Variety (April 1920)

NJEW ACTS THIS WEJIC V.»'. Ju. Etbd MacDoBoagh. MUMiy"* Bm7 Dajr (SUt). 17 Mias.} TlirM (SpmUI). RoyaL "MiUdr's Busy •Day," a satire on the Eternal Feminine, is the prosram bill- ing of Miss MacDonough's cUver skit. The curtain rises on special hangings, subdivided into three sections. The left hand side discloses milady's boudoir and Miss MacDonongh at the point of arising for' breakfast. Soliloquizing; some peeping t'om from across the im- aginary aeravay has been spying on her inner and most sacred portals, she draws the blind, disclosing Miss Mac- Donough going through the pantomime of preparmg for her mor;iing dip. Ex- planatory slides are projected on the\ curtain at intermittent points which are difficult to read*owine to the cur-' tahi's wrinkhr condition. Some of these are intended to be funny but are mild- ly so, although one or two hit their mark. Miss MacDonough co^nes for- ward attired for her morning shopping tour and delves into a number anent Eer shoptNiig experientes in securing a match for a particular baby blue hued 'piece of ribbon. Mild reception. An- other slide, "Johnny^ get ypur telescope ready; something is coming off," and business of milady changing her rai- ment (all in silhouette form) for after- ' noon dress; An afternoon tea num- ber, follows, in which the artist mon- ologues to ai) imaginary vis a vis (Grarge by name) in cooing, amorous, fashion. Follow up on same number,^ " two years later when she has "landed', the bird," and her tone has become more stem in manner. Clever and ap- preciated. Another' change behind window shade, for evening dress and number in section of a theatre box. Talk smart and telling. She comes to. "one" foV the rendition of '*When My Baby Smiles at Me" that scored big for her. Remarks to hfer imaginary escort, "My, it's 2 o'clock already. I must hurry back" and curtain again rises on cross section of her boudoir —and remains up, Miss MacDonough naively remarking the peeping Tom must be asleep so she tears not his ocular intrusion on her quarters. A change to robe de nuit follows in ful) view of the audience, reHrement to ' bed, curtain—and lots of applause. Bows. A brace of curtains. A clever conceit for big time consumption. DilloB and Parkmr. *?ik*Nae« of UZO." It Mfau.) Om (SpMial Drops). nflb Av«. j Jay Dillon and Betty Parker ajre a classy dance couple. Their patter num- ber at the opening with the very neat dance following "set" them. -Miss Parker foltowed with a comedy single number'"She's a Little Bit Crazy About Her Husband" and then Dillon showed a voice with "Was There Ever a Pal Like You." That number seemed a bit out of place in the routine but as the turn is labelled "Nic-Nacs," odd bits are to be expected. Jack Norworth is pre- senting the turn and some of his ma- terial from "Odds and Ends" is present. More particularly the chatter of a couple seated against a blaik velvet drop and using an orange spot is an "Odds and Ends" bit Srst done 1^ Nor- ' worth and Lillian Lorraine. The talk is topped off with "Fancy, You Fancy- ing Me," also from the show. At the end of the number the couple were about to kiss when a loud groan came either from the house or win^s. If it wasn't planted, it should go m regu- larly, for it drew a big laugh. More dialogue lead to "When YouYe Alone" the pair exiting to patter harmony and encorinjg with "Mandy," a Norworth sopg similarly delivered. The dance bit shown at the start looked good enough to have a dance for the finish and there is no doubt that a bit of stepping there would more properly top off the routine. Dillion and Parker are big time. ' Ibee, Jane and Katherina Lee. . Comedy Skit. 22 Mins.} Oaa and Full Stags (Spwlal). Rireraide. This is Jane and Katherine Lee who have appeared on the screen for Fox pictures and others for the past three years. Whoever . is responsible for E lacing the children in vaudeville must e credited with first rate judgment in securing a real vehicle in which to exploit the kids' talents. Tommy Gray wrote it and turned out a pleasing little skit which fits the children like . the proverbial glove. The act op<ens in one with Jahe and i^thcrine on ^or an exchange of wise chatter, liberally sprinkled with laughs. The material is bright and punchy and the old fash- iohfed manner in which the children • discuss various phases of studio life is productive of a continuous 'stream of merriment. Following the conversa- tional stuff in one the act goes to full stage, set for a picture studio with Cooper-Hewitts, camera, etc. An un- programed person impersonates a di-' rector and oceans of comedy are de- rived from the kids doirig a couple of scenes' for the camera.. A bit of sentiment closes this section with Jane doing a crying bit beside the bed of Katherine who is supposed to be dying. - The sudden transition from'comedy to tragedy was effected remarkably by the Lee kids, and was accorded an ova-' tion. The children then go back to one for a,comedy bit, in which they impersonate a couple of old maids at the pictures^, This is also rich in com- edy material and wonderfully handled when the age of the Lee kids are con? isidered. The act was a riot at the Riverside Monday nighi, stopping the show cold for three or four minutes. It's ready for the biggest and best of the big time houses and sjiould clean up anywhere. * '. BelL ' Mennettl and -SidalB. . "", Acrobatic. ,;:,^....yv,. ? \ . 15 Mint.; Four. « ; ' ' • . -'^ American Roof. . » ■ Two men, straight and comedy in' dress suits to conform to their char- acterizations. The comedian bears thfc brunt of the labors with his falls Md panto work. The straight does several, tumbles effectively. The finish was' intended for a Melrose fall from a height of four tables. One ot^them gave way and the turn concluded, pre- maturely through the mishap which resulted in- a nasty spill for the com- edian. The duo were evidently nerv- ous and did not take great pains in setting the tables in their grooves properly as it was evident from the boxes and first rows that the offending table was out of alignment. The turn is excellent pop house material worthy of a spot. ^They were No. 3 on the roof. ' • ——— "V ■ Carolo Trio. Piano,'Singing and Daadnff. 16 Mins.; One. Coliynbia (March 28). ^. Russel Hurd is at the piano and Billy Tilden and Bob Fisher (Fiiher, Lucky and (lordon) are the singing end. The boys are still wearing "gob" uniforms. Tilden handles the comedy efforts. With "Marie" he does a red- hatted dame and gets a lot out of the character. There ar^ frequent refer- ences to days in the service sprinkled throughout |the offering. Tilden; ad libs cleverly \:and gets laughs any time he goes after them. Fisher has a splendid singing voice and solos "Mil- lion Miles from Nowhere" in pleasing fashion. Hurd is a good pianist and has^a solo of popular airs that was ap- plauded. The finish is a double "Ham- Don^," an ancient limerick theme but increased in applause value by Tilden's comedy efforts. These boys with new material look like a big time combina- tion. The war thing is passe and they are probably only finishing out the season in the navy blue. ' ' Con. Laura Pierpont and Co. (S). "The Guiding Star." 24 Mint.; Fall (Special). Coloniat Edgar Allan Wolff evolve^ "The Guiding Star," especially for Miss Pier- pont. It gives her an opportunity to display her artistry in four distinct types of characterization. The first is a flip model in a fashion show; sec- ond, a Salvation Lassie; third, a coke fiend and last a straight ingenue bit. The story built for the purpose Is that of the old folks Ut home, about to be turned outdoors because of the $10,000 mortgage on the farm, the runaway daughter and her husband return in - time to save the day. Mr. Woolf, how- ever has'hit upon a novel'excuse for the introduction of the various char- acterizations by his star. The girls, father in this case.is a stem pld man , whose bigoted mind forced the daugh- tei- to leave home. He has his impres- sion of what has become of the girl and,knows just what ber story would be ii she ever returned home. He starts to tell it to his wife, whereupon the lights flash out for a moment and the girl is there impersonating the flip dame. Then the mother's idea is handled in a like fashion With the girl turning up as the Salvation Lassie. The dope fiend is' brought in with the ■ father's idea that it might have been a hereditary affliction, for some of his , ancestors either sniffed .*r jabbed (al- though it is hard to believe after look- ,ing at him that any of his forebears ever became educated .to such an ex- tent) and then finally just as the old folks'&re to be given the gate by the hard-hearted old bh-d that owns the place, in walks the daughter with the news that she really rlin off and mar-, Vied the rich old guy's son and now the boy has more dough than ^is dad ever thought of having and "h«r^ are the Eapers that give you back the old omestead." There is also a rube kid character, the so» of' the family, well played by a full grown man who looks too big for the part. The act ' seems a little lengthy at present and anything up "to four minutes might be cut from it to advantage. The mother and father were v?ry well played. Miss Pierpont gave an «cellent account of herself throughour'the axt and her "dope" was realistic enough to bring a query from the gallery as to whether or not she wanted "a shot." Her flip dainebit-was also clever, but she did not seem convincihg as the doughiiut lassie. Perhaps the,, contrast to the .flip dame was too greffiit, or it might have beeri that impression driven home in the latter would not easily be dis- missed from mind. The act is worth while'for once around the big time at any rate. ^ '^^' Lorimer Hudson and Co. (f). .. Bieyelo Act. 15 Mint.; Full Stage. 23rd Street. Two girls and two men' in a routine ot trick bicycling. The girls open the act with the usual double trick stuff. Attractive costumes consisting of ab- breviated skirts and white tights are worn. One of the men next does a brief rbutine of trick, riding, appearing in misfit suit which he discards for straight attire, while riding. The ■fourth member of the act, a tramp comic gets the stage next for some familiar but very cleverly performed comedy riding. The girls change to nifty looking one piece costumes for another routine of double maneuvers. The tramp comic does another single and following some fast ensemble formations, the turn closes vfith the four on elevated wheels, with the tramp standing out by his comedy odd twists and turns on the highest of the elevated wheels, which through a mechanical arrangement has the rider perched on a saddle about twenty feet from the • ground. The act w^nt over opening the show at the 23rd Street last half. It's a standard turn. BeU. ,; . ..I. ,;,;.- . ■■ ■'.'■ ■:■:■ ,; O'Roncko and AdelpU. . ■ Songs and.PIaae. 22 Mins.| One.'V." j ' ■'^■■y Fifth Av«b ^ , Here is a two girl act not to be classed as a sister turn. The .Miss O'Rourke and Adelphi present^ neat contrast in complexion. Miss O Rourkc bobbing a head of jet black glossing hair and Miss Adelphi's being of sorrel. vThe latter was formerly accompanist for Janet Adair. Miss O'Rourke was probably one of a sister teanu She has a direct style of delivering popu- lar songs that catches aUention. Most of the singing is done by her, with , Miss Adelphi accompanying on the piano. • The openiftg number, "Honey- moon in Dixieland'*^ brought m a spe- cialarran^ement of other ditties. Miss O'Rourke's own style was best showh in the nexft number, 'The Worried Blues" sung to slow jazz time. There ;s an interruption bit with Miss Adel- phi reading a letter, points of ;Which - lead to dialogue. A riano specialty . permitted Miss OJRourkV time for a costume change and she returned with "Rose of Washington Square, the. Fannie Brice song, dbne, however, without dialect. The melody « catchy and stands on its own. ''You qught To See Her Now," a gossipy number,, was partly duettcd for the finish but the girls were out again with ^ Jean, , another slow jazz number. ^ Darda- nella" was vamped by the orchestra at the close of the act, which may have aided in the returns. >But the girls made no attempt to sing^it. ORourke and Adelphi as an- act for *he o»8 houses is^^'in/' ^. , ^v; *^V Al Letter and Co. (1). \ ; 'v. • Comedy Skit. 14 Mine.; Two. " > :...-,■■ . American. Roof (March 25). ."^ . Al Lester assisted by a long, lean, dark woman is putting over a cqmedy skit that seemr to find f^vor with small time audiences. It's principal asset Ss the half "nance" detective that Lister does. There is alittlc plot to the piece. A scandal sheet having printed a notice about a strange man seen leaving the widow's honie via the bathroom, slje calls up the editor and demands a retraction. He promises to send a reporter and at the same time she is expecting a possible hubby NO. 2. Instead of either arriving the detective drops in. Nice sor^of a boy is he, who wants to find put if her first husband committed suicide. She mistakes him for the reporter and the questions that he asks regarding the dead hubby are applied to her to fit the case of the plumber who was locked in the bath rootn and had to get out of the house by the window. -It is all good old hoak and makes 'em laugh. Finally Lester managed to get all mixed up in a burlesque recitation and the curtain drops on him whije he is in the midst of it. The girl is a_good feeder. '^frerf. _ Cal Dean and Sorority Girls (8). Girl Act. ' 16 Mint.; Full Stage. Columbia (March 28). Cal Dean is a mature looking light comedian and is assisted by four chorusters and one principal. The lat- ter makes two changes and handles one end of a double number. She reads lines in a sing song amateurish man- ner. The other four girls are good dancers and make a nice appearance in several costume changes. .The com- edy efforts are shouldered by Dean who is visiting the girls' apartments under the impression that they are ^till oc- cupied by a male friend of his whom he hasn't seen in a year. Dean at- tempts the flighty repertoire style of get back and does fairly with mediocre- lines. The act carried nothing special —a few pennants being hui\g o" 'he house set to get the co-ed idea across. It's just a cheaply 'TJToduced girl act and is doomed to a pop house future. Con. %