Vaudeville Showcase Vol. 2 Comic Sketches By :
RALPH BINGHAM - WALTER C. KELLY
VAUDEVILLE FAVORITES (REC 1915-1926)

TRANSFER MADE FROM RARE DISCS.

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This CD is dedicated to two great vaudeville artists Ralph Bingham and Walter C. Kelly.

Their major recorded output is preserved in this release.

Both artists were very popular in their time.
Their act consisted of each one telling stories or reenacting comic southern scenes or court room scenes on the vaudeville stage. There are many voices heard in the Bingham and Kelly discs.
Many characterizations of different dialects are represented.
What is amazing is that all voices heard on each side are that of either Ralph Bingham or Walter C. Kelly. 
So sit back and enjoy these early standup comedians of the vaudeville era.

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Ralph Bingham was a vaudeville performer, but also did stand-up comedy all over the world.  Active for over 40 years in the early 1920's.
He did well over seven thousand performances in his career, was twice President of the International Lyceum Association, elected Life President of the International Lyceum Stunt Club
He only missed two performances in twenty years, was a member of the Lambs Club in New York, and was a member of the Pen and Pencil Club in Philadelphia.
He was called America's Foremost Platform Humorist.
He first toured under the management of his father across the U.S. and Canada.
He was also the author of several short plays, and a contributor to humorous articles in magazines and newspapers.

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Walter C. Kelly, The Virginia Judge, as he was billed for most of his three decades in vaudeville, was a consistent audience favorite and Kelly remained a headliner for a quarter of a century.
He invariably wore a large black coat and spoke standing behind a rostrum and enacted all the parts in his monologue.
He patterned his characterization after several judges in Virginia that he had witnessed dispensing summary sentencing to the African Americans who were hauled before the bench.
Unfortunately, Kelly was racist, and, instead of sympathizing with the poor, undereducated defendants who were unrepresented by counsel, Kelly was charmed with the wit and courtroom technique of these Virginia judges playing to the galleries.

A master of dialects, his monologues were fast-paced dialogues between the defendants and the Judge: “Tell me, Jim, how old are you?” “I’se jest twenty-fo’, Jedge.” “Well, Jim, you will be just twenty-five when you get out.”
Walter C. Kelly was regarded as the wayward elder son of the ambitious Irish immigrant family that came to be known as the Philadelphia Kellys.
His younger brothers included the playwright, George E. Kelly, Olympic athlete John B. Kelly and several successful businessmen.
Film star Grace Kelly was his niece.
 

SIDE A

SELECTIONS 1- 8 : PERFORMED BY RALPH BINGHAM

1- MRS. RASTUS AT THE TELEPHONE  

2-JESTS FROM GEORGIA

3-MY POSSUM HUNT

4-THE BOY IN THE BLEACHERS

5-HOME RUN'S BILL DEFENSE

6-THE HOLD-UP AT BUCK RUN

7-MRS. RASTUS JOHNSON AT THE WEDDING

8-GOLDSTEIN BEHIND THE BARS

SIDE B

SELECTIONS 1-2: PERFORMED BY RALPH BINGHAM

1-BROTHER JONES ' SERMON

2-MRS. RASTUS JOHNSON'S JOYRIDE

SELECTIONS 3-10: PERFORMED BY WALTER C. KELLY

3-VIRGINIAN JUDGE - 1ST SESSION

4-VIRGINIAN JUDGE - 1ST SESSION

5-VIRGINIAN JUDGE - 3RD SESSION

6-VIRGINIAN JUDGE - 3RD SESSION  

7-DARKY STORIES

8-IRISH STORIES

9-VIRGINIAN JUDGE - 5TH SESSION

10-VIRGINIAN JUDGE - 5TH SESSION