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I have no idea if this is the correct section to put this, but where are the institutions where one could go and research vaudeville performers? Are there particular publications that I should be searching? I am looking for further information on El Brendel and his wife Flo Bert during their early stage days.

Hi Louie
We have a lot of vaudeville material in the Billy Rose Theatre Collection. A good publication to check is Vaudeville News. This ran through the 1920s and later combined with The New York Star. There's also National Vaudeville Association Yearbooks, which usually have ads for all the acts touring the country. We also have clipping files on indivduals, acts and even specific theatres.

Didn't you mention making a trip to New York a while ago?

Steve

Steve, have you ever run across anything documenting the act called Swayne's Rats and Cats? Groucho Marx and George Burns both taked about what an amazing act that was, but it isn't mentioned in Joe Laurie Jr.'s big vaudeville history, or in any other source I've seen. Can we really document that the act existed?

Variety magazine is a great source of information too. They provide fairly accurate appearance schedules and detailed reviews of the various acts. Most major libraries have the complete microfilm series.

-- PG

Steve Massa wrote:Hi Louie
Didn't you mention making a trip to New York a while ago?

Steve

Yes, I did, but it's just a matter of finding time away from work and being able to actually spend some time there. I will get down before the end of the year and let you know.

Louie

Paul E. Gierucki wrote:Variety magazine is a great source of information too. They provide fairly accurate appearance schedules and detailed reviews of the various acts. Most major libraries have the complete microfilm series.

-- PG

Paul,
I have been searching for a half hour and haven't been able to find many for the time period I have been looking for in Massachusetts. Even the Boston Public Library is a no go. Think I'll try my local and see if they can get some stuff on loan. Thanks for the help!

Louie

The following website is damn valuable for all kinds of vaudeville research. All praise LoC!

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/vshtml/vshome.html

Chris
I'll check if we have anyhing on Swanye's Rats and Cats.

Steve

Chris Snowden wrote:Steve, have you ever run across anything documenting the act called Swayne's Rats and Cats? Groucho Marx and George Burns both taked about what an amazing act that was, but it isn't mentioned in Joe Laurie Jr.'s big vaudeville history, or in any other source I've seen. Can we really document that the act existed?

A quick perusal of newspaperarchive.com turns up the following blurb in the Hagerstown Maryland DAILY MAIL, dated January 18, 1917:

AT THE MARYLAND TODAY.
The Maryland's special picked
vaudeville for the last half of this
week will be a surprise as to quality
and quantity. The bill opens with
Swaine's Rats and Cats act. This is
out of the ordinary and will be found
as pleasing and entertaining as were
his (Swaine's) cocktoos recently.

I wouldn't trust that the spelling is correct here, but at least we now know the act really did exist!

Michael

Michael J Hayde wrote:

Chris Snowden wrote:Steve, have you ever run across anything documenting the act called Swayne's Rats and Cats? Groucho Marx and George Burns both taked about what an amazing act that was, but it isn't mentioned in Joe Laurie Jr.'s big vaudeville history, or in any other source I've seen. Can we really document that the act existed?

A quick perusal of newspaperarchive.com turns up the following blurb in the Hagerstown Maryland DAILY MAIL, dated January 18, 1917:

AT THE MARYLAND TODAY.
The Maryland's special picked
vaudeville for the last half of this
week will be a surprise as to quality
and quantity. The bill opens with
Swaine's Rats and Cats act. This is
out of the ordinary and will be found
as pleasing and entertaining as were
his (Swaine's) cocktoos recently.

I wouldn't trust that the spelling is correct here, but at least we now know the act really did exist!

Michael

I'd trust this spelling more than Groucho and George's memories--particularly since, according to what Bob Birchard was once told by Burns' publicist, George couldn't read or write.