Exhibitors Herald (1927)

46 EXHIBITORS HERALD September 24, 1927 Chicago Harding Week Ending September 18 A1 Belasco and his novelty syncopators were featured in “A Syncopated Menu/’ this week’s stage show, with Heller and Riley as the outstanding artists. The stageshow which was produced by Charles Niggemeyer and dances staged by Dave Gould was one of the best offering seen at this theatre. It ran as follows: Opening: In front of drop with huge chaffey dish painted on as A1 Belasco in pure white flannel Eton suit enters with special introductory song as the Gould Girls in bellhop costumes make their entrance to the band’s arrangement of “You Don’t Like It.” A1 also does a few eccentric steps here with the girls and this whole scene is carried out in typical musical comedy style. After this number, George Riley enters with his smart chatter as the scrim drop rises displaying boys all dressed as cooks. The first artist on the bill introduced by Belasco was Pauline Gaskins, a pretty little miss, who sang “Sing Me a Baby Song” and then offered an acrobatic high kicking routine to the same tune intermingled with eccentric steps and cartwheel. This young lady is neat to look at and a cute entertainer for bandshows and her work seemed to click fine here. George Riley was out again with more of his wise cracking which he continued between each specialty to the delight of the audience. The first band arrangement was “She Don’t Wanna’ ” with A1 Belasco singing it in his own comedy manner. This is the type of song that A1 is best fitted for and has few equals when it comes to delivering same. The trombone and trumpet players also offered some comedy in a vocal chorus of this number, in fact, the entire band played the thing like nobody’s business. The hot arrangement managed to stop this show, an unusual thing for a band number. Helene Heller followed this with “Cest Vous,” a French theme ballad which she offered in her splendid high soprano voice that completely stopped the show. As an encore Miss Heller sang “So Blue” and the dramatic feeling she expressed in her voice coloring and wide range kept the audience in a continuous applauding state and it was only after promising to come back later that they allowed her to go off. After Riley’s smart chatter, Pauline Gaskins came out again in rhinestone costume and ostrich hat as curtain on the platform rises showing Gould Girls in cage-like tank dressed as lobsters. This was followed by the Goulds coming out of their perch and going into the lobster crawl dance as Miss Gaskins sings to the tune of the “St. Louis Blues,” while A1 Belasco offers a solo on a baby saxophone. After this number, George Riley did his own specialty and after several minutes of merriment he was joined by Helene, who both offered their regular routine of songs and comedy in typical musical comedy style. This couple has been reported in these columns many times before and this is probably the fourth time they have appeared in this house, although this is the first appearance in the last six months around town, and from the tremendous reception accorded them it is evident that they are still the favorites. At this performance their routine stopped the show completely for several minutes and compelled them to take several encores until finally Belasco was unable to announce the next act and not until George Riley came back to stand on the stage would the audience let him go on with his announcement, in fact it appeared as if the rest of the show would never go on as the audience seemed to care for nobody but Heller and Riley. At last the Du four Boys appeared, apparently new faces in this territory, both dressed in evening clothes with a style of novelty dancing of extreme fast time that established them as artists from the very start. Their routine was typical musical comedy especially twists and high kicking by one of the boys. They are undoubtedly one of the best dancing teams ever seen in this part of the country for a long while and should do much in presentation. Finale: A girl dressed in ornamental costume with headgear, is propped up on platform as the Gould Girls, alldressed in huge peacock gowns, promenade in front of band and finally take stationary position upon platform as the entire cast with the exception of Heller and Riley assemble on stage. The gowns the girls wore in this scene were extremely beautiful and of the Ziegfeld’s Follies type. Observation : Much credit must be given to the producers of this show for the excellent scenery and costumes which were big features and impressed this audience. All in all a show that probably will live longer in the memory than others played here before by this leader. Boston Metropolitan Week Ending September 16 Bells of all descriptions, from the Ballet of Belles to the Chime Soloist, featured John Murray Anderson’s presentation at the Metropolitan this week. “Joy Bells” was the well fitting title. In addition to the musical presentation, the appearance of Windsor McKay, cartoonist, in person, in a cartoon circus provided a novelty comedy number seldom seen. McKay comes upon a stage set with ballyhoos and sideshow drops and with the organ and orchestra emitting sounds resembling the circus noises. With his lassoo he does a few stunts, but discovering that there are no animals, proceeds to wield his chalk and crayon with rapid dexterty and make his own animals, even to animated cartoons. As an interlude between McKay’s stunt and “Joy Bells,’’ Arthur Martel, at the organ, plays “The Glow Worm’’ with films illustrating the selection. The Greater Met Stage band plays “Hallelujah,’’ with Gene Rodemich conducting, and as the scrim rises there is revealed the “Ballet of Belles” with the Stefano Mascagno Ballet and Eva Mascagno as premiere danseuse. Charlotte Arren sings the bell hop song, “Call for Mr. Brown” with fitting drops representing a modern hotel. The scene is then switched to a lighthouse, with the surf pounding upon the rocky shore, while the lighthouse bell, “Asleep in the Deep,” is rendered by Joseph Parson. Comedy is supplied by the dumb bells, Maxwell and Lee. Following is a particularly clever arrangement of a series of telephone bells with the Greater Met Band playing the accompaniment, although the ringing of the varitoned telephone bells provides the real thread of the harmony. The Golden Carillon, by the Roma Brothers, supplies additional variation in the musical program with the finale, in which all of the company takes part, with men in golden costumes, acrobatics and Chauncey Brown as the chime soloist, completes the number. A prelude by the Metropolitan Grand Orchestra, a Paramount news weekly and a novelty reel are provided. “Swim, Girl, Swim” is the film. Washington Palace Week Ending September 10 The Palace has Don Feiiece, a thin, serious young fellow, as guest conductor, and takes his, beg pardon, our men through a long number to fair returns. Still, without a smile he allows them to jazz it up, using “Traumeri” as a subject, while the organ and cello come in for a spotlight solo playing it as a classic. A pantomime, entitled “L’ Affair D’ Honneur,” introduced Mile. Ella Duganova and two male dancers in old fashioned costumes. The drop represented an outdoor scene and when the pantomime duet ended happily they finished with a lovely little dance. Joyce Coles, in two, in a blue and silver costume (should I say a gown) did a toe dance to “Valse Bluette.” Rome and Dunn, seen here before, did 6ome clever harmony singing. Opening with “Under the Moon,” they introduced a number of old moon songs and followed it by “I Forgot,” apparently a restricted number. Their closing number was a potpouri of operatic airs with words of their own to suit the occasion. They sung well, their voices blend beautifully, and although they were here only a couple of months ago, they could have done three more songs and made the audience like it. Working in one in evening clothes, top hats and cane before velvet house drop. Follies De Danse introduced eight girls in black and silver costumes doing an ensemble dance to the “Doll Dance.” Black and silver drop, using pyramid effect, going from 22 silver blocks up to no blocks at all. At finish of music another black curtain came down with the pyramid effect inverted. Rather effective as it descended. Mile. Ella and two men associates did a steppy little dance introducing clever acrobatic work, but, oh ! the color scheme. Men had long blue satin xoants, red coats and Ella had a green dress and purple hat. It was startling to put it mildly. A specialty dance by Joyce Coles and eight girls with red and green costumes and huge ostrich feather headdress. More girls descended from the steps mentioned last week. The steps, like the leopard, changed their 6pots and are in gold and silver block effect. The finale brought 20 Chester Hale Girls on the stage and put Mile. Ella and Joyce Coles on steps. The two young men in blue coats and red trousers were easily located, and one was almost lost in the shuffle, reaching his place just as the curtain closed. News, comedy and Buster Keaton’s “College” closed a good show. THE PROGRESSIVE ORGANIST R7 e Have a New and Original Idea by Nelson Chon for Organists Using Community Stunts GET IN TOUCH WITH US AT ONCE! Paramount Slide Rental Service, Woods Bldg., Chicago, 111. HARM and NEE u Those Two Cadets ” For DeLuxe Picture Houses ASCHER’S and COONEY BROS. Are Satisfied They Played Us WELLINGTON SISTERS “The Song and Dance Debutantes” Just Closed a Successful Tour of PUBLIX THEATRES Will Soon Repeat Chicago B & K and L & T Houses Direction — William Morris Agency Walter Flandorf SOLO ORGANIST for theatres and recitals CHICAGO