Inside facts of stage and screen (May 2, 1931)

Page Eight INSIDE FACTS OF STAGE AND SCREEN Reviews (Continued from Page 5) "William Tell" Overture; another smart bit of burlesquing-, *'Limberlegs" Edwards was brought on with an original line number in which the girls sketch- ed a cartoon of this topnotch gagging them smashed over to dancer in his famous inebriated legs, with their extraordinary ec- centricities brought laughs from every section of the house. And such laughs and such legomaniac antics are few an dfar between. Patsy Mason flashed her neat per- sonality, stepping out of the line for a bit of business. Allan and Canfield, mixed team of gagstcrs, did their share in keeping the customers happy. A grand finale with show girls in brief and glittering glory and all specialty turns on for a couple of smart stunts closed this class show. Vaudeville RKO HILLSTREET THEATRE PARAMOUNT THEATRE Lot Angeles (Reviewed April 30) Tl\e Paramount stage show was again presented in two separate acts this week. The first was **The Dance Studio" with Pert Kelton, the Collenette Ballet and Oscar Baum's nifty house orches- tra- Max Fisher and his May- fair band were the added attrac- tion. The curtains opened on a dance studio set against a tapestry-like bac]:ground with the Collenette ballet practicing at the bar, a la dancing school. After the usual dancing master and pupil business the girls, young and pretty, went into a well staged toe number. Pert Kelton's pantomimic, **Teach- er-May-I-Be-Excused" scene got its due response. Her clowning vocaling was topped by her exag- gerately awkward dance steps with laughs spotted throughout. After which the versatile Pert continued to panic them with a trombone solo heavily and clev- erly gagged for more laughs. Another graceful toe routine by the ballet closed the act, leav- ing a pleasant impression of the well balanced show with the cus- tomers. Max Fisher and his band work- ed in front of a brilliant drop, gypsy style, the personnel, too, in colorful, if not entirely becoming wardrobe. Opening number was **Blue Again/' which got them off to a good start. The Rhythm- ettes, doubling in the band of- fered sweet harmonies with "Out of Nowhere." A Fisher fiddle specialty followed in which he was supported by six members of the band doing a violin obligatto, the whole orchestra coming in on the second chorus for a strong finish. A comic Apache team of two men, one in fern gear, did a bur- lesque on the French clinches and falls assisted by a rival male Apache. Only fair returns on this piece of clowning, Louise Hunt's vocal solo was melodious and musical, but she lacked vocal surety at the open- ing matinee, her apparent nerv- ousness getting her an unsympa- thetic greeting from the house. A neat cornet solo was spotted in •Tailing in Love Again," played by the band, with a harmonious arrangement of negro spirituals following. A marionette number by a couple of the girls was well liked. Bud and Spud, two dusky danc- ers, laid 'em out cold with the snappiest kind of hoofing. They Worked together and in solos ac- companying each other at one of the pianos. They earned a couple of encores, the second a combina- tion number of piano playing and tapping. A novelty finish with the band walking out on Fisher failed to click, but the finale was saved by the Baum band joining in for a Tschaikowsky number effective- ly set against a silhouette repre- senting the burning of Moscow, played for all it was worth. Lo» Angeles (Reviewed April 30) With one sin^^le lonely excep- tion this is just another line-up of eight so-so turns. The exception Ls Robins, a distinctive continental comic whose performance man- aged to show up his co-vaude art- ists as very mediocre ladies and gentlemen. In comparison with his effortless and pleasing, smartly conceived musical and pantomimic clowning they just about rate also- ran mention. The RKO-lians' overture was a nicely done bit with Al Erickson batoning his gang through a gag rendition of a classic number. The bays walked out on him and cut up much to the amusement of the RKO's paying guests. The Bob Orth troupe of five trampoliners, seen here recently in one of the Jack Laughlin Orph presentations, repeated their snappy line of stunts to a wide-awake reception in the number one spot. The boys make a strong opening act, work- ing fast and selling individually and collectively on the merit of their work. Dexter, Webb and Merrill, two collegians and a collegienne (self styled), opened with banjo playing followed by a fast hoofing routine by the fern. More banjoing and more speedy stepping from the girl, then more banjo duets; all of which got them nowhere with the house. The girl is a good aero and tap dancer but neglected to sell herself and her routines. Better spotting of feature steps should help. She deserved much more than she got. Lyons and Waterman, man and fem, with a nut two-act failed to arouse more than spotty laughs. It's the kind of material that used to wow 'em years ago, but the march of time and progress —or something—has left them far behind. Their double dance rou- tine was the best part of the turn. The Sailor Comedy P'our harmon- ized a group of varied tunes and just contrived to get by. Johnny Berkes and Vesta Wallace net- ted similar results with dumb pan comics, piano playing and gag vo- caling interspersed with gags. Ardine and Tyrell offered a dance revue under the guise of a ship's concert. A three-girl en- semble, some singing, and a tan- go burlesque were okay. A. Robins, in next-to-closing, has doped out an act that spells class, originality and laughs from start to finish. His wardrobe and make- up in themselves were enough to start the fun. He carried innum- erable prop instruments, cleverly faking the playing of anything from fiddle and cello to piccolo and mandolin. Every part of his act showed careful thought and intelligent understanding of how to built laughs and where to spot them. Wardrobe gags were smart stuff. Al Gordon's Comedy Canines kept the house seated right through. Gordon has an exep- tionally pleasant personality and his dogs delivered their tricks with amazing accuracy. The com- edy angle is emphasized, showing up straight stunts to good advan- tage. opening audience, and her busi- ness added to the lines in the second act brought this out as the outstanding scene of the play. The company had hard work to overcome the "talkiness*' which the author has built into his first act. Georgia Ncese presented the most varied role of the season in her Lady Lynde, and drew a worthy characterization of the heavy dramatic actress who also forgets her dialect when in her cups. Ri^-li and John A. Willarde were effective in the ro- mantic leads, with John W. Moore showing nice judgment in keeping the nance part of Teddv Donald- son always on the humorous side. Violet La Plante, Jessie Prin- gle, Ann Newman, Suzanne Ca- ton. Gale Gordon, Charles Forbes and Andy Gunnard completed the cast. Charles Bostick, assist- ant treasurer, deserted the front of the house for the second act and appeared at the piano for Miss Boley's song. Burlesque Reports to the contrary, casting for Howard Hughes' "The Age for Love," starring Billie Dove, had not started this week, and no lead- ing man had yet been selected. Frank Lloyd will direct. Legitimate CAPITOL SAN FRANCISCO (Reviewed April 24) This week's show at Johnnie Goldsmith's emporium of anatomy has a very good line of bits and blackouts, well presented by the ace comedians. Jack Greenman and Lou Devine, assisted by Texas and West, Peggy Reynolds, Millie Pe- dro, Mae i5unday, George Grafe, James Yoman and Lillian Hunt. Show opened with George Grafe and the chorus doing a very pretty number that rtarted the af- fair off with a bang. Then fol- lowed the Sunday gal, a looker, who put over a stripper like no- body's business. Landis Sisters came out for a couple of hot har- mony numbers that had bald-head- ed row perspiring. A hot subway hit by Greenman -and Devine had a wow finish that drew the big- gest laughs since this house re- opened. They were still haw-haw- ing Avhen Millie Pedro came on for her song and dance. Millie has affected an English accent that tends to make her words mouthy, it should be dropped. Texas and West then put over a pair of tunes, the chorus join- ing in for .jome well executed walkarounds. The *'hip and titter" girls on the back parallel were very shapely. Peggy R'eynolds, absent for a few weeks on account of illness, had a new strip that was plenty popular. A flashy closing number set the show off as one of the best to date and a bargain for the price, burley-q or not. Credit James Yoman, producer, and Lillian Hunt, chorus producer. Al Beatty and his bang-up band gave excellent assistance to the stage workers. A terrible Larry Semon comedy and an animal cartoon finished out the program. —RUBE. FINANCE CHAIRMAN Maurice Goodman is to become chairman of the finance commit- tee of Columbia Pictures. ''STEPPING SISTERS" BAINBRIDGE PLAYERS Seattle (Reviewed April 26) "Stepping Sisters," presented by the Bainbridge Players as May Boley's starring vehcle proved a source of contagious amusement for the stock audience, although it cannot be rated as an ideal vehicle for this star. Three fem- inine roles practically share the honors, with the result that Geor- gia Neese, company second wo- man, and Julia Elmendorff, for- mer Wilkes player pressed into service for the week, came near to sharing scenes with the star. Miss Boley's boisterous style of humor caught solidly with the SAVE HALF! SPECIALISTS IN PERMANENT WAVING—FINGER WAVING FASHION PERMANENT WAVE CO.. Inc. SEATTLE—Phone Elliot 3414 TACOMA—Phone Main S33S POPULAR SPOT Picture people in need of that rest which too .strenuous work en- tails are increasingly patronizing the Mountain View Sanatorium at North Avenue Fifty-two. Known as ''The Rest Home Beau- tiful," it specializes in post-opera- tive special diet, convalescent and preferred ner/ous cases. An added feature is the high and dry cli- mate there, the home being well away from all fog conditions. Med- ical director is Dr. N. D. Reynolds while business chiefs are H. Rod- enmayer, superintendent, and C. M. Van Orden, business manager. AT COMMUNITY "Death Takes a Holiday" by Walter Ferris is the current pro- duction at the Pasadena Com- munity Playhouse, running until May 9. Ian Maclaren and Marion Clayton head the cast. Others featured are Charles Levi^on, Ca- r^y^ Anspacher, David Loring Alice Forsythe Mosher, Robert Morkill, Dawson Tracy, Thomas Browne. 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