Motion Picture Herald (Apr-Jun 1931)

50 MOTION PICTURE HERALD May 9 , 19 3 1 €12© AN SCLCS "MAC BRIDWELL (San Antonio RKOMajestic) is now the new solo organist of the Majestic. He offered the slides: A novelty arrangement on "If I Had a Girl Like You," "Walkin' My Baby Back Home," a parody on "East Side-West Side," new number, "We Can Live On Love" ; travesty on "Vagabond Lover" ; "Smile, Darn Ya, Smile" ; "Sunny Side of the Street" ; and closed with "Happy Days Are Here Again," which is the theme song for the city administration and election day is May 12. Bridwell received a nice hand though patrons were not quick to sing with his slides. ARLO HULTS (New York City RKO 86) presented this week a pleasing little novelty introduced as "It's Time to Sing," and sing they did. Opening with a special lyric version to "99 Out of a 100" and then orally explaining the next number, which is "Three Little Words," with missing words to Be filled in by the audience, Hults then played "When Your Lover Has Gone," "When I Take My Sugar to Tea" and two more special choruses of "99 Out of a 100." Every one in the audience sang and apparently enjoyed the solo. MILTON HERTH (Hammond, Ind., Paramount) presents his usual "unusual" organ solo this week, entitling it "Organ Varieties." He incorporates novelty, classics and community singing in these presentations and has been and is doing very well with them. His opening numbers, "Flapperette," "Estellita" and "Song of the Bayou," all played as straight spotlight numbers, were worthy of the tremendous hands awarded him after each number. These were followed by three singing numbers, "Take My Sugar to Tea," "Dream a Little Dream" and "One Little Raindrop." Applause was so good that an encore was rated, so Herth played "99 Out of 100" and "Walking Baby Back Home," with the audience joining in by singing. Herth, incidentally, has the unusual faculty of being able to "sell" a classic or ballet as well as having the most distinctive style of "hot" organ "jazz" this reviewer has ever heard. The singing and ovations he receives prove him a decided feature of the programs of this house. MR. AND MRS. JESSE CRAWFORD (New York Paramount). For the first time in nearly a year Mrs. Crawford joins her husband in presenting a twin organ concert. The program consisted of but three numbers, but this team presented them in an entertaining manner and the audience proved their appreciation by more applause than usual. Mr. Crawford opened the solo with a fine rendition of the new waltz, "Beautiful Love," and followed with an entertaining new novelty song called "Pop-Eye," for two or three choruses. A pleasing atmosphere was lent to the number by the use of a comic strip of Pop-Eye in E-Fect slide form. Mrs. Crawford, seated at the twin console, played the opening bit of "Lonely Cavalier" as a slide announced that she and Leo Robin were the authors of it. She soloed the number as Jesse watched from the opposite console. The second chorus was played by both as Pierce O'Hearn sang through a megaphone for the finish of the program. RUSS HENDERSON (Worcester, Mass., Plymouth) introduced a cleverly written organ presentation this week, entitled "FanMail," and besides incorporating good singing songs, Russ presented letters in slide form that proved highly amusing and entertaining. These letters appeared on the screen in hand-written form and some of them had the oddest requests and "lines" this audience has ever seen. The singing numbers Henderson chose were: "Falling in Love," "Something to Remember You By," "Blue Again," "Tears" and a final chorus of "Smile Darn Ya Smile." This solo was well played, ably presented and proved very entertaining. RON AND DON (Philadelphia Fox) presented a program of community singing numbers, but didn't seem to be able to get this audience in the mood to sing this week, though it has usually. The program consisted of their singing and playing of "I'm Alone Because I Love You," "Sing Song Girl,'' "You're the One I Care For," and "Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone." The boys play a good organ, or rather two good organs, and the audience, though reluctant to sing, nevertheless pnioved the beys. GERTA GALE (Joplin, Mo., Paramount). Miss Gale, who has been at this house for some time, this week presented another of her highly entertaining and original organ novelties. This one is entitled "Krazy Musical Friends." This week she gets away from the usual singing stunts and ofTers a well played solo of three numbers, namely, "Piccolo Pete,'' "The Peanut Vendor" and "Kitten on the Keys." As Miss Gale played the first number, a character of "Piccolo Pete" lit up from a shadow bo.x that was placed upon the organ. For the background of "Peanut Vendor," a shadow of the vendor and his wagon appeared as Miss Gale interpolated whistle effects as she played this difficult number. As the last number was played, it was illustrated in the same manner, with the addition that during the playing of the last few bars, all three characters appeared and were lit up with flood lights, making the shadows appear very grotesque. Miss Gale's originality, showmanship and fine playing are going a long way in building up big popularity for herself. KEN WRIGHT (Green Bay Orpheum) presented a timely community organ novelty, entitled "Baseball," which seemed to fit the public interest very well, .\ddressing the audience direct, Wright informed them that song-hits were to be used as base-hits, and with a cleverly worded dialogue requested them all to make home-runs. The solo opened with gags fitted to "Wabash Blues," "Running Between the Raindrops," and "Smile Darn Ya Smile." Wright receives requests from the patrons each week and always builds his programs to fit these. This week the songs used were: "If I Could Be With You," "Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone," "Moonlight On the Colorado," "Dream a Little Dream of Me" and some parodies on "Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean" and "Just a Gigolo." The solo closed with "Smile Darn Ye" and this audience doesn't just smile, it laughs and has a real good time. Everyone joins in the singing and the applause is always very good. Hello Everybody Due to the recent "let-down" of employees by the, so many, music publishers in the past week or so, everyone who is still working are "on their toes" and can hardly find time to eat before getting back to their respective offices. Charlie Gordon of Santly's says, "The only reason they even take time to eat is "from hunger'." . . . That's a favorite expression of his. . . . Rudy Vallee's nose is out of joint this week over at the Brooklyn Paramount, due to the personal appearance of Buddy Rogers who is not only packing them in the house but for blocks around the theatre. . . . The irony of it all. . . . All these beautiful (and not so beautiful) girls striving for a glimpse of their suppressed desire and he with his stage smile bowing to them, etcetera, while his mind is probably miles away . . . and not really seeing any of them. . . . ▲ A A Joe Decatur, advertising manager for Leo Feist, Inc., is muchly enthused over the many responses that the first broadcast of "Moonlight Saving Time" brought and is bringing. . . . The song was first introduced the day "Daylight Saving" went into effect and it is timely. . . . It's a great summer tune, is cleverly handled and the tune itself is a "darb." . . . Incidentally Harry Richman and Irving Kahal are the authors. . . . The newly formed corporation of Mills Dance Orchestras, Inc., has established itself permanently in spacious quarters located in the Mills building. . . . This corporation has under its wing some of the most famous colored orchestras in the world. . . . Among them. Duke Ellington and his Famous orchestra. Cab Calloway and his Missourians, Russell Wooding and his Red Caps, Mills Blue Rhythm Boys and King Carter and his orchestra. . . . AAA Charles Miller, president of the Miller Music, Inc., is happy over the firm's acquisition of the sole and exclusive publication rights for the forthcoming Ziegfeld Follies. . . . The score will be written by Harry Revel, Mack Gordon, Ben Trivers, Jack Murray and Ben Oakland. . . . Mr. Miller will personally supervise the making of the orchestrations, having acted in a similar capacity for Mr. Ziegfeld for the past twenty vears. . . . AAA Bill Wiemann, sales manager for Marks Music Co., has just returned from an enjoyable and profitable trip to Havana. . . . He was accompanied by Mrs. Wiemann, who has been his constant travelling companion since their marriage four years ago. . . . Mrs. Wiemann was formerly secretary to Mr. Edward B. Marks and still retains an active interest in the business. . . . Carl Rond, former organist in Battle Creek, Mich., and Youngstown, Dhio. passed away a few days ago. . . . We extend our sympathy. . . . Katharine Kaderly, former organist at the Met, Brooklyn, and lately "Jackie" of the organ team of "Jackie and Jean" at the Paramount Denver, has been teamed up with Don Baker, who was house organist at the Brooklyn Paramount, for the twin console job at the Staten Island Paramount which "Betty and Jean" are vacating for the summer. . . . Russ Henderson, organist at the Worcester, Mass., Plymouth was in town for a few days and is now back on the job up in Worcester. . . . Well S'long. . . .