Original Listing Description

eBay This is a rare program (magazine) from the week of September 13th, 1930 for the vaudeville bill at the historic RKO - KEITH PALACE THEATRE in New York City featuring ETHEL MERMAN on the front cover (a full month before she would make her Broadway debut) ..... The Palace Theatre, located at 1564 Broadway (at 47th) in midtown Manhattan opened March 24th, 1913 and attained legendary status among vaudeville performers as the flagship of the monopolistic Keith-Albee organization, and the most desired booking in the country. To "Play the Palace" meant that an entertainer had reached the pinnacle of his vaudeville career. Performer Jack Haley wrote: Only a vaudevillian who has trod its stage can really tell you about it ... only a performer can describe the anxieties, the joys, the anticipation, and the exultation of a week's engagement at the Palace. The walk through the iron gate on 47th Street through the courtyard to the stage door, was the cum laude walk to a show business diploma. A feeling of ecstasy came with the knowledge that this was the Palace, the epitome of the more than 15,000 vaudeville theaters in America, and the realization that you have been selected to play it. Of all the thousands upon thousands of vaudeville performers in the business, you are there. This was a dream fulfilled; this was the pinnacle of variety success. (Wikipedia) ..... Headlining the current bill were TED HEALY (original member of "The Three Stooges") and ETHEL MERMAN (who would make her Broadway debut in the George and Ira Gershwin musical comedy "GIRL CRAZY" on October 14th, 1930 at New York's Alvin Theatre. Others on the current bill included JACK WILSON, JOE KEPPEL and BETTY KNOX "Dancing Entertainers"; CARLTON EMMY and his Mad Wags; America's Prima Ballerina HARRIET HOCTOR, Dance Star of "The Three Musketeers", "Show Girl" and "Simple Simon" with Nelson Snow and Charles Columbus with Blues arrangements by DUKE ELLINGTON; Featured Comedians with Earl Carroll's "Sketch Book", THE THREE SAILORS, Bert Jason, Bob Robson and Harry Blue in "Right" and GUS VAN (formerly Van and Schenck) in Character Song Studies. ETHEL MERMAN appeared with her pianist Al Siegal in "Modern Songs in Modern Style" and TED HEALY and his Racketeers offered "A Revue in the Healy Manner" ..... DETAILS: The twenty page program measures 7" X 10" inches and includes beautiful cover graphics, production credits, list of entertainers, bios of several of the entertainers and wonderful vintage advertising but with the exception of the front cover, no photos or bios ..... CONDITION: With the exception of light creasing and minor edge wear, this rare program is in excellent condition and will make a wonderful addition to the collection of any musical theatre aficionado or historian. This item will be carefully packaged in a protective, carded sleeve and backed by stiff cardboard.

Note: This item has been sold and is no longer available. This page serves as a historical price reference for Playbill collectors and appraisers.