Variety (June 1919)

mssj ■■■'■'' '■•"" }"**' ■. ■' 1 ;A /s:rij-.-;^'Tr^v ".'■ ■'■'.• ,' ' * •. '.' '• ■■ ; ". , S.&K3JEBFSKHBSS SHOW REVIE i OTJonnell and Kibba. |j|. Comedy Sketch. ■.-•;•;".' & 12 Mint.; Parlor. 125th St Man enters mildly soused, it'is bis wedding eve and he's celebrating. But- ler enters with letter and say* he has been waiting on the corner to inter- cept him. Butler has a letter for him. Then ensues a long dialogue anent Butler helping him out of scrapes, both taking many drinks from a bottle on table between them. Man gets a cry- ing jag and Butler finally leaves for bed. Man reads letter and it contains news that his fiancee has seen him with other women and calls off engagement. He takes revolver from a desk and ex- its'. A shot is heard. Man rushes back holding up a dead cat, remarking "This damn cat has been'annoying me for a long time." (Curtain.) Both are fair- ly capable performers but the vehicle is all wrong. Wood, Young and Phillips. Comedy Singing, Talking and Dancing. 15 Mine; One. American Roof. Straight,'Jewish comedian and a girl in an act framed for a small time riot. The comic weighs about 90 pounds and fets laughs every time he refers to is physique. The girl handles num- bers and does some solo stepping, get- ting applause with "hoch" steps. The straight man in a tuxedo with a white brimmed black crowned straw hat handles his share capably. The comic Euts the act over with a smash. One it where the comic falsettos off stage imitating the girl's voice and then makes an entrance, was roundly ap- plauded. The act lacks the class re- quired for two a day houses, but it can't miss on any other kind of time. Jeeson and Jeeton. Singing and Dancing. ■ 14 Mins.| One. American Roof. - Man and woman open with a long duet about "Your Flat, and My Flat," then "Jazz Baby" by the girl, followed by "Sweetheart" solos by the. male member. Then a Southern melody doubled and some fast stepping at the finish. The girl makes three costume changes, none of them startling. They are fair vocalists, the man exhibiting the'' remains of a trained voice. The bit of stepping at the finish landed them solidly in the opening spot. Good early starters for the big small time bills. Green and Lapell. Piano and Songs. 12 Mini.) One. 125th St. Man at piano attired in Palm Beach suit, girl sings a popular song. Then a duet, "Nobody's Baby," followed by a piano solo while girl makes a change to evening gown to return and sing "Friends." Then a shimmie number with the man clowning at the'"box" followed by "Oh, What a Wonderful Summer." The girl can handle num- bers and the man is a fair musician. The chorus of the last song about cooties and shimmie should be elimi- nated. They are a good small time couple and will please. If yon don't advertise in Variety don't advertise PALACE. It was' tar from a "regular" Palace audience that was present on Monday night There wasn't that usual Palace "class" present. It may have been "The Follies" opening, or It may be that the weather is getting along to the point where the ''bunch" take to the seaside. It looked like a flock of yokels slipped Into Broadway and lammed tor'the Palace box office from'the appearance of those on the lower floor.' For applause, however, they were a lot of hard-boiled eggs, and they never really woke up until Ruth Roye, on next to closing, stepped into the spot light and slipped It over to thorn. ■ Edna Goodrich and Harry Watson, Jr., shared the top line billing for the week with Ruth Roye featured at the bottom of the bill. In addition, the billing played up Ivan Bankoff and tbe Avon Comedy Four. The latter act had two new members and only contributed two songs, although tbe audience was asking for more at the finish. Rosa King Co., with their wire specialty, followed the Kinograms as the initial vaude- ville offering. To a house that was about half filled their work seemed entirely different and they managed to pull a certain amount of applause. "Sailor" Rellly contributed the sec- ond number of the show, starting strong with his "Ten Day Pass" song, but finishing rather weakly with the "Newsboy" number. In be- tween he offered "Steven Got Even," which rang the bulls-eye.for him; an Italian lovo song, and their, after an announcement' re- garding the authors of "Blow My Baby Back to Me," sang that number. "Don't Forget the Salvation Army" brought enough applause for the encore number, but the latter, even though It was waving the flag, failed to land. Bankoff and his charming dance partner arrived next In "The Dancing Master." There' was scattered applause for the back kicks of the girl and Bankoff's boIo work, but at the finish of the act there was difficulty in getting, the "curtains" over, with the result that the applause did not seem to hit the right spots. Williams and Wolfus contributed the first bit of comedy for the evening. The same old act, done the same old way, but the laughs also came along In the same old style. Edna Goodrich and Co. closed the first half of the entertainment, with France Bendtsen walking away with all that there was to the turn. MIsb Goodrich looked wonderful in gowns and then looked more wonderful In lesB gown, but the act seems worn as far as the Palace Is concerned. Tbe players alBO #eem tired of the act, for they all seem rather lax regarding bits of business. This is most noticeable In the telephone bits, when they talk with the receiver away from their ears, any- where from six inches to a foot. Miss Good- rich was also one of the offenders in this respect. The film monolog, "Topics of the Day," opened the Intermission, and the audience was seated by the time that the Avon Comedy Four arrived. The two new boys in the aot seem a little rough as yet. but they will undoubtedly work into tbe spirit of the turn as it goes along. In the kitchen scene one of the boyB sings "Mickey" effectively and plants It After the Dr. Kronkhelt scene "Take Tour Girlie to the Movies" Is offered by the quartet and a touch of comedy business, that of looking at Imaginary movies, old but well done got any number of laughs. These were the only two numbers that the boyB sang, although the audi- ence wanted more; Harry Watson, Jr. and his company with "Battling Kid Dugan and the "telephone scene" were laughs to the Palace crowd although It Is only about six weeks since the aot was there. Then Ruth Roye stepped on the gas and she certainly did "let or go." Her opening number endeared her to the hearts of those In the audience and the conclusion of the number brought the first real applause of tbe night and it also made It mighty easy/ for Ruth for the rest of the way. Her "Farmer" song, with Its Inimitable bits of business by the comedi- enne was the second wallop of the act and then a character number "How 'der Ter Git That Way" was a scream. Fnally for tbe finish "Waltin' for the Robert B. Lee" was brought out of- the camphor and it made all the rest of the numbers look'sick. The song is still "there" and It will be for a long time to come. The Seven Bracks dosed the bill with their rlsley work and acrobatics holding about balf of the audience. Fred. COLONIAL The Colonial show seemed to read decidedly smart on paper, but it didn't play quite so well. What hits it contained came in jerks, and that smoothness so necessary to a good vaudeville bill was missing. Business was surprisingly good though, the lower floor carry- ing a capacity gathering barring one or two rear rows while the upper section seemed well dressed. And here the palm of common sense might be handed Manager Egan for a little diplomatic move that other New York managers might copy from. At Intermission the usual gang of smokers exited, returning in a group as Lillian Fitzgerald was staging her first number. UBhers posted at the aisles re- fused to allow anyone to advance to tbeir seats until the number was over. It worked excep- tionally well, even those who were detained remarking on the loglo of the move. Had that bunch been allowed to move down the aisles Miss Fitzgerald's, specialty would have been utterly ruined Insofar as its success was con- cerned, for her opening number is all-impor- tant and whets tbe appetite for more. While tbe delay was but for a brief moment or two, it saved an aot and insured the temporary comfort of those seated. Ita a sensible stunt and could well be tried at the Palace and other vaudeville bouses, particularly when a talking act opens the second section. As it was. Miss Fitzgerald was one of the biggest hits on the bill. Versatile, sweet, humorous and capable, she butt a Hpeclalty that should keep her continuously busy, for it is unlike any other In vaudeville. Her open- ing song la of an Introductory specie, showing impressions of types, accompanied by Clarence Senna, an acrobatic pianist A French soubret number, with plenty of comedy angles, came next and finally a prima donna with a tough girl imitation. . Meanwhile,' Senna solos be- tween changes. Senna is a good player, but overdoes tbe body antics a wee bit It doesn't hurt to any extent however. Miss Fitzgerald wae a solid hit and well deserved to be. "Kiss Me" (New Acts), is the topllner, clos- ing the first part with a 46 minute musical routine. Emma Halg Is probably the feature act, dancing with Jack Waldron, whose name is hardly visible in the billing, for some rea- son or other, for Waldron does most of the work. Miss Halg does not utter a word, merely dancing, singly and doubly. Waldron inter- rupts the numbers with a song between each, also soloing In dance. This makes the turn a bit lop-sided. And it didn't seem to catch at the Colonial, although the dancing is well executed and seemed to be appreciated. If Lockett's wind holds out the act might go once around. Black and White opened with their acrobatio, dancing, singing turn, something entirely away from the usual two-girl act. The setting is appropriate and the routine well staged. They gave the show a good start and were followed by Kharnum, billed aa a Persian pianist He plays well, mostly numbers of a heavy type, bows In an original style and wastes no time either in coming or going, very Perslanllke. He'll do In this spot on the regular bills. Eva Shirley with Gordon's Jazz Band and Al Roth, Jazz dancer, followed. The band is weak, Miss Shirley, far stronger and Roth, with his Jazz dance chased the entire group from the stage. Roth's 1b not an imitation dance of Frisco's, but one fat better. He lacks tbe poise and grace of the Chicago Jaazlst, but his stops are more to date in Jazz dancing and look decidedly good from front Nor does he carry a cane or smoke a cigar. This hoofer will bear watching. Miss Shirley has a good voice and a good routine and her act as ar- ranged will go anywhere, but sbe might induce Gordon to do some rehearsing and get his men Into a harmonious strain, playing together. Howard and Brooke, with Victoria Dale, were one of the big hits, the dancing just topping the comedy a trifle. The idea Is a good .one and foUowB Howard's former act nicely. The aot wai well placed on this bill, where genuine comedy was needed. . .•'«., Bob -Hall was next to closing, rhyming his entire specialty much to the surprise oft every- one present Hall tops tbe other vaudeville, rhymers a mile and hie is a specialty far away from the average single. It was late, but Hall kept the majority In. Tbe Rosalres closed. . . Wynn. i > RIVERSIDE. Any time Pat Rooney and Marlon Bent Mr. and Mrs. Jlmmle Barry and George W. Brown are framed In a bill, It's a guaranteed corned.^ 'success. The trio of turns bave been moving about for some months like a little road she,* within a show, the main idea being to produce laughter by means of Rooney and Barry bur- lesquing In Brown's walking turn. Coming at the finish of the show, the fairly good bouse Tuesday night was in one long uproar, and even though the clock bad turned 11.85 before the finale, not one person walked save a few who left before the Brown burlesque started. But a lot of extraneous, laugh-getting fun preceded, that. And chief of the getters was Rooney, in fact Fat figured In nearly all the acts, giving the performance more of an In- timate flavor than ordinarily possible and making the whole more like a musical comedy revue than 1 ,a straight vaudeville bill. It waa all good fun and brought comments from the audience, one being that It was the best com- edy show ever seen at the Riverside. Pat started in Just about the time he entered the house, being In and out throughout Bob Hall's stay. Hall was fourth, doubling from the Colonial and replacing Lew Holtz. The latter appeared only at Monday's matinee, and It was then discovered that his stunt in George White's "Scandals" at the Liberty didn't Jibe with the number four spot. Holtz asked that he be switched to the second sec- tion of the bill, but with the Barrys and Rooney and Bent down after intermission,. no more comedy could have been placed there without the first section suffering, so Holtz \ withdrew. Hall stuck around for nearly 80 ' minutes, and though he ordinarily gets over with a smash, It was Rooney almost as much as him. Jack Patten got Into tbe going Just to make It a family affair. When Cecil Lane, "also" tbe beauteous Cleo Mayfleld,, started closing intermission, the curtain arose on Rooney and Hull snapping cards on one of the set tables. They "-as- sisted" while Lean sang "Nearly Every After- noon" and escorted Miss Mayfield to tbe apron from her entrance from tbe "centor door fancy." Then when the. ship number was on, Sat was biding behind the ship rail prop, not Being disclosed until tbe very finish of the number. The Lean, Mayfleld turn went over splendidly with the corking "Telepbonte Phoney" song standing in good stead for the closo. i MIbb Juliet opened Intermission, gaining tbe highest individual applause scoring and with- out Rooney, whose own all-around score couldn't be topped. Assisting tbo mimic was Robert Bralne, a strenuous but clever piano accompanist. Though Rooney wasn't In tbe act, Juliet gave an ImpresBion of bliu, and It dr«w a hearty laugh. The Barrys followed with "The Rube" skit, it going over with usual appreciation and piling up the laughs. Rooney didn't figure in that act either, though Jlmmle mentioned Pat. Also Jlmmle acted as the she-male mall-carrier in the Rooney and Bent turn, which succeeded the Barrys and was next to closing. Before Pat and Marlon got started in walked Lean, and though he didn't stay long tbe s*lr of Intimacy was maintained. Miss Bent wanted to know whether it was a show or Just an aot. Her splendid dressing and agile stepping was a pleasing feature of the turn. Among Pat's dancing bits was an lml- tatlon of Frisco Imitating him, for -which It can be said that Pat's imitation of Frisco Is a heoj> better, than the Jazz dancer's Impression of Pat; a lot better. Jack Patten and Loretta Marks in their neat song and .dance routine went over tor a heavy score on second. >. Tbey make a classy Salr, the first of several class turns on tbe ill. The couple earned a double encore, thetr Anal number getting over excellently. It was "Put on Some Dignity," a jazz number, which called for a bit of shoulder evolution, but done by Miss Marks quite nicely and not to excess,. > Eddie Jon Is and Rene Chaplow were third with their song and violin skit, "Music Hath Charms,", with George Edwards at the piano. All of the talk anent the liking of classical music versus "Jazz" waa la rhyme. The num- ber in which Miss Chaplow sings rag to the accompaniment of Jan Is' straight fiddling of "Kiss Me Again" proved a clever arrange- ment and one which scored. Miss Chaplow showed several nice frocka, but the short skirt first worn wasn't so good. The dress may be all right but the girl in it did seem gifted with pretty underpinning. The Rlnaldo Brothers opened (New Acta). There was mention several times by Rooney during the show, and when tbe Brown act was on, that tbe walk champion was married Mon- day. In all and giving credit to tbe others, tbe bill was a sort of aU-Rooney show. ■ Zbee. v - s -m .v^f ■ I'M ■v!Ri ' n »■ BWHal '!S5 m t BRIGHTON. Business at the Brighton was a trifle below normal' on Tuesday night, the cool weather ' exercising a noticeable effect on the attendance. I The show ran along smoothly, with Jason and Halg, Jimmy Lucas, Emma Carus and Julius Tannen reaping the major applause rewards. Tbe Van Cellos caught about tbree-quarters of a bouse, opening at 8.86, and did remarkably considering the constant interruptions - occa- sioned by tbe late-comers. Van Cello Is ono ■ of the very few professionals doing a dumb act who can wear a dress suit as if he were used to it. The pedal juggling scored as usual, . Ted Doner la doing considerably more danc- ing than heretofore, and is profiting accord- ingly. While singing Donor has a bad habit of standing directly over the footllght trough. This gives the Impression of forcing matters. One or two of tbe Bongs could be dropped with- out hurting the turn any. Donor's closing dance sent him off to highly satisfactory ap- plause returns. Closing tbe first balf, Imhof, Conn and ^orccue kopt tbe house laughing all the way * v l their "Pest House" skit. Roger Imhof'■ *"«-. 1" is highly legitimate and bo scores his crvpily points without resorting to tbe vulgar u^tuodH usually employed by Celtlo comics. The skit, based on an old afterpiece, offers Imboff frequent opportunities for quiet comedy, all of which be takes full advantage of. Jimmy Lucas, on fourth, la using a new opening that is a decided Improvement over the former one. Lucas evidently was wise to the fact that the Brighton llkoa "blue" mate- rial and slipped In a bit here and there to satisfy the demand. After putting over a sizable hit Lucas made tbe mistake of doing too much, coming back for an extra song that might well bave been eliminated. Tbe Brighton's soft spot for gingery stuff was likewise evidenced In Jason and Hatg'i act, their best score, being registered with a number holding, several suggestive verses. The grand opera travesty also landed solidly, although not particularly well done. A minuet mixed with a dash of Jazz, with the couple wearing Colonial costumes, made a good clos- ing number. Six bows at the finish and a fine chance for speechmaklng, which was wisely sidestepped. Emma Carus found herself among friends at tbe Brighton, her song routine going over for one of the big hits of the evening. Miss Carus Is still singing "When the Fighting Irish Come Home." Now that the fighting Irish have arrived the song seems a little out of place. Moran and Mack, opening after Intermission, found the going easy, tbe conversational stuff paving tbe way nicely for tbe loose dancing at the finish, The boxing bout made a corking \ encore. ■'.■! Julius Tannen, following the whole show, rambled along with bis topical monolog and succeeded In making even the ushers and musicians laugh. A real achievement for any entertainer. > Tbe three Daring Sisters hold 'em in to the exit march with their trapeze act, also an achievement worthy of note. Sell. - m «■■- i i va i,V.l ', m >:um i';-v ':1 i | '^v-i / x m i ROYAL If the Tuesday night attendance at the Royal was any criterion of the heat absorb- lion qualities of the uptown residents, At Darling may Just as well throw tho key away and 'kTie vacation thoughts good-bye. The lower floor showed very few wblto spots and tbe upper portion of the house was equally heavy. The show ran until after 11 p. m. "The Reynolds" drawing the closing assign- ment with their singing and dancing offering. They got on the stage at 11 o'clock, but held up tho walkouts nevertheless. Whiting and Burt were on fourth and di* vlded the first part honors with Cbarlea and Harry Rlgcletto and Swanson Sisters. 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