Exhibitors Herald (1927)

October 8, 1927 EXHIBITORS HERALD 35 STAGE SHOWS Chicago Chicago Week Ending October 2 The Chicago theatre, long a class house of the highest type, has succumbed, without losing any of its former dignity, to the present day popularity of stagehands and they have put suchi an orchestra in the hands of a boy of pleasing personality, Jules Buffano, who seems embued with a desire to please the public and invite a theatregoing public’s worship such as has been endowed on other orchestra leaders in this fair city of ours. “Orange Blossoms” opens up with a love scene among the orange groves and the orange groves turn out to be some eight capable dancers who were hidden behind the orange blossoms which they carried throughout their dance. The curtain goes up on a full stage setting with the orchestra present with a beautiful butterfly curtain on display. Beautiful girls arrive Ziegfeldian style, and lastly Miss America (Lois Delander), winner of the Atlantic City Beauty Contest, and she receives a great applause for putting the State of Illinois on the map as far as the Atlantic City contest is concerned. A tamborine dance at this time is participated in by the eight dancers formerly mentioned in the Orange Blossom dance. A male special dancer, whose name did not appear on the billing, made up as a clown, did a rare number that ended with a pivot spin of most singular accomplishment. Buffano’s gang then played “Just Once Again,” which was a very good number, and it is this reporter’s opinion that they will be capable of even better music after they have played the Chicago! theatre “Just Once Again.” Thi6 week they seemed as though they were a little bit nervous and trying to find themselves. Their next number was a novelty and the whole orchestra worked together — it seemed in great fun. Buffano then showed he also could be a singing leader and sang "I Never Saw a Straight Banana.” “Santa Lucia” was sung very, very well, by a singer, whose name I am unable to learn, out in a beautiful garden scene with a male voice assisting. Earl and Bell, the banjoliers, playing and singing “Wherever You Go,, Whatever You Do, I Wlant You to Know I Love You.” were immediately taken, up by the audience with great enjoyment. Their encore, "I Push, I Push, on. the Delaware Lackawan,” also went over big in these two artists’ style. A true comedian, the “celebrated” tenor who, said Buffano in his patter, had lost his voice, and his perfectly performed acrobatic nonsense brought mirth overwhelming to the audience ; hie wrestling match was immense and I am sure the audience would like to see more of thi6 valuable funster. Dean Fossler, the feature organist, was doing some fine work with classical numbers when this reporter arrived and his playing of “Cavilera Rusticana” was deeply appreciated by the audience. He also played “A Night in June” during the feature picture, which was broadcast over WMAQ, and he handled this number equally as well. H. Leopold Spitalny’s overture, “Tomorrow,” with motion pictures and the very able assistance of two fine artists, Helen Schoen, vocalist, and Hans Miunzer, violinist, reached the peak in overture presentation. St. Louis Ambassador Week Ending September 30 Ed Lowry offered “Banjomania” as his big stage offering of the week. He opened with a cute song number by the Ambassador Rockets. Lowry personally had a couple of good stories and sang “At Dawning.” He also played hie banjo. The Thompson Sisters and Morgan and Stern, banjo players, were also featured in the show. Margaret Ball, dark eyed and blonde, proved an attractive and competent dancer, while Myrtle Gordon, a slimmer edition of Sophie Tucker, imitated the buxom Sophie’s style of independent mamma songs. Arthur Nealy’s tenor offering proved another excuse for the Rockets to take the stage again. This time they danced. Worthing and Thompson also did some dancing. The climax was a tableaux of banjo players. Wagner’s “Rienzi” was Dave Silverman’s overture offering. Stuart Barrie was at the organ. New York Capitol Week Ending October 7 During hold over run of “Big Parade” here there is no etageshow due to installation of elevating pit, new organ and stage. Big grand bill opens next week featuring Paul Specht, Pat Rooney, Merion Bent, Pat Rooney III, Rome and Dunn, the Keller Sisters and Lynch. Detroit Michigan Week Ending September 30 A lengthy Publix revue with elaborate settings, “Joy Bells,” featured Lou Kosloff and His Syncopators on the stage this week. Appropriate specialies were presented by Eddie Hill, the crying soloist, who never fails to get a big hand at the houses here ; the Mascagno Ballet with Eva Mascagno; Joseph Parsons and the Roma Brothers, a pair of daring acrobatic performers. Of outstanding interest were the two opening numbers, “Bells of St. Mary’s” and “Sundown,” in which Kosloff, assisted by a singer and the band, made a big impression. Multi-color lighting effects, transparent drapes and other showmanship devices put this portion of the bill in a class by itself. And Lou’s personality as well as musical knowledge provided sufficient justification for tremendous applause from the audience. Overture : Music master cinema, “The Life of Brahms,” with accompaniment by the Michigan Symphony under Eduard Werner’s direction. Arthur Gutow was heard at the organ through a thoroughly enjoyable song fest titled “Modern Mother Goose.” Chicago Crystal Week Ending September 25 Another neighborhood house that has installed a bandshow policy on a small scale. Tommy Sacco and his music hawks are the featured attractions here each week. Bob Billings is the featured organist here. The opening program runs as follows : Opening: With the band on stage as Sacco makes his entrance to announce the first band number called “One Sweet Letter From You,” which was well played by the boys in spite of the fact that there are only nine of them. The first artist to be introduced by Sacco was Marie James a cute singer and entertainer whose smart chatter pleased this audience. The songs sung by Miss James were “Just Once Again,” “Give Me a Night In June” which were well offered and well received. This was followed by a band arrangement of “I’m Coming Virginia with Sacco leading the boys through several specialties including a vocal solo by Pete Testa the cornetist. This was also followed by Sacco and two other saxophone players in a trio offering of the tune, which was well received. Dave Tiny followed with his comedy dance which has been reported before. Dave received a tremendous applause in this house which proved that his type of entertainment was well liked here. The next band arrangement is the comedy number called “Fire” intermingled with instrumental specialties and singing by the boys. This turned out to be the feature number of the program and earned the band a well given reception. During this number Sacco induced Dave Tiny to come out with a fireman’s hat and ax in one hand and a glass of water in the other to do some comedy pranks for the number. Gale Bandel was next introduced as the Radio Sunshine Girl whose singing and clowning was the high-light of this program. This young lady is a clever entertainer and ought to make a very fine Mistress of Ceremonies for this type of show. The closing band number was “Red Lips” which was played in great style by the boys and proved Sacco a clever showman. St. Louis Missouri Week Ending September 30 “Jiminy Gee” was the stage production of the week. It featured White and Manning, burlesque dance; the Byron Sisters, singers; Clifford and Haley, fast foot workers ; Gilbert and Ross, songsters, Frank Ridge, tenor, and the Missouri Ensemble. The overture directed by Leonid Leonardi was “Beautiful Galathea.” Frank Ridge also sang with the overture. At the organ Milton Slosser appealed to the children with “School Days.” SUNSHINE SAMMY Star of “OUR GANG” Comedies in SONG and DANCE Like “OUR GANG” comedy films brought them into your theatre SUNSHINE SAMMY will bring the DOLLARS rolling into your box-office. One of the BIGGEST “Little Star” attractions ever offered COMBINATION THEATRES. He has broken Box-Office Records all over the ORPHEUM CIRCUIT and will do the same for YOU. BOOKINGS under direction of EZ KEOUGH, Woods Theatre Bldg., CHICAGO. NORMAN STEPPE Conductor and Master of Ceremonies AT THE PICCADILLY THEATRE, CHICAGO