Variety (November 1918)

"iy^W'^-^WW^^W^'r''''^^ : ^,, :^^^p mm:-. 24 VARIETY a m Bif?'- I I i I: f f i i m- IS?.J:v,; IP?:;- h L f'y-: Iff - ■ JfVLi Rs7- Charlsi Grtpewia ab^ Anna Cliance. "Poulikvepii* Jod'i VaeatteB" (Com- .. .edy)... - ;.JI:^l|...,S,<inr*^,i,Pi«rl»r),..„......„ „;,:,„►..»., Palace, A sequel to Grapewin and Chance's "Poughkeepsie," with the characters the same, Mr. Grapewin the husband, a travelling man, and Miss Chance, his wife. In "Poughkeepsie" Jed wanted to "put something over" on his wife, but was double-crossed by i pal he depended upon to send a wire. In the second edition, the current comedy playlet, the pal again crosses hira, this time by phone, just about as he thought everything was framed to take a vacation from home to escape a visit from his mother-in-law. The couple (it is a two-people sketch) play their respective roles with such an easy naturalness the matter of dialog and business remain the only points. In the sequel thtre is yet to be worked up the same number of laughs built •into the first playlet, But this they can do. What laughs ai-e there now are real ones, but the playlet is new. As Mr. Grapewin and Miss Chance write their own pieces, it will prob- ably be shot into an all-laughing grove as rapidly as they did that to "Pough- keepsie." One might say they will not miss a chance, but as that would be a double'pun and a bad one j>es!des an- untruth, it may as well be left un- said, although the fact is that vaude- ville would miss the Grapewin-Chance combination very much. There is none more popular and there are no sketch- ists more at home in vaudeville and who understand it better than they or either of them. Their naturalness has only one drawback to the men, for it is-^against the ground rules for a married man never to put over any- thing on his wife. What would be the use of marrying otherwise, but it's great for the witnin. Sime. CITY. At ttia City TuMdsy nlBbt tbe ii8b«rs war* IxelpiDK tbs patrooi to find teats. - Botteooa must b&vo lecturei! tiie eamert and eMt-lisht ""b'(iDi""stl"£be}r"did ndi make'a'intBiiii^fi'toe'«£•'' tlra evenioc , The Bhow tor tbe flrst bait, laTes acts, a newa weekljr and feature, yraa made up ot tbe real three-a-dar calibre and pleased tbe City's audteoce, wblcb was a big one. Tbe Four Martina, acrobatic, opened. ITbe turn carries five men, witb a last and dlffloult routine wblcb sent them over nlceljr* Mabol and Johnny Dove beld tbe aecoBd spot and scored on tbe man's dancing. Tte couple irorlc In black-taoe and blgb br«>wn and do a straight siDgtng and danclog tarn. The Bng- tlab Johnny bit by tbe man geta little and bla dance, following tbla. ia a little too longt The solo the woman la now using, during bis change to Scotch kllta, la a great naml>«r for a man, but she cannot do Justice to It. A bal- lad would fit tbe spot' better. Tbe oloslDg number by the woman In evening dress, ac- companied by a dance by tbe man In kllte wUb black-face and white kneee. sent tbe team over with some to spare. "Tbe Wedding Anniversary." a comedy play- let wltb man and woman, got a few laugba, but not enough to make it wortli wblle. Irs a small-time piece and bandied that way. The Ourreot Events picture epllt tbe show, followed by Frank Gabby In bis Tentrlloquist turn. Qabby opens In "one" for an Introduo- tory, going to "two" for business. His con- versation Is with a real American kid, he tak- ing tbe part of an Bngtisb Jotanny. Be bos a lot ot good talk which gets a number of laughs and returned to "one" for an encore,' this time talking to an imaginary Ilttls girl and closed with a song, which «9t big resnlta.' Tbe Ia> Orobs, contortionists, are big timers and had no trouble registering. Their work not only got good applause, but also grabbed a few healthy laughs. Tburlow Bergen and Co. in tbelr dramatic and patriotic sketch entitled "Tbe Protector," was one of sure-fire at. this particular time and received more aplauee on the situation than on the work itaelf. Tbe work isn't so badly done by tbe five In tbe cast, but tbe turn will probably never pass the tbree-a-daya. Tbe Four Harmonv Klnge (colored) closed the show and brought tbe vandsTllle portion to a pleasing ending. Wollaee Reid in "Tbe Man From rnneral Range" brought tbe show to a close Bba>rtly after II. Mayo and L«ilie. Plaao and Slbging. 17 Mins.) On«k Hariem Opev* House. The rear of the uprfght piano fac- ing the audience with a woman's hat showing above and a man in street clothes doing a number accompanied by the pianist who possesses a good falsetto voice, gives the turn a touch of mystery and a novelty opening. The pianist comes from behind for a bow and is a man with just the^ wom- an's hat on. Th^ duo arie at present in street clothes, which should be changed for tuxedos or classier street attire. The men go through the reg- ular solo and double number routine and possess good voices, but one num- ber should be dropped. With better appearance atid the comedy out, the turn should do for the best small-time houses. Forbes-Clark Co. (2). "The Politician" (Dmmatic). IS Mins.{ Four (Intcriort special). 23nl Street. Portly man, moustached. Woman, evening dress. Dark stage. Woman «ppears first, flashes on table light. Makes quick, hurried search for valu- able paper. Interrupted by return of occupant of home. Turns out light; hides behind heavy drapes upstage. Man enters. Subsequent talk on 'phone, discovery of woman and con- versational exchange makes girl the center of a flock of relatives that are in bad all around. She's the daughter of, a man that John McGuire (the man in the act) hates worse than poison; her brother is a forger, the girl a burglar up to this point; sO much js quickly fastened on the family escut- cheon that it keeps one bqsy keeping track of it all. Girl is after McGuire Tom Coyne's Burlesque Stock. Tom Coyne has organized a bur- lesque stock, opening Saturday at the Orpheum, Newark. The principals, engaged through Lou Redelsheimer, are Johnny Weber, Webb Sisters, Tony Kenned y and Bessie Rosa. players. It develops that the girl is McGuire's daughter-in-law and that she is the adopted daughter of his despised "friend." At the 23rd Street the audience laughed every time the girl called the man "Magweer," atid he yelled murder about the way she pronounced his name. Much to be imagined. Rather complicated plot. At best, small time. Jforfc. ). tr^.l. ^... "Birds of ■ Feather." 6 Mins.; Full Stage (Speeial eyel Alhambra. Leon Kimberly has added another vaudeville act to the list of those he has produced, in presenting Bertie Ford and Pauline Price in a novelty wire act which has for the novelty, the setting, music and general effects instead of the feats accomplished by the performers. The stage is dark as the orchestra suggests dawn with a music arrangement and it shows two birds perched on trees on opposite sides of the stage. The lights go up on a woodland scene as a background, and Ford as a blackbird while Miss Price is dressed in yellow, as a canary. Outside of the headgear there are no feathers in "Birds of a Feather." They first go through a routine of double walking on a tight wire and then do some solo work. A dance on the wire ' is nicely worked up with a bit of "ballin' the jack" and the "shimmy" thrown in for good measure. The usual leaps aftd slides are done, and then the thunder sheet rattles, the music denotes a storm approaching and the canary is thrown from her _«, «-•«- it- !.:-_ i_*_i I- j_ *!._ WITH THE MUSIC HEN. Artte MsbUngtr and Qeone Usjnsr tseaed agtln- lor vandtfille. - Dave Clsrk baa returned to t&e staff ot Waterson, Berlin A Snyder. 0. Bcblrmsr is itubllsblng the aumbsrs In "Sometime." Charley Potter has left the professional staff of Stem's. John W. Brattoo. an old-time songwriter, has elgned with Feist to write lyrics. McCarthy A Plsber have opened professional offlces in Pbiladelpbla. Sam Oold is in charge. Billy Vanderreer is now on the professional staff ot SIUkpiro-BeniBtein'a The MeU HnsIC Co. (Theodore Uets, presi- dent) has gone out of business. The Oarden, Brooklyn, has instituted popular song contest every Wednesday. ^00 Oallagber is in Boston in cliarge of the new Joe Morris Uoslc Co. ofDoe. Tbe music publishers were inconvenienced by the printers' strike. Tlie lather of Mrs. Louis Pordan died last we^. Louis Fordan is professional manager of the Shapiro Bernstein organisation. Harry Te&ny, proteastonal manager ot Stem', bos booked four weeks in vaudeville. Max Rich win accompany him. Andrew B. Sterling has left tbe Joe Morris Music Co., to writs once again with his old partner, HartV Von Tilzer. Tbe Mount Morris. USth street and Fifth avenue, has a "Song Pluggers" night every Tbursdsy. J. ttnssell RoMiison is the new professional manager of tbe Pace ft Handy Music Co., In New York. Fourteen persons were added to the profes- sional force of Witmark's New Tork oOlce iast week. Eddie Coz, who went to France with the Infantry, has been transferred from the ranks to twconie one of the entertaining tuits over there. A party was given Friday evening at ths Hotel Clorldge for Jerry Vogel (Plaza Music Co,), about to Join tbe aviation corps at Camp Wrlgbt, New London, Conn. Bobby Jones is oat as professional manager of the A. J. Stasney Music Company. Fred Mayo (formerly Foi and Mayo) now occupies that position. The Will L. LIvemash Music (te., of Kansas City, is BsUIng Its catalog and announcing it 1b going out of bnslnesB on account of all the members of the Ann being caught in the draft Eddie Nelson, tbe composer, after looking for a lyric-writing pdrtner to fill the place made vacant by tbe death of Will Hart, finally came across on unknown named Bud Oreen. By some sad streak of fate, the Stansy Music Co. has lost its two best lyricists by death, in tbe some month, namely, James Dempsey and Will J. Hart. Roger arabam, of Chicago, who recently sold "Has Anybody Seen Corlnne" to J. W. Stern ft Co.; has dispossd of "Tou Con Have It, I Don't Want It" to the MoKlnley Music Co. Moet ot the firme are sending singers to block parties. Which have sprung up all over the city. It la said one of the greatest "plugs" a song can receive is to be sung l>e- fore s block party throng. Mae Dentkis, tbe star singer on tbe Howard ft Lavar professional force, will not sing for the nett month to come, owing to the death of her brother. MIsfl Dennis will remain in the oflloe of Howard A Lavsr as assistant man- ager ot the professional department J. Fred Coots, general manager of ths Mc- Kinley Music Co., is back at bis desk after a short trip. He eaye that while on his trip he saw Jack Frost, tbe leading song writer for tbe McKIniey Co., who achieved a record by being promoted from a private to iisuten- ant after being in camp less than a week. Depressed Girl Takes Carbolic. Chicago, Oct. 30. Frances Neeley, chorus girl in a bur- lesque company here when the houses lU AND INJURED. Ed. Kendall confined to a N^ew York hospital witb-heart- trouble. > ..u.Toleei}, „7/ry.ea r-.Qid.« dayght'Sii;- --^r 'Jock?; Allen,, ill with diphtheria. George RoHand is out, following an operation upon his ear. -> The wife and two children'of Harry CruH, manager of Keith's Prospect, Brooklyn, are ill with bronchitis. Marion McCabe (Stoker & Bier- bauer offices) has been off duty for the past two weeks with a severe cold. Jo Paige Smith dropped into the U. B. 0. one afternoon for a.chat and will shortly take up active work again as a booker. Einma Adelphia, pianist, with ^anet Adair, hurt in a taxicab collision a weeE^ ago, rejoined Miss Adair Mon- day. Mr. Dockstadter has been suffering with a wrenched ligament in his arm when a machine declined to spark after he cranked the engine." Dama Sykcs" (Mrs. William Halli- gan) was operated on for appendicitis Oct. 27 and is recovering at Mrs. Al- ston's, saniiorium. Nellie Luckie (Luckie and Voast) was injured from a fall of the aero- plane in their act while at the Halsey, Brooklyn, last week. Miss Luckie sustained a broken bone in her ankli. During the illness of Wilbur Mack while playing the Orpheum, Oakland, who was confined to his room with an attack of rheumatism. Earl Bronson and Gladys Lockwood did a two-act. Wjlliam L. Dockstadter, manager ■ and Owner^ of Dockstadter's, Wilming- ton, was in' New York Tuesday ar- ranging for his new show for next week, at which time the theatre re- opens. Mrs. Grace Shields (widow of the late Ren Shields, and with the Fau- vette Twin sisters' act in vaudeville) went under an operation Oct. 26 at the Lenox Hill Hospital, New York, to have her right kidney removed. Danny Cohen still at Post Graduate Hospital, New York, slowly recover- ing from an operation for appendicitis. Mr. Cohen has been at the hospital for three weeks. He is attached to the box office at Hurtig & Seamon's. 125th Street. Phil McCarthy, last season with David S. Hall in vaudeville, has been ill for the past ten months at his home, 120 Bergen street, Brooklyn, with a complication of ailments through which he lost the use of his legs. He is fast regaining his health, however, and the ability to walk, and expects to be able to return to work iti a few months. Louis Mosconi, of the Mosconi Brothers, broke a small bone in the same foot which he injured some time ago while the act was playing the Audubon Saturday night. The injured member is in a plaster cast, the spe- cialist attending him predicting his ■ incapacity for six weeks. The~ broth- ers, with their sister and support, were to have opened at the Colonial Mon- day. ^i^-^j _._A t.^ _.._f. . _.:j IN AND OUT. Minnie Allen and Sister at Orpheum, Brooklyn, replaced by Kimberly and Page. Rawson and Clare at Proctor's, Yon- kers, for last half this week, replaced by George Leonard and Co. , Clark and Verdi left the Delancey Street (Loew) bill Oct. 25, replaced by Peyton and Hickey. Mr. C^lark was ill. The Three Moriarty Girls out of Proctor's I2Sth Street, Monday, re- placed by Three Lachman Sisters. Lee aiid Cranston at 125th Street replaced by Bond-Wilson Co. Lee and Cranston withdrew to open at Keith's, Philadelphia, Wednesday. T*l._ A. C?!_A i .r .1.. xr^a.