Variety (Jan 1932)

S8 VARIETY VAUDE HOUSE REVIEWS Tuesday, January 26, 1932 DAPHNE POLLARD (2) Comedy 16 Mins.; Two and Threa (Special) eeth St. Dapline Pollard's return to vaude- ville after an absence of four years should be marked with more ouc- 6es3 than previously. Besides be- ing: a capable stage comedienne, she now has a film rep. Majority of the youngsters who now see her In vaudeville won't, remember when she was last there! and will , think of her as only another film player taking to the stage. And maybe they'll be surprised. Mies Pollard does four numbers. Her closing number, which" was done at this house as an encore. Is a corker. In It Miss FoUard de- cries her Inability to land a mem- ber of the male species. She finally spies a copper and after some flirta- tious work, starts d rough and tum- ble love scene with him. Her diminutive' size, her ungainly strut when she walks are charac- teristic of her. Third song, 'What Have They Got That I Ain't Got?' with Miss Pollard In the hoke garb of a bathing beauty entrant^ Is a smart bit, and as rendered registers strongly. Vaude can use Miss Pollard. She 'Should.ring the bell anywhere. HARRIET HOCTOR QIRL8 (20) Dance Flash; Oim and Full 22 Mins. /Vcademy • Harriet Hoctor, probably the class ballerina of vaudei today, sponsors this act in which, she doesn't ap- pear. It's 80 tastefully staged, so exceptionally well costumed and so beautifully handled throughout that Miss- Hoctor must have- been per- sonally responsible for the whole thing. It's a class layout . sixteen comely and well trained gtcls 'In the line. That they double £iitween regular line routines and toe ballet work with equaVease says something for their capabilities. Boy and girl do a .couple, of nice specialty dance numbers, a girl does ft good toe number on her .oWn'and another warbles. Latter i? the weak spot, trying two blue numbers with none too much success.^ Voice doesn't quite hold up, though looks . are there. It's not the yrork of the people, or thelt material, that count so much in this act. It's ^he. costumes and staging. They - are all In perfect taste.' For the. closing number the three principal girls are costumed alike for an effective appearance. Kauf. ANN GREEN WAY (2) Songs, 11 Mins.; One, 86th St. In a brief encore ' speech' Miss Qreenway mentions the current vogue for special arrangements' of popular songs, then proceeds to sing one, Miss Greenway is not mis- taken . about such a. vogue/ nor is she wrong to follow It! but the 'spe- cial arrangement' she.speaks of isn't sufficiently special or .well-suited. And that, and that only, will Iceep Miss Greenway out of the top class of vaudeville singing singles. Others wise, that's where she l}clongs. ■When the partner oi: Neville Flee- son, Ann Greenway learned the knack of delivering light comedy lyrics in musical story form. And she has hot lost that knack. But what she apparently needs now is an AI Slegel tor instruction on the blues tempo end, for she has the vdlce .for that style of singing. Or else an arranger who can or will arrange with Miss Greenway par- ticularly in mind, rather than , rou- tine a trick set of notes for his own amusement. MlsS'Greenway opens with.a .pop that does little 'ei^e than get her on the stage. Her second is equally unimportant. A special that's remi- 'nlscent of the Fleeson construction got the singer off for bows, and the speech upon returning. But the ballyhooed arrangement that follows doesn't warrant its encore spot or bulld-up. . It should be easy for a singer with Miss Greenway's ability and experience to-do better than just get by. But for some added weight. Miss Greenway, in a white evening gowii was the same stunning stage woman She hias always been. Bige. embassy! BOYS (7) Band Flash ei Mins.; Three (Special) Jeffer«on This five-piece orchestral combl iaatlon 'with doubling and specialties was formerly known as 'Melody Revue' and caught less than two months ago. It was nabbed in an Indle break-In house and possibly vsing any name for that date. At that time specialty people were a male dancer, who is. retained, and a sister team that isn't "Variety' reported then that the dancer , was oke, but the sis twain counted for little. In place of the femme brace there's a woman elngle who's oke In a dance, but n. s. g. with a blues nupber. Since caught as 'Melody Revue, the act has improved a lot, but, as caught here, is much too long. con).es near to wear out its welcome, some wildly whistling kids down here on a Thursday night having unnecessarily brought on several lencores. Sax member of the quintet band floubles for numerous numbers. In eluding an impression, of Rubs Co lumbo. pretty good. Band's takeoff on the Mills Bros, also effective. Char. SING, HIGH and LOW Novelty Songs 12 Mine.; One Jefferson ' Three real Chinamen singing pops In English mixed with chatter both In English and in Chinese sputter ings, are shrewdly capitalizing the comedy Innate in vaudeville audi ences arising from the absurdity of ffSs^ other nationality, particularly Oriental Costuming Is smart for the carrj' big out of a very good effect. Men all wear brightly colored short Chi nese coolie coats, and black trousers Gitrlped (n black satin like the sguth- ern half of evening clothes. Men play their own accompahl- tnent on string instruments of an unusual kind, rhythm coming from the strumming of a huge instrument bait bnss fiddle and half oversize erultar. iSecond instrument is a nearly regular guitar nnd the third Is something like a ukclele. Men have, voices agreeable In a STATE Five acts and a shorter stage show than usual, with .the feature, Mata Harl*.(Metro), on second run, playing Its full SO. Btlnutea, The Garbo - Novarro - Barrymore - Stone combination that held this <talker for three weeks at the Capitol, was still drawing here in the rain Sat- urday. Nicola, the .Illusionist, tops the vaudeville in spotting and bill- ing. ; A disappointment In the deuce were King, King and King. There Is at least one, may1>e two changes In the personnel, and the present act under the K., K. & IC billing Is inferior to the one that in the past stood for the best in three- man rhythm. What the boys have done is to circus up the turn with freak costuming, lessening its early value- and the weight of the pre- cision work. Which forces entire dependence- on the. 'challenge' busl- ncss at the finish. Practically noth- ing is gained by the teamwork. Which ' is . never distinguished for now steps or difficult versions of old ones. The boys wear odd looking cutar ways that button together for an all-black front, which - eliminates vests. In place of the customary wing collars and boiw ties, they wear white miifflers or cravats. The Illusion is one of neatness, but ruined when the classy dreissers go too far by returning in-toppers and flowing opera capes, with white lln^ ing. The audience can see - the capes, but not the dancing. It looks like the money spent thoughtlessly on duds may be Just an expense. The hoys should forget phoney 'class' and return to dancing, for which the name Is best known. Another male combination that can use some Info on stage attire Is the acrobatio . opener. The Schencks (New Acts). Henry Berg- man, and his company of Uiree in the 'Ham and Eggs' full stage com- edy turn that Just got off the Orph, setred up a lot of laughsjind gained some okay finish, mitt work.' The turn through Bergman and thq. ex- GALLAGHER and 8HEAN, Jrs. (3) Comedy, Singing, Dancing 16 Mins.; One (Special) Orpheum These are the sons of the late Ed Gallagher and the surviving Al Shean of the old G. and S. team. Gallagher's son is taller than Shean's, thus taking after their fathers, but aside from the 'Mr. Gal- lagher and' Mr. Shean' number the offspring twain do their act on merit fails to raise itself above the passable. ' The Juniors carry an unbilled girl who ml^es Into the talk and also into the 'Mr. Gallagher and Mr. Shean' number for a verse bit with a comedy twist. She also kicks out a little dancing, and in a double with Gallagher does a song and blackface - bit In handling the blackface dialect she tops Gal- lagher a good ways. What's mostly lacking in act Is some stronger ma terlai: Up to the . point where the break is made for the takeoff on their dads' lilt parodies, with the girl doing an Intro bit on it, the act has progressed doubtfully. Ahead of a drop similar to that which the original Gallagher and Shean used the. boys. go. into several verses of their pops' patter.. Each dresses as G. and S. did, and through this closing stanza get themselves over fairly well. Set in No. 2 spot here. Char. CARL FREED (6) Cojnedy 16 MIn.; One and Full (Special) Palace, Chicago Cdrl Freed has discarded his reg lilar big orchestra, retaining his comedy makeup and hokum stooges, Present act has its full quota of low laughs, garnered from a long list of bits which take in musical attempts, fake and real magic, femme foiling and just ordinary roughhouse. . Freed precedes his mob to the footillghts for an opening session- of getting music and rhythm' out of spoons, Jews harps, uke and har- monica. And Freed can do tricks on that mouth organ. The lady is on for a short bit of foiling, returning at the close for a display of high kicking. Two of the studes are twin hoofers who take a few minutes for a neat specialty of stepping. In be tween are wdlk-on laughs .and the magical giggles with the other two assists. At spreads to full fpr the I ske ban session, bringing'the turn to an ex- cellent clowning finish.. Turn Is now on.the regular RKO mldwestern In tact route. Go7d, «r side, which Is novel for such combinations. As their finale stunt the boys get stylish by donning their blue Jackets and straw kellys with blue and white bands, then pose at a table before going into the topper. They had bettef change the outfits and posing quick or expect -the bird when they reach 14th street It may be stylish in Berlin, but it's strictly a . Bronx cheer invitation In the nelghbs over here. Bige. 'FINE FEATHERS' (B) Dance Flaah 8 MInK; Full (Special) Jefferson Act is btillt around the adagio work of four.pe'ople, 'With three men as cat characters tossing the girl, a canary,.around In a conven-. tlonal, not outstanding routine. Just does for medium time neighborhood stages. . Set is particularly attractive. It's a living room, with maid letting in the morning sun, uncovering the bird cage and arousing the cat Lat- ter collects a couple of his feline pals aiid together they start their fun with the canary. It's a fairly successful effort to surround a pass- {ible adagio routine with atmos- phere. In theme, this is remindful of an- other adagio act Kitchen. Pirates. Char. cellent support -he receives can probably go on Indef, for it holds mora In theme than the average new comedy, effort of today.. Willie Solar gave It to 'em quick In the next-to-shut succeeding in keeping that spot np to par, with Nicola following and closing. . Nicolo- sticks to the straight Il- lusion method for his results, these results lifting this illusionist into that select class of magicians who are currently demonstrating that maglo is on its way back as an im- portant part of variety. Thurston and .Blacks'tone are others, with the former, in particular proving In the picture houses that magicians can mean money to the theatres if prop- erly exploited. Nicola has not changed his rou- tine much, but he has modernized the trimmings sufficiently to bring the Whole tip to date. A large share of the modernization comes through the quartet of girl assistants,. all far'more' comely than the average stage illusionists supporters, and the. good looking costumes they wear. Nicola still closes with his quick switch' triink trick after an- nouncing that It's his favorite, but the - most impressive item of. the act is the spiked cabinet a vastly ImproVed version of ths much over- done Hindu basket and saber stunt. The implement used Is mathematic- ally perfect and a complete fooler. Along with his tricky bits Nicola gives out a constant stream of bright chatter. Upon this ' filppant word structure an interesting 23 minutes of good vaudeville is built. Bige. EMPIRE Paris, Jan. 14, A cheap bill,' with second part entirely made up of Great . Carmb, which looks like an 1870 show, and got some razzing on the opening day..' First part: after three orcheeti-a time fillers, Is. made up of an In- dian dance by the Three Arlzonas, a Jockey act by the RIcono-Stuhlasi and the apparently Inescapable clown, Boullcot whose main Job seems to be to Iclll time In front of the curtain during the change of sets. Then comes Maurice Roget who does on the piano parodies of the styles of various classical masters on modern themes, and with. con- siderable success. Next comes the Two Mazzonys, athletes, and Paul Colllne, entertainer. He has a new and timely aong 'I stock,' making fun of the current craze for non- spending, and, gets a hand. First part ends ph .the Canadians doing jumps. . Second part is the troupe of about 30,. of Great Carmo, illusionist who repeats time and again the stunt of producing people or animals out of apparently. empty "boxes. Houses between turns a chorus, which opens the show by doing the liove Pa- rade' march, and appear several times, led by Dorothy Thorpe, who brings some life into the otherwise dead show. Finale of the show is a kind of Persian pantomime on a theme similar, to Scheherezade, end- ing by the princess being thrown into the liuns' cage, probably to use Carmo's trained lions. Pantomime falls cold and has been cut from 35 to 20 minutes. itaxi. CALIFORNIA QUARTET Mixed Vocalists 5 Mios.; One RKO, L. A. ' Drafted from radio by Bern Ber- nard' for his local half of the eight act bills, this foursome failed to show anything for vaude. Strictly a radio- act with the possibility of one or two. of the singers having had lyceum experience. Expressionless, they warble their quartet and solo numbers In good voice but with poor delivery. Hoorah quartiet from "Rlgoletto' for the finish got them off to nilld applause. AU right for radio, but out of date for vaude. Call. THE SCHENCKS (2) Acrobats'i 8 Mins.; Three State Two-man equIUbrislIc tcnai. Con tincntal. in style and appearance For American vaudeville they need some ndvlce on dressing, but other- wise slide easily into the high-grade class of g>-mnastic bill openers. Some difficult and intei-esting hand-to-hand work is routined for best results and should get the boys somewhere. The shorter of the pair NELSON A NELSON Stilt Acrebatiea -- 7 Mlhs.| Full (Special) Jefferson Novelty acrobatic act with male team working on stilts raising their height about' a foot and a half. Routine includes some ground work, barrel roll, perch trapeze bit and a complete somersault from a teeter board. Suits to open bills In B neighborhoods. Sold well with novelty thing capably built up. down here and did fair.' of stilt Opened Char. blzatre'' yivcy and. their clowning is j can switch to the understauder po- jutiif(Srced 'alia i^muslng. Rush, > 'sillon as.well as take the top mpuut- ST. JOHN BROS. (3) Acrobatics 7 Mins.; Four 86th St. Three youthful-looking boys nice- ly dressed In light tan trousers and dark-tan Jackets. Jackets are re moved after the first few minutes. Do various hand-to-hand lifts and flying catches. All performed smoothly. Some body lifts loolc dif- ficult and novel, as neither of the trio -looks as-though he possesses unusual strength. ■ 43ood'.opcner..'. . ACADEMY It isn't always good acts that make up a good bllL' Here's a lay- out that on paper' should be ace high. But it doesn't pan, largely because of routining. Harry Green, as good a single as any house can ask for, closes' the bill, while Har- riet Hector's Girls, a 20-people'flash layout is next to closing. Nell Kelly, one of the fastest working soubrets in vaude. Is deuced and has to follow a dog act to give her pace. So on throujghout. By switching all the acts around some- how something better may' have been made of the layout Even with different routining, however, 'there would have been a hole In the bill, probably, because of the lack of vocal work. . After Olympia's .Prize Winners flnleh showing off one of the best of stage dog collections. Miss Kelly goes through a. quartet of songs in her usual boisterous manner; Evidently specially prepared material and most of it -good, though too fast for so early'vu the bllL And. that about finishes the singing. George McKay follows with his four-girl layout Neat turn, though perhaps a bit too much tapping by the . girls.' One chorus by a girl and one song by McKay don't cqunt. Shaw and Lee, fourth, found the audience In a sort of apathetic mood, but quickly warmed 'em up. These boys can handle any audience or spot without .trouble. Next to closing are the Hector's Girls (New Acts). Twenty people In the act and a knockout in every way. But what a strange turn to stick In ahead of Harry Green, with Gr-sen to close, in 'one.' > The customers liked Green. .He put over his every line with ease. But the Whole bill left an unsatis- factory jumbled sort of feeling after- wards. 'Stepping . Sisters* (Fox) and \>\y. a bit short of capacity downstairs, not good at this house. Kauf. PALACE, CHICAGO Chicago, Jan. 23. It's aU Patll Whiteman on the Palace stage this Week, with only, two other .acts rounding out the bill. Whitenuin's 45 minutes alone would be. enough. Third week out on the circuit tor the jazz tnaeatro'wlth the band and specialties running off in smooth order and the Jagged edges straightened out The band's vaude salary is ?7,b6o. Here's the way the percentage adds , up: Last week with a crack bill that included iPat Rooney, Dorothy. Stone, Harry Rose and Carl Freed, the Palace vaude budget was about $2,000 less than this week. Gross was $26,000, very good, but the out- look for this week is at least $5,000 better, counting on flve-arday. . First show Ipaturday, usually not so hot went over the top this time, going 'way ahead of the previous Saturday. Something to talk about when they can get 'em up in the • balcony so early. This Is White, man's first time at the Palace, al« though pretty well . entrenched around town through his last B. & K. tour and more recently-the Edge- ivater Beach and radio. Latter cut- let probably more thin anything else, has lifted Whiteman to the front row at a time when stage competition was getting hot for him. But the rhapsody king 'has come back with a vaude presenta- tion that has everything and that will more than guarantee entertain- ment It^s the same old trled-and-true Whiteman combination of 23 men, 'With such standbys as Roy Bargy at the piano, Mike Plngatore's tor- rid banjo, and Goldle, the comlo cut-up-trumpeter. On the vocal end of the organization are two sets of crooning- trios. King's Jesters and King's Romancers. Whlteman's ar- rangements are too well known to need detailed description. It's the 'Whitemanesque style,. and great That band'alone would satisfy, but It's only a background for as nifty a buncli of specialists as have ever faced a baton. Mildred Bailey and Jack Fulton, Jr., are co-featured and underlined In the billing. Radio favorites angle was heavily exploited on this pair and their receptions proved it . Working in front of a stage mike, wired through the house,- Miss Bailey's voice failed to register in certain spots of the house the first show, a fault no doubt later cor- rected. That mike must have had the blues singer fooled, sis her de- livery, was more sotto. voce than ordinarily. Same in a lesser de- gree, 'went for Jack Fulton's dreamy pipes. -. New addition to the'band Is Red Norviile, xylo specleaist who's been working around .vaude for some time. Norville's stuff eases In gracefully ^ere, with' Whiteman personally giving him the play in a perfect spot Whitenian's reserved attitude was noticeable throughout giving everyone, a chance. That's smart showmanship. For the finale Arlene and Norman Selby tore off a string of hot steps that brought, them back for a second spasm. This team has developed a polished .style, with both working In black makeUp. For those who appreciate hlgh-fen- slohed hip movements and. other convulsive gyrations. Miss Selby ia recommended. In all Whiteman has collected a great bunch around htm, >-wIth the act so routined to -make everyone count Paul's slim waistline is an- other feature, causing satisfactory comment frpm- the girls. Maldte and Ray, mixed team pf rope spinners, on the 'Oi>enlng lap and over nicely. At last a rope turn wlthput any chatter. Girl does an acrobatic routine to break up the roping they do together and ef- fectively. Benny Ross is the other act and carries a redhead for s.a. Girl dpesn't dp .much except fell dumbly fpr her partner's gags. Frpm the material, Rpss must have a 'Rpod memory. Hie other accomplish- ments are Imitations of Jessel, JoU son, Richman, et aL By the lime he gets around to his own. delivery It still sounds like a mixture of all of them.. First performance clocked at <ff minutes, setting a pace fast enough to allow a good turnover, especially' with - five shows. Screen feature. ■The Big Shot' (RKO-Pathe). Sam Haass back in the. pit after being out with a Charley horse for a cou- ple of weeks. , Span. Mills Moving Irving Mills has leased the offices Cormerly pccupled by Brunswick ,cn Seventh avenue, and will meve in abput March i. When Mills mpves, he will in- crease his personnel and open a radio disc, department. Brandwyne's Exercise Nat Brandwyne, pianist, succeeds Russ ColombP as leader ef that Waldprf Ilptel band. NBC states that Brandwyne will, direct the or- chestra Indefinitely.-