The New York Clipper (January 1920)

10 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER January 14, 1920 \^^^f t# • JEFFERSON (Last Half) May Foster and Company, the "co." being a male assistant who also does a number of acrobatic stunts himself, started the bill. Miss Foster does a number of Iron-Jaw stunts and a routine of work on a rope, somewhat on the style of Ruth Budd. She works well, and has a number of feats that thrllL The Lilly Sisters, one a blonde and the other almost a brunette, -wear their hair in curls, but. despite that, really do look youthful. The two went through a routine of songs and dances and one of them of- fered a violin solo. The singing- la fair, bat the two have a lot to learn about the proper delivery of a number. As they did them when reviewed, it was amateurish. With more style to their delivery, the girls win find it easier going. AL H. 'White and company are still doing their playlet of Jewish life as well as they always did. In this house, particularly. It appealed to the audience. For that matter, the playlet la of the kind that would ap- peal to any audience, for It Is very well written nd exceptionally well handled. Fisher and Gllmore are another clever pair who are still 08101; their old material. They possess every quality for the big time and should make it their business to get the proper material. Both present a very good appearance, have voices of a quality seldom found In vaudeville, and a better' comedian of bis type than Fisher would be difficult to find. Miss Gllmore la a vary attractive woman, reads lines well Slid has a voice that is very good. "Oh, That Melody," la the old musical comedy tabloid produced by George Choos. Jack Henry la still with the act and, with- out him, it would not be Worth mentioning. It starts off wen, with a film, but the mo- ment the screen characters disappear and the real characters are seen, the thing flops. It requires all of Henry's ability to keep It going and, to give him credit, he does so very wen. The Franklin Four, attired as chefs, of- fered a comedy singing act that found It easy. Bach p or tr ays different characters, such aa "wop," Hebrew and others. The comedy can be Improved upon in the way of gags, but the singing material, both the voices and the numbers are very good. As the act is primarily a singing act. It win get along weD- - The Mikado Japs closed the show with a wrestling acrobatic offering. G. J. H. FIFTH AVENUE (Last safest) Major Jack Allen opened the show with an Illustrated lecture on animal trapping in which he showed how be can capture wild beasts without the use of firearms. . merely by roping each one. Motion pic- tures were shown to Illustrate how it was done. It proved interesting and novel. The Three Dolce Sisters and their assist- ant came on second and offered a likeable harmony ^"g^lT act. Their voices blend very nicely and they use them to the best of advantage. They scored and were heart- ily applauded. Arthur Deagon walks on stage with the air of a monologlst and dressed as one, too. But he fools the audience. Be Is a sing- ing comedian who, despite his apparent age and corpulence, has lots of pep and go and he illustrated it by doing a few hand- springs and jumps. Also he has an excel- lent singing voice which he uses very cap- ably. "The Fall of Eve," otherwise known as DeWltt Cameron and Company, was on fourth. The playlet handles an old theme very cleverly, much to the satisfaction of the audience, which seemed to enjoy the thing Immensely- Cameron and his two as- sistants did excellently and the audience applauded them Individually for their work. Dunbar's Old Time Darkies offered a Hinging act that came pretty near stopping the show. They had to take two encores before the audience would let them go. All four have powerful voices which they put to good use. Gardner and Bnftnwn offered their well known comedy skit and brightened the lives Of many a weary watcher by their comedy antics. Their burlesque of "before and after marriage" was a big hit with an audi- ence which in aH probability had gone through the experience. Senor Westony is with us again. This time his partner Is OUve Cornell, a cap- able young Miss whose vocal ability was realized the audience and duly acclaimed. 'Westony is using his old standbys and very successfully, too. Sylvia Clark, the smile a second miss, full Of personality and pep, with an excep- tionally clever offering,, had no trouble in stopping the show. She is brimful of good spirits, which she distributes among the audience through the medium of her cap- ability. She had to take two encores and make a speech in addition, before she was allowed to leave. The Novelty Clintons closed the show and held them all seated. S-K. VAUDEVILLE REVIEWS (Continued from Pag* 1) HAMILTON (Last half) Of late, this house has been patting on more style than ever. Not only have they two shows a day, with an seats reserved, but Jack Ia Hue, house manager, has inaugu- rated an intermission period, after the vaude- ville and before the feature picture Is flashed. The vaudeville portion of the bin was started by Everett's Monkey Hippodrome. The "monks" go through a very comical routine with the stage set to represent a theatre of their own. They have their own orchestra leader, and run their own show. The set pleased the grown-ups as weU as the children. For that matter, grown-ups gen- erally enjoy that kind of act more than the "kiddles" do. bnt are ashamed to show It. Herman and Clifton found favor in the second spot, with their singing. There are parts in the patter of the offering where It drags. The singing Is good and got them over to a big hand. Venrriloqolal acts that are really clever and entertaining are rare now-a-days, and Hugh Emmett and company are in that class. His "company" is a tan woman, who sings In a high soprano, while Emmett accompanies on the violin. She also comes In for a few patter bits. Emmerfs work with the "dum- mies" is excellent. Besides putting over some very difficult stunts, be has some very "good gags that were "riots" here, and wfll be elsewhere. The act is good from start to finish. Grace and Eddie Parks are a pleasing young couple who sing and dance .very nicely, but make a big mistake in using so many gags which have been used by a number of others in the beginning of their set. Some of them are not worth using. The singing and dance bits are done very wen and went over tor muck applause. Murray Bennett evidently had a lot of friends In the audience, or, at any rate, was wen known at this house, for bis slightest . move brought a laogh when It wouldn't get a ripple In another house. Hot that Bennett lsn t a clever performer, for he la But . his stories are an old and have been heard over and over again. However, he got laughs, and that* s what counts. Billed ss Dance Dreams. Blllie Shaw and her revue closed the show to a big hit. Dave White Is still in the set and is one of the best assets it has. George Eberle and John Good are-out of the cast and Ed. HolswortB now plays the saxspnone, doing it wen. Miss Shaw has put a lot of new costumes Into the act and they are splendid. Dave White Is not well-known, hot It won't be lone before he is placed in a class with George White, for he Is one of the best dancers to be seen In vsndevtile. G. J. H. KEENEY'S (Last naif) Renie and Florence opened the show with an exceHent song and dance offering in which botk girls displayed- good singing voices and dancing abUlty. They scored a decided hit and had to tnke an encore. Second position feU to Hardy and company the latter being two assistants- They offered a tramp pantomine in which Hardy,, or Harvey, as he is known, got many hearty laughs by his antics. He uses a Joe Jackson make-up. « .-■.;_ Frank Farron Is a clever chap who offers a monologue spiced with some songs and a character bit. He opens by teUlng numer- ous Stories on topics that tickle the risibil- ities of bis audience because thev are timely. He sings a few songs nicely and closes with his impression of n snlesgirl In a Woolworth store returning home frorfl a day at Coney in the old times. He -was a riot and had to respond to numerous culls after he was through. Georgia Campbell and company, the latter being three male singers, offered an old-time singing specialty In which the melodies of the old Sooth are predominating. They possess good singing voices and harmonize nicely. Thev, too, were encored. Charles Cook and company replaced Mary Haynes, who was ill. Cook's act deals with the unionization of housewives. Henry Will- lams returns home late one evening to find that his wife, the president of the house- wives union, has called a strike upon htm and that be win have to accede to her de- mands or go without a wife until the strike Is over. He calls in a strikebreaker and when friend wife returns she Is soon eared of all her hankering for unionism. The act went over Immensely and was loudly applauded. Emerson and Lyle, black-face comedians, will be reviewed at length under the beading of "New Acts." The Three Donalds, who closed, offered a dancing divertisetoent that was really What It "was claimed to be. They. too. win be re- viewed In detail under the heading of "New Acta." CITY (Last Half) The bill was of exceptional merit Every act was good and the layout showed good Judgment The Aronty Brothers, reviewed under New Acts under the name of Aroncy Brothers, started by talcing four bows to the opening position and left the audience still applauding. After seeing the stunts performed by these two. one does not won- der that they score such a big hit Iron- Jaw, aerial and strong-man stunts are con- tained in the routine, and every one offered Is sensational. Ward and Gory followed with some In- strumental work, one using a violin and the other a banjo. They have arranged a rep- ertoire that consists m ainl y of popular num- bers, and when they were through they al- most stopped the show. They could easily have taken an encore. The violinist does most of the work and plays wen. The ban- Joist also shows ability, but another number by him would balance the act more evenly. Charles Howard, supported by a very pretty brunette and a young man. offered bis "after prohibition" skit in which he features his lolly-pop and gum-drop "souse." He Is a good comedian and both the other members of the act do their al- lotted bits excellently, especially in the dances. Marie Gasper had the audience with her on her entrance. Miss Gasper now arranges her hair differently than when she was seen with Ethel Sinclair and presents a picture that puts Nell Brinkley*B best away into the shade. Her voice Is. the type that can be described as a loir, soft "croon," and yet can be heard an over the house. It is her delivery more than anything else that gets her numbers over. Her pianist Is also a corker. This young man offered a solo that set the entire audience swaying In their seats. The act closed with a "blues" num- ber that'sent, her off to a very large hand. Holland and Ray offered bits of patter, singing nd dancing, and repeated the suc- cess of the preceding acts. The male mem- ber of this team is a thorough performer and his dainty partner gives exceHent sup- port They wffl be reviewed under New Acta. The Joe Thomas Sextette also found It easy going with their instrumental turn, which will be reviewed under New Acta. Applause greeted the entrance "of Jim Toney and Ann Norman, who are back to vaudeville after an engagement ■ at the Capital. The two are presenting the same act they formerly used. But no matter bow fa mili a r the act - is. the work of two such exceptional performers can be seen over and ■ orer again with pleasure. They stopped the show cold and Toney offered his "knock- knee" dance and "crap-shooting" bit Frank and Mazie Hughes, assisted by a pianist, offered their dance offering In clos- ing position. The hand of Adelaide and Hughes, who are presenting: them, can be seen all through the act It can fit Into any bin.—G. J. H. PROCTOR'S 23RD ST. (Last Half) The Ezuno Brothers, Japanese perch per- formers, opened the show with a display of ability on the aerial perch which was re- ceived with favor. They worked hard, looked well and tended to business all the way through. Each difficult stunt as it was performed, was applauded. _. Zardo and Hall, on second, possess ability but lack the necessary something that sends an act over with a bang. It is commonly known as pep. Somehow or other, their ef- fect upon the audience was not as strong as it might have been. It may be that the injection of some shorter, snappier, num- bers would help along. But they play their piano and violin very nicely. Arthur Havel and Company offered their- well known and time -worn but still laugh- able little comedy "Playmates." The east la unchanged, aa Is the material and busi- ness. But, Just the same, they got laughs, which Is what counts, after all. Havel, as "Reggie," the good Uttle boy with the bad little punch. Is capital, and the assist- ance of the tough kid Is all he needs to nut the act over. , . Malcolm and Lalfar offered a high class singing and piano act that Is a corker. The blond has a good soprano voice, and the other is capable at the piano. The strange part of it all Is that there Is only one popular number to the act and that is the begin- ning. An the rest are special and operatic numbers. They scored heavily and had to take an encore. Charles and Madeline Dunbar offered their "animal funology" and got laughs and ap- plause aplenty. Charles carries the major part of the act on his shoulders. Madeline lends grace and charm to the offering. Their imitations were perfect and laughable, at the same time. Cy Compton and Company, In a cowboy act that contains a lot of noise, in addi- tion to some poor gags and clever rope manipulations, closed the show: The boys In the act worked hard to put it across and they did. There is, to addition, some mule and broncho busting that gets laughs. All told, the act gets by on personal perform- ance more than anything else. "Scarlet Days" was the feature picture. S. K. HARLEM OPERA HOUSE - (Last Half) Foster and Peggy, the "latter a dog and the former its master, opened the show with an offering that was both novel and Inter- esting. The dog displays a marked degree of intelligence and goes through its various stunts to a far better manner than some human entertainers. Rose and Bower, in second spot found a rather cool reception. One of these young men possesses a fairly pleasing voice, which is shown to best advantage in ballad num- bers, while his partner fans considerably below par when It comes to rendering "blues." Sandy Shaw, Scotch comedian. Is a true performer, possessing genuine entertaining ability. His several Impersonations were received with considerable applause. The "sailor" bit is exceptionally good. After taking-several encores, Shaw walked off to the biggest hit of the evening. McAvoy and Brooks may be fair enough as dancers and able to deliver their gags in the proper manner, but they will never score success on any stage as singers. The appeal of the "green bat" and several aUu- stons to the Irish went well with the Harlem audience. Florence Tempest presents a well staged offering which scored a fair sized hand. Friend and Downing still continue to alng their old songs and tell their old stories. They are of the old school of vaudeville per- former, but not nearly as old as their ma- terial. McConneU and Austin, closing the show. presented a weU worked out cycle act that is both sensational and interesting. Both performers are clever enough In their line and scored a fair sized hand. E. H. PROCTOR'S 125TH ST. (Last Half) The motion pictures ran for an exceeding- ly long time, due to the big feature, "It Happened to Paris." - This ran for almost an hour and a half, and in addition, there were two other films. Harold Rhodes, a song "plugger," fol- lowed and sang two numbers. If John S. Blondy and Company are sup- posed to be a small time acrobatic act then an act on the big time would have to per- form miracles to beat them. For more dif- ficult strong-man Btunts than are offered by Blondy and bis partner, a young man. cannot be seen to any act . Taking four bows in opening position Is something for a "dumb" act to brag about. These two can easily hold down a better spot than opener or closer. Tom Gtllen opened with an "Irish" song and then 'went into some patter, with gags, about the old reliable "Finnegan," and put over some new ones at the expense of this imaginary Celt The audience laughed and sent htm off to a good hand. Furman and Nash are two neat-appear-. lng young-men, one of whom, to addition to singing well, plays, the piano. The boys have a very good routine of published num- bers which they know how to deUver. They Were called back for an encore and then ■went off to much applause. Mollie Fuller and a supporting company of two men and two women, offered a com- edy playlet The sketch is fair, but could give a much better account of itself In the hands of a cast whose work would be more convincing than that of those in the present line-up. It has some clever lines and there are one or two situations that could be made more of to better advantage. Ann and Marie Clark are still using: their same act which will undoubtedly, serve them excellently on the three-a-day route, where it is not as familiar as it Is on the big time. The girls have not changed any of the gags, business or songs, but tbat did not hinder them from keeping the audience to continual laughter while they 'were on stage The Marco Twins, two extremes, closed the show. One of these is a midget and the other a tan skeleton who does contortion. They found no difficulty In getting laughs with their "hoke" and held the house In. G. J. H. "TOLLY ANN A" IS READY United Artists Corporation announces its first Mary Pickford production, Touyanna," for release January 18. It was adapted for the screen by Frances Marion and photographed by Charles Rosier.