Exhibitors Herald (1927)

EXHIBITORS HERALD 49 September 24, 1927 Watson, who offered a nice tribute to Paul Ash, the man who is responsible for his being on the stage, also Peggy and A1 and a number of others that space prevents us from mentioning here. Watson’s first song was “Me and My Shadow” in his own individual style, followed by “Just Once Again” and “Russian Lullaby,” to which A1 Kvale assists by accompanying him on the piano. As usual Watson was a very big success. Another scrim presentation took place after this scene, this time the background represented a field of daisies and sunflowers, and as the curtain parts Kvale announced “Miss Annabelle Lee” as a hot band arrangement and her seven little sisters, which turned out to be the Abbotts. As the boys sing this number A1 plays a solo on the clarinet, later joined by the boys in a red hot finish. As the Abbotts in novel costumes of black and yellow finish with a clever tap dance. Healy and Clifford, two boys dressed as bellhops, in a fast tap routine that was well timed and executed. The boys are fast dancers and go over big. Peggy Bernier was introduced next and it is needless to mention the reception accorded her. Peggy offered “Just the Same,” “Dewey Days” and “Gorgeous” in her own cute style, which has made her the favorite that 6he is in picture houses. As an encore she was compelled to come out and do a duet with Milton Watson, who makes his entrance from the audience. The next scene takes place in front of a scrim curtain, which, upon Peggy’s suggestion, parts, displaying a cave scene, supposedly a devil’s rendezvous, as the orchestra boys appear with devil caps, while bats and owls appear all over the roof. This scene features Betty Rohrback, a cute little Abbott girl, who does a black bottom specialty while A1 Kvale accompanies her on the clarinet. As another back drop scrim parts this time displaying a golden dragon with the Abbott Girls posed around it, after which the girls step in front of band and go into a red-hot black bottom dance with the orchestral arrangement of “Hallelujah” as the entire cast assembles on stage for finale. Observation: This week’s show is one of the few ideas that Producer Gourfain has put into action. He has several others up his sleeve equally as good if not better, which is bound to make this house one of the outstanding presentation theatres in town. Chicago Granada Week Ending September 18 “The Rainbow’s End” was this week’s stageshow which featured Charles Kaley and Mignon Laird. “The Country Doctor” was the excellent film this week, which was enjoyed by everyone. The presentation ran as follows : Opening: In full stage with original setting with one side of background displaying grotesque face denoting Gloom and Sadness while the other side displayed a Happy face supposedly the Sun. The Granada Girls in pretty feathered costumes are on here and do a smart routine to a snappy band arrangement finishing off with a novel running step assisted by a flickering spot light which gives it a realistic slow motion effect. Charles Kaley makes his entrance in this scene to a fine reception after which he announced a band arrangement of “Who,” which was well played by the boys. Tommy Thomas, the drummer, also came in here for a vocal selection. The Hicks Brothers in collegian style follow with popular tunes on their banjos, one strumming while the other sang harmony, using 6uch numbers as “Just the Same” and many other popular tunes. It has been a long time since these boys were reported in Chicago houses and they are still the favorites they used to be. “Songs of China” was next announced by Kaley as two boys enter carrying a harp. At this point Kaley goes into a vocal solo of “Song of Shanghai,” a sort of difficult number to sing of unusual wide range but Kaley masters the piece very well and wins the usual reception accorded him for all his splendid singing. Here the Granada Girls follow in beautiful Chinese costumes entering in a posing formation and gradually forming a semi-circle around the harp, enabling Mignon Laird, late artist of Le Maire’s Affairs to make her entrance in dance step up to the harp. After a few minutes of this routine she goes into a classical number on the harp which was well rendered and admirably received. Following this up with an oriental dance which Kaley assists by another chorus of “Songs of Shanghai." A band arrangement of “The Girl Is You and the Boy Is Me” from the George White Scandals was next played by the boys with Charles Kaley and Audrey La Fluer as the boy and girl with vocal selection offered by Kaley. The only bad feature about this number was that the young lady did not sing the male version of the song, which makes a beautiful duet, however, it was well handled and won Kaley an encore. This is the type of song that is specially fitted for Kaley’s singing ability as he is of an exceptional good type for musical comedy work. Wilton Crawley a blackface comedian followed playing some hot blues on his clarinet and which turned out to be the “St. Louis Blues.” He also does some eccentric steps and twists and turns similar to one or two other blackface comedians seen at this house before. As usual this type of work is enjoyed by this audience and Crawley was well compensated for his act. Newhoff and Phelps, man and woman from musical comedy and vaudeville, follow next with their clever routine similar to the one done in vaudeville recently, opening with “I Can’t Get Along With You” and “Forgive Me” with an interpolation of “Let’s Be Sweethearts Again,” their type of work seems to please this audience and they were easily one of the hit features of the bill, again proving that vaudeville material really finds its spot in presentation houses, especially an act of this type. Another band arrangement followed this time, “Sing Me a Baby Song” with Charles Kaley giving the vocal chorus, which earns him an encore and he in turn offered a brand new number called “Sun Flower.” Finale: Back drop exposing a large clock with a boy on the face representing the minute hand set on ten and a girl on the hour hand, set on twelve. Slowly both hands met and they unite. As another curtain rises displaying a high platform with the girls decorating same with silver cords representing rain as the rainbow slowly stretches across the horizon in the background. The entire scene is an artistic effort and looks beautiful. Obersvation: This Finale as well as the entire idea of the show is one of the best yet offered by Kaley if not one of the best offered at this house. It is typical musical comedy and that seems to be the sort of entertainment that pleases picture house audiences now. Chicago Uptown Week Ending September 18 This week’s stage entertainment took place in two units. The first one was called “Moonlight Sonata,” a stage scenic with soloist presenting the beautiful chorus of “Beethoven’s Sonata.” Marcelli, musical conductor of the Uptown Theatre orchestra staged this beautiful overture as well as conducted the arrangement, together with the scrim stage presentation. Frankie Masters in “Foxtrot Hunters” featuring Lewis and Dody, Illomay Bailey and others was the second stage unit. The stage bandshow ran as follows: Opening: In full stage setting, with boys all dressed in red riding habits, while Frankie Masters is attired in a black outfit. This is the second appearance of the new band leader at this house and his reception was encouraging. The first band number played was “Grand and Glorious Feeling,” intermingled with many brass specialties with a chorus sung by Masters. This was followed by the Markert Girls dressed in red riding habits, who offered one of their clever ballet routines that has created much interest in this house. They were followed by Illomay Bailey, that sweet voiced prima donna, who sang “A Night in June” and “Sing Me a Baby Song.” As usual, Miss Bailey was compelled to take an encore and offered same in the way of a duet with Frankie Masters. This young lady has been reported in these columns many times before and we are glad to note that each time she is getting better and more popular. The Lassiter Brothers follow with their comedy eccentric dance which has been reported many times before and which again stopped the show. After an encore a band arrangement of “She Don’t Wanna” was played, with a chorus sung by Frankie Masters, intermingled by many specialties by the boys. The Markert Girls came on again dressed in autumn costumes who danced an autumn fantasie routine. They were followed by Clyde Cottam in a burlesque toe routine. This artist has been reported many times before in these columns and again proved very entertaining on this program. After an encore Lewis and Dody followed with their “Hello-Hello,” opening with “Everybody’s Sister But Yours and Mine.” This team has been well known in vaudeville for years and is a standard comedy act who practically do the same routine here. Their burlesque ventriloquist bit, as well as their extra verses on the "Hello” song, won them many encores ; in fact, they were the laugh hit of the bill. Markert Girls followed in novel costumes and danced to a snappy band arrangement, interpreting several Tiller steps. A unique feature of this routine was the snake-like elbow gloves worn by the girls, which in the manner that their hands were moved gave the appearance of a twisting snake. Quite a novel idea and seemed to go over big here. The next band number was a jazz symphonic arrangement of “William Tell Overtrue,” which Frankie Masters announced as a Marcelli arrangement, the work of the musical director of this WHISTLING LOVE BIRDS SOUTH SEA HAWAIIAN DANCE NOVELLE BROS. Pantomimist Artists Now Featured in “Knick-Knacks” A PUBLIX STAGEBAND UNIT Direction — William Morris Agency. P. S. — “MURRAY and ALAN” used to “open'’ a show, now they “close” it. J. VIRGIL HUFFMAN Featured Organist IRVING THEATRE, CHICAGO HENRY B. MURTAGH, solo organist at the CHICAGO Theatre, says: "1 consider Mr. Huffman one of the most promising young organists in the city. I can heartily recommend him.” OPEN FOR ENGAGEMENT, SEASON 1927-1928 COSTUMES FOR HIRE H=si BROOKS If 75&°otZ