DIY History | Transcribe | Keith-Albee Collection | Keith-Albee manager reports, September 2, 1902 - September 3, 1903

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Keith-Albee manager reports, September 2, 1902 - September 3, 1903

Page 275

(M. J. Keating) 
 Boston Show, Week of June 8, 1903.

Stereopticon, 12 min. in 1--Usual series of pictures. 
Mr. and Mrs. Darrow, 13 min. full stage-- Sand and smoke pictures, and comedy shadowgraphs. An interesting and artistic little act, which always goes well in this house. Should have better place in the bill, which I will give them tomorrow.

Dancing Doyle, 16 min. in 1--This man is a good step dan-cer, but his comedy efforts do not rise above the 3-a-day standard. 

Fadettes, 30 min. full stage-- Excellent programme this week; every selection encored, as usual. 

Vitagraph, 20 min. in 1-- Very good selection of views, the best being "Incidents in Cowboy Life", which received applause. 

Sam Ryan and tom Lewis, 20 min. full stage-- In a black and laughing hit, nowithstanding this material was practically the same as that used by Simmons and White on many previous occasions. I think Lewis one of the funniest blackface men in the business, and he carries the act. 

Beatrice Moreland, 13 min. in 1--First time here of this actress as a monologue comedienne. She was always bad as an actress and never made an impression in this house, and in this (n) new role is very little better. Some of her stories were too pointed for use here and we were obliged to cut them, even though they went to Phila-delphia and Portland. 

Denoza Brothers, 8 min. full stage-- Barrel jumpers, who have a novel and difficult act. They went excellently all the way through, which big rounds of applause at the finish, and I regret that a multiplicity of "sight" acts compels me to practically hide them one show. 

Rice and Cady, 14 min. in 1-- These men are just out of "Fiddle-dee-dee" where they plated the roles originated by Weber and Fields. As German dialect comedians they are about the poorest in the "bunch", and they did not go very strong. 

Herbert Lloyd, 14 min. open full stage, close in 1-- Eccen-tric comedian along the lines of W. C. Field, so far as makeup is con-cerned, but not in the latter's class as a juggler. He went very well but not so strong as I expected. 

Glincerettis, 8 min. full stage-- Six acrobats who do some excellent tumbling and pyramid word. They lack finish but have many tricks that are new here. Like all teams of this nature they went big. 

Crawford and Manning, 15 min. open in 1 goto full stage and close in 1--This team of blackface comedians does a little singing, some talking and dancing, and a trifle of work on a swinging trapeze, and at the same time strive to be funny. They have a fair act judged from the old 3-per-day standard. 

Brothers Martyne, 12 min. full stage-- Excellent acrobatic turn, the 60 summersaults but the straight men of the team, performed upon a bounding table, making a sensational finish. They scored one of the hits of the show. 

Morris and Blaine, 15 min. --Blackface singer and dancers, who can also be counted in the 3-a-day division. 

Carolyn Young, 8 min. in 1-- Whistling solcists of fair ability. She got a lot of applause from a small house.

Lenore and St. Claire, 15 min. in 1-- Singing, dancing and talking act, by a man and woman which was all right in its place in the bill.

Gillian Brothers (formerly, Belmont and O'Brien), 16 min. open full stage, close in 1-- Fair comedy talking and singing act. Added because show ran short. 

The Harpers, 12 min. in 1-- A couple of "real coon" comedians and singers, who are somewhat better than the average of such teams. They made good in a better place in the bill that evening. 

Comment:- the show is "rocky" in comparison with those we have been giving right along, and shows the decided falling off. Of course, I know this could not have been helped materially, but there is too much singing and dancing, also an undue proportion of "sight" acts. 
The audience did not hold together as has been the custom of late, and we have decided to go back to the old 3-a-day schedule as quickly as possible. 
The opening of the circus was apparent in the unusual fall-ing off of our audience in the afternoon. Rain at night caused a big house and the show from the Fadettes to close went big.

Saving...

(M. J. Keating) Boston Show, Week of June 8, 1903. Stereopticon, 12 min. in 1--Usual series of pictures. Mr. and Mrs. Darrow, 13 min. full stage-- Sand and smoke pictures, and comedy shadowgraphs. An interesting and artistic little act, which always goes well in this house. Should have better place in the bill, which I will give them tomorrow. Dancing Doyle, 16 min. in 1--This man is a good step dan-cer, but his comedy efforts do not rise above the 3-a-day standard. Fadettes, 30 min. full stage-- Excellent programme this week; every selection encored, as usual. Vitagraph, 20 min. in 1-- Very good selection of views, the best being "Incidents in Cowboy Life", which received applause. Sam Ryan and tom Lewis, 20 min. full stage-- In a black and laughing hit, nowithstanding this material was practically the same as that used by Simmons and White on many previous occasions. I think Lewis one of the funniest blackface men in the business, and he carries the act. Beatrice Moreland, 13 min. in 1--First time here of this actress as a monologue comedienne. She was always bad as an actress and never made an impression in this house, and in this (n) new role is very little better. Some of her stories were too pointed for use here and we were obliged to cut them, even though they went to Phila-delphia and Portland. Denoza Brothers, 8 min. full stage-- Barrel jumpers, who have a novel and difficult act. They went excellently all the way through, which big rounds of applause at the finish, and I regret that a multiplicity of "sight" acts compels me to practically hide them one show. Rice and Cady, 14 min. in 1-- These men are just out of "Fiddle-dee-dee" where they plated the roles originated by Weber and Fields. As German dialect comedians they are about the poorest in the "bunch", and they did not go very strong. Herbert Lloyd, 14 min. open full stage, close in 1-- Eccen-tric comedian along the lines of W. C. Field, so far as makeup is con-cerned, but not in the latter's class as a juggler. He went very well but not so strong as I expected. Glincerettis, 8 min. full stage-- Six acrobats who do some excellent tumbling and pyramid word. They lack finish but have many tricks that are new here. Like all teams of this nature they went big. Crawford and Manning, 15 min. open in 1 goto full stage and close in 1--This team of blackface comedians does a little singing, some talking and dancing, and a trifle of work on a swinging trapeze, and at the same time strive to be funny. They have a fair act judged from the old 3-per-day standard. Brothers Martyne, 12 min. full stage-- Excellent acrobatic turn, the 60 summersaults but the straight men of the team, performed upon a bounding table, making a sensational finish. They scored one of the hits of the show. Morris and Blaine, 15 min. --Blackface singer and dancers, who can also be counted in the 3-a-day division. Carolyn Young, 8 min. in 1-- Whistling solcists of fair ability. She got a lot of applause from a small house. Lenore and St. Claire, 15 min. in 1-- Singing, dancing and talking act, by a man and woman which was all right in its place in the bill. Gillian Brothers (formerly, Belmont and O'Brien), 16 min. open full stage, close in 1-- Fair comedy talking and singing act. Added because show ran short. The Harpers, 12 min. in 1-- A couple of "real coon" comedians and singers, who are somewhat better than the average of such teams. They made good in a better place in the bill that evening. Comment:- the show is "rocky" in comparison with those we have been giving right along, and shows the decided falling off. Of course, I know this could not have been helped materially, but there is too much singing and dancing, also an undue proportion of "sight" acts. The audience did not hold together as has been the custom of late, and we have decided to go back to the old 3-a-day schedule as quickly as possible. The opening of the circus was apparent in the unusual fall-ing off of our audience in the afternoon. Rain at night caused a big house and the show from the Fadettes to close went big.