Variety (December 1918)

VAUDEVI IN THE SERVICE [77>u Department has tten carried weekly in Variety since we declared war. It has noted a list of theatrical men in the Service that seldom ran less than two columns, and more often much beyond Ihot.] CASUALTIES. Russell Lane, of V. A. R, England, killed in action of September. Jamei Latta (son of Sandy Connor, of Chorley & Connor) killed in ac- tion Oct. 21. The death of Charles C Edward*, a triangular worker over there, is also reported, from pneumonia. Frank Weston (Weston Brothers, musical clowns, at one time a partner in Lewis and Frank), killed in action Oct. 2. (Reported to Variety from Paris.) Charles Steinfeldt was killed in ac- tion during the last of the fighting on the Western Front. He was a member of the M. P. Operators' Union, San- Francisco. * John Klein, U. S. Navy, brother-in- law to Frank Parish, the dancer, was drowned at sea last week. Another brother of Mrs. Parish's hi»s been in a Naval Hospital for some time, suffer- ing from shell shock. v Lieut. Horace Herold Porter, for several season a character player, died in Frarice Oct. 16, according to word' received here. He was in the aviatioa section of the Signal Corps. He was a member of the Elks and Masons. Guy Maxwell, a former English re- vue comedian (Lt. J. J. Woods during the ^present war), died Oct. 17, at Poona, at age of 28 years, from grippe. John McMillen (formerly manager of Olympia, Glasgow) was -killed in ac- tion in France, late in September.— Sidney Schallman, the Chicago vaudeville booking agent who went to France with the 355th Infantry, is at a base hospital in France, gassed, ac- cording to a.letter from him to the Chicago office of Variett. "I feel very weak and about all in," he writes. Dr. Leon Alanson Corley, of New Jersey, a Y. M. C. A. worlcer, was killed in France, Nov. 3, in a motorcycle acci- dent. He was ihiown from the side car while traveling to regional head- quarters, to secure entertainers for a division which had just come in from the front. John A. Boyle, aged 21, in vaude- ville, died at Camp Sherman last week, from injuries suffered in an automo- bile accident while helping celebrate the coming of peace, was buried Mon- day. He was the'youngest son of the late John A. Boyle, catcher for the St. Louis "Browns," and lived in Cincin- nati. Elmer Wentworth, formerly of the house staff of the Temple, Syracuse, was wounded in the fact during the October fighting jn St. Quentin sector, according to word received at his home. He was originally with Co. C, 108th Infantry, an old Syracuse Na- tional Guard Command. He served more recently with the Headquarters Company of that regiment. Arthur Clayton, of the Seventh Regi- ment, N. Y. G., who went to France with the 107th Infantry last May, has been reported killed in action SeptxSV. He was married and lived with his r wife.iiL.W(t5t J23d.,street r _ .At.the time - of his enlistment he was 30 years old. He had been in several Belasco pro- ductions and had played as an under- study in "Woman Proposes," in which he toured the country. His father was an Episcopal clergyman at Albany, N. Y. His brother, John, is a corporal in the tank corps in France. Lieut. Maurice Revnes, former play broker, graduate of Plattsburg, was one of the members of the "lost bat- talion" which fought its way through nes was wounded' in the foot and is the German lines. In the action Rev- now at a hospital. IN SERVICE. Ted Shawn (dancer) commissioned a 2d lieutenant and assigned to Co. L 32d Inf.," Camp Kearny, Cal. Jimmy Hebron, former advance agent, who joined the Army Transport Division and went to France, was mus- tered out last week in Newport News. Robert E. Forbes, former treasurer of the Hudson theatre and a brother of James W. Forbes, has gone over- seas as a "Y" secretary. He has been assigned to the entertainment section. Jack Pegler, who handled the ad- vance for the tour of Floyd Gibbons, war correspondent, which was halted owing to the epidemic, holding a naval reserve classification, has.- been re- leased from service. Bernard Foyer, once in vaudeville ■ with Foyer and Meyers, will accom- pany Sergt. Irving Berlin to France to distribute popular music among .our soldiers. Sergt. Berlin has been select- ing the music while waiting to sail, which may be by next week. Harry P. Munns the Chicago attor- ney, who has been in the Gas Instruc- tional School.at Lakehurst, N. J., will be mustered out shortly and return to the office of S. L. & Fred Lowenthal in Chicago. Fred Lowenthal was to have entered the officer's training school at Fort Sheridan, 111., but was not ordered to report because ot the sign- ing of the armistice. VOLUNTEER SHOWS. Before an audience of over 5,000 per- sons, at the big Billy Sunday taberna- cle in Providence last Friday evening, sailors from Newport presented a mu- sical revue with former professionals now in the service taking part. The show was a success from start to finish. In the company were, Knoll and Ksmney, Bill Jones, J. Lowell Johnson, Eisenberg Brothers, Max Friedman, Massie and Archambault, Clarence Coulter, Evans, Gerard and LeClair. A jazz band and the Naval Reserve Band of 62 pieces under direc- tion of Tom Clarke Brown, also made a hit. Mark Levy had charge of the program and the event was in charge of Lieut. O. D. Munn and Pay Clerk J. H. Miller, jr. Tickets sold at $1 and a thrift stamp was given with each. The proceeds were divided among the United War Work Fund and the Sec- ond Naval District athletic depart- ment. The men of the Motor Transport Reconstruction Camp, under the com- mand of Col. Harry A. Hegeman pre- sented "A Buck On Leave" at the Y. M. C. A. theatre, Vemeuil, France, last month. The cast was made up of pri- vates and non-coms of the Corps. Many of the characters were taken by men who had formerly been in the theatrical profession. "The Better 'Ole" will be given at Camp Upton Dec. 15, with no charge to the men there. Army transports will carry the entire production from and to. the. Cort theatre to Abecamp.- The company will be the guests of the officers during the visit. The show given by United Booking Offices for the soldiers at Camp Mer- (Continued on page 39) GOOD LUCK SAM. Viola Dolt Christopher Hayes Mrs. Mabel Marshmallow" '.'.".'.".'i^'.XM' Herrup 2nd Lieut. Fred Andrews ..Lorens Gillette Ulysses S. Grant Johnson .. .N. D. Cohen Private Sam Eaterbrook, Joseph Le Grange Abbott Martha Walters Corporal P. H. Healy General Qoff John P. Stack The Colonel ........II. T. Collins The Major W. J. Dunn The Captain ......Joseph R. Flick First Lieutenant Robert L. Hamlltoa Second Lieutenant Robert A. Blackburne The Orderly James J. Sullivan Entertainment Captain Joseph R. Flick The Bugler .Lorenzo W. Brown Alexander George Trlpler Mrs. Geo. Washington Cackle ... .George Rubin Mrs. Larson J. W. Wujclk Played by the boys of Camp Herrltt, N. J., "Good Luck Sam," opened Monday night at the Lexington, for a stay of two weeks. It's not the exact kind ot a big soldier show that New York has seen before or might ex- pect, where there Is muslo attached. This piece Is full of plot, farcical, and It runs through the three acts. The opening night an acclderit marred the performance tor a large number, especially women. In the second scene, turned Into a vaudeville period, Serg. Edward R. Chrlstman, In theatrical "strong man" garb, announced Be would Illustrate the value of training camp methods by allowing an Iron bar to be bent through striking It on bis arm (muscle^., A thin Iron bar was held by one of the soldiers. As the sergeant placed his right arm tightly to his side, the soldier swung a hard and swinging blow. The bar struck near Christ- man's shoulder, glanced off and appeared to hit him on the jaw. He staggered backward, crumpling to the stage, with all around him at a loss through the untoward accident Par- tially recovering Chrlstman straggled to hie feet and with some assistance walked to.the wings, but not before the audience had seen blood on his face. With a alight wait full ot tension, the performance proceeded. It was said later Chrlstman has suffered but an abrasion on the face and that he had wanted to go through his turn Immediately afterward. He did not .reappear however. Quite a number left the theatre after the second act Christ- man has appeared in vaudeville when he al- lowed an automobile to run over him. He has performed the bar trick In practice many times. The soldier who did the swinging Monday night had practiced with bun. In.the same set, the audience wan surprised and apparently delighted when Geraldlne Far- rar, who had the stage box, graciously pro- ceeded to the stage, introduced by one of the characters with a line ot dialog. She sang "Mighty Lak A Rose" to her own piano ac- companiment. Mies Farrar then returned to her seat declining an encore and remained until the ending of the show. The hit of the evening was made by the "chorus girls," many of the 200 boys, more or less, on the stage, dressing as maids, wait- resses and students. They made no pretense for the Impersonation other than In the dress, although they were exceedingly well drilled for this particular bit of business. Unusually so were the seven boys who-became "Isadora Dun- can Dancers." They actually did splendidly as the asthetlc poseurs, In their bare feet but the hoys, or .whoever suggested the idea, took lt more seriously than the audience. The house laughed continually. Had the least hit of travesty been Introduced Into lt, the bit would have been the howl of the season. ^. That appears the biggest defect In the sol- diers' performance, the seriousness of lt all. However there was a travesty for the brief third act, a court martial scene. In It Private Sam Eaterbrook was tried for having stolen Second Lieutenant Fred Andrews' girl. The girl was Viola Dell (Christopher Hayes). Dur- ing the trial, General Golf, the judge (John P. Stack) while the testimony and arguments were going on, rehearsed golf shots. The opening scene (all the acts were nicely set) was the reception room of Mrs. Mabel Marshmallow's College For Girls. Lieut An- drews (Loreoz Gillette) calling on Viola and noticing a picture of a private on the mantle piece was informed it was a photo ot Viola's brother. The picture was of Private Sam Ester- brook (Joseph Le Grange Abbott). He also called. Viola Introduced him as her brother but the Lieut, noticed his name in his bat and demanded to see his Identification tag, then preferred charges against him. As Private Esterbrook was led away, The company sang, "Good Luck Sam," the only swinging number of the evening. The same song was employed as the finale of the three acts. 'When the show was over a soldier band was playing it In- the lobby as hoys sold the sheet music ot tbat number. No other music was on sale. Mostly all the other numbers were musical ccmody love ballads. In the first jscl' two of these were sung with but a sfrnfi Interval between them. -»•" The second act opened before the front of a guard bouse. Following 'a solo, the drop was taken up and the Inter, r set was a sumptuously looking jail, after the u?ual travesties of the past on those things, wlti' page boys waiting on the prisoner-guests, vlth the customary business and dialog. An entertainment an- ..nounceA.for the..evenIng.vas proclaimed.a vaudeville Show. The room"w;is quickly cleared" and a curtain dropped. A jazz orchestra was In the rear around a piano. A three-ring circus effect started with W. H. Vrylsteke doing a straight jacket escape, Corporal Anthony Parinl giving some fair magic and Ed Dillon and Jack Rosenberg drawing cartoons. Serg. Jack Fretz una Joseph Gulager then did neat roping with RENEE DIETRICH IS HAPPY. Extract ot letter received by Jams* Forbes of America's Over Then Theatre League from Rene* Dietrich of the "Yankee Doodle Five" ■ unit overseas. Paris, Nov. 1, 1918. We have just returned to Paris for the first time, after nine week's con- tinuous work in the field. We, of the League, as well as the other enter- tainers over here are doing an enor- mous amount of good. If you could attend some of the shows—whether -they are in huts, tents, in the fields, or any of the unique and oft time-wierd places where we play, and witness the joy and appreciation of the boys and note the effect it has on them, you would realize why we are all so en- thusiastic and so willing to do every- thing-we can -for them. The officers ' tell us a good show raises the morale of the boys 100 per cent and the added fact of having American girls around who will talk to them in real honest to goodness "United States," does more good than words can tell. Miss Carlyle and I always make it a point to shake hands and talk to as many boys as we can after each show, and believe me, I have had fellows ac- tually cry with happiness when I talk- ed to them. On numerous-occasions we have played to boys who hadn't seen an American girl for months and months, and their appreciation of our "visiting" with them has been one of the bright spots of my experiences. In fact this whole experience is* one which ' brings out the best in all of us, and when it is all over, I am sure the realization that we were able in onr small way to help these fine boys right here when they needed us most, will be the greatest comfort, satisfaction and joy that we can have We are. all having experiences such as we never dreamed of before, but the inconveniences and little hardships we always see in a humorous light and the boys' gratitude is our sweetest reward. The only thing that troubles me is that after playing on wagon toDS,„un- de r all sorts of circumstances in the open, in* tents and huts—sometimes with a bum little old organ or just the ukelele for our "orchestra," we won't know how to act under normal conditions again at home. We have played within a few hundred yards of the lines with the Boche flying over us and on several occasions where we had to have our gas masks in the alert position and our "tin hats" on. Once in an old village we gave our show in a church, using-the altar for the stage arid the candles as footlights. (After our Hawaiian numbers, Gregory (Gilbert) does a burlesque > hula, and yctu can imagine him cutting up on the altar, over the tomb of some saint's grave.) Indeed after what we have gone through, I guess we are equal to (Continued on page 18) i ■ the lariats. A couple or acrobats in this section, unprogramed, may have been profes- sionals and Imported for the occasion. Buck dancing was done by a quartet The accident to ChriBtman and Miss Farrar'8- moment some- what tangled up the continuity of the per- formance In this scene. The program stated Its receipts from ad- vertisements were $40,000, with the sale ex- pected to bring $5,000 more. (No charge was made for the programs, any contribution being accepted.) The cost of the program was given as $4,976 (Inclusive of $4,200 for printing) leaving a net profit on that Item of $35,024, making, the rrrC^rJage of profit as computed, ■ SZyi per cent. / The book and lyrics (A "Good Luck Sam," were written by Serg. Edward Anthony. The lyrics often excelled the book. Serg. Louis O. Merrill wrote the music, -with the march song the single worthy number. Frank Lea Short staged the show. Michael Ring put on the dances and ensembles. The staging was locked over at the finish by George M. Cohan who offered a suggestion or two. The billing reads "Big Brothered" by Mr. Cohan. Orches- trations for the 27 musicians (all soldiers) were made by Gene Rawtenbury. Often the orchestra's volume .sounded quite heavy to hear 'the "singer's voice above them though the en- semble vocalizing was noticeable. The several principals gave an even perform- ance as judged between them only. They do well enough probably for a show of this kind, when ginger is thought to be the chief in- gredient and that is absent It sums up as a high grade amateur performance. Sime. .V -