Exhibitors Herald World (Jan-Mar 1929)

60 EXHIBITORS HERALD-WORLD February 9, 1929 Milwaukee Wisconsin Week Ending January 20 "Wild and Woolly" is the subject of the stage presentation this week of Al Belasco and his Joy Boys, and how they put it over. There's lots of Whoopee, western atmosphere, etc., and plenty original, too, folks. The scene opens up with the Joy Boys, all dressed as Western rangers and cowboys, sitting in the open alongside an adobe shack. In the background are the Sierras, Rockies, Andes or whatever you want to call them, all lighted up. A real outdoor scene. From time to time the Chinese cook, who later turns out to be Joe Wong, singer, comes out on the porch of the adobe hut. He's dressed in blue with a white cap and apron. The Torney Girls do a fancy stepping western trot and they're dressed in appropriate western costumes. Plenty of snap to their work, and then in blows Al Belasco, and oh, boy, what a pair of woolly chaps this lad has on. Then comes, Bob, Bob and Bobbie on the 6tage. Two men and a clever dog. They do a lot of acrobatic stuff and throw things around, but it's all clever. And the dog sure contributes his part, too. All get a big hand from the audience. Whoopee! Al and the Joy Boys then show us what they can do with "II Trovatore" in the jazz version. Pretty hot, and with lots of noise. The crowd likes it o. k. We then see Sammy Cohen who makes a few smart cracks and promises to be back later in the performance. That little Chinese cook then comes out and shows us that he can sing, and we don't mean maybe. He also gives a good version of "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling." The audience likes him first rate. Dan and Gladys Ahearn then do some darn good dancing while swinging ropes, a la Rogers. The crowd likes this, and the girl is good to look at. Next we have the orchestra playing, "My Tonia" and Charles Barnes singing it. The Torney Girls come out dressed as senors and senoritas and show us a few Spanish dances. It is good and doesn't last too long. Sammy Cohen, movie star, then comes out and does a lot of funny antics. Anytime you can't get a laugh out of Sammy you'd better consult a doctor. Yep, thar's bars in them thar woods, stranger. So long. Organ Clubs Continue to Be Novelties When the novelty of sound motion pictures has worn off and passed away, organ clubs will still continue to be a unique form of entertaining theatre crowds. This stunt is being used to a considerable degree by a number of popular organists all over the country, and in order to make the specialty more entertaining, some one is always originating a new idea that can be added to its value. For example, Roy E. Churchill, featured organist at the Burns theatre in Colorado Springs, writes that he broadcasts for one hour every day and on Saturdays invites the children and their parents for a song fest. Mr. Churchill has one of these organ clubs and issues buttons and membership cards to each newcomer. Through the courtesy of some candy or bakery shop, he is also able to give them edible novelties. The daily radio broadcasting and various window and newspaper tieups helps the theatre secure a house full of kiddies and enables Churchill to enroll a real bunch of boosters. Last Saturday the local Pathe news cameraman took scenes of the song festival which will be shown at that theatre. Such novelties as this place the exhibitor and the theatre staff in a prominent position in their community. No matter how large or small a theatre may be, it is always necessary to conduct its activities on the basis of a large family by giving its patrons something of local interest. Kansas City Mainstreet Week Ending January 26 Fast fun with song and dance numbers, no acts being given places more prominent than others on the program, comprised the Mainstreet stage offering. Dave Seed and Ralph Austin in a skit titled, "Success," mixed humorous dialogue and vocal numbers with just enough dance 6teps to top off the number. It was good hokum. Madeline, a diminutive opera singer billed as "Five Feet of Opera," sang selections just near enough to being of the light opera type to cause the audiences to bring her back for an encore at virtually every performance. George Burns and Grace Allen, in "Lamb Chops." mixed a bit of everything, from hokum and humorous dialogue, to vocal numbers in their act, which included some new jokes. The "Texas Four," as could be supposed, is a male quartet in a selection of songs titled, "Easin' Along Oozin' Melodies." There is just enough humor and jokes intermingled with the act to balance it well. Harlan Christie was on the job, as usual, as master of ceremonies, doing a vocal number of his own and keeping the program constantly supplied with the life and "pep" which made it go over good. Davison's Louisville Loons, playing an extended engagement as the theatre's orchestral attraction, offered popular selections as the overture. Pittsburgh Penn Week Ending January 19 Publix Unit, "The Magic Rug," proved to be in keeping with high average of entertainment value set by these units. The offering opens with Burns and George Dewey Washington "Just Songs " Third Year with PUBLIX and Still a Sensation The Greatest Single Attraction in the Presentation Field Being Starred by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in Movietone Short Subjects Two Are Now Being Released All Over the Country Direction — William Morris Agency CECIL DAVIDSON Master of Ceremonies Putting Over the NORTH CENTER THEATRE, CHICAGO With His Gang Kissen, comedians, in an Oriental temple. They are crystal gazing and wise cracking. They call upon Allah for the best in entertainment. The stage opens full and the Foster Girls are seen in a beautiful shadow dance. Gordon and King do a series of buck and wing and tap dances. The boys are very clever and got a big hand at every appearance. Emilie and Romaine appear via a traveling rug, and do the most daring adagio dance seen here in a long while. They made a big hit. Harry Johnson, tenor, does well with several short solos. Teddy Joyce, popular master of ceremonies, was again in his glory, this time as the "Rajah of the Harem." Burns and Kissen, as noted before opened the act, and towards the finale, sang three parodies on recent popular hits which brought the house down. Detroit Michigan Week Ending January 25 Al Evans and his Michiganders returned to the Michigan stage this week after an absence of a week to blow some bubbles in the Publix presentation by that name. The curtain went up to the tune of "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles" and disclosed the Dave Gould Girls, behind a scrim curtain, doing a ballet number in which they tossed about huge balloons in lieu of bubbles. A projector threw myriads of other bubbles on the scrim and at the close of the opening dance, this curtain also went up and the girls paraded to the footlights and tossed the balloons out to the audience. The Michiganders then played an orchestra specialty, "Happy Days and Lonely Nights," Evans singing the chorus. He has a good voice, and uses it to advantage in these specialties. Next was Gene Sheldon, a nut banjoist and dancer. Sheldon affected stage fright and was forever getting his fingers stuck under the strings of his instrument. Eventually he got all the digits untangled and proceeded to strum the banjo lustily, his best number being an impersonation of a train getting under way. To close, Sheldon had a comic dance in which he took some hard falls easily and without exertion. The Gould Girls came back then in yellow dresses and with red, white and blue parasols which they used effectively in a dance number. Ross and Edwards were a couple of boys with a line of glib chatter and nice, close harmony voices. Their numbers were, "What Do I Care?" and the popular, "There's a Rainbow Round My Shoulder." The Gatanos had a classical dance and for the finale the Gould Girls re-appeared in their yellow dresses, this time with yellow parasols. The girls placed the parasols in large, metallic vases along the stage, whereupon said parasols magically sprouted lights and began to revolve. The whole company was on the stage for the closing, for a theme song about bubbles. Eduard Werner, conductor of the Michigan Symphony Orchestra, had a novelty for his overture. It was selections from the opera, "Mignon," during which Marion Talley sang over the Vitaphone, Werner synchronizing his orchestra with the Vitaphone to provide the accompaniment for this young singer. Omaha Riviera Week Ending January 31 "Parisian Nights" is the attraction at the Omaha Riviera, alongside with "Alias Jimmy Valentine." The Parisian nights, both of the bright light kind and the bursting kind so familiar to A. E. F.ers, are presented amid one of the most striking stage settings sent out from the Publix workshops in many months. The stageshow opens with the 12 Foster Girls dancing through curtains representing the Folies Bergeres. Moulin Rouge, Le Chat Noir and other convivial places of Paris. The dancers are particularly good, their rhythm being perfect. On the program besides Jay Mills, stage master, are the Novelle Brothers, violinists-acrobats and whistlers ; Ginger Rogers, singer of kid songs ; Duval and Andre, Apache dancers, and Henry Mack, bantone. A "phantom organ." with no one at the console as the music poured frth, is the stunt of Herbie Koch, organist, during the week. New York Paramount Week Ending February 1 Paul Oscard's stage presentation, "Southern Belles featured Miller and Lyles, the famous black-face comedians of "Shuffle Along," as an added attraction. This production proved to be a snappy, well routined show, with only one place where its speed was lessened. The Four Dictators, first sang "Swanee River" in a Levee scene. Following this Gene Rodemich and the orchestra on the lawn of a southern colonial man; sion played. "A Precious Little Thing Called Love. A vocal chorus was sung by Ross MacLean. An old Confederate soldier (Eddie Mathews) then did a gun