New York Clipper (Jun 1923)

Record Details:

Something wrong or inaccurate about this page? Let us Know!

Thanks for helping us continually improve the quality of the Lantern search engine for all of our users! We have millions of scanned pages, so user reports are incredibly helpful for us to identify places where we can improve and update the metadata.

Please describe the issue below, and click "Submit" to send your comments to our team! If you'd prefer, you can also send us an email to mhdl@commarts.wisc.edu with your comments.




We use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) during our scanning and processing workflow to make the content of each page searchable. You can view the automatically generated text below as well as copy and paste individual pieces of text to quote in your own work.

Text recognition is never 100% accurate. Many parts of the scanned page may not be reflected in the OCR text output, including: images, page layout, certain fonts or handwriting.

June 27, 1923 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER 9 PALACE Hot weather, but there are maiiy people that want to see a vaudeville show, judg- ing by the way the house was filled. The heat was hard on patrons and acts alike, it being easier to lose a laugh than get one over. Concluding the show was a special film reproduced exclusively for the B. F. Keith theatres by arrangement with John McEntee Bowman, showing in natural colors a parade of unique models and latest styles, etc, taken at the West- chester Biltmore Fashion Show. An act that got over as well as any on .the bill was "A Medley of Steps," done by Fred Babb, Florence Carroll and Lois Syrcll, who did their versatile routine of dances in an energetic, breezy style. De- spite their fast work the girls looked fresh and cool throughout the running time of the offering. The Browne Sisters, Mildred and Dorothy, offered their accordion specialty in the second spot, and as far as appear- ances are concerned were more attractive than ever. However, one selection sounds like another and their repertoire docs not seem to have a satisfying bit for most patrons. The operatic excerpts early in the act are long and not so good on an accordion. Any kind of a break in their present style of working would help it considerably. "A Vaudeville Surprise," done by Franklyn and Charles, assisted by Ethel Truesdale, started out with a song and dance, followed by their burlesque Apache comedy stunts. The offering is known to the patrons well enough so that the team had to do their strong man stuff with the chair. The going was not so easy this time for Bdna Lecdom and Dave Stamper, in the comedy skit "The Encore," the audience Iwing harder and hotter than on the act's last appearance here. However, Miss Leedom was consistent, and ^rsistent as well, proving herself a comedienne of the first rank, for she managed to sell her stuff for many laughs despite the inclina- tion of the patrons not to laugh unless it was funny enough to make the giggle come with no tremendous effort on their part. . The first half was closed by half of a vaudeville show in itself, Singer's Mulgets, who have a routine with several new scenes and other bits, all of which arc staged in speedy style and in a way that makes 'em wonder what's coming next. About a dozen scenes were done after a peppy opening done in a desert set, with the clever little showfolks singing "Old King Tut" for a positive hit. Included in the new bits was an eight-piece jazz band with a leader who certainly is the Paul Whitman of the midgets. While the band played, several impersonations were done of the well known stars, such as Frisco, Eva Tanguay, Belle Baker, Gal- lagher & Shean, and the Dolly Sisters. The musical comedy principals sang sev- eral songs, doing unusually well with "A Kiss in the Dark." . Irving fisher in "Songs De Luxe" was one grand flop de luxe, and where he fits in a big time vaudeville house we fail to see. Assisted at the piano by Don Pros- ser, "America's Favorite Singing Juve- nile," he offered, with one or two possible belated exceptions, the most uninteresting lot of songs we've ever heard anyone sing. By merely stopping in at any one of a half dozen publishers within a few minutes' walk of the Palace, Fisher could get more than enough songs for a first class act. After an absence abroad for five years, Harry Green returns in "The Cherry Tree," the old reliable by Aaron Hoffman. Florence Johns. Walter Allen and others assist in gathering the laughs in the well known comedy sketch. Mbran and Mack, "Two Black Crows." held down the next to closing spot in great style, proving funny as usual. M. H. S. VAUDEVEXE REVIEWS NEW BRIGHTON The season is now really starting on the Island and at Brighton Beach, and even with the increasing wanmiess, business during matinees is getting better. The at- tendance on Monday afternoon of this week was. better than any opening mati- nees we've seen here as yet this season, except when a holiday fell on that day. The show is another dandy, very well balanced and plenty of good entertainment from start to finish. Harland Dixon with Marie Callahan and the Sixteen Sunshine Girls, Lillian Shaw and Seed and Austin are the top-notchcrs and all the acts per- formed in a manner worthy of headliners. The opening act is a much better one than the average starter, being offered by Mulroy, McNcese and Ridge, who do a scries of sensational dance bits on skates in a manner which gets them unusually heavy applause for an act on so early in the bill. They could easily hold a spot on some bills other than opening and closing, for the work they do makes them worthy of it. Block and Dunlop have a very appeal- ing boy and girl turn which they call "Broke." The talk is vn-itten well, and is handled to good results by the two. The boy is a good juvenile, and does some re- markable dance work. The girl has a sweet personality which she adds to a neat delivery of songs and dance bits in addition to reading lines like a production star. The Amaut Brothers are old favorites here, and the entrance of these two musi- cal clowns was accorded a nice reception which they proceeded to make good. The various acrobatic bits, in addition to the instrumental work, all went over very well, and the "Love-Birds" whistling af- fair in one at the finish of the act, made the same sure-fire finish it always has been. Harry Holmes and Florrie La Vere also seem to be getting well-known to vaude- villians. for they also were given a recep- tion. This pair are worthy of being fea- tures for they have an exceptionally good act, due to the fact that a very clever team of artists are doing it Miss La Vere's male impersonation, in which she includes . some snappy song and dance work, is one of the most effective, and Holmes' style of comedy is not only fun- ny, but very original to the bargain. Harland Dixon and Marie Callahan, with the Sixteen Sunshine Girls closed the first half. When it comes to showman- ship and finesse in dancing Dixon is real- ly in a class by himself. Miss Callahan is cute, sweet, and' boy! maybe this little baby can't dance! "The Sixteen Sunshine Girls are always worth watching, as is an output of the Tiller school. But this bunch is all the more worth while seeing because these girls are among the very few, very very few, English aggregation who really look pretty. For, even at the risk of stirring up an international ar- gument, it must be said that a pretty English chorus girl in America has been as hard to find as—well, make it the old gag of the needle in the haystack. Speaking of New Brighton favorites, this week's bill also had to open the second a team billed as Seed and Austin. If these two were to play here week af- ter week, it seems that the audience would never tire of them. They go bigger every time. Lillian Shaw is also well-liked here and found them ready to laugh at anything she did or said. The "baby carriage'' bit and the "bride number" (these should be reversed), were riots. The Three Danoise Sisters closed the show with'a good aerial offering. G. J. H. EIGHTY-FIRST STREET ' W^ll. whoever books the 81st Street deserves a lot of . credit. For the third successive-week this hbiise has Had a bill that would prove difficult of duplica- tion. The bill is balanced, and all the acts are in the top-notch class. Laura and Billy Dreyer opened the show with a bang. This couple are a great pair of dancers and work hard all the way. At the beginning of the act their work was fast and precise but towards the finish Miss Dreyer was evidently affected by the weather for she forced herself to go through her work and it was plain that she wasn't enjoying it a bit. Her partner held his end up manfully and the act came to a smashing close, proving a great opening attraction. Murray and Alan, "Jesters of 3,000 Years Ago" are improving as they go along. On Monday afternoon they came within an ace of stopping the show, and, had there been more people in the audience they probably would have. The act is just about set now and any tinkering they may do will possibly spoil it. Several topical verses which they used the last time the act was caught by this reviewer have been eliminated to advantage, for these verses, although undeniably timely and funny, presupposed the idea that the audience was conversant with topics of the day, than which nothing could be further from the truth. C. B. Maddock has a rather preten- tious offering in "The Son Dodger," by Roy Briant and featuring Harry Cole- man. The latter is entirely worthy of the featuring he gets as he works with vim and is as funny as can be. Much of his comedy is ad lib and he puts it over in excellent shape, also dancing well. Leda Errol makes a capable, sou- brette and Lillian Lester a good in- genue. Ethel Rea has one song which she sings in a good voice. But the high spot of the act, outside of Coleman's comedy, was the dance performed by Richard De Mar. This agile youth lit- erally lifted the audience out of their seats with his bells, cuts and sensational steps, his work proving entirely un- expected but more than satisfactory. Miss Patricota pleased as she always does. She is well-beloved of vaude- ville patrons and is entitled to all the applause she gets. She plays the violin well, sings nicely and acts 700 per cent which is all that can be expected of any performer. The crowd didn't like to let her go. Closing the bill were Olsen and John- son. They did their regular act to good effect and got the laughs at will. They are a clever team and are known as com- edians more than as singers. What puts them over so strongly is the very evident zest they put into their work and the joy they seem to be getting out of it. After their act they put on their famous aferpiecel and it has seldom been the pleasure of this reviewer to see an entire bill enter so whole- heartedly into the spirit of the thing as did those at the 81st Street. Every act with the exception of the hard-worked Laura and Billy Dreyer was fully rep- resented and added loads to the general hilarity and good feeling. Harry Cole- man proved invaluable in keepmg the laughs coming and the rest of the cast of the "Son Dodger" featured promi- nently. Miss Patricola obliged with a violin solo and Murray and Alan helped ° the festivities along. Olsen and John- son are to be thanked for making a very definite contribution to vaudeville. C. C. RIVERSIDE The intensive heat of Monday after- noon again played havoc with attendance here, although the show drew a fair crowd considering this time of year. The Leviathan Band closed the bill and being the headliner held everybody in. It just occurs that this habit of having the main attraction; close the show may be a premeditated move upon the part of Man- ager Derr to keep the mob in for the entire show. He pulled it last week, when Harlan Dixon and the Sunshine Girls were headlining at this house. Perhaps it's_ a Keith innovation being experimented with at this house. Herbert and Dare proved adequate "openers" in their routine of athletic sim- plicity, while Horace Wright and Rene Dietrich offered their familiar, yet always pleasing, singing act and registered well despite their early position on the bill. Dorothy Russell and Company followed on in "My Evening Star," a playlet by Edgar Allan Woolf, which has been os- tensibly patterned as a vehicle for the daughter of the late and beloved Lillian Russell. It gives her the role of a "fixer," who assists a loving couple to happiness by blasting the "stage bup;" of the girl and sending her off to matnmony with the boy she loves. During the enaction sev- eral songs are interwoven and are well received. Several mentions Miss Russell made of her mother brought prolonged a|;plause. The act is well put together and ^ves its featured member enough to do without taxing her too much. Maicelle Shields and Jerome Cowan appeared in the supporting company and did remark- ably wdl as the youthful lovers. Hawthorne and Cooke, the nut comics, proved as refreshing as a Long Beach breeze with their potpourri of nifty non- sense and wise cracks. Their delightfnl buffoonery kept the mob roaiiilg and everyone temporarily forgot the heat and handed them a prolonged hand at the fin- ish that settled any question as to how the boys stood with them. Frances Williams and Miss _ Vannessi, assisted by two piano accompanists, closed the first section in one of the most pre- tentious song and dance productioas of the season. The boys, Arthur Freed and Jack Gilford, played pianos simultaneously and bridged the change gaps by rendering several songs. "Baby Dear," sung by the boys, brought on the girU for a neat double that planted them. Miss Williams countered with a ballad, "I Cried For You." Each followed with dance solos. Miss Williams returned for "Blind Papas Better Watch Your Jdamas" and was joined by her partner for a snappy dancing finbh. From an applause standpoint this act ran a close second to the headline at- traction in running away with the bilL A "Peacock Dance" by Miss Vanessi and Miss WiUiams' songs were the outstand- ing features of the act Jack Norton and Company offered a hap^ little comedy, -"Recnperation,'' which proved to be a comedy slant on treatment at a health farm. Norton, as a nerve racked author, was taking a rest cure and resented the manhandling by the trainer. A pretty girl is pressed into service to make him exercise but the best she accomplishes with him is to annex a proposal of marriage which she accepts. Dave Roth offered his pianologue and some good daiicing, winding up with his familiar tough dance. The Leviathan . Band came and con- quered in closing spot. Much has been written about this remarkable combina- tioa Other than to add that the staging and effects surpass anything previously attempted by orchestra acts in vaudeville, the reviewer can only reiterate the state- ments of previous reviewers who have lauded the playing of these boys "to the skies" and to add that one could not possibly be too extravagant in praise of their work. E. J. B.