The New York Clipper (February 1919)

February 19, 1919„ THE NEW YORK CLIPPER 21 JOLLY JESTERS Theatre— Army Hut, La Voldahon, France. Style— Songs, Comedy. Time—One hour, fifteen minutes. Word came down the line yesterday afternoon that a', real show was coming to camp in the 'evening, with real Amer- icans as performers". 3 Time came for'the show to start, but no one was In sight to give it- After awhile a bespectacled man poshed his way through the crowd and stated he was one of ther performers and that when the others, who were snow-bound some- fifteen kilometers from -camp, ar- rived, they would give us a corking good, long show. When they lolled into. the hut and onto the stage a chap made, a short announcement, stating that lie was George Spink, the be-Bpectaded person was Andy Lewis, well known to the burlesque world, and the two Women who would accompany them were Edith Tait and Helen Norton, the former woman his partner and the latter the partner of Lewie. He also explained that he and his wife had lost their baggage en route, but Lewis and his partner would make up in this respect, having brought their costumes- with them. . • The show opened with Lewis singing a, few comedy songs, accompanied at the piano by Spink. After completing these, Lewis told several "gaga" about his friend Mulcahy, which brought storms of applause. His single was followed by Spink and Tait in a character song-a- logue, the numbers used being new to . the A. E. F. Most of them were of a comedy nature, and Spink announced he was their composer. Hiss Tait sang a rather lively ballad, which the pianist stated he hid written for Grace La Rue.' This number received spontaneous . applause, as it was. well rendered r. Lewis and Norton then came along with their talking skit, which they used in vaudeville back home. All of his gags went big, even his "Adam and Eve" bit, which has not been .used very frequently in A. E. F. theatricals. They finished their specialty with.a novelty ballroom dance, both people being in costume, Lewis wearing evening clothes ' and his partner a ballroom costume, the revealing of which brought reminiscences to the boys of the days when they could stroll down the street and see a real vaudeville-show without having to edge away from the M. P. or other guardians of the law, as is necessary over here. The quartet closed their offering with a. rural comedy skit, entitled "Can We Pay Off the Mortgage." This skit was real humorous throughout, and at the conclusion brought down storms of ap- plause - from the eight hundred amuse- ment "hungry" soldiers in the hut. All in all, it was a capital evening's enter- tainment, and we only wish whoever has charge of the routing of the "Over 'There" League acts will let us see an- other one soon, for this is the first American talent we have had in eight months. A. TJ. FINLEY AND HILL Theatre— Proctor'* 125th Street. Style— Singing. Time— Twelve minute*. Setting— In one. '■;;.•. Although billed as Finley and Hill, ' there are three characters to this skit, all of whom are vital to the act, which Is neatly presented and scored high enough in this house to stop the show. Starting with a male and female duo off stage, one of the men entered and took his place at the piano.- He was fol- lowed by a woman. Some patter by the pianist, which, although there was noth- ing to it, was put over in good style, . fetched a few laughs.. A few songs and .' some patter by the pianist followed, but this was interrupted by the third party in the act, who came on as a stage hand. After the usual argument, the stage hand was compelled to sing and disclosed a fair tenor voice. With the stage hand putting in the comedy, they then put over a number-of classical and popular songs, all three singing - in good voice. The woman has a very good soprano voice -and renders-her numbers wett.- — — G. J. H. JESSIE MORRIS Theatre— Fifty-eighth Street. *.' Style— Songs and talk. Time— Twelve minutes. Setting— In one. Miss'Morris would fare much better if she eliminated from her offering some of the antiquated jokes she uses, for she is a thoroughly seasoned performer and, with- proper material could win much more applause than what she received - at this house. J. Miss Morris opens with a book in her band, which, she explains, contains jokes of long ago and now. She kids the audi- ence and the musicians and smiles win- somely when, rt answer to her question, * boy in the gallery answers that, "No Man's Land is an old. maid's bedroom.'' She sang a couple of songs very well. EMMETT AND MORE Theatre— Fifty-eighth Street. Style— Songs and talk. Time— Twelve minutes. Setting—Special (in one). Though a caption in their billing reads "A Little Bit of Scotch and Irish," there is nothing in their act to indicate - that, it is a bit of both unless the Irish- " man's reference to beer might indicate that he is also fond of Scotch whiskey. Anyhow, a man and a rather pretty girl comprise the duo, and they talk of love, sing, dance and disport themselves generally in- a pepless fashion that is bound, to gain them unfavorable men- - tion. ' The' man has a fine and pleasant tenor voice, but be doesn't know-how'to sing.. The pretty girl has nice acting manners and could help the act ma- terially if there were something in the act worthy of her talents. M. L. A. DORA HILTON Theatre— Eighty-first Street. Style— Singing. Time— Twelve minutes. ■ Setting— In one (special). Dora Hilton, assisted by Fred Ahl, offered a pretty song cycle and scored. She has a green curtain, hung in one, which, when its. folds are put in the right place, makes a neat appearance and is an asset to the act. ,, ; Miss Hilton started with en announce- - ment in song, in which she made -a little boast about the quality of her voice. But she lived up to her claim In her act. A . selection from an Italian opera, with which she followed her- announcement, revealed a soprano voice of unusual qual- ity for the vaudeville stage, it containing power and tone. A piano solo by Ahl, . . in which-he played a few popular songs, was well delivered, but, if he really has ability, be. could show it to better ad- ■ vantage by playing a classical number in .its place. A-few more songs by Miss Hilton completed the offering and sent her off to a big hand G. J. H. CHICAGO NEWS STATE FAIR CONVENTIONS BOOK AOSFOR NEXT SEASON Many Organizations Held Meetings Here During Last Week and Demand for Attractions Is Brisk—Other .Businesses Also Convene Here The number of State Fair conventions held in Chicago litis week portended good for performers who have been in the habit of appearing with outdoor attractions. Committees in search of performers and attractions visited the offices of various theatrical agencies, and booked - a large number of acts and attractions.' Among other- conventions held here were the American Trotting Association and the Inter Motor Congress Association, both of these oiganizatiops remaining in session from Feb. 18 to 19, both days in- clusive, at the Auditorium Hotel. The American Association of Fairs and Expositions and the International Asso- ciation of State Fairs and Exposition* held their convention Feb. 18-19. , . NANCY WALKER SUES HOTEL Suit .baa been started against the .man; agement of the City Hall Square Hotel by Leon A.-Berezniak . in behalf of Nancy Walker, an actress, who alleges that she paid her bill and was not permitted by the management. of the hotel to remove her trunk. The case will reach the courts late this week. NATIONAL GETS; "ODDS & ENDS" Boyle Woolfolk will bring his "Odds and Ends" to the National Theatre in this city week of February 24, and the following week it will play the Victoria Theatre. Max Bloom is Ming starred in the produc- tion, which has been very successful on the road OAK THEATRE IS SOLD The Oak Theatre haa been sold by T. , Eichenbaum to D. C. Miller, who is in- terested in a string of local motion picture theatres. Fitzpatrick and McElroy are. offering vaudeville at the Oak, having been appointed booking- agents - for the theatre. JACK GATES GETS DIVORCE Jack Gates, principal comedian of the "Reckless Eve" company, was granted A divorce on Friday~from Ida Gates-Court- ney, leading woman of "The Unmarried Mother." Leo A. Berezniak represented Gates in the matter. MUSICIANS SEEK R&BfSTATEMENT ' Members of the Chicago Federation, of . Musicians, sitting in judgment on the pleas., for reinstatement of four members . of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, dropped last year on charges of disloyalty, passed along to the board of trustees a resolution which involved the following recommendations: — That Otto ■ Hesseibeeh end William - Kriegelstfiin be restored tp membership -. when they shall, have obeyed conditions - imposed upon them by the federation. That no consideration be'given to the application for rcirurUtement .ef Bruno . Steindel until the United States Govern- ment shall have made a positive an- nouncement of its disposition of charges - against-him. ■ ...•.-.-.. That • no -consideration be given to the application of Richard Klu» until he-has • put that application into the same-form as was signed by the three other sup- plicants. The members argued in - behalf of Messrs. Hesselbach and Kriegelatein that they expressed loyalty to the Government and sorrow for their mistakes. SOLDIERS WILL GET JOBS - Sam Meyers, recently appointed manager of the New State Lake Theatre, announced last week that he would fill all vacancies in the theatre with discharged soldiers. There will be over 100 positions to fill when the house opens early in April. BOOKS ACTS FOR RIVER VIE W Al Hodge, publicity agent for Riverview Park, has returned from a trip to New York City, where be has been engaging acts for, next Summer. The-park will open about May 15 - and will have many new and novel features. CHING LING TOY & CO. Theatre— Fifty-eighth Street. Style— Magician. Time—Fourteen minutes. Setting—Special. This is one of those- conventional Chinese prestidigitation acts. - Going Ling Toy uses a full stage, and his settings are of a sombre Oriental hue distinctive and pleasant to the eye. His movements are swift and graceful, as are also the movements of his female assist- ants, and he performs with a deftness that does lend mystery to his offering. At this house the act appeared in the opening spot and got over. M. L. A. MEYERSON GOING TO NEW YORK Ed. Meyerson, for a number of years in the agency business here, has decided-to- seek his fortune in the East.. He will leave for New York, where he will conduct an independent booking of&e». VALAYDA HAD. TO QUIT Valayda was forced to leave McViek- er's program last Thursday owing to a severe cold RAISE $18,000 FOR HOUSEMAN . Fifteen.thousand dollars, was obtained by the promoters of the Lou Houseman benefit performance at the Colonial The- atre-Sunday afternoon. Every seat in the bouse was occupied and it was one of the biggest testimonial benefits ever held in Chicago. The proceeds are" to be used to establish the Lou M. Houseman Trust Fund, with William A. Pinkeyton as treasurer. Morris' Geet .and Fred Stone each paid. $260 lor gallery seats. Those taking part in the performance were: Maitzi, Will Rogers, William Farnum, Barney Bernard, Tavie Beige, Louise Groody, Hal Shelley, Eugene Gowles, Vic- tor Moore, Robert Emmet Keen, W. F. Field, Frank Carter, Eddie Cantor, Ann Pennington and Elizabeth Brice. SEBREE TO REENTER SHOWDOM ■ Roy S. Sebree intends to return to showdom. either as theatre owner or pro- ducing manager. Sebree and his sister, Mabelle, but week sold the Belmont Farms for a sum said to have been 895,000, THE DREWS TO CLOSE Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Drew will'termin- ate their engagement at Wood's Theatre on March L POWERS HAS "SCALPER" ARRESTED Harry J. Powers, manager of 'Powers' Theatre, caused the arrest last week of E. Irwin, a bellboy, on a charge of "scarp- ing." Mr. Powers and Edward Wapler, manager of the Illinois Theatre, said they saw the bellboy trying to sell tickets for Powers' Theatre in front of the place. Both will appear as witnesses when the case is tried next week. REVIVING "THE ROSARY" Rowland and Clifford are putting out, revivals of The Rosary," by Edward V.' Rose, and the musical piece "September Morn." GETS $ZSO DAMAGE Letm A. Berezniak has secured $250 as damages for Elyse Dale, who sued the Morrison Hotel for $10,000, claiming that the manager* kicked her on the ankle dur- ing a rehearsal of a revue there.- Miss Walker left the company and is now a member of the Edelweis Revue.