The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-31
EAST SIDE STARS TRIED OUT
AMATEUR NIGHT At 4 BOWERY
VAUDEVILLE THEATRE.
All Corners Allowed to EXHIBIT Their Tai.
ents At = Special Performance Onoe
Week-Mishaps That Amuse--A
Gold watch the Reward Of Success.

Week-Mishaps That Amuse--A
Gold watch the Reward Of Success
Monkey" Susskind, an East Side younf
man, decided recently that lie would like
to shine as vaudeville star, 80 he and
Jim Bludsoe Of Cherry Hill formed an ALI
ance. They got together an outfit consist.
ing Of large hammer, piece OF fagstone
and pine board about four inches thick
foot wide and three feet long. Then they
called upon the manager Of Bowery
theatre. They told him Of their ambition
"We'se de real tings,' said Susskind
AN II youse II give us or date We'll make
hit dat II make de wise guys OF vodeville
take sneak up de alley. Say, mister, give
us er trial. an II we don't bring de ohink
in de house wese don't want er cent. See?'
After some delibe, alton the manager
said: Come around and see me in few
days. Near the close OF the season / am
going to make Friday night Of each week
amateur night. I will give you a chance
then. and If your act Ia all right I will engage
you for my road show next season.
The conversation took place several
weeks ago. The first amateur night was
last Friday. 1t was held after the regular
performance.
Susskind and Bludsoe were on hand.
and their friends had seats In the gallery
to cheer them on. They were second on
the bill. Susskind placed the pine board
on his head and held II with his hands. Over
the board Bludsoe placed the flagstone.
Susskind then sat In chair and the act
was ready. Bludsoe welded the hammer.
The master of ceremonies told the audience
t1os ,,lo frv tn h6 a
with three strikes Of the hammer.
The manager stood In the wings In anI-
GUS expectation. He was apprehensive OF
the result of the act and had visions Of a
visit from the. Coroner after Bludsoe had
delivered the first stroke.
Bludsoe took deliberate aim and brought
the hammer down with all his might. The
hammer Just missed landing on Susekind's
skull The second blow was little better,
but the third just struck the edge of the
stone and grazed Susskind's neck.
This was too much for the manager and
he promptly called q halt. In jify he
hustled the pair OF the stage and breathing
a sieh Of relief called the next act.
The friends Of the twain did not know
what to make of it and booed for q while.
they were satisfied. He forgot TO tell the
crowd, though. that outside Of few dents
the stone was not disturbed.
Amateur night on the Bowery has it's
instructive az well as lts humorous SIDE.
The talent developed thus far ts . tribe
formers have shown flashes OF future great
ness on the variety stage.
1t costs nothing TO get trial, and the per-
former who does best gets a gold watch:
Men. women and boys take advantage Of
the opportunity to display their ,sle ss;,,
oomprised eight distinct acts, ranging from
wire walker to Dutch act by two East
Side Italians. The latter team wore about
is and 20 years old. They we're on the bill
as 'Nilcy and Steel" and their makeup
was true to tradition. with the exception
after the style Of some Of the stellar German
Niley, the feeder Of the two. was under
sized as Is customary in acts Of this kind:
He had an expansive paunch and seemed
an audience. They had res,YTeoted, all
the antique Jokes they could think of, and
wound up with q regular clog dance and
hip-fop.
apathy Of the audience disappeared. On
tho Bowery such jokes are sacred. An
o aaass1' At ne pair. found an abiding
place on Niley's paunch. Niley, fell back
against the scenery win w5 ssd /. and ga.
cred his speech he yelled:
pa mugga what. threwa da cabbage
lisa a bigga de stiff.
But before he had time to hear the retort
that followed the stage attendants grabbed
him and hustled him into the wings. When
order was restored the next act began.
II was given by the Quinn brothers and
thew gave an excellent display OF Jig dAnc-
ing. They danced for nearly twenty min
utes and the crowd showed their appreoa-
ton by throwing money at them.
The youngest of the two, a oompaoly
built lad, seemed to have the better wind.
He danced until the blood rushed TO his
face and the perspiration was streaming
down his brow.
Keep it up Chimney, youse de goods.
is de mobile buck an de Allen street. wing
Let ar go, Chimney! Lot er go!'
CHIMNEY after going through a number
of intricate gyrations finally fell in sheer
exhaustion upon the stage. Then the
crowd cut loose in real earnest and cheered
the dancers.
I'VE will now have a Hebrew imperso--
nation by an Irish lad named Ike Levy"
the master of ceremonies announced as
the Quinn brothers hobbled triumphantly
of the stage.
A tall, lanky fellow made up after the
pearance. He slowly straddled toward the
footlights, waved his arms, and then drew
his hands into his coat sleeves until they
were invisible. Then facing the audience,
he began long harangue about his wife
Rachael and his mother-in-law! Then he
wound up with a parody on popular
song. He was getting along famously until
he tried to deliver q few gags. Then his
troubles began.
you're a comediau-nit," some one
shouted.
Get on You're rotten,' yelled an
1vamoose, cried third.
In a jify things were certainly. coming
his way. Had he been an expert hurdler.
he could not have lodged things better.
OF all descriptions were hung at
him from oil parts Of the house. He made
his escape and the show was resumed.
About the hest act Of the night was
furnished by a youngster named Joe Burdy.
He was about l6 and had an exceptionally
sweet voice. And, besides, he was
comedian from his toes up. He gave \
which was clever and witty
and kept the crowd In excellent hun1or
The last act on the programme intro
duced Sweeney and Sayles, Irish come
dians. What they lacked in real talent
they made up FOR In unalloyed nerve.
Sweeney, despite his Irish name, was
Semitic in appearance and seemed to take
himself rather seriously. His partner was
as timid as a deer and appeared to have
a present,ment Of . catastrophe later on.
After indulgins In sidewalk converse
ton, they began knocking each other
~