In “Cotton Stockings.” 20 minutes f.s. Light interior. Comedy sketch, with a piano and violin finish, that got a number of laughs and closed very well. The story is novel and has many bright lines. The two girls appear as rival saleswoman, thrown together in a hotel parlor on Christmas eve. A good act.
Including Julie Herne in “The Frame-Up.” 25 minutes f.s. Dark interior. This is Mr. Gillingwater’s new act. It bears a marked resemblance to his old one, both in the characters of the crabbed millionaire and his neglected wife, and in the finish with a dinner at Sherry’s. Quite a little comedy is introduced to relieve the dramatics. Held the interest and closed to a good hand.
I banked very hard on Mr. Morton to give us a lot of laughs, and there again was disappointed. As a matter of fact I think he had a great tendency to let our show drag. He didn’t say one thing that was funny or worthy of a laugh, consequently, he got no laughs. He may be all right in New York, but I think not in any provincial towns.
In “Close Quarters.” A very good sketch, excellently played. Things of this kind mean nothing on a bill unless surrounded by very good comedy – which I thought I was going to get, but didn’t. I don’t want to say that the act is not all right and worth playing. It can not be depended upon to draw any business. 17 minutes full stage.
Here was a very big disappointment. They have a sketch that is fairly well written and Bob Harty plays his smaller of the two parts very well indeed, but Johnny Johnson overdoes his work so much that the whole thing is spoiled. A very inferior offering. 21 minutes in two.
22 min. Arrayed in a wonderful display of costumes, probably the showiest any artists has ever worn on our stage, and with an attractive program of song numbers, she was a tremendous applause hit. She sang five songs including an encore which was compelled to give after several curtains. Mr. Jarnigan at the piano also won favor. The act was a great big hit.
21 min. with a mixture of songs, dances and some comedy, finishing with a burlesque imitation of Harry Pilcer & Gaby Deslys, they got over in good shape. Their dances are very well done and a feature of the offering is an elaborate display of gowns. Closed to a good hand.
Mr. Kellogg pleased a great many of the audience, and seemed to tire many others sitting around me at the Monday afternoon performance, and others were squirming in their seats Monday night. There is too much talk in his act which does not demonstrate anything. If he could be induced to cut it down fully five minutes, the act would be more pleasing to the audience. I think he has a certain draft, and is worth playing in towns of this kind about one every five years. 23 minutes full stage.
Miss Howard fared only fairly until she got down to her Charlie Chaplin impersonation, which consumed about three minutes of her time and which got her considerable applause. The rest of her work is very mediocre, and “smacks” somewhat of burlesque. Taking into consideration entirely her reception by the audience, she is about worth what I pay her. I am getting her at a special figure, which is $75 less than her regular contract price. I am afraid that those managers who pay her more than I do will be imposed upon. 17 minutes in one.
Presented by the Mirano Brothers. 5 minutes f.s. Special set. This is one of the biggest aerial novelties we have ever played. The men work at opposite ends of a revolving 20-foot steel cross bar, suspended at the top of a 30-foot steel structure, shaped to resemble the Eiffel Tower. One sits in a torpedo-shaped car, with propeller, while at the opposite end is a trapeze from which the other performs various stunts while the apparatus is revolving rapidly in midair. The act is backed by a cyclorama 90 feet long. The turn is very spectacular
