Variety (November 1918)

VAUDEVILLE BIG UNIT OF ALL SOLDERS ,; [ — (The following letter from Serg. Bob Callahan tells of an entertaining unit among the Ameruan forces in France/organized by order of the General, commanding, and unattached otherwise) . France, Oct. 12. . . Editor, Variett: Perhaps you'd be interested in what we are doing over here. Back home we entertained the boys in camp, giving over three hundred shows in ten months. r^ Pat Stromberg was in charge of^n- tertainment and was constantly at work contriving a new stunt to hand f the boys a smfle. Pat was known as Arthur West in public, and closed with "The Hoosier Girl" when he entered . the service. In the work at Camp Sherman his ', show consisted of Chuck and Bobby Callahan, of vaudeville, who did a talk- ing turn, working in black and white; Sol Powder, of Powder and Capman, - dancing camedians; Frank Wilbut, who . juggles; the Camp Quartet, made up of Novok, Sheck, Pender-knd Hunt; Joe ^Grohl, acrobat and gun swinger, with Lou Lerner, a Qeveland boy, at the piano. Moving orders came, and in pieces and detachments .our division started overseas. As.' the above named boys were scattered through the various regiments and branches of service they did not cross the big puddle together. Upon arriving over here they took up the regular routine of preparation for the big try-out. The 14th of July is the Fxpnch big holiday, corresponding with out Fourth. .The Commanding General de- cided to give the natives an idea of what an American vaudeville show looked like, and so gave Stromberg a hurry-up order July 12 to hustle his show together for the night of the 14th. That it was a regular he-man job you can imagine when realizing that over here a division isn't quartered on one large plot of ground, but is scat- tered over perhaps 40 square miles of strange county, with the men billeted in houses, barns, up over stores, cafes, grocerys, in deserted chateaux and in pup tents. At that time my home (?) was in a drying shed in an ancient • brick yard. It takes bigger obstacles than that to feaze Pat Stromberg, and out he started. After trials and tribulations the show went on at 8.15 in the Munic- ipal Theatre of the city, a house that has played Bernhardt and others of France's finest artists. The impression made was such that the General ordered the men enter- • taining to be put on detached service as a group to continue such work, giv- ing permission to enlarge the troupe. This was done, and in raking the troops passing through here for /artists, we discovered George O'Malley, better known as George Brooks, of Abbott and Brooks and later of Sabot and Brooks. George is an acrobatic dancing come- dian. James Blair, a baritone singer; Harry Nokes, late of the Terrace Gar- dens, Chicago; Benny Weltman, for- merly of Halpin and Weltman, dancers (Benny also gave able assistance in s Camp Sherman); Will Cook, the Bailey Bros., singing instrumentalists who harmonize, and Dan Lanning, a "blues" boy who hums "Mason-Dixon" melo- dies. ^ „ We have to have a name, and all sorts were suggested-^this one stuck, "Jambons" (French) translated— e»! i.t 1. a:__ an army trailer that upon arrival in the courtyard of a hospital unfolds into a little stage with tiny scenery, border and footlights and a close-in. While the boys are putting it to- gether, the "Jambon Jazz Band" starts throwing a barrage of syncopation into the trenches of "Gloom," the arch- enemy of the convalescent wounded. Perry Caswell, formerly carpenter with Richard Bennet in "Damaged Goods," flashes them in and they're off. It is beyond me to describe the audi- ence. They' are the wounded of all the allied nations, French and Amer- ican predominating. You'll see a "Yank laugh at the antics of some soldier comedian on the petite stage, and then explain in broken French to his Poilu pal on the next cot; and the dark eyes of the latter, first not under- standing, at last light up with laughter, and he cries "Encore Americainl" The show is over, the stage disap- pears as rapidly as it was constructed and again we're off—this time to ^et supper, and then away again to ride from 10 to 30 miles in a truck to a cantonment for another show. To start the show at eight we must leaye at five for the journey. The stage is again erected and we do another show. We have three bills— vaudeville, minstrel and musical com- edy (latter mostly "girls"?). The orchestra is led by Ray Schilla- barger, formerly director at Keith's, Columbus, O. Al Sanders, formerly, pianist fqr Frankie Fay, is at the ivory punishing stool; George Pfieffer, who directs the bafliS on the march when they all play brass, is well known in Toledo. Clark Myers, the cello wizard,! scrapes the meanest bow in France. All in all, we have the best 15-piece band and orchestra over here that we've yet seen in the A. E. F. The show ended, a picture screen is dropped and a five-reeler is shown to film-hungry doughboys by Eddie "Tod" Sloane, the champion celluloid operator, who works under all sorts of difficulties with the same grin. The juice is generated from a Delco dy- namo and gas engine that trails along behind the trailer. It also furnishes juice for the foots, border and orches- tra lights. The stage was constructed by Rus- sell Baker, who is that- handy with lumber and tools I believe he could make a wrist watch out of a -soap box. The picture is over, the stage is knocked down, the truck backs up, couples on, and we leave for our bil- lets, arriving any time from midnight till three A. M., and pile into our blankets. I might add none of us is troubled with insomnia. This schedule is the same seven days in each week. ^ We will be here about ten days longer and then start on another tour of the cantonments and hospitals of France. All mail, however, sent to the address I give you below, will be promptly forwarded to us. I'd like to say "hello" through Va- riety to all my old pals, and also for the rest of the "Jambons." Best of luck to you all and until it's all over and I see you again, remain, Sergt. Bob Callahan, Address: "Jambons." A. P. O. 762, Introducing - - (The Jambons, Premier Comedians '-•- iThelr Pit Detail) "Chuck" Callahan "Pat" Stromberg COMMENCE FIRING ("Bob" Callahan controlling the Are) "I'll Come Back to You" Jim Blair "Wal I Swan" Ben Weltman "No Man's LAnd" Frank Pender "Rag: Time Volunteers... .Saul Powder (Introducing the "Bagapation" Danoe) "Down South" Don Lanning Basso Solo Frank Hunt "Mess Call Blues" "Chuck" Callahan The Dance of the Mess-Klta, Sol Powder and Ben Weltman "Sleep, Baby. Sleep" Tony Novak "Oul, Oul, Made'.' Pat Stromberg "I'm Sending a Four-Leaf Clover Over to Tou," Fat Stromberg's own song, as auhg by .Harry Noakes "A STUDY IN O. D." The Funniest Farce In France "AS YOU WBRB" Scene: "Your Own Camp" Cast: In the Dls-order of Their Appearance JTeff Bunion (Post No. l)..Ben Weltman Top Sarge Harry Noakea Captain Bunk Bob Callahan Harold Kimona (often called 'Tessie"), Tony Novak Leander Bad-dogs (He Just walked in), ^■Chuok" Callahan Heliotrope Bad-dogs (His wife, she followed him) Pat Stromberg Major Tired (a regular Whizz-bang), Saul Powder (Depot Division Dudes) Jock MacOregor (A sunburned Soot' mon) Jim Blair Sklnnen Bone (Holds tha altitude rec ord) Wilbur Scheck Ike Lame Exemption (speaks for him- self) Frank Pender Cyclone Simmons (bard boiled), Frank Hunt Al Blno (a camouflaged coon), ^ J . Frank Wilbur Ounboat Kinks (a puff of Pittsburgh),, Joe Orohol I Stammer (and he does) BUI Cook CURTAIN MARRIAGES. Rene Arnaut (Arnaut Brothers), to Fifi Bayer, in Chicago, Oct. 24. Mary Nash to Jose Ruben, Oct. 19; in New York. ^ • Jack Sparling (Creamer, Barton and Sparling) to Cissy Bell ("Jack o'Lan- tern"), in Chicago, Oct. 22. Herman Kessie (Bob White) to Lil- lian Gerber (Gerber Sisters), in Chi- cago. The groom left immediately for France. Billy Lloyd ^Lloyd and Britt), to Gladys Fox (non-professional), in Seattle, Wash., Nov. 16, 1917. The wed- ding was kept secret until lately. Ludivine Dorothy Raymonde, pri- vate telegrapher for the W. V. M. A., (Thicago, to Dr. Victor. Nazaire La Marre, first lieutenant, M. R. C, U. S. Army. Constance Williams, late prima donna of the California Cupies Com- pany, to Lieut John Thompson, avia- tion section. Fort Sill, Okla, at Law- ton, Okla. They will remain at Law- ton until the groom sails for France. BIRTHS. ^ Mr. and Mrs. Harry Yokes, at their home in Everett, Mass., Oct. 9, son. Mr. and Mrs. Harold J. Binney, last week, daughter. The Musical Bentleys, at San Fran- cisco, Oct. 17, daughter. ' \ Mr. and Mrs. John Swain (Swain's Cats and Rats), Oct. 10th, at their home in Brooklyn, son. Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Hammerstein, Oct. 26, daughter. Mr. Hammerstein is" the son of the late WiilianiiHam- merstein and grandson of the impres- sario. He married Myra Finn in(^ug- ust, 1917. B. B. SHOW CLOSED. The Barnum & Bailey show closed last week in Houston, Tex., on ac- count of the epidemic, and ihe com- pany has returned to New York. In some towns in the South the circus people were not permitted to leave their cars to obtain food. T? T? 1?^..MAA. ..-.^,........ -NEWACTS...,:s.-..;:-^:^: Bin Farrcll,'single. ../«.; Dora Marsh (cabarets), single act. Frank Carmen, single. Clarence Hibbard, black-face single^,'. Lola Wentworth, new single turn. Ted Doner (Arthur Klein). Polly Moran, single. (Casey Agency.) • Charley Hilton, in girl act, all play- ing instruments (Charley Sobel). Bob O'Connor Co., three people, in sketch (Jack Lewis). Grace Leonard and Johnny Stanley, \ two-act. / Bartrom and Saxton, two man sing- ing act. A!. Von Tilzer, the songwriter, sin- gle. Arthur Rigby in a new act byJToe Laurie (Smith & Hughes). "Spring of Youth," 10 people tab, with Agnes Burr (M. Thor). / Forster Ball and Cranford Wist, re- ' united (Max Hart). "Gates to Paradise," girl act (Ster- ling & Ornstein).. Alfred H. White io a new sketcli, 4 people. Arthur Laceby (single) (H. B. Marin- elli). "Move Over," 16 people,. tab, with Klein Brothers and chorus of 10. Bessie Gros, formerly of "The Kiss Burglar" and Eddic^ Rowley (Rowley and Young), two-act. Mabel McCane to return to vaude-'- ville with a gjrl act revue (Arthur; Klein). ! "Billet 13,'^ three men, singing, billed as an episode of the trenches. (Rose : & Curtis.) "The Spring of Youth," girl act fea- turing Agnes Burr (formerly Burr and -Lea) (M. Thor). Rex Adams and Vera Thomas, in "Society Bugs," special drop and lyrics (Arthur Klein). Joe Weston ("Social Maids") and Harry Bently ("Oh Girl")-both bur- lesque shows, two-act for vaudeville. Anna Cleveland and Co. in a sketch. Cleveland Moffatt, author. (Rosalie' Stewart.) ' . Bobbie Robinson, for the past 35 weeks at the Portola-Louvre, San Francisco, in a single singing and talk- ing act. Wilton Lackaye has a new playlet for vaudeville calling for four people.. Upon the closing of the Bessie Mc- Coy Davis act, through the illness of Mrs. Davis, Louis London, who was in her support, returning to vaudeville with his former "single." ' / Irving Edwards (formerly of Gold, Reece and Edwards, who are cpntin- ' uing in vaudeville under the same name—Paul Cotter as "Edwards" in the trio) and Mabel Walsh, two-act. Bert Leslie with four peqple in "The Cave Man," written b^ Leslie. The character of "Hogan" is retained, the title referring to a Bowery cave man, whom someone dares to invite to^din-"; ner in a private suite at the Waldorf. Al Fields is preparing a new act, in ■ which he will be assisted by a girl. The turn is called "Here's Lookinf at You." Fields will essay a straight, comedy role for the first time. William Le Maire. with William (formerly of Roberts, Hayes and Roberts) and "Dog" Walters, new comedy turn called "Two American Aces—of Spades,". When Le Maire was called in the draft he sold his ' interest in "The Battle of Whats- theuse" to Gallagher, who refused to resell when Le Maire was rejected. A proposition was submitted to the United Booking Offices to place Bar- ney Bernard and Alexander Carr in vaudeville in a condensed version of "Business Before Pleasure," with eight people, pending their enforced layoff a ■■''*< n M