Exhibitors Herald (1927)

38 EXHIBITORS HERALD September 17, 1927 Chicago Oriental Week Ending September 11 This week’s stagehand show featured the jazz of yesterday and today. It was presented under the title of “Then and Now,” featuring Paul Ash and his gang, headed by a cast with Myrtle Gordon, Dave Rubinoff, Lassiter Brothers and many others. The stagring ran as follows: Opening: In front of scrim curtain with the Abbott Girls dressed in style of colonial maidens as two of them sang “Sweetheart.” These two girl6, whose names we failed to get, were stationary in huge colonial costumes as a man also in the same period outfit sings a special introductory song, after which the Abbotts dawn off their hoop skirts and go into a fast jazz routine in their abbreviated costumes to the tune of “She Don’t Like It — Not Much.” All this action takes place in front of a black drop with the strains of music coming from behind in musical comedy style as the man also sings this number. Paul Ash then enters at this time, and after explaining the plot of the show the curtains rises to full stage setting as he leads the band into a medley of old-time tunes. We must say that the arrangements of these tunes were very clever, specially as they blended into one another, and if there is another stagehand who can interpret tunes as entertaining as this one, we have failed to hear it. The first artist on the bill was introduced as Georgia Hall, who opened with her old lady song routine that has been reported before in these columns. Miss Hall was well received and promised to come back for more later. A band arrangement of “Annabelle Lee” followed, which was sung by the boys, intermingled with many brass novelties and a clever bit at the piano by Hank Winston. This entire number was played with full flood lights on the band. Georgia Hall came on again, this time as a ragged newsboy, and sang “Nobody.” This young lady is a clever character songstress and her type of work can always be offered in this style of show. She was followed by Anna Chang, the cute little Chinese girl, who was given a wonderful send-off by Ash. Her first number was “Another Day Wasted,” followed by “Bye Bye, Pretty Baby” and “Hello, Cutie” as an encore. This little girl has been reported in our columns before and we are glad to note our prediction is coming true. After a fine reception she was followed by the Lassiter Brothers, two comedy sailors, who offer eccentric and acrobatic dancing different than anybody else ever presented it before. As usual, the boys were a huge success and were compelled to take an encore. They also have been in these columns before and back issues will refresh your memories. Myrtle Gordon was announced next as the Sophie Tucker of Presentation. Miss Gordon offered “Vo-Do-De-o Blues,” “A Grand and Glorious Feeling,” and after an encore she was compelled to return and was requested to sing “Some of These Days” in typical Tucker style. This stopped the show and she had to take another encore, this time being “My Sweetie Told Me So.” As we stated before in these columns, this young lady has a great future before her for her type of work and we wouldn’t be a bit surprised if her name appears in front of a musical production “some one of these days.” One of the treats on the program followed in the way of Dave Robinoff, a very well known ANITA-DeMARS and LEONARD SALVO FEATURED ORGANISTS at the CAPITOL THEATRE CHICAGO “A National Playhouse” (COONEY BROS.) record artist, who can almost make his violin talk. Dave offered his own original arrangement of “Sunday,” with a variation of string tones. He followed this with a similar arrangement of “Just Like a Butterfly,” scoring his big hit with the laughing interpretation of same. At this moment the band platform moved forward as the curtain drop lowered to allow for change of setting as Dave played a second chorus near band, after which he made his exit to take part on the following scene. The next scene took place in the form of a miniautre presentation on a level platform as the band played an arrangement of “Under the Moon” as curtain rose, showing girls in picturesque pose around huge quarter moon, as twinkling stars gleam from the light blue 6ky. At this moment the moon opens, displaying Rubinoff in center playing a tune on his violin with one girl on each side singing the number. As yet another curtain rose displaying another ball-like planet with numerous 6tars on it, as the Abbott Girls jumped through huge star holes onto the platform as the entire setting is illuminated for the finale. Observation : A very picturesque ending and one that shows art and showmanship on the part of the producers. New York Roxy Week Ending September 16 So successful was the opening number of last week’s stageshow at the Roxy theatre that it has been held over for another week. This was the act described last week in this column that involved the use of the choral stairways and in which the performers appear in the garb of nuns and monks. The stageshow, which is very brief, serves as a prologue to the picture “Seventh Heaven.” The curtain rises to disclose a set which represents No Man’s Land, with Beatrice Belkin and Charles Melton singing “Diane,” a song dedicated to the heroine of “Seventh Heaven.” The lights are dimmed during the singing of this piece and a deep blue back drop is used, so that the impression of night is created. At the conclusion of this number the male chorus dressed as French soldiers appear in a trench at the front of the stage to sing in rousing fashion that martial French hymn, “Marseilles.” With the closing strains of this song Miss Belkin appears in the background as the spirit of France, and the spotlight is flashed upon her as she stands stretching a cross over the heads of the men in the trenches before her. The effectiveness of this piece may best be judged by the applause which was tremendous and prolonged. Des Moines Capitol Week Ending September 10 Masculine pulchritude put over most of “Kid Days,” Publix stageshow, at the Capitol, where the first showing is made each week for the circuit. Because the entertainment is tried out here first, the programs arc subject to change and so vary until a few performances determine the best procedure. Of course a few women appear. The Marie Kelley Dancers are the chorus girls representing both school girls and school boys. Johnny Wood roller skates about the stage turning flip flops in a most startling manner. Frank Hamilton sings, “Ain’t It a Grand and Glorious Feeling,” with an old-time encore, “You Tell Her, I Stutter Too Much.” Facial acrobatics improve the effect. Mitzie Mayfair, easier to look upon than many limber stunt dancers, puts on some big time work. Jimmy Ellard sings “Kinda Blue,” with "Old Pal” and a mother song for encores. Caffery and Miller put on some acrobatic business without much new material to relieve. “Ginger” Rogers, a flapper type, sings “He Don’t Wanta,” and with Jimmy’s help, sings "I’ll Be Sorry, Too/’ A cute girl with taking personality. Herbert Lee Koch plays a round of popular numbers on the organ. “Hula,” with Clara Bow, is the feature with the Paramount News in addition. Philadelphia Stanley Week Ending September 10 The Stanley depended upon Clara Bow and Clive Brooke in “Hula” to attract the crowds this week and they were entirely successful. The Stanley Symphony Orchestra started the program by rendering the overture “Rienzi,” Gabriel Hines conducting. Sascha Jacobinoff was the soloist. Carlos and Valeria, formerly of “Great Temptations,” gave a delightful exhibition of graceful dancing. Wearing costumes that emphasized the beauty of the human figure and displayed the play of perfectly trained muscles, they combined wonderful muscular coordination and grace. Each showed absolute faith in the performance of the other and the result was marvelous team work. Van and Schenck have a line of clever songs that seemed to delight the audience judging by the applause. They were very liberal with their encores, coming back again and again with songs that left the audience clamoring for more. Their Irish and Jewish dialect sketches were especially good. RUBE SCHOLZ FEATURED ORGANIST SAXE’S MOJESKA Theatre MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN RAY TURNER ™'>! 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