Press Clippings for the week ending
Saturday, 6 July 2002

A random selection of cuttings
from newspapers and magazines

* * * * * * * * The Flying Leonis at the Holborn Amphitheatre, London, 1871 ‘The "Flying Leonis" at the Holborn Amphitheatre are a great success. In addition to the various feats with which the public are familiar, as being common to a double performance on the fixed lofty trapèze, one of the acrobats hangs on to the bar of the trapèze by his bended legs, whilst his confrère takes a flying leap from the extreme end of the building, and is cleverly caught by his hands, after throwing somersaults and executing other twists and twirls of the body, which in technical language are termed "pirouettes." A strong elastic net suspended under the brothers removes all fears which might otherwise be entertained for their safety. It is a most daring performance, and invariably elicits repeated bursts of applause from the startled spectators.’ (The Days’ Doings, London, Saturday, 18 November 1871, p.266c) * * * * * * * * Recordings of Ragtime songs reviewed, London, 1912 ‘Irving Berlin, who rose to fame and fortune within a few months, is one of the most popular musical men in America, and it is to him we are indebted for that new element known as "rag-time." Rag-time to many does not commend itself, but on the other hand it has its admirers in legion. One of the most captivating rag-time numbers yet heard is That Mysterious Rag, by Berlin and Snyder, and sung on [Columbia-Rena 10 inch] disc no.1902 by Messrs Collins and Campbell, as a baritone-tenor duet. The tune is extremely catchy. A suitable encore will serve in the selection of the reverse - more rag-time - The Chanticleer Rag - a comic coon song, full of the most amusing absurdities. The chicken effects savour of the hen-roost. The song is entertainingly sung by Collins and Harlan, which speaks much in its favour.’ (The Talking Machine News, London, May 1912, p.289a)

Maud Branscombe
(photo: Sarony, New York, circa 1880)

Maud Branscombe remembered, 1910 ‘Did you ever hear of a professional beauty who was not beautiful at all? Quite impossible you will say. Yet the impossible happened in the case of Maude [sic] Branscombe, in her time the most widely photographed woman in the world. The photographs did it. They pictured a feminine face so close to ideality as to arouse what amounted to marvel. Further, they carried the impression that their subject was a tall and commanding figure. ‘But when Maude Branscombe ultimately appeared before us in the flesh, along in the early [eighteen] eighties, we learned that if the camera does not commit perjury outright it is at least capable of a little exaggeration. The Maude Branscombe of real life was a frail, diminutive, colorless little woman, with a fine profile and that was all. The photographs had taken us in, "kidded" us, led us around by the ear, wire-tapped up, sold us green goods, handed us an auriferous brick that was not really gold.’ (Vanity Fair, New York, January 1910)

Julia James
(photo: Rita Martin, London, circa 1916)

Julia James in The Arcadians, Paris, 1913 ‘Miss Julia James will be the only English actress appearing in the French version of The Arcadians when it is produced shortly at the Olympia in Paris. She will play the part of Eileen Kavanagh [created by Phyllis Dare, Shaftesbury Theatre, London, 28 April 1909], the sprightly Irish colleen, and M. Max Dearly, well known to London audiences, is the principal comedian. ‘Although Miss James is a good French linguist, and has frequently visited Paris, she has yet to make her debut as an actress in the French capital.’ (The Evening News, London, Saturday, 15 February 1913, p.4a)

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© John Culme, 2002