Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World (Jan-Mar 1928)

40 EXHIBITORS HERALD and MOVING PICTURE WORLD February 11, 1928 followed by Bert Tucker, the son of the famous Sophie, in his first appearance in New York City. He sang two clever songs that met with great success and showed hie remarkable dancing skill. As an encore number he rendered the Sugerfoot Step, a new Southern dance. Sophie Tucker made her first appearance then in presentation work. She sang "The Salt of My Tears," "It's Bologna," "The Spanish in Your Eyes," "Tall, and Dark, and Hansome," and "I Still Love you." She made a tremendous hit and was recalled time after time. As an encore she and Bert sang a song about California. As the closing number Sophie Tucker directed the orchestra in "What Do You Say," assisted by the Tivoli Girls, dancing just in back of the orchestra with a background of flashing lights, and her son. Boston Metropolitan Week Ending February 2 A Paul Oscard production entitled "Dancing Feet" was staged this week, assisted by Harry Rose and a host of Footlighteers. The first number on the program was rendered by the dance ensemble, a snappy bunch of pretty girls, who danced a characteristic step entitled "The Puppets." They were dressed to look like puppets. Then Gene Rodemich and the Band Boys jazzed up a tuneful chorus of "I'm Just Strolling Along. Having My Ups and Downs." Gene always gets a fine hand so that's nuff sed about him ! Vale and Stewart put across a clever combination of tap steps, alone and together, for a couple of encores. After them came the Cameo Ballet. The solo dancer was lowered to the stage on a huge cameo from which she alighted to dance a few steps, while other dancers all in white assisted her. The sweet old-fashioned costumes and the pretty setting made this a most attractive number. Richard (Limbcrlegs) Edwards made one of the best hits with his loose-jointed stuff. He did a variety of crazy steps that made the audience call him back for three encores. A great comedy number. Ruth Kenney, former Ziegfeld star, with Gene and the boys accompanying, 6ang and original number, "Somebody Else." Then Myrtle Pierce stepped some fast foot work in a solo. Her black and red costume was quite striking, but appropriate to the number. Harry Rose, "The Broadway Jester," put on a clever comedy stunt of songs, dances, jokes and takeoffs. His version of "Henry's Made a Lady Out of Lizzie," and his takeoff on the poets were especially good. Finale — Girls came in in blue and yellow costumes and did 6ome fancy dancing, while others danced on a platform up in back. A big sparkling wheel revolving in back made a pretty background. An Arthur Martel organ concert, "Let a Smile Be Your Umberlla" completed the program. Film was "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes." The Lorelei of the film appeared on the stage in person Tuesday. Indianapolis Indiana Week Ending February 3 "Highlights," the Publix revue, is a handsomely staged production, in which comedy seems to be the specialty. This is particularly true of the team of Clifton and De Rex, two amusing girls, who are introduced as beauty contest winners in 1870. Their act was received hilariously during the entire week. The audience also showed a distinct preference for Helen McFarland, an attractive young woman who sings, dances and plays a xylophone. Douglas Burley does an amusing "slow motion" dance, and Masse and Dietrich appear as a pair of dancing traffic cops. The leading songs are by Sherry Louise, and the Foster Girls provide the dance routines. Charlie Davis and his orchestra present for the first time a new "blues" number, "We'll Have a New Home in the Morning," written by J. Russel Robinson, an Indianapolis musician. It is an interesting number. Indianapolis Circle Carlo Restive is seen in a stage presentation this week, his specialty being accordian playing and whistling and he can do both to the satisfaction of the audience. His numbers consist largely of lopular songs, played or whistled with a lot of personality which makes a hit with the audience. Under the direction of Edward Resener, the Circle Orchestra is playing a medley of popular songs. Milwaukee Wisconsin Week Ending February 3 This week we find Dave Schooler back from his two weeks* vacation and offering "Rhapsody in Blue." The setting is that of blue grape drops while the orchestra is attired in white. Before the curtain is parted a motion picture is flashed upon the screen showing Dave leaving New York in an airplane and dropping from the plane over Milwaukee in a parachute, and as the curtains are parted the Abbott Dancers in attractive blue costumes are watching for Dave as he floats upon the stage with a parachute. Dave then sings a song about Broadway, and as he finishes the Abbott Dancers strut the varsity rag and draw a big hand. The introduction is cleverly done and goes over big. The Loomis Twins, celebrated recording and Vitaphone stars, next give the audience a lesson in song harmony offering "Baby Your Mother," "I Told Them All About You," and "What'll You Do." The girls have good voices and their songs are well received. "Everywhere You Go" is played by the band with Billy Meyers singing the chorus and this number is followed by Buddy Doyle, who gives a parody on a number of famous recitations including the "Face on the Barroom Floor." He follows his line of funny chatter with singing "Henry Made a Lady Out of Lizzie," and receives a good hand. "Lovely Little Silhoutte" is prettily done with the Abbott Dancers on the upper stage in a garden scene dancing to the melody by the orchestra with the lights dimmed so that just their silhouttes are apparent to the audience. Before the number is concluded, Billy Meyers, in a hazy blue light, sings the words to the song. The selection was artistically done aid well received. The La Varr Brothers, in a burlesque apache dance, received only fair applause for their efforts. They conclude their number with an acrobatic stunt which is really difficult and which meets with the audience's approval. ' Boyd Center, an accomplished saxophone player, makes a big hit playing several popular selections, and answering an encore with a "hot" number on the banjo assisted by his piano accompanist who plays the kaJamazoo or some other such instrument. The concluding number is the "Rhapsody in Blue" played by the band under the direction of Glenn Welty with Schooler playing the piano. The presentation was well staged and well done and on a par with the best that have been offered to date. The picture is Richard Bathelmess in "The Noose." Minneapolis State Week Ending February 3 One of the biggest bills presented at the State in weeks contained a variety of entertainment. It saw the return of a State bandshow, which has been a feature of the theatre's bills on various weeks since the first of the year. The State orchestra, in pirate dress, played in the fo'castle of a pirate ship, with two bearded robbers of the sea pacing the deck and manning the wheel throughout the performance. Fred Heiseke doubled in the role of orchestra director and master of ceremonies. The Wise Trio presented an eccentric novelty act consisting of pole and ladder balancing, tumbling, accordian and violin numbers. It was decidedly different from any acts 6een heretofore on the State stage. John Williams and Beulah Gleanson, dance duo. gave an attractive number. Hawks and Mack, singing comedians, returned to the theatre after an absence of a year and received a good hand. Their patter, although a bit risque in spots, goes over bi with picture audiences. The F & R Ballet, a group of comely misses, danced in and off between numbers, wearing pirate garb and doing a number of well executed steps. A novelty on the bill was an old fiddlers contest, which brought together the winners in various other theatre contests for their finals. At the closing show the old men were presented with their prize money. Richard Dix in "The Gay Defender" was the feature picture. The first Vitaphone trailer, announcing the coming of Al Jolson in "The Jazz Singer," was another novelty. Atlanta Howard Week Ending February 4 The Howard presentation this week received good criticisms all around. "Joy Bells" was the title, although many bells were represented, among them, gold bells, watch house bells, joy bells and dumb bells. Ray Teal handled his banton with his usual maestro stroke, strengthening his popularity with Atlanta audiences. The Staefano Mascagno Ballet of seven girls did some good work in their several numbers. Representing the gold bells, the Roma Brothers brought loud hands for their fine athletic work. Scotty Western's voice was well adapted to represent the watch tower bells and was well liked. Douglas Wright and Company gave their version of dumb bells to the entire satisfaction of the audience. Others on the bill were Charlotte Arren and Chauncey Brown, both of whom went over fine. The whole program was a unique and interesting one. Especially attractive stage settings enhanced the atmosphere and portrayed a tempo quite fitting for the different numbers. George Lee Hamrick was at the organ. Pittsburgh Penn Week Ending February 4 The first Publix unit to play Pittsburgh made its bow at the Loew house and scored a decisive hit, helping "The Student Prince" which was the feature to break the house record. Instead of using the pit orchestra on the stage though, Dave Harman and His Band was held over for an eighth week to act as master of ceremonies and stage band leader. Special opening number "How Do You Do" as done by Dave and the band went right into the Thompson Sisters' banjo solo, who came down from the flies making a novel effect. Then right into Byron and Stone, also banjoists. after Dear Gallo: — I've wrecked my car, my dog has the mange, the Kinura needs tuning and I haven't prepared a solo for next week, so I've no time now to write an ad. BERNARD COWHAM, Oriental Theatre, Milwaukee FRED KINSLEY Featured Organist KEITH'S HIPPODROME, NEW YORK Featuring Original Solos **■ MARKELL and FAUN "A LAUGH WITH EVERY STEP" Featured with JACK PARTINGTON'S "FLORIDA" PUBLIX Unit Now Touring Publix Circuit HELLER and RILEY are also playing Direction of MAX TURNER— Deluxe Picture Houses William Morris Agency