The evening world., 1913-11-29
1913VAUDEV|LLE
ECL|PSES' SHOWS
OF 50 YEARS AGO
How the improvements Were
Made Told by Manager
E. +. Albee.

It took q Punch and Judy show-one
AZ the Oldest forms OF entertainment
, sves devised by mend,cant mountebanks
to give modern. high-class vaudeville
the impetus that has carried 1t from the
dlngy and dlsreputable days OF old-t.me
variety" 20 the most highly organized
branch Of the show business and posi-
ton among the really great industries of
the day.
1t happened this way: Way back IN
1888 Il. +. Keith. already an experienced
Snowman. conceived the idea o: the
continuous performance" He WAS con-
Quoting a twJ-story palace" OF enter
tainment In Boston known as the Gayety
Musee. Upstairs was the time-honored
cluster or freaks and curlos!ties and
downstairs a small hall with a diminu-
tive stage. 1t was Mr.. Keiths idea to
open the Musee at 10 o'clock in the
morning and keep both SHOWS going
until 1880 at night.
Nobody knew just how he was going
10 do it-not even Keith himself. as no
often admitted aftcrward. Ills rivals
threw up tEe!r hands and declared him
crazy and even his stanch l!eutcnants
tried TO dissuade him. But ne wasn't
built that way.
On the first day. therefore. the few
strasgiers who found their way into
the Musee IN thu forenoon and early
afternoon were easily taken care OF.
First they listened 20 the lecturer for tne
upstairs exhibition and then they were
escorted below and seated in tae little
hall The variety bill. ran An hour and
then began over again.
USED PUNCH AND JUDY AS A
"cHAsGa."
But when night came and big crowds
assembled II was a different story. The
hrst big batch Of curious ones were
shuttled upstairs and entcrta ned by the
lecturer. 5. X. Hodgdon. now one OF the
chief officials in the United Booking
once. the organization that controls
almost the entire first class vaudeville
field. and at the head of which Keith.
its founder. still rules.
After Hodgdon had ended his lecture.
the crowd was sent below to the music
hall and another batch let into the
curio floor. But when the hours' pro-
STdUline Oh variety Turns Hau come to
an end and 1t was time to let the second
big crowd into the hall from upstairs
not one Of the persons in the audience
made a move to ct out.
Then Mr. Keith thought Of the Punch
and Judy Show conducted by old jim
Campbell upstairs In the curlo hall. He
had Jim rushed down below. set up his
puppet theatre and rang up the curtain
for the third time. The moment the
audience saw those painted dolls--of
which It had tired In the hall above
before coming dowp-it rose In . body
and marched out.
rHiRriETH ANNIVERSARY or
VAUDEVILLE.
The th!rtieth anniversary OF tho foun-
dalton O.. American vaudevl.le-a term
adapted from the French by Keith-is
about to be celebrated In all the houses
controlled by tho L. Il. o. throughout
the country. Gala programmes. special
decora ton Of theatres and souvenirs OF
various forms have been provided for
the commcmorstion Of vaudsvi'lc's thir.
,leth birthday.
1t Is a far cry from the d!nRy litua
hall with sawdus: strew- floors In
which rough and tumble comedians and
singers OF q 'estionab!e SONGS used to
satsrta.n audiences OF men TO the Sres'