Murray Kissen and his quartet in the Hungarian rhapsody burlesque of honored lineage, picked up on high and crashed. In the intimate Palace the moving picture bit and Kissen’s excruciating “imitations” at the end got wallop after wallop. This one completely panicked all the way and after.
The Four Meryl Prince Girls, a good-looking quartet, with harmony and comedy singing went over exceptionally well in the second spot. Their impression of newsboys “Pulling Dem Bones” for an encore is not exactly suited to their style. The girls present a pretty picture with a nifty opening, having three of the members posing in the center of the parted draped curtain and the other at the piano.
The Exposition Jubilee Four, a quartet of colored singers, made up in volume of voice what they lacked in close harmony, and went across well in next to opening. If this act would play on comedy team work a little it would improve itself greatly.
The Chung Hwa Four is still another turn which has been in and out of the bigger houses for a number of seasons. That act, too, made good finding excellent going on No. 2. The Chink harmony with the newsboy quartet number, “Roll Dem Bones,” done without the orchestra, is as good as ever offered by an American four. The Scotch finish was surprise and delight for the house.
Scanlon, Denno Bros. and Scanlon were second. Opening as a male quartet, they go into an unusually clever routine of dancing, which opens with a buck schottische, followed by a double buck. Here one of the members removes a top hat, revealing a woman’s tresses. She is a corking stepper, and some excellent buck stepping at the finish with a ring-around, all grasping hands and never losing a tap brought them back for an encore. The ensemble harmonizing just passes, but one member out over “Vacant Chair,” a corking ballad, as a solo to good results.
The Chung Wha Four were No. 2. Perhaps it was the weather, but often the lyrics of their songs were in distinguishable. They make up as a Chinese quartet and try to be Chinese.
Following and closing the first half were Berrens, Ryan Sisters and Leslie, a piano, singing and dancing quartet, but the four entertainers failed to pick up the running pace and the audience went right back to its favorite job of fan-wielding, passing up the various specialties with a feeble smattering of hands. The two Ryan girls, however, looked pretty and danced well. The act deserved a better applause break.
The Worth Wayten Four proved a lively male quartet with good comedy and harmony. The imitations of musical instruments, closing with a calliope, placed them as a hit.
Chung Hwa Four, the Chinese quartet, pulled down a solid hit after this sketch. The men have a wisely selected routine of popular numbers and their ensemble harmonizing is first class. One of the quartet looks like a ringer, but the others are undoubtedly Orientals. “Bye, Love,” “Down the Trail to Home, Sweet Home,” and after a quick change to evening clothes “Roll Them Bones” were some of the musical numbers. The change at the finish to Scotch attire gave a great opportunity for comedy, which wasn’t muffed. They scored heavily.
The Quixey Four in the deuce position, came in for strict attention with their songs and banjo work. They mopped up with a published number, “It’s the Way She Does It,” which a local music publisher recently ordered taken off the floor and buried on the ground of being smutty. Judging from the lyric and manner it was received it appears as if this publisher has gone to the opposite extreme of bring prudish. Suffice it, the quartet made excellent use of the song to serve their own purpose.
