Show Farmers Farmer's Son Fath Father Of Vaudeville In 1883 1583 Benjamin Franklin Frankl n Keith a farmers farmer s son from Mass who had drifted int Into the cIrcus circus cir cIr- cir cir- cus cuB business arr In Boston Hoston with a few dollars In his pocket and decided to become a a showman on his own hook says Walter PrIchard Eaton In McClures McClure's magazine maga maga- zine He rented a vacant store for tor which he paid 1 a. a a a. day got a a. pall pail and mop and scrubbed it with his own hands handa and then opened it as a II museum with Baby Alice weight li IA pounds and a Barnum mermaid as his attractions He lie prospered In Ina ina I a a. small way took a man named Batcheller In as silent partner added added add add- ed a second room with v a stage t on hs which performances e could be given n nIn In 1884 Keith christened his performances performances performances per per- vaudeville to get getaway away from the stigma attached to variety van vari vari variety ety show and made every effort to keep his little museum clean dean and decent In 1885 1886 he originated the Idea of ot a continuous performance from 10 to 10 in order to get more people Ah we well when the churches discover they cant can't successfully compete with the theatre perhaps perhaps perhaps per per- haps they will try religion Ion again Baltimore Evening Sun |