Exhibitors Herald (1927)

November 12, 1927 EXHIBITORS HERALD 31 Chicago Ambassador Week Ending November 5 This house recently went into a bandshow policy with the program changed twice a week. At one time it played straight movies, but later offered vaudeville and pictures and recently has been offering musical tab shows with pictures. Until the new policy went into effect the house was never on a very profitable basis. Boyd Senter, the famous saxophone player and star of many Publix shows, is the personality leader here. Opening: With a band arrangement of “The Russian Doll,” with the violinist leading and at the end of this number, Boyd Senter makes his entrance to announce the Marilyn Kruse dancers in a novelty routine. This was followed by Georgie Hunter, announced by Senter as the “Prince of Jesters,” with comedy gags and songs. This artist has been reported many times before and it seems that his type of entertainment was liked by this audience. The next number was a xylophone solo by the drummer, which was very cleverly offered and after an encore it was followed by George Dewey Washington, that marvelous baritone who sings a song as it should be sung. George has also been reported in these columns many times before, and what was said then, also goes for this time. He was followed by Boyd Senter and his clarinet playing “Yes Sir She’s My Baby,” who secured many laughs by taking the instrument apart while playing and gradually leaving only the mouthpiece and a drinking glass as the only means to derive music from. This chap can sure play a clarinet, and we don’t mean maybe. The Kruse girls followed in another routine which was immediately followed by Tommy Wonder and Sisters. This young lad was reported many times before and again proved the big feature of the bill. The next number was a band arrangement of “Yellow Dog Blues” witn Senter leading in a way that is all his own. This fellow has a new style of directing a band that manages to secure every ounce of musical ability out of his men and should prove a big success as a band leader for this type of show. The next scene was a little comedy business with Senter and Georgie Hunter and a member of the band who carry on some wise cracking. Hunter also offers two more comedy songs and then the band goes into the finale with an arrangement of “Some Day You’ll Say Okay.” Observation : It seems that after experimenting with many policies this house has finally hit the nail on the head with stagehand shows. The line-up at the box-office proved that the neighborhood likes the new policy. St. Louis Missouri Week Ending November 4 Brooke Johns’ third stage idea since his return to the Missouri was “Whirlwind of Jazz.” Included in the cast were Goode Montgomery and Arthur Nealy, tenor. Nealy sang “Way Back When” and also harmonized with Johns in “Broken Hearted.” Miss Montgomery danced much better than she sang. The overture by Leonid Leonardi and His Orchestra was in keeping with the feature picture, “The Rough Riders.” lewWhite Chief Organist <S3V[/ Exclusive Brunswick Artist New York Roxy Week Ending November 11 Another de luxe program by Roxy hits the mark this week, outlined somewhat as follows: An arrangement by Lew White of a medley of popular songs for the organ overture, played on three consoles. Rather short due to the length of the stageshow. “The Queen of Sheba” was the symbal crashing piece by the Symphony Orchestra, numbering close to a hundred, led by Maxmilian Pilzer. Roxy’s orchestrations always fill the house with applause. “The Angel’s Dream.” A dim stage with monk and choir groups about two stately candles, in a vocal arrangement of church music. Finale with soft lights bringing out ensemble of women on 6lowly ascending elevator in background. A round little gem of harmony, heartly applauded. “The Last Rose of Summer,” wherein Gladys Rice sings this old favorite, off to one side of the stage, while Maria Gambarelli expresses its sentiment in the dance. Costumed as a pale pink rose, the leaves gradually drop from her one by one till at the last she represents a drooping stem with a clinging petal or two. Very effective and beautiful work. “Clown Land !” Ensemble of about two hundred, dressed in clown costumes with Irving Aaronson and His Commanders in the background. Led by Charles Previn, choir master, they offer a straight medley of favorite medolies in a superb arrangement, vocally, including “Sundown,” “Only a Sunshower,” “Russian Lullaby,” “Charmaine” and ending with “Me and My Shadow,” the last with trick lighting shadow effects for closeout. Greatly applauded. Curtain draw for but a second and reopen for further song and sax stunts from the Commanders that usher in Russell E. Markert’s Sixteen American Rockets, in their third week of bringing down the house with their unbeatable team work. The opening number of theirs is full of clog steps, and not a miscue in a long and intricate routine, packed with snap, grace and showmanship. “The Pajama Girls,” a wee prologue to the main picture, “Pajamas.” Thirty girls carrying candlesticks, electrically lighted, and costumed in pajamas parade down from the top balcony in front near the stage, which represents a long winding staircase, down to stage set with two massive French beds, fifteen in each bed. This all in dimly lighted house. After they are tucked in the Markert girls come in for another knockout pajama routine at the end of which the girls abed awake and start in a wampus pillow fight, during which the scrim is lowered and the picture begun before you know it. St. Louis State Week Ending November 4 Jan Gerber and His Victor Recording Orchestra was the big stage attraction of the week. Kirk Frederick’s orchestral production was “The Desert’s Spell.” and was augmented by singers and a ballet. Indianapolis Indiana Week Ending November 4 The Indiana is offering another program in which there is an abundance of excellent eye and ear entertainment. Charlie Davis and His Orchestra are the pivotal feature of the Publix presentation, “Flyin' High,” staged by Jack Parkington. “Flyin’ High” is a diverting novelty with much tuneful and rhythmic music and more than the average quota of splendid dancing, song and comedy — all preliminary to a striking finale introducing the airplane girls, Kathleen French and Mabel Barrett, in ‘‘Up in the Clouds,” a sensational and thrilling act in which miniature airplanes hover over the stage. Davis and orchestra are presenting ‘‘Aviation Overture,” portraying Col. Lindbergh’s flight to Paris. A dozen well trained dancing girls appear in ‘‘Aviation Capers.” The dancing accordionist, Jerrie, proves one of the most popular entertainers to appear at the Indiana. Bernard and Henry are making a hit with their modern song6. Ernee and Fisheer rank high as eccentric dancers. Chicago Uptown Week Ending November 6 This week’s stageshow featured Bennie Krueger and his band in a Publix unit called ‘‘Joy Bells.” The cast was headed by Brown and Bailey, Bayes and Speck and many others. Opening: In full stage setting with beautiful background and two huge bells hanging, one on each end as man offstage sings in deep baritone voice. During this number Bennie Krueger makes his entrance and announces a special medley arrangement of popular college songs appropriate for the football season. This was done in the usual manner with a boy announcing each number with a placard. In this number Bennie Krueger also offered one of his neat saxophone solos. The next one on the program was Eva Mascogno, the premier ballerina, with her ballet of toe dancers who offered a very pretty scrim presentation in the form of neat ballet dancing. After a hearty reception they were followed by Charlette Arren, the little girl bell-hop, whose comedy antics and distorted pantomine keeps this house in a continuous uproar of laughter. She managed to stop this show. Joe Power, the baritone, appeared next in a miniature presentation above band with setting to represent lighthouse in which he offered a very splendid selection of ‘‘Asleep in the Deep.” This artist possesses a very fine voice of unusual quality and went over very big here. He was followed by Brown and Bailey, those two boys in blue whose tap dancing and eccentric waltz clog is one of the best yet seen in this type of theatre. They have been reported many times before and again proved very successful here. (A band arrangement of ‘‘Waiting for the Rainbow” followed, with lighting effects and soft harmony playing. In this number Bennie also offered another saxo SOLD $1,000,000 worth of CHICAGO REAL ESTATE (not county acres) to your friends in the profession. Now presenting for your approval MARQUETTE ROAD TERRACE 67th Street and Crawford Avenue With all improvements in and ready to build on NOW. HOW ABOUT YOU? CARME ROMANO 10 South LaSalle Street (Realestalor to the profession ) Chicago, 111. RAY TURNER Guest Organist CORONADO THEATRE, ROCKFORD, ILL. (A Great States Theatre) ! ! Return Engagements Everywhere ! ! HELENE HELLER AND RILEY — COMEDY SINGING DANCING Such Popularity Must Be Deserved Now — Wisconsin Theatre, Milwaukee Next Week — Norshore Theatre, Chicago Direction— MAX TURNER WM. MORRIS OFFICE P. S.— MARKELL and FAUN are now at Shea’s Theatre, Buffalo, N. Y. They’re good too !