The Extra Turn

SUMMARY
Camera is positioned as if in the audience of a vaudeville show. A man and two women, all in evening clothes, are seated in a theater box to the left of a stage with curtains and a painted backdrop of trees. A young woman in a white dress, identified by a sign as "Dolly Lightfoot," performs a simple dance with leg kicks. The audience in the box applaud as she finishes, takes a curtsy, and exits. When they continue to clap, the dancer returns for an encore bow, and the man in the box throws her a bouquet of flowers. After she again exits, a man comes on the stage and changes the sign to "Extra," indicating an extra "turn" or act. A man in evening dress and holding sheet music takes the stage, and begins to sing with broad gestures. The trio in the box grumble and angrily gesture at the stage, then they throw their fans and hats at the oblivious singer and cover their ears. More hats and other objects are thrown by the off-camera audience, until one succeeds in knocking down the vocalist. He runs off stage, but quickly returns with an umbrella and continues to sing undaunted, even when the man in the box throws his seat cushion. Finally, two stagehands enter and drag and push the offending singer off stage, to the relief of the theater patrons.

From Edison films catalog: This scene opens with a view of a stage setting and private box. After Miss Dolly Lightfoot has finished a clever dance, a card is placed upon the stage announcing an extra turn. An Italian vocalist appears and starts to sing. He is received with a shower of missiles, to which he pays no attention, until he is finally floored. He rushes from the stage and reappears with an umbrella for protection. He defiantly continues to sing. Two stage hands rush from the wings, seize him, and drag him from the stage. Length 90 feet. Class B. $10.80.
CREATED/PUBLISHED
United States: Edison Manufacturing Co., 1903.


NOTES
Copyright: Thomas A. Edison; 3Oct1903; H36496.

Filmed in Edison's New York City studio.

SUBJECTS
Vaudeville--United States--Drama.
Theater audiences--United States--Drama.
Singers--United States--Drama.
Women dancers--United States--Drama.
Silent films.
Comedies.
Vaudeville.
Shorts.

RELATED NAMES
Porter, Edwin S., camera.
Thomas A. Edison, Inc.
Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress)

DIGITAL ID
(m) varsmp http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r...)