John B. Ratto

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PHOTO COPYRIGHT 1914 MOFFETT STUDIO
JOHN B. RATTO
Redpath



John B. Ratto
MR. RATTO'S performances are full of action and life with not a dull moment.  They consist of types of characters one meets in the average American community which makes them more vitally interesting than if idealized to present some literary masterpiece.

Mr. Ratto's programs are miscellaneous; each number naturally and logically follows the preceding one, making a panorama of associated characters.  He presents his characters in make-up, penciling in full view of the audience, telling an appropriate story the while.  Penciling finished, he turns to the table mirror, adjusts his wig and faces about to surprise you with the accuracy of a character different in appearance, speech and actions, with a personality all his own.

Aside from original characterizations, where Mr. Ratto himself fits the character to the words, only those selections are used that can be presented by natural characters in a genuine way, making the impersonation not only artistic but entertaining.



Two Thousand Engagements
THE Redpath Bureau heartily endorses Mr. Ratto as one of the most consistent successes ever on their list.  This statement is based on eight years business, and the booking of approximately two thousand engagements.  He has always been a faithful worker for the committees, never failing to help either by word or action the success of a cause.

Supplementary to his appearances on the Lyceum platform, Mr. Ratto never allows an opportunity to pass when he can use his talents to bring joy to the unfortunates in the various institutions of the




John B. Ratto
country.  He has given his services to sanitariums, hospitals, penitentiaries and asylums.  In many of these institutions he has a standing arrangement to come whenever he can and always have an audience waiting.

Mr. Ratto ranks as one of the Lyceums standard attractions, a place won by genuine ability and faithful work, and he justly deserves the respect and esteem in which he is held by his co-workers.



Return Dates 20% of His Bookings
IT has always been Mr. Ratto's custom, when approached regarding return engagements, to suggest another artist in the same line of work.  To communities where he has appeared who care to consider him for returns, the bureau heartily recommends him, not only as presenting an excellent program, but as an unusually good drawing card in door sales.

Nearly 20% of Mr. Ratto's bookings are returns.  In the following places he has appeared from three to six times each.


BELOIT, KAN.
DAVID CITY, NEB.
FINDLAY, OHIO.
FT. COLLINS, COLO.
HANNIBAL, MO.
KITTANNING, PA.
MARYSVILLE, MO.
MADISON, S. D.
MONT EAGLE, TENN.
PETERSBURG, ILL.
PLATTEVILLE, WIS.
ST. LOUIS (Y. M. C. A.) MO.
SIOUX FALLS, S. D.
WINONA LAKE, IND.

On the Chautauquas where he has appeared, the people never seem to tire of his programs.  He goes back to the same places in new programs year after year.



The diversified and unique advertising on Mr. Ratto's work creates an interest that gives it a drawing power equal to a concert company.





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It's a hard ting to part vit your best frients.


Ye mi crow aboot h'it h'all ye loike — but A now w'ot A'm talkin' aboot.


Tango-in' may be all right—but say, was yuh ever to a hoe-down?

The John B. Ratto Company of Eminent Artists

Music is a gr-r-ran' ting; but Oi bet thir-r-ty-foive cints whire iver this mon Wagner is, they got 'im in a cage.



A Christian clergvman should condemn the game of football; but I've a boy that plays to-day.



Tr-r-ree years in scollage, an' de most off it iss in de books yet.



Judge, gimme a chance to prove to yuh what A'm sayin' is true.



Tima Flanagan sava my Antonetta fromma da fire; an' I tol' you, mistro, if he maka da run for President he getta my vote.



Jist as we went through the tunnel Bill yells 'I've lost my eyesight.'



What's this?  Major Nolan died on board the U. S. Gunboat Levant.




Character Photos by Waters, Chicago




JOHN B. RATTO
Comments of Newspapers and Committeemen:

Not To Be Surpassed

The best entertainment the University of Mississippi and the people of Oxford have had in many a year was that given by John B. Ratto at the University Chapel.  As an impersonator the University and Oxford hold that Mr. Ratto is not to be surpassed.  He carried his audience from screams of laughter to the silence of sadness, and those who failed to hear him rightly feel they missed a great treat.
THE LAFAYETTE COUNTY (MISS.) PRESS



Memories Will Live

Long after other attractions are forgotten and their memories have passed away the name of Ratto and his work will live in the memory of those who heard him Monday night.  From the introduction of Ratto's German Politician to the closing number of the Old Minister there was not a dull moment in the whole performance.  His farmer selection was a scream and his Irish Judge was an uproar.  He was above his press notices and everything he did, he did perfectly and showed the artist above the slap-stick comedian.
THE BELLE PLAIN (KANS.) NEWS



Impersonations Cleverly Done

In John B. Ratto the people forgot it was a one-man show and it really could not be called that for his impersonations of so many different people were so cleverly done the audience was being continually introduced to new people.  He went from one nation to another quite as rapidly as the magic carpet of Bagdad.
THE ATCHISON (KANS.) DAILY CHAMPION



Not a Dull Moment

The M. E. church auditorium was filled to listen to John B. Ratto, impersonator.  His company of artists, imaginary, were impersonated perfectly; his rapid changes of costume and facial expressions were done with smoothness and grace.  There was not a dull moment.  The audience was turned from bursts of laughter in the comedy scenes to solemnity in the court scene and sentencing of the old gray haired man, all of which were impersonated and acted out true to life by Mr. Ratto.  Mr. Ratto is an artist in his line.
OLEAN (N. Y.) EVE. HERALD



Too Good To Criticise

Ratto was too good to criticise.  He kept his audience tightly bound to his every move and held them in the thrall of attention.  He kept laughter flowing frequently and an occasional eruption of Ratto into a community is like a tonic.  He met all expectations and so many good things were said of him in the advance press work that the anticipation was high but he met it.  His press agent, the only one in a generation, did not exaggerate the truth.
THE MARTINEZ (CAL.) STANDARD



Versatility Remarkable

The library board saved the best attraction until the last.  Mr. Ratto, advertised as an impersonator, proved himself an artist—an artist as an actor and an interpreter of character, and his versatility is remarkable.  Without going into the program it may be said that few entertainments have pleased an audience so well in Hutchinson as did this.
THE HUTCHINSON (MINN.) LEADER



Audience More Than Pleased

One of the most novel and entertaining numbers of any lyceum course that has appeared in the city was that given by John B. Ratto, known as the one-man show.  Mr. Ratto's program was miscellaneous, each number naturally following the preceding one, and made a grand panorama of associated characters.  He presented his characters in make-up, penciling before the audience, telling an appropriate story during the time of penciling, adjusting his wig and changing his appearance in general.  Each character portrayal was a distinct personality with speech and actions to correspond to the make-up.  The audience was more than pleased and his program seemed all too short.
THE PORTLAND (IND.) COMMERCIAL REVIEW



Personality Delightful

To say that Mr. Ratto pleased his audience last night with his wonderful character sketches is expressing it mildly, in fact, extravagant language should be used, for the entertainment he gives is super-excellent.  His impersonations are very true, pulling at the heart strings one minute and the next causing an explosion of mirth.  Withal Mr. Ratto's personality is delightful and he impresses his audience with his sincerity as well as his art.
NEVADA (MO.) DAILY MAIL



An Unqualified Success

A program of an exceedingly pleasing and entertaining nature was that given by John B. Ratto, at the Y. M. C. A. auditorium last evening.  It was one of the numbers of the Star Course and drew an audience that very nearly filled the auditorium.
As an entertainer Mr. Ratto is an unqualified success.

PIQUA (OHIO) DAILY CALL



Power To Carry An Audience

John B. Ratto was a fine success, seen from any and every point of view.  The audience was as large as the church could hold, and the entertainment itself came fully up to the artist's reputation in excellence of presentation.  Mr. Ratto's vocabulary is wide, his diction fine, his enunciation clear and distinct, while in his impersonations he readily adapts himself to the speech, style and appearance of his subject.  His power to quickly carry his audience at will from merriment to pathos is great.
BELLEFONTE (PA.) DEMOCRAT



Wholesome View of Amusing Characters

John B. Ratto, impersonator, fulfilled all promises of his talent as an entertainer and gave the audience, which filled the Armory last evening so much of humor and such a wholesome view of the amusing characteristics of all nationalities, that they enjoyed the evening from the start, and with each succeeding number added to the warmth of their appreciative laughter and applause.
The German in his remarkable political speech, the Kipling type of English character, the immovable type of Scandinavian, the impetuous Irishman, the negro, the Italian, were all alike impersonated in a manner not to suggest ridicule but just the amusing side of the characters and dialects from the American standpoint.

ROCKFORD (ILL.) MORNING STAR



Fulfilled All Expectations

John B. Ratto fulfilled all the expectations of local people.  The house was one of the largest lecture course houses known in Washington, and all enjoyed the entertainment to the top notch.
Mr. Ratto impersonated a great variety of types, and did them all to perfection.

WASHINGTON (IA.) EVENING STAR



An Ideal Platformist
D. D. DUKES, Findley, O.

Well, the expected has happened.  Ratto bombarded the old town Tuesday night for the second time and we all surrendered after the opening gun was fired.  We are all his.

In my opinion his program is just right.  Attack it from any angle and you will find no weak spots.  Ratto has all the qualifications of an ideal plaformist.



Captivated All
H. G. LAURANCE, Winona College of Liberal Arts.

Your impersonator, Mr. John B. Ratto, completely captivated us all.  He is undoubtedly the King of Impersonators, and he truly received a royal welcome at Winona.  He is the kind of a man that makes your Bureau stand for something in the Chautauqua world.  There was artistry and high educational value in the impersonations, and we cannot say enough about him in the way of praise and tribute.



A True Artist
H. J. MARTIN, Gen'l. Sec. Y. M. C. A., Piqua, O.

Voluntarily and without even a suggestion from Ratto, I am writing to tell you how thoroughly delighted our people were with his entertainment last night.  He is unquestionably the best character impersonator we have ever seen.  He is a true artist in his line and extravagant expressions of praise of his work were heard on all sides at the close of the entertainment.



Satisfaction in the Fullest
BASIL E. NEWTON, Hope, Ark.

Mr. Ratto gave satisfaction in the fullest.  He has been praised by people until I am tired of hearing them.  He could come to Hope and command a very much larger audience than he had to hear him.  In fact, the people are demanding that we secure him for the next course.



A Master Stroke
JAMES PICKERING, Lancaster, O.

I desire to say that John B. Ratto made a master stroke here last Friday evening.  The audience was very cordial in applause and went away delighted.  I never received more expression of appreciation and praise of the work of any lecturer or concert company, than came to me from many of our best patrons concerning John B. Ratto.  We took in 79.70 for reserved seats.  This was the largest amount ever received for a lecturer or entertainer since the course started.



Held Audience Spellbound
LUTHER E. PROFFER, Unionville, Mo.

Mr. Ratto opened our lecture course this evening and held his audience spellbound throughout the evening.  To say we appreciated him is putting it mildly.  I'd go again tomorrow evening to hear his impersonations of the preacher at the football game and the old farmer who visits his son in town.  Every one of his representations received generous applause.  He's a diamond of the first water.  We will hope that all of our numbers may be as popular.



REDPATH LYCEUM BUREAU