26 min. Three people do a series of magic and levitation tricks. Much of their stuff is of the usual routine, rabbits and fowl being used in several tricks. One of the men works in comedy make up and there is constant talking through the act for comedy purposes. Act went fairly well all the way through and finished to a good hand.
[New Act] Magic, 12 mins; one. On No. 2 with a girl as a page and two kid “plants” the former superfluous. Allen Gray has some talk that could stand rewriting. He delivers it in a monotone. Up to the time the kids stepped over the lights it looked like hard sledding for Mr. Gray, but with the added help and the ragged appearance of the two boys be managed to get a small amount of comedy out of the situation. A revision of his sleight of hand tricks would help as the present routine fails to hold anything above the ordinary. A switch in the monolog would do no harm as the act couldn’t get much less in the way of returns than it did Tuesday night.
12 Mins.; One. Frank E. Gordon is either a much abused originator or a very guilty imitator. His metropolitan appearance should arouse some very interesting debates as to who originated the “lemon trick” (first shown around here by Jarrow) and the egg and hat trick, previously done hereabouts by Wallace Galvin. Gordon does them both and does them well. He opens with the “lemon” trick substituting an egg for the lemon and playing card for the money, as shown by Jarrow, bringing the trick to a convincing finish, but without much accompanying comedy. The egg and hat trick is shown with a small boy aiding, looks good and carries many laughs. Another good trick is the three-card-monte, using either glass or tin plates with playing card fronts, the idea being to watch the shift of the cards. A plant is employed with some laughs as well. The plates are handled well by Gordon, but the plant is a bit awkward, giving the idea that double plates are used. This may or may not be so. At any rate Gordon does his tricks well, perhaps better than the others, but needs more “appearance.” This fact was made conspicuous through his early position where he required every thing to pull attention. At that he went over nicely and could hold a better spot.
“Man of Mystery,” small time mind reader and magician. His first trick, writing on a blackboard, goes pretty flat until the plants get to work. The rest of the tricks are nothing more than those used by ordinary magicians. A female assistant as well as a male on the stage and several plants are employed. Nothing new is what will keep this act back.
Redford and Winchester opened with their burlesque magic, juggling and comedy stunts, and registered solidly. The act hasn’t been altered since the days of Madison and Winchester, but remains a good comedy acquisition for the tee off spot.
Hugh Johnson, billed as the “Charming Cheater,” possessing a fine personality, rang up a fine score with card tricks, clever palming and other familiar magic stunts which are handled in good showmanship style. The egg-in-the-bag business with two kid plants got the usual big laughs.
Frank Juhaz billed as the gabby trickster in “Runkology,” closed the vaudeville. He is assisted in his card tricks by a big fellow who makes funny faces and otherwise acts foolish for laughs. Frank Juhaz is doing the routine seen here last season at the Orpheum by Steve Juhaz.
This man offers a very interesting routine of card work and other magic feats. Has a pleasing manner and seemed to be very well liked. House gave close attention throughout. There was good strong finish. Palace in one, 17 minutes.
Magic.
Seen around as La Folette this musician works in evening clothes, showing a couple of good “switch” tricks, one being accomplished with the aid of a “black art” table. His best illusion is a card trick, which he works up for good laughs by going into the audience, having a spectator tear up a card, retaining a piece. Putting the pieces in a piece of paper he requests a fat lady to sit on them while he borrows a cigarette from a spectator and returns to the stage to reproduce the card in the cigarette. The lady delivers her paper, which contains the missing tobacco of the smoke.
“The Hand-cuff King” – extricates himself from five handcuffs around his wrists, handcuffed to one around his ankles, all the same time; also frees himself from the straight-jacket, etc., 21 min. full stage; did not go as well as I thought it would; that is did not get much of a hand.
