Tilford and Co.

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Set in office of a Jewish car salesman.
Singing and comic dialogue with dummy and supporting characters.
Ventriloquial precedents are broken with this new act of Tilford's. Instead of the stereotyped method of the voice-thrower and his "dummy" or "dummies" only occupying the stage, Tilford employs two humans with noticeably good results. A little story is framed after the cartoons in an evening paper with the "dummy" representing the cartoon study of a Hebrew automobile salesman, the set representing his office. Tilford is the office manager with a stenographer and office boy also present. The "dummy" is the head of the concern. It goes from one to another with questions. At the close, songs are used, with Tilford and the office boy sharing in this. A cleverly arranged medley of popular numbers, with lyrics to fit the situation, comes in for good appreciation. Tilford as a ventiloquist is a known quantity, but in this turn he is giving something different. There is no water drinking or telephoning, or the familiar routine. At present, Tilford has a little too much talk at the start until the first song. The songs give the act plenty of life. Emma Sawtelle as the stenographer is a good-looking young woman who handles expertly what she has to do. The office boy is played by a youngster with a voice. A novel turn of this nature as presented by this company with prove satisfactory on any bill. It marks Tilford as distinctive, for having put over what will certainly be termed as a unique idea for a ventriloquist, and stamps him as an originator in his line.
Source:
Variety, 40:2 (09/10/1915)