Inside facts of stage and screen (February 7, 1931)

Saturday, February 7, 1931 INSIDE FACTS OF STAGE AND SCREEN Page Eleven SITTIN’ WITH THE PUBLIC Presentations (Continued from Page S) LQEW’S STATE LOS ANGELES (Reviewed Feb. S) Larry Ceballos started the idea oft this week with a Western Main Street set so warm in color it had the inviting appearance of an open fireplace and log's cheerily crack- ing of a cozy winter’s evening. His ■Albertina Rasch girls in white booties, red skirtics and black hat- ties—a la sombrero—were strik- ing. Good personalities every one, but that is an old story about the Rasch girls. Bee Ho Grey picked up where the dance left off with a knife- throwing, rope spinning and banjo playing routine that kept interest where it should be. Grey’s drawling comments, .on the prospects of his assistant living through the knife- throwing bit collected big. The Rasch girls came on with another number that for style and rhythm was just as shapely as the gals who did it. Jimmie Ames, a tall lanky cowhand with a smile and a reticence of gesture that radi- ated good fellowship of a kind that dynamites for applause. He han- McCOWN S 5 aNCING F 577 Geary St. San Francisco Franklin 2562 Acrobatic, Stage, Tap, Rhythm, Ballet and Ballroom Dancing Routines for the Theatrical People Private Lessons By Appointment Children's Classes Saturday, 11 Young People’s Clases, Eves., 8 to. 11 dies a song in a way that wins an I audience with ease. The faked-su- 1 icide - to - find - out-which-one-of-us- I she-loves-most-bit was next for a i roar. Chief Eagle Feather came on for a song and a neat tap routine. Unique ■ceremonial dance offered novel contrast to smart hoofing. It was good 1 ndian and good enter- tainment. Ed and Morton Beck, with their window cleaner song, handled a-la musical comedy and followed by a semi-burlesque on “Song of the Fool,’’ which was class material properly spotted. These boys arc headed right. The Hutchins for a bit of tipsy clowning, and the way the girl handles the stagger routine is a treat. A bobbin’ red-head who hoofs as well as she clowns marion- ettes, a dancing routine that is smart and comical all the way. The high spot in this teams’ perform- ance, though, was the syncopated burlesque on saving the old home- stead. It was a gem and artistic- ally handled. The offering closed with the usual grand finale of girls and tal- ent but embellished by four white ponies racing on the treadmill. Just another great Fanchon and Marco Idea. NEW LOS ANGELES Stage Presentation (Reviewed Feb. 1) A lot of thought, time and effort went into the '.staging of the presen- tation for the Chaplin premiere. All one needs to do is glance over this roster of talent and the fact speaks for itself. From Chauncey Haynes, the organist, through the TED HENKEL MUSICAL PRESENTATION CONDUCTOR AND DIRECTOR CAPITOL THEATRE Sydney, Australia Pit Orchestra of 30 Stage Band of 20 N. Y.—STAGE and DANCE DIRECTOR and PRODUCER—L. A. (FACULTY—Bud and Gladys Murray, Byron Cramer—(BALLET)—Mary Frances Taylor PRACTICAL DRAMATICS AND STAGE DANCING TAP, Off-Rhythm, “Modernized” BALLET & Acrobatics Only AUTHORIZED '‘Bay District Branch-” — JANICB SPRAGUE SCHOOL, 127 Marine St., Ocean Park—Tel. Santa Monica 63145 ‘THE ORIGINAL MURRAY SCHOOL’ OF NEW YORK. CHICAGO AND LOS ANGELES Three Phantoms, The Rangers and A1 Short, great musical director whose reputation for delivering en- tertainment is nation-wide the pres- entation, though brief, sparkled big time. The Three Phantoms put across an adagio routine that worked as gracefully as figures strung from wires. They handle ail the tricks with the ease of movement that spells artistry. The Rangers sing- ers, recently playing RKO, were well spotted and blended into this almost spectacular presentation for an enormous hand. Great voices and personalities and should go far. Chauncey Haynes, who has always been heard from in big-time organ circles, Was hidden away as far as spot was. concerned. He should be doing a solo. GRAUMAN’S CHINESE LOS ANGELES (Reviewed Feb. 3) For variety, color, flash and tal- ent. the “Trader Horn'’ picture is augmented, stage and pit, by a se- lection of artists hard (o' beat. George Stoll held the baton throughout and how he handled the musical end of this display is some- thing to write home about. From the “Ebony in Blue” overture right through every number of the stage show he met the demand on his orchestra’ with the ease of a Dam- rpsch and a Whiteman. And be- lieve the reviewer, the demand on Georgic \v»s all the way from sym- phony to jazz and it had to be clas- sical both ways. And did that or- chestra respond? Don’t ask fool- ish questions. “Rhapsodic in Black,” presented by Fanchon and Marco, featured the Norman Thomas Quintette, of which, more later. This Fanchon and Marco outfit have the art of staging things pleasing to the eye right under their thumb. Whether it is a Rhapsody in Blue, Black. Green or Light Pink, they are equal to the job, and can always be re- lied on to deliver the unusual and unique. No matter how old an idea is basically, when F. & M. start to work on it, it always takes on the breath and color of some- thing entirely new. The Etude Ethiopian Chorus were uniformly oclored as any ensemble of brownsknis it has been the pleasure of this reviewer to see. As for dancing, their soul swaying rhythm has the background that accelerated thais F. & M. opera to a finale that whammed. LeRoy Prinz certainly belongs to the roy- alty of stage show producers'. Laura Smith—wotta blues singer that baby is—brought on James Johnson on a stretcher for an ec- centric acrobatic routine that held the payee’s eyes front for the whole going and a swell hand. Johnson is one of the big stand-outs of this, great show. Edith Spencer—get this, -folks—must be .been to be ap- preciated. What that gal hasn't got in the way of IT. THAT and all the other things that entertain, isn't in the book. You’re going to hear that Edith Spencer voice from big- ger. stages than Grauman’s Chinese and this is no idle guess. * Elbrown, featured artiste in so many showis, with a voice that has won atten- tion in a big way, hasn’t got enough to do in this show to properly bring her out. Now we come to Norman Thom- as Quintette. Here is the outfit LeRoy Prinz saved for the big time finish. Picture this for the grand finale. Laura Smith, James John- son, Edith Spencer and Elbrown, backed by Norman Thomas Quin- tette and thirty, dancing beauties, a Fanchon & Marco jungle setting, and Freddie Crump, ace comedy drummer, starting his off-rhythm tap at the cymbals and darting tap- pity-tap, over, under, around and through the entire ensemble, and landing back at the drums for the final tap, as sixty people hit the last note enmasse. PARAMOUNT THEATRE LOS ANGELES (Reviewed Feb. S) “Birds of a Feather,” the New York show this week, was highly flavored with the essence of mu- sical comedy. It was a bit light on comedy but heavy and punchy with talent and entertainment. The of- fering moved smoothly and stood out as a nice balance to the Clara Bow opus on the screen. Oscar Baum’s “Impressions of the Opera” was delivered in a way that entitles him to ace spot atten- tion from all who like good music. Con Maffie scored heavily with “Station Joy,” Arnaut Brothers are keen showmen and slipped their imitations and musicalizatipn across with the case that never fails to please. Stelia Power, and Miriam Nax are not overbilled when they arc called “glorious song.” They are that. The Four Carlton Brothers de- liver the nicest routine of work in their line that it has been- the pleas- ure of this reviewer to see in some time. Great showmen and their style particularly suited to “Birds of a Feather” idea. Costuming and routines by the Fred Evans girls were no improvement over what we have seen his girls deliver before because it would be difficult to im- prove on this boy's staging. An all round good show. PARAMOUNT SAN FRANCISCO (Reviewed Feb. 1) Spending about $75,000 on this former Publix stand, Fox West Coast has made it one of the most pretentious picture houses in the city and the home of long run flickers. Most noticeable improve- ment is that the Par no longer has that cold atmosphere that once characterized it, heavy wine-colored: draperies and carpets doing much to warm up the place. House is done in a- colorful -Spanish motif with beaucoup tapestries and paint- ings, neat but not gaudy. .. Class throughout. As flesh entertainment Par had Jan Rubini on stage with an 18- piece concert orchestra, a neat , or- ganization ably handled by the vio- linist-director. As musical piece de resistance Rubini batoned the or- chestra in his own arrangement of Viennese melodies, highspot of the offering coming when Adeie Crane (Mrs. Rubini) vocalized one of the numbers in nice voice. For a sec- ond contribution Rubini stepped out on the apron to violin “I Love You Truly,” selling it heavily for the maximum returns. Stage had a spe- cial drawing or music room setting and looked neat from the front. With “Morocco” as the screen at- traction and all the attendant bailv on a reopening, business was ca- pacity. A figure of around $32, 000 ought to be a cinch for the week. A Ben Blue comedy, “One Big Night." and other features rounded out the show. Dick Spier is man- ager. Artistic Scenic Advertising Curtains By Far the Best in America : CURTAIN PRIVILEGES BOUGHT FOR CASH OR SCENERY Chas. F. Thompson Scenic Co. 1215 Bates Avenue - Phone OLympia 2914 Hollywood, Calif. VILLAGE HOTEL Making Special Low Theatrical Rates Wire, Write, Phone for Reservations 5724 Sunset Blvd. Hollywood, Calif. WANTED VERSATILE EIGHT-PIECE BAND BOYS THAT CAN DOUBLE COMMUNICATE IMMEDIATELY To 1515 Silver Lake Blvd. Telephone MO. 17195 Late of New York Stage Hit “SHUFFLE ALONG” Featured in Prologue at CHINESE THEATRE And Doubling at Frank Sebastian’s Cotton Club, Hollywood