Inside facts of stage and screen (April 5, 1930)

PAGE FOURTEEN INSIDE FACTS OF STAGE AND SCREEN SATURDAY, APRIL S, 1930 BOB HOPE ‘KEEP SMILING” RKO’ing This Year VERY HAPPY Uaudevitte and *Tresentations MILLION DOLLAR LOS ANGELES (Reviewed March 27) The question, "Does the public want vaudeville?” would seem to have been answered definitely in the affirmative when Noodles Fagan bounced out on the first show of the new vaude policy of the Million Dollar Theatre and asked the customers if they liked the idea of flesh-and-blood artists again. The result was a Niagara of applause, repeated at every show. Fagan acted as m. c., announc- ing each act. The six-act bill opened with the Three Freehands, equilibrists, who goaled ’em from first curtain with thrillers, espe- cially on the pole. Geodge Yeoman and Lizzie in “A Radio Broadcasting Station” did very little broadcasing, just using the set as a background for a line of wisecracks. The act garnered a lot of laughs and more than pleased the customers. Empire Four Quartette held trey spot and registered, offering three novelty numbers for good cmedy returns. The Hadji Ali act gaped the customers, the water swallowing, spouting and fireblowing stunts going over for a panic. A full stage act, well dressed and handled. Noodles Fagan had the next-to- closing, chanting his usual verses with people in the audience for his subjects, and daughter, Mary, com- ing on for her stepping number, then both singing old time songs. They had no trouble selling their time-tried stuff to this first night audience. Sonia closed with her Revue In- ternationale. A full stage act with a European setting, pianist and cellist on stage, assisted by band in pit; pair 6f male hoofers and Sonia, a husky girl, bigger than average for this type of dancing. Her Grenadier number went best, but the audience showed enthusi- asm for the whole act. Screen fare was Paramount’s “Dangerous Paradise,” with Nancy Carroll. Biz was good. Yeates. RKO LOS ANGELES (Reviewed March 27) A four-act bill opened by the 6 American Belfords in their tum- bling and human foot juggling; swift, smooth and went over big. The comedy songologue of Lor- raine Howard and Florence New- ton occupied the deuce spot and failed to hold the enthusiasm gen- erated by the Belfords. They sang “I Get the Blues When It Rains” and “Wedding Bells, When You Ring For Me” mixed with patter. fair to middling; voices poor; clos- ing with medley of old numbers, more patter and a yodel; no call- back at this matinee. Teck Murdock filled the trey spot with a brand new dressing and treatment for his tab “O. Henry” and the crowd went for it. The love racket practiced by the chap with a girl for each night in the week, with his turning out to be a married man after all, and the slick scene changes and per- sonality of the girls, rated the act high in entertainment value. Sets were framed panelwise in a black curtain a short street scene be- tween each interior gave chance for the quick change. Murdock’s long legs came into action fre- quently with the girls in hoofing numbers, and there were a pair of songs, “Nobody’s Using Them Now” and “You’re Just the Girl For Me.” It paid off big. Bill Robinson, headliner, fol- lowed this big act with his single in one, and how he held the spotl He opened with a gag or two then went into his tap dancing, re- vealing all the artistry and ability that made him a headliner. Per- sonality plus finish won applause all through the act, with a big cheer to close. Picture was Radio’s “Delightful Rogue,” with Rod La Rocque. Yeates. ORPHEUM SEATTLE (Reviewed March 30) Four acts of vaude, the standard fare here now, featured Natacha Natova. Tiny Burnett and his R-K-0- lians preceded the stage show with a medley of love tunes that were well done. The group included “What Is That Thing Called Love?” “You Made Me Love You,” “Lover Come Back to Me” and “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love. Baby.” Strong’s interpola- tions on the organ enlivened the orchestral presentation. Tom Lomas and Company (8) opened the bill with an English bit of comedy that started weak but built into an unusual novelty that scored heavily. After some bur- lesque comedy, staged in three be- fore a barnyard drop, the troupe did a routine on stitlts that was a whiz. Six people on the elongated legs paraded around in military garb and formation in a turn that was ingenious. Each pair of stilts was larger than the other, the sex- tet ranging from ten to twenty-five feet in height. The fern in the act sang a bit, “The Big Parade,” to precede this finale. Tyler Mason was strong in the deuce spot for 15 minutes. He WILLS^UNNINGHAM STUDIO OF DAKCING 7016 HOLLYWOOD BOULEVABD GLADSTONE 9602 Professionals Taugbt by Professionals Boutlnes Created and Perfected for Single, Double and Ensemble Dancing Acts Walter Wills Theatrical Employment Agency Talent Booked for Pictures, Vaudeville, Production. Olubs WANTED—Acts Suitable for Vaudeville, Picture House Presentations, Clubs and Talkies AL WAGER (Artists’ Representative) 221 Loew’s State Bldg. Phone VAndike 3619 Los Angelesy Calif. Meiklejohn Bros. ASSOCIATED VAUDEVILLE MANAGERS Fourth Floor, Spreckels Bldg. PhouMi 714 So. HiU St. TRinity 2217, TRinity 221« LOS ANGELES VAUDEVILLE AND PICTURE HOUSE ENGAGEMENTS AVAILABLE FOR STANDARD ACTS worked blackface in one, starting out with a few fast gags that clicked and then going into “Singing in the Rain.” Mason has a nice tenor voice, plenty of per- sonality and showmanship. Some more gags and he went into “Roses of Picardy.” He followed with “Waiting at the End of the Road,” done equally as well as the first two. Trying to beg off with a comedy recitation, he was called back and sang “Mistakes,” again getting over forte. Johnny Sully and Muriel Thom- as worked in one for twelve min- utes with a routine of hokum titled “It and That.” They’ve got some new gags that are sure-fire and know how to sell ’em. After some repartee, Sully did a song gag on “Wild Irish Rose,” with a plant working from the house for lots of laughter. He tapered it off with a fast bit of tap hoofing that smacked of the genuine. After this the fern entered in abbreviated garb and the duo unfurled what they hail as a new jig, “The St. Louis Rhythm.” It sold. A ra- dio station black-out bit closed turn. Natacha Nattova tied things up with a IS minute routine to close the show. She has three men with her who are of material as- sistance . Her first offering was titled “The Kiss of Love and Death,” divided into two scenes, “Valse Variations” and “Agitato.” The setting was exotic, embracing a purple eye with a rich-looking double stairway the only scenery. Both dances were done with grace. G. Banjou offered a flute solo dur- ing the intermission. His bit, done with his head protruding from a hole in the curtain, was “Chant Du Rossignol,” a classic that he did exceptionally well. The act was brought to a close with a futuristic bit of dance, “Ma- chinismo.” For this turn, the set- piece downstage was changed to resemble machinery. The motif of the dance carried out this me- chanical idea, and displayed grace, precision and exactness on the part of Miss Nattova and her three partners. The dance is a quadruple adagio. Heavy applause. Screen attraction was “The Love Racket.” Jean. GOLDEN GATE SAN FRANCISCO (Reviewed March 28) Almost always a capacity house at this, the only vaude theatre in town. With average program pic- tures hardly to be credited for all or most of the draw, it’s natural conclusion that vaude is responsi- ble for pulling in most of the busi- ness and especially so with a good show like this. Lime Trio opened. Featured rubber member of the group has plenty _ of credit coming to him for his excellent contortionistic work and the manner in which his aides throw and bend him around. In the _ deuce Adela Verne, con- cert pianist, opened with her own composition dedicated to Lindy and one for which R-K-0 is in- stituting a name contest. Number over okay, and then she did a classic_ that drew heavy applause, necessitating an encore. Excel- lent piano work. With a bag full of smart cracks, some of ’em broad and some of ’em pretty sophisticated, Bob Hope had no trouble at all scoring with the hoke-loving mob. An unbilled miss helped him out for a few minutes and then Hope worked right into the following act, Harry Webb’s Entertainers. Webb, char- acter comedian, has a band of 10 men, two featured fern dancers and a colored boy who hoofs. All worked up into excellent, fast-mov- ing entertainment with Hope m. c.’ing it and Webb working his comedy stuff throughout. Claude Sweeten and his RKO- lians had a hotter than usual ver- sion of “Tio San,” with members of the orchestra being spot-lighted in solo choruses for heavy re- turns. Picture was Columbia’s “Murder On the Roof.” Bock. LOEW’S STATE LOS ANGELES (Reviewed March 28) The Singers Midgets bring as delightfully a varied act as usual, moving with pep. well dressed and a league leader for the kiddies. The entertainment includes songs and dances, both solo and ensemble, strong man stuff, an act by three of the best trained ele- phants in captivity, etc., etc. Due to the familiarity of show business with the Midgets, a re- view at length is not necessary. It is A-1 stuff for youngsters, with plenty of kick for adults as well. F. A. H. FOX EL CAPITAN SAN FRANCISCO (Reviewed March 30) Deiro was billed all over the town for the week’s show, the heavy publicity on this premier accordionist bringing them into this house while other theatres in town suffered from the hot weather. Five heavy shows this Sunday and each of them packed. Recently refurned from a tour of England, Deiro was accorded more publicity and exploitation than any other feature El Cap. has ever had, and one peep at the lineups outside the theatre showed the heavy draw this chap is here. Stage show got under way with Frank O’Leary and Tessie singing “Year From Georgene,” then stepped out of the line to chant “A Darn Fool Woman Like Me,” displaying plenty of personality and a cute voice. In the second week of the band’s popluarity contest. Jay Brower in- troduced Bob Kimic, who led the boys through a nice arrangement of “Can’t We Be Friends?” the embryo m. c. tossing in a muted trumpet solo and a vocal chorus for good measure. Extra heavy returns that warranted an encore. Connor Twins on to sing “Chant of the Jungle” and “Following You” and to add a little sophisti- cated comedy that was over the customers’ heads. Jay Brower, Pic Smith and Lowell Hawk in the $1 to pay a $2 debt blackout got the laughs. Frank O’Leary next on to sing “Love, Your Spell Is Everywhere” in good voice. Building him up with a neat introduction, Brower then brought on Deiro who started off his offer- ings with “Romeo and Juliet” ov- erture, displaying an accordion technique second to none. Fol- lowed with “Waters of the Min- netonka,” “Serenade,” and closed with “Lx)ver Come Back To Me,” only to be returned for two en- (Continued on Page IS) LYNN YOST Artists 'Manager Telephone ORegon 5071 Address:/Bank of Hollywood Bldg., Corner Hollywood Blvd. and Vine St. c Artists and Acts Register For Theatrical Bookings, Orchestras and Qub Entertiunment IRA F. GAY AGENCY 206 Majestic Theatre B uilding 845 South Broadway FA 3421 Los Angeles