Variety (Dec 1929)

42 VARIETY VAUDE HOUSE REVIEWS Wednesday, December ,4, 1929 PALACE (St. Vaude) ■V;»riety as you like it Is the Pal- ace Inducement this week. With a bill; of but eight acts the usual QXtta one Is not missed in light ot, triple name di'aws In Waring's Pennsylvanians, Nan Halperin and Cise smartness. Company has three boys who hand ORPHEUM out a nice assortment of tap dance routines, and they were over nicely. . (St. Vaude) The boys make one mistake, when Los Angeles/Nov. 30. they spoil a good military tap spe- This Week's bill is the swan song clalty bv carrying toy guns and of two-a-day on the coast. A week shooting' corks. White gloves in- from today this house goes dark stead might give their dance pre- until Christmas. Then all wired for sound the Orpheum opens a straight feert Wheeler, Waring's band counts because of Nrith hia chatter and song. Bert Hanlon next, and only fair picture policy with "Hit the. Deck," national rep; Miss Halperin,, with a I audience wasn't , set for his stuff, new and nifty act this season, is they needed somethmg loud another whose name will attract, Tlie freak act. Godino Twins, while Bert Wheeler's presence in closed, and would have been suc- "Rio Rita" (film) on Broadway cur- | cessf ul" had they cut their ^act in rently, should mean something. -^-^ i * The I (RKO) reported for it. Keith vaude's been In here sihce the theatre wai3 built, 1926, but the house has ailWays been in the red owing to clumsy bookings . that brought in second-rate aind poorly half. Much too long, with long I assorted acts, necessitating : local stooge held the big comedy spot. Over as unuch as talking can get over in the State, closing was Lianef and Tyson Revue, dance team backed by a Russian string quartet, Good miisic and pretty good danc- ing, highlighted by the mixed team's doll dance. Saturday business at the State always the same. Just like the Pal- ace, only twice as crowded. Bang.. RIVERSIDE (St. Vaude) They're trying anything once in big time vaudeville these days. In Saturday mat, despite the *sud- and uninteresting band numoera. talent and picture na^nes booked In ^ den bitter cold snap and competing Act running^ about 25 minutes, ana I here. The house Is one of the i - r ' .. " . Army-Notre Dame game, held near should be cut at 10 of that. Fill- niftiest on the coast and well situ- r^j^ racket for the Riverside last capacity.' plnb band, but not entertaining. The ated In downtown Los Angeles for Saturday was gettlne In the nelgh- For a first performance this one Siamese twins enter first on skates the ne^ Pojjcy. . ^ borhood fiapS for the Helen Kane Tan exceptionally smooth, with well arid close doing a dance with their Keith vaudeville will go Into the impersonation contest. Girls who ordered spotting arid speedy pacing "brides." Best is their crossfire and RKO, six acts with the Picture. But \ ^rQJ^ Brooklyn and the Bronx outside of the Waring interlude, talk in "one," Here, the boys dis- Hollywood will never go for the Hill Uyjll j^gg^ closing the front section after 65 play a sense of comedy and show- strfeet house as they have for the hRiygpgUg jjgp 9 , for the blowoff, minutes. Waring's Pennsylvanians | manship. Tliose three minutes ai-e | all-vaude at the Oi:T>heuni. | Miss Kane handing the champ of two or three at the same time. with Dorothy Lee and a bunch of specialties registered a clean hit, spontaneously "delivered, but 65 minutes is too long for any kind of vaude turn. Half dozen encores to a beg-off. Nan Halperin stopped the show No. 4," after ringing the bell with a thud on her "Harlem" number. Worth the whole act. "Racketeer" (Pathe) feature. Business excellent. ACADEMY Nothing about this last bill to 1 ..goop.Boop.a-Dooper" of the met send It down in history. A xjoupla tropolitan area $200 in gold, the high spots, several low spots and pnyUeg^g meeting Helen Kane one long-drawn out spot that personally and other valuable con missed being an hour by two mln- slderatiOns. utes this afternoon, y ■ . Also at this same Saturday per- „, ._, ^ , This last bill Is also a cheater, formance they picked out one little (Vaudtilm) only seven acts, yet keeping the giri who got a fancy doll by some Corking bill for first half, with -customers long after school. A bag- system of chance, and the" young- lyfiss Halperin has switched her plenty of variety in the six act lay- ffage delay held ' up the opening ster, in her excitement and wonder layout a bit since breaking in the out and "Romance of. Rio'Grande" show, but all of them will run along at the celestial accident,, was one act,, with her pianist now In the (Fox) screen attraction. Near with Larry Rich helping himself to 6f the hits of the bill. Saturday pit for much better results and al-' sellout Saturday afternoon. the house for 68 minutes. On. the matinee audience for a change was lowing the singing comedienne free Dakotas, two men and girl, pace» program It's split tp look like two fairly large, for which, credit likely rein on stage. It's a class name niade satisfactorily with fast combo acts,, first Larry Rich and Cherle, is due to Miss Kane, hut th&re wis turn from all angles. of roping and whipsnapping, latter second is "The Master Comedian, a capital show surrounding her, LUlu McConnell, directly ahead, stunts the better of the two and Larry Rich and Friends . with besides the contest angles with her well seasoned sl^It, mop- Uj^e outfronters going for it. Cherie." Program order was torn um at ped. Embroidering it with plenty Jimmy Burchill and Blondes fol- The prelimlriary 10 irilnutes Is the first performance, show rinBlhg of naturstl laughs. Miss McConnell lowed, ofterlng nifty hoofing In song and chatter stuff, some fiash in the following order: Ade Duval, bad an easy time. Popular appeal U^ejp song airid dance revue, topped powder explosions and a devil to juggler; Lalhrop Bros., dancers; of the bridge playing theme i" this I jjy acrobatics of the Allison Sis- make it a prolog:. Then.to full stage Buster Shaver and Tiny Town sketch, ^vlth neighborly fighting and 1 j^pg^ trio of tumblers spotted near for the band, nine boys. A lot Is Revue, George Beatty, Clara Barry the pip "druW of Miss McCon- Ajjigj^^ and a big help in getting the kidding between Rich and his outfit. | and Orvllle Whltlege, Franlclyn Ar nell's, make for a strong comedy j^^t over with a wallop. " Blrchlll | Rich establishes himself in person- turn. Good assistance from Grant I ^jg^^^j^g, g^a^jjjjgjl g^^^^^ rg. ^.^^^ and gets the house to echo Simpson and Robert and Virginia ^^^.^g j^g^j^ ^j^^ Q£^tJ^g back responses to his "Cheerio" Hyman. „ , tour eirl supporters In dance rou- without trying to coax. He doesn't Alhertina Rasch Dancers, open- Uines. let anyone overlook his physical re- dell,' Helen Kane and Ed and Jenny Robney, aerial 'pair. That frame-up added Duval to the bill, put the-Rooneys in to close and switched Barry a;hd Whitlege iErom Ing, gave the show a fast start. walte Hoyt, Yankee ' twlrler, semblance to Whltelman, dragging it closing to three from closing. AH Latest batch of girls has underg^^^^ _ I x.^w»Jll^; «,>.^wu<>xt»».»>>v v--•». w v-..ww. tliesc transfers unquestionably for some changes with Albertlna Vitak, ^^^^^ ^ ^ - routine Interspersed A young kid who does a campus the betterment of the bill running, formerly featured, now ahsfnt. m-.i j^j^ ^^^^ got over. Hoyt has Cooch clicks strongly with the band Saturday afternoon was no time steiid there are two unbilled Pre- camphored his baseball togs^ and act. Also one of the musicians with to judge the show as a wliole, be- mfee dancers who are first rate I ^^^.^g dark sack suit Gal aa- a southern accent who xylophones cause there was a great prepon terpsichoreans. sistant Is a fast feeder and also as- a bit and has* some biz with the Keith Wilbur, Australian imua- . ^g couple of duets. Hoyt portly Rich that verges on the nance tor, made the most of No. 6 out 1 1. . . . ^ . . . but registers strong for- laughs. not strong enough to impress with I g^^^^ After them, intermlsh. Carmel Fourteen Bricktops, girl orches- Myers, in the marquee llghta, opens tra, all redheads, led by Bobble second Wlf with her song cycle. I Grlce, whooped things up aplenty In She niade a long jump to the home [next niche with torrid instrumenta-ItoWri from ah eastern engagement, tlon for sure click. Miss Grlce'a and gets In l^er first blg-tlme ap ♦fcJl't*''^.l'^»«^"'««rnit^y^%^^ gryrations while baton pearance here Just under the wire. 1 • „„„ , 1,0^ t.«if^ onM Sst? biefzlnK m the wielding set a pep tempo difficult to Mlsa Myers refers to her work In y^^'jy^^^.^^^J S^fhlnS ?„?n ^nfl iHKK* f™i«^ fiV« 5«d!«nee indoors surpassT Five numbers with usual the musical films and the last of her «ash act n Idbby keeping the-auaience inaoors 'v*' i_4._„o_>.-„„j »/vn,r.r.t<»>/i ava anm^a ta "x jjwa "Vmi T watA it looked, a good deal more UKe big throligh Intermission. Nat Nazarro clow»i^ s^^^^ of another day than Is com- Is still presenting them. Bubbles' their contrlb.uUo^ put 5^^'..°;® Jf^^^^ -tap^anelng has developed-by^leaps OJ^^^^^ the rest of the bill, Wilbur's tal- enta direct him in the barnyard, |>lrd, animal and Instrumeril Imita- tor's class- Okay on average bills, ] kut lost ground here. Buck and Bubbles were In some- derance of children' in the audience To the kids the midgets knd the Duval opener were the highlights; there ' was Helen Kane' for the neighborhood gli'ls and first rate comedy values for the general run of adult, fans. Altogether^ an ex Calient neighborhood frame-up, al though an CTcpensive one as such turns go. . For the first time in .^H hminri.1 Trinle beats to this I / Jack Pepper, crooning trouSiaour, Tier foi^^ m«an«' little BdJk Is sUll and his two male clown assistants. They liked her and three bows. SfJrln^ fhft ilano ana?t For one were a mopup in next to shut. Pfep- Van and Schehck, holdovers, :No, whS d!esn¥know oS^?^?te of music Per registered heavy with his croon- 3, did their bit to lengthen the bill fSm anothe?lhTs 515^^^^ strumming and then by popular request. Five numbers, rrom anotner uiis iNegro laa is [ ^^°„„,,^ ^y,^ «,ioflf <iaaiofanta <Uiion thrA« Annoran. Morris and put routine of magic, concentnitlng upon producing vast" quantities of brightly colored silk froin all sorts of unexpected places. At the finish the stage looks like a Roxy setting, berries. I hro"^^^* , t^®^ »n*f ^ v^^"*^'1 ^n«!!i.r.^^u^!l^^^f^^^^^ni«T'^tt^ t^L'ir. Tso gaily Is It decorated with the Bert Wheeler, bringing up a show latter panicking for laughs both on Campbell nert to c^oMnff^wlth their ^^^^ p^opg. Great for the already on terra flrma, pierced an- get up and succeedlngfoolery. | musical farce In three scenes. It" ^T.i u - ^ «,o„.i«,oa o« i^^i^ t{:l^ft^^^X^' *^c.\youngster3 in connection with the Natacha Nattova, danseuse, was | was so late In the afternoon the | ^j^g^^. ^g^^ Technique Is simple the^neJt to^hutnSshe, wlf^^^^ heavy standout In next to I walk-outs. began there, although fiSift turn nrobably nut"together at shut with a corking dance act, un- Scheep's animals were yet to come, -rthe last minute. Wheeler's sympa- doubtedly the best she has ever .Maxellos, two^ working on their ■thetlc mueclng and boyish de- lined up for vaudeville. Three male backs and whirling the other four meaner is femme killing stuff, dancers assist. The Death Dance, opened and drew somethinff on al- Women are a cinch to go for him by Nattova and the taller of the most every feat. They went over when he starts munching on the men. Is a gem for postures and strong with laughs when they got apple and rains glycerine from his tosses, Triple adagio finish Is | the standard stunts over with and eyes. Material Is the same Wheeler equally good and puts the act oyer has used before In vaude, only the | for a bang. Edba, femme foils he always did and still needs Is missing. For pinch hit ters Wheeler called upon Charley Hill and Lou Forman, pit director, not counting the brief entrance of Eddie Foy, Jr., happening to be In the Winers Saturday afternoon Jack Joyce's horse circus closed GRAND O, H. (Vaudfilm) "Look at that house!" - "Johnny, sit here!" . "My, ain't that awful!" In the neighb houses it's a, ques- relaxed into comedy slips. Act- should mix In this gag stuff from the start. In deuce come Goss and Barrows in a chatter turn that leans heavily on ' the girl's blubbering, giggling and 3. a. . STATE after they started walking In car tlon If the talkers haven't made the loads. Those few sticking saw some customerj jabber, too. The bird who and not too cleverly concealed, but. I It's all good showmanship. Lathrop Brothers In a trim mod- ern stepping turn, with almost no talk and the singing turned aside with a comedy angle. Brisk,'per- sonable pair who go right to work and get away promptly they have done their stint. Shaver and the Tiny Towners a riot at this show, smaller than the big midget acts that have been ^iround, but skillfully staged for ex cellent effect of clever specialty and comedy, George Beatty, single working in street clothes, did about 16 minutes [of clean-cut, bright matter.-Touches the spice angle with an occasional Interesting stunts performed Really good vaude bill. Span. STATE LAKE doesn't chatter during a perform- ance here doesn't belong. At this independent it's bad etl- qiiet not to applaud". When ia cus- tomer pays two bits to sit on a cal- (Vaudfilm) To any who might complain of I broad* line or lyric, bub. these neigh service, icy draughts or the unin- borhooders like that sort of thing telllglbility of vaude in Loew's State A deft and intelligent entertainer, this week the answer Is: this talking songster, a little on the "Why Bring That XJp?" (Par); Tannen style but hot sb fast and Loew's State was answering all for that reason better adapted to loused seat he's subscribed to an I questions with pictures vwhile this grade-of customers. Did well (Vaudfilm) unwrlttin law that says "give the straight vaUde was In the throes of hyi this spot. Chicago, Nov. 30. boys a hand." hen fruit labor pains. Pictures are Barry and Whitlege are a thought Plenty of dissatisfaction at this Four small-time acts showed, and still why five or less'acts of vaude too fast for the upper west side, house this week. At the first show so far as the customers here werie- may play a full week here without it. takes a pretty alert audience to ' today the audience was pushed into coricerned it was big stuff—and yet knowing whether they're good or ] get the best of their exchanges'of the dumps right at the start, and maybe tt wasn't, because if the biz bad. Some play as though fully nobody did anything to brighten | ig any criterion how the neighbor- cohsclous of being a stage wait. hood pendumlum swings then this Ruble Sisters, hand-to-hand, and house Is beginning Its low era. head-balancing team, unusual bev On the other hand, cold weather cause they are accomplishing rou- may have affected the b. o. Not tlned usually done by males, were over 600 ticket buyers In the or- succes^fur openers. Their act Is Boxes, where smoking Is I climaxed In a walk over , a double things up. As Bert Hanloh, among j those who died, said, "There was no co-operation." The show just | wobbled and collapsed. The screen talker, as usual, was cut and broken, with long sequences chestra. of blackness or misplaced syn- chronization. Might be an idea to get new wiring. The "Our Gang" comedy, labelled "Little Mother," Viii^ brutal. •Howard's Spectacle, animal act, opened, and didn't do any gpod* Small time stuff, with dogs jump- permitted, had plenty of spare staircase, with one sister balanced chairs. Ba,lcony couldn't have on the other's head. Good dumb counted more than 40 at the late acts are logical cathedral bookings, afternoon show on this Saturday Rogers and Wynne, second, are change day. gray-haired man and lady hoofing Biggest kick to customers was the as they said they hoofed 30 years picture, "Thev Had to See Paris" ago at'Tony Pastor's. Heavy ap- I (Fox), with Will Rogers, playing plause naturally follows sight of an Ing on the backs of ponies as the here after hitting the Fox houses a elderly couple shaking an enthuslas- ace part of the turn. Most of the couple of blocks east four weeks or tic leg. Quite a few minutes of time the dogs Wouldn't jump. so ago. .Didn't seem to help the dancing by a young team In the act Allan a nd Ca nfield_dldn't have a | draw. Ran 95 minutes. passed flat._ With the kids through, chance to^scoi^" Weak~W:^3TTrei vauaenonriirran"'Br mlft and a feeble attempt at clowning four acts in the order of presenta^ | gray-haired pair are hauled out as from the femme. As an act It never tlon being Little PIpifax and Co- got started. Such stuff as "vacuum Sandy Shaw, "Crazy Rhythm," and Is Where the pope lives" is bad for Franldyn D'Armoi*e and Co any act's health around here. And | Old acta that hit this outpost mama and papa. Probably no rela tlon, but It's a great finish for a puny act and assures bookings. Wally Sharpies and Co. (New when thev sprung "joyous, full of often attempt inoog stuff by hiding Acts) gave vaude a load of bur wnen tney ayi fa J J-. ' behind phoney billing, but none this lesque bits in refined setting and got joy; pious, full of pie," tUey com- mitted stage suicide. Manning and White company got a bit of response, mainly because their clowning was slapstick. Mob was dying for cliance to ; laugh. week. Fifteen minutes of trailer an- nounc^^ments and 10-inInule news- reel flrncr.ged out program. to 171 minutes. by. Different than the previous Sharpies act carrying a reliable opera satire finish, and not as sure- fire. Ben Bard and his clever little PALACE (St. Vaude) j_ Chicago, Nov> 30. What Rita Burgess Gould undid with her curtain talk at the first show before a fair house Jack Benny, thanks to showman's science and Benny science, rectified, and never a serious curtain talk by hlm.^ Bill is slightly above the average In drawing power of what the Pal- ace has been getting here. Nine acts: Jack Benny as m. c. and George K. Arthur name pluggers; Miss Gould, whose songs and imper- sonations were well received; Ritz Brothers, who stopped the show with their collegiate comedy and soft-shoe work, and Willie, West and McGInty, the blundering car- penters; Madle and Ray as openers, Johnnj;' Hamp of the Congress Hotel and his orchestra (New Acts) Block and Sully, artd "Joe Mendi," the ape freak, make the bill. The show was cold In two spots. Miss Gould, after appearing No. S, was applauded so much she felt de- served of a curtain talk. At that time the show was pacing nicfely and rapidly. Then aha started. . For 'seven minutes Miss Gould spouted, preached or evangelized her philos- ophy of happiness in the Christian " Science way. She seemed dreadfully serious; histrionically so. All right for her, but the show stood still. Where a theatre chain does not care to participate in politics or religion, then why this? Fortunately Benny, folloyred dnd dismissed her sermon with a Benny- gram or two.' Shov/ was cold again .during tUo Hamp turn, not shaped for vaude. Madle and Ray, opening, went well with the girl's solo acrobatic dancei though it took the edge off her re- • peat with a lariat. Cleverness of the boy's eight-loop twirling stunt appreciated.; Last three minutes of-the mishaps 6f Willie, West and McGinty, the deudsts; compensated for coolness with which their blundering carpen- try was first received. Trio appeared slightly upset about something for about four minutes. Miss Gould was next, and felt the audience needed: explicit and de- tailed Jnstructlon of 'what she was going to do and how she wais going to sing in that, low, moaning alto, Tet her act was made Irom the time she started as Rebecca Weinberg with the shawl over her head. Or was it her shoulders? Benny presented himself with a bad cold and his swagger, Immedi- ately following Miss Gould's oral reading. Hollywood has not dulled his ability to please in Chicago. Fifteen minutes that followed, with the Rltz Brothers working harder than any oh the bill, were the highest and warmest spot In the firs t seve n acts. Charleston i mper- sonatlon riot. ' Hamp's band .followed, and, "un- fortunately, laid off the peppy tunes Which have made them famed on the air. Use of preceding talent warmed the act somewhat. During intermission the actors backstage were trying to fiithom Miss Gould's curtain talk. Benny later referred; to the show as ^ Chatauqua." Jesse Block and Eve Sully, first after recess, cracked with their slaps, but their dialog didn't go with the matinee audience. Geo. K. Arthur followed, with hia "Rookies" trailer in the skit, "Port Arms," i)y Al Boasberg, Jim Baber and the Three Aristocrats assisting. He didn't do so well.considering the name, but worked hard. Jack Benny was seventh, and fol- lowed by "Mendl." Benny sailed high; though he cut his act short.. repartee and this mob Isn't wise enough; However, comedy play on the woman's ample figure Is broad fun for;any residential section. Hanging the next spot on Frank- lyn Ardell wasn't such good judg- ment, Ardell being a , pretty fiip talker himself and requiring a fairly smart mob for his best efforts. Here the children In the audience yaWned- but the scattering of elders enjoyed the more blunt wise cracks—such as observation. after telephoning honie. "She was my wife, but I lost her on margin." Probably the fifth stock market gag of the per- formance. Then the Kane episode. Miss ftane doing 17, minutes and five numbers and later taking part In f h&:d6ii ■ pi^em^tioffTrad^isis^i^^ lyhooing the "Boo-Doop-a-Doop" contest. Agreeable enough Inter- lude and a rave with the flaps. Rooneys* act a-pip of its kind. Man and woman in full white tights do a double routine on the double trapeze, but passing up the usual whirls in favor of novelty material. Brisk and Interesting throughout, the woman an excep- tionally trim figure and exce^llent i gymnast. Rush. HIPPODROME (Vaudfilm) The big one returns to vaude this week after a stab, at band preisen- tatlons, with a nameless and punch- less &Ix-act. bill. in support of a first^run talker, "Tanned Legs" (Radio). Vaude's hardest wallop was delivered by the Klkuta-Japs, closing, which speaks for Itself. Not much until then outside of Les GhezzI, continental acrobats, in the deuce. There was Chaz Chaser next to close, following a conventional band turn, with recollections of .Chase in the film houses bringing up the thought he might have looked nicer further down or with the band. He would at'least have adde'd the nec- . essary kick to the latter. Chase is* there and all that, but he's not what the Hip needed for Its return to vaude, A name, any kind, would have helped a lot. An ordinary bill is the worst sort of a starter for vaude at the; Hip, where vaude never got going: If this one hrlngs 'em over to Sixth avenue, it will be a miracle. They took just as much a chance on the picture. Grace Smith and her Buddies (4),. with^a^recent^Palace=--date:.^undeji^^ their belts, the openers. At the straight vaude $^ Palace they- opened after Intermission, following a lot of class In the first part. At the pop-priced Hip they are 0Pe"i"9 thi show^ Just a difference in bok- ers' opinions, no doUbt. And both bookers are wrong. The Palace Rpf»t was stupid. The Hip spot is unfaii*. Grade Smiith and hen hoofine boys . are a middle act in a five or six-aft (Continued on page 43)