Following such a show, McDermott might have been up against it. But he bobbed in when the crowd was expecting another Tucker bow, and before the mob knew he was on he had ‘em. It took masterly maneuvering, because half the gang was on the edges of the chairs. They settled back and McDermott, legitimate successor to Nat Wills, made them howl with his trampisms, then goaled them with his opera voice and his characterizations, a bang hit.
The Battling Nelson act has four boys (white) as plants for the comedy finish, where all attempt to fight the “dummy” figure on the oval bass that is knocked every way and always comes back the other way. The boys half the time are fighting themselves instead of the dummy. That provides the comedy.
Nelson is interesting in his description of famous blows of famous fighters, which he illustrates and mentions with the familiarity born of long acquaintance and observation. He gives Jack Dempsey a great boost, also Tommy Ryan (old timer), and illustrates his own famous blow with which he knocked out Joe Gans for the lightweight championship. Nelson claims that while he was accused of a foul in the 42-round encounter with Gans at Goldfield, it was his kidney blow that did the trick. He tried it on the dummy and told the house that no one could withstand it once it landed.
Nelson was in ring costume, spoke with confidence and directly, wasting no time nor blows. Always a popular champ, he is quickly remembered, as was proven by the reception received when first appearing. His “dummy” idea for exercise is quite the best thing any athlete has yet shown the vaudeville stage as a practical demonstrations of how a business man could keep himself fit without trying the carpet beating stuff so many others have told about. Nelson’s act runs 12 minutes.
Rise and Ward made themselves decided favorites before leaving, the girl with her six imitations and the elderly man with agility, which assuredly is remarkable for one so advanced in years, and his clowning, Well over the line, accorded a reception on their entrance and receiving that mark of approval which is probably the last word as to putting the O.K. on an act, clamorous applause and whistling from those on high.
Harry and Emma Sharrock down next to closing and following the Doner family act held all but a very few stragglers. One man in the rear of the orchestra offered Mr. Sharrock a bit of stone from the Washington Monument, and for a moment of two Emma Sharrock calling off the objects in the mind reading stunt became flustered. Harry managed to cue her quickly, however, and the house handed the couple an appreciative burst of applause for pulling themselves out of what looked like a pickle, and doing it with a fine display of headwork and showmanship. The Sharrocks.
Fred Weber and company followed. They open, the dummy sitting on a bench talking, with nobody in view on the stage, the man later coming out of cut-out in a special drop, then going through a routine of comedy cross-fire talk, and finished with a yodel and walks off to noisy hand, falling to come back for a bow.
Harvey Devora Trip, another black and tan act, with two men and a lady, one of the men doing wench, got big laugh out of their hoak all through the act, but walked off to hardly anything.
Bevan and Flint pulled down the wow-laugh sensation of the day with the man’s convulsing opening and the fast hoakum all the way and to the very end, abetted by the statuesque and striking woman “straight.”
Emma Haig, came next, and on charm, lightness of dancing, carriage, swift switches in the routine and an all-around air of polite but chummy atmosphere, whizzed through and flirted off for a hit.
Hall and Colburne, in the sketch spot, went long on scenery and props. One of the men in a Scandinavian elevator girl, the other his sweetheart(bellhop), and the girl the public steno. The idea is sound for low comedy. Some of the comedy is not so, by jingo! When the man pulled the wig it didn’t ripple much. The stuff had gone flat.
Next to closing the Texas Comedy Four served up some ditties that were satisfactory to the audience. The way that the boys handled the “Memphis Blues” went a long way toward their scoring.
