Inside facts of stage and screen (September 6, 1930)

PAGE FOURTEEN INSIDE FACTS OF STAGE AND SCREEN SATURDAY, SEPT. 6, 1930 PARAMOUNT THEATRE LOS ANGELES Reviewed A.ugust 28 The first performance of the return of stage shows to this theatre was greeted with a packed house, and in addition had ’em lined on the sidewalks. The augmented Paramount orchestra, with Jules Buffano conducting, played a “Fantasie of Favorite,” and “Paramount song hits.” The latter number brought forth a vocal member of the orchestra, who sang “My Future Just Passed.” The or- chestra was great and Buffano wields a very satisfactory baton. The initial stage show was pro- duced by Busby Berkeley. Opened with a futuristic panorama of New 1 York and featured Ruth Shields, who sang “You Will Fade By and By” in pleasing manner. A neat effect is produced at this point by the lighting and screening of a bouquet which finally reveals a girl’s ballet, featuring Georgia Graves in a balloon dance. This fem looks like the proverbial mil- ion and knows her dancing. Ted Leary came on for some gags that landed heavy, and songs, using Buffano as the foil. This boy is to be held over for a few weeks and should prove a popular m.c. here. Leary introduced Howard, Fine and Howard, comedians in misfit full dress. These boys do a routine of songs and gags that kept the seat holders laughing and brought plenty of returns. The finale was a college locale, first featuring Betty Grabel in a song and neat dance. Then Thacher and Nelson, boy and girl, and a very fast dance team. Closed with the line of thirty-two girls and sixteen boys in one of the trickiest and flashiest dance formation numbers seen in some time. Presentations are back at the Paramount and, we hope, to stay, if the initial show is a fair idea of what is to follow. After all, there is nothing that can quite double for the flesh and blood . Jules Buffano should be a popular leader at this house. His musician- ship is very much in evidence if the maner in which he handled this s'how is a criterion. Ollie Wallace was at the organ. BILLY. R-K-O THEATRE LOS ANGELES (Reviewed August 28th) Dan Russo and the RKOlians started tthe bill with “Rogue Song Fantasy.” Opening the vaude fare was Will Higgie and girls. Higgie started with a soft shoe number and then a slow motion of “The Kid’s Last Fight.” A faster opening would help. Next were four neat looking ferns for a dance and melody routine, with bells on their wrists and ankles. Number was well-received. Outstanding was the leg work. Hig- gie followed with a Russian dance in American tap style. Then the girls in a kick number and toe specialties. Betty Frazier came on for a tap number that got over. Higgie and the girls closed with a fast dance routine that left ’em satisfied. Milo held the deuce spot, dressed in tramp garb, and offering a turn of singing, whistling, talk, and imi- tatipns. The latter were great and brought returns accordingly. Walters and Walters were next, doing one of the niftiest ventrilo- quism acts seen at this house in some time. The male member d^es the tonsil work, using two rummies. Encored for a marionette dance, he showed some neat string pulling. Closing spot brought on Santo and Butler, and a seven piece band. Don Santo should Make an ideal M.C. Had the audience with him all the way with his singing, dancing, com- edy and gagging . Miss Butler’s vocal work was also satisfactory and brought nice results. A little miss named Ruth Roberts, introduced as Santo’s protege, does a neat acrobatic dance. Band was good. Act is a great finish and the patrons liked it. Screen fare was "Ladies Must Play.” MILLION DOLLAR THEATRE LOS ANGELES Reviewed August 28 Bill opened with Earl and Ray, two boys in neat afternoon dress, who started off with songs and dances. Earl did a solo tap number. Ray offered a song and tap to “When You’re Smiling.” Closed with both do- ing a fast tap routine. Encored with some slow gags and a fast dance. Edison and Louise, in Swede makeup, were next. Do a variety of stunts, songs, dances, playing instruments, etc., for very satisfac- tory results. Bob Gilbert and Eileen Schofield held the trey spot. Act opens with Wyn Hammer introducing Gilbert and Schofield, who offered a soft shoe and kicking routine. Next an unbilled blonde did a nifty acrobatic dance, with splits, and overs. Gil- bert and Schofield return with an adagio number that got over. Act is nicely dressed. Next on were Armstrong and Phelps, piano and harmony team. Offered “Good Morning Kentucky,” “Nobody But Me,” “Back in My Old Home Town,” and “Our Dream of Hollywood.” Okay, and classy. Closing spot brought Cowan and Gray, two boys in sailor outfits. Did" a comedy tumbling and dance routine that was good but a trifle slow. Picture was “Love Among the Millionaires,” with Clara Bow. HAMER. RHYTHM-MATIC IDEA LOEW’S STATE (Reviewed Aug. 28). This idea is centered around Harry Kahne, a very remarkable rapid calculator and upside down writer. He gives a demonstration of mental divisioft, or doing several things at the same time, that is amazing. He writes upside _ down and backwards while spelling a word properly. While hanging by his heels he writes upside down the headlines of the paper, interspersing the words with figures, meanwhile carrying on a conversation with the audience, giving states, their Capi- tols and population. The numbers, when added sum a figure previously dictated by the au- dience. If this act is not done by trickery or plant, Kahne is a subject for psychological record. WANTED !! Opportunity for music arranger to connect with A-l corporation-— $2000 required—and must have references. If you’ve got the pep without excuses, here’s a wonderful chance! Phone GLadstone 3404 AL LEICHTER Theatrical Enterprises and Booking Agency 6912 Hollywood Blvd., Suite 325 Hollywood, Calif. EDDIE BROWDER and MAX MILLARD, Associates WANTED—Acts for Theatres, Fairs and Productions. CAN ARRANGE—Routes for Standard Acts and Per- sonal Appearances for Motion Picture Artists Going East. THEATRE MANAGERS and FAIR SECRETARIES:— Consult Us Before Making Your Booking Arrangements The presentation opens with a school room scene, and after the opening number, Jean McDonald enters in grotesque makeup and gives an exhibition of acrobatic and high kick dancing that is excellent. She returns for the finale in ball room gown for another clever rou- tine. Bebe Sherman, assisted by three kiddies, one a colored miss who stopped the show, all dressed alike and all sing “Exactly Like You” with some-clever tap steps. Rube Wolf materially helped the showing by dancing with the kids. Two comically dressed acrobats contributed a bit of throw-about tumbling that was very well execut- ed and won a deserved encore. The line girls’ best offering was a black-out dance in black and white before a black curtain making some grotesque figures and unusual de- signs in their redium effect cos- tumes. Rube and his band, as usual were the best thing on the bill. Jacobs. HIPPODROME LOS ANGELES (Reviewed Aug. 28). The bill opened with “The Wranglers,” cowboy quartet who vocaled four numbers in good voice for an encore. Bass hokes through- out, and gets a laugh with the bari- tone in an imitation of a bass viol. Act drew a good hand. George Green, colored, was in dance, offering an assortment of tap work on skates to appreciation. In trey, Rhoda and Rose, a couple of fem hoofers, go over with some Indian and gypsy steps, and toe dancing strengthened by colorful costumes, and the fact that the girls are pleasing to the optics. One of ’em offered an aero and contortion bit that scored. Neeley Edwards and Bernard Granville, billed as Van and Pierce in the next spot, opened in full with some snappy drunk gags that got plenty of laughs. Then into one for closing with a song and dance. Specter and Peters, were next to shut. Little fellow sings and tall one hoofs in good style. “If We Can’t Be Sweethearts, Let’s Be Friends,” drew a good hand as did “Bye Bye Blues.” They got over with some hoke hoofing with the tall one doing an accentric soft shoe that was very neat. Alexander and Evelyn, jugglers, closed. Fem assists male, who does his work in a bored manner that socks the customers in their funny- bones. Went big. Lupe Velez in “Hell Harbor” on screen. Stuart. R-K-O GOLDEN GATE SAN FRANCISCO Reviewed August 27 Maybe comparisons are odi- ous, but any rate this show stacked up a lot higher than the previous two or three bills, being a fast moving layout with plenty of laughs in each of the four turns. Chief honors went to Marty May, who worked in his own double and then was at the helm of Anatole Friedland’s 12 O’clock revue. May is one of the smartest come- dians who has appeared on the Golden Gate stage. Sometimes he’s a little too smart for those birds who demand a blueprint with every gag newer than the “that’s no lady; that’s my wife” yarn. But at this night show they liked and laughed at his patter, his lack- sadaisical manner of working, the dumb comedy of his neat looknig foil, Jean Carroll, and the musical stuff he delivered. Following May and closing the opera was Anatole Friedland’s mid- night revue. With thte exception of Friedland’s absence and one or twto other changes in personnel, the act is virtually the same as when it appeared at the O’Farrell street house about a year ago. It’s one of thte neatest, clean- est, speediest turns of its type that R-K-O has had on the Coast. May handled the M.C.’s job throughout, working for laughs with Gus Aertel, clever pantomimist. Excellent toe dancing by a plump gal and very good aero work by another of thte group highlighted this episode. Samaroff and Sonia opened; started with Russian stepping and then Samaroff put three beautifully trained dogs through their paces in a brace of good tricks. Ted and A1 Waldman, in blackface, deuced it with a routine of gags, musical saw and harmonica offer- ings, with plenty of laughs injected. Claude Sweeten’s stellar gang of RKOlians, in the pit, did a medley of opera tunes that packed a laugh punch as a closer when Doc Ritter, Ollie Rudd and J. Baglini, in comedy makeup, did a burlesque on “Rigoletto” for heavy returns. Film features included Columbia’s “Squealer” and a Pathe short that ran about 20 minutes. BOCK. ORPHEUM SEATTLE (Reviewed Sept. 1) Tiny Burnett’s orchestra with Myrtle Strong at the console open the show with a pleasing medley of popular songs which include “Singing a Song to the Stars” with vocal honors done by Stan McCune, followed by “It Happened in Mon- terey” as a brass trio for Charles Decker, Sherm Herrick and Don Peterson, and ending with “My Future Just Passed” for a trumpet solo. Very delightfully received. The opener this week featured La Belle Pola, a monkey who dances the Charleston and Varsity Drag, PATRICK — MARSH (AGENCY) VAUDEVILLE—ORCHESTRAS WANTED! ACTS SUITABLE FOR PICTURE HOUSE PRESENTATION AND CLUBS ft WRITE—WIRE—CALL 607-8 Majestic Theatre Bldg., 845 South Broadway, Los Angeles Phone TUcker 2140 Walter Trask WANTS STANDARD ACTS and ENTERTAINERS for THEATRES, CLUBS, LODGES and SMAROFF-TRASK PRESENTATIONS WALTER TRASK THEATRICAL AGENCY 1102 Commercial Exchange Bldg. 416 West Eighth Street Los Angeles Telephone TUcker 1680 AVAILABLE THREE GIRL FRIENDS AND THEIR BAND FEATURING SINGING TRIO 1st Girl Friend Pauline Dugart Viol—Piano*—Director 2nd Girl Friend Vera Palmer Trombone—Piano—Baritone 3rd Girl Friend Lorna Doonemartin Sax, Clarinet, Violin, Guitar MARGARET INGE DOROTHY STEWART MARIS SILVER A BASS, BANJO, VIOLIN, GUITAR SAXOPHONES PIANO, ORGAN MARTHA LINDERSTRAND LEONA SCHULTZ TRUMPET, BANJO DRUMS, XYLOPHONE HEAR THEM ON STAGE MONDAY AFTERNOONS AND NIGHTS ' Wagnon's Embassy Theatre -SAN FRANCISCO-