Gimmick (1921)

[James A. Landau]

In a message dated 8/26/02 9:04:20 PM Eastern Daylight Time, Bapopik at AOL.COM
writes:

>   15 May 1921, NEW YORK TIMES, pg. 71:
>     _With a Bow to Mr. Edison_
>  Being a Possible Questionnaire for Submission to Applicants for the
Position
>  of Assistant Stage Doorman.
>  1.  What is an Annie Oakley?

a free pass.  The term is due to a legend that Annie Oakley would put bullet
holes through tickets.

>  2.  What is a three-sheet?  A herald?  A throw-away?  A stand?

I'm not sure, but I think these are types of stage scenery.  A three-sheet
would be something that folds up twice to form a flat package for carrying.

>  3.  What is an eight-week buy?
>  4.  Who invented motion pictures?  Why?

Eadweard Muybridge, for his studies of how animals move.  The legend is that
Leland Stanford Sr. (of Central Pacific/Southern Pacific Railroad fame, and
who founded Stanford University in memory of his son) bet someone that a
horse while running gets all four feet off the ground, and had Muybridge set
up a series of cameras with shutters tripped by a running horse.  The part
about the bet may be a myth, but Muybridge definitely did take such pictures,
and showed that a running horse does indeed get all four feet off the ground,
but with the front feet pointing back and the rear feet pointing forward.
Until Muybridge's time it was the convention to paint running horses with the
front feet off the ground pointing forward and the rear feet off the ground
pointing back (as if the horse were jumping an obstacle).

>  5.  What is a baby spot?  A flood?  A gelatine?

Varieties of spotlights.  A gelatine (nowadays called a "gel") is the filter
that goes over a spotlight to produce a colored light.  Back in the days when
gels were made of gelatine rather than plastic, a common practical joke was
to tell a newcomer "This gel is dirty.  Could you please wash it off?"

>  6.  What is the difference between hokum and jazbo?  Jazbo and gravy?
Gravy
>  and hokum?
>  7.  What is opening cold?
>  8.  What is L. U. E.?
>  9.  At what curtain call does David Belasco appear on opening nights?
>  10.  What is a shillaber?
>  11.  What is a local?
>  12.  What is a grip?

According to MWCD10, a stagehand.

>  13.  What is a hoofer?

A dancer, or maybe a male dancer.

>  14.  What is playing in one?
>  15.  What is a bloomer?
>  16.  What is a centre-door fancy?
>  17.  What time do 10 o'clock rehearsals start?
>  18.  What is o.p.?
>  19.  What is a healthy bend?
>  20.  What is a wow?
>  21.  What is a Southern U.T.C.?
>  22.  What is a side?
>  23.  What is a tormentor?

"Teasers" and "tormentors" are the curtains which frame the top and sides of
the playing area.  The "tormentor" is the curtain at the side that prevents
the audience from seeing into the wings.  Also called "borders" and "legs".

>  24.  What is doubling in brass?

I am tempted to say it is an actor temporarily joining the theater orchestra,
but that's a guess.

>  25.  What material are motion-picture stars made of?
>  26.  What is hard stuff?  Soft stuff?
>  27.  What is a daub?
>  28.  What is winging a part?
>  29.  What is tripping a drop?
>  30.  What is a dope sheet?  A swindle sheet?
>  31.  What is a joey?  A musgrove?
>  32.  What are clearers?  Juicemen?
>  33.  What is the starflop?  A startrap?  A vampire trap?  A gimmick?
>  34.  What is a grummet box?
>  35.  Who has the key to the curtain?
>
>  (Unfortunately, the answers aren't provided...WHAT TIME _DO_ 10 O'CLOCK
>  REHEARSALS START?--ed.)