last week. The Great Albini, closing the first half of the program, carried away high honors, as is the Tule wherever he appears. Even his small] tricks receive well-deserved applause, and his eabinet disappearances were decidedly mystifying. Albimi has a line of patter that is only amusing when used by him in his droll manner. Irwin and Herzog, who made one of the big hits at this house last season, were the same big hit, amd sang the most popular numbers of the day. Both members of this team have good voices and use them to good advantage. Something out of the ordinary was presented by Rawson and June, who offer as their part of the entertainment what is known as boomane throwing. The act is a decided novelty and is both interesting and amusing. Juliet, who plays this house rather frequently, and | still comtinues to be a big drawing card an excellent entertainer with her imitations of such celebrities as Harry Lauder, Clarice Mayme, James T. Powers and Vesta Tilley. Hilton and Bannon, in Ed. Gallagher's sketch, The Battle of Too Soon, get many good laughs (Continued on page 45.) Chicago All-star Vaudeville Bill ALL-STAR CHICAGO VAUDEVILLE BILL, WEEK JANUARY 2. A—The Five Satsudas, Gymnasts and Equilibrists. Majestic, No. 5; Full Stage. B—Juliet (7), Imitations. American Music Hall, No. 9; in one. C—Trovollo & Co., Ventriloquial Act. American Music Hall, No. 15; Fuli Stage. D—William Morrow & Co., Comedy Playlet. American Music Hall, No. 14; in one. E—Fred Duprez, Singing Monelogist. Majestic, No. 4; in one. F—De Haven & Sidney and the Matinee Maids, Musical Production. Empress, = 6; Open in one, close in Full age. G—Wynn & Jennings, Comedians. Majestie, No. 8; in one. H—OLAUDE GILLINGWATER & CO., Comedy Sketch. Majestic, No. 9; Full 1—cut Gar usic iff Gordon, Comedian. Americ ¥ we = in one. uaties —The Casting Dunbars. Ma . Toll Stsce. Jestic, No. 10; ; entirely uncalled for. CASINO. Chicago, Jan. 7 (Special to The Billboard).— The Casine has been doing good business ae their opening last November. Manager Schlessinger has been offering the best of shows, both in quantity and quality, has installed a g00d orchestra, plenty of light, fresh air and comfortable seats. What more could one wish at ten and twenty cents? The program presented last week, although containing too many acts of the singing class, was excellent. The Arlington Trio opened the bill with a high-class singing act. They are neat appearing, have good voices, and know what to sing and how. Wilson, Bandy and Neale followed the Arlington Trio, and did very well in songs and dances. They are still doing the old sand jig, and get more out of it than one would surmise. After two singings acts, the Three Valentines displayed some very clever work in the casting line, and although they are not marvelous, they get away very nicely, and make an excellent act for the smaller time, and a good act for a minor position on the bills of the big time. McKissich and Shadney were fourth on the program, and did very well in songs and dances along the lines | of other colored entertainers. The male member |; of the team has a fair veice, and should do as his kid make-up is With this change, the act should appear to better advantage, high, clear soprano voice, which was used to good advantage in a Spanish number, by his partner, is one of quality and volume. Knight and Deyer have a breezy musicak skit in which Mill Stream is featured, with two special drops and special light effects. The idea is good, and (Continued on page 50.) more in the straight,