The New York Clipper (January 1920)

10 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER January 7, 1920 PROCTOR'S 23RD ST. (Las* Half) June* ud Etta Mitchell, the latter a well formed, .good looking miss, who never will hare any trouble drawing the attention of an audience, opened the show with an aerial ladder and trapeze offering that, aside from being good acrobatic*. Is good comedy. They have rightly styled their torn fan In the air. for not only do they have a lot of fan themselves, bat they let the aadlence tn on it, too. Tilvoa and Rogers held down second' po- sition wltn their acrobatic **n"1ng act which, although well received, when re- viewed, did not receive the applause it merited. Their work Is cleverly done and passed off with such ease that the audi- ence seems to think it is easy.- To be frank, their comedy did not Impress the reviewer favorably, as it likewise failed to do about two years ago. when he first saw them. The act was then Tilu and WArd, if we mls- take not . Third position fen to The Douglas West- ley Flayers, who last week were appearing over the Fox time as "Airs Fair." They nave a very clever little comedy turn that went over nicely. The plot has to do with making a woman see the light and bow two pahi get together to do it. It Is very well Ben Smith, a fellow with an Irish tenor voice and an accent, that comes from only one place, the South, followed. He tells a few stories, sings a few songs and then the aadlence makes him -come, back and do more. He knows how to tell a story and sing a song. J. Francis Sullivan is a true example of bis race, witty, and quick to grasp an op- portunity for comedy. He carries a woman with him, billed as his company who serves as his foil. He scored a big hit with Us witticisms and bulls and had to take an VAUDEVILLE REVIEWS (Continued from Page •) Marie and Anna Clark followed with their humorous skit on the patriotic speaker. One of them, garbed as a service - woman, ■tarts, to address an audience on the sub- ject of. after-the-war work. . The other, working from the audience. Interrupts her with several comedy remarks. After that, it's Just a matter of routine till the end of the act, which Is, nevertheless, very clever. Frank and Masie Hughes closed the show with a dance diverUsement called **A Dane- ■ tag Romance." They are good dancers and have an excellently arranged act, which they put over for a hit- Their accompanist does his share very well. also. , "A TIrtous Vamp," with Constance Tal- madge, waa the feature. s K. CITY (Last Half) Joe Leo - la the new house manager here and, an entirely new force has been in- stalled to assist him. The Barton Brothers, formerly known as the Up-SIde-Down MUlettes, followed the films with their double trapese offering. The men are using the same routine or thrilling stunts and got over for a big band. In their closing bit. they generally use a spot- light, out, for some reason or other, it waa omitted when reviewed and the stunt lost In effectiveness as a result. Renle Rlano has an act that proved to be a little too clever for this audience and she did not get the amount of applause her ef- forts deserved. This girl has a very original routine of eoags and eccentric dances, the latter numbers being especially good. With a little more to her routine, she should soon make the better bouses. James Swift and company are using a comedy playlet which was formerly pre- sented by some one else on the big time. It tells of a young man who blunders Into a girl's room In a hotel, sends bis trousers to be pressed, and then is discovered by the rl. whose maiden aunt is In the next room, would be a difficult thing for anyone to believe that this playlet, as handled by the present cast, hss ever been on anr but the smallest of small time. The girl does about the best work of the trio, but that is noth- ing to- boast at The young man's work lacks conviction and the work of the SaajttaB aunt la the worst of the three. Fred Weber followed tbe news reel with his ventrUoqulal offering. He puts over some good stunts, and also some good patter. McCormaek and Mallon. two neat ap- pearing young men attired in tuxedos, of- fered some comedy and a routine of eccentric dancing- Tbe comedy, has room for Im- provement, but the dancing Is sure-fire. Warden and Don court found the audience easy with their straight patter skit. In which the woman ia running against the man in an election for mayor. As the man ia in favor of a wet town, he naturally wins. Senator Murphy has added a few new gags to his monologue, and waa compelled to come back' for a curtain speech when re- viewed. His line of chatter and his delivery of It is excellent. The Shirley Bisters and Bud Bernie. play- ing this house for the second time in one month, closed the show with a neat ainei"*/ and dancing offering. G. J. H. PROCTOR'S 125TH STREET (LaatHalf) Eight acts were offered on Friday evening, and, Judged in comparison with the average programme, the bill given here provided ex- cellent entertainment for the pries. Felix and Fisher opened with their trapese and horizontal bar torn. A man and girl com- posed the team, the former doing the acro- batic work. The girl went through a neat dance while Jumping a rope, and for the .rest of the act, assisted with tbe "props" and looked pretty. The comedy gaga used In the act should be placed on the shelf, for they have long been mildewed. The stunts on the horizontal bars and trapeze are very good and netted them a lot of applause. Seymour and Holt was the only act tried out in the afternoon that was held over for the evening performance, and went fairly well. See New Acts. Lexey and O'Connor, a neat appearing young man and a very attractive girl, almost stopped the show with their eccentric dance offering. Both are exceptionally good in this line. The act will be fully reviewed under New Acts. James T. Grady and a company consisting of a young girl and a woman, offered a com- edy-drama in one act that also gave a very good account of Itself. The playlet will be round under New Acts. Wahl and Coleman found themselves at home with songs and patter. Hiss Wahl for- merly appeared with Billy Tracy, the song- writer, and evidently owns this act- At any rate, she carried the act over mainly by her own efforts. See New Acts. The Volunteers still retain their original opening, from which this quartette derives Its name. The men sing well and have a good routine of comedy. Being Friday evening, most persona in the audience were fooled into believing that the act was a tryout, but, if they did have that opinion of it, it did not hinder the men in it from pulling a lot of laughs and applause from the house. Sandy Shaw scored the biggest hit of the bill with Ms Scotch songs and characterisa- tions. He will soon be placed in a class with Harry Lauder, for his material and delivery are excellent. Sammy Berk and Juanlta Sawn .scored big. In praising Miss Sawn, we do not wish to detract any credit from the work of Berk, for, as a dancer, he la one of the beat to be seen. Bat it mast be said that a better sonbrette than Miss Sawn would be as hard to find as a good whiskey at the old price. In closing spot, the two were called back for fonr bows. G. J. H. KEENEY'S (Last Half) Keen and Foxwood, colored entertainers, in _ song and dance act. pot lots of pep Into the opening position by the way they pot their numbers orer. lake all colored enter- tainers, they hare the art of Jazz at their finger tips and they sure let it go. Rhoda and Compton. In an operatic singing act with a special settings, were on second and scored a distinctive hit. Both have ex- cellent voices and use them well. They were called upon to take an encore, for the audi- ence liked their work Immensely. Ward and Mayo hare a very clever little, skit, the most remarkable part of which Is the way they get away with all the old gags they hare in It. We thought that most any audience knew all of the old gags by heart but we were eventually mistaken, for the audience here laughed itself sick at gags that were old when Ward and Mayo were kids. Dixon, Bowers and Dixon, offered their act "The Three Rubes." They cleaned up all there was on the bill and that la saying something with an all comedy bill. Their acrobatic dancing and tumbling, coupled with their very humorous bits of business earned them an encore, for which they offered a very funny bit of business by burlesquing a coun- try ball team. Percy Pollack and Company, the latter con- sisting of a man and woman, offered a com- edy playlet which might easily be called "Barnnm was Bight," or "They all Fan." It has to do with a doctor in a small town who falls prey to one of the oldest and smoothest skin games In the world. Tbe piece is very funny and excellently handled by Pollack and his assistant* Leonard and Wlllard offered their well known "Outside Seldom Inn." For some un- known reason their special drop was not in use. but that did not matter, for they cer- tainly put their stuff over. They talk a little, slug a little, and dance a little, doing every- thing well. The Canton Trio of Chinese entertainers, offered a routine of tricks that are the usual thing with acts of this kind. A little Jug- gling, some contortion, some fire-eating and some hair swinging constitute the routine of the act, which was received with favor. "More Deadly Than Tbe Male" with Ethel Clayton, was the feature picture. S. K. JEFFERSON . (Last Half) Tbe King Brothers would find it greatly to their advantage to cat out a good deal of the stalling In their act. The men have a very good routine of stunts, some of them are even sensational. Bat stalling In a strong-man act has ceased to work up ap- plause, as It used to. Acrobatic acts such as the Four Jansleys, who go straight to work and keep at it all the time they are on stage have found that much more applause is forthcoming from so doing. Watklns and Williams, man and woman, offered some tinging and patter In the second spot. The male member of tbe team pos- sesses a pleasing voice and the lady sings fairly well. But the patter needs .a lot of improvement, not only in the way of gags, bat also in delivery. They also essay a dance. Pllcer and Douglas, also man and wo- man, followed with some more singing, which was fair, and some dancing that was much better. The most attractive part of this act are the gowns worn by Miss Pllcher. In fact, the torn Is a. "wardrobe" act more than a singing and dancing tarn. Wilson and McEroy can also use a num- ber of new wheezes In their line of patter. One of the men takes the part of a "souse," and although it serves for a few gags In the opening part of the act only, he retains it throughout the entire act. Both aing well and deliver their numbers with good effect. Chappelle and Stennette, a mixed colored team, though they followed three acts.which contained singing, found It easy going with a number of songs. Tbe man's voice be- comes weak In parts, but tbe girl* manages to carry the singing over well. They also offer some patter in which the girl puts the comedy end over well. Fred lie Grant and a company of one man and a woman come next and, although they are supposed to be primarily a comedy sketch, tie act happens to be about a music professor and a married woman who thinks abe has a'good voice. Both the professor and the woman sang. a. number of songs during tbe act and it must be said their voices are pleasing. Bat they were handi- capped by their position.' Hoey and Fischer, the former of the well- known team of Hoey and Lee, are suing Hoey and Lee's "At the Peace Conference skit. Hoey'e work Is familiar to all, and Fischer is a capable "straight" who bandies Lee's end of the act capably. "Love and Kisses," a tab, closed tbe show. G. J. H. FIFTH AVENUE (LaatHaJO Cutty and Nelson opened a corking good show with an equally good musical act in which was offered vocal and Instrumental music. Cutty plays the xylophone, cornet and piano, while Miss Nelson plays the piano and sings. They scored heavily and took an encore. Justly theirs. A. C. Astor is a ventriloquist of ability, for he throws his voice very distinctly and knows bow to get the most out of it. He Is' an Englishman, but. contrary to popular opinion, he has a good sense of humor. In second position, he succeeded in scoring a hit and earning an encore. Chariea Howard and Company have changes in the act which will allow It to be reviewed under tbe heading. of New Acta. Mabel Burke and company, the latter be- ing Sydney Forbes, held over from the first half by popular demand, were on fourth and scored a huge bit with their rendition of the old and new favorites. For the second half, they used an entirely different reper- toire of numbers than they used the first. They declined an encore. Bobby Henshaw Is a clever comedian, a rather good singer and a still better mimic He gave several imitations, told a few stories and, before we forget, plays a banjo and ordinary ukelele expertly. lie rendered the "Stars and Stripes Forever" on the banjo uke and scored a bit all his own. The BlUle Shaw Revue, with Blllle Shaw and. two male assistants, followed. The act IS one of the classiest dancing acts here- abouts. We say this in full Justice to other acts. While offering nothing startllngly new or novel, the numbers are put over In such a manner that one cannot help but applaud James B. Donoven and Marge Lee scored the hit of the bill. Being Irish, they cannot help bat be popular and they bad an easy time winning the heart of everyone. They cleaned up everything there was In sight, having in addition to their personal attrac- tions, real entertaining ability. The Four Bards closed the show with a sensational' casting and balancing act with which they held the audience seated until the fall of the curtain. They cleaned op a good sized bit. considering their position. Looking the show orer, it's no wonder the house was packed to the doors. S. K. HARLEM OPERA HOUSE (Last Half) The bill moved along fairly fast and of- fered a good variety of acts quite above the usual quality of vaudeville ran at this theatre. It fell to Leddy and Leddy to start off the show, opening their routine with some harmony in one. Later, they took fall stage and performed various somersaults and falls, making the drummer work overtime to help the comedy along. The torn received a good quota of laughs and started the show merrily on its way. Rob and Whitman kept up the merriment with an act in one that hearkened back to school days, the pair getting their fan out .of -kid characterisations and school-day pranks. The man has a catch-line "Ask me— go ahead I" which waa sure-fire every time he sprang It. The girl makes a pretty picture, most of the real work falling to the man. A rather clever playlet occupied the third spot aa a vehicle for Mottle Fuller and Com- pany. It will be reviewed In New Acts. Following tbe playlet came Bhelden and Dalley, a sister act, which picked up as it went along, ending with a lot of speed. The tHrl« rf fa— nlf-*>!v nnH InnV "pl.a, " One Of A ren- glrls dress nicely and look "class, them plays the piano and both sing, "blues'* number was particularly well dered. Bert Hanlon, who says be Isn't going to sing about the flag and then starts in to shout, "Hurrah for General Pershing!" had his audience with him from the start, and, due both to his winning personality and to excellent material, registered a good sized hit. Closing the vaudeville portion of the bill was Johnny Ford and his Five Original Mel- ody Maids. It has been said that this act resembles the Ward and Girls act. but the only strikingly similar thing about the two is that, in several numbers, the girls ail play pianos simultaneously. The rest of the act Is entxiely different. In fact, quite orig- inaL At the end of the torn. Ford Intro- duces some of his old dancing steps, which re- ceived a good band, although done with more effort than in former days. H, J. G. REGENT (Last Half) Simmons and Bradley, a man and woman strikingly garbed In costumes suggestive of Winter, whirled and danced on roller skates. They were both fast and graceful and their act created a good Impression in the first spot. Klass and Termini, one being a good pianist and tbe other a good violinist, have a. good musical act, but somehow the offer- ing lacks that element which the name of the former suggests; Perhaps it would be best for the one who plays the. piano to stick to that Instrument instead of essaying the accordion, as he does toward the end of the act. As for the violinist, he could lend a great deal of character to the act. It seems to us. If he would acquire some grace of gesture. ... Dobbs and Welch cracked a number of gags that are already frowsy with age bat. Just the same, their act, which they call "The New Janitor," aroused more than a passing degree of mirth. As it now stands, they will probably continue getting by but if it's tbe big time they're aiming for, they'll have to change It considerably. TTniifTnnti and Lillian scored better than « anyone else on the bill, due chiefly to the work of Miss Lillian, who is a fast and fur- ious comedienne. But why she persists in that most innocuous affectation, a noisy Intake of breath at the end of each utter- ance, is beyond our understanding. It cer- tainly doesn't add anything to her capabil- ities; in fact, she'd be a much better performer if she eliminated that particular affectation from her bag of mirth-provoking tricks. Lew Fistel started well with his blackface offering, but he fatled to maintain the good start. His character work Is good and he received support from his blackface assis- tant. But the humorous material they used waxed thin toward the end. Adelaide Bell and Company is nothing more than Miss Bell In a series of dances, with a young man at the piano banging out the.rhythms and playing solos while she changes her- costumes. She has a way of dancing that is all her own. which doesn't mean: that she Is tbe most graceful or nimble-footed exponent of terpslchore in the world; it's only that she has a way of patting her back with her soles that makes her dancing more or less distinctive. How- ever, she's good to look upon, and she danced amid nice settings. M. L. A. - ACT JOINS SHOW The Sunia, Samuels Russian Cathedral Quartet, which has been appearing around New York as & special attraction, opens with "The-Light of the World,'' the new Comstock and Gest show, that goes into the Lyric Theatre this week.