DIY History | Transcribe | Keith-Albee Collection | Keith-Albee managers' report book, September 21, 1903 - March 14, 1904

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Keith-Albee managers' report book, September 21, 1903 - March 14, 1904

Page 99

99
Keith's Bijou, Phila., Criticism, Dec. 7th, 1903.
THE TWO LAMONTS; Palace 3; 10 minutes; 2 shows. The peculiarity of this act is that I booked it as "The Two Lamonts" and he generously gave me four performers. The work of the Lamonts, man and woman, is fairly familiar to the circuit. They did their work as well as ever and it was thoroughly appreciated. One of the new people who appeared to-day is a young man who is about as good a lightning tumbler as I have ever seen, and he was the hit of the act. I also permitted Lamont here to introduce his little five year old boy who did a couple of little tumbling stunts that captivated the women folks, and it makes a pleasant little addition to the act. I suppose this will be missed in Boston, Providence and New York, though it might be tried if the act goes there. The act ought to go all over the circuit as it is a good one, especially for the money.
HAL MERRITT: Olio; 20 minutes; 2 shows. The act is too well known to give full or particular comment excepting for me to say that he has it in better shape and more compact than I have ever seen it; his posters are done much better and faster, and his imitations are done in better style, and he was all right in his place.
MAYME REMINGTON AND HER PICKS: Drapery in one; 15 minutes; 2 shows. This act also is familiar to the circuit and I have seen it go much better in the other houses than it went here to-day. I think she allows the youngsters too much liberty of action on the stage, and this audience, especially the down stairs' portion, seems to be made up considerably of Missourians, and they did not seem to think to-day that she was showing them. The act went fairly well, but not nearly so well as I expected it. It is just possible that the audience may be a little warmer to-night and the act may go better. I will have a talk with her and trim down the picks a little bit.
MR. & MRS. SIDNEY DREW: C.D.F. 20 minutes; 2 shows. In their old act, "When Two Hearts Are Won" in which they were assisted by a young man and a young woman, one as hotel bell boy and the other as French maid. The work, of course, all devolves on Mr. & Mrs. Drew, and they were fully up to the mark to-day and made one of the comedy hits of the show; fully satisfactory in every way.
HOEY & LEE: Street in one; 10 minutes; 2 shows. Hebrew comedians who have been, in the reports from the other houses, compared very favorably with Yorke & Adams. Their work here to-day and the results they obtained scarcely showed them as up to that comparison. Their redeeming point being that they are able to sing a little bit better than the usual Hebrew comedian. They scarcely held up this place on the bill this afternoon, but I hope for better results from them to-night, and if I dont get them I will shove them a little bit up the bill.
THE EIGHT UNION GATLING GUARDS: Wood 4; 12 minutes; 2 shows. Eight men in a camp scene sketch the chief part of which was a Gatling gun drill in which they go through the full drill of taking their Gatling gun apart and putting it together with accuracy of movement. The act is a new one to the circuit. As to its value in this town considerable of that was taken away by the work of the Hoosier Zouaves which was at the new house week before last which is a faster and more exciting act. The finish of the act represents an attack on the camp which gives the excuse for grinding out about 100 shots from the Gatling gun, which is rather effective.


JOSEPHINE WILKINSON: Drapery 1; 12 minutes; 2 shows. Young lady vocalist, booked, I believe, chiefly on account of her vocal value. She just got by with three selections, which she did not handle particularly well  She is pretty well down on the bill on account of expectation of local following, and will probably have to hold her there on that account. She is a bit shy on looks, dress and voice. She told me to-night she is in bad voice on a/c of a cold.

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99 Keith's Bijou, Phila., Criticism, Dec. 7th, 1903. THE TWO LAMONTS; Palace 3; 10 minutes; 2 shows. The peculiarity of this act is that I booked it as "The Two Lamonts" and he generously gave me four performers. The work of the Lamonts, man and woman, is fairly familiar to the circuit. They did their work as well as ever and it was thoroughly appreciated. One of the new people who appeared to-day is a young man who is about as good a lightning tumbler as I have ever seen, and he was the hit of the act. I also permitted Lamont here to introduce his little five year old boy who did a couple of little tumbling stunts that captivated the women folks, and it makes a pleasant little addition to the act. I suppose this will be missed in Boston, Providence and New York, though it might be tried if the act goes there. The act ought to go all over the circuit as it is a good one, especially for the money. HAL MERRITT: Olio; 20 minutes; 2 shows. The act is too well known to give full or particular comment excepting for me to say that he has it in better shape and more compact than I have ever seen it; his posters are done much better and faster, and his imitations are done in better style, and he was all right in his place. MAYME REMINGTON AND HER PICKS: Drapery in one; 15 minutes; 2 shows. This act also is familiar to the circuit and I have seen it go much better in the other houses than it went here to-day. I think she allows the youngsters too much liberty of action on the stage, and this audience, especially the down stairs' portion, seems to be made up considerably of Missourians, and they did not seem to think to-day that she was showing them. The act went fairly well, but not nearly so well as I expected it. It is just possible that the audience may be a little warmer to-night and the act may go better. I will have a talk with her and trim down the picks a little bit. MR. & MRS. SIDNEY DREW: C.D.F. 20 minutes; 2 shows. In their old act, "When Two Hearts Are Won" in which they were assisted by a young man and a young woman, one as hotel bell boy and the other as French maid. The work, of course, all devolves on Mr. & Mrs. Drew, and they were fully up to the mark to-day and made one of the comedy hits of the show; fully satisfactory in every way. HOEY & LEE: Street in one; 10 minutes; 2 shows. Hebrew comedians who have been, in the reports from the other houses, compared very favorably with Yorke & Adams. Their work here to-day and the results they obtained scarcely showed them as up to that comparison. Their redeeming point being that they are able to sing a little bit better than the usual Hebrew comedian. They scarcely held up this place on the bill this afternoon, but I hope for better results from them to-night, and if I dont get them I will shove them a little bit up the bill. THE EIGHT UNION GATLING GUARDS: Wood 4; 12 minutes; 2 shows. Eight men in a camp scene sketch the chief part of which was a Gatling gun drill in which they go through the full drill of taking their Gatling gun apart and putting it together with accuracy of movement. The act is a new one to the circuit. As to its value in this town considerable of that was taken away by the work of the Hoosier Zouaves which was at the new house week before last which is a faster and more exciting act. The finish of the act represents an attack on the camp which gives the excuse for grinding out about 100 shots from the Gatling gun, which is rather effective. JOSEPHINE WILKINSON: Drapery 1; 12 minutes; 2 shows. Young lady vocalist, booked, I believe, chiefly on account of her vocal value. She just got by with three selections, which she did not handle particularly well She is pretty well down on the bill on account of expectation of local following, and will probably have to hold her there on that account. She is a bit shy on looks, dress and voice. She told me to-night she is in bad voice on a/c of a cold.