The Film Daily (1927)

20 DAILV Sunday, August 7, 1927 rsk Presentations By CHARLES P. HYNBS How B'way Does It Strand Opening with the overture, "Marche Slay" by T^chaikowsky, the program continues with the Topical' Review and Joseph Plunkett's Strand Frolic. This is introduced by a ballet number: "The Swan," with Mile. Klemova and the ballet participating. There is a dance by the ballet corps for which a full stage is used. For the "Swan" dance, done by Klemova, the scene fades to the back portion of the stage, the performer working in back of an oval frame and in the flood of a single spot. She wears an all white ballet costume which, against the dark background, is highly effective. The other divertissements of the Frolic include "In a Counti-y Lane," a vocal number from "Peggy Ann," sung by Margaret Schilling and male ensemble. The, gnl is seated upon a garden wall under an orange tree, her farmer boy friends (four men in the ensemble) hidden behind the fence who appear and form a quartette for the refrain. Cy Landry follows with an eccentric dance and a number, "The Pirates" concludes' the Frolic. For this a full stage again, the scene representing a pirate den with palm trees silhouetted against an oval sunset background. Others props indicative of pirate days such as treasure chests are used on the stage and from one of these emerge the ballet corps dressed in pirate costumes. The quartette sings "Hurrah for the Rolling Sea," "The Treasure Chest." "Eight Bells" ; the ballet does a sword drill and Charles Bennington, peg leg dancer, does a turn. The feature and a Charlie Chaplin revival concludes the program. Paramount A novelty stunt that is a pleasant variation from the conventional orchestral overture is worked out in a number called "Orchestra Vs. Organ" and conducted along the lines of a friendly tilt between Jesse Crawford at the organ and Irvin Talbot leading the orchestra. The applause of the audience is supposed to decide whether the organ or orchestra is the more popular. Friendly banter by way of rhymed lines are flashed on the curtain and Ihe feelings of the contestants are tuned to the air of "Mr. Gallagher and Mr. Sheehan." Popular melodies and favorite ballads are $tasidard V AUD£VILLE for Motion Pici|*re PrssentatdoH The FAIXY MARKUS VAUDEVILLE AGENCY LaokawaDaa 7S76 1579 BROADWAY, NEW YORK CITY ARTHUR SPIZZI AGENCY, INC. Booking: the Better Picture Theatre! Attractions and PresentatioiMi 1560 Broadway New York Bryant 0967-8 AMALGAMATED VAUDEVILLE AGENCY Attractions forri Picture Theatres Standard Vaudeville Acts 1600 Broadway, New York City Phone Penn. 3580 selected by the opponents with Mrs. Craw ford lending a helping hand at a stage console while Talbot has the assistance of a soprano for one of his numbers. A jazz finale by orchestra and organ coinbined closes the number. The initial Paramount News reel follows and the main portion of the show consumes the greater part of the program, immediately followed by the feature. Eight Victor artists offer a program of vocal and insti-umental numbers. The opening chorus, "Hello People" by the octette, opens their entertainment witih Frank Banta at the piano playing "Doll Dance" as a second feature. They continue: piano trio offering a "Medley of Hits," Frank Banta, Sam Herman and Stanley Baughman at the pianos. Then James Stanley rendering a baritone solo, "The Blind Ploughman." Monroe Silver delivers a monologue: "Cohen's Troubles" ; Henry Burr contributes a tenor solo ; "Tf You See Sally" ; Sam Herman plays a xylophone solo: "Bunch of Roses"; the Peerless Quartette sings "Jerusalem Morn"; Billy Murray sings : "Whisper Song" and the closing chorus is "Goodbye Friends." A full stage is used, the three pianos ranging across the width of the stage. Blue velvet draperies cover the. back and wings. Roxy A favorite overture, Liszt's "Second Hungarian Rhapsody," comes first on the program with three delightful sketches following. The first, "Chanticleer," is a barnyard fantasy of unusual charm. The members of the ballet corps are attired in costumes representing yellow, white and brown chicks with the three male performers strutting about as the roosters. The dance pantomime indicates rivalry in the chicken yard with a white gowned chef eventually arriving on the scene and hurrying ofif the surviving rooster at the point of his knife. During the dance a farmer lad, sitting upon the stone fence which is part of the back drop scene representing a chicken yard, sings to the tune of the dance music. "La Bascule," silhouette number, is next. Here again rivalry is indicated in the dance pantomime. A lad and a miss playing see-saw, their old fashioned costumes furnishing striking outlines in silhouette, are interrupted by a second suitor. The dancers work in front of the light and in back of a lace framework also outlined in silhouette. The third sketch is called "The Skaters." The scene is Alpine. The ballet corps in white satin skating suits oc cupy the front of the stage with dancing while to the rear the chorus, in Swiss outfits, arc heard in operatic refrains The magazine affords a break with the fourth number following. It is "In the Broadcasting Studio wth Roxy's Gang." A full stage is used and the decorative scheme merely side and back hangings of black and gold, a single chandelier hanging in the center of the stage, the microphones set in place toward the front. The "gang" then performs. They were seated upon the stage in circular formation, the pianos in the center. The sectional stage was raised to three levels. Mark Strand (Brooklyn) Full running time was two hours and eight minutes, with 59 minutes going to the feature. "Man Power"; eight minutes for the topical review and eight minutes for the Lyman Howe Hodge Podge, the remaining 53 minutes going to the musical incidents. "The Second Hungarian Rhapsody" by Liszt was overture with a special piano and violin cadenza featured. Lights for this were: dome, two lemon floods on orchestra; lemon flood on side only; bridge spot on draw curtain and side, amber top, lemon bottom, amber ceiling spots and blue borders. (Eight minutes). After the film, "Capers of the Camera, '| came Massenet's "Meditation" from "Thais," played as a violin solo by concert master on the apron of the orchestra stage, while on the production stage the ballet, in operatic costume, did a scarf dance. The setting on production stage was backed up by a classic ballet drop with transparency sky. The lights included two deep violet open box lamps hitting the bottom of the drop, red borders, lemon floods from the bridge on the whole set. and a white spot from the dome on the violinist (Eight minutes.) Following the news reel came the miniature revue, "Down on the Farm." As heretofore the incident was built around Art Short Subjects "Trolley Troubles" Winkler — Universal Neiv Rabbit Cartoon Type of production. , .1 reel animated Introducing Oswald, a rival to the other animal cartoon stars. And Oswald looks like a real contender, Walt Disney is doing this new series. Funny how the cartoon artists never hit on a rabbit before. Oswald with his long ears has a chance for a lot of new comedy gags, and makes the most of them. Universal has been looking for a good animated subject for the past year. They've found it. As conductor on a "Toonerville'' trolley, Oswald is a riot. This and the two following in the series you can Uook on pure faith, and our solemn weird that they have the goods "Brave Cowards" Cameo — ^Educational Married Mixwp Type of production .... 1 reel comedy Featuring Phil Dunham and Es telle Bradley, this one gets away to a funny start with a dog and cat fieht between the neighbors. The hubby of the woman across the hall is a heavyweight, and so is Phil's wife. Between the two of them Phil has a tough time trying to hold his own. Accidentally he gets the count on th" big fellow, and comes back to his wife a hero. But the big bird revives in time to show Phil up. Just average stuff. "What Women Did For Me" Roach— Pathe Charley Chase at Best Type of production. . . .2 reel comedv The ever versatile Charley essays the role of a bashful professor who has to strut his "brain waves" before a bevy of none too bashful girls. Complications gather momentum when the young prof repairs to a lonely mountain cabin in company with a wax figure to rehearse an easy behavior before the fair sex. In the Landry and his Victor Recording Orchestra. Setting was in full stage, representing interior of barn, with barn backdrop. The ensemble was costumed country fashion. Four lemon floods from dome; lemon foots on production stage; lemon aluminite and red aluminite borders; four lemon and four amber box lamps; lemon and pink side spots. The ballet costumed as chicks did dance to the strains of Herman Finck's "Pirouette." Stage lights remained as at opening, with exception of dome floods which were downel to spots as chicks grouped in center of stage. •Joe Termini, who plays violin, guitar and banjo at impossible angles, played several selections. Blue borders on stage, light am her and flesh pink side spots on orchestra; white spot from dome on Termini; bridges oflf. Walter Smith, basso, sang Berlin's "Russian Lullaby" and was covered by a white spot from dome. "Dainty Miss" was second dance by ballet, which came out as country maids carrying milk pails. Deep blue and light blue borders; bridges also deep blue, with two white floods on ballet from the dome Snow's Harmonica Band then played. Stage lights as preceding number; bridges and dome white floods on Harmonica Band. Termini appearing aprain then closed. Suppe's "Poet and Peasant." bridges and dome As an encore the band played travesty on off with the balance of lights as at opening. end a soothing conclusion — martimony — Ijrings matters to a satisfactory point tor all. "The College Kiddo" Mack Sennett — Pathe College Vamps Type of production. . . .2 reel comedy Campus capers are depicted by Madeline Hurlock as the vamp and Eddie Quillan the sap freshman working his way through college as a laundry boy. Goofy fun, but it furnishes the necessary gurgles. A general mixup occurs before Eddie straightens himself out with his jealous sweetheart. "Capers of a Camera" Hodge Podge — Educational Trick Shots Type of production....! reel novelty Opens with the Hodge Podge trick room, and then shows how the capering camera shoots scenes throughout the world. It furnishes good novelty, with shots of Japan, Germany, Spain, Constantinople and Coney Island. Slow motion and' other tricky technique of the camera furnish a varied assortment of shots that register unique and comedy effects. A light diversion with the scenic angle making for a good fund of entertainment. "Rushing Business" Let George Do It — Universal A Goofy Cop Type of production. . . .2 reel comedy (jeorge starts out for a masquerade disguised as a policeman. The riot [ squad is called to capture a noted bandit, and they press George into service. When the bandit chases him George poses along with a group of police dummies outside of a clothing store. The bandit picks him up and carts him to his home because he wants the police uniform as a disguise. The fun piles up fast from here on, and with one of those lucky breaks that happen in studios, but not in real life, George captures the criminal and wins the reward and the inevitable girl. It has plenty of genuinelv funnv moments. "Red Hot Sands" Fables— Pathe Up to Snuff Type of production. . . .1 reel cartoon Tom Cat, Milt Mouse and Al Falfa pick the land of Egypt as the scene of their adventures. One of the funniest incidents in this exploration is the discovery, by means of snufif, that the Sphinx has false teeth and a wig. Later adventurers bring them to a sheik's castle where they rescue Harem Helen, this exploit entailing the scaling of a pyramid and flight on a crane's back. Excellent drawings and bright ideas embellish the plot. Pathe Review No. 32 Uniqv.e Scenic Shots Type of production..! reel magazine Diversified views of unusual sights and some interesting scenics. The windup affords a kick with a cowpuncher on the Putnam Expedition to Greenland lassoing a young polar bear in the icy waters, and landing the struggling ball of white fur after a tough struggle. Good magazine offering.