Variety (June 1907)

10 VARIETY NCW ACT* (NCXT WGCK. Initial Presentation or First Appearance in New York City. rs EW ACTS OP THE WEEK Daisy James, New York Roof. Celia Galley, New York Roof. Jennie Conchas, New York Roof. Vera Michaelena, Colonial. "Cremation," Hauunerstein's. Cameraphone, Hammerstein's. Rube Welch, Kitty Francis and Com- pany, Twenty-c Street. Schenk-Marvelli xroupe, Twenty-third Street. Joe juaxwell and Company (New Act), Alhambra. "The Wire Tapper and the Girl," Fifty - eighth Street. Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Drew (New Act), Twenty-third Street. Caroline Hull and Company, Twenty - third Street. 4 Musical Cates, Henderson's. xi Drum Majors, Henderson's. Tempest and Sunshine, Henderson's. Tommy Hayes, Henderson's. Alexander and Scott, Henderson's. Dora Taylor, Henderson's. William Courtleigh and Company (4). "Peaches" (Comedy). 29 Mins.; Four (Interior). Fifth Avenue. "Peaches" is "peaches." Geo. V. Hobart, the writer of the sketch, struck the nail on the head with the title. It may be a continuation or adaptation of one of the "John Henry" series, which Mr. Hobart also wrote. William Courtleigh is the John Henry in "Peaches," playing a slangy young fellow, engaged to a girl, and who risks the loss of her affections through placing a wager on a horse race, saving her father from ruin. The "bet" is made on a "tip" given John Henry by Biff Donovan (Rich- ard Crolius). Donovan is a tough person, full of the vernacular and bad manners. Messrs. Courtleigh and Donovan work per- fectly together. The piece, first produced at a Lambs' Gambol, was given a vaude- ville trial last Sunday at the Fifth Ave- nue. Notwithstanding the evident nerv- ousness of the cast, it scored emphatically, and was unanimously applauded from the dome to the pit. For a "try-out" there has been no comedy act received with more frequent and loud laughter. The sketch scintillates with bright lines, and is capably played, the surrounding com- pany being excellent, especially Mr. Cro- lius. Frank E. Jamison made something of his part of the father, and Gladys Claire was a sweet looking daughter. Al though the plot might suggest drama, the piece is pure comedy, of the good and laughable kind. It is something of a leap for Courtleigh from his previous vaude- ville protean offering, "Under the Third Degree." But he is always above par in whatever role he assumes, and has a pleas- ing stage appearance for assistance. In "Peaches" Mr. Courtleigh has a genuine, guaranteed 24 karat hit. Rime. The Kronemann Brothers are receiving offers for next season. They may con- clude to remain over on this side. It is ten years since the act last played Amer- ica in vaudeville. "Empire Pictures." 18 Mins.; Full Stage (Special Set). New York Theatre Roof. The New York Theatre is a long jour- ney from London for a crowd of English people to travel for the purpose of re- viving "living pictures," which have been excelled at home. Long ago the Killanyi pictures at Hnmmerstein m 34th street house caused more talk in town than the Empire collection will unless something more sensational than appeared on Monday night last is produced. From the artistic side, Jean Marcel has given groupings, colorings and effects in life studies that surpass the present exhibition. Mr. .Mar- cel employed as many as seven people in one picture. The largest number used in the Empire's is three. There are two statue posings by Mr. Marcantonio in a bronze covering and a fig leaf, which with a pink fleshing expose (once repeated) by Madeline Tate comprised the "living pic- ture" portion of the twelve effects, all shown in eighteen minutes, inclusive of the waits. A revolving platform gives speed, the figures being set on the reverse side while the audience views the front scene. There ar.e said to be sixty pic- tures in the repertoire. Some more tart than those shown the first night will have to be produced for a "sensation." The audience did not go into raptures at any time, not even when a Miss Ed- wardes held up the stage by singing "The Lost Chord." while a Miss King poasfl before a painted church organ, and Fred- erick Soloman, the orchestra leader, played the real instrument. There is no girl among the Englishwomen strikingly handsome and the "Empire Pictures" passed away as an incident in the variety bill on the roof. Sim*. Lewis and Ryan. Hammerstein's. Lewis and Ryan were announced to re- appear in vaudeville at Hammerstein's this week with I new sketch called "The Hold-up Men." It is over three years since the team joined the "Johnny Jones" show, Tom Lewis playing "The Unknown" and Sam J. Ryan taking the Irish char- acter in the Cohan piece. On Monday afternoon the new act was shown. In the evening "Hawkshaw, the Detective," was played instead and retained for the week. This is familiar to anvone who at- tended variety performances during the period when Lewis and Ryan were regu- lar vaudevillians. "In the Hold-up Men" Mr. Lewis played in blackface. Having to follow Ernest Hogan (colored) on the program is given as the reason why the old stand-by was resorted to. Tn this Lewis does not black up, as was his wont. Rime. The White Rats presented Frank Fo- gerty, "The Dublin Minstrel," with a handsome solid gold member's card case as a token of esteem. Mr. Fogerty and wife (Helen Trix) sail to-day for a three months' trip through England, Germany, Ireland and France. Their vaudeville time for the coming season has been taken by Klaw & Erlanger. Jules Garrison and Company (6). "Dixie" (Dramatic). 26 Mins.; Full Stage. Fifty-eighth Street. Mr. Garrison aforetime played travesty. The difference between his former and present offering is that he formerly bur- lesqued purposely. Now the travesty is unintentional. Will M. Cressy wrote "Dixie" as a serious military playlet, with a comedy vein. In its present shape it is a farce, and an unmitigated bore at that. This was the verdit of Monday night's audience. Before the sketch had been running ten minutes they were rustling programs, striking matches and even laughing outright at the stilted speeches of Garrison. At times Garrison burst out in long, patriotic sermons addressed from stage centre to the chandelier, with much posing and mouthing. The rest was ridiculous love-making from across the stage and farcical talk with an or- derly. The dramatic climax was capped with the entrance of a "mob" that was side splitting in its fearsome oddity. The crowd is supposed to be made up of en- raged citizens thirsting for the blood of the Union officer (Mr. Garrison) until their rage is stilled by the strains of the "new" song "Dixie." The stage business was wretchedly handled, and when the audience caught sight of a uniformed Keith-Proctor usher in a black derby hat and blithesomely beating a bass drum their delight knew no bounds. The whole sketch is full of "false quantities" and inaccuracies, and in its present form will never do. Rush. Lydia Yeamans Titus. Songs and Imitations. 17 Mins.; Full Stage. Pastor's. Miss Titus returns to us with her fa- miliar "kid" imitations and made an alto- gether agreeable item on the Pastor bill. She has lost some of her old skill in mimicry, but in her songs her voice re- tains its freshness and flexibility. A poor dressing arrangement injured her appear- ance. With F. J. Titus at the piano in excellently made and fitted evening clothes, Miss Titus would do much better with a pretty evening gown of black with a train. The Fourteenth street audience liked the offering immensely. Rush. The Stuart Sisters (4). Dancing. 11 Mins.; Open in One (2); Two (6); Close in One (3). Fifty-eighth Street. The quartet does a quantity of neat acrobatic dancing and "pony" work, but as now arranged the act is rather too long to permit the proper degree of speed to be maintained. The girls open with a song that could be eliminated with profit. They are not good singers, but their dancing is neat and graceful. Built upon the proper "pony" lines, they dress pret- tily to emphasize this effect. The poshig dance does fairly well, but they hold the poses too long. The finish involved a lot of fast work, and let the girls off to good applause. Ruth. Edison Company. Moving Picture. "Pioneer Days" (Dramatic), is Mins. Scissors would help the reel immensely. There are interesting moments in the story of frontier Indian fighting, but the clearness of the story is clouded by a mass of superfluous matter. The first few minutes could be taken out entirely and most of the rest is stretched out be- yond all necessity. The reel shows an Indian attack upon a lonely cabin, its de- fence by the occupants, capture, killing of the pioneers and carrying off of two children. A section of the tape is taken up with the trailing of the Indians by the father of the children, their recov- ery through the help of an Indian girl and the final escapa through a confused series of adventures. A good deal of inter- est is lost through the obvious fact that the "Indians" are badly made up "supers." Rush. OUT or TOWN "The Gibson Girls." Musical. 20 Mins. Chestnut Street Opera House. Philadelphia. Taken from the "Belle of May fair," ami principally a "show girl" number hand- somely costumed and elaborately staged. Annabelle Whitford has the principal role of the "Gibson Girl," and gave a clever impersonation. She sings in good voice and made a striking picture in the famous poses. She has the assistance of Harry B. Lurcher in the tableaux which brought the act to a strong finish. Hattie For- sythe, Claire Cascelles, Madge Melbourne, Elenora Pendleton and Margaret Rutledge were the other types of Gibson's attenu- ated femininity, filling out the stage pic- ture to good effect. There is a good bit of work by Winifred Freeman as the but- ler and a good dancing number by a mixed quartet for an opening. Excepting Miss Whitford, the singing was mediocre. The act is attractive, which covers its value as a vaudeville offering. George M. Young. Mason and Bart. Comedy Bar Act. 15 Mins.; Full Stage. Chestnut Street Opera House. Philadelphia. Mason and Bart are making their first American appearance here this week. They give a capital bar act, the pair using two of the regular horizontal bars with a high bar for the casting. One or two of the casting feats are new and all skil- fully executed. The closing is a long leap from a "giant" swing over the center to a catch on the high bar, and it is very showy. Both men work in make-up, one a semi-straight doing the principal work, while the other helps to kill time with some antiquated material and the usual exaggerated make-up of foreign comedy acrobats. With better comedv, or none at all, the act will appeal to American vaudeville. (leorgr M. Young. The total receipts for last Sunday at a park located in a fair sized city in New York State were $18.