Hal Merton: magician, ventriloquist, entertainer

              Hal Merton
Magician
Ventriloquist
Entertainer
ASSOCIATE MEMBER AMERICAN LYCEUM UNION
S. B. Hershey Pres't & Gen't Mgr.
ROCHESTER, N. Y.

Direction of
The Central Lyceum Bureau
of Columbus, Ohio H. P. HARRISON, General Manager



HAL MERTON

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To Committees desiring a popular entertainment of the highest class; a strong attraction that will draw and please in every sense of the word, one in which skill and humor and refinement are pre-eminent, we take pleasure in presenting an original Medley of Mysteries by Hal Merton, Magician, Ventriloquist and Entertainer, whose superb and marvelous feats in the art of deception have never failed to charm and fascinate his audience.  During the past four seasons Mr. Merton has achieved a most enviable reputation upon the leading Courses of the East, and it is not too much to say that in the presentation of feats depending entirely upon personal dexterity and address, Mr. Merton has no superior upon the Lyceum platform to-day.  Special attention is called to the fact that the wonderful and apparently impossible effects are produced entirely without the aid of apparatus.  Years of study and constant practice have developed the wonderful skill that has won for him the title, Master of Magic.  A most attractive feature of the entertainment is the flow of humorous remarks accompanying each experiment, amazement and amusement alternately seeking expression in successive bursts of laughter and applause, testifying to the appreciation of a delighted audience.  He may well be termed a popular conjurer, for he is just serious enough for the thoughtful, humorous enough for the laughter-loving, refined enough for the fashionable, and mysterious enough to please old and young alike.  By an easy graceful manner and pleasant conversational ways of presenting the problems to the audience, he wins at once their confidence and regard, and it is to this method of working that much of his success is due.



SYNOPSIS:
Upon a brilliantly lighted platform, with arms bared to the elbows, Mr. Merton will demonstrate to the satisfaction of all that it is not only possible for an article to be in two places at the same time, but that it is equally possible that it may be nowhere at all.  Solid articles, eggs, billiard balls, flowers and handkerchiefs appear at his finger tips and having served to amuse, vanish as mysteriously as they came, reappearing at command in the most unexpected places; a borrowed hat plays a most important part in the evolutions of a tumbler, ladies' rings develop most astonishing powers, a gentleman's watch figures in a series of startling surprises, silver bands become endowed with more than life and many of the most puzzling demonstrations of the Hindoo necromancers are duplicated for the first time upon the Lyceum platform.  The Bouquet of Mystical Novelties concludes with a series of laughable feats in the pleasing and ever popular art of ventriloquism in which the famous blockhead Joe will take a most important part.




ENTERTAINER
Specimen Programs

THE REALM OF THE IMPOSSIBLE

CARNIVAL OF THE COLORS
THE BEWITCHED BOUQUET
DREAM OF MONTE CHRISTO
CHARMED CANOPY
RICE MIRACLE OF THE YOGI
BIRTH OF THE BLOSSOMS
FLIGHT OF TIME
CRYSTAL CONE
RAINBOW TUBE
MYSTERIOUS NUMBER
GHOST OF THE GOBLET
INTERNATIONAL CURRENCY



A TRIP TO WONDERLAND

MATERIALIZATION
ENCHANTED HANDKERCHIEF
COMEDY OF ERRORS
MERLIN'S WAND
DEMON'S KITCHEN
INVISIBLE MESSAGE
FEAST OF FLOWERS
MESMERIC RING
THE HINDOO SPELL
THE SPIRIT BELL
TRANSPARENT ENIGMA
DISSOLVING SPHERES
VENTRILOQUISM



Mr. Merton will select from the above those feats which experience shows will accord most thoroughly with the surroundings.




A Few Comments—Press and Personal

In the vaudeville first part, Hal Merton, magician and entertainer, fairly startled the audience with remarkably clever feats in magic and spiritualistic tricks.—
New York World.


The entertainment was furnished by well-known performers, among whom was Hal Merton, a very clever magician.—
Brooklyn Times.

Hartford, Conn., Y. M. C. A.—Trust to have you with us again some day.—Noel H. Jacks, Sec'y.

Scranton, Pa., Y. M. C. A.—We have you on the list of men we shall want again.—Geo. G. Mahy, Sec'y.

Lewisburg, W. Va.—Delightfully entertaining and most amusingly mystifying.

Danville, Va.—The committee is to be congratulated upon its choice of so clever an entertainer.

Glens Falls, N. Y., Y. M. C. A.—We hope to have you again some day.—Frank C. Atwood, Sec'y.

Buffalo, N. Y.—His skillful fingers and nimble tongue charmed away a most delightful evening.

Harrisburg, Pa., Y. M. C. A.—Refer to me for a strong endorsement at any time.—Homer Black, Sec'y.


Washington, N. J.—Scored a most decided success.—
Washington Star.

New Britain, Conn., Y. M. C. A.—We shall want to book you again.—Fred D. Fagg, Sec'y.

Baltimore, Md.—An artistic entertainment, presented very cleverly.

Allentown, Pa.—We can assure you a hearty reception on your return visit here.—Chase, Sec'y.


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HAL MERTON
In the belief that the demand for an attraction is in itself the strongest possible proof of merit, we submit a few of the recent engagements filled by Mr. Merton.  In many instances he has appeared two or more times before the same organization.


Shamokin, Pa., Christian Endeavor Union
Selins Grove, Pa., Susquehanna University
Huntington, Pa., State Reformatory
Jamesburg, N. J., State Reformatory
Allentown, Pa., Y. M. C. A.
Orange, N. J., Y. M. C. A.
Norristown, Pa., Y. M. C. A.
Port Richmond, S. I., Y. M. C. A.
Harrisburg, Pa., Y. M. C. A.
Mauch Chunch, Pa., Y. M. C. A.
Summit, N. J., Y. M. C. A.
Newark, N. J., Y. M. C. A.
Elmira, N. Y., R.R. Y. M. C. A.
Bridgeport, Conn., Y. M. C. A.
Holyoke, Mass., Y. M. C. A.
Auburn, N. Y., Y. M. C. A.
Baltimore, Md., Y. W. C. A.
New York City Y. W. C. A.
Jersey City, N. J., Y. W. C. A.
Hampton, Va., Soldiers' Home
Bath, N. Y., Soldiers' Home
Port Henry, N. Y., K. of M.
Hinton, W. Va., B. P. O. E.
Rutherford, N. J., Loyal Ass'n
Greenpoint, L. I., F. & A. M.
Salamanca, N. Y., High School
Fulton, N. Y., High School
Seaford, Del., High School
Stamford, Conn., B. P. O. E.
Bound Brook, N. J., Jr.O.U.A.M.
Jamesport, L. I., Jr. O.U. A. M.
Florida, N. Y., Presbyterian Ch.
Luzerne, N. Y., Presbyterian Ch.
Oceanic, N. J., Presbyterian Ch.
Little Falls, N.Y. Presbyter'n Ch.
Englewood, N.J. Presbyter'n Ch.
Ft. Edward, N. Y., M. E. Church
Jermyn, Pa., M. E. Church
Newburg, N. Y., M. E. Church
Bridgeport, Conn., M. E. Church
Syracuse, N. Y., Inst Feeble Minded
Westfield, Mass., Congregational Church
Batchellerville, N. Y., Presbyterian Church
Cincinnatus, N. Y., County Fair
Carmel, N. Y., Drew Seminary
Danbury, Va., B. P. O. E.
Hoosick Falls, N. Y., Hoosack Club


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Green Island, N. Y., M. E. Church
Westhampton, L. I., Lecture Course
Sound Beach, Conn., Lecture Course
Washington, N. J., Lecture Course
Rochester, N. Y., State Insane Asylum
Philadelphia, Pa., Penn. Insane Asylum
New Canaan, Conn., Farmers' Grange
Lawrenceville, N. J., Prep. School
Watertown, N. Y., Y. M. C. A.
Fort Wadsworth, S.I.,Y. M.C. A.
Buffalo, N. Y., Y. M. C. A.
North Adams, Mass., Y. M.C. A.
Trenton, N. J., Y. M. C. A.
Scranton, Pa., Y. M. C. A.
Nyack, N. Y., Y. M. C. A.
Pittsfield, Mass., Y. M. C. A.
Utica, N. Y., Y. M. C. A.
N. Tonawanda, N.Y., Y. M.C.A.
Jamaica, L.I., R.R. Y. M. C. A.
Plainfield, N. J., Y. M. C. A.
Portville, N. Y., Lecture Course
Moscow, N. Y., Lecture Course
Argyle, N. Y., Lecture Course
Mt. Union, Pa., Lecture Course
Cornwall, N. Y., Lecture Course
Parsons, Pa., Lecture Course
Sayville, L. I., Lecture Course
Laquin, Pa., Lecture Course
Trevorton, Pa., Lecture Course
So. Kortright, N.Y., Lect. Course
Watsontown, Pa., Reformed Ch.
New Brunswick, N. J., Ref'd Ch.
Wallingford, Conn., Ref'd Ch.
Mohawk, N. Y., Reformed Ch.
Manhasset, L. I., Reformed Ch.
Tarrytown, N. Y., Reformed Ch.
Tuckahoe, N. Y., Cong'nl Church
Smyrna, N. Y., Cong'nl Church
Dalton, Mass., Cong'nl Church
Montclair, N. J., R. A.
Tottenville, S. I., R. A.
Long Branch, N. J., R. A.
Mt. Vernon, N. Y., R. A.
Jersey Shore, N. J., R. A.
Elizabethville, Pa., Lecture Course
Haverstraw, N. Y., K. of P.
Far Rockaway, N. Y., K. of P.



Management
The American Lyceum Union has made arrangements with Mr. Merton to take the exclusive contract of his business for a series of years.  Before doing so we looked up carefully his personality, as well as his ability as an entertainer, and are assured that we are introducing one who will give our patrons delightful service.

The above assurance has been confirmed by testimonials from 120 dates, whose uniform comment is in line with the following:


A delightful feature of the entertainment was the variety of the feats selected and the skill in presenting them.—
West Penn Press, Natrona, Pa.


An appreciative audience, an entertainment well qualified to please the most critical, it certainly was well worth seeing.—
Daily Hampshire Gazette, Northampton, Mass.


Y. M. C. A., Troy, N. Y.—Our people were very much pleased.  Refer to me at any time.—
H. P. Lansdale, Secretary.

CENTRAL PTG. & ENG. CO., ROCHESTER, N. Y.