Exhibitors Herald (1927)

November 12, 1927 EXHIBITORS HERALD 35 New York Strand Week Ending November 11 Nathaniel Shilkret and his augmented Victor Salon Orchestra playing for the first time in this form, were ushered into the Strand this week with somewhat of a reception. The opening number was a Paraphrase on “Shubert’s Unfinished Symphony,” as arranged by Shilkret. Starting in with this theme as an overture and following a symbal crash, foiir players, surrounding a piano to one side of the stage, are discussing the unfinished symphony, when one of their number goes into a dramatic poem on the piece, at the end of which, in another little tab across stage, Schubert is depicted wrestling with the elusive theme and its notes, all inspired by his unmet love, faintly discerned in the background, by an old fashioned girl framed as a portrait, over and above his work desk. The Liebling Singers, and Mark Strand Chorus, grouped in center stage, are revealed during the run of this theme, singing “The Unfinished Symphony.” In this way the entire piece, including all the characters it portrays, are illustrated with great effect. It would be hard to imgaine any one ushering themselves in musically anywhere with more applause than Shilkret received following the curtain. Marguerite Namara, of the Chicago Grand Opera Company, in two selections, “Ah, Fors’ e Lui,” and “Kiss Me Again,” kept up the pace that the orchestra and vocal groups had started, of filling the house with rich and rare music. Helen Denizon in a dance divertissment, “Caprice” and the Mark Strand Ballet, carried on in a soft and subtle bit of work that for routine was different, and the applause indicated the house enjoyed it muchly. The Eight Cocktails, through the courtesy of Charles Dillingham, grace the board this week with their applause winning team work, for which the girls have long been noted. Simmes and Babette, Parisian dancers of the ballroom type, filled in the next spot with credit, though they seemed to offer nothing new, and it is this reporter’s observation that something different somewhere in the routine of ballroom style stage dancing is almost a necessity. The Yacht Club Boys, favorite cafe troubadore about Manhattan, and working two fiddles, a guitar and piano, for all their worth put themselves, as usual, across nicely. The augmented orchestra came into the picture again for a great little finale, with the entire ensemble in “Are You Happy,” including "Veronica.” Here we have something new again in presentation, in the great scramble to lead and it looks as though time will reward the Strand for their efforts nicely, for they have great possibilities in this new working order. San Antonio Aztec Jean Sarli and His Aztec Symphonizers present a novelty stage act this week, offering the Four Dumonts, tap dancers diked out as bellboys, and Bernard and Meritt as the headline attraction. The dancers are good, showing remarkable conformity to musical cues, and good team work — but the whole show was the fast and enjoyable accordion playing by the team of Bernard and Merritt. The show is considerably pepped up by this snappy pair. Lighting and scenic arrangement is carried out nicely in the show. Picture is “The Harvester.” Boston Metropolitan Week Ending November 5 A special overture production, “Indian Etchings,” started things off. While the Metropolitan Grand Orchestra played Indian music, a woodland scene was shown on stage. Walter Smith, dressed as an Indian chief, sings a bass solo; Virginia Johnson, an Indian maiden, sings “Indian Love Call”; and Harry Lossee in war paint and feathers does an Indian warrior’s dance. Arthur Martel at the organ gets a big laugh playing “Just a Memory,” with slides reviewing all the old favorites by this composer. Jack Partington’s “Florida” was the production. The curtain rose to the tune of “Smiles” played by Gene Rodemich and the Met Merrymakers. Back drop represents a Florida estate. In front of the orchestra were 12 open sunshades, and from behind these stepped the Florida Girls dressed in snappy bathing costumes representing 12 Florida cities. Their tuneful chorus got a big hand. After them came Billie Gerber, a clever little singer and dancer and quite the hit of the program. She had to come out and sing “A Night in June” all over again for the audience. Next were Gattison Jones and Elsie Elliott, who showed how they do the waltz in Florida. They put across some clever original steps. The Met Band played “Dolly Dimples” here, featuring a piano duet with Gene Rodemich himself a the piano. Then Chester Fredericks sang “I Can’t Keep Away from the Girls,” and did some acrobatic dancing that made a hit. The Giersdorf Sisters, trio, were a popular number. Their tuneful melodies got three encores. A1 Markell and Gay Faum put on a clever comedy stunt. Pola Negri in “The Woman on Trial” was the picture. Chicago Sheridan Week Ending November 6 “A Hallowe’en Garden,” with Verne Buck and his band was the appropriate title of this week’s peppy stage show at the Sheridan. The back drop was illustrated with pumpkins, witches, goblins, etc., and the boys in the band were in clown suits. After a dance by the Joe Keith Girls, the boys played a good rendition of “Annabelle Lee.” Mack and Long then marched out doing a military tap dance and won a fine reception with their footwork. Miss Betty Leonard sang "Just Another Day” and was called for an encore. Buck brought down the house with his dancing and fooling around while the orchestra played “Some Day You’ll Say O Kay.” The Keith Girls next did a very cute Hallowe’en dance. Francis Renault kept the audience chuckling with his remarks while appearing in some beautiful gowns. He did an excellent imitation of Queen Marie. The most graceful and beautiful act on the program was given by Rene and Fohl, fancy ballroom dancers. George Givot climaxed the presentation. He was dressed in trick collegiate rompers, and boy, how he did knock ’em dead ! His singing “ ’Cause You Can’t Walk Home from an Airplane!” his patter with Verne Buck and his clowning around were just what the audience wanted. For the finale all acts came on the stage, with the Keith Girls stepping high and fancy as the curtain closed. Chicago Terminal Week Ending November 6 The Terminal theatre is presenting bandshows on Saturday and Sunday only, with Austin Mack and his Century Serenaders. The Serenaders open the show playing a good “Wabash Blues” number. For the second number the Monroe Sisters 6ing “Lay Me Down to Sleep” and “Dewy Day.” Two fast banjo players, Osman and Schepp, are next and they sing and play “Everybody Loves My Gal.” Then all the house lights were extinguished and the cleverest stunt of the program was pulled. The curtain was closed and as the orchestra played, out hopped two large, marionette-like rabbits that danced to the music. These were excellent imitations and were very striking because they were brilliantly illuminated. It was impossible to discern just how they were manipulated. There followed in rapid succession chickens, bullfrogs, ducks, etc. This act was put on by Les Clicks. After this the Serenaders gave a combination vocal and instrumental comedy number “We Went to War,” and “We Went to College” that seemed to be liked. Eddie Davis, in hobo clothes, did some acrobatic and eccentric dancing that got a big hand. Harm and Nee, “those cadets,” followed, and were the hit of the program. They sang “Annabelle Lee” and “You Got Bugs.” Higgie and Cooper, two laughing, snappy girl tap dancers, were next and got a big hand. For the finale the orchestra played “A Night in June,” with all the performers on the stage. San Antonio Texas Overture by pit orchestra, Erno Hussar conducting; organ solo by Muth; Paramount News and Paramount cartoon precede Publix bandshow, “Persian Pranks.” For opening, curtains open, revealing series of modulated black and gold drops, representing various levels of roof tops in Oriental city. The Persian Dancers enter from both wings, dancing to the weird strains from A1 Morey’s Merry Mad Gang, which is behind one of the drops. Madge Rush comes on at climax of dance, which ends with spot applause as girls go off and drop rises, showing band, which i6 costumed in 6heik outfits. Morey introduces the Brock Sisters, who have good voices, but weak stage appearance. They sing a medley of popular and past-popular numbers, in straight evening gowns. Lloyd and Brice, trick comedians, do a good tumbling bit that takes all the applause of the show. They make a couple of encores at every performance. Morey, with the band in a beautiful set representing a patio outside a Persian harem, announces a band specialty of Oriental numbers, which winds up with a crash of jazz to a good hand. Gypsy Byrens next comes on in men’s clothes, doing a good male impersonation, working into a tap dance. Cogert and Motto, billed as the “Human Jazz Band,” live up to their rep in a series of instrument imitations using only the hands and mouth. They give an impersonation of the Duncan Sisters that is a knockout. Finale introduces the Persian Dancers, with Miss Rush in spot, in another "Far East” specialty. Show is beautifully sceniced and lighted, but failed to register properly. Picture was "Now We’re in the Air” with Beery and Hatton. Chauncey Haines FEATURED ORGANIST FOR Balaban and Katz NORSHORE THEATRE CHICAGO RUBE SCHOLZ FEATURED ORGANIST SAXE’S MOJESKA Theatre MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN JIMMIE FERGUSON Late Co-Starring Comic of SISSLE & BLAKE’S "CHOCOLATE DADDIES” Also Producer of the Revues for CAFE De PARIS Now Playing the Better Class Presentation Houses Personal Direction — LEO SALKINS Standard Oil Bldg., 910 So. Michigan Ave., Chicago