Summary
"Show Folks" centers on Eddie Kehoe, a vaudeville dancer convinced his lack of success stems from everyone else, not his own inflated ego. Advised to get a partner, he teams up with Rita Carey and her trained duck, quickly rebranding the act as "Eddie Kehoe and Partner." Despite his constant self-praise, Rita and others in the troupe find a certain charm in Eddie, even as a gold-digger named Cleo eyes him for her own opportunistic reasons. It’s a glimpse into the backstage drama and aspirations of the late silent era.
Synopsis
Eddie Kehoe is a young vaudeville hoofer who thinks his inability to hit the big time is the fault of stage managers, agents, musicians...everybody but himself. Eddie likes to tell others how good he is, but seldom shows them. Kitty Mayo, an old-time burlesque queen, who is with the McNary Vaudeville Company, advises Eddie to get himself a partner, as his solo abilities can only be stretched so far. He decides to follow her advice and, while in a theatrical supply shop, he sees Rita Carey rehearsing her dancing act that includes a trained duck. Eddie tells Rita he is a good friend of McNary's, and, with him as her partner, her future in show business will be secured. She agrees to join him and Eddie promptly names the act "Eddie Kehoe and Partner". Despite his conceit, Rita likes Eddie, as do others in the troupe, including Cleo a little gold-digger.
