The billboard (Dec 1917)

The Billboard DECEMBE! 1917 31. Wire PALACE Here Genius not Dirth your Rank insures (Reviewed Monday Matinee, December 17) Vaudeville" Reviews By Special Chicago * Palace’ Chicago, ‘Dee, 17.—The" ‘ear Boe-| 5 sessed many repeaters, Several of.,.the. acts ‘were x0 far above the ordinary that the:bills| * 2v-a whole, stood forth .as.one.of-the-best ever | reviewed at this house. Christmas shopping | probably: accounted for the tardy appearance of the avdience, thothis might have been due to the presence. of eo many acts ‘whose work is! familar to local theatergoers, No, 1—Nelvon opened with a fn0 exhtbition| of comedy Juggling, embracing the use of many ‘hats. His work, in Interior three, was spprelated, and Won a bow, Ten minutes. No, 2—Medlin, Watts and Townes. came back with thelr ob, #0 familiar, The Wife Question, ‘Townes, as usual, winning much applause with bis foimitable rendition of comedy . songs. ‘Twelve mioates, in one: threo hows. co, S—Lep Beers, at the plane, adheres, to the same general outline sed fn seasons past, tho be bas enlarged bie closing "song, which ts baitt | around a medley of soatches from familiar songs, to conform with the war situation. This {s cleverly done, but teods to make the num! too long drawn out, Fifteen minutes, in two bows, z No, 4—Bert Kalmar and Jessie Brown bring back thelr Narseryland precisely as it was shown 4a Chleago last summer, but the. act ts 10 or{ginal and so much better than the average of fering that the talented couple Dag, geod ‘reason for offering ft as a perennial stage clawle. Nothing but good can be sald of this act, which artistically re-establishes the Inre of childhood lore. Kalmar Simple’ Simon song ts probably the best comedy. bit. ever: introduced: tn. vaude New York, Dec. 17.—Notwithstanding the zero weather and adverse trefflc conditions the Palace Theater was crowded this afternoon with an audience of mostly women, and, inasmuch as many left at the conclusion of Madame Bernhardt’s performance, it was’ very evident that the Divine One was responsible for folks. weathering the wintry. conditions to see her. Belle Baker scored a ‘big success. There was a wait between the second and third numbers, Red Cross solicitors bombarding the lobby for its big drive. The original routine being changed the show had a late start, not com miencing until 2:20. 55 : ‘No. 1—Hearst Pathe News, with pictures of the Halifax disaster, were of much interest, as also was the iong-distance flight of Katherine Stinson. ‘No. 2—Paul Gordon and Ame Rice, in 2 of Surprises, have an exceptionally clever and classy act. The effect that Gordon and his lady get out of a bicycle is almost unbellevable, and this act, while handicapped by late ar rivals, was well rewarded with much applause and two bows. vesty, The Me-eh. jot, Italian ‘or anything. -whichi was much enjoyed. They ‘wor! ville, and Bis ‘wife's wonderfol stage appear ance does much to make the flcsion lasting. i . No. 5—Belle Bakery in: special eonge:by: Bl che Merrill, stopped the Taeir dancing bas foe flourish, and-yet, retains ‘no gainsaying the fact thet thie attra ttle. woman 4 degree of naturalness ‘not often encountered he when: comes to puttiny:over songs.” Her im stag work. Kalmar's dog impersonation rescterizs tig separately.toveach effort ‘eters as well as when frst Introduced. They jay. Talk-about:applause! won two curtatas with thelr main story, and-a ner, Baws: gklors; encore fand’a ri hearty ‘bow with the Jack and JI ‘encore. ‘Twenty-three mloutes, full stage, with special] rope, ‘No, B—George Whiting and Sadie Bart demonstrated that they are still dear to the’ audi‘ence’s heart as artistic entertainers. They act thelr songs with’ rare Sotelligence, getting es pecially sincere. applause with thelr war song of love, which: they enact perfectly. ‘Their eur-| taln speech, too, rhymes very pleasing. ‘They ‘won three criginal bows, got two more on thelr No. cee , in'@ repertoire of dances, with, Burton Daniels at the plano: These: girls.have one of the most delightful numbers yét-seen. here, It is-class.personified, and, ‘being without the least suggestive, action or move, was ‘heartily i enjoyed by all. “If'some other dancers: possessed-halt the charm and real downright ability ‘these girls have we ‘would not hear of Mr. Swarin’s vice;crusade bothering about certain theaters. ‘Twelve minutes, full stage; four bows... ..5 f 2). INTERMISSION encore and came back for thres additional oues cart started | off fast, No, %—Frank’ Carter, tn started ‘off fast. then after thelr curtain speech,which is about as ‘a de Wal ‘geet harder he worked’: less accom. heck au say ct can regatr, Sateen Bit Blismed, Whether it yas hs spot : "Borahardt ‘wes follow. wien, tn eons eo ie baad tor audience tip and . 6—Sam Mann, surrounded: by four major ‘and two minor aesistants, n The Question, has| ‘= comedy dramatic offering which probably rans Jonger than any similar act in vaudeville. Yet At ts no constructed that It dots not bore. With © fue Solsh wurprise it details the manner in| whtch an escaped lunatic brings happiness to | couple on the verge-of @ivorce, and reforms a| couple ‘of aspiring young crooks, ‘There are| many rapid-fire shifts on eltuation with ever-present undercurrent of” philosophy, dupllcating in foterest what the same author, Aaron Hottman, conveyed in The Cherry Tree, ThIrtynine’ minutes, in tnterlor three; three curtains, ‘No, T—Bert as day as ever, Te quires Uttle comment. His parodies and terrible rendition of good: songs still convalee, tho be came rather late and was forced to endeator to) Keep some members of the audience from jolning In the exodus by personally directed comwent. After the act ran seven minutes, and ae Sapekl ogi ee eae li utes, | four NSEEEERC CEE CORK CEE CEECKE Cee No. 8—Madame Sarah Bernhardt, in From the ‘Theater to the Field of Honor, a play in one act by 2 _ French officer at the front. When the cnrtain slowly Tose and revealed the world’s superwoman, made up as a young French soldier, lying at the stump of @ tree on the battlefield, the outburst of applause, interspersed ‘with cries of vive la ‘France, simply shook the theater and must have brought back to the Divine One memo_ Ties of her earlier triumphs. She is-unquestionably the ‘ world’s most remarkable woman, and to see and hear her play this character at 74 years of.age, minus a limb, after almost impoverishing herself for her beloved . France, almost overwhelms one and distinctly shows the unbeatable spirit-and determination of the French race. “This,-in‘alt probability, will-be her farewell appearance. She plays three weeks at the Palace and then goes to South America. The play was of the battlefield, and her marvelous characterization of a poor soldier boy with a brokén leg and otherwise mortally wounded, but who can not die until he has found the flag he believes he has lost, gives the immortal actress @ magnificent opportunity for her heaven-sent declamatory powers. Five minutes’ applause at the finish and \ baskets of flowers galore. ‘box, stage, singing and dancing, while Bert accom: panied ber at the piano, adding elght minutes to the act. Twenty-five minutes, in one; consid. erable applause. ‘No, 8—Mang and Snsder, giants in phyxical development, conclade the Bill with fine demonstrations of acrobatic skill, Four interesting minutes; ‘Look thro the Lette otk, tha the Letter, List this are—there ‘well-earned bow,.—CASPER,, COUPON AND STRIP ‘There ts but One BEST—Those Made by WELDON, WILLIAMS: LICK _ FORT SMITH, ARKANSAS €€SEESE CEC SCE CESS | : eee TE 4 tH F i Tore H H | il hos Hae ry ehiay ine E fl a alittle a title of past and present song introductions, cleverly arrang ‘They are exceptional singers and yodelers. Twelve minutes, in one: two bows. ‘ No. 4—Jessle’ Busley and Company are offer 2 are the same as = out sundae fend. He trips, stumbles and slides in and out of the comer drug store. Clever footwork and catchy humor make the number an enjoyable one, Margaret Taylor and Frank Williamson are the al ny. Twenty minotes, in one; three i No, G—Fradkin, the violinist; Jean Tell, 2 prano, and Emil Smith, pianist, present a re: Sned ‘musical offering, consisting of a selection of cholce numbers from a big repertoire class music, Their talents were highly appreelated, so niuch so that they recelved four cur talng and an encore. Fifteen minutes, in two. ‘No, 7—Tho Four Mortons were retelved with ‘a i Jotment with a monolog of Gaelic humor, which drought repeated laughs, and then go back 87 which has & clever plot and seemed to please Detter than anything ele on the BiIL The plot is a tangle of events from start to finish, in which a bridegroom Is living tn fear of having ‘his honeymoon interrupted by his wife, whom be overhears fostering a plot to throw him over Doard. A sick cat, Dearing the same name as* (Continued on page 32) ADDITIONAL REVIEWS ON PAGE 32 goehg ae gas EUR] 3 Fe Fu