Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Mar 1932)

March 26. 193 2 Dallas Palace Week ending March 10 Entertainers of the memorable sawdust ring brought to the stage in Fanchon and Marco's "The Big Top," which lacked only the red lemonade to complete the ensemble for a complete circus setting. Even the echoes of the calliope are present as Raymond LaPere leaves the orchestra piano and takes over the organ to do a stirring imitation of the steam calliope. The star of the show was Bee Starr, tiny aerialist, who has been a trouper with both Ringling Brothers and Sells Floto. The climax of her unusually good act is her feat of swinging by one arm and completing more than 80 revolutions to the final accompaniment. The elephants are well trained and Adele Nelson puts the three through a well-appreciated rhumba, followed by a Spanish number with the soloist costumed in bells. The climax is when the clown elephant executes its staggering steps to the tune "How Dry I Am." Lillian St. Leon, in her bareback riding, and Carl Sayton and partner, gymnasts and balancing artists of unusual accomplishment, contribute to the success. Hooper and Gatchett, as the Ringmaster and Rube, respectively, please with their songs, patter and chatter. Hooper, finding the rube peering under the tent's edge, brings back a real touch of bygone circus days. The entire production is one of the best ever assembled for a stage performance. Milwaukee Wisconsin Week ending March 10 Although Fanchon and Marco's "Around the World" Idea is rather ambitious, it is nicely presented. The opening episode presents Harry and Frances Usher, who land from an airplane. Harry does a sleight-of-hand trick with a dollar bill and then the pair proceed to take a flight about the world. The first country visited is England, and Phillis Du Bary does a neat bit of stepping to "All the King's Horses." The band, under the direction of Glenn Welty, is on the stage. The six girls of the chorus are attired in red with red plumes, while the six male members are mounted on dummy horses. The scene shifts to Dixie, and Tex Morrissey Company, consisting of two girls, clown about. The one wears a donkey outfit and dances and clowns about, even crawling out into the audience and hobnobbing with those in the front row. The framed scene behind the orchestra shifts to Ireland and the mixed chorus does its stuff in typical Irish garb of green and white, to the tune of "Anybody Here Seen Kelly?" Mysticism is the keynote of the next episode with India as the setting. The two Ushers again take the stage, Harry swallowing a handful of needles and a length of thread to draw the fully threaded needles out of his mouth, after swallowing a glass of water. Frances is blindfolded and proceeds to name various objects as Harry picks them up from patrons. Conchita Montenegro, headliner, f^ts into the Spanish episode very nicely and offers two Spanish dances in a very capable manner. She makes a little speech between her numbers telling the audience how fine it is to be able to see and hear them after playing to them on the screen. Al Nord plays the banjo and Jeanie dances and wisecracks with Al. He plays "My Little Gypsy Sweetheart" as though played on two banjos and then offers two different selections played at the same time on this instrument. Miss Du Bary again does her stuff in the finale, which is set in France. MOTION PICTURE HERALD Cincinnati Albee Week ending March 18 Very good stage layout headlined by Mitzi Green, juvenile stage star in person. "Three Aces and a Queen" occupy "hello" position in a fast moving casting turn on double horizontal bars, with somersaults from bounding mat. Act works along familiar routine, but is nicely dressed and a good opener. Collette Lyons and George Snyder follow with the girl handling bulk of material, and Snyder a good foil. The team gag and wisecrack accompanied by Miss Lyon's clowning, following which she sings "When We're Alone," playing her own guitar accompaniment. More gags and a vocal number, "Wonderful You" with Snyder joining the chorus for an exit. For an encore, Miss Lyons does a nifty soft shoe dance. Mitzi Green in center position is preceded by a film showing bits from her several pictures. Her entrance was the signal for prolonged applause. After a few introductory remarks, she offers clever impersonations of Arliss, Dietrich, Chevalier, et al., each accompanied by a song, dialogue bit and business typical of the celebrity. For an encore she impersonates Chas. Mack (of Moran and Mack), singing "Sweeping the Clouds Away," then presents "herself" doing a song, "Sing, You Sinners." Little Mitzi could have taken innumerable encores, but the customers had to be satisfied with several bows. Britt Wood, harmonica player, is back again with practically the same routine as previously. After playing "When You and I Were Young, Maggie," plus a jazz number, he gags a bit, but his material, which has done duty for many years, needs modernizing. He then plays "Double Eagle," and "My Hero," the latter number being especially good. For his first encore he plays "Swanee River" for his own dance accompaniment. Second encore finds him in a guitar number with a burlesque on yodeling. Next encore brings a Spanish harmonica air and a jazz tune plus a dance. Refused to take further encores, although could easily have done so. Gracello and Theodore close the show in a three-scene classical turn. Opening scene in full stage, "Song of the Princess," seen through a scrim, shows medieval setting and illumination. Upon awakening of the princess, the principals go into a beautiful adagio dance while two unbilled male and two unprogrammed female attendants sing operatic arias in excellent voices. Act switches to one with special drop with one male and one female voice rendering a bit from "II Trovatore." Third scene in full stage shows jungle setting with gorillas at large. Principals clad in native leopard skins do a classical dance interrupted by the gorillas, which however, are an integral part of the offering, and do not detract therefrom. The interpretive dances are replete with rhythm, and the epitome of grace and precision. Living Music Day Observed Living Music Day was recently observed in San Antonio, Texas, with bands and orchestras playing in many downtown stores. Ernest Hauser, Frank Doyle, George Southall, Edgar and Mack Rogers, Ed Bradford, Ralph Webster, Robert Lee, Eddie See were among the participating musicians. Wheeler, Woolsey To Tour Bert Wheeler, Robert Woolsey and Dorothy Lee, on the Coast, plan to head a musical comedy unit, which will barnstorm in one-night stands over the country, beginning June 1. 73 SLICES er MELLIN By BOBBY MELLIN Max Winslow of the New York office of Irving Berlin & Company was in town, and Mr. Winslow made quite an impression on us Chicagoans. We trust that he will visit us again in the very near future. V Coon-Sanders, the people's choice for president and vice-president, have thrown their hats and musical instruments into the political ring with the announcement they are candidates on both the Republican and Democratic tickets and that the "Knights and Ladies of the Bath" will handle their campaign in Chicago. The Coon-Sanders' ticket is Joe Sanders, the left hander, for president, and Carelton Coon, the right hander, for vice-president. They will establish headquarters at the College Inn in Chicago about April IS and plan to call on the mythical order of the "Knights and Ladies of the Bath" for support. The "Knights and Ladies of the Bath," it was explained, is tlte radio order started by Joe and Coonie during their broadcasting days in Chicago and has as its membership radio fans from coast to coast. In announcing their candidacy Coon-Sanders sent the following wire to the press: "Not to be outdone by other presidential aspirants and confident we will carry the North, South, East and West, not forgetting the good old Middle W est, we hereby throw our hats and musical instruments into the ring for nomination on both the Republican and Democratic tickets for president and vice-president. The Coon-Sanders ticket had its inception at a recent orchestral rehearsal. Coon-Sanders campaign headquarters infill be established soon at the Hotel Sherman in Chicago. The speaking rostrum will be the bandstand of the College Inn. Our supporters will gather there nightly to devise new ways and means of furthering our candidacy. Suggestions for campaign slogans are now in order. Make them short and snappy. Our campaign platform is also open to suggestions. Be liberal in your platform planks as we are out to build a boardwalk to the White House. And voters, I tell you I will rule this country ivith an iron hand and a billiard cue. V Belle Baker has recently returned from Montreal, where she joined Jack Denny to practice for her new radio program over Columbia. Faversham Handles Stock Theatre William Faversham, noted actor, and his wife, Edith Campbell, are directing a dramatic stock company at the Warner Montclair theatre, Montclair, N. J., as a clearing house for Warner talent. Faversham and his wife will also conduct a dramatic school in conjunction with the theatre. Plans New Fan Paper Jim Doyle, former publisher of the PostIntclligencer, Seattle newspaper, announced in San Francisco last week plans for a new motion picture fan publication, The Hollyzvood Star. Printed in newspaper style, a 200,000 circulation goal has been set by Doyle. Rubin, Haley to Play Stanley Jack Haley and Benny Rubin, who recently played in Vitaphone comedies, have been booked for the Stanley in Pittsburgh for the week of April 25. STAGE SHOVS