Bobby North

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14 Mins.; One. Returning to vaudeville, and at the Palace this week, Bobby North sings songs, uses dialog, has a burlesque “one-word drama” and concludes with an “Alphabetical Rag,” which is the best portion of a non over-strong turn. Mr. North starts off with a singing number entitled “I Am Looking for a Job,” in which he informs the audience there is a good comedian at liberty (referring to himself) that the legitimate managers are not bidding for, mentioning several legits by name. it leaves the audience to infer that that is why he is in vaudeville just now, and is as interesting to them as the program mention that he is “Late star of Lew Fields’ Hanky Panky’ and ‘Pleasure Seekers.’” The “one-word drama” is good for a laugh here and there, Mr. North taking the old idea of a one-man drama to convert it into the one-word thing. After that some talk about home and baby that brought very little. There are no natural comedy points to do the dialog. After an operatic medley, there is the very good rag alluded to, that has eight or nine of the best rag strains in it. Mr. North wore a cutaway with high hat, and used a Hebrew accent in his singing, but talked straight. He might sing the songs that way also. Mr. North has enough to go along (his voice always standing him well instead), but the turn will stand improvement. He was “No.4” on the Palace bill Monday night, getting over nicely.
Source:
Variety, Volume XXXVI, no.12, November 21, 1914