Category: Donna Darling Revue

Donna Darling Collection – Part 68

Four Orpheum Theaters

Treasure Chest Thursday,
By Don Taylor

For this week’s Treasure Chest Tuesday, I’m looking at ten clippings from seven different pages. Nine of them relate to the Orpheum Theaters in various locations. But first, there was a “Donna Darling Review” trade advertisement. It clearly was a clipping from a magazine. It didn’t provide anything about a theater. It gives the title of their show and who the director was.

DONNA DARLING Revue.
With SAMMY CLARK
A Novel Revue in Five Scenes

Entitled

FROM HEAVEN – TO HADES
Singing—Komedy—Dancing

Direction: Lew Holleb
Lew Goldberg Office, Chicago

I think I can use this ad as a graphic for the entire show period.

Racine

Next, there were two clippings of “California Motion Picture Bathing Beauties” featuring Donna Darling. The theater is the “Orpheum-Racine’s Play House Deluxe” and the date is Thanksgiving Day. Thanksgiving was the November 27th in 1924. I had already determined that Donna played at the Racine Orpheum theatre on Nov 27, 28, & 29, so I am able to add the date to these two clippings.

Des Moines

There are three clippings that show another Orpheum theater. They are identified as under “Direction of Alexander Frank.” Alexander Frank provided direction to several theaters in Iowa during the 1920s. One of those theaters was in Des Moines. I had already established that Donna played the Des Moines Orpheum on January 2nd to the 5th, 1927; so, I’m sure this show is the show the clippings are related to.

Tulsa & Oklahoma City

The last three items include an Orpheum Theater Program. There is no date nor location with it. However, another clipping shows the Orpheum theater with the same acts also on the bill and had hand-written on it “Tulsa Okla.” Also, is a short ad showing the Donna Darling Revue “this W’k, Orpheum, Tulsa & Oklahoma City, Okla.”

Donna played the Orpheum Theater in Oklahoma City on December 9, 1923 and the Orpheum in Tulsa on December 13-14, 1923. At first I thought this venue must have been one of these two. Further research on line found acts different from the ones in the clippings played on those dates. Finally, a search for “Sie Tehar Troup” found they played in Oklahoma City with the “Darling Revue” starting Thursday, 12 August 1926. It is possible the same group played in Tulsa sometime in August 1926, however, I have not been able to find any papers for that time period and location, yet.

Conclusion

November 27-29, 1924 – Racine, Wisconsin – Orpheum – Bathing Beauties with Donna Darling. Newspapers.com – DDC-68

January 2-5, 1927 – Des Moines, IA – Orpheum – Donna Darling Revue – Newspapers.com – Archives.Com – DCC-68 

Two New Venues Discovered:

August 12, 1926 – Oklahoma City, OK – Orpheum Theater. Newspapers.com

August ??, 1926 – Tulsa, OK – Orpheum – Darling Revue – DDC-68

Donna Darling Collection – Part 66

Rivoli Theatre – Portland, Oregon

Treasure Chest Thursday
By Don Taylor

For this week’s Treasure Chest Tuesday, I’m looking at two clippings from the Donna Darling Collection that relate to the Rivoli Theatre in Portland, Oregon.

From previous research, thanks to Genealogy Bank, I had learned that The Donna Darling Review with Sammy Clark played at the Rivoli Theatre in Portland from November 6th through the 8th. The Playbill is always great to see.

Next was a clipping “Donna Darling Revue Crest of Rivoli Bill,” which appears to be an advertising article. It reads, in part:

“Sammy Clark, the “anesthetic dancer,” with the Donna Darling Revue, is the brightest spot on the Rivoli bill this week. Sammy is one of those untamed spirits who dance for the pure joy of expression. His costume, a cloud of pink unmentionables, is peculiarly fit for his wild spirit.

“Donna Darling herself is a pretty miss with a nice voice for ballads. The rest of the company consists of an excellent pair of dancers and a whistling comedian. It is a clever act, and well staged.”

Conclusion

November 6-8, 1926 – The Donna Darling Revue with Sammy Clark played at the Rivoli Theatre in Portland, Oregon.

Donna Darling Collection – Part 62

Mission Court Theater, Fullerton, CA &
Yost Broadway Theater, Santa Ana, CA

Vaudeville
Donna Montran
Treasure Chest Thursday
Donna Darling Music Review
Donna Darling Revue with Sammy Clark

Photo of Don Taylor with cat Nasi.
By Don Taylor

For this week’s Treasure Chest Tuesday, I’m looking at a page from the Donna Darling Collection. Scan #1437 consists of three clippings. One clipping is generic and doesn’t include the theater name. The other two are the Mission Court Theater and the Yost Broadway.

Mission Court Theater

Clipping - Mission Court Theater - Vaudeville - Donna Darling
Clipping – Mission Court Theater – Vaudeville – Donna Darling Collection

The Donna Darling Music Review played at the Mission Court Theater, Fullerton, Cal., on one Thursday night. Donna’s show was in Northern California in the early part of June and made it to San Bernardino, CA, by June 28th. It is possible that she played in Fullerton on Thursday, June 26th, however, it is more likely she played in Fullerton on Thursday, July 3rd. Donna played in Whittier on June 30th and in Santa Ana on July 5th, so playing her playing at a theatre between those to venues on July 3rd, makes sense. As such, I’ve added the following venue to Donna’s Career Listing.

July 3, 1924 – (Probable) – Fullerton, CA – Mission Court Theater – Donna Darling Music Revue – DDC-62

Key features:

  • The venue is the Mission Court Theater, Fullerton, CA. She headlined the five acts at the theater that night.

Yost Broadway Theater

Clipping - Yost Broadway - Donna Darling Revue
Clipping – Yost Broadway – Donna Darling Revue – 8 October 1926

The second clipping has “Oct 8-9 Santa Ana” written above the clipping in the scrapbook. That coincides with articles found at Newspapers.Com which indicated that Donna and Sammy played at the Yost Broadway Theater on October 7-9.

October 7-9, 1926 – Santa Ana – Yost Broadway Theater – Donna Darling Revue – Newspaper Archives. Newspapers.com – DDC-62.

Key features:

  • The venue is the Yost Broadway Theater, Santa Ana, CA. She headlined the five live acts at the theater.
  • With Donna were:
    • Zuhn and Dreis “Nuts”
    • Morrell and Elynor “Beauty and Grace”
    • Princess Winona “Indian Prima Donna”
    • Curtis and Lawrence “Customs”
  • Movie: The Campus Flirt starring Bebe Daniels.

Donna in the News – Sweet Voice at the Orpheum

Vaudeville
Donna Darling Revue

“Donna in the News” is my reporting of newly found newspaper articles and advertising regarding my grandmother, Madonna Montran (aka Donna Montran and aka Donna Darling). I am always excited when I find a new venue of my grandmother’s exciting show business career of the 1910s and 1920s. 

This week article and advertising are from the Tulsa Tribune (Tulsa, OK) newspaper dated December 14, 1923 (Page 14)

Article

Theaters

Theater: Broadway Orpheum. Vaudeville and Photoplay

… Donna Darling, the headliner, with a pair of snappy young dancers, presented a delightful musical comedy medley. The Darling’s voice was sweet and the setting and costuming of the act rich and beautiful. The soft show dancing of her partners and Darling’s singing were quite pleasing….

Advertising

Advertising on the same page showed that Donna’s show included Murry Earle, “Her Dancing Fool” and Tod Watson, “Her Beau Brummel[i].” Also on the bill with her were:

      • Burns & Lynn – Tunes, Tickles and Taps
      • Four Bellhops – Comedy Novelty
      • Williams & Clarke – “Happiness”
      • The Luster Bros. – In a Unique and Extraordinary Novelty

There were three vaudeville shows each day – 3, 7, and 9 p.m.

The article and advertising are available via Newspapers.com.

Because of those newly available online articles, I was able to add another venue for Donna’s show business career.

December 13-14, 1923 – Tulsa, Oklahoma – Broadway Orpheum – Donna Darling and Revue. 

Endnotes

[i] A “Beau Brummel” is a dandy and a “dandy” is a man who gives exaggerated attention to personal appearance. Source: “Beau Brummell.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Beau%20Brummell.  Accessed 22 December 2019.

 

Donna Darling Collection – Part 58

Orpheum Theatre – (August?) 1925 – Donna Darling’s Revue

Treasure Chest Thursday
By Don Taylor

For this week’s Treasure Chest Thursday, I’m looking at a clipping from the Donna Darling Collection. I only found an ad and not an associated article.

display ad for Donna Darling's Review playing at the Orpheum TheatreOrpheum Theatre
Vaudeville Tonight | Friday | Saturday

Donna Darling’s Revue

See Dance of “Evolution” | The Charleston” | A Fast Colorful | Dancing Revue | Pretty Girls

PLENTY OF SINGING AND DANCING

Key features:

  • The venue is the Orpheum Theatre. There is no mention of date or location.
  • The show is “Donna Darling’s Revue.”
  • Also on bill
    • Meyers & Nolan – Comedy-Singing – The man with lots of avoirdupois
    • Tom Calloway – Comedian – In a Specialty Act | Full of Fun
    • Constance Talmadge in “Her Sister From Paris” on the Screen Tonight and Friday.

Analysis

The silent movie, “Her Sister from Paris” starring Constance Talmadge was released on August 2, 1925[i]. That fact is the only item that provides a potential date.

I searched at length[ii] for Donna playing at an Orpheum theater with Meyers & Nolan without success.

The known schedule that I have for Donna includes virtually no known venues for August 1925. She played in Buffalo, NY from July 27th to August 2nd. She also played in Oklahoma City from September 6th through the 9th. So, her playing at an Orpheum Theatre could be almost anywhere. (Cinematreasures.org indicates there are some 335 Orpheum Theaters in the United States.

Conclusion

(Probably August)  1925 – Unknown Location – Orpheum Theatre – Donna Darling’s Review (on stage with Meyers & Nolan and Tom Calloway). I’ll need to wait until more newspapers are digitized to determine when and where Donna played the Orpheum Theatre.

Endnotes:

[i] “List Of First National Pictures Films”. 2019. En.Wikipedia.Org. Accessed December 3 2019. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_First_N

[ii] My typical search of this type includes Newspapers.Com, Genealogy Bank, Newspaper Archives, Elephind, Don’t List, and Fulton Postcards.

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