The New York Clipper (January 1918)

January 31, 1918 ■ THE NEW YORK CLIPPER 31 EIGHTY-FIRST STREET (Lut Half) Walter Ward, and Useless, opened the show after the educational weekly. Ward scored heavily with his difficult bicycle stunts and his finish, in which he rides down a ladder into the audience and back up again, got him several bows. The comedy supplied by the partner is one of the valuable features of the act. He was followed by the DeForrest Girls, who are described as "two fashion plates in songland." Just why the de- scription is used is not particularly evi- dent, for their clothes are not attractive, nor do they make enough changes to cause comment. Their songs and personalities are sufficient to get them over big, how- ever. They did an excellent routine, con- taining five numbers in all, and closed to two bows, although they could have taken an encore. Charles Morati, assisted by Pelham Lynton and a girlj followed. The act kept the house going from the opening to the end. It is one of the most genuinely amusing acts on the boards and has ma- terial in it for every sort of audience. Lynton, in the role of a stage English- man, is as deserving of being featured as Morati. Both are splendid comedians and sing well. It is a pity that Morati did not do more serious singing, as the one number he offered was worth the price of admission. After the intermission, Burns and Frabito came on and held the stage to continuous laughter for fifteen minutes, after which they took two encores and might have had a fourth, as the applause continued till the next act had started. Their balloon bit is one of the funniest things in vaudeville, and the imitation of a woman undressing, given by the tall one, is a masterpiece. The Radium Models closed the vaud- eville part of the show and were well re- ceived. TTiey did six poses, some of which were artistically composed. The feature picture, Douglas Fairbanks in "A Modern Musketeer,' closed the show. P. K. DEKALB (Lut Half) The show was opened by the Isabelle Sisters, two girls, who try to do a .num- ber of things, but fail. The only good thing in the act, and the only thing the audience could hear, was the mandolin specialty by one of them. These girls should cut out either their dancing or playing, and do one thing only. Mae Marvin, a singer with a fine dra- matic voice, followed. She opens with a Chinese number, then does a vampire number, and for a finish sings a specialty song. She scored heavily and earned an encore, for which she sang a patriotic ballad. She has a great deal of personality and wastes no time in getting to work. Whatever success she achieves, she de- serves. The bill was split here by "Out West," Fatty Arbuckle's latest comedy. The vaudeville was then resumed by Ferguson and Sunderland, a man and woman who dance and sing a bit. The man is one of the best eccentric dancers this reviewer ever saw, as he does the queerest, most un thought of steps. His specialty-num- bers saved the act. Jessie Hayward and company, in a sketch on stage life, followed. The story is about an actress who dreams of a better life, only to have her dream shat- tered by the news that he who was to make her the mistress of his home is already married and has a six children. Frank Mullane was on in the fifth posi- tion, and, with his songs and stories, pleased. The bit about singing a popular song in Yiddish is very good but did not seem to get the audience. He earned three encores and sang a patriotic number for each. Bell and Caron, a man and girl, were the last on the bill. The man bears the brunt of the work, doing several very dif- ficult feats in a finished manner. The show was closed by "The Seven Swans," a feature film. S. K. PROCTOR'S 125th ST. (Last Half) After the overture and the usual Hearst- Pathe News reel, Snowflake, the posing horse, started the hall a-rolling. The act is reviewed fully under New Acts. In number two spot were Lee and Cranston, who got away only to a fair round of applause. This turn is also re- viewed under New Acts. Another turn reviewed in the New Acts column is Wolf and Wilton, who pleased the 125th street audience. In number four spot was "The Man Off the Ice Wagon." The man m~kes his ap- pearance dressed as the typical ice man would be, carrying his ice tongs, and offers five different ballads, every one of which received a generous round of ap- plause. "The Beauty Fountain," a girl act, fol- lowed. Considerable laughter followed the appearance of the midget, who has a re- markable personality and cannot help but be liked by those who see him. He plays the part of Dr. Nutt and, by his wonder- ful powers can transform ugly girls to handsome ones, tall ones to small ones, fat ones to thin ones, et cetera. After taking one of his own pills he is trans- formed to a baby and, with his antics, had the audience in convulsions. In next to closing spot were the Four Harmony Kings, who practically stopped the show. These four colored boys are doomed to remain in vaudeville for some time to come. Their singing is very good. They were forced to do an encore. In the last position were the Boganny Troupe of Lunatic Bakers, who presented their usual routine of slap-stick tumbling turn. The midgets in the turn brought out all the laughs. The show was closed with a Triangle Feature. L. R. G. RIDGEWOOD (La*t Half) The show was opened by the Aerial DeGroffs, a man and woman who have a good gymnastic-acrobatic act. They have made several changes for the better since last seen by this reviewer. The second act on the program was Rosamond and Dorothy, two girls, in a high-class musical act that will-be more fully reviewed in the New Acts depart- ment. 'TUasy Money," a one-act playlet, with two women and a man, was in the third position. This will also be given a further review under New Acts. The bill wag broken here by "Out West," a comedy, with Fatty Arbuckle. The vaudeville was resumed by Stevens and Lovejoy, a man and a girl, who sing and dance. Their work is good and fast, but the writer still maintains the same opin- ion he had when reviewing the act before, that they should cut out their singing, as it tends to depreciate the value of their offering. Their routine is well arranged and the dances cleverly worked out. The last number, a whirlwind dance, was the most liked of all of their efforts. They were well received and earned three bows. Raymond and Caverly, two comedians, were on in fifth place. The act they are now doing hasn't the strength, by one-half, of their former offerine. What this team needs is a new line of talk, as most of the gagB they use have been heard many times before. Some of them date back to the days of Weber and Fields, when those two were in their prime. Frank Wilson closed the show. He has a novelty, comedy cycling act. He fell while doing one of his tricks when re- viewed, and it upset him, but he was per- sistent and earned a big hand when he finished. Following a dancing contest, "The Devil Stone," a feature film, elosed. S. K. AVERT STAGE HAND CRISIS (Csatkuud frotn pn» S) their salaries for the week. Complaint waa immediately made by the stage hands to Local No. 1 of the I. A. T. S. E., who sent delegates to interview Mr. Morosco early Saturday morning. The delegates explained the reasons why they considered that Mr. Morosco should pay his stage crew full salaries, and upon the manager's refusal to secede to their request, quickly delivered an ultimatum, the substance of which was to the effect that if the money held back was not forth- coming by Monday morning decided action would be taken. While there was no plain talk of a strike, the stage hands' ultimatum sug- gested potential possibilities of one, and it was announced by the I. A. T. S. E. at noon on Monday that Mr. Morosco had agreed to pay full salaries for the week. Other houses which held out and refused to pay in full on Saturday were the Booth and the Plymouth, in each instance said to be the result of a misunderstanding, which was quickly fixed up on Monday. There was a slight discussion with Corn- stock and Gest it is understood, over the Casino stage crew's request for full salary, the Monday matinee money having been de- ducted from the week's pay on Saturday night. This was also speedily straightened out without any great difficulty on Monday morning. The Broadhurst refused flatly to pay for the clearers for the MJaajaj perform- ance, and only yielded under pressor*. Thomas Broadhurst stated to a represen- tative of this paper that be would contest the payment with the I. A. T. S. E. at a later date. The Wintergarden is a nine- show house, ordinarily, and waa inclined to argue the point of paying a full week's salary to its stage crew, finally refusing to yield. The Shuberts, however, changed their mind on Monday and fell in line with the full-salary houses, after an Inti- mation had been made by the I. A. T. 9. E. that failure to pay might suggest trouble of a definite sort, possibly including the failure of a union stage crew to appear for duty at the Monday matinee. The Hippodrome, a twelve-show house, held out at first for a one-twelfth reduc- tion, but it was announced at Union head- quarters on Tuesday that the full de- mands of the stage crews bad been met. The Emp*re, owing to the absence of Al. Hayman from the city, asked for time to consider the matter. Assurances were finally given by a representative of Hr. Hayman that payment would be made. RAYMO Has It Anything to Do With tho War? 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