Variety (November 1918)

10 B UR L ES Q U E ARTISTS' FORUM Cosilii* Utters to 150 words and write on one eldc of pap«r only. Anonymous commimieatlons wiU not be prlntsd. Nams of writer mutt k« signed and will be held in confldenoe, if deelred. Letters to be publlsbed In this column must b« written ezeluslTSly to VABHTY. Duplicated letters will not be printed. France, Oct. 9. Editor, Variety: Our company boasts of a number of professionals, and we are in the habit of putting on little entertainments now and then. While we are long on talent, we are short on song numbers. Many of the boys have exclusive material, but this type of stuff ceases to be entertaining if heard too often. If some of the music professional managers who see this will send along a few professional copies they will be doing a great deal toward making things more pleasant for the boys who are over here. We have in preparation a minstrel and vaudeville show which will be put on at one of the Y. M. C. A. huts, and possibly at some of the camps. All numbers sent will be acknowl- edged by the writer. A. C. MacDonough, (Corp. A. C. McDonough, Co. K, 2d Pioneer Inf., A. P. 0. 716, Amer. Exp. Forces, via New York.) France, Oct. 8. Editor Varibtt: This story I am going to relate ac- tually happened and the names to be mentioned in this letter will verify my tale. While in the lines today I received a note from Tummy Gray, saying he had been trying to locate me for weeks. He told me the town he was in and asked me to do every thing in my power to come down and see him and the rest of his party, which included Margaret Mayo, Elizabeth Brice, Lois Meredith, Will Morrisey and Ray Walker. I got permission and started on a 15-mile hike. His letter wasn't dated and he said that they were only going to be there over night. I didn't know but what the letter had been written the day before, as it reached me early this A. M. I sure was worried. I was afraid I ^ould miss him. So I hustled and went about 10 miles before I decided to take a little rest. I had no more than sat down along- side of the road when along came an auto, and like a shot out of the clear sky, out jumped my pal, Tommy. We greeted each other in fond em- brace and neither of us could talk. We both had a lump in our throats. It was a miracle my meeting him. Had they passed me on the road I never would have seen them. I spent about three hours with the crowd. We talked about everyone and everything. It sure was great to meet some real friends over here. They all look fine and are sure putting some pep into their work. They all seem to enjoy it. I related some tales that had them bewildered. They no doubt will be home before I am. They will have lots to tell. It's been a great day for me and it sure did make me happy to see them. The only thing that could please me more is a ticket homeward bound to see my folks and the redhead I left behind. Ben Picrmnnt. hooking agent in New York before enlisting. He is now a sergeant in the infantry, A. E. F., having gone over with the 77th Division.) thank Pat Rooney, of Roonsy and Bent. Last week Mr. Rooney.very oblig- ingly filled his machine with sailors at 140th street and rode them down to 47th street, five blocks from their des- tination. I am prompted to write this because but a short time ago, on your edi- torial page, you told how the actors were. always the first to help others and were the last to seek it. As you very well know even the small things in life count. Simeon Gross., U. S. N. Naval Unit, S. A. T. C, College of the City of N. Y. New York, Oct. 28. Editor VabibtV: If you will allow I would, like to WATSON'S BEEF TRUST. There Is no reason why this show will not do business. It has the advantage of the title, known throughout the length and hreath of the land as Billy Watson's "Beef Trust," and with it Billy hlmaelt with a-most remarkable drawing power as a burlesque comedian. The show is hilled as "Billy Watson's Big Girl Show 'Krouaemeyer's Alley,'" the "Beef Trust" billing being entirely submerged. It Is in two acts witb three full stage scenes. A specialty is In the second act. In "one," to denote a lapse of time. To sum up the comedy In tt few words, it may be said that It starts and ends with a fight. For comedy. In the interim, there is but one bit that brings anything, and that la tbo old electric battery stunt. The biggest bit went to one of the rather hefty girls of the chorus who stepped from the ranks and put over "Strutter's Ball" with a itnaBh In tbo second act ,She Is Madeline Webb, and from her appearance and manner- ism in putting over a song, although she Is a little rough. Miss Webb might be likened to some of the better class "coon shoutera" in the better grade of vaudeville houses. The comedy division Is naturally In the hands of Watson and Barnes, with Harry West as Yiddish cop, their principal aaslstant. West takes all the slapstick as an admirable foil for the "Dutch" and "Harp" ot Watson and Bamen. But it is a constant repeat of the same slapstick that soon wears its welcome out. WatRon was working over time as an ad for Rophm & Rlrhards during his perform- ance. The firm ot agents was mentioned four times during the course of the evening. In the women division Kathryn Pearl stands out. and is there forty ways. She has worn down a great deal of her weight and looks charming. As a number leader she is just as good as she ever was, and the audience liked her Immensely. Beatrice Harlowe looked equally well in clothes, but had the unhappy factulty of rushing her words to such an ex- tent that proved difficult to catch the drift ot her lines. In her specialty in "one" she scored heavily with two numbers and a trio of war stories. James Rooney and Jack Sweeney, a couple of steppers, played bits in the first part of the show, did a specialty In the second act that looked like an endurance contest, and got nothing in the way of applause until the flninh. The boys have promise, and It seems that they were lacking In the proper stage monngement to put over an effective comedy dancing number. They would he a fair ^nita- tlon of Doyle and Dixon for a No. 2 company, where the originals had been featured. The chorus, ranging from slim to the fat, are not the girls that one expects to see in a "Beef TruRt" show for the greater part. Some are so hefty that they draw laughs on their forms In the strip tights numbers. A patriotic rumher was only saved from being laughed off on the strength of this, by the appearance of a man clad In kahki with a gun on his ahouldor. In the first act the girls make six changes, and In the second act they have four, all, with the exception of those worn In the final Rccne and a port-yama In the first act, designed to display their abnormal fleshiness below the waist line. That was one repeat in costume, the opening dresses being used in the last act. Thoy are ot a black and white chefkecT effect. When It comes to burlesque. Billy Watson is an nstntc showman. He knows what ho can do, how far he cnn go and what is necessary to keep the box ofni'e lively. "Krouspmeyer's ■•yiWey"~-f» a?»oiw- is-oUl ■nfr-burlcsqu'?,--It- dId-Ui. the old days and It seems to be doing now, and along (hn same lines.' If you don't under- stand Watson, you won't understand the "Alloy." nurlesquo patrons socm to under- slnnd both. It Is necessary. Tho present show holds what Bill calls "spiro," and that's what it Is for burlesque, bnrring one or two remarks, always, however, with this proviso—Is the show the "Beef Trust" gives at tho Columbia, New York, the show It gives around the circuit? But Billy Watson will give a show anywhere in any manner that he deems best to draw money, and when he draws money he does It as well for the bouse as for himself, and only Billy Watson among all the burlesque producers knows how to cut or let out while going through the performance. It's a knack, and more excusable in these days since there Is now only one Billy Watson on both wheels. Years ago on tho Western there were 20 that he couldn't touch It be tried, for they didn't know how and made It so bad It couldn't do. Which Is after all getting it over, and getting away with it. But no one knows better than Billy Watson what kind ot a show he has or Is giving, end you can generally guess his personal opinion even before he cornea into New York with It, AUTO GIRLS. After seeing this 191S version ot SImonds £ Lake's "Auto Olrls" (American) at the Olympic this week, the Impression is indelibly stamped In one's mind that the old saying "there's nothing new under the sun" runs appllcably true of this show, now on view at the Olympic. Even a song about No Man's Land and a number with a Red Cross nurse's outfit and the United States flag fall to camouflage it The cast seems to have been especially re- cruited to survive the rigors and demands of war tines, the male principals In particular giving surface appearances ot being able to answer the third draft If one be passed. The youngest member of the male contingent is Seymour James, a negro, doing a bellhop which brings bim into agile play at different times. James J. Blake, Billy Wild and Billy Hallman are others. Lake strives hard to keep the performance going at high speed. When the title "Auto Girls" Is mentioned one right away thinks ot J. J. Lake and Carol Sherwood, the latter, It memory serves cor- rectly, having been Schroeder in other sea- Bone. A name has little to do with a soubret's work, however, and Miss Sherwood Is given plenty of opportunity to show her stage wares. The nearest approach to a "voice" Is Anita Mae, « rather stoutly-proportioned woman who seemed expressionless as though de- pressed over something more Important than singing topical ballads. Rose Hill comprises the other member of the trio of female prin- cipals, having several numbers to herself, one which got several encores In the first part due to some wlggledy wiggling ot the shoulders done by one girl In the chorus. And while speaking of the "twistamaluch" Miss Shei^ wood does a cooch suggestion with her shoul- ders which she used overtime, but for the most part effective with the 14th Street crowd. The piece de resistance of the first part was an accordion specialty offered by Pasquale, a slender chap, who reeled off some popular tunes that caught immediate fancy. On the Instrument and program the name Pasquale is used. In the lobby the accordionist is styled "Vlnnettl." Lake flits In and out as a "straight" who uses high-flutin' English during most of the show, having several "bits" with Wild and Miss Sherwood that gave the boys in front a chance to draw their own conduplons as to tho suggestion of intimacy with the woman. Some ot the ejaculations and side remarks of Wild are reminiscent of the old Sam T. Jack days when the sky was about the limit The show appears to depend too much on "words," a verbal deluge that rang no bulls- eye ot laughter until the objective centered around such exchange as forced It.. The chorus at times Is chipper and full of animation, but lackadalscal and indifferent at others. Sixteen girls work changes much along the pattern and fashion of other sea- sons, the shapes running from 36, backwards and upwards. Several numbers had them going in musical comedy rytbym, with others reducing the average. The show lacks novelty. Is shy on comedy and seems to be a sort of slap over this "bit" and then jump Into the next number. One could picture Jimmy Lucas' misery if he were to' sit through this show and watch that "nance transformation" business of his twisted around in the respect that "Joyous water" causes the quick transformation of the colored boy. Wild and Hallman, with a fat stage hand completing the stage quartet. The orchestra leader is also Included for a mo meat. While effective, the Olympic crowd did not seem to grasp the humorous Intent as quickly and spontaneously as the vaudeville houses do. Then again there Is a vast differ- ence In the way Lucas works the bit and the weak manner in which the "Auto Girls" handle It "Auto Olrls" Is neither a good nor a bad show. It has plenty ot room for Improvement and a chance for everybody from principals to back row choristers to got dowir to brass tacks and do more than they are doing at present to make tho show stand out as effective bur- lesque entertainment Mark. Lumtden Hare, who plays the lead- ing role in "Peter's Mother," opening at the Playhouse Tuesday night, is also co-producer of the piece with William A. Brady. CHORUS GIRLS \\T A XTT^l?"n "8TEP LIVELY QIRL8" WiViNlJjjJLF COLUMBIA CIRCUIT Salary, $25.°° ARTHUR PEARSON, 1493 Broadway (Putnnm Building—Suite 311) Evtfythlng Fuinlihtd BURLESQUE MEN UBERAL The'burlesque managers have been noticeably generous in taking care of their respective' companies during the present epidemic layoff. The splendid , way they have advanced money to keep companies intact has resulted in a comparison being made with some of the legitimate managers who h%ve not been so inclined. Several burlesque companies on the road were agreeably surprised to have their salaries paid on the half week . basis since the layoff. This was sole- ly due to the unusually generous im- pulseis of the owners of the shows. A further layoff period this week of burlesque companies unable to pliy scheduled dates tesulted in two weeks' notice" being given to some of the managers by chorus girls who have announced their intention of get- ting other kind of stage work. The managers are trying to keep their choruses intact and have ad- vanced them money from week to ' week, but the "notices" came in. Some of the managers declare when the cir- cuits resumes an uninterrupted sea- sons that the girls will all come back. One manager, pretty close to the cushion through continued inactivity of his show, was forced to borrow money from a brother producer to give to some of his chorus girls. Another manager said he had fallen back on his Liberty Loan bonds. Never has the Burlesque Club come in so handy as during the epidemic Managers could be easily located at or through the clubrooms by the people of their shows. BILL COVERED UP. When the chorus girls of Billy Wat- son's "Beef Trust" first appeared for the matinee at the Columbia Monday, they were in union suits. The Watson chorus girls are mostly noted for the avoirdupois they are able to stand up under. At the night performance the same girls in the same first number had black and white costumes on, the "cov- ering up" order having arrived mean- time as an ultimatum. BURLESQUE CHANGES. Don' Clark, recently engaged for Barney Gerard's "The Americans," went to Toronto to join, but has been unable to open through the epidemic, the show laying off there meanwhile. "The Americans" have been laying off for three weeks in a dry town. Charles Burkhardt, Tony Cornetti and Mark Thompson have withdrawn from the show. Gerard's "Girls de Look" had Jos. K. Watson and Will Cohan in the for- mer Hoey anJXee roles at Hartford last week. Mildred Valmore and James Lichter, new acquisitions; Ross Snow, an outgoing principal. Charlie Edwards has replaced Jack Dempsey in "The Trail Hitters." Joe Fields has joined the Dave Marion show. The Biff Bang Trio also added last week. William A. Cameron is no longer with the show. The Eva Mull (deceased) role has been assumed by Nellie Watson, the wife of Sliding Billy Watson. . "Hip Hooray Girls" may' be managed during the remainder of the season by Al. Lubin. Its owner, George Bel- frage, joined the aviation^corps this week. ROSE AT IT AGAIN. Lew Rose came in from New Or- leans Monday with his mind all set on opening his proposed burlesque Atock..,tiLerc.._..ND.Y,^,.1/?,.. recruitiug:_.thje_ people here in Lou Redelsheimer's of- fice. Rose was to have opened at the Dauphine there seven weeks ago. Lillian Fellowi, of the "Step Lively" show (Columbia Burlesque wheel), died at Junction City, Kan., Oct. 18, of pneumonia.