Variety (November 1911)

VARIETY BAMMBRSTEIN'S. Nothing on the program at Ham- mers tein's this week may be classed as extraordinary or novel. To the initiated or regular vaudeville patron the show was anything but diverting. While the majority of the acts pre- sented would serve to make up the body of any high class two-a-day pro- gram, the lack of novelties, the damp- ness Monday evening exuding from the wet wraps carried into the house, the humidity of the atmosphere, all had a somewhat dispiriting effect on the au- dience. A tendency to lapse into apathy from which they were occa- sionally roused in the earlier portion of the bill, gave way to a condition bordering on somnolence as the pro- gram advanced. Even the intermis- sion failed to revive them for the rea- son that there was & steady downpour outside. Few availed themselves of what is ordinarily an opportunity to get a breath of fresh air. Evelyn Sisters (New Acts) opened the show. Frank Hartley was sec- ond. While he showed nothing es- pecially new in the Juggling line, his work was fast and despite his early spot, he secured a considerable amount of plaudits in appreciation of his ef- forts. Fred Watson, with his "coon" songs had a hard time of it in so early a position ("No. 3") but pulled out a bit of a hit at the finish. "Cheyenne Days" has a number of new people in the cast, most an Improvement, es- pecially the woman high school rider. James J. Morton was out of the bill. Frosini was moved up from the second half to fill the gap. He got four bows on a medley of popular airs at the completion of his turn and then had to return and do another bit. His is a sure fire number. Aida Overton Walker and her company of ten sing- ers and dancers closed the first half, but did not register her usual big hit—entirely due to the absence of spirit on the part of the audience, which was in no way a reflection on her act. The Courteney Sisters resumed the entertainment after the interim. In the hard spot, they did not suffer the usual fate of turns in that position, because the majority of the audience remained seated instead of adjourning for refreshments. They got five bows and two huge bouquets at their fin- ish, necessitating their return for a repetition of the chorus of the clos- ing number. Amelia Bingham's "Big Moments from Great Plays" is now comprised of scenes from "London Assur- ance" with the star in the role of Lady Gay Spanker, "Mme. Sans Gene" and "School for Husbands." While Miss Bingham is eminently fitted by nature for the titular role in "Sans Gene" she is hardly "in the picture" In the part of Lady Gay Spanker, the athletic horseback riding wife, and equally handicapped for the interpre- tation of the timid wife of the tipsy, pleasure-loving husband in "School for Husbands." Murphy and Nichols fol- lowed with "From Zaza to Uncle Tom." Rose, Young and Friedman, a rathskeller trio, were next to clos- ing and had a hard time of it. What- ever merit the act may possess was entirely lost on a fast departing audi- ence. The boys seemed to realize AMERICAN. The show this week on top of the American never got a decent start through lack of good comedy. The business Monday night was as poor as the weather. Nichols (New Acts) opened the show in a wire act, but the audience did not forget the rain chill all the time. He had one customer in the laugh line; a girl who laughed long and loud at everything on the bill. She proved a pretty good help and ought to be booked solid by the house. The Black Brothers have a banjo act that does well in a musical way. 1 he boys are handling the proper kind of material and do not attempt any of the "heavy stuff." After playing a duet on a banjo and the piano they furnish a dance with the Jingles on the soft shoes. With this finish they stirred up quite a little noise. Wm. H. Sloane and Co. (New Acts). The Musical Stoddards closed the first part with a sketch. The man play- ed an absent-minded professor and was funny in a quiet way. while the girl did her part well. The talk is a trifle drawn out. Imitations on a vio- lin stamp the act as a good "small timer." Hammond and Forrester did nicely with a talking and Singing act. Some of the material could stand freshening. Rouble Simms opened the second part. His drawing of subjects from the audience tickled a portion of the au- dience. While drawing a marine view the artist sings a ballad and he really shouldn't (except perhaps on the small time). Mr. Simms does a pleas- ing act, some of the comedy manag- ing to hold the rest of his turn up nicely. The San Carlos Opera Co. scored the big hit, as they probably would on any small time bill. The com- pany has five good voices. The ef- fect is pleasing. The setting also at- tracts some attention. It is a night scene in Paris. Watson and Dwyer went on next to closing the show. These boys prom- ised a better act a few months ago than they are now doing. The two seem to stretch it out too far to get comedy bits over. The material they are handling now is very much over- done. They tire before half through. A little more care in enunciation might help. The Lessos working as a two-act closed the show. The woman was not present, the men juggling. The audi- ence remained to see it all. Judging from the size of the audi- ence and their attitude, it seems a little late for the roof to be open. The machine that delivers the water cups got Murray Fell for a dime instead of a penny. That may show a profit. Jess. that they were up against it and had the good sense to decline an encore insistently demanded by a number of "pluggers" from several publishing houses. Four Kumas Family (New Acts) preceded the pictures. Jolo. as an NEW YORK ROOF. The rain did its level best to break up the show on the New York Roof, Monday night, but the bill was evi- dently concocted to meet such an emergency. • There were a ring act, a combination of slack wire poses and contortions by a man and woman, a mixture of pantomime by a man, more contortions by another woman, some tricks by dogs, and an array of ser- pentine dances at the close. The only time the rain got In its work was with two singing acts and one talking act. And the way those raindrops pelted that roof made one think that a herd of cattle was doing a "turkey trot." It may be that rain checks were given out earlier In the evening as half of the show was played to half a house. One picture was worth risk- ing any torrent. That was "The Bat- tle." The Amotts, with the man getting applause with his double-jointed work down stage, still retain some of their old circus style of working. Eugene and Carrie Ritchie got the most at- tention with trained dogs. Blanche Sloan gave the bill a "big time" thrill with her daring work on the rings. That Roof was made to order for an act of her kind. She made the best of it, swinging right out over the head of the piano player. Sweeney and Rooney, Ruth Alvoy* Deane and Silby, Taylor and LaReine (New Acts). Mark. ACTOR FOLK HELD BY POLICE. Chicago, Nov. 8. The police of this city have been holding J. V. Thomas, an actor living at the Revere House in North Clark street, and Mrs. Margaret Harris, an actress (widow of Jesse Harris, a fe- male impersonator, who died last Sun- day at the Cook County hospital) pending an inquiry into the circum- stances surrounding the latter's death. Harris is reported to have visited Thomas Saturday evening at the hotel and lator on returned to his home at 503 Cass street. His condition is al- leged to have been indicative of in- toxication. He retired for the night, and Sunday was taken to the hospital in a state of stupor from which it was impossible to arouse him. There it is said he was treated for epilepsy at the suggestion of his wife. He died with- out regaining consciousness. Thomas afterward made a statement to the effect that he believed that death was due to an overdose of mor- phine and proceeded to support this contention by explaining that while in the room at the hotel Saturday night. Harris had been handling a bottle con- taining tablets of the drug belonging to Thomas, several of which he claimed were missing when the visitor started for home. Thomas made no other ad- mission except to say that he (Thomas) had been addicted to the morphine habit for the last four years. BERNSTEIN ALL-NIGHT AGENT. "Yes, boys," said Freeman Bern- stein, Tuesday, as the Associated Or- der of Wishing Agents stood with mouths open looking at him. "I have thrown the key away. This office will be open hereafter night and day. "I find it necessary to accommo- date one of my most valued clients, Frank A. Keeney. And that reminds me that, Schenectady and Troy now split their shows. "Who is that? He wants to pay some money, Paul. Welf, let him wait. Don't let those fellows get the Idea we want money badly. "As I was saying before, gentle- men, Troy is a great proposition. Last Saturday the trolley car stopped twice in front of the house. We have concluded there is money in Troy. Between Proctor and my brother Sam, we will try to find it "Oh, yes, Paul Hall and Max Sher- man will be my night staff. The idea is this: If Mr. Keeney must go to the theatre in New York, and can't book his show until midnight Saturday, we must be here. The office will have to be open. So I have arranged that Paul won't reach here until ten o'clock in the morning, remaining until six the next morning, while Max can come on at 10.80 and leave at seven the next morning also. Mr. Bernstein indignantly denied that the scheme of an all-night agency was to afford him a proper excuse for not appearing regularly each night at his Long Branch home. These ru- mors, said Mr. Freeman, were set afoot by his competitors, in the hope that his wife would knock the plan. "Somehow, everything I start to do gets out," remarked Mr. Bern- stein. "Someone is tipping off my business, and if I hear who is doing it I am going to complain to the Com- missioner of Licenses. "Yes, sir; I will accept the ten dol- lars on account, but mall me a check. 1 don't want any money lying around the office. "Nope, I won't book anything for Troy to-day. The new show doesn't open until next Monday. Paul, tell these agents to stop talking so loud, and let that fellow in with the coin. I want to send out for a sandwich. How do I get sixteen dollars for a small-time commission? You certainly have your nerve with you to ask, but I got wise to this agency game through Jack Levy. "Say, if you see Frank Keeney, tell him the advance sale for the Third Avenue is very big. It looks as though that house will do business again. It's pushing Troy very hard. Oh, yes, we paid everybody at Troy last week. It was the record. "Paul, stop rubbing your eyes, will you? You know that bull thing won't get you anything with me. I have worked it from the bottom to the top myself. "So long, kid. Drop in here any day at two in the morning, and see us filling a show for Binghamton."