The Billboard 1924-06-14: Vol 36 Iss 24 (1924-06-14)

me Ry oe ee eee, aot a ene Aa Ml a em The Billboard JUNE 14, 1924 REVIVAL OF “TESS” HAS STRONG APPEAL Florence Kane Scores in Title Role — Specialty of Violet Bryant Is Outstanding Feature “Tess of the Storm Country’ won her way into the hearts of a large audience Thursday night, May 5, at Constance, Ky., as presented on the Bryant Showboat, the fifth floating theater to play at that Ohio River landing this season. As we crossed on the ferry from the Ohio side of the wide stream nature was eloquent with the sun setting behind the sleeping hills. Some of the planets gleamed thru collecting clouds about show time, but this splendor diminished before the performance was over and the audience filed off the boat in a severe wind and rainstorm which threatened destruction for a time. The revival of ‘‘Tess’’ was great stuff. Few other old-time plays could have aroused more interest Thursday night than ‘Tess’, which was released to the Bryants by Sanger & Gordon, of New York. To be sure, this favorite piece dies down for a period of a few years, but there is always a revival. There is a strong something within it that will probably never die. It would be repetition to relate the tale here. Florence Kane gave an artistic performance of the title role and made a pathetic little figure in the first act when she begs them not to take her daddy away for the murder of Don Gordon, the game warden, of which he is not guilty. It was a big scene and tears flowed thruout the auditorium. Billy Bryant played the kind-hearted minister, Graves—saintly, yet possessing a virile human touch when wrong was to be righted. Violet Bryant, as Mrs. Longman, hac never been seen by the writer to imbue a character with her sweet personality more than in this play. ‘*Mother’’ Bryant, as she is affectionately known, looked charming and aristocratic in a black georgette jet-beaded gown, adorned by a_ brilliant ornament at the waist line, and a brilliant head ornament for her numbers, *‘You're the Kind of a Girl Men Forget’, ‘Old Pal oe Mine’ and “That Dear Old Lady’, with a **Mother’’ recitation of her own composition, all of which were beautifully rendered and loudly applaused. Vice Faust played the comedy role of Eben and his droll remarks hit the bull'seye for laugh‘er, as did his specialty of hokum patter and comicalities with the violin. For an encore he played the handbells and exited amid applause. Captain Sam Bryant, who has retired as advance representative, for this season at least, in favor of Clyde 0. Gamille, is now powdering his nose for the character role of Mr. Skinner, father of ‘“Tess'’, and we were surprised at his fine work. Josephine Bryant played Teola Graves, whose big scene—in which she confesses that the child ‘‘Tess’’ had cared for to protect her from disgrace is her offspring—comes in the last act, when the clouds are cleared away and ‘*Tess’’ becomes loved by all as she ought to be. There is no better way of knowing a “heavy” is making an impression than to hear the people, particularly the children, That's exactly what hapned to Ben Letts, as played by Ben Landers, also doubled in the part of Mr. Graves, specialty hiss. Tt minister’s father. Violet Reynolds, with cupid-bowed lips, Was seen bri¢ fly as a maid 4 for a specialty rendered ‘Louisville Lou” No, Nora*’, in which she danced the c The stunts of Harry DeCleo on the Roman rings proved entertaining. Betty Bry nt, two-and yld daughter of Mr. and Mrs. } Nellie Kane, near + four-year-old daughter of Florence Kane, nok are of the laurels with their nging and d ng specialties, in d air ral grac for ly at trica ringing up must b resp T 2 r j their bow before the caicium . ghee «6 ecvern weeks azo and th , aren r | ft Pr increasing cleverness. Mra. Prvant a also pianist, is schooling Bet‘y further t art of terpsichore, while little Nellie, very ladylike for ber youthfulness, is always learning new catchy singing bits. It is only (COMMUNICATIONS TO OUB CINCINNATI OFFICES) natural, tho, that these little mites play with rag dolls and stick their finger in the pudding in the cookhouse like any other kiddies. Rufus Husk is drummer. JIMMIE LONG. SPEECHES, GIFTS AND FLOWERS AT CLOSING The Abbott Stock Company closed for the summer at Everett, Mass., May 31. The members were called on the stage at the end of the second act for a speech and all responded. The audience joined with the players in the lively farewell party. Maisie Cecil, widow of the late Harden Klark, made an address in which she thanked Everett playgoers for their support, saying thot in all her experience in the theatrical business she had never found a city where the people were so kind, considerate and as chummy as they were there. After her talk an usher bore down upon the s‘age with a beautiful basket -f flowers and other presents for their favorite actress. Miss Cecil will remain in Everett for a few weeks to settle the es‘ate of her husband, after which she will go to New York. Other members of the company scattered for the summer to other jobs, and it is certain that many of them will return to the Abbott Company when it reopens Laber Day. RIPPEL SHOW RUNS INTO SNAG IN REMINGTON, VA. ——— Chas. A. Rippel, Jr., wrote from Calverton, Va., under date of June 3, as follows: “The Rippel Bros.’ Show, having played Remington, Va., several times in the past ten years, ran up against a snag on its last visit, week of May 12. Manager Gus Rippel wrote to the Mayor of Remington in regard to the license for one week for a vaudeville show, and the reply came back that the license was $10 a week. After the show played four nights (having lost two on-account of rain), the town sergeant presented th» license Saturday night calling for $40 doliars for the four nights, or $10 a night. Mr. Rippol showed him the Mayor’s letter callin~ vor $10 for the week. He brought the Mayor to the show grounds and the Mayor's alibi wa: that he did not mention in his letter that a ball tcam was carried with the show. The show has 2lwuys played « game in Remington and nothing was said, but no gambling games were tolerated. "\ were never treated better in any town we have played than we were by the majority of the people in Reming ton. “TED” NORTH LEAVING KANSAS FOR NEBRASKA The ‘“‘Ted’’ North Players begin a ten weeks’ tour of the larger towns in Nebraska, following the current week-stand engagement at Concordia, Kan., in which State the company has played since the opening at Hol'on May 21. At the latter place the company is said to have played to the largest business that any North company ever played to there, turning hundreds away on the opening night. pany is under the “Ted” North, who The commanagement of a part in the personal only plays opening bill. The leads are handled by Marie Peters (Mrs. ‘“Ted'’ North) and James L. Blaine. The acting cast, under the direction of Barney Wolfe, includes, besides those mentioned, Coburn and Pearson, Jack and Betty Cortland, Ruth Kackley Edwards, W. Alvin Wallace, Fred and Babe Faunt Leroy, Homer L. Chaffee and wife, Jerry Barnes and wife, Earl Castle and wife, Ed Nanonka and wife, Chas. McPherson, Leon Jump, Frank McCormick, Orval Simmons, John Crammer. The children on the show are Bobby Jane, Margaret Faunt LeRoy and ‘‘Ted’’ North, Jr. The latter is seven years old and makes his stage debut this year as Little Willie in ‘East Lynne’, The advance is handled by Frank Murray, who will rétain that position when the show tours the South next winter under canvas. The North company is featuring fourteen bills, among them ‘‘Sain'ly Hypocrites and Honest Sinners’, by Chas. F. Harrison; “Why Wives Go Wrong’, by Ralph T. Kettering, and the ever-papular favorte, “East Lynne”, An entire overlauling was given the outfit this season, with all new added and the s‘age and platform enlarged. The North Players had a very successful season of thirty weeks in theaters the past winter and upon the close of same, May 10, all the members took a week's vacation, ELODA SITZER OUT OF HOSPITAL AFTER OPERATION Chicago, June 6.—Guy Beach and his partner, M. T. Jones, owners and managers of the Beach-Jones Stock Company, were in Chicago on business Monday. Mr. Beach said that bis wife, Eloda who recently underwent an scenery Sitzer, operation for incipient goitre, is out of the hospi‘al and at the Beach home in Fond du Lac, Wis. He said the operation was a splendid success and that Miss Sitzer is delighted with the results. REP. TATTLES J. Lawrence and Madlin Nolan will celebrate their first wedding anniversary in about three weeks. William A, Grigg left Joplin, Mo., the other duy to join an Eastern s'ock company to direct and play character leads, Raymond Gross re‘urned to his home in Cincinnati, O., last week to spend the summer. He was wth various repertoire shows the past winter. —_— Ermani Stuart (Mrs. Robert McLaughlin) mourns the death of her brother-in-law, Jack Bolton, who died May 26 at his bome in Cleveland, O. May Bell Marks was specially engaged to play Mrs. Roscoe Crosby in “The Thirteenth Chair’? at the Comedy Theater, Toronto, Can., week of June 2. Miss Marks’ own stock company opens at Christies Lake, Ont., June 16, presenting “‘At the Point of the Sword’’, in which May Bell will play Madine, Chic and Estelle Pellett are trouping for the first time in Michigan, their home State, with the Lanshaw Players. Altho weather has been inclement since the company’s opening, business bas been unusually good. As Michigan 1i« for its wonderful fishing, bathing and cenery the Pelle ts are making plans acThe show is 100 per cent Equity. known the ordingly. Ivdema Corey was to have joined her busband, Kalph E. Clem, in Rock Grove, IIL, last week, completing a motor trip from her home in Mason City, Ila. Miss Oorey’s mother, Mrs. J. L. Liesenberg, accompanied her. Mr, Clem is manager of the Wanegah Comedy Company, also owner and manager of the ClemCorey Players, temporarily off the road. Roy L. Hyatt’s ‘“‘Water Queen” is pushing the waves on the River and pleasing large audiences nightly. The showboat, on which the writer early in May saw a performance of “The Village ing “The Vampire’. to be stopping the show with her “Beale Street Mama” specialty number. Mr. Hyatt structed a sjecial pit for two brought north from Florida last the animals are proving a curiosity (Green jossip’’, Bea rice is now presentRaike is said has con. alligators he and An eightyyear-old mountaineer went down to the boat the other day and after giving them detaliled study admi'ted they were the first alligators he had ever seen, winter Geo. P. Marshall reports the recent closing of bis vaudeville show after a tour which took In territory in Missourl, Kansas and Oklahoma. “It was a fine trip,” he writes, ‘‘and I enjoyed meeting lots of old acquaintances, including Less Williams and wife, Jack Goodman and wife, Joe Dr, Gorresa and many o‘hers."" Mr. Marshall also reports great success with his new ballads and yodel numbers, especially “My Dear Old Texas Home" and “Ragging With the Devil After the Ball’. On June * Mr. Mareba'l was the guest at the home of Thelma Ptlercy in Neosho, Mo., and said other housewives must plead gulity to a lack of knowledge when it comes to making strawberry shortcake like Miss Pilercy. Um-m-m! Reese, PLAYS SHOALS, IND. THIRD TIME The Will Fussner Stock Company played the week of May 26 at Shoals, Ind., to good houses with the exception of Thursday night rain keeping away many who would otherwise have attended. Mr. Fussner’s company opened the season the Thursday before at Dale, Ind. This was Mr. Vussner’s third visit to Shoa!s, and it is probable that be will play a return engagement there later in the season. Eddie and Mary Cole, who were with the show the first season, renewed old acquaintances in Shoals and made many new friends during the week. Incidentally the Coles celebrated their third wedding anniversary June 1, He sides Mr. and Mrs, Will Fussner, managers of the company, the personnel of the company includes Miss Marr, Mlorence “aber. ingenue; Alice Root, characters; Frank Root, comedy; Charles Harrison, heavies; Eddie Cole, leads; Jack Hamilton, director and characters: Mary Cole, specialties; Edith Hamilton, bits: Velma Long, specialties; June Fussner, general business and specialties. During the last two days of the Shoals engagement a local orclestra joined forces with the show musicians, providing an extra attraction in the way of “home talent’. The orchestra {fe one that Reid C. Strange, son of H. G. Strange, publisher of The Shoals News, the only local newspaper, has been whipping into shape. It proved good experience for one of the musicians who had never appeared before an andience. Iocal newspapers gave the show very comPlimentary consideration. SALISBURY SHOW IN INDIANA Deputy, Ind., June 4.—The Salisbury Show @pened here Monday night and gave a fine show for the large crowd which braved the rain and chilly weather, This was the fifth show bere this season. The others were onenighters, except the Landy Overland Show. The latter billed the town Wednesday = and opened Thursday for a three-day engagement. Mr. Landy bas a neat Little outfit presenting society drama pictures. Serger and Cox also played in this vicinity with their show. The Salisbury Show is playing the same territory as last year. Mooreland, Ind., was canceled on account of Lew Conn's Comedians being booked in there ahead of the Salisbury Show. The former show jumped fifty miles and left Mr. Conn with the territory around Florence, Ind. The Salisbury Company has a new threeburner, air-pressure stove for the cook tent. Truck number one is flying a new banner on each side, featuring Montell, the card man'pu leads; lator. The new ticket box is rendering fine service, also the stakepuller, New reserve seats were built and delivered at Florence. The Reebes, Al and Emily, really sell their vaudeville specialties and this season have six new and up-to-date acts of their own authorship The only old number Al is using ‘s Irving Berlin's “Mandy"’, featured in the 1921 edition of the “Follies’’. The sbow has lost only two nights since opening. Next week the company plays Austin, where it played a year ago today. NORMA GINNIVAN COMPANY The Norma Ginnivan Company, which opened April 28 at Quincy, O., has been conceded by reviewers to be one of the very best shows of its kind under canvas. The company does not play ‘“Toby’’ bills, but such plays as Winchell Smith’s “Three Wise Feols'’, Alice Knightly’s ‘‘Love’s Young Dream", Ralph Kettering’s “The Great Commoner’, ‘Cappy Ricks”, “The Broken Idol" and “God Is My) Judge’. The stage Is under the direction of Ed Mills, The cast is 100 per cent Equity. tusiness has been exceptionally good Ed Hicker ts the band leader, and Norman Morey handles the orchestra. Roster of the company Gene Bergman, leading man: Frank Scott, Jack Bartine, Ed Mills, Wm. Budde, James MclIvers, James Glasscow, Anita Tully, leading Woman. Flora Shey, Vivian Marlow, Rhea Melvers, Hioward Marando, Lew Palmer, Ed Hicker, Victor Ruffer, Norman Morey, Orland Mills, Verle Haws, Sunier Glasscow, Anna Hicker, Laura Kartine, and Norma Ginnivan, sole ewner and manager. SPAUN FAMILY SHOW The success of the Spaun Family Show is told in a letter from Frank (‘Rusty’) Barton, who wrote from Wilmington, 0., under recent date, that the company was on its second week there and doing capacity business. He contributes the following roster: Byron Spaun, owner and manager; Mre, Byron Spaun; Florence Spaun, soubret; Byron Spaun, Jr., rings and traps; Barton and Barton; Mrs, Barton, bits and tickets; John M. Maller, pianist; Roy McDaniel, saxophone: Mike Contero, cornet: Edgar J. Hole, cornet; Slim Axher, trombone and banjo; James D'Vorak, trombone and drums; Rusty tarton, drums, blackface and straight; Bill Wimes and Mrs. D’'Vorak, cookbouse; Orlando (Continued on page 178)