On a bit earlier (No. 3), Bond Barry and Co., with “Superstitions,” had the house rocking with glee. The turn in a burlesque in an undertaking parlor. There is plenty of “hoke” and plenty of matter not new. Yet the audience “ate” it all.
The show for the first half was appreciated thoroughly. It had a comedy punch that landed several wallops. Harry Hines, who is headlining in the Loew houses, occupied the same spot. They “caught” Hines on his first number and his chatter thereafter registered regularly. The routine appeared wholly intact, as when first opening for Loew, with song-plugging finish exactly the same. For the number, need for encoring, Hines allowed the warbles to work entirely alone, clowning a bit only at the finish. Hines went off a real hit.
Jim and Betty Morgan, reunited after Miss Morgan’s long illness were easily the hit of the bill, next to closing. Miss Morgan is showing three stunning, new wardrobe changes and looked immense in each of her decolette [sic] changes. The finish, with Jim coaxing mean blues out of the clarionet [sic] while Miss Morgan accompanies on a “uke,” goaled them.
Fox News with out wives mothers and sweethearts voting was ahead of Earl Gates and Co. a strong dancing dup with a singing girl pianist. Gates is big league exponent of hoof and has a pretty special drop and cyc for his offering. The pianist introduced the different solo and double dances with appropriate songs. They went over easily.
They were followed by Hunter, Randall and Senorita, a two-man and woman colored comedy skit in “one.” They rushed through their scenes and lines like wildfire, muffing many laughs and at times becoming incoherent from the middle of the house. The act was probably asked to cut the running time and preferred a whole act a la Walter Johnson then cutting out any one part. It crabbed whatever merit the turn possesses.
Alexander and Mack, a pair of comedy tramps singing parodies exchanging old-fashioned wheezes and generally remindful in the frame-up of their turn of the type of doubles popular in Tony Pastor’s day years ago, cleaned up, next to closing.
Barry McCormack and Co. were right at home down here with their light comedy Irish sketch and Mel McCormack’s singing of Hibernian love songs. The act has made big strides since seen at the Prospect Brooklyn several weeks ago. It kept ‘em laughing throughout at the 23d [sic] Street, taking five legitimate curtains at the finish, a well worked and effectively lighted vocal number.
Edler Sisters (New Acts) opened and Orr and Hagar were second. The latter team showed a pretty collection of scenic accessories, caught some attention with Miss Hagar’s singing and considerably more with her costume array. The finish is bridal number, with scenery and lyrics suggesting it is propaganda for a certain brand of California oranges. The act pleased without starting anything.
[New Act] Sketch, 23 mins; three (Special Drop). With Clem Bevins as the town constable before a rural “drop” and a cast consisting of a girl as the prodigal daughter, also a man doubling as the village storekeeper and the husband of the returned long lost member, the sketch did very well with a neighborhood audience.
The usual “hick” comedy with a bit of heart interest inserted toward the finish in the father reuniting his daughter with her second husband – and they liked it tremendously, The act looks “set” for the smaller houses, but it’s problematic about what would happen higher up.
Bevins is well known in burlesque as a “rube.”
Thornton Flynn, a tenor, was next to closing and scored the first big hit of the evening. He formerly did a single and was recently with “Cinderella On Broadway,” and prior to that was identified as Carroll and Flynn. He is now as assisted by a woman pianist and should be given consideration for the bigger circuit.
