The Three Melvins held them in to be a man, and with a spot on the bill could easily stopped proceedings. The three men exhibit some extraordinary hand-to-hand tricks with a display of showmanship par excellence. They finish with a flying hand-to-hand catch, one standing on a high pedestal and without any rebound going clear across the stage for his catch. Took six curtains and could have taken as many more “bends.”
Samuel Leonard and Co. (late week appearing at the Hippodrome under the name of Pete, Pinto and Boyle). This is an audience act, two of the men working from the audience, both taking to the stage later on. They work with Italian dialect and mopped up. The finish of the act has a straight man singing while one of the two character men plays a steel guitar and the other plays a tam-tab.
Browning and Davis, two men in blackface, next with well routine comedy crossfire material. Though their talk is bright and snappy, it runs a little long before they go into their singing. A ballad by Browning and a comedy version of the same number by David sent this pair off to big returns.
Alia Axiom, a favorite Pantages mind reading mystic, proved mysterious. The audience became a bit restless during the séance, especially when Axiom’s assistant delivered the messages on the stage, after which she made her exit. There was one question put over in showman like style and very dramatic that made the act a surefire bet for the smaller time. Being in one of the finest neighborhoods in the city, Axiom disposed of 800 to 1,000 of his books at a dollar a throw, sold in the lobby with the privilege of asking three questions.
Foley and O’Neal, who just finished a 12-week engagement at the Wintergarden Café, received a reception. This makes the fourth time this season for the boys at this house. They sang their way into the hearts of the audience and it seemed as if the patrons could not get enough of them. Here is a big time act that would make good on any bill.
The Al Golen {Al Galem?} Troupe, now cut down to five people, two men, two women and a midget, have some very entertaining perch and acrobatic stunts. They still exhibit a parade of tapestry and carpets and at this house receive a hand on the beautiful display. Here is an act that at one time took all honors for a pretentious acrobatic novelty, but have not advanced with the times and at present only a good small time feature.
Turner and Josselyn, the latter half of the team boing Nick Basil and Allen, are doing the old Basil and Allen recruiting in a bit out of date, the funny situation and dialect got them over. Turner should slow up his talk, as he muffs and lines and is not audible after the first eight rows.
Little Pipifax and Co. closed. The straight man does some very good tumbling. Pipifax had no trouble in getting the laughs for his funny pantomime comedy, and his bumps and falls gave plenty of thrills. He does whiteface in sailor uniform and held everybody in to the closing trick.
Weaver and Weaver, “The Arkansas Travellers” followed. They open with a rube song, one playing a ukulele. The taller one plays a one-string fiddle on a pitchfork, and when the boys played melodies on their saws they couldn’t give the audience enough of it. They were a big applause hit.
Maude Earle and Co. in “The Vocal Verdict,” big time quality, was the headliner and the outstanding hits. She opens in “one” with a prolog, then goes to full stage, with a white wigged judge sitting at his bench in cutout of a special set, and she is put on trial. She sings five selections of which “Macushla” and the flute number scored best. Miss Earle makes five very pretty changes.
