Exhibitors Herald World (Jul-Sep 1930)

50 EXHIBITORS HERALD -WORLD July 26, 1930 ORGAN SOLOS Bill Meedcr (Richmond Hill. N. Y., R K O theatre) opened his solo with an invitation (via slide) to the audience to join him in a few minutes of song. Meeder has educated his audiences to sing in the yeai he has been at this house, and they need no encouragement other than to have him play and a slide on the screen, then they so to it. This pleasing solo could have been titled, as Meeder has the happy faculty of originality and showmanship that is so necessary to the organist today. Each of his 6olos carries a continuity and this is no exception. The idea conveyed and explained orally by Meeder was of a vacation trip and each of the numbers played by him were in keeping with the solo, and an intricate part of it. The songs were, "With You," "Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder," "Reminiscing," "Take Along a Little Love." "I Love You So Much." Meeder works different than any other organist this reviewer has seen. He is in a small neighborhood house and he appeals to his audiences in an intimate manner that has done wonders for his popularity. Tears in My Eyes' and "On Sweetheart Trail." Words to all the numbers were flashed on the screen with fitting "cafeteria" interludes. Henri Keates (Chicago Oriental) went back into the myths for his feature idea and called it "Aladdin's Lamp," a pleasing stunt based on the Arabian Nights theme that if one rubbed the magic lamp music would come forth. Using slides describing the Aladdin of yore, he played popular music from memory to accompany. He didn't need to urge his audience to sing. They started off with the first slide and soon he had the shelf competing with those below in the singing of "Cherie." Then he had the whole house unite in "I'm Following You," "The One I Love" and "I'm in the Market for You." Fred Kinsley (New York Hippodrome) presented an original and entertaining solo this week. Preceding each of the singing numbers. Kinsley introduced the number with a cleverly spoken introduction (through mike) and then played the number. Each of the numbers was played well. They were tunes audiences like to sing. The songs were: "RoRo-Rolling Along," "Telling It to the Daisies." "Dancing with Tears in My Eyes" and "Anchors Aweigh." Incidentally this is the last solo Kinsley will play as the house closes for the summer, nevertheless Kinsley has left an impression on the audiences that patronize this house, of knowing his business and always giving them an entertaining five to ten minutes every time they entered this house. Louise M. Roesch (Brooklyn, N. Y. Warner-Strand) offered one of the most entertaining "mike" novelties she has yet presented at this house. This novelty was called the "Song War" and incorporated all the usual war talks except that the enemy were the folks in the audience who did not sing. The idea Mies Roesch conveyed in her oral talk, via "mike," was for the audience to combat the "enemy" with songs. Opening was "Pat on the Back" (of which she played two choruses) she then beautifully sang "Ro-Ro-Rolling Along" and had the audience join in the second chorus. A most gratifying reception was accorded her after the final number, "Telling It to the Daisies." Jack Martin (Milwaukee Wisconsin) at the Wisconsin theatre organ played "A-la-Cafeteria," offering "In Old Monterey," a parody on "Louise," with words concerning hayfever : "I'm Dancing With PARAMOUNT-PUBLIX SAYS: LOU BREESE CONDUCTS OVERTURES THAT ARE OUTSTANDING and PAUL ASH SAYS: "He is an 'Ace' Master of Ceremonies" Now /■'ralured at the MINNESOTA THEATRE, Minneapolis Glen Shelley (Tebbetts Oriental, Portland, Ore.) played a most unusual organ novelty called "A Trip on the Portland Limited." This crack train of the Union Pacific is heard steaming out of the local station, while Shelley rings a monster engine bell. Whistes blow, spurting steam is heard through organ manipulation, and, as the mogul makes its important stops along the route, Shelley plays "Springtime in the Rockies," "Utah Trail" and "Cheyenne," finishing with a big musical swirl, "Chicago," accompanied by gunfire and color effects on the screen. Jack Martin (Milwaukee Wisconsin) the week ending July 10, played "Requests," which includes "A Cottage for Sale," "Wabash Blues" and "Should I," with the words for each flashed upon the screen. Herbert Koch (New Orleans Saenger) at the giant organ as his first number rendered "The Song of the Night Court, Guilty," which made a hit, followed by others of topical nature. Herbie has only one faulthe is going to jam his head against the sides of the organ when he attempts to shake his hair as his predecessor was wont to do. Herb's hair is too short. Arthur Hays (Memphis Loew's Palace) had an organolog last week that was timely to say the least. While the mercury was dancing around 106 in the shade, he hit the nail on the head with a novelty called "Turn Off the Heat." He had a large trick thermometer mounted on the console and opened his solo with a parody on "Turn on the Heat," followed by an explanation via microphone about the "Einstein Temperature Control" (called Einstein because no one knew what it was all about). The thermometer responded to the human voice ; the louder they sang the colder it got. On the first chorus the mercury rose to the top of the thermometer, resulting in pleading over the mike to pep up the singing and bring it down, which the audience naturally did. After succeeding choruses the mercury slid downward and Hays started putting on winter apparel, finishing the solo in a raccoon coat, muffler and fur cap. By a coincidence, the real heat wave was broken the following day. Atlanta Is Added to Area Served by Stai^e Shows From New Orleans Addition of Atlanta. Ga., to the territory served by stage shows made up in New Orleans, and the possibility of the territory being expanded to include Florida also, has been announced by officials of Saenger Theatres, Inc. Local Saenger officials were advised that a group of Florida representatives would go to Atlanta next week to review the first of the stage shows and decide whether they will be adopted by that state. The New York officials are also reported en route to Atlanta to arrange for the expanded scope of the territory covered by the local shows. New Orleans' importance as a theatrical center will be increased materially by the expansion of the territory served. Charles A. Niggermeyer left July 5 for Atlanta, where he will meet Gene Kearney, Boris Moros and John Friedl to make arrangements for the induction of the Niggermeyer units into Atlanta. New Type Show Given at Missouri Theatre After Price Cut by Fox /The stage show at the Missouri Theatre in St. Louis will consist of a new type of vaudeville presentation. Robert Alton, who trained the original Missouri Rockets, has been brought back from Hollywood to direct the stage presentations. There will be vaudeville changes every week, as well as regular features such as AI Eldridge and his Missourians, the Missouri Rhythm Girls and the Missouri Quartette. The vaudeville acts for the opening week will include Al Gordon and his dogs, Uhlis and Clark, dancers, and Danny and Eddy, who perform on roller skates. The new policy at the Missouri theatre is Skouras Brothers' answer to the price cut made by the Fox theatre a few weeks ago. Feibel at the Console Frederick Feibel is presenting the 11 a. m. and 5 :30 p. m. organ concerts at the New York Paramount in the absence of Egon Putz on vacation. Feibel also broadcasts a half-hour organ recital over the Columbia chain at 8:30 a. m. on Wednesdays. BEST SELLERS Week Ending July 19th No._ I "When It's Springtime in the Rockies" —(Villa Moret). No. 2 "Dancing with Tears" — (M. Witmark). No. 3 "You Brought Me a New Kind of Love" — (Famous). ■ No. 4 "Stein Song" — (C. Fisher). No. 5 "If I Had a Girl Like You"— (Feist). "I'm in the Market for You"— (Red Star). "Swinging in a Hammock" — (Berlin). "It Happened in Monterey" — (Feist). "Around the Corner" — (Feist). No. 7 "I Love You So Much" — (Harms). "Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder" — (Remick). "Moon Is Lotv" — (Robbins). "My Future Just Passed"— (Famous). "Song Without a Name" — (Feist). "I Remember You from Somewhere" — (De Sylva). No. 8 "What's the Use"— (Feist). "With My Guitar and You"— (Sherman Clay). "Old Nezv England Moon"— (Berlin). "Somewhere in Old Wyoming"— (Morris). "Moonlight on Colorado"— (Shapiro), "So Beats My Heart" — (De Sylva.) "Re minis cing" — (Remick). "Dozvn the River of Golden Dreams" —(Feist). "Exactly Like You" — (Shapiro). "With You" — (Berlin). "DANCING THE DEVIL AWAY"— (Harms, Inc.) — A hot tune from the picture. "The Cuckoos." What a dance tune it makes and the orchestras are playing it plenty. Words by Bert Kalmar, music by Harry Ruby. * « « "WHAT'S THE USE"— (Leo Feist, Inc.)— An excellent fox trot tune by a writer who at one time had some big songs to his credit. The lyric by a local boy has merit, too. Is already selling good. Words and music by Isham Jones and Charles Newman. * « * "EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR THE BEST"— (Will Rossiter) — If we all adopted this slogan we would have a better world to live in. This Chicago publisher has a good song here and it should sell. By Walter Fett. Harold Leonard and W. R. Williams. * « « "WASN'T IT NICE"— (M. Witmark & Sons)— A cute thought here. A nice melody with appropriate lyrics and the song looks commercial. Lyric by Joe Young, music by Seymour Simons. "MOONLIGHT ON THE COLORADO"— (Shapiro, Bernstein & Co.) — A hilly bill.v idea. Well written and if the public goes for it. might be another big song for this type. Words by Billy Moll, music by Robert A. King. * * * "IT'S EASY TO FALL IN LOVE"— (Irving Berlin, Inc.) — A fox trot novelty song that makes a good orchestra tune. Has a cute lyric and will be great for the soubrettes. Words by Coleman Goetz, music by Pete Wendling. j/,<^ /3^ <mm