The New York Clipper (October 1919)

THE- NEW YORK CLIPPER .Octoberl, 1919 AUDUBON (Uit Half) Ilufford and Bose started the vaudeville portion of the bill with an excellently ar- ranged routine of slack wire etunta. This pair Is the team which we reviewed a» a New Act last week under the name of Pat and Jul la Jjwolo. The different billing must hare been used for the new circuit. But new name or not, the pair are all there when It comes to dispensing thrills. ■ Frank Hurst.and Company found a big welcome waiting for them. Most of the au- dience seemed to remember Hurst from the acts of Jack Wilson, Lucille Cavanaugh and Bessie Clayton, and he refreshed; the memories of those who didn't with his open- ing song In which he tells why he decided to do this act His company Is a neat ap- pearing pianist. Hurst has a. good routine of songs and sings them well, but should either omit his patter or get a new set of gsgs entirely. With' this Improvement, he will please any audience. Bessie Bempel and Company presented a very pleasing serio-comic sketch, which, al- though old In theme, will get over be- cause of the east that Is handling it and the linen of the offering. The playlet has a fine comedy finish. Gonne and Alberts, the "kid" team, stopped the show and the lady member was com- pelled to take a curtain speech alter ren- dering an en<-ore. The pair have taken a lot of old -kid" Jokes and deliver them in a manner that Is sure-fire. As a "kid" come- dienne, the young lady Is In a class by her- self, and her partner holds his end of the turn capably. Lillian Fitzgerald, assisted at the piano ' by Clarence Senna, was not permitted to leave before taking an encore. She gave her various bits of burlesque and kept the audi- ence laughing every second she was on. Wilbur Sweatman and Company closed the show and In that position took two encores. He did his clarinet solos in bis usual ef- fective manner. G. J. H. METROPOLITAN (Last Half) Bell and Caron, man -and woman. In a dancing and acrobatic act, opened the show. The turn consists of several bits of business, which preceded the real work. A song and- dance served to Introduce the acrobatic abili- ties of the man, .who went through a routine of turns and twist* that won approval. The woman offered a toe dancing specialty that wag well received. Burns and Garry, who followed, gave the Impression that it was a man and girl set, due to the use of a high falsetto by one of them, who sings from the wings. His en- trance was the signal for applause. The act. a melange of song, comedy and dance, amused greatly. Their closing number was especially well liked.. LeHoen and Dupreeee followed. At first they gave the Impression that it was to be a song and dance act, with specialty num- bers about the wild and woolly west, which their setting represents. But it turned out to be a shooting act. with special scenery and some comedy to between shots. Their ' offering; was accepted with favor though, despite the weakness of the comedy. The woman is s remarkable shot, and her ex- hibition of her ability was surprising. Baker and Rogers have a tramp act that is bound to bring a smile, even from the most hardened of vaudevllllans. This Is not ' the original team, however, for the original recently split, and each member took a new partner, and is doing much the same act as - the other fellow. In this team. Baker Is of the original, and his partner Is new. Their offering consists of several very clever gags, and some clever parodies, on operatic and popular numbers. Jack Levy and The Symphony Girls closed the show. This act can justly claim to be the classiest musical act In vaudeville. Their act la Ugh class from beginning to end. and was exceedingly well put over. They were forced to take an encore, for which they rendered their own concepntlon of the way the different nationalities would play "Home Sweet Home." The feature film was "The Spite Bride." with Olive Thomas. a. k. FIFTH AVENUE (Last Half) Le Poilu. who opened the bill, plays several brass instruments with vigor, and renders in spirited fashion a varied assortment of numbers. Some of his Instruments are rather peculiar In abape and be does some trick playing in the form of balancing some of the instruments upon his lips and playing them without the use of his bands. . Holmes and Wells, a man and woman team, offered a song skit, which for the greater part, failed to excite the audience. The offering is one of a number of the same kind now being offered In vaudeville. There are a few solos, some dance bits and patter which could Just as well be omitted. There Is a wedding song and dance ensemble to close and it does not provide a sufficient punch at the finish, largely because of the manner in which it is bandied. -"Petticoats" is the title of a comedy playlet with a cast of four, three girls and a man. The theme of the sketch lacks novelty and the cast is fairly efficient, but fails to make the best of one or two situations. These, In- cidentally, also lack originality and the en- tire act lacks the Important element of sus- pense. Harry Cooper Is a clever comedian and handles his songs and comedy material in goad fashion. Cooper is an excellent single and holds his spot on the bill down In ex- cellent shape. "Chicken Cbow Hein" is an elaborate act with a large and capable cast. The offering is a conglomeration of song, dance and talk bits which are rather disconnected and lack a strong connecting link. The melange of scattered numbers, holds the eye however. The Wilson Brothers are a clever pair of comedians and handle their talk and songs In expert style. They registered a good-sized hit. Yvonne and Company closed the show with a terpslchorean offering that held the audience In until the finish. I. S. HARLEM OPERA HOUSE Danses D'Arts opened the show with u series of well executed dance numbers. The torn consults of three good looking girls who are well costumed, with a little more class In the way of a special drop and a pianist this act should hit the better houses. Green and La Fell, in a piano and song act, pleased. Green has the right Idea about clowning at the piano as If goes over. He would benefit the act however by omitting the Hebrew music version of "Over There," .as three acta have already been aeen doing the same bit In this house. "Cold Feet" la the title of a smart playlet presented by Herbert Dean A Co. It deals with a young girl and fellow who plan suicide on acount of a love quarrel, disappointed In love. The set represents a dock and they plan to jump In. A policeman on the beat famishes some, good comedy and the finish of course is the decision that the water Is too cold, so they run off to get married. The cast is capable and the skit In all la pleasing. Jadevah De Rajah was a kit to bis tele- pathy act assisted by Princess Olga and Costa Valda. This act ia one of the fastest acts of its kind on the stage. Two men work in the audience and questions and answers go and come in amaslng rapidity. The Princess knows the value of a touch of comedy here . and there and uses It to good advantage. Kudinoff went well with artistic novelty. He started by bucking a piece of enamel and forming a scene of a ship coming Into port which he changed with the alight motion of bis fingers Into a landscape. He closed his act'with several bird Imitations and went off to a good hand. Mullen and Francis offered their comedy song and talk act entitled "I Get what's Left." and scored the comedy hit of the bin. Mullen ia one of the best comedians of bla kind and every gag roes over for a big laugh. The new song number done by both to the middle of the. ;.<1 is weak and a better number should be svusttruted. L. D. 8. AMERICAN (Last Half) The Spartans have a routine of sensational strong-man stunts and In the opening posi- tion at this house scored a hit. Monte and Lyons, two "wops," offered some singing and instrumental work and had no trouble in pleasing in tbc second spot. They deliver a bit of patter along the con- ventional lines of "wop" acts, and coald improve the talk to a great extent. One of the duo sings well, and the other played the guitar to good advantage. Betty Bldert and Company, tbe latter be- ing a male partner, kept a slow pace with their skit. Both work as "kids," and offer .some animal lmltitlons, a bit of singing and whistling. The turn needs a lot of Improve- ment In the way of speed. Marie Russell and her violinist stopped tbe show. Miss RuFjell Is wearing a beauti- ful gown, and the young man looks neat In a tuxedo. She has added some new songs to tbe routine and renders them well. As a "coon-shouter" Miss Russell can easily rank with the best, for her make-up will fool anyone and her voice If "the kind that la nec- essary for an act of this kind. Stan Stanley was billed to be assisted by Mabel Barry, bat the young lady with him now Is Miss Kellar, the one who was In his act a year or so ago. Stanley would do well to leave out the gag about the girl not being a bum, for many to the audience objected to It. He should also cut down on the swear words, which are not at all nec- essary. Ed Kane assisted capably. Tbe act Is in need of new material. Marguerite Calvert, a pretty little girl, played tbe violin and danced her way Into the good graces of the audiences. She does her work well and possesses good personality. McCne and Dean, man and woman in a "hokum" torn, have the ability to present a much better offering than this one. The lady has a dandy voice of the "coon-shouter" type and also Is a good comedienne. Her partner also sings well. Mayo and Irwin closed the show with a comedy skit that was billed with Herman Timberg's name as the author. One of the pair la a good "Hebrew" comedian and the other a good straight. Tbe team found easy going and held the house. G. J. H. PROCTOR'S 125TH STREET (Last Half) Hurler and Harley, man and woman, opened with a novelty acrobatic turn. New Acts. Parker and Dnbney lasted only for the matinee performance with a blackface sing- ing skit. . - Carlo Nelson was cured of the hallucina- tion that he was a cartoonist by fsrlng the fate of the preceding team. "We don't like to be hard, but Nelson can't even draw a salary as an artist, much less a picture. Belle Newman went well with some sing- ing and violin playing. New Acts. Geo. W. Stewart offered a novel imitation offering and found easy going. New Acts. Silled under tbe name of "A Debut' In Debuque," Ed Garvle and Company offered a satire on the serious drama. Garvle was formerly comedian with the "Listen Lester'' show. The tarn will be reviewed under New Acts. Harold Garhart, a one-legged soldier, de- livered a number of songs and received much applause. New Acts. The Great Westin tried out hla present act at this house last season and now pre- sented it as a regular act on the bill. He gives a number of Impersonations of famous men. While costuming and hair make-up are good, the facial expression Is badly lacking. Rosalie Archer, a dainty little miss, proved to be a real find. Tbe girl should be seen on the big time soon. She will be reviewed under New Acts. Carry Owen and Company, the latter con- sisting of a pianist, two women and a midget who plays a "Nance," scored a riot with their offering. Owen sings well and handles bis comedy excellently. His company also renders capable assistace. Aubey and Biehtle. two pretty young girls, sang and danced their way to a big bit. In addition to being pretty,, the girls have some very good costumes which they wear to good effect. The singing and danc- ing are very well done. Jarrow found the audience easy with his "sleight o' hand" stunts and patter. Jarrow knows the value of showmanship and uses It all through bis offering. The Fashion Minstrels, a female minstrel offering presented by Josle Flynn, who plsys the comedienne's role effectively, closed the show. Despite the lateness of tbe hour, and tbe length of time the act runs. It proved Its merit by not only holding them In, but scoring a big hit. G. J. H. VICTORIA. (Last Half) Such a crowd ns packed this bouse on the - opening night of the last half, Thursday being a Jewish holiday, was deserving of a much better show than bad been arranged, the bill being essentially of small-time calibre. Fred Kornan whistled with several of tbe fingers of bis hand stuck in bis mouth, and tbe tone qoalty of tbe tunes he rendered was lond rather than musical. L'Estrange Sisters established themselves ' as the redeeming feature of the bill. For theirs la a musical offering that Is polite, finished and has character. Both of them sing, one playing the piano in addition. They were charmingly costumed, and In the choice of the songs they rendered they showed rare Judgment. They deserve booking to the bet- ter class houses and probably will be ap- pearing In them soon. Jean Lelgbton's Revue has mnch room for improvement. None of the live blackface minstrel men in the act had any definite sort of personality. All of them seem to be just reading their lines. And, as for Miss Leigh- ton, she slugs pleasingly and with fine vocal style. Will and Mary Rogers pattered about the Institution of marriage, dubbing each other In rapler-llke fashion at times, the while arousing- laughter with, their quips. And that they speak many mugh-provoking Unes goes without saying. But their act la too long. Then, too, both lack subtlety, which is probably the reason why they will remain In the small-time houses, where their act will almost Invariably go over. The Fuji Troupe Is a quartette of acro- batic Japs, one of whom is a woman, who tumble, juggle, and Indeed do all the conven- tional stunts that we have come to expect of Orientals appearing in vaudeville. The woman In this act la an exceptionally lithe and fast tumbler, and for the rest the troupe Is no better or worse than the average act of Its kind. M. L. A. NEW ACTS WYNT AND WYNTON Theatre— -Proctors'* 125<* St. Style— Talking, singing and dancing. Time— Twelve minutes. Setting— In one. Wynt and Wynton are an English man and woman team. The man sang a number, which, under ordinary cdrcun. vtances, gets a lot of laughs and applause. But not a giggle .did he get, Tbe young lady, also at- tempted a song. After a jazz number, delivered in minuette style, (uncon- sciously) and a "near-dance," for that is all that it could be termed, they thought they had stopped the show. Well, about three people did applaud. The tarn won't do. G. J. H. GEORGE BUCK Theatre—Jersey City. Style-— Xylophone and piano. Time— Twelve fiwwifeW.* V Setting— In one. Buck, who worked in bis shirt sleeves when reviewed, opened his offering with a medley of operatic, popular- and jazx numbers. He followed this with a bit at the piano in which he sang in "blues" manner a description of the various tenants living on the different floors of his apartment house. In this bit,'be put over a few old gags and a little yodelling. He closed his turn with a medley of jazz on the xylophone. Buck's routine is very short and s few more numbers on the xylophone, one of which should be a classical piece, would greatly aid th? offering. G.XH.