Exhibitors Herald World (Jul-Sep 1929)

94 EXHIBITORS HERALD-WORLD July 20, 1929 partner, Harry Landrum, ably assisting. Eddie also played one of Kreisler's Viennese waltzes on the banjo, with sextette from Lucia, thrown in. Against a background Spanish in motif, the Romeros, dancers extraordinary gave a series of striking dance numbers. Armada Chirot, the prima donna from the Rio Grande sang with vocal grace. Rounding out the troupe's appearance was Jose Mercado, baritone and Stella Hewitt, featured dancer, who gave whirlwind finish to most excellent stage 6how. On the screen was Leatrice Joy in "The Bellamy Trial," who brought the usual tears to the women's eyes. St. Louis Fox Week Ending July 12 On the stage Dave Apollon presented Apollon's Revue in which Danzi Goodall, Lucretia Craig and the Mani/a Orchestra were featured. There was also a Fanchon and Marco show "Songs I Love." In this offering were Permane and Shelly, John and Harriet Griffith, Roy Smoot, Huff and Hunt and the twenty Sunkist Beauties. Harry Howard the comedian must also be rated as a real headliner. He made a big hit with everyone apparently. Kansas City Pantages Week Ending July 6 The Revels of 1929, a fast moving dance act with several pretty girls and attractive costumes, was given a prominent place on the Pantages stage program. Nothing in the way of a novelty is attempted in the number, but the dancing and vocal numbers to which it is confined are done well. Brown and Wells, a team of knockout comedians, bring forth many a laugh. Brown has a whisper that brings many howls from the audiences. The Plotz Brothers are European clowns who display subtle wit and clowning that stamps them as far from ordinary in their line. One does a burlesque toe dance that should excite the envy of Pavlowa, The sister with the company also proves to be a clever tumbler. Da ton and Racy, in a skit titled "Kalamboor," pull a long line of "nifties" which meets with the approval of the audiences. Louis Charninsky and his Pantages Orchestra offer popular selections as the overture. Minneapolis Minnesota Week Ending July 12 In keeping with the summer spirit. Gene Sheldon and the Minnesota Serenaders present "Happy Go Lucky" this week. "Look for a Horseshoe" is the opening number, done by the Foster ballet. The girls are dressed in silk Uncle Sam suits and do the usual dance steps. The Aubrey Sisters are on next and score a well deserved hit. These blond sisters are dressed in baby pink dresses. They do a doll dance as an opener and then pick up small dolls in the wings and put them through the identical steps. Oscar Baum. formerly head of the Minnesota Symphony orchestra, returns this week to direct the Serenaders in a medley of classical numbers. Al Norman is billed next in "All by Himself." Mr. Norman, an eccentric dancer, is enough entertainment to get by all by himself any place and anywhere. His first dance is a take-off on "The Student Prince," the second an imitation of a straphanger, and the third a of a cabaret dancer. "Sonny" Best, singing negro porter at the theatre, is brought back to the stage for an extra number this week. Mr. Best offers "Sleepy Valley" from "The Rainbow Man." He was well received. THE FAMOUS LUCKY BOYS The Aubrey Sisters, assisted by the Foster girls, next put on a novelty number. The Aubrey girls are dressed in brown and white riding habits while the chorus is garbed in short white satin skirts and box front orange velvet jackets. The number includes several songs and a variety of dances. Gene Sheldon, Stewart Johnson, Vern Carpenter and Nels Sasserson, the first director of the Serenaders and the latter three members of the orchestra, present "Just Too Cute for Words," each playing a different instrument. The Three Swifts, with a juggling act and nothing new in it, present the final number on the program. The finale finds the chorus in green and yellow sports costumes. In this number six white ponies are used, two girls to each pony. The Aubrey Sisters are in on this number in short green trunks and full-sleeved green blouses. As the last curtain falls, huge floral horseshoes are dropped from above and held over the necks of the ponies. Milwaukee Wisconsin Week Ending July 5 Fanchon & Marco's Idea "Cottage Small" opens with an exterior setting of a small cottage with Rose Valyda and a gentleman singing "In a Cottage Small" standing on the veranda, while the chorus of twelve are on their backs with their legs raised representing the pickets in the fence before the cottage. They arise at the close of the 6ong number and do a clever dance dressed in white and blue ballet costumes. The Joyboys under the direction of Al Lyons play the William Tell Overture, augmented by Les Hoadley at the organ. The number was well done ind well received. A snappy Chinese dance by a young man draws heavy applause and is followed by Harvey Stephen, a member of the band who plays selections from "Naughty Marietta," and "If I had You." He gets a big hand and Al announces that it is planned to feature some member of the band each week in a solo number. The next number is an elaborate offering with the chorus paired in various colored costumes of pink, yellow, blue, lavender and other hues, and dancing with color fans to match their costumes. Dorothy Dixon does a solo dance in connection with this number and Rose Valyda sings a selection, once in a bass voice and the other in soprano. The number is beautifully staged and gets a good hand. Next Dorothy and Harry Dixon stage a comic Spanish dance which provokes plenty of laughter from the audience. The finale follows with a setting similar to that of the opening number including the chorus of twelve, Rose Valyda and Dorothy and Harry Dixon. Detroit Capitol Week Ending July 11 "Great Town, Detroit." That was the title of the Publix show that Del Delbridge put through its paces at the Capitol this week. The name had no bearing on the melange of vaudeville acts in the show. In fact, it was one of those titles that can be changed to "Great Town, Chicago," "Great Town, Podunk" or "Great Town, Woonsocket," as the show moves hither and thither about the country. However, it was a good show, with plenty of dash, color, pretty girls and good singing. Not to forget one Jack Riano, a nut dancer with an all too brief routine, who displayed some eccentric and highly unusual stepping. To open, the Capitol Girls trouped on the stage in scanty tights, covered all over with rhinestone, black silk opera length stocking and black silk top hats. "THE GILL OF SONG" Publix "Radio Romance" Unit Week of July 20-26, Stanley, J. C. Following Week, Branford, Newark, N. J. Thanks lo Jack Partington Phil and Ruby* They did a cute little routine and gave way to Madeline McKenzie. Madeline also was resplendent in rhinestones. In a very scanty costume, sans stockings and with one of those sun tan backs to her dress, cut way down to the beltline, she indulged in some fancy stepping that was pretty good. Then came the aforementioned Jack Riano. This young man, in a comedy makeup reminiscent of the comic strip character Boob McNutt, put his rubber legs through some amazing paces. The most unusual feat of his acrobatic stepping was a back flip starting from a side flip — as near as we can describe it — which left the audience wondering just how JacK managed it. He wasn't on the stage near long enough. Del took time out then for his orchestra specialty. It proved to be a medley of the hits that Del has played recently, and included "Dream Train," "I Can't Give You Anything But Love, Baby," "Wedding of the Painted Doll," "Glad Rag Doll" and "Louise." The audience insisted on stopping the show on "Dream Train" after Del had played a piano solo as part of the number. Del is one mean pianist and got the biggest hand of the evening with his solo. Paul Kirkland was on next, with his breathtaking dance on top of a tall ladder. He ended his act, as usual, with his inimitable juggling specialty where he balances a paper cone on the tip of his nose, his forehead and his ears. Not a new act, but one which always get6 generous applause. Joe Christie & Co., were next, the "Co." proving to be a young lady in blue who played the comedy to Christie's straight. They got a lot of fun out of a couple of saxophones, never playing anything through, but always breaking off to put over a few more jokes. Surprisingly enough, none of the jokes were "blue" and they garnered a large quota of laughs. The background went up after this, to disclose a gondola on a lagoon with George Knisely, baritone, as the gondoleer singing "That Old Italian Love Song" to a very pretty chorine. The rest of the girls, in Italian costumes, came to front stage for a tambourine dance. Throughout the show, the music racks of Del's musicians had been covered by cutouts of enormous silk hats. The middle section of these dropped for the finale, showing a chalk drawing of Del in the niches thus disclosed. The whole company was on the stage for short specialties for the finale. Portland Fox Broadway Week Ending July 16 Sam Jack Kauffman, who heads the Fox Broadway Band and who now is a fixture at this popular house as master of ceremonies, at various times makes some extravagant promises of what he has to offer in the way of stage entertainment. His adjectives this week, however, were inadequate in describing the stellar attractions of Fanchon & Marco's "Opportunity Idea." These were for the most part a charming group of prize winners, each doing a specialty and representing one of the key cities of the Pacific Coast from Los Angeles to Vancouver, B. C. In this group Miss Margaret Benson, as Miss Portland, stole the show with her violin imitation. Badger and Mueseler, radio team, combined harmony, hokum and hilarity and brought applause aplenty in spite of warm weather. Cliff Jones asked for an "Opportunity" to see what he could do with his educated feet and it was plenty. Other charming misses that will be hard to forget were Miss Hollywood with her Hula dance, Miss Seattle's singing and Miss Vancouver's dancing. The film offering was also up to standard, Victor McLaglen in "The Black Watch," with a real Britannic flavor, and one night was set aside as British Night. Manager Floyd Maxwell also inaugurated some fortune telling on the mezzanine which boosted matinee business. The oriental idea was carried out but the clever fortune teller declined to divulge her name. Cool mountain breezes seemed to find their way into all parts of the house. Philadelphia Mastbaum Week Ending July 13 The Mastbaum Symphony Orchestra, with Charles Previn conducting, opens an entertaining program with the overture "Schubert Melodies," supplemented by the Mastbaum Voices and Ballet. Two oval frames are shown on the drop with figures appearing in the frames like pictures and voices behind the curtain singing words written for the Schubert music. As the spot light is thrown on the frame to the right a little toe dancer dressed in an old fashioned shepherdess costume of baby blue appears and dances gracefully to the rhythm of one of Schubert's compositions. The Mastbaum Stage Creation, "Wall Street Blues," is the usual spectacular and elaborate presentation. The ballet march in as the Pages of Wall Street dressed in blue velvet uniforms with conventional