Palace Theatres
Treasure Chest Thursday
By Don Taylor
For this week’s Treasure Chest Tuesday, I’m looking at four clippings about the Palace Theater. from the Donna Darling Collection
Palace Theatre – Port Richmond
Key features:
- The venue is the Palace Theatre – Port Richmond.
- The show is the “Donna Darling & Boys” in “As You Like It.”
- Also, on the bill:
- Bert Lahr & Mercedes in “What’s the Idea?”
- Malloy & Cowell – Comedy Sketch “Hogan the Mummy”
- Rose Garden – Comedy song & Piano
- Coming attractions include:
- May 8, 9, 10—Richard Talmadge, Douglas Fairbanks’ only rival, in “The Unknown.”
Analysis
The first of these clippings relates to the Palace Theatre of Port Richmond. Although it is undated, it mentions the show following, the movie “The Unknown,” will come May 8, 9, and 10. Donna Darling & Boys “As You Like It” appears to have opened in June 1921 and ran until June 1924. “Pay Day” with Charlie Chaplin was released in April 1922. So, I’m confident this ad was from May 4, 5, & 6, 1922. Port Richmond is a section of Philadelphia and there was a Lehigh Palace Theatre it is in Glenwood about three miles from Port Richmond but it doesn’t seem to fit the ad.
Port Richmond is also a neighborhood in Staten Island. Also, it had a Palace Theatre which operated from before 1916 into the 1950s. Additionally, Donna Darling & Boys played at the Crescent Theatre in Perth Amboy, only 17 miles away, immediately following the Palace Theatre gig. As such, I am confident this is evidence that Donna and the Boys, played at the Palace Theatre in Port Richmond, Staten Island, New York May 4-6, 1922.
Conclusion
May 6-8, ?, 1922 – Port Richmond (Staten Island) – Palace Theatre – Donna Darling & Boys in “As you Like It” – DDC-69.
Palace Theatre – Detroit, Michigan
The next two are the cover and inside of a program showing what is coming next week.
Key features:
- The venue is the Palace Theatre – Detroit, Michigan.
- The show is the “Donna Darling and her Bathing Girl Revue” and includes the “Comedy Life Guards”
- Also on the Program:
- Tom Brown Presents “Seven Gifted Chinese Musicians” With their Oriental Stringed Octette.
- Meredith and Miller in “Bring ‘em In”
- Harry Oliver and Ada Lee in “At the Stage Door” by Jimmy Barry
- Fayette and Co. “Spectacular and Comedy Illusions”
- Three Runseys in “An Athletic Surprise”
- Movie: Emil Jannings in “The Last Laugh”
- Date: Unknown (Next Week)
Analysis
Thanks to Genealogy Bank, I learned previously that Donna Darling’s Bathing Beauties played at the Palace Theatre in Detroit, Michigan on July 7th & 8tt, 1925. Clearly, this program is from that showing.
I find it interesting that, presumably, Tom Brown and his Saxophone Clowns (from the Chin Chin Days) morphed into a “Chinese Octette.”
The Bathing Beauty on the inside, “One of the Ten Hollywood Bathing Beauties” does not appear to be Donna. It is rare that Donna ever allowed any of the other women in the show to be displayed in advertising.
Conclusion
Add images to existing files I have regarding Donna playing at the Palace Theatre.
Palace Theatre – “Dolly Montrose”
Key features:
- The venue is the Palace – The Home of Supreme Vaudeville (Location unknown)
- The show of interest is “Dolly Montrose – Singing Comedienne”
- Also on the Program:
- Beyer & McNulty in their comedy hit “Hunting”
- Bill Browing—The Talkative Man
- ??? eley and La Rose—Some Team
- ??? Lone Star & Co. – Songs and Dances
- Movie: “Diamonds Adrift” starring Earl Williams
- Date: Unknown (Probably early 1921)
Analysis
This fragment is intriguing. The Big Vitagraph Feature is “Diamonds Adrift” starring Earl Williams which was released in January 1921. The clipping does not mention Donna but does portray a “Dolly Montrose – Singing Comedienne.” Donna occasionally used the name “Dolly” in her early career, but I’ve not seen “Montrose” ever used before. It may have been a typo, but I suspect something else.
Donna’s known career in early 1921 is lacking many venues. I suspect there was a week in February where Donna didn’t have any shows with her Bathing Beauties and wanted to keep working so she got a gig as a “Singing Comedienne” named Dolly Montrose. A name different enough to not be an embarrassment to her Bathing Beauties show.
Actions
Although my speculation may be right, unless I find corroborating information, I’m just going to just keep this clipping aside and see if something else comes to light.
