"Tommy" and "Shepherd of the Hills"
Traveling Vaudeville Troupe / 1928
The following is a transcript of the program's text:
| Concert: The Massey Five | Concert: The Massey Five Address: Joshua Lee |
| Entertainment: Maurine Wallace Everett Kemp |
Drama-Comedy: "Tommy" |
| Concert: Betty Booth Concert Co. | Concert: Betty Booth Concert Co. Address: "From Peace Pipe to War Path" - Strongheart |
| Concert: Jaffy's Orchestra | Concert: Jaffy's Orchestra Address: "The Value of a Man" - H.L. Fogleman |
| Entertainment: Brown-Meneley Mary Holdrege |
Drama: "The Shepherd of the Hills" |
| Concert: Eight Lovely Singers (Program for Children) |
The Golden Ensemble: "A Gypsy Caravan" |
"Tommy"
by Howard Lindsay and Bertrand Robinson
What would you do if you were really in love with a yound fellow and your family persisted in reminding you what a wonder he was? What would you do if there was another man? How far would your patience carry you, and, when you found out had selected the wrong road to travel, what would you do about it?
You will find the answer to all these questions in "Tommy."
"Tommy" is a page from everyday American life, the story of twp everyday young Americans and it is told with an appreciation for laughter and a sense of drama that is well out of the ordinary. The story deals with "Tommy," of course, Marie Thurber, Thurber family, and Bernard -- to say nothing of Uncle Dave, who finally engineers the combination out of their manifold difficulties and brings about a happy ending.
The Thurbers all like Tommy. He is the sort of clean, natural youngster who brings presents to Mother and Father, does the right thing and withal is distinctly human. But Marie gets tired of having Tommy thrown up in her face -- a gloriously human reaction -- and turns to Bernard, who is more of your modern youth. Here comes the crush in the love story. Uncle Dave Tuttle sees the way things are going. He loves Marie and Tommy and wants them both to be happy, so he takes a hand in the situation and the result of his efforts form a large part of the balance of this joyous entertainment.
"Tommy" is the kind of play anyone can take anyone to. It is a breath of clean, happy air; a glimpse into the life of almost any American family with a daughter of the marriageable age. You will recognize and love every character of this great comedy, and you will catalogue "Tommy" as one of the most delightful plays you have ever attended.
Brown-Meneley
Carl Brown and Glen Meneley, those two versatile young men who waft you away on musical wings into a world of breath-taking entertainment. Vocal duets and solos, cathedral chimes, piano solos, readings, numbers in costumes, humor to make everyone forget their troubles, good music to delight those who appreciate it, tuneful songs for those who do not enjoy a song unless it has a catchy melody, and character sketches always please.
Mr. Brown and Mr. Meneley have "teamed" for years. They know what real entertainment is, and they never fail to give it.
Everett Kemp
Another afternoon with Everett Kemp! What could be more welcome? Mr. Kemp is famous for such monologues as "The Man With the Bone Colored Whiskers," "That Printer of Udell's," "Thank You,"
"Seven Oaks," and other literary gems. Mr. Kemp will be assisted by Miss Maurine Wallace.
This notable musical company occupies a place of outstanding popularity in the concert field. Its long and successful record gives it remendous prestige.
In 1927 the company took a year's absence from the concert field for the purpose of studying and renewing its program material.
Betty Booth, gifted mezzo-soprano and pianist who is the head of the company, spent the year in EUrope traveling and studying in the leading music centers. While abroad she purchased a
great variety of beautiful and colorful costumes typical of Sweden, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Sicily and other European nations. These she will use in her concert work this season. Miss
Booth is a native of Vienna and appeared for 2 years with the imperial Vienna Opera Company. She has a striking and gracious stage presence and vivid histionic ability, as well as a
spendid voice.
Hugo Brandt, Polish pianist with the Betty Brandt Concert Company, also studdied in Europe during 1927.
Maurine Wallace
Demure, dainty dramatic artist. Received Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from Horner Conservatory. A. B. Degree from Oklahoma University. Member Theta Alpha Phi Dramatic
Fraternity. A charming young lady who will win your heart and hand instantly.
"The Shepherd of the Hills"
A particular sentimental interest centers about Harold Bell Wright's famous novel, "The Shepherd of the HIlls," a dramatization of which has been brought to the Premier Attraction list.
A story more typically American could hardly be imagined. The scenes are laid in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri, a region which may be said to have been discovered by Mr. Wright, as it was little known to the
average person, beyond those in the immediate vicinity, before the advent of "The Shepherd of the Hills" in story form. It has since become a national vacation ground through the popularity it attained from the
15,000,000 readers of the Wright story. A casual visit to this particularly unknown country showed the author its possibilities, and he remained to write a story of the every day life in that section.
The story is now read in every land.
This play has a distinct appeal to those who have read the book, inasmuch as it is a reincarnation on the stage of the lovable characters that the famous author created in his literary gem. "Preachin' Bill,"
that quaint old mountaineer philosopher; "Sammy Lane," the lady love of the entire community; "Wash Gibbs," the moonshine villian; "Ollie Stewart," the weakling heir; "Young Matt," the herculean lover of Sammy Lane;
the "Shepherd," who wishes to atone for the sins of his boy -- those and all the other principal characters of the book, including "Little Pete," "Old Matt" and "Aunt Mollie"
are brought to life on the stage in this revival of one of the world's greatest novels.
The management promises a cast of unusual talent -- a cast that lives, rather than acts,
the various roles.
Here, then, is a glorious unfoldment of the tale of the Ozark Hills -- a tale of tender love and happy sacrifice -- brought to you in all its beauty -- enhanced by actors of first rank.
Assisting Mr. Brown and Mr. Meneley. An entertainer of note, a young lady of great personal charm. She hails from the Oazark Hills, and gives true characterizations of the Hill people.
Horner Institute - Kansa City University Kansas City, Missouri; Charles F. Horner, Preseident
Where Madame Schumann-Heink Is Teaching Her First Master Class. / $150,000.00 dormitory now being erected -- open in September.
Thirty-five hundred students enrolled last season.
Finest Symphony Orchestra and Grand Opera Department in the middle west.
Corps of nationally and internationally known teachers in all branches of music, dramatic and kindred arts.
Fall term opens Monday, Sept. 3 / Address Registrar for Catalog
The Massey Five performed old-time fiddle breakdowns to “storms of applause” and “shouts of joy”.
Louise Massey and the Westerners. Stars in the 1930s on WLS radio's (Chicago) "National Barn Dance" which presented rural music and humor. Louise Massey
(1902-1983) grew up in her father's band, the Massey Five. When the elder Massey retired in 1930, Louise, her husband Milt, and her brothers Curt and Allen added
Larry Wellington to the act, changed their name to the Westerners.
Victoria Louise Massey, 10 August 1902, Hart County, Texas, USA, d. 20 June 1983, San Angelo, Texas, USA. The Massey family relocated first to Midland and then to
the K Bar Ranch, near Roswell, Lincoln County, New Mexico, to an area still influenced by the legacy of Billy the Kid. They became a very popular vocal and instrumental family
band of the 30s and 40s and one of the first to adopt elaborate cowboy outfits as their stage attire. The band originally comprised Henry "Dad" Massey and three of his eight
children, namely Louise and brothers Curt (b. 3 May 1910, d. 20 October 1991) and Allen (b. 12 December 1907, Texas, USA, d. 3 March 1983, Texas, USA). "Dad" taught his children
to play various instruments, although Curt usually played fiddle, but in later years, he also played trumpet and piano. When Louise was 15, she married Milton Mabie (b. 1900,
d. 1973) who then became the fifth member of the group.
The Massey Five's career began in the 20s, when they played and sang at local shows and church socials. This led to a two-year tour of the USA and Canada, as well as a radio
show on KMBC Kansas City. In 1930, "Dad" retired to his ranch and a Californian, accordionist Larry Wellington, replaced him. In 1933, they became regulars on the
National Barn Dance on WLS Chicago, before moving to New York in 1935, where they featured on the NBC-networked Show Boat , and the following year, they gained their
own networked Log Cabin Dude Ranch on NBC-WJZ. They had, by this time, first become the Westerners but when Louise, with her flamboyant Spanish-style costumes, became
more and more the focal point of the act, she received lead billing. They made popular personal appearances over a wide area and even returned to WLS to star on Plantation
Party and other shows. In 1938, they made a film appearance in Tex Ritter's Monogram B-western Where The Buffalo Roam .
They recorded for several labels including Vocalion, OKeh and Conqueror and are best remembered for their fine version of "My Adobe Haçienda". Louise wrote the song, based
on a house that she and Milt were building in 1941. She needed the music properly transcribed for publication before it could be used on NBC and this was done by a
family friend, Lee Penny. He had no professional connection with the band or with the writing of the song but Louise credited him as co-writer for his work. After
the group disbanded in the late 40s, Curt became the musical director and theme songwriter for the television shows Beverly Hillbillies and Petticoat Junction (which he actually sang).
Only recording: Louise Massey & The Westerners / Columbia 1952
OTHER NOTES ON: Joshua Lee
Lecturer Joshua Lee was hailed as “another William Jennings Bryan.”
OTHER NOTES ON: Chief Nippo Strongheart
Chief Strongheart, a Yakima Indian, urged support of a bill that would aid the
200 Alabama Indians living in a swamp near Livingston, TX. This tribe came at
the request of General Sam Houston to aid in the fight for Texas Independence in 1836.
By 1930, Chief Strongheart was a well-known research director in Hollywood for Native American scenes in movies.
Betty Booth Concert Co.
by Harold Bell Wright
Mary Holderege
OTHER NOTES ON: The Massey Five
(Waxahachie Daily Light 6/18/1928)
(Library of American Broadcasting)
(Encyclopedia of Popular Music )
(Waxahachie Daily Light 6/21/1928)
(Waxahachie Daily Light 6/21/1928)
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