Gilbert AtLee Eldredge

              Pathetic Dramatic Humorous Sentimental
Gilbert AtLee Eldredge
Costumed Character Sketches
And Impersonations
MR. ELDREDGE presents a wide¬ly varied, artistic, and popular rep¬ertoire of cos¬tumed interpre¬tations of a high order, changing quickly from hu¬morous to pathetic, and from dramatic to sentimental repre¬sentations. It is our privilege and pleasure to announce to our patrons that Mr. Eldredge stands today one of the most practically certain attractions on the platform. During the last thirteen years he has filled more than twenty-five hundred en¬gagements. Mr. Eldredge is in line with the tendency of his time, and is ever on the alert to meet the demands of the public for generous, clean, and thor¬oughly satisfying amusements. His line of work reaches all classes, from those who like the subtle humor of good old "David Harum" to the tragedy of "Julius Caesar." We commend him to our patrons with that degree of confidence by which we hope to increase and hold the larger share of Lyceum business.— The Management.
For eight years Mr. Eldredge was managed by the American Lyceum Union of Rochester, N. Y., and its associate bureaus. After Mr. Eldredge had contracted with another agency in 1909 he received the following letter from Mr. S. B. Hershey, then President of the Union, dated January   13,   1910:
"Yes, I received word only yesterday that you had arranged to go with another bureau. You have not indi¬cated what the other bureau is, should be glad to know into whose hands you are falling or what bureau we are to congratulate on getting so good an attraction. You have been with us a long time and our relations have been entirely pleasant from start to finish, and I am sure all
the managers, while regretting your going from us   send with you their heartiest benedictions."
In a letter of January 18, 1910, Mr. Hershey writes as follows:
"If any kindly word from me, to your future mana¬gers, will be of any service to you, you can write out what you think would serve your interests and I will sign it. You have been square and prompt in all of your business connections, and your work has surely been satisfactory or you would not have been retained all these years by us. Command me when I can serve you.                          Yours very truly,
S. B. HERSHEY."
The Lyceum Magazine, Septem¬ber, 1912, has this to say of Mr. Eldredge:
*'Gilbert A. Eldredge has round¬ed out ten years on the platform and hasn't missed a date. Perhaps he is the only man in the lyceum with such a record, and he has filled over two thousand engagements. Per¬haps it has been sheer good luck, perhaps scientific routing, but the fact that he was eight seasons with the American Lyceum Union has no 'perhaps.' He stayed because he could and did deliver the goods in parcels just as ordered, and the goods were right. Mr. Eldredge is an impersonator with a repertoire that runs the gamut of grave and gay. He gives many of his imper¬sonations in costume. His work is of a high order, and he grows in popularity, so that there are many towns where he is wanted year after year. The story of his work runs over thirty-nine different states, al¬ways a kind word and boost for Eldredge, and add that he is one of the most genial gentlemen in the whole lyceum roster."
Mr. Eldredge has been booked by the Rice Bureau of Nashville, Tenn., for his southern engagements dur¬ing the past ten seasons, longer than any other attraction on the Rice list. A letter from the management of re¬cent date, says:
"You always make good in our territory. We can always book you, and have found you to be so reason¬able and considerate, that it is a pleasure for us to do business with you."
Mr. Eldredge was billed in a certain Illinois city, not long ago. It was on this occasion that a little girl, who was selling tickets for the entertainment, approached a prominent banker, and said:
"Don't you want to buy a ticket?"
"A ticket for what?" said the banker.
"Oh, for the show. Didn't you know that Mr. Eldredge the evaporator is coming?"
It is hardly necessary to say that the banker pur¬chased a ticket.
In a certain Kansas town the little daughter of the superintendent of schools was a wideawake, attentive listener, during Mr. Eldredge's entertainment. Mr. Eldredge gave a scene from "The Merchant of Venice," as one number, beginning "Three thousand ducats," etc. The next morning the little girl's father heard her saying: "Five hundred ducats five hundred ducats." He cor¬rected her by saying: "It isn't five hundred ducats, but three thousand ducats." The little girl replied: "Yes, papa, you have the words all right, but you haven't got the tune."                   -------
In a Texas town not many miles from San Antonio Mr. Eldredge appeared on the Lyceum course. A prominent literary woman managed the course. Dur¬ing the evening Mr. Eldredge gave a scene from "The Merchant of Venice" where the character of Shylock is made prominent. After the entertainment the lady manager complimented Mr. Eldredge on his success, and stated that of all the numbers given she most enjoyed his "Sherlock Holmes" from "The Merchant of Venus."
For many seasons Mr. Eldredge has been one of "The Antrim Bureau'* attractions, and as such closed many of the season's courses each year. Mr. Clarence Supplee, who for over twenty-five years has been connected with this old reliable Philadelphia bureau as its foremost representative, was with Mr. Eldredge during many of his engagements, and in nearly every instance, at the conclusion of Mr. Eldredge's program, succeeded in booking a course for the following year. A poor closing number on a course of entertainments would ruin all future bureau pros¬pects. That Eldredge "made good" as well as the other attractions is evident.
Many nice things have been said of Mr. Eldredge in his home city, Crawfordsville, Indiana (the "Hoosier Athens"). The Daily Journal has this to say, in one of its publications:
"In this progressive twentieth century it requires unusual ability for one man unassisted to entertain a cultured and critical audience, and there are very few men who can do it successfully. Mr. Eldredge is one of the few. There is no question but what he 'makes good' or he would have been 'retired' long ago. He has stood the test and has achieved many triumphs and many a person would with Mr. Eldredge's record have a 'swelled head,' but the almost universal commendation of his work does not seem to affect him in that way for he is always the same genial Gilbert bubbling over with enthusiasm and good cheer. Crawfordsville is proud to claim Mr. Eldredge as a citizen."
One of Mr. Eldredge's most popular impersonations is that of an old-time bombastic preacher, exhorting his flock from the text, "Old Mother Hubbard went to the cupboard," etc. The picture presented is especially enjoyed by clergymen, who can "behold the beam in their brother's eye." At the conclusion of an entertainment, while in conversation with a minister who was expressing himself regarding the program—referring particularly to the "sermon"—the minister turned to his little daughter, who was listen¬ing to the conversation, and said:
"How did you like Mr. Eldredge's sermon?"
"Oh, I like it all right," was the reply.
"Was his preaching anything like your papa's?"  asked the  minister.
"Oh, yes, papa he was just like you, only you're worse. If you'd only preach like that, papa, you'd have bigger crowds than you do."
In a certain Southern city Mr. Eldredge appeared under the auspices of "The Academy." He was invited to the platform, by the president, where sat a number of the faculty. The president came forward and said, "If the 'congregation' will please stand, we will be led in prayer by Brother
-----------."     Brother ----------- offered a prayer of considerable length, in
which he introduced the "lecturer of the evening" and prayed fervently that the "lecture" might be helpful and that nothing might be said to offend, etc. Mr. Eldredge falteringly informed the "congregation" that it had been misinformed, in the supplication, as to the nature of the evening's program that he was not there to "lecture" but to give a program of impersonations and costume character sketches. Mr. Eldredge commenced his program by giving his "Model Sermon" and at the conclusion "there was not a sound broke the dead silence of despair." Mr. Eldredge with some mis¬givings proceeded with his program and finally the audience "caught on" and he evidently "made good," for the president remarked, after the enter¬tainment, "Your program was all right, but had we known what was com¬ing, the prayer would have been omitted,"
Gilbert At Lee Eldredge
Costumed Character Sketches and Impersonations
Gilbert At Lee Eldredge-Impersonator
Press Notices
ATLANTA, GA. (Dr. Len G. Broughton, formerly Pastor Baptist Tabernacle, now of London, Eng.) : "My Dear Mr. Eldredge: The fact that you have ap¬peared here for three consecutive seasons upon our lecture course shows the estimate our people place up¬on you. We always await your date with pleasurable anticipation, and have never been disappointed. So long as our Tabernacle Lyceum Course lasts we hope you will continue to be a frequent visitor, since your talent is greatly appreciated in this section."
ST. LOUIS, MO. (Geo. T. Coxhead, General Secretary Y. M. C. A.) : "Mr. Gilbert A. Eldredge is in the city this week filling his engagements with our three branches, and last night I had the pleasure of hearing him at our Central Branch and I desire to say that it was one of the best entertainments we have had for a long time and I know of no entertainer who has given more general satisfaction to our people for years than did Mr. Eldredge last evening. We shall hope to have him on our course again."
BEATRICE (NEBR.) EXPRESS: "Every number was vigorously applauded. No one who has ever appeared on the Beatrice platform can compete with him as an impersonator. A friend off the stage, and a genius be¬fore the public."
OSHKOSH (Wise.) NORTHWESTERN: "One of the particularly noticeable and satisfactory features was that the characters were fresh and interesting, not appearing artificial."
ARLINGTON S. D. (N. K. Hopkins, Secretary Lyceum Course) : "With the temperature at zero and a fifty mile gale blowing out doors, Gilbert A. E dredge filled his date here last night and kept the temperature near the boiling point in doors for about two hours. From first to last he kept the audience quiet as mice or con¬vulsed with laughter and his program was varied enough so that every one there was satisfied. Hope our next number will be as good but it will have to go some."
HUNTINGTON (W. VA.) ADVERTISER: "Charmed his audience. Was the last number on the Marshall Col¬lege Course and proved as interesting as any other in the whole schedule."
WINONA LAKE (IND.) ASSEMBLY REVIEW: "Takes his audience by storm. His program showed the great¬est versatility and as an impersonator, he must stand among the very highest, he was enjoyed universally and appreciated to the utmost. Good impersonators are rare, and we do not value them lightly. We hope we may have the very great pleasure of hearing Mr. Eldredge again."
DUBLIN (GA.) COURIER-DISPATCH: "His work is first class in every particular. He never fails to score a hit with every character he undertakes to imper¬sonate, and he greatly pleased the audience."
SHOSHONE (IDA.) JOURNAL: "Pleased every one who was fortunate enough to be present. His rendition of David Harum was alone worth the price of admission."