The New York Clipper (February 1920)

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February 4, 1920 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER 11 HARRY FOX Theatre— Jit. Vernon. Style— Hinging and piano. Time— Sixteen minute*. Setting— In one. Having closed with "Zip, Goes A Mil- lion" until Spring, Harry Fox has taken onto himself a female company of six and is back in vaudeville with a new act The billing of the act is "Harry Fox, with five fascinating beauties, and Edythe Baker." The "girls" appear in the encore num- ber only, which Fox did some time ago, It being the "Belles of the Hotels" bit, in which, after he siegs about the ravish- ing beauty of each girl he met at a.dif- ferent hotel, he introduces the five, who are at least sixty years young. I All are attired as scrubwomen, and, as to beauty, "just ain't" Edythe Baker formerly appeared with Nelly e De Onsenne, and, in this act accompanies Fox at the piano, and also ' renders a few solos. That Fox thinks her work makes her worthy of a more than "and company" hilling is evidenced by the fact that the act is billed "and TCdythe Baker." Fox starts the act with some comedy patter in which some stage bands figure. He also tells ■ of his wife, one of the Dolly Sisters, and shows a big picture of the twins, but forgot to tell the audi- ence which one is his wife. In telling about bis wife,' he states that Bhe has given him permission to work with Edythe Baker and then goes into a glowing eulogy of Miss Baker's talents. His first number was "Hello Broad- way," with Miss Baker at the piano. This was followed by "If All The Girls Were Good Little Girls" and "Profiteer- ing Blues." Miss Baker then did a piano solo so well that she almost stopped the show, and took an encore, which again brought her a big hand. She is a wizard with the ivories. Fox then made an announcement about his next' number, which was something about always looking for a silver lining when be sees a cloud. A fast "Dixie" number closed the act and, as an encore, he offered the number with the scrub- women. Fox retains ' his pleasing personality and delivery of numbers, which are sure- fire assets. And Miss Baker is a very valuable asset to the act G. J. H. NEW ACTS AND REAPPEARANCES (Caothnad en P»x« XI) GEORGIA O'RAMEY Theatre— Mt. Vernon. Style— Comedy tinging and dancing. Time— Sixteen minute*. Setting— In two (tpecial). Georgia O'Ramcy, erstwhile musical comedy star, made her debut in vaude- ville at this house, and judging by her reception when the act was reviewed, is a welcome addition to that branch of theatricals. With her is Clarence Senna, who, besides accompanying at the piano, sings and also does some cross- fire patter. The act opens with Senna at the piano, Miss O'Baniey entering after him. Some clever patter follows be- tween the two, in which it is notice- able that Miss O'Ramey's style of de- livery Is very much like that of tjih«i Fitzgerald, with whom Senna appeared last season. Miss O'Bamey then goes off stage to make a change, in the mean- time. Senna plays a. solo. A sign an- nounces that the m imitation of Geo] "Oh What A P« the "Valet Lady." number will be an O'Bamey singing For Me," from Miss O'Bamey, as Susie' the maid, just as she was in the production, then delivered the number amid shrieks of laughter. Another solo by Senna followed and he then played the "Siren" number from "Leave It To Jane" as an introduction to what the sign announced as "an imi- tation of Georgia O'Bamey singing 'Oleopatterer.'" This number was sop- posed to close the act but aa the house insisted on an encore, she rendered "Carlsatma" in burlesque style. She waa called back for a curtain speech when reviewed. G. J. H. FULTON AND MACK Theatre—Proctor's 23d fit Style— Aerobatio novelty. Time— Twelve 'minute*. Setting— Four, parlor effect. Fulton and Mack offer a strong man act that should easily take its place among the topnotchera. They offer a routine of stunts that comprise a series Of old tricks, to which they have added some new twists. Some of their feats are truly remark- able. For instance, the smaller of the two men is lifted from the floor by the Other, who uses only one hand to per- form the act The writer would sug- gest the elimination of the bat bit, at the beginning of the act. It means nothing to the turn and has a derogatory effect upon their really excellent strong man offering. Aside from the bat bit there is only One other stall in the act and that is the spoon bit, which could also be elim- inated. This done, the turn would be on a par with the best of them. The dosing feat, in which the understander, standing on his head, in a jack-knife position, catches the other and turns a back spring, meanwhile lifting the other into the air, is sensational, and has never before been seen by the writer. S. K. LILLIAN BORSAK Theatre— Audubon. Stylei— Ringing. Time— Twelve minute*. Setting— Full ttage. After hearing Miss Borsak sing the first song of the three classical numbers she uses in her act it is quite apparent that she has a mezzo soprano voice ex- ceptionally rich in quality. In fact the whole calibre of her musical offering is very high. This is her first appearance in- vaude- ville. Hitherto, her vocal activities were confined to the concert stage, where her musical efforts portended a successful career. But impairment of vision forced her to leave the musical road she was traveling. Thus we find her at this house offering a programme consisting of bat three songs, the final one of which was Tosti'a "Good Bye." She uses a special black velvet curtain, parted in the middle, for her setting, and is assisted by a male pianist wbo accompanies her on a grand piano. Between her first and second number he played a variation on an operatic theme for a solo that might better have been left oat of the act, so poorly was it done. Just the same, with a few slight changes, there is no reason why this act shouldn't be winning recognition in the big time houses, considering the really high-class vocal 'entertainment Miss Borsak is capable of offering. And, as a sort of nota bene, it may be added that at th« present time, Miss Borsak is totally blind, a fact which wasn't heralded or announced at the theatre. M. Ix A CAMERON AND KENNEDY Theatre— A lhambrn. Style— Com edg. Time— Fifteen minute*. Setting—One and two. Cameron and Kennedy are assisted by another man in their offering, who helps in a few bits, playing the role of a theatre manager. The two open the of- fering in one, aa "Nances," with a song and a dance. In the midst of the latter number, the third member of the act stops them and tells them their act is terrible and makes them get off stage. He then apologizes to the audience for showing an act of that kind. The next scene is laid in two and is supposed to' be the dressing room of the act. One bawls the other out for aver thinking up an idea of the "Nance" type for an act In the midst of their argument, the third, still playing the role of manager, comes back and pans them some more.. They tell him they were recently -discharged from the army and show their uniforms with all the decorations. (Signal for applause from audience). Some good bits are worked into the dressing room part especially where the supposed manager and one of the actors pretend to laugh at the man- ner in which the other talks. They also get some laughs with the female under- wear they display while dressing. The manager finally decides to give them another chance, for they claim that they really can sing and dance. The set then goes back to one, where a har- monica bit and dance is used for a closer. The act is "hokum" from start to finish and will do for an early spot on a big time bin, or can feature on the ii three-a-day. They would do well to elaborate on the closing number and make it stronger. Q- J. H. "PEDESTRIANISM" Theatre— Eighty-Pint Street. Style— Walking, comedy. Time— Sixteen minute*. Setting Full ttage (tpecial). Evidently realizing that the value of his act would be vastly increased by the addition of a lot of comedy, George N. Brown has added three young ladies and five-young men to his offering. He Is using the same apparatus and now has a brown drop for a background. He also opens the act in the same manner, but adds to his announcement an invi- tation to the audience to come np and try his walking machine. Five young men take advantage of this invitation and come up. Ifacb gets a chance to try the machinery and, nat- urally, take a lot of falls, some of them appearing to be the real goods. i After the young men are through. Brown asks for some ladles in the audi- ence. This part of the act la novel, for one girl starts toward the stage, but is withheld by a girl friend who sits next to her. After a lot of coax- ing by Brown, the girl not only consents to allow her friend to go up, but comes on the stage with her. Both then do a lot of tumbling work on the machinery and, during the falls, show pink bloom- era, rip their skirts and do other things that make people laugh, even though the cause of the laughter is supposed to be the pain of another. After the girls have finished, Brown announces that he and Marion Ardell, the champion walker of California, wffl go through an exhibition contest Miss Walker is a very pretty girl and shows a wonderful figure. The act closes with the contest ■. ... That the. act is worth more to Brown and to the theatres in its new form Is unquestionable. G. J. H. FRANCES PRITCHARD A CO. Theatre— Colonial. Style— Dancing. Time— Eighteen minute*. Setting— Full ttage. The last time Frances Pritchard waa seen in vaudeville was in October, whan she opened with Harry Pemberton aa her partner in a new dance act Then she accepted an offer to go into a pro- duction. She is now back in vaudeville with two young men, programmed as Nelson Snow and Charles Columbus. The act is somewhat on the style of Sheila Terry's "Three's A Crowd," for in this, also, the two young men argue over which one shall marry a girl, and are about to engage in a duel over bar, when she enters and tells them that the best dancer of the two will win. This part is different from the Tnrry offering, for in that turn, one of the young ntan sings and the other dances. In that act, also, one of the young men is given the decision through the applause of the audience. But, in this act, the girl decides sit the end that both are equally good. The dance routine is exceptionally good. Miss Pritchard presents a vary good appearance, has personality, and dances in pleasing fashion. Both Snow and Columbus possess marked dancing ability. The routine includes solo dances by each of the three and some numbers in which Miss Pritchard dances with each of the young men, separately and all three together. She also essays some imitations of Frisco, Bessie Mo- Coy Davis, George White. Ann Penning- ton and Marion Oaks, which are fair. On the whole, the act is nicely est and worked out very well and should please on any bill. G. J. H. SOPHIE TUCKER AND CO. Theatre— Alkambra. Style— Singing and fate band. Time— Twenty minute*. Setting— In three (tpecial). Finding that the act which ah* showed at the Colonial a few weeks ago did not please, Sophia Tucker baa blossomed forth with a new offering, this time minus the maid and butler. She has also secured a new drop, and, in addition, a new gown; The Jans band consists of the same boys who were with her in" the other offering. Miss Tucker is also singing, with the exception of one number, a new reper- toire of published songs. That one, Is about nobody caring for her, and was in the other act In accordance with her usual style, the repertoire includes comtdy numbers, a ballad with the spot on her face only, and soma jazz num- bers. When reviewed, she was called back for three encores and in each sang a number requested by the aud ienc e. One of these was a parody on one of the biggest hits of to-day and was very clever. G. J. H. FEIBER AND GRIFFIN Theatre— American. Styles— Singing. Time— Twelve minute*. Setting— In one. ^ ' This couple are an attractive pair and one that can easily do better than their present act The woman baa a pleasing appearance, a good voice, and delivers well. The men plays the" piano capably and has a dandy tenor. The one fault with their offering at present is that most of tike material la old. With some new numb e rs to replace the old stuff in their routine, they should find it easy going. • G. 3. H.