Variety (January 1919)

m: 8 VAUDEVILLE IN AND OUT OF THE SERVICE CASUALTIES. Will Heywood (Heywood Trio), died ' in a hospital at Cairo, Egypt, Oct. 12. Capt Arthur M. Hnmblecraft died Nov. 14 of influenza in the military hospital at Dover, England. He was the husband of Margaret Cooper (Eng* lish) (Reported to Variett from Paris). ^ . . Myrtle Young has received notice from Washington her brother, Town- send C. Young, has been missing in ac- tion since Oct. 9. - Harry Lenetska, formerly assistant to George Gottlieb, in the Orpheum Circuit booking offices, New York,_ is. now at the American Base. Hospital near Argonne. He was wounded with shrapnel in the left leg. Maurice Clark, son of Pete Clark, discharged from the army Dec. 12. Walter Winchell (Winchell and Green) was released from the navy. Clifford Green, promoted to corporal, is in Convalescent Camp No. 1, Base Center, A. P. O. 789, France. Sergt. Caryl W. Fuller, transferred to the Division Personnel Office, Stone Brook Barracks, Portland, Ohio. ■ Jack Atkins, released from the navy, will return to vaudeville in his former single turn; "The Census Taker." Lieut. C. A. McFarland, discharged from the Army, has returned to vaude- ville. Jack Pegler, released from Navy, go- ing to Cleveland Jan. 1 to remain there indefinitely. ^ Arthur Cleary, a sergeant at Camp Upton, has returned as treasurer of the Royal. Charles Collier (Parquette and Col- lier) was released from the Naval Avia- tion Corps. Pat Woods, released from the Navy, again acting as assistant to Eddie Darl- ing in the Keith booking office. Harold Goldberg discharged from the Army has returned to the William Fox bookiig office. Jack Linder, discharged from the Army, Dec. 16, has resumed his busi- -ness and office as an agent in the Put- nam building. * JacH Callahan, discharged from the army, has rejoined Ethel Shepard, his former partner. In the "Grown Up Babies." Tom Powers, laid up for week in London as the result of an accident as a member of the Royal Flying Corps, has resumed his stage work. Murray Howard, formerly of-Howsrd and Hurst, discharged from service; he is to offer a new act with Lieut. Jack Thurston. • Max Gordon, discharged from the army Dec. 23, and is now attending to the booking of the Lewis & Gordon attractions. Ralph Farnum, of this office, is still confined to the Roosevelt Hospital suffering with infTuenza. Capt. Harry Bailey, formerly man- ager of Keith's Alhambra and more recently manager of the Liberty, Camp Upton, L. I., has received his dischtTrge from military service, Dec. 30. His fu- ture plans are undecided as yet. Lieut. Ben Boyer, formerly studio manager for the Popular Plays and Players and for the Olga Petrova Co., who enlisted in the Quartermaster Corp^ was mustered out of the service at C^p Meigs last week. He will return to the picture field. ,....C!)ar)ft«- Dudley Austin, son of. Sec-- retary Austin, of the Actors' Fund, is with the U. S. A. ambulance corps in France. Recently he wrote his father that he was agreeably surprised the other day to receive a package of "smokes" sent over by the Columbia and American burlesque circuits. VOLUNTEER SERVICE SHOWS. At Camp Merritt, N. J., Dec. 21, ar- ranged by Mrs. Carrie V. King, under the auspices of the K. of C. Mme. Charlotte Lund, Lucille LaVerne, Joy Sweet, Kenneth C Beaton, Arthur Gollnik, Billy Kenny, Alfred Jackson, Helene Lyon at the piajio. At Camp Dix, N. J., Dec. 22. Marjorie Rambeau, Herbert Watress, Ruth Stonehouse, Pedro de Cardoba, Charles Dow Clarke, Mrs. Alice Linds, Mrs. Jean Watress. . Sergt. Pat Stromber'g and his Jam- bone Troupe recently gave an enter- tainment in Paris at the Palais de Glace,-, at which there were 6,(X)0 American soldiers. In the troupe were •Chuck Calahan, Jack Lamey, Sol Powder, Benny Weitman, Georgie O'Malley and a jazz band. The troupe has done a lot of entertaiilihg at the front. The "Gobs" on board the George Washington which carried President Wilson and the Peace Commission to Europe did their bit in helping to en' tertain the Chief Eexecutive on his way across the Atlantic Dec. 11, the sailors presented a Gambol which con- sisted of a number of musical sketches and several ainusing acts.. The per- formance was held in YTheatre Old Salt, one of the assembly halls on the ship, where a regular stage has been erected. The business staff consisted of Dr. Irving Gray, Chaplin Bloomhardt, Pay- master Rudolph, Lieut. Clyde Keene, Philip Dunninh, C. B. M., Carpenter C. Girarder and the "Hatchet Boys." "The Hatchet" is the name of the daily newspaper published on board the George Washington of which .Chaplain P. F. Bloomhardt is the managing edi- tor. It is an- interesting little sheet full oi up-to-date news. | On the arrival of the Preslden\ial fleet at Brest, the U. S. Naval Forces in France celebrated with a Welcome entertainment Dec. 14-16, at two differ- ent theatres. The title of the show ' v/as "Finis La Guerre" Tevue. Among the entertainers were M. A. Deakins, U. S. S. Promethus, "The Handcuff King;" Smith and Mintoyne, U. S. S. Promethus;' U. S. Naval Aviation Corps; "Real Jazz from Real Gobs," Pierce and Zapp, U. S. S. Carola, U. S. S. Bridgeport and the Carola Five. The Entertainment Committee was composed of Capt. E. P. Jessop, Com- mandet J. C. F. Fremont, Lieut. J. D. Pennington. The entertainment division of the Jewish Welfare Board has arranged a program of free performances for the uniformed men in the' camps throughout the country. Two units have thus far been organ- ized. Among those who are giving their services are Rachel Rosenfeld, Annie Meltzer, Leo Rosenstein, Harry Rosenfeld, J. Adier, Jean Paurel. In the second unit there are Zelda Sant- leyT Victor Pollant, Gertrude Wolf, Sadie Chaifctz, Rose Drcebon. The entertainment division is work- ing in conjunction with the Rabbis' Sons Theatrcal As§pciation and is now planning several vaudeville programs for the camps in the vicinity of New York. Through the courtesy of the West- ern Vaudeville Managers' Association the foltewiivg. acts donarted-their ser- vices for the weekly event held at the Khaki & Blue Club Sunday night: Vera Amazar, Rice and Cady, Lew Huff, Zeno & Mandel, Peck and Mclntyre, Lew Holtz, Isabelle Vaughan. ATTA BOY. , Madame SberrI (of tbo MalBoo Andre Mil- linery Shop) Pvt. Geo L. Osunder ••Andre Sherri (Uer.tion), Pvt. Thomas Fafrclougb Nanette (bis swetbeart). .Corp. George Gunn Hiram Hicks (an American millionaire), Pvt N. Male; Florlzelt Flushing H^kS' (bis wife), Sgt. Wm. K. Means Pierre Poux Poux (infamous detective), ~ Pvt. B. Grlnnell Mr. Marshall Corp J. H. Coben Bsbe^e .-. Sgt Oliver Hunter Annie Sgt. Earl W. Spencer Right Reverend Tweedledum..Pvt. Sam Cella Milliners, Salesgirls and Customers and HIMSELF CAPTAIN FRANK TINNEY with -^The Music Masters, Sgt. James DuSy and Pvt. Fred Sweeney ACT ONE The Millinery Shop of Madame SherrL ACT TWO « Scene 1 The Post Exchange. Scene 4 The Trench. MUSICAL NUMBERS ACT ONE 1. Opening Ensemble, Nanette, Madame SberrI and Chorus 2. "Elephant Skid...Madame SberrI and Chorus 3. "Hold Me In Your Arm8".Andre and Chorus 4. "I L^ove Her and She Loves Me," Mr. and Mrs. HI(^s 5. "Strolling- 'round the Camp with Mary," The Music Masted 0. "Ragtime Wedding," Andre, Nanette, Minister and Chorus 7. Melodrama Nanette, Madame Staerrl, . ' Andre, Poux Poux and Chorus 8. "The Worst Is Yet to Come"..Madame Hlcka 0. Finale—^"The SUrs In the Service Flag," Andre and Company ACT TWO __Sceae I 1. Opening Ensemble Pony Ballet 2. The Captain. Sbrgeant James Duffy The Walter Captain Frank TInney 3. Pvt. Maley and His Instrumentalists. 4. Ballet Nanette and Pony Ballet Scene II 5. Not Will Rogers. .But Corp. Alfred Iterris 6. Salvation Army Qirls ^ Scene HI 7. The Rookie Squad. Scene IV 8. Behind the Front. The Captain....! Sgt. James Duffy The Private Captain Frank TInney Scene V J). "Angel.Child, Annie, Rebekkah, Betb, Vlolette and Chorus 10. Finale. ' Ralph Faulkner and Entire Company "Atta Bey," staged by Jack Mason, is the last soldier show In New.York, now at the Lexington in Its second week. The show Is divided Into two parts, show and Capt Frank TInney. On the billboards Tlnney's name is larger than the title. "Atta Boy" itself was "Atta Boy" and "Who Stole the Hat?" before TInney became connected with either of them. The first part of "Atta Boy" at the Lexing- ton Is the former "Who Stole the Hat?" show produced by Jade Mason under the auspices of the ofBcers at the Aberdeen tMd.) Proving Oround. .Before that It was Mme. Sherrl's vaudeville act, that had only a brief existence. The French detective of the vaudeville skit is also In thl^-plece, probabl:^ the only civilian (out of uniform) in it The Sherrl turn has heen elaborated with soldler-prlnclpals and chorus "girls."-" It is the manner In which Mr. Mason staged the numbers that makes the first part of the "Atta Boy" production so at- tractive. In fact much more bo than the second part, with but a number or two to follow It. Among the choristers George Gunn stands out as a "girl," though his voice is against him. It is Mr. Gunn also who is the premiere of the laughable ballet In "Atta Boy,"', which, however, had Its edge taken off for those who saw the "Duncan dancers" of "Good Luck Sam." The idea of both Is differently worked out, but the general scheme Is the same, ' though a coincidence of production. Mr. Mason foregoes the uniform. Ho keeps 32 of the fellows in druses all the time, and they make the beat soldler-chorus-glrls New ' York has seen. The boys do not at all suggest the asthetic in looks or carriage. They are naturally graceful In whatever chorus girl numbers they attempt. The best are the -"Elephant Skid," led by Madame Sherrl (Jack Gagwin) and the finale,. "The Stars In the Service Flag," a number which Mr. Mason first produced In Healy'a Golden Olades fevue. It makes, a corking finale for this soldier show, boys In uniform from the orchestra aUles shooting "up" the stars in a large elec- trically lighted service flag hung to the rear of the stage. Pvt. Thomas Fnirclough leads the "Flag" number, and sings other songs, dressed In the French uniform. He is a very likeable tenor, of good stage presence. A "Ragtime Wedding" in the first part is nicety done, with all bridesmaids. The cos- tuming, especially In this and the "Flag" finale, shows up splendidly. It was made for the production by the Madame Sherrl estab- lishment. (The names of the characters car- ried into the show as they were in the vaude- ville act, gives a "Madame Sherrl" on the program as a principal,) !n-t}ie "Wedding'" _. "number the TnlriiSter Is Pvt N. Mttley, whd later. In blackface, leads a "Rookie" (awkward drill) bit with his companions In blackface. Mr. MaTey Is an amateur, but as a blackface comedian he Is there. The first of Tlnney's entrances was In the first act, without any logical reason Tor It He Just seemed to push himself before the footlights. When there he told some gags, played "Dixie" and "Yankee Doodle" simultaneously on the piano, with either hand, and after that did the Clara Mor- ton dsnclng-piano playing. TInney with Sergt. Jimmy Duffy In the second part In a waiter and captain scene, with Duffy the cap* tain and TInney the waiter, did the "William Tell" apple-on-the-head bit. TInney acting the apple while Duffy prepared to shoot. That was going back some. A^ain, with Duffy still the captain and TInney /programed as a pri- vate, they had a trench ecene, said to have been placed In the original Camp Meigs "Atta Boy" show In Washington by TInney. JThe two of them are alone In the trench, wtffilng for the Huns to come over, with Tinney finally pulling out two razors, a dark scene, and showing Germans lying all around when the lights went up, TInney saying, "Let's go some place where there's some excitement" tor an exit line. The individual hit of the bill was taken by Sergt Jimmy Duffy and Pvt Fred Sweeney In "one," in the former Duffy and Inglls vaudeville act Duffy ensured the success when be said, mentioning the title of a new song, at the sart of the act, "We took this country from the Indians and If It goes dry, we are going to give It back to them." Later, speaking of a song, Sweeney said, "I got It from abroad." "All right," answered Duffy, "but don't mention her name here." (They are using a "broad" gag In the "Frolics" on t]ie Amsterdam Root.) With their nut com- edy, songs, talk and muslcan instrutnents, Duffy and Sweeney cleaned up. Next to them, as an act, was Corp. Alfred Harris doing an Imitation of Will Rogers, and a most credit- able one fcir an amateur, much better than the profes£ionalB give of Rogers. Jimmy Kleman led "Angel Child" neatly. It's an "audience number," with the "giris" singing to men In the orchestra seats. The Rookie Squad had a "blues" for an encore that Is reported to have been secured by the Sbuberts for the Mclntyre and Heath new show. The Shuberts are also said to have en- gaged Mr. Gagwin under a three years' con- tract. There are about (or were) 70 boys In this "Atta Boy" show. They are reported allowed $3 dally for subsistence while In New York. The show played to around ^10,000 at the Lex- ington last week, at a $2 soale. "Atta Etoy" was produced and staged in Washington, D. C, originally by the Camp Meigs soldiers, who appeared In It. Lieut. Ballard Macdonald and Nat Osborne wrote the show, Dan Dody staged it. Tinny appeared la the Washington show, which was closed. "Who Stole the Hat?" continued touring, and TInney entered the second act of the piece In Balti- more. Later the title was changed to "Atta Boy" and the productfon rearranged. The re- vised show played In Philadelphia, when there- was some trouble. Mason was reported to have sonsulted legal advice, ending In a compromise between himself and the show's owners (olB- . cers), while TInney, who was then said (after be had been mustered out) to have asked for $1,750 weekly, agreed as a compromise upon- $1,200 a week for himself. The only salaried players of the cast, besides TInney, are the French detective and Mr. Proxy (R. C. Faulk- ner), who appears for a moment at the grand finale of the performance, in the "Victory" number. In his Impersonation of President Wilson. . This bit in Washinaton In "Atta Boy" show was the big puncU. It lost its effectiveness at the Lexington, 'as the Presi- dent Is In Europe. At the Cal)itol they be- lieved it was the President, and one of the original staff of "Atta Boy" still Insists Presi- dent Wilson congratulated him upon the stage of Poll's Theatre. Mme. Sherrl supplied costumes to the Lex- ington production to the amount of about $8,- 0(X). As a soldier production this show looks, to be fan expensive one. There Is said to be a committee of Aberdeen ofllcers In charge o* It, with the net proceets to go toward a building at Aberdeen. Many of the otBcers around Aberdeen, Baltimore and Washington sub-" scribed to the fund to set "Who Stole thei Hat?" on the stage. Now they may be con- cerned In securing the return of their Invest* ment.' If the first act of "AtU Boy" at-the Lexing- ton is Indicative of the general nature of the orlelnal Aberdeen show one will easily believe- "Who Stole the Hat?" would have ipade money it let alone. With those boys as "chorus girlV* It could have gone into a Broadway house. Bime. •ajNaE SAIWIWY MINSTRELS." Corp. John B. Quick is managing the proposed tour through Iowa of the "Uncle Sammy Minstrels," comprising all "returned soldiers." Jn the list are Sergt. McCartney, Ross Brothers, Harry Baisden, John Arnold and Corporal Quick. THE BOYS SEEING THE SHOW. Soldiers and sailors returned from France are passed into a number of theatres without charge by members of the Mayor's Committee of Wel- CGirae for Horaflcoraip.g. Troops, ••----.-^--.-.-j Stationed at doors of some theatres is one of the committee with a badge jn his hatband, ready to tender a cou- ple of seats to any uniformed man for the asking.