1873 Buffalo Bill Combination News (Buffalo Bill Cody)

166

NIBLO'S GARDEN, NIBLO'S GARDEN. TUESDAY EVENING, April 1. Second Night of Ned Buntline's startling realism THE SCOUTS SF THE PRAIRIE, Introducing the ORIGINAL WESTERN HEROES, BUFFALO BILL TEXAS JACK, NED BUNTLINE, TWENTY INDIAN WARRIORS, THE PEERLESS DANSEUSE, MLLE. MORLACCHI ENTIRELY NEW SCENERY. WILLIAM VOEGTLIN. THE SCOUTS OP THE PRAIRIE, THE SCOUTS OF THE PRAIRIE THE SCOUTS OF THE PRAIRIE. Buffalo Bill, by the original bero.......Hon. W. F. Cody Texas Jack, by the original hero......J. B. Omohundro Cale Durg…………..........................Ned Buntline Dove Byo...........................................Mlle, Morlacchi SYNOPSIS-ACT 1 On the PlainsTrapper and the Scouts The Renegade's Camp-Peril of Hazel Eye. Ned Buntiine's Temperance Lecture. Cale Durg at the Torture Post. The Indian Dance-The Rescue. ACT 2 Texas Jack and his Lasso. The Loves of Buffalo Bill. The Death of Cale Durg. The Trapper's Last Shot. ACT 3. The Scout's Oath of Vengeance. The Scalp Dance-The Knife Fight. The Triumph of the Scouts The Prairie on Fire. The performance will commence with a new Farce, THE BROKEN BANK. MATINEES WEDNESDAY and SATURDAYS At 2 o’clock.

Last edit over 5 years ago by Whit

167

NIBLO'S GARDEN, NIBLO'S GARDEN

LAST WEEK OF

THE SCOUTS OF THE PRAIRIE,

introducing the

ORIGINAL WESTERN HEROES,

BUFFALO BILL, TEXAS JACK,

NED BUNTLINE,

TWENTY INDIAN WARRIORS.

THE SCOUTS OF THE PRAIRIE.

Buffalo Bill, by the original hero....... Hon. W. F. Cody Texas Jack, by the original hero........ J. B. Omohundro Cale Durg........................................ Ned Buntline Dove-Eye......................................... Mlle. Morlacchi

ACT 1. The Trapper and the Scouts. The Renegade's Camp - Peril of Hasel Eye. Ned Buntline's Temperance Lecture. Cale Durg at the Torture Post. The Indian Dance- The Rescue.

ACT 2. Texas Jack and his Lasso. The Love of Buffalo Bill. The Death of Cale Durg. The Trapper's Last Shot.

ACT 3. The Scout's Oath of Vengeance. The Scalp Dance - The Knife Fight. The Triumph of the Scouts. The Prairie of Fire.

The Performance commences with the roaring Farce, A KISS IN THE DARK.

MATINEES WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS AT 2, Monday evening, April 14, first appearance this season and first time at this theatre of the celebrated VOKES FAMILY whose engagement is positively limited to two weeks.

Last edit over 5 years ago by Landon Braun

168

SCOUTS OF THE PRAIRIE NIBLO's GARDEN A change of bill was made last night at Niblo's Garden. “Leo and Lotus” gave place to the "Scouts of the Prairie." Of the former the public, it appears, know enough; of the latter, few will know much, even alter repeated hearing. A great number of people assembled on the first representation to try the experiment. We are bound to say that the general sentiment was one of almost unbounded approval. Our implication, therefore, as to the intelligibility of the drama need not be construed so affecting its probable popularity. The "Scouts of the Prairie " was preceded by a farce, also said to be written by Mr. Ned Buntline," called "The Broken Bank." Mr. Buntline will, however, be best pleased by our confining our comments to the drama which made the staple of the night. The "Scouts of the Prairie" is then, made up largely of wars and the rumors of wars. The characters are always either fighting or getting ready to fight. Most of them seem to be shot down In the course of the action, and come miraculously to life again in the sequel, to the infinite satisfaction of the audience. The chief personages of this singular production are named and represented as follows:

SCOUTS OF THE PRAIRIE Buffalo Hill (By The Original Hero)...............Hon. W. F. Cody Texas Jack (By The Original Hero)................J. B. Omohundro Cal Durg……………………………………...Ned Buntline Mormon Ben………………………………....Harry Wentworth , Phelim O’laugherty……………………....Geo. C. Davenport Carl, Pretzel………………………………..Walter Fletcher . Hazel Eye……………………………………...Senorita Eloe Carfano

INDIANS Wolf Slayer…………………………………Shirley. H. France Big Eagle…………………………………Joseph J. Winter Little Bear…………………………………George. B. Beach

PAWNEE INDIANS

Ar-fi-a-ka ……Grassy Chief	Te-co-tie-pown......Big Elk
As-ge-tes ........Prairie Dog	Kit-kot-tons ........Great River
As-sin-an-wa....Water Chief	Ko-ku-su ...........Swamp Fox

We have to say of Hon. W. F. Cody that he exhibited, on his first appearance before a Metropolitan audience, a surprising degree of aplomb, notable ease of gesture and delivery, and a vocal power quite sufficient readily to fill a large theatre. His use of the revolver and rifle indicate extensive practice, and were vastly relished by the audience. In fact, the unmitigated bloodshed that ends every act and almost every scene of this unique composition, were so satisfactory to the public, that the management might be forgiven for hereafter assuming that the key to success must lie in the exhibition of cataracts of gore. Mr. Omohundro gained a fair share of the evening's applause, and, like Mr. Cody, evinces a remarkable case for what we suppose to be limited stage experience. The temperance lecture introduced by Mr. Ned Buntline in act second, it's calculated to do a great deal of good, and we hope it will. It shows marks of careful preparation, and honors both the experience and good intention of the writer. Senorita Eloe Carfano has much physical vigor, and is certainly more like what she undertakes to represent than nine women out of ten could manage to be. The Dove Bye of Mle. Morlacchi did not, so far as we can judre, fall short of expectation. On the whole, we have no hesitation in conscientiously affirming that to be appreciated. The "Scout of the Prairie" must, of [word?], be seen. It is only just to say that the representation was attended by torrent of what seemed thoroughly spontaneous applause; and that whatever faults close criticism may detoot, there is certain flavor of realism and of nationality about the play well calculated to gratify a general audience. "The Scouts of the Prairie," as interpreted by Meesrs. Cody, Omobundro, and Buntline, will be repeated until further notice; and we think we can safely promise whoever assists at it performance hearty enjoyment of a nature measured in the various instances by their own peculiar tastes and culture.

Last edit over 5 years ago by Landon Braun

169

THE DRAMA. NIBLO'S GARDEN - THE SCOUTS OF THE PRAIRIE. In Niblo's Garden, last night, an assemblage of about 4,000 persons beheld a spectacle which is mildly and feebly characterized as extraordinary. The occasion was that of the first performance in this city of a dramatic work called “The Scouts of the Prairie;" and, for our own poor part, it gave us wonder great as our delight to see this representation. What it gave to the audience, in general, conjecture struggles to determine. The multitude, which was rather a soarse one, hailed it with frequent noise, and seemed especially rejoiced at those portions wherein guns were shot off and gore was started. Those supreme moments occurred with sufficient frequency to keep the theater in a tumult, and, if that means success, the display was successful. To speak of it seriously is very difficult; to speak of it patiently is impossible. The play of “The Scouts of the Prairie '' is idiotic; the action that gave it illustration is tomfoolery: there was but one person of the stage- Mr. George C. Davenport - who possesses a particle of talent for acting, and the stuff allotted to his interpretation in mere folly. It is not a play. However, that this remarkable exhibition has been brought forward. It comes as a medium for the presentation of two persons - Mr. Cody and Mr. Omohundro, otherwise known as Buffalo Bull and Texas Jack - who are understood to have once been trappers, or hunters or something of that kind, on the prairies of the South West. These two young men movie about the stage with supple strides, and manifested strength; agility and good humor. They have, it appears, been blessed with fine physical constitutions, and, ad driver of the peaceful night omnibus we should say they might attain a lofty eminence. Mr. Cody, the Buffalo Bill, discharged pistols in a very liberal way and, at times, when surrounded with defunct Indians, and standing stalwart In a cloud of smoke and dust, through which the yelps of the supers sounded in hideous discord, he was sublime, The dramatic business in which he was engaged contemplated the rescue of a hunter from the outshops of a Mormons, and the incidental killing of all the savage willing gun-shot distance. Mr. Ned Buntline, the author of the conception, delivered some options on the use of liquor, which he said was injurious and had done a great deal of harm. A reference to Father Mathew rendered this ebullition quite thrilling, Mr., Buntline was several times captured and bound, but he's continued to preach, and he contrived to escape from bondage, the stake, and all perils else, till happily the end of the second net,-he was slain. Mr. Buntline seemed, in a vague, far-off way, to be aping the really, grand portraiture of Pathfinder, is Cooper's well-known novel. If he has any sense at all, which seems doubtful, this gentleman must be aware that his pretensions as a play - writer are ridiculous. The managers of Niblo's (Garden have produced his "realism" because they believe that it will pay-and so it with, if audacious nose use, so absolute as to be really magnificent, chances to produce upon the public mind the effect of novelty. They have put it upon the stage in carefully constructed attire and have advertised it with their customary skill. Mile Morlacchi, a peerless dancer, but very absurd as an actress, played an Indian girl, last night, and was laughed at, as she deserved to be, The Hon. Mr. Cody, called out at the end of the first act, made a short speech, full of boyish candor. To dwell upon details would be idle - since the whole subject is worse than trivial, and since those who are responsible for this [?] use of a beautiful stage and one of the most delightful theaters in the country may be grateful to see it in universal laughter.

Last edit over 5 years ago by Whit

170

AMUSEMENTS. NIBLO'S GARDEN--THE "SCOUTS OF THE PRAIRIE." Mr. Ned Buntline has now entered a field in which he can at least make money. He has written a play called the "Scouts of the Prairie," which has no more interest than the many stories of Western life which he has given to the world; but fortunately there are resources which the dramatist can command that are unknown to the novelist. Mr. Ned Buntline enacts a part in his play. It was this and the kindred fact that the somewhat famous Buffalo Bill would support, together with a band of real Indians, that drew an overwhelming audience last evening to Niblo's Garden, filling the gallery at least an hour before the curtain rose with the noisiest of urchins, and later filled the aisles and lobby with an eager crowd. The play, as may readily be imagined, is destitute of any literary or dramatic merit whatever. It scarcely coheres sufficiently to interest one in the story. It furnishes a series of traditional pictures in which the red men make bombastic speeches about the dew, the morning cloud, and the baseness of the white man. They have a strong desire to capture somebody, and consequently jump about and yell and fall upon a trapper called Cale Durg, who is no less a personage than Ned Buntline. They tie him to a tree and prepare to roast him. And at that moment Buffalo Bill and Texas Jack jump into the assemblage, kill pretty nearly everybody, and form a tableau. The rest of the play is a repetition of this business, varied by a few temperance lectures from Ned Buntline and a great deal of stale rhapsody from the female trapper Hazel Eye. As a drama it is very poor stuff. But as an exhibition of three remarkable men it is not without interest. The Hon. W. F. Cody (Buffalo Bill) enters into the spectacle with a curious grace and a certain characteristic charm that please the beholders. He is a remarkably handsome fellow on the stage, and the lithe, spring step, the round, uncultured voice, and utter absence of anything like stage art, won for him the good-will of an audience which was disposed to laugh at all that was intended to be pathetic and serious. [...ch?] of the same characteristic charm hung about Texas Jack, and the real Indians, it must be confessed, imparted a realistic individuality that it would be hard to attain by professional supers. To criticise the play would be impossible. The object has evidently been merely to afford these rough notables a few scenes in which to show their mode of fighting Indians, and this end is secured. None of them are actors. Least of all is Ned Buntline. His histrionism is even worse than his literature. But he has succeeded in getting a crammed house, which he and the management do not hesitate to say is better than doing a good thing. "The Scouts of the Prairie" will not only be played every night this week, but will be furnished on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons. [sentence?]

Last edit over 5 years ago by R. McClanahan