Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Mar 1932)

February 27, 1932 MOTION PICTURE HERALD 69 MUSIC AND TALENT iiiiiiiiii STAGE $H€W« WILL OAKLAND STAGE SUCWS New York Capitol Week ending February 25 The stage-show, "Cuban HoHday," devised and staged by Chester Hale, under Mr. Louis K. Sidney's personal supervision, featured Arthur Tracy, popularly known to radio fans as "The Street Singer." It is without a doubt one of the most fast-moving and entertaining shows put on here for some time. The show opened with a novel set, that of two scenes in one. One side of the stage was a beach set with eight Chester Hale girls and four boys in bathing attire and the other half a typically Cuban setting with eight girls and four boys in Spanish dress. During the first number, which vras played by the orchestra in the pit, the two sets of dancers did different routines. The three Gobs, colored hoofers, followed with a routine of tapping that was outstanding, from both a showmanship and dancing angle. The boys have added a number of new steps to their routine and they certainly put their act over. The next scene, a full stage set commonly known as a "dive" scene, had most of the company in gaily colored costumes as background for the "hootch" and rumba dancing of O'Hanlon and Zambuni. Following this. Jack Reid depicted in song the life of "Minnie the Moocher" with the girl of the aforementioned team playing the part of "Minnie.' A dramatic close for this scene is enacted by Jack Reid, suported by the entire ensemble, when he sings "Glad When You're Dead, You Rascal You," as O'Hanlon and Zambuni do a rough and tumble apache, in which "Minnie" is shot at the finish of the song and dance. This part of the show was the most outstanding and received the most applause. Arthur Tracy, the Street Singer, with a piano accompanist and a microphone, enters to a load of applause and goes into the singing of popular numbers which have made him so popular with radio listeners. His program consisted of "When I Find You're Gone," "If I Were King," "Call Me Darling," (this one in English and German) "Now That You're Gone," and an encore of "Eli, Eli." The applause after each song was tremendous, and as far as this audience was concerned, Tracy could have stayed on indefinitely. The Picchiani Family of seven men entertained (for a certain length of time with spring-board antics and acrobatics, but this reviewer could see no reason for their being in the show at all. The show closed with Arthur Tracy singing "Cuban Love Song," as the dance team and the Chester Hale girls and boys offered snappy dance routines. Show caught Friday afternoon. Firm Checks Effectiveness Of Sponsors' Radio Programs Radio Network Surveys, Inc., conducts a unique service in the checking of commercial radio programs for the sponsors. The organization, employing 300 "broadcast reporters," concentrating on 174 stations of NBC and CBS, check all factors affecting the commercial value of the broadcast. Data on popularity of programs, receiving conditions, station ranges and other matters is recorded and analyzed. The service operates seven days each week. Popular radio star and owner of "Will Oakland's Terrace," he is now president of the Willow Music Publishing Company, New York. Mr. Oakland has been in the theatrical business for the past 25 years, making a name for himself in every phase of it. His nightly radio broadcasts over stations WOR and WMCA, from his "Terrace" have resulted in a nation wide popularity. So many requests for the singing of his own compositions have come in from his fans that Will decided on going into the music publishing business, himself, instead of placing them elsewhere. He has engaged the best help available and the five good songs he has to start with will get him off to a good start. Station WINS Increases Time On Air in Succeeding Months During February, Station WINS, owned and operated by the American Radio News Corporation, New York, will sign off at 7:45 P. M. instead of at 7:30 as in January, by authority of the Federal Radio Commission. Time is increased^ during each succeeding month. WINS is operated with a new type of broadcasting equipment, according to W. H. G. Finch, chief engineer of the company. The system consists of two units, so compact that they occupy only slightly more than 12 feet of floor space. One unit is the transmitter, capable of broadcasting with a power of 100 watts ; the other an amplifier, capable of bringing the station to its licensed power, 500 watts. Publix Signs Dancer Hinda Wausau, dancer, will be featured for a period of 34 weeks over the Publix circuit. Her first appearance is set for the Minnesota in Minneapolis, February 26. San Francisco Fox Week ending February 16 With Frank Jenks as master of ceremonies, Fanchon and Marco present their "Five Races Idea" at the Fox, and right good entertainment it proves, although one does miss the Sunkist Beauties and the usual elaborate tableaux. Jenks is no newcomer to San Francisco, having been seen here before as band director and master of ceremonies, and gets a good hand as soon as he comes on the stage. He is a show in himself, but has a lot of assistance and a well rounded bill is offered. The five races turn out to be divisions of the human family, with white, Indian, Negro, Japanese and Hawaiian represented. They present their turns in a novel stage set featured by a huge globe above the orchestra, from which the performers appear. The red race is represented by Chief Clearsky, the "Indian Al Jolson," who sings and dances well. He tells the story of being accused in a theatre lobby of being an impostor and merely painted for the part. He laughs when he confides that the girl had paint on "a half an inch thick." The Hawaiian race is represented by the Adams Sisters, but the color of their skin suggests that they might have come from Sweden. Still, they do well with their guitars and grass skirts. Glenn and Jenkins, old vaudeville favorites, do their sweeping act and cavort around with brushes and brooms like a couple of floor flushers. Their act has a lot of new gags and gets over in a big way. The Kanazawa troupe of Oriental tumblers provides a lot of thrills and captures headline honors. Their work as foot jugglers is especially fine and is all the more amazing in that a young man takes the place of the usual barrel or box and is thrown around as such. Jenks is well known as a player of the trombone and demonstrates that he still has his oldtime skill, mixing in a little music with his fun. He comes on frequently throughout the show and as the curtain goes down is seen spinning around on the upturned feet of one of the nimble Japanese performers. San Antonio Majestic Week ending February 17 Kluting's Animal Stars, consisting of 15 or so of rabbits, dogs, pigeons and cats, reach a climax when the cats leap to and from a prop ascension balloon. The Forum Boys' Chinese number and their medley of popular airs are well received. The speed and personality of the quartet proved a big asset. Beth and Betty Dodge do a classy song, dance and whistling act, assisted by Kent and Allen, hoofers. The girls open with an oldfashioned song-dance number, following with their French and German numbers. The boys offer taps. The bird-whistling-dance finale is colorful Sammy Cohen is preceded by a short trailer on his motion picture performances. His hokum impersonation of Al Jolson, burlesqued boxing match and a comedy snake dance prove winners. An attractive girl, introduced as the missus, comes on for two songs and to assist in the gags. The feature picture was "Ladies of the Jury."