The Film Daily (1928)

THE February 12, 1928 S DWMANSHIP ANALYSES OF SENTATIONtS AT LEADING THEATERS Presentations A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO ALL EXHIBITORS IN BUILDING UP PROGRAMS ,By JACK NARROWER fUL PROLOGUE :OXY BILL HIGHUGHT I age end of the Roxy bill ith "On De Old Steamboat," ofiferi;ig of Forbes Rancntucky Jubilee Choir which for a second week. Set < d a Mississippi steamboat with rigging and smokeMlhouetted. The artists, deckhands, gave a program fd from spirituals to mod' jazz and it went over big. ay and Eleanor Blake vosunshine," which, the prorted, is Irving Berlin's newcontribution. The singers fiositions on the landings of mental stairways flanking The audience did not beibly excited over the song, trpretation came when the --, representing sunbeams, and other numbers grace ^^■ Viennese" was the way show was billed. It started I dark house and a soprano rom what appeared to be a I he entire stage being dark. le another vocalist who pro-ove's Old Refrain," to a companiment by Frederick who was later joined by Hers. This over, the stage sed and on it was a lavish court scene, it appeared. li and Nicholas Daks did il dance stuff and the ballet, ng opera ballet and attired r ingly beautiful colored cosit over a number that was interesting part of the show. ig the performance Harold ee sang "Love Me and the Mine" and then the feaat name faded in. A newsFox Movietone Magazine 1 places on the bill. fcii Kindler Is dyn Strand Feature e ierture selected was "MornMa and Night," played by the ■sti with Sascha Kindler conng Lights for this overture, 1 liik 8 minutes, were as fol alier spot on the director as ltd I, going to flood as he pickj I on. Bridges light blue on CI tains and side; blue foots rodition stage, steel blue stars 0V6 ceiling. Upon conclusion lerj epped down from the stand wei onto the apron of the big a violin solo, Schubert's ria." Lights as follows: spi form done on artist, rest ag^lark. 'emtinued on page 12) Present'O Grams "The Big Parade" (M-G-M) Victor Talking Machine Co. made arrangements to use a large orthophonic machine to play "My Dream of the Big Parade." A soloist sung several numbers that were popular during the war period. A five-piece orchestra played the score for the production. Music was received and orchestra played the special night screening before picture opened. — Earl Shutt, Rialto, Alva, Okla. 1 "The Love Mart" (First Nafl) Stage was dark except for bright light from the wings which was directed to the head and shoulders of two women darkies in plantation attire, carrying cott/On, fend singing southern spirituals without accompaniment. A scrim drop separated them from the audience and produced an effect in harmony with the spirituals. When they had walked across the stage and had completed their songs, Thomas Wade Lane sang "Old Black Joe" with plantation settings. Then the orchestra picked up old southern tunes as the presentation faded into opening of the picture.— John F. Royal, Keith's Palace, Cleveland. "The Patent Leather Kid" (First Nat'l) Gave prologue — or more strictly speaking, an interlude — between the two parts of the picture. It carried along the action and pleased the audience. A brief trailer was tacked on to the end of the first part of the film, explaining the presentation to follow would carry the troops from the training camps to the battlefields of France. On the deck of a steamer, down stage, were seven soldiers who waved their goodbyes to New York as the metropolitan skyline was moved backward while vessels in the upper bay moved forward on tracks. As the city skyline disappeared and the Statue of Liberty was passed the lighted cyclorama gave the effect of the sky meeting the shore. Then a submarine appeared from beneath the water and fired a torpedo at the largest war vessel, sinking it. Four semicircular tracks were built on the forestage. On three of them were ships, giving the impression of distance. On the fourth track was cutout New York skyline which was moved in one direction on the tracks while the ships on their tracks were moved in the opposite direction. — William Epstein, Aztec, San Antonio. ATMOSPHERIC STAGE SET FOR THE CAPITOL BILL The Capitol stage presentation "Dream Garden" opened with an old Colonial set with the Chester Hale Girls in organdie doing a routine that set the atmosphere for the feature; picture. Then Fain and Dunn appeared at rising pianos from the pit, and sang a number. This was followed by Lloyd and Brice, eccentric dancers. Walt Roesner, guest conductor of the stage band, doubled with Billy Taylor in the song, "Keep Sweeping the Cobwebs." Then the Chester Hale Girls were on again in a snappy routine, dressed in smart costumes and carrying canes. Roesner's stage harmonists did their specialty, "The Jazz Wedding," which was as good as anything on the program, and scored some real merriment. John Maxwell was held over from last week, doing his novelty act with a double costume and featuring his double register. First he sang as a tenor, standing sidewise to the audience and revealing a soldier costume. He switched to soprano as he turned his other profile to audience, revealing a costume of a prima donna. His dual voice stunt continued to win a big hand. The overture was selections from "La Gioconda." Stage Stuff at Rivoli Is Merely So and So One of those things at the Rivoli again. The stage stuff is the mildest sort of material. First the overture, then the news reel, then a flash called "The Chinese Plate" in which Olive Hutchinson sings "Chinese Lullabye," Edward Molitore, "The Cherry Blossom" while Renee Wilde does some toe work. All right. England Fears Presentations? London — M. Greene, in discussing the new movement of chains to buy and build, states that when "the link of picture houses throughout the country becomes a reality, a double form of entertainment will be adopted and films will be slowly, but surely, eliminated, and the successful kinema, must, of necessity, be the one which entirely disregards its films for the sake of presenting the most attractive acts of variety." I^ Box Office Prescriptions MURRY LIVINGSTON Creator of Box Office Builders BARRFX O' FUN and PACKAGE PARTY Phone me at SPRinK 4613 Write me at 339 Lafayette Street, N. Y. C. SOPHIE TUCKER HAS A T 'AT HOME' The show at the Paramount was dedicated to a "Welcome Home" week to Sophie Tucker, as far as the stage end of the entertainment was concerned. They built the whole works around her, Sophie furnishing a good solid foundation. By way of introduction to the headliner, the 6 English Tivoli Girls did their precision stuff in male attire. They were the only classy number on the bill. The rest was given up to Sophie and her intimate rock-'em-and-sock'em chatter and patter. It's great vaudeville material, but whether the act will hit so hot in other cities on Publix time is a question. Some of her quips have too much paprika for family trade. The best of her five numbers was "Tall, Dark and Handsome," working it with a telephone gag, with a man on the other phone up back stage behind a scrim giving the questions which Sophie kidded. Sophie's son, Bert, came on before his mother and did some hoofing that was of the routine order. Lou Kosloff had little to do as the master of ceremonies, with Sophie running the show. The feature was "Her Wild Oat," with a Pathecolor novelty short, "Rhyme of Running Waters," the outstanding artistic bit on a hip-hip-hooray bill. Bookijig Big Names Loew's circuit is continuing to line up big presentation names, with services of a number of leading artists being negotiated. Steuidfud VAUDEVILLE Tor Motion PiolMre Preienlatlon The FALLY MARKU8 VAUDEVILLE AGENCY Lackawaona 7876 »s:« I^OADWAY, NEW YOBK CITY r-— — AMALGAMATED VAUDEVILLE AGENCY Attractions for Picture Theatres Standard Vaudeville Acts 1600 Broadway, New York City Phone Penn. 3580