Variety (Dec 1929)

80 VARIETY Wednesday, December 11. 1929 NEWSPAPER HEADUNES HEADS NEW KEITH BQl His Common Sense Makes Him ''Unique and Ex- traordinary" —SYRACUSE "HERALD." CHARLES RAY IS HIT AT NATIONAL Movie Star Puts Over Fine Vocal Number to Win Local Hearers r:KlCHMOND "NEWSteADER." NEWSPAPER HEAbUNES i^A AMP vmM Hm tnni.« Charles Ray Is Surprise With Keith's Bids Old Year Adieu with Gallant Fling of Interesting Program CHARLES RAY IS VOCALIST Sere e n Star Surprises Crowd at Keith-Albee—- Show Is dlassy / Charles Ray U Hit in Good Otpheum BUI This week's Orpheum bill, besides belngr generally good, is made nota- ble by the personal appearance of ChEurles Ray, one of the most popu- lar actors ever flashed on the screen. Mr. Ray is not seeking to capi- talize his past triumphs in the movies. During the fifteen minutes of his brilliant little entertainment he never once refers to himself, his film career or to Hollywood.. He has a delightful talent which en- ables him to put over songs and comedy very effectively. He sings and dances well and his burlesque or satirical touches are irresistible. And, .best of all, his number is marked by good taste, something which cannot always be said for either vaudeville or the movies Strangely enough, his offering was received with enthusiastic applause which finally extended to calls for "speech," to which he responded with impersonal anecdotes. Mr. Ray is a good-looking, clean cut chap in marked contrast to some of the ^'hams" and bell hops who are at present succeeding at Hollywood and it is inevitable that the advent of the talkies will result in the star's being called back to the —MEL WASHBURN, NEW ORLEANS "ITEM." Admirers of the screen star, Charles Ray, filled the Majestic to greet him in person and applauded his songs. „ Their only disappoint- ment seemed to be in the brevity of his act. Ray sings a few songs, does a burlesque of other singers and then telis the audience that r]3Tnce'H^^^pi'bWs himself"IhSt he would tell no Hollywood stories, he must conclude hl<? act. —HOUSTON "CHRONICLE." Charles Ra}) Appears in Person ai Imperial; Is a Charming Entertainer Those who have always enjoyed the fine characterizations which Charles Ray, the well known film actor, has brought to the screen in the "qulef' days before the talking pictures revolutionized the motion picture Industry, will be even more devoted to him and his art after they dee him In person at the Im- perial theatre, where he lis appear- ing this week. He is a young, fine- looking man, with enormous vitality and a personality that makes its appeal the moment he walks on the stage. He has distinct charm as an entertainer and combines a singing act with some clever satires on the modern "mammy" songsters, and also contributes some original bal- lads that bring many chuckles from the audience. It may truthfully be said that the large gathering pres- ent hated to let the curtain go down on his act. S. MORGAN-POWELL, MONTREAL "DAILY STAR." Imperial Theatre Keeps Faith With Brilliant Program : The Imperial theatre has kept faith with its patrons and redeemed its undertakings respecting the quality of entertainment afforded by the variegated and certainly ambi- tious program which commenced a week's run on Saturday with packed Sittings. A much advertised feature of the bill was the personal appear- ance of Charles Ray, the popular motion picture star, and in the re- sult he proved every bit as charm- ing upon the stage as in his screen appearances. Commencing with an enthusiastic reception at each of his lentries,. he. clfiverlxreta^^^^ preciation of his audiences and left the stage when a tornado of ap- plause was at its height. —MONTREAL "HERALD." Act; Crammed Witti Interest, Begins Witli Spanish Dance in Costume When a stage personality turns to the screen and a noted screen player takes to the stage, one wonders if either will bring more to his new sphere than personality. Ann Hard- ing, Broadway favorite, and Charles Ray, picture Idol, trade places at the Majestic theatre this week with remarkable success. Tlie audiences are .giving Ray a wonderful re- ception. Ray's personal appearance is crammed with genuine entertain- ment, deftly and smoothly presented. —HOUSTON "PRESS." That charming fellow, Mr. Charles Ray, a product of the cinema in its heyday of pantomime, came out oh the stage of Keith's .Georgia theatre Monday evening and delivered one of the most genuinely entertaining performances it has been our pleas- ure to review. We were pleasingly surprised to see Mr. Ray ingen- iously turn to what we have never known him by, songs and dances. He is refreshing after a hard sea- son of the many times rowdy rant^ ings of the three-a-dayers. He gave some great satire and all in char- acteristic good taste. Nash and Fately, with eccentric dances that sparkle yrlth freshness and with skilled tricks of the lariat, form one of those acts one wishes a great deal for and seldom gets. Hop Farnell has reached a new pinnacle in his interpretation of a drunk. Unique costumes, two of which were.most charming, are fea- tured In a routine of Latin whirls _and twists by . Antonio artd ^ C ath - erlne Casino. The feature picture shows at 1:07, 4:07 and 7:07. The vaudeville gets under way at 2:52, 5:52 and 8:52. —E. L. G., ATLANTA "JOURNAL." College Play Announced and Preview Set for "Cock- Eyed World'' Charles Ray in person is exerting the quiet charm and winning per- sonality that his pictures Indicated he possessed, according to the splendid receptions being given him by Majestic audiences. Hia voice is of agreeable quality and he is using it with restraint and skill. Ray's sincere, boyish smile and his comed}i> appeal, his ability to do the graceful tango and other Span- ish fierures and his engaging man- ner, in addition to his good singing and speaking voice, indicate a ver- satility rarely found on the stage. His acting experience has given him an understanding of patomime and the subtle gesture. Backed by a solid reputation as a film star and hence aissured 6t a' good draw, Charles Ray comes to the Imperial theatre this week to head the vaudeville bill. He is stlU the same boyish and engaging per- former as In former years and on his first appearance locally on the vaudeville stage impresses one as a charming and pleasing semi- professional rather than the sea- soned and hardened variety player. H!l3 material consists of a senti- mental ballad about some girl who was married on a rainy day, a comic song about the doings of a married couple, a burlesque on the "hot" singer, some parody about the Spanish and a; satire on "broken- hearted," material, it should be ^otedi =whlch -is - fair""enough -^and- which Ray puts"*over in the afore- mentioned naive and charming manner. —MONTREAL. Representative: CLAUDE BOSTOCK, 225 West 46th St., New York