Variety (February 1914)

VARIITY 17 Brooks and Brown*. Song! and Dances. 15 Mins.; One. Fifth Avenue. Brooks and Browne are two colored entertainers who wear funny clothes, thereby passing as comedians. They both sing and have rather good voices. One plays the piano while his'partner dances. The piano player introduces a piece of business taken from Will H. Fox's act ("The Old Town To-night" is the borrowed number). They made a score next to closing, but the turn is too long in its present frame up. Werner Amoros Family (4). Juggling and InatrumentaL 17 Minutes: Interior. ColumbU (Feb. 8). A foreign family, apparently made up of father, two sons and a daughter. After juggling of plates, pillows, clubs, bslls, etc., with poor pantomimic com- edy, one young man plays piano, the other 'cello, while the "girl" changes costume for a violin solo. Here en- sues a high grade instrumental num- ber followed by a pop ditty. At the very finish the "girl" removes wig, completely surprising audience by the expose. Would make a fine opening turn for a two-a-day bill, but would be a great act for the big small time. Jolo, Merritt and Douglas. Singing, Talk, Dancing. 13 Minutes: One. Columbia (Feb. 8). Douglas, formerly with the Moscrop Sisters, does straight for other man's "nut" comedy They sing a little, with some crossfire talk and finish with a dance. The talk consists of "I thought you were well off before you were mar- ried—yes, but I didn't know it," and such like. Small timers. Jolo. Rose and Moon. Singing, Dancing. 9 Minutes: One. Columbia (Feb. 8). Man and woman. Open with duet (will never shine as vocalists), "so- ciety" waltz; he does a talking song while she changes to Turkish bloom- ers; duet and acrobatic dance. At- tractive big small timers. Jolo. Dunlap and Virden. Singing, Talk. 12 Minutes: One. Columbia (Feb. 8). Man and woman; he does the feed- ing to her "nut" comedy, giving the impression she's the whole works. She changes her clothes on stage for char- acter stunt. Good big small timers. Jolo. Powers and Francis. Songs and Talk. 17 Minutes: One. Bronx O. H. (Feb. 8). Two men who talk about father, the comedy boy from time to time confus- ing the straight and interrogating hitn on "bits" of talk that put the team in big favor at the Bronx Sunday after- noon. Powers and Francis can play the pop houses and acquit themselves creditably. iiarii. JOKES NOT WORTH MUCH. Duluth, Feb. 11. Given $30 by R. L. Ring and C F. Bradfield in payment for a course in acting, Charles Ellison, local dramatic instructor and producer, gave the two young men several jokes to learn and there the instruction ended. Last week the two pupils swore out a warrant for the arrest of Ellison and following a jury trial the local instruc- tor was found guilty and sentenced to pay a fine of $150 and court costs or seive two months in jaiL Ellison is unable to pay his fine. The jokes given by Ellison to bis pupils were read in court by the city prosecutor. Here are some of them, which the jury decided were not worth $30: "Say. Mr. Jones, If Unlud Butaa and China were going to war, who would win?" "Wny, Cblna. of courve.'^ "How do you figure that out?" "For the aUuple reason that China has more soldiers." * "Yee, but don't you know that wbeo the American soldi rs go to war, they alwaje kneel on the uattleHeld and pray to their Lord." "Well, can't the Chinese soldiers do' the same thing T" "Sure, but who the hell would understand themT" "Say, Mr. Jones, do you know what one of tho«« hack drivers did to m« this morning when he drove me to the hotel T" 'No, what did he do?" "WhT, when I was getting out of tha hack he told me to hurry up end hide behind." "What did he do that for?" "He said be didn't went the horsa to aae what he was hauling for two biU." "Say, Mr. Jones, If you wera to dla. how would you like to be executed?' "I would like to die In Franca, where ther guillotine their prisoners." "Oulllo-wbo?" "Why guilloUne. They place a black cap on your need and then put your head on a block. A large knife drops down and cuta your head off." "Does It kill you?" "There is a friend of mine stuck In the mud up to his knees." "Well, if he is only stuck up to his kn< he can get out alone." "Tee. but he Is in head first" ALLEGES ROUGH WORK. Chicago, Feb. 11. Mrs. Vivian L. Cahill applied to the courts Saturday asking for a divorce from her husband, Michael Cahill. In her petition she recites that she and her husband are tight rope walk- ers, and that he often kicked her while performing on the ropes during re- hearsals. She alleges he also threw her from the wire in Kansas City and in Athens, Ga. TOOK THE ALTERNATIVE. The Roders, a ring act, walked out of Wilkcs-Barre the last half of last week, owing to a disagreement with the man- ager. They were assigned a dressing room, and, after placing their "stuff" in it, went to lunch. On their return they found they had been moved up a couple of flights higher and the room re-assigned to Grace DeMar. Upon inquiry they were told it was by orders from "the front of the house," and on appealing to the man- ager were told they would have to submit to the switch, or quit. They elected the latter alternative. YVONNE GETS DIVORCE. Ciiicago, Feb. 11. Yvonne Darci was granted a divorce decree in the Superior Court from her husband, Jules LeBarbe, with "The Waltz Dream." She was represented by Edward J. Ader. ARTISTS' FORUM Confine letters to 110 words and write on one side of paper only. Anonymous communications will not be printed. Name of writer must be signed and will be held In atrlct confidence. If desired. Letters to be published in this column must be written exclusively to VARIBTT. Duplicated letters will not be printed. The writer who duplicates a letter to the Forum, either before or after it appeara iiere, will not be again permitted the priv- ileges of it. Toronto, Feb. 3. Editor "Vabiutt: In reply to Eldrid, who claims that he originated the "dancing dummy" in Paria seven years ago, I'll wager it handed a lot of performers a good laugh, at, going back about 15 years, Pete Daily used a dummy, burlesquing dancing, also TrovoUo. I have also been informed by Mr. Mulloy, of Shea'i (Buffalo), and other showmen who recall Thomas Michael Healy 25 yeara ago that he used a dummy all through bia act and then finished dancing with it I do not care how many "dummies" are used, but I want them to leave my origination alone—a male dummy with feet, arms and body attached to mine. This Mr. Eldrid, whom I have never heard of, laid that if I were a gentle- man and artist I would withdraw this from my act As I am considered a good perform- er, and a well-known one, and do not steal other people's ideas, I look for the apology coming to me. (What else have they got over there?) Ben Deely. OH, YOU ALF.f Alf. Wilton's booking of John L. Sullivan partakes somewhat of senti- ment. Years ago Alf was an actor and had a specialty in the Kernell show. Among other things he did a recita- tion extolling the fighting skill of "always on the level," which ran along these lines: "On John L. Sullivan I ^ ill bet, he's never faced his equal yet." NEARLY KILLED BY GAS. Newark, Feb. 11. Catherine Gangloff, aged 19 years, playing at the Lyric in "The Bellboy ' and the Belles," was almost asphyxi- ated here by gas last Friday, being found unconscious in her hotel room. The girl was rushed to the City Hos- pital where restoratives were applied. She may recover. Manager Maurice Brooks, of the act, scouts the idea of suicide. ELLA GALVIN VERY ILL. Chicago, Feb. 11. Ella Galvin, who went to Rochester, Minn., recently to undergo an opera- tion for cancer, is reported to be se- riously ill and in danger of her life. STUDYING IN THE EAST. Chicago, Feb. 11. J. G. Burch, manager of McVicker's has gone to New York, where he will study vaudeville houses and their man- agement for the next two weeks. Joe Bransky, manager of the La Salle, is holding down the McVicker's job while Burch is awaj. Editor Varibtt: I notice James Donegan, manager of the Dunedin Troupe, states he had to dismiss me, which statement is quite untrue. I left the act of my own free will. As far as taking the name of Dune- din, I will do as I please. I was with that act for 14 years. Queenie (Dunedin). WOOLFOLK BRINGING TABS EAST. Boyle Woolfolk, the Chicago musi- cal comedy tabloid impresario has prac- tically closed with Wilmer & Vincent for his principal tabs to make their first appearance in eastern houses. Woolfolk was also in conference with J. J. Murdock relative to the play- ing of all the United Booking Offices time in the east. Among the tabs available are "The Girl Question", "A Knight For A Day", "Sunny Side Of Broadway", "A Winning Miss", "Honeymoon Trail", "The Time, The Place and The Girl", and "Isle Of Spice." Coney Holmes, the manager of the United Booking Offices' branch in Philadelphia, was also in New York the first of the week getting some acts lined up. He will al- so arrange for Woolfolk's tabs to work Philly or the way into New York. BREAKDOWN THREATENS. San Francisco, Feb. 11. Archie Goodall was forced to retire from the Empress bill Jan. 31 and has been confined to his hotel room threatened with a general breakdown. DOROTHY DALE ON "THE CORNER.'' As Dorothy Dale has obtained suffi- cient notoriety in a regular way, through marriage, Hammerstein's is going to get her. She will appear there Feb. 23, in an act now being ar- ranged. SECOND EDITION IN FAVOR. Wilmington, Feb. 11. Louis Simon offered his second edition of "The Persian Garden" at the Garrick Monday afternoon. It seemed to meet with instant favor. He has a cast of 15, including Flavia Arcaro and Lillian Boardman. LEW ROSE IN MOBILE. New Orleans, Feb. 11. Lew Rose has leased the Orphcum, Mobile, and will install a policy sim- ilar to that in vogue at the Hippo- drome, New Orleans. Harry Quinn has been appointed manager. Its name will be changed to the Hippo- drome. Ben Beno, (Aerial Benos), married May Nelson, with the act, Jan. 11 at Dunedin. N. Y,