Category: Donna Darling Revue

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.

———— DISCLAIMER ————

Donna Darling Collection – Part 57

The Orpheum and the Majestic

Treasure Chest Thursday
By Don Taylor

For this week’s Treasure Chest Tuesday, I’m looking at a page from the Donna Darling Collection that includes two clippings.

“Leon The Great” Pleases Orpheum

The mystery act of “Leon the Great,” advertised as the headline stunt on the bill current at the Orpheum, went over with a bang, but is forced to share honors with Primrose Semon and the Donna Darling revue.

The former is the snappiest and hardest working redhead to appear here in several months. Shad had a stock of clever songs and with her partner got across some original quips.

Donna’s singing, two comely toe dancers, and a comedian who was actually funny at times constitute the Donna Darling revue.

Stone and Leever get some good stuff across, but should get together with the comedian in Donna’s revue and flip coins for a couple of comic songs that both acts use.

“Leon the Great” is mysterious enough….

Analysis

This clipping comes without any date or location information.

  • Donna played the Orpheum in Clinton, IA on December 9th thru the 11th, 1926.
  • Donna Played the Orpheum in Des Moines on 2nd thru the 5th of January 1927.
  • Donna had a return engagement to the Orpheum in Clinton, IA on January 16th thru 19th, 1927.

According to the advertisement[1], Donna played at the Orpheum in Des Moines with The Great Leon, Miss Primrose Seamon, Stone & Leever, and Hartley and Patterson on January 2nd 1927. I have been unable to find any ads or articles for Donna in Clinton (either date) so far. However, it is unlikely that the same 5 acts played in both Des Moines and Clinton. As such, I’m confident this article relates to Donna’s show in Des Moines.

Majestic Theatre Program

MAJESTIC
THEATRE

IOWA’S FINEST
AND SAFEST
PLAY-HOUSE

Program
Season 1926-1927
Program (Continued)

DONNA DARLING REVUE

—With—
Sammy Clark
Assisted by Hal Dixon & Co.
A Super Song Revue—A Dazzling dance fantasy—A Novel
Comedy Oddity in Five Scenes

Analysis

Handwritten on the clipping are the words “Dubuque Iowa.” From previous work I know that Donna performed the Donna Darling Review at the Majestic Theater in Dubuque, Iowa from December 12th through December 15th. I wrote about some other clippings from that show in the Donna Darling Collection #55. I added DDC-57 to the listing for that show.

Conclusion

December 12-15, 1926 – Dubuque, IA – Majestic Theatre – Donna Darling Revue – Newspaper Archive – DDC-55, DDC-57.

ENDNOTES

[1] “1 Jan 1927, 8 – Des Moines Tribune At Newspapers.Com”. 2019. Newspapers.Com. Accessed October 24 2019. https://www.newspapers.com/image/324007959/?terms=%22Donna%2BDarling%2BRevue%22.

Donna Darling Collection – Part 55

Majestic Theatre

Treasure Chest Thursday
By Don Taylor

Photo of Don Taylor with cat Nasi.For this week’s Treasure Chest Tuesday, I’m looking at a page from the Donna Darling Collection. There were three images on this page. One an ad and two short articles all relating to playing at the Majestic Theatre, Dubuque, Iowa.

The advertising has a handwritten note which says, very faintly, “Dec 12 to 15 – Dubuque, Iowa.” This is consistent with a Newspaper Archive article I found previously, in the Dubuque Telegraph Herald dated 12 Dec 1926, Page 18[i].  The clipping  shows that the Majestic Theatre was part of the “Western Vaudeville Managers Association.” The ad also indicates that the show was “starting today for 4 days.”

The first article reads:

MAJESTIC

A well poised revue with originality in every detail down to the fantastic stage settings, is the headline stage attraction on the Majestic’s new bill which opened Sunday. The Donna Darling Revue, with a five-person cast including the irrepressible Sammy Clark, is one of the best review acts to visit Dubuque this season. It is a wholesome, if ludicrous combination of song, dance and laughter.

The second article reads:

DARLING AND CLARK AT MAJESTIC TODAY

Popular Comedian And Singer And Their Assistances To Present Song And Dance Revu.

Donna Darling and Sammy Clark, well known and popular wherever vaudeville is liked, head the bill opening at the Majestic today and continuing through the rest of the week. They are assisted by Barring and Lazur and Hal Dixon, and they will present a comedy, song and dance revu. Miss Darling formerly headed her own revu and for years was a singer in music comedy. She will provide the songs, some of the dancing and Clark will furnish the fun. He is widely known as a comedian and his work is said to rank with the best of them. Their assistants are singers and dancers. The act is well staged and comes highly recommended.

Key features:

  • The venue is the Majestic Theatre. The theater was part of the “Western Vaudeville Managers Association.”
  • The show is the “DONNA DARLING REVUE With Sammy Clark assisted by Hal Dixon and Company.
  • Also on the bill:
    • Jack Sparling and Herm Rose in “The Coming Champion”
    • The Geralds in Musical Gypsies” and Their Mandolino.
    • “Spangles,” a 1926 Universal release starring Marion Nixon and Pat O’Malley.[ii]

Conclusion

December 12-15, 1926 – Dubuque, IA – Majestic Theatre – Donna Darling Revue – Newspaper Archive – DDC-55 Continue reading “Donna Darling Collection – Part 55”

Donna Darling Collection – Part 49

La Crosse, Great Falls, & Baby Russell

Treasure Chest Thursday
By Don Taylor

For this week’s Treasure Chest Tuesday, I’m looking at page “DSCN1452” from the Donna Darling Collection, which consists of two newspaper clippings and one photograph.

Donna Darling Revue at the Majestic Theater.

The first clipping is an ad for

VAUDEVILLE
A Dazzling Dance Fantasy.
“THE DONNA DARLING REVUE”
in 5—Scenes—5
With Donna Darling, Sammy Clark and three stars.
In a super song and dance revue with a dash of comedy.

Luckily, Donna wrote on the upper left corner, “La Cross | Dec 4-5.” From Newspaper Archive, I had previously learned that Donna had played at the Majestic Theater in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, on December 4 & 5, 1926.

The second clipping is a bit more problematic. It has a nice photo of Donna and says:

Donna began doing the “Donna Darling Review” with Sammy in April 1926, so the show must have taken place after then. The problem is that the two of them played:

  • The Grand Theater in Great Falls, Montana on Nov 26-27, 1926.
  • The Grand Theater in Macon, Georgia, on March 14-18, 1927.
  • The Grand Theater in Montgomery, Alabama, on April 1-3, 1927.
  • Plus, I have many open dates that she could have played at a “Grand Theater.”

For the clipping in question, other acts on the bill include:

  • Princess Winona.
  • Zehn and Dreis in “Dementus Americanos Habitat North America.”
  • Billy Curtis and Lou Lawrence in “Is That the Custom.”
  • Morell and Elynor (roller skating)
  • The Reginald Denny picture “Rolling Home.”
  • Luckily this bill was short-lived, only about two months. At every showing there was a different picture show. On November 26 & 27, the bill of these vaudeville acts played at the Grand Theater in Great Falls Montana along with the picture “Rolling Home.”  I am confident that this clipping comes from this date and place.
Donna & Russell ca. 1929.

Finally, there is a new photograph of Donna with Russell. Russell appears, to me, to be about two years old. Russell was born in 1927, so I’m fairly sure that the photo come from 1929 or so. This is a case where I wish I knew how to fix photos with Photoshop. I’d love to pluck out the white and have a nicer photo.

Can anyone help?