Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World (Apr-Jun 1930)

66 EXHIBITORS HERALD-WORLD April 12, 1930 Before the Mike STAGE SHOWS ( Continued, from page 65, column 2) Chauncey Parsons, well known tenor, heard weekly on the Yeast Foamers’ program, conducted by smiling Harry Kogen, was recently chosen by WENE as musical emmisary of his native state, Colorado. * * » Josef Koestner, famous orchestra conductor, heard on many net work programs, including Conoco Adventurers, Armour and Williams Oilomatics, is a Bavarian by birth and studied with some of the greatest masters of Europe before coming to America. » * * Coon-Sanders, famous dance orchestra, who used to keep lovers of peppy music up beyond sandman time back in the early days of radio when they were known as the Kansas City Night Hawks, are now playing each Tuesday night on the "Florsheim Frolic” via the NBC. * Fred Waldner, one of radio’s lyric tenors, heard on many chain programs from this territory, is another Kansas City product who has made good on the “big time." Although still a student at Northwestern University, he is one of the best loved radio singers. # # # Ted Weems continues to draw the crowds at A1 Quodbach’s Granada Cafe, with his marvelous music heard every evening over WBBM — Gene Arnold, of the well-known radio trio. Chuck, Gene and Ray, was reecntly promoted to the position of program director of station WENR under the direct supervision of Morgan Eastman * * * Clem and Harry have transferred their original program of Riddles and Grins from station WLS to WBBM — Were I to be caught napping, I would no doubt lose my job, but Louis Panico, the popular Canton Tea Garden Orchestra leader, heard from KYW daily, finds that an afternoon nap keeps him in trim for those noon and night sessions. * * * Howard Nuemiller informs me that the new 6tudios of station WENR will have their formal opening to the general public in about two weeks. They will be located in the new Civic Opera building at the foot of Wacker Drive and Madison street — Frank Westphal, who seems to be an Insull fixture (not electrical) will continue to direct the studio orchestra. # * * Frank Sylvano, who made an instantaneous euccess at the opening of the new Cinderella Cafe recently, can be heard over WCFL, the Chicago Federation of Labor station. I understand that Jimmy Petrillo wired Frankie (who had just joined the union) to DUE his best — Lloyd Huntley and his College Inn orchestra change wires when they move to the Congress Hotel, WBBM to KWY. * * * Amos an’ Andy, radio’s favorite characters, heard each night except Sunday over National Broadcasting Stations, are considered so valuable by the sponsors of their program, the Pepsodent company, that it has insured their lives for a million dollars. Besides being the highest paid radio artists this makes them the most highly insured * * * Bobby Mellin of the footlights with the band assisting. This takes well and gives Charlie another chance to display his diversified abilities. Hubert and Dyer, tumblers, excite plenty of laughs with their chair and table stunts and their interspersed nonsense. Lou Parker and Edith Davis furnish some snappy singing and dancing duos, with Miss Davis capping all with a well executed tap dance on her toes. Racing down the aisle shouting his head off at Charlie Agnew, comes the irresistible Roy Cummings, booked as a sensational comedian and a thunderbolt of happiness. This young man and his partner made whoopee extraordinary while they are on the stage, with Cummings presenting some original business with a drop curtain. This act brought much and prolonged laughter. Some of the jokes could have been omitted and should have been for those who like their jokes clean. “Their Own Desire” with Norma Shearer, is the feature picture. A news reel ends the bill. San Francisco Fox Week Ending April 3 The stage attraction at the Fox seems rather short this week and for the first time comes on immediately following the musical apertif which Walt Roesner has seen fit to term “Tender Interlude.” This musical offering by the Fox orchestra is made up of Victor Herbert airs and presented with a scenic background representing the glories of the rising sun. A solo number by the first violinist adds charm to a most effective concert. Ruth Silver, whose voice proves as attractive as her appearance, comes before the curtain and sings an original song having to do with an important question, the length of women’s skirts. When the curtain goes up it reveals three enormous skirts forming a background for the act and these skirts in turn are pulled up to reveal three pairs of shapely — limbs. Fifteen girls come out in groups of five, with long, short and medium length skirts, each group presenting a dance. The girls carry enormous colored fans of ostrich feathers and make an effective picture. Neil Castagnoli performs on saxophones shaped like more melodious instruments and his jazz offerings seem to follow too closely the entrancing music of Victor Herbert. Julia Curtis follows with a clever ventriloquistic act that fools most of her audience for a time. Two members of the orchestra go up on the stage to assist her and go through the motions of singing as she looks on approvingly. One sings operatic selections and the other a hotsy totsy song. They work their mouths as effectively as the more conventional dummies. Miss Curtis then imitates prominent artists in animal fashion, Diamond Lil as a cat, Harry Lauder as a monkey and Texas Guinan as a parrot. The Fanchon and Marco Girls then come on the stage in a 6tilt act, clad in showy attire, with trousers and high hat. The stilts are in three heights and some novel effects are secured in the drill and dance evolutions that follow. The precision with which they move makes this part of the act an outstanding one. The offering comes to a close with Neil Castagnoli making his appearance on etilts higher than any of the others and making the flies flutter with his raucous upturned saxophone. Milwaukee Wisconsin Week Ending April 3 A sprightly and novel Fanchon & Marco Idea greets Wisconsin theatregoers this week in “Hot Dominoes.” The Twelve Dominoe Darlings open the bill with a snappy dance number attired in combination black, white and red costumes with long black shoes and black gloves with wooden palms to help keep time with the band. Dexter, Webb and Diaz strum some lively tunes on their banjos including “Painting the Clouds With Sunshine.” As a finale, the female member of the troupe, who by the way, is an excellent dancer, steps her stuff to “Stars and Stripes.” Hart-Whitestone and Polly introduce Polly to tha audience, who promptly sings the scale and engages in several other bits of polly-talk. A bit of burlesque acrobatics by the two boys aided by a concealed rope brings a hearty laugh from the audience. "Happy Days Are Here Again” played by the band and sung by Roy Dietcrich is followed by “Should I,” sung only as Roy can sing it. Paul Mall lends a bit of color to the Idea by a lively song made up of bits from popular and past popular hits which goes over big with the audience. A background setting of a smiling mouth showing the white teeth then opens to allow the chorus, garbed in black and white costumes to come down stage. They go into their songs and dance and are again followed by Paul who does some stepping and wisecracking. For the finale the chorus does a chicken number dressed in rooster costumes which is interspersed with the enchanted forest bit at which time various grotesque and humorous puppets, light and sparkling against a black background, are put through their funny antics. The entire Idea is capably done and very well staged. Philadelphia Earle Week Ending March 28 The stage show “Laff Along” at the Earle this week was a round of hilarious comedy, with Bob Hall acting as master of ceremonies. He possesses the happy faculty of making the audience forget where the footlights begin without resorting to wise cracking and slapstick tactics and they responded in great style. The Littlefield Dancers dressed as clowns and Pierrettes danced through hoops as a girl in black whirled and revolved among the dancers. Lou Schrader’s stage band, the Earletonians, contributed some spirited music. Cecelia Blair, acrobatic dancer, gave an exhibition of gymnastic stunts, such as twisting herself into a hoop backwards and rolling across the stage, slow tempo contortions and other feats which brought her a great hand. Comedy was supplied by Prof. George E. Wilson, who imitated a German pianist with a lot of slapstick comedy. His partner contributed some discordant singing and the only redeeming feature of the act was Wilson’s final playing of the “Sextette” from “Lucia.” The antics of the “Runaway Four,” late of Earl Carroll’s Music Box Revue, stopped the show. These four appeared first in rags and tatters, dancing, singing and pantomiming apparently not specializing in anything but so clever at all kinds of funny stunts that they kept everybody in an uproar. A quick change and they appeared as sailors, rollicking and tumbling and putting their act over with a naturalness and spontaneity that caught the fancy of the audience. An imitation of a monkey and a burlesque dance to the air of “Spring Song” were particularly well done. They were recalled five times, each time responding with original bits of comedy. Bob Hall then called a member of the stage band to the front and he proved to be a master of the violin, holding it like a cello and playing familiar airs from various operas. Bob Hall then sang "Puttin’ on the Ritz” as he put the Littlefield Dancers through their paces in groups of four, each group appropriately dressed, dancing the Charleston, St. Louis Blues, Black Bottom and “Moanin’ Low,” while Cecelia Blair danced "The Little Yellow Dog.” In the finale the ballet in tights and military hats appeared playing drums and accompanied by the stage band in a stirring march. Oklahoma City Orpheum Week Ending March 28 R K O big time vaudeville continues to please “ ’em” at the Orpheum, the present bill the following vaudeville stars, and all were good. Ed and Tom Hickey, who were two elegant gentlemen. Duncan Collies, the canine actors who did their several stunts in a very satisfactory manner. Marie Hartman in “Before and After,” a very funny matrimonial song farce. Ruiz and Bonita, South America’s foremost artists, in their dances supreme, with their novelty quartette, and on the screen was Fox News and the feature picture, Mae Murray in Peacock Alley, a Tiffany production. Fanchon and Marco’s Screenland Melodies featuring Karavaeff-Lamberti, with Franklin and Warner. Robert McCloy, Everts and Lowry, Sherry Louise. Lucille Iverson. Jack and Betty Welling and the Sunkist Beauties, followed on the screen with Fox News and the feature picture "Troopers Three,” a Tiffany production. UNIFORMS ATTACHES COSTUMES BROOKS £