The evening world. Newspaper, June 29, 1903, Page 11

FONE ET RTT RI I anal EMIT TPA TOT OPT (COT Seven Thousand Vaudeville Acts—The Oldest Gags and Highest-Salaried Artists. ees NE of the prominent vaudeville managers was asked the other day how many varlety acts there are in the United States. After a moment of light- ning calculation he replied, “There are probably between two thousdnd and twenty-five hundred,” and was very much surprised when informed that more than geven thousand specialty acts were registered with the Vaudeville Man- agers’ Association. As a matter of fact, It Is Lo be questioned whether any one outside of thoso who have had access to the record referred to coutd approximate the number of variety offerings with anything even approaching exactness It s highly probable that the number {s nearer elght thousand than seven; but it must be Temembered that this classification 1s sweeping. THERE ARE OVER 20,000 VAUDEVILLE PERFORMERS IN ALL, But to say that there are seven or eight thousand acts does not mean that there are only that many performers. A single soubrette or a solitary mono- loguist 1s ne-much an “act" as a troupe of seven or eight acrobats or a drill team of fifteen or twenty. It would be safe to say that throughout the United Btates there are fully twenty thousand persons who make their living more or Jess by performing on the variety stage, although in some instances thelr artistic labors are complicated by the retail trade in Indian remedies or medicinal soaps guaranteed to cure everything, including the newly-discovered diseases invented by the “lecturer” on the spur of the moment. ‘The best class of performers are easily included in the managerie! estimate of ¢wenty-five hundred acts. The larger New York houses draw their weekly pro- grammes from a list but little in excess of this number. The basic description of |) the various acts 1s comparatively simple, there being aingle and double singins jaots, single talking atts, skits, sidewalk conversations,.dramatic sketches, triple | bar-acts, flying ring acts, trapeze acts, “hand etanders” (hand\balancers), “head @tanders,” jugglers, magicians and trained animal acts. Starting with these foundations, there are possibly three or four hundred ramifications. A “neat song and dance refers to the imagined appearance of the clothing, while those who don curlous garments are sald to do ‘eccentric’ wong and dance acts. The most curious cfassification refers to minstrelsy and designates as ‘pathetic’ any single talking tomedy specialty. Some of them are. NO MORE “«KNOCKABOUTS” OR GALLUS SKIRT DANCERS. Many of the older forms at specialty have died out, notably the ‘‘knockabout” team and contortionists. There are but three contortion specialties appearing with any regularity at the high-priced New York houses, while the old-fashioned ‘mnockabout aomedians are seldom seen, even on the Bowery. Skirt dancing has become almost a lost art, and the serlo-comic in short skirts {s eeldom seen up- town east of Eighth avenue. On the other hand, many of the old-time acts have been revived from time to time with material success, As an example of the revival, ten years ago a San Francisco performer by the name of Meyer Cohen and a team known as the Silvers engayed in a dispute as to who was the originator of the Illustrated song act which then raged with virulence. As a matter of fact, Tony Pastor illustrated his songs with battle scenes and portraits of commanding officers during the civil war and was proba- bly the first to so utilize the stereopticon. Mr, Pastor also enjoys the distinction af being the oldest manager in the business. He engaged as a variety actor about 1846 and hag been a successful manager from 1865 and still retains his mental and physical vigor, although the Greater portion of his routine work now falls upon the shoulders of his right- hand man, Harry Sanderson, DAVE REED IS THE OLDEST VARIETY ACTOR NOW PLAYING. rN si Xi HE LZOWTD, known as the Seven Heed Birds and now was seen at a local house only a couple able to carry off his part. who are at Pastor's next week. 1s quite clever Keaton, of the Three Keatons perfect Imitation of his six-foot father. Billy Carter, George Warren and John T member the early days of varlety and wh “Act’ in a vaudeville sense possesses both the specalty performed and the pe: profit to themse! Another veteran {s Mr. Pastor's retirement from the stage a couple of years ago makes Davo castonally offered by McIntyre and Heat For a couple of HURTIG 8 SEAMONS - the oldest actor now on the boards. Reed was for a long time a pop- ; but, belng the father of five children, he has formed an act plays only vaudeville engagements. He of weeks ago, and though feeble is still The youngest actor {s probably Master James Francis Sully, jr., of the Sully The youngster Js only about six years years this distinction was enjoyed by , a tiny youngster who Is made up in F, F. Proctor, of the extensive Proctor circuit, {s an old-time performer, and hompson are among others who can re- 0 still appear in vaudeville. SOME MOSS-COVERED “ACTS” THAT HOLD THE RECORD. FOR AGES. a dual meaning, being used to describe’ rformers themselves, Many of the old- time variety actors have become so thoroughly identified with thelr offering that they are unable or unwilling to make a change. to Watson and Hutchings, who offered the one aot for eighteen consecutive years, but who have made three changes of specialty in the past five, with increasing The record probably should go the Georgla Minstel Specialty, still o h, McIntyre used to travel with small PAPER FLOWERS. Butteroups.—Cut like the Sgure of yel- fow paper. Take some wool of the proper shade and fluff it out for the @entre and fasten it on the end of the 2G inee BUTTERCUPS. wire for the stem. Then slip it over the stem and push it up against the centre, Fasten by twisting the green paper to cover the green stem around It. Tulips.—Cut out yke the figure. Cut five or six of these and join together A POPPY PINCUSHION. by twisting the wire around the base] Att you require to make"s poppy pin- of the petals and use the rest of 1t for aloushion Is a penny roll of red crinkled paper, a piece Of black material, some sawdust and a yard of narrow green ibbon. Cut the black material into a circie the size of a small saucer, run round the edge with some very strong black thread, about one-quarter inch from the usually fools every one. huve been taken away. TULIR. fill the centre with sawdust and stem. The flower has more of real ap- pearance if the leaves are sllghtiy|{7s™, the cotton up: tightly ao that it and, of course, to get the many varte- ties of color it 1 necessary to paint the petals, making the, shades and streaks *< suit the ta: some large “roppy leaves out of the red paper and sew them found the black ‘centre, so that It re sembles a flower. When you have got ST the leaves in position, make the° back POOR CHILD. heat by sewing another pecs of Dino | “I hear Jack Kandor'was here to #@@| stuff round the gathered up part, te baby,” sald Mr. Hoamley. Yes," his wife replied, “T suppose the firat thing he sald Witla, He 8) paisa red 4 nis peeie Jha ir Then ne said thats c= then double the ribbon and sew the doubled end firmly to the back of tne pad, tying the ends into a Eeeth bow saat ‘above the poppy to, han up oy. ale and skiol “igh ‘ans HOME FUN FOR THE YOUNG FOLKS.| A VARIETY OF SQUARE Place twenty-four matches 80 a8 to make nine squat squares. to take away elght matches and leave two square) The sketch above shows the re: tee ae es. Then ask your friends ‘This 1s an old scheme, but It | It after eight matches FEAR, HERE was a man in our town Who might have rien high, But feared eo very much to fail ‘He never dared to try. i ‘The world is full of failures who But for the ghost of fear Might oft have wrestled with sudcess, She came so very near. Cowards? Ah! I don’t know—perhiaps! I've felt the phantom's breath Of frost in many tender hopes, Oft chilling them to death. On! Fear, thou potent one and strong, ‘More failures thou hast won Than all the other powers of wrong Existing ‘neath the sun. CORA M. W. GRDPNLEAF, eect” NOT FOREIGN, BUT NOT EASY TO READ. G-EWEST KONG FU BST SHAR/LOT-ROOS SER“MENT KI-ROG-RA-Fi KWA-FUR SHI-KO-GO SEN-TRIF-YU-GAL glossary of Chin No, this is not and *Servian conspirators, Two of the words are names of American cities. The rest are simple words in every-day use. 1s @ family name. following each word is its pronunciation. tions and leaves you to guess the original Pronounce each word and you will quick! firnt word, “kong-kweat' ip eaty Tecogniaabie as “congu' aa -BA-Si ‘ORD ELABcoED SHA-RAD KANT CHA-SN , CHU. Lr SHI-EN’ names, nor a laundry bill, nor a list of A third Tr dtetionaries The above list representa pronuncia- words, It Is a case of phonetic spelling. ly guess Its original. For instance, t " Mhoat of the others LT SN eee uaa WHO HAS GAINED FAME. ABROAD. circuses through the South, and, belng a student of dialect, acquired a dozen different varieties of the negro accent. He !s one of the very few white men who can tell in which section of the country a negro was raised from the man- in which he pronounces his words. Nigger’ acts, as they are inclegantly termed in the vernacular of “the pro- ession,"” have formed the base of many a Broadway production, and not a few tramatists have gained recognition as authors on the atrength of work created y men who have long lain in their graves, One of the recent English farces, ranslated from the French, {s based upon a bliack-face skit used years ago, generally known as “'Dhe Man Who Looks Like Me." In the matter of ancient jokes, commonly called ‘gags,’ the oldest fe un- doubtediy the Inquiry as to the chicken’s reason for crossing the street. New reasons have been ascribed from time to time, but even the original answer is still occasionally hedrd and ts actually laughed at. ‘Dhe second oldest in point of service is that regarding the paternity of Moses, the end man pretending to consider the bullrush story of Pharaoh's daughter a polite fiction. VARIETY JOKES ARE REGARDED AS EVERYBODY'S PROPERTY, The great trouble with variety Jokes is that gags and tobacco are equally re+ garded as common property, and nelther clgars nor jokes are safe from the vaudevile pilferer, It is diMcult to determine which is worse—the cigar or the average Joke, ‘ Occasionally a comedian will originate some really clever saying. tunate If he is able to retain It for his own use for three weeks. A performer who says somethng clever in New York and plays Saw Francisco five or six weeks later is very apt to discover that the Joke has been told before his arrival and the newness worn off. The personnel of the vaudeville houses is constantly changing, Farce comedy and comedy drama are drawing from the vaudeville houses, while actors who originate a specialty in a play take their offering into vaudeville at the end of the season, Others remain in vaudeville year in and year out, and during a life: time of service are seldom seen in other than vaudeville houses. But they find It Incrensingly diMcult to retain their standing with their aging materal, and even John Kernell 1s occasionally required to go in quest of new sayings. In the old days John and Harry Kernell never sone of materially changing thetr spe- CASTORIA RT CASES wa | For Infants and Children, i a 2, eM, and surely, to. Dr. Deckers The Kind You, Have Always Bought | sett ieee ‘o More. Ten to one they have a Bellic, ind shay somewnere., Any ray, Piney don't recommend fe “Wii, that, ts ars what father used to take, "fe an exp! iy Boers che frequently heard. You make no mis ‘Signature Shake No More. It has cured thou- of . and is the standard remedy § if oc. w bottle. All druggists. Amusements. MANHATTAN BEACH TO-DAY ust SHANNON'S pear, BAND TS DAILY (Except Sunday! Ger) PRIN'S POMPEII): 8 {and Grand Fireworks The ‘Harris Clip” Will Fit Grand Fire LU Any Nosel It holds by suction and is so constructed that it holds your eyeglasses firmly in position without pinching, tilting or slip- ping off. Eyeglass history records no more perfect invention than the ‘‘Harris Clip. Attaches your glasses for 35 cents, a eyeglass fitting comfort is essential, else right glasses may seem wrong. Here you are sure your glasses are right, and secure inthe Enewloge ¢ they are on to stay, Correctly Fitted Glasses. $1.00 up Artificial Eyes, finest made... $3,00 ° S'THE SULTAN OF SU Matto by ALFRED Q. WATHALL. ATINER, SATURDAY AT Atternoo) pth BESO, i sane3s! 8 OFT oss Orch: Orchestra Venice in New York.” “Patriot 50c. 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA. All the Thompson & Dandy Shows, Specialist, 348 Sixth Ave. (bet, 2st & 22d Sts.) FALLING, HAIR ADM. Tadie Seate, $1.00 | Sid Bt (UBKaK Manhattan THE MARL ii PAWTUCKET TERRACE GARDEN &2 8,52 &s IRRITATION ITCHING ond all other Gls Sere et raneatiy iter, “THE MERRY W ak 2 and safely cured, fith St. RCol.Ave. Adm. foe | val cai, artes nt eae ST, NICHOLAS 2S AU DEVILLE He 3s for-! & MONDAY EVENING, JUNE 29, 1903, —— S Z) ya) a; iE. y) / C. C52) i) PASTOR, ee OLorsT VARIETY. WTANAGERe, ~~ clalty. John Kernell had a new act as recently as two years ago. Kernell, ever, depends on his jokes with the orchestra to get the audience in’a good humor THE HIGHEST AND LOWEST d SALARIES PAID TO ARTISTS. The salaries now paid in vaudeville are not as high as the wages prevailing when the high-priced dramatic artist set the standard. For the regular houses they range from $25 to $600, though ‘The Girl with the Auburn Hair’ gets $550 to $1,000 woekly. ‘This ts the highest salary regularly paid. The four Co! wore given $3,000 for one week at the Masonic Temple, Chicago, last summer, and $4,000 were paid Yvette Gullbert at Koster & Blal’s some years ago. Th! the’ highest salary ever paid a single performer. The average runs from $40 to S25 but performers may be had as low as $ a week, and they aro experienced peoplty © at that CHICOT, _ Amusements. AIT Right! PROGTOR'S 33: Riot Reserved Every Att Amusements. BROADWAY ‘ THBATRE, als 6. & Bw Ev at $ Mate, We COOLEST TH IN 7 hi te 1 IN! THEE MUSIC'S FIVE 16TH W 1 And Sut ‘Thay Come, HENRY V_ SAVAGE Conrdy PRINCE or PILSEN “AH. COM | {TE Poptnone, FLORES cH ABI ai nde. MaRoen® ROOF OPENS TONIGHT. | FOIh $I. ti JAPAN BY NIGHT ‘TH NEW JAPANESE COMIC OPERA. srs a cal Clement Opera Co., ee ace Gartner, Ba. Reynal, Teohow'g og DolnSht Brooklyn Amusements. Brighton All-Stock Favorites Bi god BoeToN'e LADIES’ » Shope, CLE, B'way & 69th 24TH WEEK car “Beach Sas tnth fs een WIZARD OF OZ with Montgomery & Stone | | HUBER’ | sword Walker G9:h Regt Richfield. » $1.00, a Y Excursions. | ROCKAWAY BEACH: Via Brooklyn Elevated and Longg Island Railroad from Broadway tag Ferry, Brooklyn. Reached Direct from New York vig 424 St., 23d St, Gra Sst. ant Roosevelt Stceet Ferries, WBEK-DAY TIMETABLE. BROADWAY PERRY 6.00, 7.00, 7 A. Me Then at halt hour’ imtertaig rea “leaving PASTOR'S “5 Callahan & Mack & Stange, and MATINEE TO-DA NEWHENRY BURLESQUBRS Tom Jenkina & The Cu 053 PARK at 1202 A. St SUNDAY TIMETABLE, HURTIG & SEHMONS, =a Se ea Matinee | Avery & Mart & Co,, th as, To-Dey. Mme, Redan & Co, and others, | CRYSTAL GARI DENS. Ee roan eg Ore RiogmwOoD 1 LINE at Broadway KNICKERBOGKE THEATRE, Ea way Kn a *y Musical eavaouss! BE ANCHE RING THE BLONDE IN BLACK. BEST SHOW IN TOWN, 93 oun H, F vidobaey DI. 22 West 23d St., New York, ceeaati ram and 14h Be | 30-1