Exhibitors Herald (1927)

August 13, 1927 EXHIBITORS HERALD 37 fur costume to the tune of "I Want to Be Happy” by the orchestra. Following this number, the drop directly behind the orchestra was raised showing a scene representing a northern woods with the fir trees laden with snow. Directly behind the orchestra a small moving platform was arranged which brought up each model besides the two which appeared from the wings. “Under the Moon" with the musical arrangement by Glen Welty was then played by the orchestra, with Billy Meyer singing the chorus. The selection went over big. Wally Jackson was next, and received the biggest hand ever given anybody to date. He was dressed in suit and coat that was several times too large for him, and had in his buttonhole a massive sunflower. He did a number of clever comic dance steps which set the audience to howling and he was called back for about four encores. It is hard to say whether it was just Jackson’s dancing alone which attracted the audience or whether his winning personality was responsible for the applause. Billy Adams, the long funny man, was held over from last week, and besides singing a funny little skit, helped Dave Schooler make “wise cracks” while the models were on the stage. The models at this time made their second appearance to the tune of “If You See Sally” by the orchestra. Gus Mulcay, the harmonica artist, received a good share of applause for his “Farewell Blues” and “St. Louis Blues” on the little mouthpiece. He instilled plenty of “heat” into these numbers besides doing several good dance steps which did not in any way help to cool ofT the act. “Just Like a Butterfly” with the musical arrangement by Glen Welty was the next number by the orchestra, which in turn received considerable applause. Bailey and Barnum, two would-be colored bell hops from the “Greenwich Village Follies” and “Lady Be Good” entertained with “Pretty Little Bombom Bay” and “I’m Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover,” with one of them singing the numbers and the other strumming the tune on the banjo. This one member sure can strum that banjo, for he proved it to the audience when he played “June Night” and got a big hand, and the other puts lot of pep into his songs, which met with the approval of the audience. Following another display of fur fashions by the models, Wallace and Cappo, two gentlemen soft shoe dancers, exercised their dogs to the tune of “Sam, the Old Accordion Man,” for which the audience applauded their approval. The grand finale consisted of the twenty models, ten on either side, arrayed on the stairway leading to the second stage platform, and the rest of the entertainers on the stage with the orchestra doing their stuff. Circular balls of light were dropped down from above which gave the effect of failing snow flakes, and with the applause of the audience filling the house, the curtain dropped on the scene. Chicago Uptown Week Ending August 7 “The Poor Nut,” one of the recent adaptations to the screen was the feature photoplay, and Bennie Kreuger in “Look Who’s Here” was the stage attraction. The offering ran as follows: Opening: With orchestra playing “Hello, Cutie” while the Marker! Girls posed on runway, sing special lyric to the tune like “Hello, Bennie’ as Kreuger, dressed in farmer’s duster and straw hat, parades down the aisle with basket under his arm. When Bennie steps on stage he distributes a few presents around and then leads his orchestra into an arrangement of “You Don’t Like It,” as the girls dance a neat routine to the same tune. ’The next band number was “Sometimes I’m Happy” from the show, “Hit the Deck,” with a vocal chorus by Frankie Masterman, the banjo player, and a saxophone solo by Bennie. This was followed by Jack and Kay Spangler in a similar routine that has been reported in these columns before in other local houses. As usual the team went over very big. It is also reI)orted that these people will return to musical comedy next week. Salt and Pepper followed with their jazz type of harmony songs sung in peppy style in sort of a crooning manner. These boys were seen at other houses before and present practically the same program of songs, opening with “Side by Side,” which, although being a very pretty number, is rather old. As an encore they sang “How Can We Stop Petting Parties,” a comedy song with a few off-color lines that didn’t seem to go over as well as they expected. “I’ve Never Seen a Straight Banana” sung as a follow-up song, sort of saved this situation. These boys are clever in their style of entertainment and would be a riot on any bill if the proper type of songs were offered by them. Another band arrangement followed this time. “One Summer Night,” a clever arrangement made by Victor Young, with a saxophone solo offered by Bennie Kreuger. This number was offered as a scrim presentation with novel setting above band on level platform, with a blinking owl on each side as the Marker! Girls, dressed in flimsy costumes. offered one of their dance routines as Frankie Masterman sang the number. Peggy Bernier came on next with a series of brand-new songs such as “Nothing,” “You’re in Love,” “Little Bom-Bombay,” which stopped the show. We could go on indefinitely talking about Peggy, but the young lady has been reported many times before and a glance through back numbers will give you more dope. She wan followed by the Markert Girls again, who danced a pretty routine to the band’s arrangement of “Moonbeams Kiss Her For Me.” Harry Rappi, the singing violinist entertainer who has been a standard attraction in vaudeville for several years, made his appearance next for the first time in a picture house. Harry played the “Hungarian Rhapsody” on his violin, intermingled with a medley of songs and smart chatter. He held the center stage for several minutes with his wise-cracking, which appeared to be original in this house, and stopped the show cold with his comedy Spanish song. This fellow is a good bet for picture houses and some live organization should grab him off as a personality leader for stagehand shows. “Bye-Bye, Pretty Baby” was next played as a band arrangement with a vocal chorus sung by Frankie Masterman as the Markert Girls, clad in orange and black costumes and harnessed bells, paraded on the runway. During this number the girls all lined up on their backs and played the tune on the harnessed belle. (This routine, a novel one, has been used for several seasons by Will Higgle and Girls, and although we are not sure who is the rightful owner of it, it seems like somebody is infringing.) Finale: 'The girls back on the stage again as the band strikes up a faster arrangement of the number with the entire cast assembled on the stage, while a huge rhinestone ball reflector descends from the fly gallery trimmed with artificial flower ribbons supposedly from a May pole. Chicago Sheridan Week Ending August 7 “Is Zat So?” the famous stage comedy made into a film was the week’s photoplay while Verne Buck and his boys presented “Clownland,” the new stage presentation which featured Julia Gerity and Jazz Lips Richardson. The offering ran as follows: Opening: In full stage sotting with the entire cast dressed as clowns and led by Verne Buck as he makes his entrance from the rear of the theatre parading down the aisle on to the stage. When the entire company is assembled on the stage. Hal Gillis and his uke with Verne Buck and his big bass dnim play and sing some comedy songs in front of a street drop as the curtain rises to full stage setting displaying four grotesque clowns in the background against the black curtain trimmed with gold moon and stars. After this novel opening and introductory the orchestra goes into an arrangement of “Whose That Pretty Baby” with Buck clowning throughout the number as Cloyde Griswold offers a vooal solo. Lester, Bell and Griffin, three clever acrobats, tumble on after this number with a series of pantomime comedy and acrobatic antics. Hal Gillis again makes his entrance dressed and made up as a clown in huge collegian trousers and offers a comedy song to his tap dancing routine. For an encore he sings and dances to the tune of “She Don’t Wanna,” which was also well received. He was followed by Russell and Mack, two musical comedy people who offered their impression of collegian dancing done in an original style of buck and wing which was very well received. This was followed by another band arrangement of “One Summer Night” with the Verne Buck Trio, consisting of Wilson, Griswold and Buck, who harmonize this number and incidently stopped the show, as per usual, they were compelled to take an encore. Jazz Lips Richardson, who has played in this house several times, appeared again and proved that he is still the big favorite that he always was. Richardson had some new songs and steps which he put over in great style, stopping the show and signing off after three encores. Clem Daccy, another local favorite, who has sung more songs and played more roles in bandshows in this territory than a cat has kittens came on this time as a clown singing “No Wonder I’m Happy” and “Just Like a Butterfly.” doing both nicely and pleasing the customers. Cloyde Griswold next announced the Saxophone Se.xtet which consisted of Verne Buck, Hal Hiatt. Frank Wilson, Charles Burns, Vic Rohver and A1 Moulding, all playing different sized saxophones ala Six Brown Boys. Many popular tunes were played, making this number one of the outstanding features of the show. ’This is a brand new idea and will most likely be continued in future presentations here. It is very seldom that six clever players of brass instruments can harmonize together to the extent that they become the talk of the show. They put the kibosh to the rest of solos taking three encores and probably that many more if the time had allowed it. It is evident that no other artist could have followed such a tremendous hit but in as much as Julia Gerity has set herself in solid in this house in her previous engagement, she followed this sitecialty with “Whatever You Do” and “Sundown.” As far as the audience was concerned Julia could have sang on forever. In order to please them, she encored with “Kiss and Make FRANK A. TILLMAN Featured Organist LOEW’S COLUMBIA THEATRE WASHINGTON, D. C. EDWARD K, HOUSE **The Singing Organist'* MARBRO and GRANADA Theatres, Ghicaga Community Songs — JOHNNIE DEVINE Featured Organist PATIO THEATRE, CHICAGO Where they sing “DEVINELY” — Solo Presentations