Variety (Dec 1932)

40 VARIETY VAUDE HOHSiE REVIEWS Tuesday, December 20, 1932 MARY NOLAN (4) Dramatic Sketch eO Mins.; Full Orpheum, N. Y. Miss- Nolan seems to be badly misadvised in her current vaudc venture. She's appearing In a childish 1850 conception of a dra- matic skit which is not only badly written, cant and acted, but way, way too Ion?. Her name may mean a llttlo something at the boxofflce and she's a lovely enoug>i eyeful on her own, hence even a simple per- sonal appearance, in t'.io usual pic- ture name manne:*, would be better than this sort of thing. Starts with a youth sorrowing n a park bench when an old lady comes along to sympathize. You know she's old and a tramp only because she tells you so. Boy is a cub reporter hunting for a story, so she tells him the" story of her Me, that story being the usual one about the crooked politician who ruined his opponent, seduced his daughter .<ind finally was killed by the gal. All this is acted out in two slow -scenes by Miss Nolan and two highly inept male actors. Thert back to the park bench", the boy runs off happy to write his story and the old dame sobs out 'My boy I He shall never know!' for a surefire finish. And acted Just that way, too. Centering the show here in a five- act combo and completely ruining the bill. Ml93 Nolan-ought to forget all about the sketch and Just come for 9- song and dance. It on couldn't be worse. Kauf. HARRY SAVOY (2) Comedyt Songs 16 Mine.; One Orpheum, N. Y. Savoy is funniest when doing a single, that Is, when he's on the stage by himself. Under these cir- cumstances he regales them with a style pretty well his own. His in- coherent monolog, halted here and there for sly, sudden popping of fast ones, packed a consistent laugh sock. With the tall femme partner the act Is Just anothet mixed cross- fire affair. Set-to with the partner evidences a retentive memory for gags that have been tried by multiple comedy teams and found invariable chuckle getters. Patter stays clean through- out, with the roughing up he gives the girl neither Impressing as funny • nor adding anything to the laugh reaction of the act as a whole. Turn gets a quick shift In temper and tempo when Savoy does a takeoff of John Barrymore in the mad scene from Richard m. The hoke reacted favorably on the occasion caught. Perhaps Savoy -would be best off were he to wind up his act with this bit and not return for the unfunny wrestling stanza -with his partner. Return gives her a chance to strut a change in dress. Warbling portion is limited to a chorus by Savoy, strictly for tag line laugh possibilities. Odec. DAVE KRAMER and KAY HAM- ILTON (12) With Postal Telegraph Harmonica Band Comedy, Singing, Harmonicas 33 Mins.; One and Full (Special) Academy, N. Y. Dave Kramer, for many years teamed with Jack Boyle, now has Kay Hamilton, who does a Topsy. As a team Kramer and Hamilton does a two-act in a separate spot, next to shut down here, following with the Postal Telegraph Har-- monica band, 10-piecc setup. To- gether, it's fair entertainment, with the harmonica band topping by a long ways the double of Kramer and Hamilton preceding It. Kramer Is mostly in need of ma- terial. He's carrying little that means anything at all. Lots of old gags. Blackface comedian seems a little lost in his new act, often ap- pearing to stall for want of some- thing to do. His partner, whose cold is alibied, does well on song numbers regardless. Kramer does not go in for any dancing but on the close of the two-act shares with Miss Hamilton a special song arrangement, aroung pop titles. K. and H. are on themselves 13 minutes, the band following for a stretch of 20 minutes. Room for considerable cutting. When the harmonica outfit is re- vealed, . advertising sticks out all over It. The nine boys are In regu- lation Postal messenger outfits, while at a little Info table sits a girl. A lighted lamp on the table, with the official • Postal Tel trade- mark on It. further lends Inference. Regardless of the ad angle, har- monica players seem to know their stuff. They quickly remind of Bor- rah Minevitch's crowd; although dolled up differently, and their har- monica technique comes close to equalling the Mlnevitch boys. Kramer directs, gagging and cIo\vning most of the time. He him- self enters playing a mouth organ, later Joining his flock on playing of a special arrangement of 'Rhap- sody in Blue.' For a Lindy hop, ballroom dance, the girl at the Info desk; gets her chance. This closes. One of the boys abQUt middle shows up okay In an eccentric dance slnglei Cliar, nearest to It Richardson, In better atmosphere here Xor his specialty and selling it more effectively than when recently at the Roxy, as a single, got a swell break from the audience. On merit It's hard to beat the Lucky Seven dancers. Trio has de- veloped admirably during the last few months and now is offering about the slickest routine of Its kind to be found anywhere. The African native thing lead- ing up to the close brings out the sepias in their warmest cooch vork, with two mixed teams running the fever up to the boiling point. From the moment the Intro song Is put away, it's a session that builds slowly but very effectively to a sizzling climax. One team, which earlier went in for ballroom waltzes, goes barbaric in a smart routine after the girls have set the tempo, then the other mixed team comes on. Latter goes in for a shimmy novelty with a crying angle as one alibi for shak- ing. It finally takes hold like some kind of mania. This leads to the lengthened finale, with the BtAge crowded plenty by Connie's whole company. Besides the band, there are Cora Green, blues singer, the Paul Meares. Lucky Seven Trio, Three Nightingales, Snakehlps Tucker, Four Fools, Lillian Co^an, Bessie Dudley, Louise Cook. Red and Struggy. Willie Jackson and Roscoe Sims. Charles King is No. 2 while Bob Hope Is third, ahead of darktown revue. Hope doubles as an m.c. but in his 6-minute try ahead of Kin; his gags don't get very far. In his regular act, with the girl and the three stooges, he swings into line great and goes off a good hit. The girl doesn't do much, but she aids in selling some material that clicks particularly welL Session with the stooges Is BO less surefire, maybe more so. King, with Bob Hammell at the piano, may have received a sur- prise. He gives the pianist the spot, while looking on himself, and finds that Hammell does pretty well. Friday night he topped King on .the applause. King did nicely, sticking for 14 minutes. The Three Orantos, aerial work- ers, opened to good returns. Car- toon short 'Just Dogs' (UA) as filler. Char. STATE, N. Y. GUIARDO, NADINE and MARCONI (5) Dance, Song, Instrumental 14 Mins.; Full Orpheum, N. Y. Flash affair looks like a merger • of two acts with a girl warbler tossed in to give it balance. And as far as balance is concerned, that's one quality not to be found In this selfsame warbler's method of attacking a popi ditty. The or- chestra accompanies her. bxit the words that come out seem to have Just about a nodding acquaintance with the tune. However, she serves chiefly as brief intermission be- tween dance numbers. Terpsy routine has a consistently acceptable flavor for the nabe spots, hence this weak link in the act counts for little in effect. Ballroom gyrations by Girardo and Nadine are fast and graceful. Unbilled lad's hocks and splits mix well with his gliding style of soft- shoeing. Girardo's little blonde partner has the figure and face, and what she lacks in skill is glossed over by the trim, precise move- ments of her pacemaker. Marconi doubles from piano to soloing on the accordion, his nlm- bleness on the latter instrument setting him in strong with the cus- llne purpose. Odec. THREE YORKERS Dancing 8 Mins.; One Academy, N. Y. Not to be confused with the Three New Yorkers, colored trio. This combo consists of two men and a woman, also colored. They're of medium worth, suitable for No. 2 spots in houses of this grade, but not tops .Tnywhere. Only a hint of song, majority of routine comprising tap dancing. For the close, the girl launches into a hot pop air, men doing most of the hoofing. Act never hits a fast pace. Over falily liere before a scat- tered audience. Char, New York, Dec. 16, It's blood-heat here this week with Connie's Inn ^ Revue, down from hot Harlem, running up the pressure pretty high. Goes great after sitting through the chilling 'Mask of Fu Manchu' (M-G) on screen. Perhaps it's good booking to cool 'em from one side and warm 'em up from the other, some thing like going riding in a road ster in December and then falling into a speak. One counteracts the other. No matter how you come in, whether warm'-or Cold, you go out satisflisd. 'Fu Manchu' (M-G) is probably lucky to have the torrid Connie's revue -on the stage. Lat ter will draw quicker and more surely . than the 'Manchu' thing. There's been so much about 'Man chu' in pictures of late years, peo pie may think this one's a revival. As a picture not much anyway, but you go out of the State okay in mind and spirit regardless. The stage show does the trick. It's nearly an evening in Harlem with out those costly table checks, plus a couple other acts, all rolling up into the best money's worth house has handed out In a long time. A production like the Connie re- vue is good booking. It should be box office if for no other reason than that a lot of people, Including out-of-towners, would like to get an idea of 3 a.m. life in Harlem without going there. It's available here cheap, and as it would be seen the general at the Connie's Inn. The revue helps the theatre, but on the other hand It helps Connie's by building up lure for the uptown nitery. Show runs B5 minutes, is fast hot, and entertaining. Together with the other acts on the bill Orantos, Charlie King and Bob Hope, the platform is alive for ex actly one hour and 37 minutes longer than usual. The Connie revue could be cut a little but not essential. Where if most advisable Is on the finale which prolongs itself beyond the show manly point. The Don Redman orchestra of 13 Is on the stage but only plays for numbers, being content that way, At the start the staBC, colorfully and appropriately set, fills up with th line of shakers and the Three Nightlnffales, harmony trio. This eventually becomes a group song number, and from there on the re vue is under way, building as it goes. Some unusual talent reveal Itself, first a comedy male team in son'R and dance routine.?. Combina- tion was spotted early but stopped the .show, probably surprising some of the others who were saved for later, but couldn't hit the .same high response at Friday night's show. .Tazzlips Rieliarilson. blackface, and the Lucky Seven trio came appreciation of the demonstration. A fill-in act was the local Ameri- can Legion chorus of 22 male voices rendering a group of %rmy songs pleasingly. This preceded Senator Murphy, who, next to closing, dis- coursed familiarly and humorously in German dialect on politics, eco- nomic conditions, prohibition, the bonus and automobile traffic. A portion of his monolog is new, and he succeeded in garnering a goodly amount of laughter. Another fa- miliar act, that qt Willie Mauss and his "wheels within wheels,' always thrilling despite numerous repeti- tions, went over -well ck>sing, gasps and other audible exclamations greeting the intrepid cyclist as he circled the huge revolving wheel. Rees. ORPHEUM, MPLS. Minneapolis. Dec. 16 For £5c the Orpheum here this week gives you five flrst-rate acts of vaudeville, including Grace Hayes, local singing act, and, on the screen. Constance Bennett's 'Rock abye.' a Mack Sennett and a cartoon comedy and Pathe News. Yet, ap parently. even with quantity and quality entertainment at bargain prices you can't successfully buck a devastating depression when the thermometer registers 10 below zero The folks probably were home hug- ging the fireside, for when this sec- ond evening show was caught on a Monday night, the worst of the week, of course, there was consid- erably less than half a house What's the use? Corbltt and Convey, two girls steppers, assisted by four other members of their own sex, open with a 'Glad Rags' dance revue which is rather pretentious for its spot and makes quite a fiash. There were several drops, a full-stage set ting with steps leading down from a broad platform, and some color ful costuming. While the dance rou tine is entirely conventional, includ- ing tap work up and down the steps and an ankle chain number, the of- fering proves sufficiently diverting to hold the attention. The four girls sport eye-arresting, abbreviated cos tumes with black-plumed headdress for one number. Act evokes a fair audience response. Allen and Canfield fill the deuce position capably with their usual melange of comedy, singing and music which has not been sufflcisnt ly altered to arouse much audience enthusiasm. The pair have a few new gags mixed in with some old ones which are close to the blue borderline. Miss Canfield clowns and sells her grimaces and eccentric stuff as well as ever, and Mr. Allen feeds her effectively. They wind up again with their ukulele playing and singing, interspersed with comedy business. Grace Hayes, billed as a Broad- way and radio star, proves a classy headliner. who delivers 100%. She uses a full stage with two male pianists, Including her 18-year-old son, at the grands in an artistic setting. Her songs and recit.itions to music clicked perfectly and she made a striking figure In a becom- ing evening gown. An impersona- tion of Pola Negri doing the 'Para- dise' number registered strongly here, where Miss Negri appeared recently. As a windup Miss Hayes appears in one and introduces her son, who scored with his radio impersona- tions through a mike. Miss Hayes also did a song through the mlkc. The son is a talented young man who apparently has inherited much of the entertainment ability of his charming, personable mother. This act stopped the show, and the few customers present compelled the star to make a gi'&cious r>»eech in LOEWS VALENCIA This big Jamaica deluxer. the only house on Long Island, play- ing vaude on a week stand has an entire circus this week. Fred Branda has brought his ten acts from Baltimore to Jamaica. It Is the first indoor circus to play on the Island. The show is good. It Just needs a little ironing here and there but it will smooth Itself out this week at the Valencia. House on Jamaica's main thoro- fare looks like a big circus top from the exterior. It is gaily decorated with all of the circus colors and bunting. The ticket box looks like the entrance of a big top. A barker with the aid of all of the circus tricks goes thru his spiel and at- tracts the busy shoppers. In the lobby one can see all of the freaks— the fat lady, the rubber man. Interior of the house is lighted with two large searchlights. The stage contains one large ring, where the turns, which include all of the sawdust acts, perform. Clowns are all over the house. Even the ushers are dressed to blend in with the cir- cus. Charley Paul, the house pit leader and his boys, do a good Job with the accompaniments. The boys are in the loge and the music is am- plified from behind the drop. When Mr. Branda came out to in- troduce his show on Friday after- noon (16) a well-filled house greeted him. The acts, balancers, tumblers, acrobats, aeriallsts. riders, go thru their turns with great ease. The animal acts were performed with great showmanship. The patrons, although they did not applaud all the turns, seemed to get a great kick out of the show. They espe- cially liked the animal acts and they were open-mouthed at the acro- bats. The clowns came in for the laughs. They fill In while the stage Is being set for the acts. The show uses about forty people and about la dozen stagehands. The'jishow runs about 70 minutes and snjould get a big hand out here where there are plenty of kids and older folks who have never seen a complete circus. The screen fare Included 'The Mask of Fu Manchu,' news, a Laurel and Hardy comedy, Mickey Mouse cartoon and trailers. Wag. chant for resorting to smut double entendre when the warbling and patter takeoits start to pall. Their mimicry of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Al Smith w4s as crude as it was misplaced, but it gathered something of recognition and ap- proval. Boys in their wanderings have managed to pick up the moi^ mirthsome of the burlesque and gags framed around some of the better known radio programs and names and they're all given an a.\r- Ing during the act. including that one, now pretty well moth-eaten, vouchsafing: 'You too can become a mother with Flelschman's Yeast.' Best that Doc Baker could dazzle them with was his quick toggery changes and the finale flash of color. Youngster tapping team, Charles and Helen Stone, he has with him, know how to shuffle them rhythm- ically but they still rate in the promising class. Four other girls in the act do. a bit of tripping on and off. Fair stuff all the way hrough and Just diverting enough to get it by here. 'Trouble in Paradise' (Par) is the main screen item. Business way off par for a Saturday jnatlnee. Odec. GRANADA up pre ACADEMY, N. Y. With the hope of pepping things a little during the Christmas lap they've brought in a collection of budding talent and whipped up a 40-minute presenta- tion that turns out to be far above the level of professional entertain- ment associated with the house the past several weeks. Also on tap are three acts booked out of the RKO office. If it weren't for the newsreel Intermission and the help of the annunciators it would be somewhat difficult to tell where the amateur phase ends and the profes- sional bill begins, with comparisons here being all in the former's favor. It's doubtful whether this local affair will mean anything at the boxofflce, but there's one thing cer- tain and that Is it will entertain and satisfy all around. For the Acad- emy it's skillfully put on and run off. Shouldering tne m.c. assign- ment and snapping the tyro parade through its paces is Kendall Capps, ^1^hose versatility gets frequent play between individual amateur ex- hibits. For the amateur session the pit men have been moved onto the stage and a cabaret setting suggested, with the youngsters seated around tables. Procession before the spot uncovers every style of plain and fancy warbling, tap dancing in its several variations, banjo plunking .and a dash of comedy. Some of It was impres.'slvely good, and some of it stacked up as promising, but none of it was bad. Practically every one of the items went over in neat click fashion. Same can't be said for the three acts that followed the intervening newsreel. Five Elgins, first of the trio, made a fair impression with a novelty hat tos.sing and club flip- ping whirligig. Snappy flash of Its type but it could stand a few more touches of comedy. Delivery Boys, otherwise Johnny Tucker and Joe Schuster, dealt out their usual line of radio name im- personations and got along patly. Couple of lads who seem to be thor- oughly conversant with their audi- ence here. Indicated by their pen- Corona, L. I., Dec. 14. Queens, the largest and fastest growing boro in the City of New York, with its 117 square miles of homes and business centers and al- most two million residents has only one house playing vaude on a week stand—Loew's Valencia In Jamaica. Several nabe pic houses" give their patrpns vaude on Sundays, These are booked indl'e apd houses of the Skouras chain get theirs through Fanchon & Marco. Last Sunday the gold banners on the marquee of the Granada, wet with the snow, announced very proudly that a Fanchon & Marco vaude unit would entertain the good residents of Corona. Although the vaude additions has been do- ing greatest at the house here it win be transferred to the Sunny- side in Woodslde. another Skouraa house. Five acts, which cost $100 with an extra overhead of $36 for the pit boys, opened the first show which was packed with kids. On Sundays they get their allowance after church and Jam the Granada for the bargain matinee. Last week the bargain was the vaude, cartoons, news, a comedy, trailers .and 'All American' (Universal^. The house has a^nngle floor and seats 1,700. And it was almost filled Sunday afternoon. The acts use the house's scarlet curtain for a drop and the lighting is very bad but unmindful of these physical handicaps the performers go on with their turns. Amid general unrest from the hundreds of kids who only wait for 'the funny guys' the Sunshine Girls, three nice looking fems, opened with a dancing and singing turn which reminds one of some local girls doing tlidir stuff in a nabe follies. They came in for applause and who did not that afternoon, even the chap who walks over the stage announcing the names of the acts. Nothing like a program or a screen flash. Tally, Hart and Lee deuced and their antics, which found them on the floor of the stage most of the time, had the kids in howls all the time. If you want to call their turn a vaude act you can but do not say it loudly. Judy Cheron and Co., a fem with three boys, was next. Judy and a boy sings. The entire audience Joined with the pair. It was bet- ter for all concerned. Two boys Imitating Laurel and Hardy in dress and expressions got plenty of laughs. Manny King with the aid of a beautiful blonde ran away with the show. If memories do not fall, Manny did play Broadway.' His gags were shady and his Jewish dialect made him solid on the hand exercise. Stevens Bros, and Bear closed. Stupid turn, but say, that bear was real and that Is a treat. The show contains 15 performers and one live bear. The layout costs $100 which is less than $7 per ac- tor. And you still have a bear to feed. The performers do three shows at the Granada. Transporta- tion from the city and eats for the day. This must be the coffee and cake circuit we hear about. To paraphrase an old and tln-ic-v.-.)rn saylng-^'Vaude, what crimes are committed in thy name.' Wag. ORPHEUM, N. Y, Pretty good show here currently, all things considered. Not much actual qu.ality. but more quantity than has been dished out in a long time and the Orph is onf^jt a nabe. anyway. The customers g^jt their money's worth. Two features currently, though one is only a four-reeler. 'Headhun- ters of the Amazon' (Principal) and 'Three on a Match' (WB) plus a Burns and Allen short and the Hearst newsreel. Five vaude acts on top of that riiakcs more than a three-hour show and pu-lenty. On the vaude end the headliner probably is Radio Rubes. A good turn for intermediate houses. thi« (Continued on page~47)