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Keith-Albee managers' report book, March 9-December 14, 1908

Page 23

Report on show, Keith's Theatre, Providence, R. I., Week of March 23, 1907. (Chas. Lovenberg, Mgr.)
We have had better and worse bills this season, than the present one, altho this one is not what I hoped for and it was not the high-priced acts that made the hits. In order of strength, as far as the audience yesterday afternoon and night were concerned, the acts rank in the following order: Heras Family, Melville & Higgins, Apdale's Animals, Jennings & Renfew, Seligman, Bramwell & Co., Fred Ray & Co., Martin Bros., John T. Kelly & Co., Harlem Bros., and so on. So it is easily to be seen that it was not the headline features, by any means, that saved the show, excepting in the case of the Heras family.
The Wynnewoods.
Two young women, very amateurish, presenting something supposed to be a sketch with a little singing. Only good enough to open a continuous show. Very much overpaid. 18 Min. Full Stage, can close in 1, 3 Shows.
The Gregsons.
The same turn that they have always given us and which is all right from the 3-a-day standpoint. 12 Min. in 1, 3 Shows.
Harlem Bros.
Comedy acrobats and a corking good team. Do some good tumbling and the comedy is really funny. An act that should be gobbled up surely by all the continuous houses and are all right to open the show in any of the 2-a-day houses, if not even a little bit better spot. 9 Min. Full Stage, 3 Shows.
Martin Bros.
Xylophonists. Just as good as any of the rest who receive much more money. 13 Min. in 1, 2 Shows.
Bertha Waltzinger.
Miss Waltzinger was very much of a frost; we can do better at one-half the money and three shows. I hated to have her follow directly after the Martin Bros. but was obliged to do it in order to balance up the more important part of the show. 10 Min. in 1. 2 Shows.
John T. Kelly & Co.
Pretty bad act. Without Kelly's reputation they would probably be doing three shows at $125. and his reputation in Providence isn't worth fifteen cents. 23 Min. Full Stage, 2 Shows.
Jennings & Renfrew.
I don't understand why this team is being overlooked. They made a very pronounced hit here yesterday with the audience and with me. They have a splendid lot of songs and parodies and the act is something on the order of the Dillon Brothers, excepting this is in blackface, and as far as this house is concerned, they are just as good. 13 Min. in 1, 3 Shows here, but they only did this to demonstrate what they have. I doubt if they could be secured to do three shows, generally, but they are thoroughly all right, at least up to nine o'clock on any bill.
Sam Curtis, E. Palmer & Co.
In "Mama's Darling Boy". Another very very sad affair. I hadn't the slightest idea when the act was offered me that it was a sketch or I wouldn't have played them with two other sketches in the bill. The only thing in the act that is at all worth while is a little singing at the finish, which they do in One, and there isn't enough of that to call it a singing act; about three or four minutes of it. The sketch is very badly played and nobody laughed. 24 Min. open Full Stage, close in 1, 2 Shows.
Heras Family.
We have never had any better act of it's kind in the house. An absolutely sensational hit. 8 Min. Full Stage, 2 Shows.


with a lot of novelty and comedy. Changed to this position after the afternoon's performance and held its own at night thoroughly. 18 Min. Full Stage, 2 Shows.
Motion Pictures.  O. K.

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Report on show, Keith's Theatre, Providence, R. I., Week of March 23, 1907. (Chas. Lovenberg, Mgr.) We have had better and worse bills this season, than the present one, altho this one is not what I hoped for and it was not the high-priced acts that made the hits. In order of strength, as far as the audience yesterday afternoon and night were concerned, the acts rank in the following order: Heras Family, Melville & Higgins, Apdale's Animals, Jennings & Renfew, Seligman, Bramwell & Co., Fred Ray & Co., Martin Bros., John T. Kelly & Co., Harlem Bros., and so on. So it is easily to be seen that it was not the headline features, by any means, that saved the show, excepting in the case of the Heras family. The Wynnewoods. Two young women, very amateurish, presenting something supposed to be a sketch with a little singing. Only good enough to open a continuous show. Very much overpaid. 18 Min. Full Stage, can close in 1, 3 Shows. The Gregsons. The same turn that they have always given us and which is all right from the 3-a-day standpoint. 12 Min. in 1, 3 Shows. Harlem Bros. Comedy acrobats and a corking good team. Do some good tumbling and the comedy is really funny. An act that should be gobbled up surely by all the continuous houses and are all right to open the show in any of the 2-a-day houses, if not even a little bit better spot. 9 Min. Full Stage, 3 Shows. Martin Bros. Xylophonists. Just as good as any of the rest who receive much more money. 13 Min. in 1, 2 Shows. Bertha Waltzinger. Miss Waltzinger was very much of a frost; we can do better at one-half the money and three shows. I hated to have her follow directly after the Martin Bros. but was obliged to do it in order to balance up the more important part of the show. 10 Min. in 1. 2 Shows. John T. Kelly & Co. Pretty bad act. Without Kelly's reputation they would probably be doing three shows at $125. and his reputation in Providence isn't worth fifteen cents. 23 Min. Full Stage, 2 Shows. Jennings & Renfrew. I don't understand why this team is being overlooked. They made a very pronounced hit here yesterday with the audience and with me. They have a splendid lot of songs and parodies and the act is something on the order of the Dillon Brothers, excepting this is in blackface, and as far as this house is concerned, they are just as good. 13 Min. in 1, 3 Shows here, but they only did this to demonstrate what they have. I doubt if they could be secured to do three shows, generally, but they are thoroughly all right, at least up to nine o'clock on any bill. Sam Curtis, E. Palmer & Co. In "Mama's Darling Boy". Another very very sad affair. I hadn't the slightest idea when the act was offered me that it was a sketch or I wouldn't have played them with two other sketches in the bill. The only thing in the act that is at all worth while is a little singing at the finish, which they do in One, and there isn't enough of that to call it a singing act; about three or four minutes of it. The sketch is very badly played and nobody laughed. 24 Min. open Full Stage, close in 1, 2 Shows. Heras Family. We have never had any better act of it's kind in the house. An absolutely sensational hit. 8 Min. Full Stage, 2 Shows. with a lot of novelty and comedy. Changed to this position after the afternoon's performance and held its own at night thoroughly. 18 Min. Full Stage, 2 Shows. Motion Pictures. O. K.