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James B. Donovan, "The King of Ireland," is of the late well-known team of Donovan and Arnold. Charles McDonald was of McDonald and Conroy.
"My Good Old Friend" - There is a special drop of the exterior of the house in which these two old "harps" live. They have been friends for "fourty years." Donovan is sitting on the steps, whittling a stick and lamenting that after all these years he and McDonald had quarreled. They quarreled over the color of Casey's mare; one said it was brown while the other said it was sorrel (the horse was actually black). McDonald comes with a birthday present for Donovan, but McDonald will not speak to him, causing Donovan to hum an old Irish ditty. McDonald cannot resist: he goes into some clever stepping, thus bringing the pair back together. This comes after some quaint gags and some old Irish songs, "Old Plaid Shawl" and Oh, Mrs. O'Flaherty." For the latter number, a silk hat is borrowed from a "plant." The hat is broken, and then begins an argument over the payment for the hat, which is joined in by another "plant" in the gallery. This was made funny, and when fully worked up will be a scream.
This is a real "tad" act by real tads, although neither has done the character before. The boys have a dandy act. Their make-up is great and character portrayals are the real goods. It is a turn everyone will enjoy.
Source:
Variety 24:2 (09/16/1911)