Exhibitors Herald (1927)

42 EXHIBITORS HERALD April 2, 1927 cake was slit wide open. Tlie top came off, on a hinge in the back, and became a rotating wheel of dazzling spokes, while the entire cast sang the closing songs. Mr. Cambria and his entertainers made a tremendous hit. The new organ had much to do with the success of the opening week. Mr. Johnson the first night could have chosen nothing to show off the instrument as cleverly as his “Organs I Have Played.’’ The organ was demonstrated as it could not have been demonstrated any other way. A FitzPatrick southern picture with music also was put on, effective as ever. The orchestra was applauded strongly for every number, from the opening “Star Spangled Banner” to the postlude. Mr. Finston directed the first evening, but Fred Schmitt is the regular conductor. Stageshows ("Organ Solos" on page 46) Chicago Chicago Week Ending March 27 Installation of an elevator pit necessitated placing the orchestra on the stage this week and audience reaction indicated that the enforced shift could be made permanent to everybody’s satisfaction. Overture: Adolph Dumont did a Russian opener with the orchestra (not uniformed) on the stage. At its conclusion (to a hand) the Moscow Art Trio came on for the satirical act they’ve been doing in other Chicago picture houses. It ■went better here than at most places, but it’s a bit deep for picture house audiences as it stands. Next, the Volga Sextette, mixed, sang Volga Boat Song while tugging on a prop barge up and back of scrim, in costume. This went better. The complete overture (all of this being grouped) went big. Murtagh (See “Organ Solos.’’) “The Paper Revue,’’ Publix unit, gained considerable from the stage placement of the orchestra, members of which were placed behind masked music racks and dolled up in paper wigs, unit director in tux leading. This threw the routine slightly out of gear, bringing the constitutent acts, ballet, etc., on and off in somewhat the order of the bandshow and giving each a chance to register individually. No doubt the total applause was considerably greater for this arrangement. The unit is a good ad for Dennison’s crepe paper (although the name isn’t mentioned) and should have been financed by that concern if it wasn’t. Incidentally, it features a female impei'sonator impersonating a female impersonator impersonating a female, than which almost nothing could be whicher. Observation: Maybe it’s a good stunt to stick at least a section of the house orchestra into all of these units. Gives ’em body and matches ’em up with local preference. Why not? Chicago Oriental Week Ending March 27 This show, “Mr. Jazz Himself,’’ had to be hacked up and patched together in the middle of the week for reasons beyond control, so the Thursday night lineup may have been a first timer. Anyway, it ran like this: Opening: Gals in swan ballet outfits stepping classically to muted fid, a la chamber recital, until Ash interrupts demanding jazz, whereupon chorus drops chiffon and steps to a hot broadside of “Crazy Words,’’ amassing a hand. “Tiger Rag,’’ this band’s emergency wham number if its periodical disinterment is indicative, for boilershop treatment. Muriel Ka.ve followed, doing Black Bottom on her toes and killing ’em. She’s got the looks — she knows her books — and she wows the gals and the gals’ jazzooks. (No charge for the lyric.) Clark Morcll sang “Put Your Arms Where 'They Belong" and kiddled with Kvale (sax) for fair returns. He’s singing less and they’ve pitched him down and he’s better. “Somebody Said" was a hand with Paul Small singing it. It would have gone on. but they interrupted it to make way for — • “What Does It Matter,” Irving Berlin’s best song since “Want to Be in Dixie.” They dragged out a talking machine and let it play the Ash record of the number (released that week) with Ash indicating the band members fleetingly soloed. Then they did it the way they did it for the record. (You can get a better idea of this by buying the record. It’s a Columbia. “Ask your dealer.’’) Maurice Leaf followed with a uke and a pair of parodies in Yiddish dialect. He’s different, starts slow and steams up, and he’s a holdover for the next show. Taylor and Lake, sister act, came on to sing “Ain’t She Sweet" and did it so well as to get themselves, also, held over for the following week. Blonde and brunette, they upset any decision you may have made as to preference in the great debate. Bob LaSalle came on here to slip ’em a row of hot tunes and Bob can do that. Now if Bob will just get the right slant on the relative value of the laugh that blushes as against that ' which needn’t, everything will be all right. “Sam, the Old Accordion Man,’’ sung previously in the show as Taylor and Lake’s second number, was done again to run into the — Finale: Garmondi and Perry, accordionists, on upper deck against huge set accordion which opens to bring on girls. Jellybean Johnson romping on in minstrel makeup to rip off a section of hot stepping in the center of the stagepicture. Observation : Henri A. Keates fooled the re porter this week and the news about it is in the column headed “Organ Solos.” Chicago Harding Week Ending March 27 Another Bennie Kreuger set, used a few weeks ago in the “Nite Life” presentation, makes its appearance with Eddie Perry’s “Galliwog Frolics,” meaning ”Nite Life Entertainment” in slang English. The entire production is practically the same with the exception of some of the players. Here goes it— • Opening: Band playing peppy tunes to Gould dancers dressed in “fuzzy” costumes. Tom Faxon of radio seated as guest at table renders “If You See Sally” in rich baritone for encore. Margaret Ball, pretty little blonde whose neat routine of high kicks and hand walks brought a fine reception. Margaret has been reported many times before but let us sneak another line by the editor in saying she is graceful and polished in her dancing. Sophie Tilden, another blonde whom this reporter has watched fi*om the time she first made her first stage appearance until now, has shown considerable improvement. Keep it up, Sophie. “Muddy Waters,” band number, with specialties by Tommy Thomas, drummer, and vocal selection by Harry Bashings, versatile trumpeter. Put over in great style. Angel Soto, announced as the Mexican Opera Tenor, offered “Vesta La Geba” from II Pagliacci. Soto has a fine tenor voice but lacks stage personality and presence. However, he was well received and proved that picture audiences appreciate classical entertainment now and then. “Somebody Said,” band number, with tr\impeter again singing and this time clowning with the Gould blondes and brunettes in a contest routine. Margaret Ball again appeared, this time as the red headed mamma who cops the prize at the end, -with band going into “Ain’t She Sweet” as girls and Margaret dance off. Babe Kane, former cafe entertainer, found this show and spot easy going, for it fitted her style of work. Babe has looks and is a clever perfromer, even though most of her work has been in floor revues. “My Idea of Heaven” and “I’m Back in Love Again” were used as featured numbers. Buck and Bubbles, what else is there to say but that they stopped the show? After many minutes of fun and hot dancing the band went into a fine arrangement of “Hap, Hap, Happiness” to which the Gould girls, half in male full dress suits and the others in evening gowns, did a nice ballroom routine. Finale: Entire cast all clowning and dancing, and some singing to the tune. Observation: Not a bad show, and still not so good. Perry was handicapped by . not having stronger talent other than Buck and Bubbles. Chicago Sheridan Week Ending March 27 This house still lacks something that would place its entertainment on a par with other successful stage band shows. The fault may lie in the staging and presenting of talent, which up to date equals some of the best. A jazz band led by a personality leader who could also inject comedy probably would instill more life in the productions. This week’s program ran as follows: Opening; “High, High up in the Mountains,” hand number, lead by Walter Blaufuss and his Jazz Demons. Here six Abbott Girls stepped a neat routine. Carolyn La Ruenz, a versatile dancer, followed in white costume with red cape and mask and rendered her interpretation of the “Jewel Thief.” Miss La Ruenz has been reported several times before and again proved she is an artist. The stage director should have given her a better spot than opening ; however, she did well here. Carroll Sisters, harmonized “Telling the Birds” and “High, High Up in the Mountains,” the girls are nice to look at and deliver their numbers in true team fashion, even though they have a vaudeville i-outine. Stagehands have taken more sister teams from vaudeville this year than ever and why not? “You’re the One,” a band num JOSEPH ALEXANDER The Youngest Solo Organist in Chicago Now Stopping Shows at MARKS BROS. EMBASSY THEATRE Specializing in Photoplay Accompaniment ‘A NEW IDEA IN THE FIELD”— Variety Albert F. Brown Feature Organist ORGAN SOLO— SCRIM PRESENTATIONS REPRESENT A NEW ERA OF DELUXE THEATRE ENTERTAINMENT STAGED BY RAYMOND Q. DALTON SYMPHONIC HAWLEY ORGANIST FEATURED BELPARK THEATRE CHICAGO