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

40 EXHIBITORS HERALD and MOVING PICTURE WORLD February 25, 1928 Chicago Sheridan Week Ending February 19 This week is the first anniversary of The Sheridan and the show is called, "The Sheridan Birthday Party," but better shows have been seen at the Sheridan when no special week was being celebrated. The 6how is opened by two girls of the chorus who give a curtain song about the Sheridan's first anniversary. Then the rest of the chorus come out in pretty costumes to do a very good routine before a huge birthday cake with one candle. This is followed with a good band number, "I'm Walking on Air." Prince Tokio, Japanese hand balancer, follows with some good acrobatic and balancing stunts, and then gets a good applause by keeping time to the music by juggling a barrel with hie feet while lying on his back. The act is splendid for this type of entertainment. The Prince gets a good hand. The Six Abbott Dancers follow with a good rope jumping routine, which has been given before in this house. Then follows the best bit of the show. Verne Buck and one of the Abbott Dancers, dressed as a Dutch boy and girl, sing a very humorous little song, and then do a charming Dutch dance. The number gets plenty of laughs from the audience. Buck has no small bit of comedy mixed with his musical ability. Hazel Crosby follows by 6inging a medley of songs including "Me and My Shadow," "Under the Moon," and "Rose Marie." She gets a fair hand and takes one encore. A band number follows in which is interpolated "Rhapsody in Blue." Parts of this number is excellent. Buck plays a saxophone in part of the number, and gete a fine hand. Then follow a boy and girl, their names not announced, who do a clever song and dance number. Their burlesque Spanish dance in which the girl impersonates Pola Negri and the boy Leon Errol is very, very good. It keeps the house in laughter, and brings the two back for an encore for which they do a burlesque prize fight as two classical dancers would do it. Very funny. Frank Wilson next sings, "Sally in Our Alley," and as always, the house won't be satisfied until Frank repeats. Sonnie and Eddie, two colored tap dancers, follow with some unusually good tap dancing, their best bit being a tap black bottom. The applause is all that anyone would want. The finale begins with the band playing, "Everywhere You Go," with Buck singing it. The Abbott Dancers come to do a routine as a large illuminated heart appears back 6tage. A very good finale. and His Louisville Loons, who have been playing several months at the Mainstreet, and Harlan Christie in a radio station novelty, titled, "Station F-U-N." The Louisville Loons played a medley of popular selections as an overture, then proceeded to offer a varied selections of numbers as their bit in the regular stage program. Christie's act depicts the broadcasting room of any radio station, including vocal numbers, humor and novelties. Salt Lake City Capitol Week Ending February 11 The stage offering at the Capitol theatre this week consisted of the Fanchon and Marco "Idea" in the form of a tabloid, billed as "Will King and His Revusical Comedy." King has been famed for years throughout the country as one of the nation's leading musical comedy comedians, and in his revusical comedy he lives up to his past performances. He was assisted by a galaxy of beautiful girls who offer a series of clever songs and dances. Sparkling comedy, a group of specialties very well presented and the snappiest kind of "black-outs," little short sketches which were the life of the revue, make up the remainder of this unique set. Alberti and his band featured a group of popular numbers on the stage, as well as playing for the tuneful two-act musical comedy show. Alexander Schreiner presented a solo number at the organ and also led in musical numbers, the words of which were thrown upon the screen and the audience invited to 6ing. Kansas City Mainstreet Week Ending February 17 Due to the length of the feature picture, "The Patent Leather Kid," the stage program at the Mainstreet this week' was cut to about one-third its usual length. The program was comprised of Walter Davison Chicago Diversey Week Ending February 15 "My Valentine" was the name of this week's show of Joe Kayser and band. The show was very well arranged for this occasion and was pleasing to look at. The performance opened up with the orchestra dressed in suits such as in the days of George Washington. The six ballet girls looking through valentines made a pretty picture. Zastro and White sang, "I Told Them All About You" with the six girls doing a dance. The girls keep in time and were given a nice applause. Joe Kayser appeared on the stage as George Washington and announced that they would play, "My Beautiful Ciloete." They gave a beautiful rendition of the piece while the piano player sang the chorus. Monte and Carlo were next with acrobatic 6tunts. Their bringing in a little comedy kept your attention all the time. The orchestra played "Diana" while they went through more 6tunts. They were called back for an encore. Elenor Miller, an acrobatic dancer, followed with 6ome high kicking and ballet dancing. She was not received as she should have been. The drum player and banjo player were announced (Continued on next page) Milton Charles "America's Most Versatile Organist" CHICAGO THEATRE, CHICAGO Latest COLUMBIA records releases — "Loves Old Sweet Song" vocal chorus, "At Dawning" and "From the Land of the Sky Blue Water" BOB HAWKS and MACK COMEDY SONGSTERS Playing the Best in De Luxe Picture Houses Direction, MORT INFIELD, 904 Woods Theatre Bldg., Chicago JIM GINGER ROGERS "A Rarebit of Spice" A JOHN HELD, JR., Cartoon Girl in the Flesh Now Playing Return Engagement for BALABAN & KATZ and LUB LINER & TRINZ Direction— WM, MORRIS AGENCY LO SAYS Semeihind about Everyone As a rule I start off with a salutation or something ; this week I want to be different and hand you all a laugh. . . . Here it is. ... A certain organist out of town, receiving sets of elides from a certain publisher, always free, had the nerve to ask that publisher for return stamps. . . . Can you beat that for gall, let alone gratitude. . . . While speaking of slides I want all of you to read Bernard Cowham's ad in this section this week regarding the return of organ slides. . . . Then also read the letter that William J. Cowdrey sent in about the situation. . . . Say, fellers ! while we are still on the subject of music, don't forget that this is "Remick Week" and give Billy Cripps a break. . . . He'6 been with them 10 years and wants to celebrate with the biggest year he ever had. . . . Listen, Cliff Hess was ill. . . . Did you all drop him a line? . . . No I Shame on you. Who's going to write your organ novelties if he gets real sick ? . . . More sad news, boys, one of the best musicians in the country committed suicide last week — Ferdinand Steindel, you all know of him. ... I hear that Paul Specht is now personally directing his orchestra at the Jardin Royal, a new Chinese restaurant in New York. . . . Lou Kosloff, formerly of Chicago, and recently at the Paramount, is back in town conducting at the Chicago theatre. . . . Jules Buffano, formerly there, is going to the West Coast and will meet Al Short at the opening of Publix new house in Seattle about April 6. . . . "The Mikado of Jazz," the bandshow that Paul Ash staged last week will go on the road with Eddie Perry as its leader. . . . The Darling Twins are being featured together with Arch Cannon and Williard Andelin. . . . "Horsefeathers," the new comedy 6ong published by Forster, was stopped by the Syndicate controlling the Barney Google comic strip. . . . Ginger Rogers is now making her 6econd appearance in Chicago deluxe picture houses. . . . Evelyn Vee has replaced Patricia Manners as Yum-Yum in the Mikado unit. . . . Some of the old favorites of presentation are coming back to Chicago after other type of entertainment— they are as follows : Johnny Perkins, Milton Watson, James Barton and others who first won favor in picture houses. . . . Word comes from New York through our friend, Harry Holquist, that "Rain or Shine" is hitting on all six as the beet musical show on Broadway. . . . While talking of shows do you know that "Good News" is here now with Abe Lyman and Peggy Bernier. ... Jimmy Renner, formerly a theatrical agent, is back in the booking field after being out of it for 12 years. Renner is now doing businees in Jerome, Arizona. . . . Oh, boy! We almost forgot to tell you, Carme Romano, the Chicago theatrical real estate man, is giving his clients free service in filling and filng their income tax reports — have you filed yours yet? Better not forget — you'll be playing the "Prisoner's Song" .... Thanks for your letter, Cornelius Maffie. Eddie Dawson also joins me in sending you best wishes for a big success in Houston. . . . Several letters were received this week commenting on the complete service rendered through Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World. . . . Thanks, Ray Turner, I am glad you think that much of presentation. . . . Word comes from Douglas Hodges of our West Coast office to the effect that Grauman prologues and Fanchon and Marco presentations are the big thing there in picture houses. . . . Now that Publix and West Coast have affiliated their booking activities it will be possible for acts to work more than 60 weeks from coast to coast. . . . Mort Harris and Frank Cambria are staging bandshows at the Capitol theatre, New York. Pauline Gaskin was featured in one last week. . . . Peter the Great, the human monkey, is now making a tour of Keith-Albee theatres in a playlet. . . . Roxy has discovered a mountaineer singer in the name of Jilson Setters. The gent is sixty years old and comes from Kentucky. . . . Don Cordon is now soloing as guest organist at the new Orpheum theatre in Madison, Wis. ... I had a phone call from Joliet yesterday — no not from the penitentiary — but from Leo Terry, who just wanted to know what song Sid Berman gave top position to this week. ... I must say that "Sid Says About Songs" is really extending a fine service. . . . Larry Spiers' "Up and Down the Alley" is well read and! is finding as much favor too.