Variety (Nov 1933)

14 VARIETY VARIE¥¥ house reviews Tuesday, November 1.4, 1933 WINTER GARDEN, N Y. (Sunday Cdneert). For the clientele that makes. a habit 6t these Sabbath night 'fcoii- certs' at $2.76, the selection of Harry Hershfleld as jh.c* on last Sunday's (12) ma'ra'thoh wais a nat-r ural.. . They understood Hershfl^sld ■ and Hershfleld understood - them. The hie dfflculty • wlU come here when those behind the l;iookIne have exhausted the available m.c.'s. It took Hershfleld a little while to Arid the. range Qf '^'hi/3 customers. In isightihg afouhd fbr. their laugh proclivities the hnimorlst in a couple spots delved deep ihtb the blue- for- his stories. Some . of them, were of a kind tha,t hiade even this molj blush. Biit in due time' he emer*ired from, the sihokingrcar murk and found that as long as the stuff had wit they were, ready to laugh along with him. Bill itself may not have been worth the tap but the cohgfegatiori was regialed with enough -flrst-rate entertainment: to stamp the eve- ning as ..well spent. A couple pa^ Itioka acts somehow got mixed up with the proceedings but Hersh- fleld's kindly airologies stralnght- ened but these kiiiks' and the mis- takes were quickly forgotten. Despite the haphaMrd foutlnihg of the show there were , enough highpoints to keep the interest inr tact. For the flrst section standout innovations went to Hal LeRoy aiid his two looker assistants,,Wee Wilie Robyn doubled into .the niche with Abner 'Siivier and' Harriet Hoctor and her ballet support out of 'Hold i'our Horses,' while the latter por- tion pf the aflfaif delivered sock returns for the Rio Bros, and the Borrah Minevitch troupe. Fred Keating did one of. his drdpping-by appearances and gathered a swell handout for his bridge game broad- cast, Another informal dropper- inner was Al Ti-ahan. The coinic took a bow and his pooch did a standup and the regulars got an idea of what to expect from next week's setup. Into which Trahan, it was announced, has been booked. One of the bettei? head and fdot balancing-combihations, the Three Orantos, filled the opening stanza and the first crack at the audi- ence's laugh . source Went to Ann STATE, N. Y. wrassle, described us a Barrymore- Garbo love scene, that highlights, the act. Qtherwlse they're cute State hag on© of those bills that kids on the hoof, with the hoofing play better than they ehape up on ordinary and the cuteness their paper. Ralph -.Morgan, featured trump card. player In a series of click pictures, Bowers, another comparatively provides a name and gives excuse new act that's been plsiyed'to death for elaborate lobby display, of stills around BroadWay^ got. the booking sho-v^ing hid character roles .(SRas- ofllce buffeting early in the season, putin'and 'Bombshell-^mong, them) but has been absent in recent w^eks, calculated to pi^ue fan curiosity TRANSLUX, N Y. (New) - , Park avenue Is taking Its news- or probably long, enough to recoup. But It Is a specialty bill oC Btraignt K^^jg j^j,^. .si^orts so seriously the He did okay her^. with his animal vaudeville that sustains the enters 1^^^^^ people^ after passing a round poises .and; character Impersona- tkinment element on the 8ta'ge» . I I^OOO.OOO attendees by the turnstile tlons. Lrfiyout shapea up nicely, witji a sg^j, gtreet theatre during the jack. Miller'i3 band, all looking brisk opening, No. 2 that holds the Kj^g^ two and a half years, decided nea,t In Palm Beach suits with, dark pace, let down iii speed. In the j^g^^^{g5,^ |^Yenue needed more than shirts, are an excellent musical Morgan spot No, .3; then a sock -^gQ g^j^^^^g. So the 4B0 seatei* two background for Miss Smith and the coniedy next to closing and ai y^gj^g north, which probably Is the other aicts, but especially Miss spirited dance flash for a highly ^^Qg^ j^o^jernlstlc theatre In the. Smith's isihglng.^ It's one .Of those: siitisfactory-finish, climate For the. ^.^ort^j^ opened Itg doors Friday (10) technically excellertt bands lacking Broadway drop-ins It Is pe^ect, ^|^^ ^j^^ rgg^ia-r Luzer prograni. In the color needed for strong stage I show being topped by the Jean^.H There is ho comparison between impression.' Just, the ne-wsreel and. trailer on. shell* (M-Q-M).- low screen feature. * londe Bbmb- the filler end; night. BuiBiness fair Friday Bige. the hew Luxer and any other so far as soiind goes. It's about nearest STATE-LAKE, CHl Chicago, Nov. B. Johnny Perkins Is healdliner cur- Joe Peanuts' 'Simian Gigolos' is a thlhg to reproduction perfection In novelty monkey turn depending ^{anhattan. The booth Investment upon its production excellence and $7,000 is big money these days first rate novelty. In effect it Is a ^^^^ jp^^^^ especially in a Ijouse stage band show played entirely by ^^is size. Just $3,500 went Into monks Without a single appearanie chairs and another $10,000 for of a trainer, who doesn't even take jjj^ Y^nt aygtejn. a bow, a restraint that is rCcom- inside there is little difference be rehtly making it two ex--B. &. K. I mended to vaudevilllans. of more U^een this and the other luxers favs for this house, Al Kvale; pretentious aims. Orchestra monks But on second glance a change In formerly of the .Oriental, riding as are placed on a pedestal platform ^jg^j^j^g |g noted. This Is a suf- m. c. Perkins Is a natural In this and worked from behind by an In- fxi^^^. pink. As the result the walls town. visible trainer. Scheme gives op- Kyhi^jj are covered in 'walnut tone Perkins has a variety or pace that POrtunity for great .comedy. Spe- moire silk,' as Johnnie Dowd de- makes It a standard vatide turn clalty monks, work In. front 01 tne I gcribes it, appear maroonish to the anywhere. Ruth Fetty, the vis.a- band, doing a "r^^^^^ , J \ vis, makes up for the femme angle and trapeze solor props handled: by rphe child trade here Isn't big. Ac and gives Perkins a breathing spell an 'attendant. Splendid start lor j.Qj.^jng,^Q ^j^g jji^nagement It never while she unlooses the pipes. Per-; any bill. ^ ,, . . , , „ rung Over 10%^ of the gross, and kins Is In on a two-week contract Bob . LASalle has worked out a only during holiday periods. Waly. and pie for the hold-over. welt varied turn with talk^cut down Vaude half of the flbow opened to a minimum and Bomething hap- wlth the Three Hearts hoofing pening all tbe time. Girl foil does through similar routines without nicely with a comedy strip number changing costume other than doff- I and a dancing stooge fills in enter- TRANSLUX of the better knownts of the mike, Crosby and. Smith being , partlciilar- Codee and Frank Grth. This vet ^^eU done * standby of the varieties did not I Adding several new tricks to his EMBASSY Newsreel m^n get their best break and pass'It on to the audience when the sun Is covering the entire foot- ball field. -This Is especially well illu!3trdted here currently. The St. Mary's - Fdrdham clash was In shadow V?ith the result that it la difficult to follow .many of tho plays. On the other hand, Colgate- Tulane and Na-vy.-Notre Dame with well, lighted ovals made It possible for camera to catch vividly all movements. An Oklahoma oil fire, showing in both houses. Is better presented at the Emb. This house has caught the gold, mining urge, evidently from the Liuxer, which has long been whooping it up as the way out of depression. One of the most novel subjects shoWn In the- Emb Is that of a rabbi, the sole voter in his district, going to the pells. By the timei F-H gets through following the Lindberghs around Europe it will have enough footage to release either a serial or feature. Interesting views Of a China fiood afford a dramatic highlight' when a biarge overturns* exclusively Fox.'s, This Is the time of the year when the Emb goes In heavily, for such filler as ducks, turkeys,, apples, parades-and dancing foreigners; not to overlook. Mtiissolini. Memorial services for Ibanez in Spain, .a Jjtpanese sham battle and the Bel- mont steeplechase are others. Both theatres have the arrival of the Russian emissary, Emb also following this up In Wiishlngton. Waly, , , _ _ j *i Indifference mairks the make-up Ing hats and coats. Some change of tainlngly. LaSalle also stepped out ^dth newsreel house programs dress would be a distinct help, as m. c. Introduce Morgan. (New U.j^jg ^eelt. The liUxer passes up the Radio Aces In the deuce have a Acts). New York election altogether while decided advantage over most radio Morgan's IB nilnutes or so are the Embassy overlooked Armistice turns; act iat least has motion. The quiet, but audience interest was held hoay sliipped up on the New four warblers conform to the reg- up and the response satisfactory. Jersey air catastrophe, ulatlon mike technique with pop Nevertheless, he was an interruption Both houses dip deep Into their numbers but enliven the turn ex- to the vaudeville speed of the show vaults for a prohibition rehash, pertly with movement. Open In and the situation Called for a sock p^the got some drys to talk who one for straight tonsiUIng and then to pick it up again. provoked nary a laugh and dead- Into 'three' for Impreslons of some Three Slate Bros, provided the panned the entire clip. necessary element with plenty to in an attempt to build, -up the spare; This trio hav« what it takes, visitation of flive Governors to They make knockabout clowning a Washington, . generally covered, nn -im.nHrieH oia iiul i = , fino art, mbvlhg from one bit of pathe hashed over views of Gen dl.,annoint setwe^ thesr tWO h"^^^ ?irns Ann PenStSon dellver^^ the top class of novelty jugglers, jaunty confidence that makes may- herself of a brS but amply %6- anywhere and hem seem legltirnate^comedy. Pip vealinc ^mole-rf the pSnSgton bad them gasping throughout. Blpa of a bit Is an adagiol>urlesque with 5f ^r?inl •fiwi Bift^hi^r.^ bas unbent a great deal In the past .a stuffed dummy, ending with gen- w^L?L «n of th^ B?£to^ s^^ - , „ warming up pi xne sei w swrwa j^j, jj^j^^ ^^j^^g^y jj^^^^ ^^^^3 ^I^^^ figure,, leaving it-crumpled on the vaude-first run combo. Ken Murray week, and likewise the stage bill. ,^«a«rn ™,r« n,™ ^«^w.«^ »..^nnn. After Porkins finished Kvale ar- fioor as the drop falls. When it and Co., Florence Desmond and a ifs built around the holdover of ^f^ a«fl Tv...«*^?v for some chatter while the files for a bow, girt has been sub- production number built around jack Crawford and his band. They u woi»»^t^mt« to*" t*»e dummy and rises Ravel's Bolero are the principal do •Big, Bad Wolf and 'Last nut the-tootsL t?^^ Boys then trimmings.. _ Roundup' both, put the tootsies to sqiomg that the i^^^^^ ^^^^ to 'one' for a dancing Murray m. c-'s the show, mixing ^ tray sisters, couple of muscle- , Art Henry and Dorothy Martin finish, doing intricate eccentric plenty of vintage humor with his I BtSntera and acrobatic dancers. ■viT»Ua B/tnn bave a spotty turn labelled The stepis with the same effortless ease introductions, but getting hot In his[ rt„en the bill after the ork jazzes ^is a^on?w5l wishes part it that marked their knockabout. A clowning with Milton Charleston ftTp a bit. The? have S^^^ was among weu wisnorB | AnniKrv, nn onma/iv av<ni>A I J *t.-. ^i......-.^ _.v.i»v ..+in.»An I ^^iJ^ stunts here about six minutes to fair reception. Mack and Borden, comedy.. duo^ Pantagest Hollywood Hollywood,. Nov. .9. Money's worth In this 40c top I Johnson, the President and Gerard Swope. And-right after this plug for the NRA It Showed farmers holding up milk trucks and picket- ing highways. Niagara Falls during the hea-vy wind, NBC moving Into Radio City, Italy's mass marriage. New York fiower show, Toklo's anniversary and Chinese archery, among others on the program. Wall/. LINCOLN LdncolUi Nov. 9. Biz not as good as usual this fif-,. ^«Mi«- 1 JwtiaoT^^^ . land the cleanup, which utilizes] fJ^^ ^vff *hont Henry shaping the ObvJ^ously a closing turn couldn't unibertegs Edwards to sock re- laid down with a trio of pop tunes „,„tlne and advising Martin that build on the Slate comedy, so It was turns. ^ ^ warranted forcing him back for an | ,^ trying to hog the act. It falls good judgment to spot the straight ^igg Degmdnd's vocal mimicry three synSgogrdeiegates- has bVen d^ne'I S^clairzing* In"to^^hlnr'anf Ttlf^^^^^^ might go over better. Has on the caator they had heard in a to leath and is still bad taste. rounds the turn out nicely, giving a flrsf-nlgSrs Thrle BSe 1^ 2^*1^"^.?* wif^ iv. nearby city. Abner Silver would Hit of the afternoon was the bur- break in the straight stepping that SJ^Ji^ o^^^^ «ielr J?.;''®®- Tl'^ have helped things out all arOund leeque adagio act of Dolores, Andre formerly marked^the item in its foSlcffi teSrf an^^^ giod ^^.t'^^t^^/**'!?!*^^^^^^ "^^Z^ St had he not included in this stanza Und Dimitrl, which had them In a break-In experience. Six girls and tS c^^^^ his 'Louse' composition from the panic. Boys toss that gal around Lis boys make up the troupe. They r*SJ^?%,;J!._\^^^ thumbs Cotton Club show. Odec. as If she were a rag doll; almost Lpen with jazzy toe work, then go L^ced thrsamrtern s^^^^^ out the wrong way comes under the acro.batIc-contor- into taps and acrObaUcs. Miss jh^/|,'^^,*t'L^^^^ Madelon McKenzIe, torch singer CAPITOL N Y. classification. .. Remarkable Delano on for her song specialty and Jfo the bol^S Onens sImllS-ly to Aeluxe. Is in^ the trey V^£\riiyUf I. jthmg about the act Is the physical for the finish boys and girls »re f^. ^g,® f^^^J^?- « version Of 'Minnie, Kate Smith's 'Swanee Music endurance b' Dolores. As Revue' nnlt in Support of Trize fighter and.the Iiady' (Metro), com prises the whole stage show this week. Ifs a lightweight, affair with all the coin In one spot and spas modic entertainment at its best. Miss Smith of course has no. trouble with her islngihg specialty, -which she confines to' one spot "In the latter part of. the unit; her dif- she.-holds out It's an. act that miss. 'Morning Olory* (RKO)i feature. Gold. ^ujDiw lOr ine nnisn ooya ana giiis '^^'' thft Karl Carroll version with the 7^T.., long as back, giris In ball frocks and boys ,Y"^^ 5 nleSl f*^f ^ooch' (bless the dear, old at can't in tails, for their elx-couple adagio, out of fthf Sit S M^^^^'i.**''**^^ her parts about and Lilncoln, Nov. 8. Cal Bard's back at the reins, of ficulty is in keeping herself- busy I this house ...mianiagement after a during the balance of the hour or I long , absence .while coding, and he's so. of stage show, with tho aid of going back to the system which three ispecialty acts and a one-1 made money. before. Price Is cut and carries the act off to a demon-1^®' " oeing arrangea ana men tne 1 the Three Chocolate Drops who go , atratlon Nobod%S^ pLked^^m^^^ drift on slowly to enact a through all the legmania. Good ORPHEUM. LINCOLN I^MIJ A K i^™^^^ <mo, 1 word in dance revue style aa&l^^^ ^^'^"if''*^? torrid Urith entire show a bit more than swank. I gyrations on the table. Buildup Is tedious; confined by the I two hours. Barney, normal. number stage band. Acts are Cherry and June Preis ser and the Four Franks, two Juve- nilei combinations, and Cookie Bow ers.. Miss Smith is on and Off throughout the show as mistress of ceremonies. For the Capitol date the gags she's been telling else- where were eliminated. Miss Smith shows up first ih a gingham house dress In keeping with the Swanee atmosphere, and for her specialty, she changes to evening attire. Then back to the same house dress to m.c. tbe rest of The Preisser kids' dancing and acrobatic ability In contrast to their tender age Is not to .be discounted on downright merit, but even the best loses its kick after too many repeats. The Broadway houses have been playing c^tch with these kids who have madei one of th,e few ^=.major--.contributlons=to..the:=niB.w=afit list in the past three years, and now they heed a. rest. * Thie Capitol au- dience' proved It by trieatlhg the act respectfully, but not with the zest shown for the Prelssers in the past Always BUre-flre Show stoppers, they didn't stop 'em here, and noth- ing's wrong with the act as an act. When the Four Franks appeared after tbe Prelssers' first number. It looked like kindergarten week at the Capitol. The Frank* are two boys And two glrls^ Smallest of the boys and girls do * couch to 26o top and there cire two fea- tures In addition to the Paul Cholet 'Cbcoinut (^rove Re-vue' on the stage. Show Is a repeat after two ROXY, SEATTLE Seattle, Nov, 8. score, but once | {reaching fever heat, the number Is compelling' and abisorbing, the girls I countering the music' with an In teresting castanet beat and thel'major companies and five acts of group around the table lending em- | Vaude, one can't expect much in the CIRCLE^, N. Y. At 26c top. for pictures of the This week the Rdxy (J-vH) took phasis to the hip movements of the way of talent on the stage end, and months ~and\ comcs"^^^^ Pantages vaude, after a variety palr ot principals. .Blowoff , Is^^a it Isn't there, either, this half. $700, making the entire nut less of policy which - took the house steam curtain^from the foots as the | With the large number of acts than $1,500, at which figure the from low take-the week prior on a '"""" *"''-'' - _ man. tears off the dress of his vis-a house stands to make its first I pix straight of $3,000 to the top biz vis for the cymbal crash; money. In some time. House dropped pulled in by the lite Texas GSuinan to 11,600 a week over the pist and company the preceding week month. ' of $17,000. . * Cholet show isn't the best in the Price of duciits held down to 35c,, worid, but. there's plenty of It, It's this being-rio 'advance, staged pretty well, has iJlenty of Eight-piece. band In pit and five costume changes and most import-I acts on the bill. Captain WlHi^ ant of all, moves fast enough, so Mauss, moved from closing to Jts flaws do hot have time to make bpeningi has spectacular clicker In lasting Impressions on the audience, his bicycle-revolving wheel stunt. Carries a seven-piece band, an Goes judt a few minutes but packs eight-girl line, Ruth Sue Powell, the thrills. rhythm tapper; Jeahnette Terry. Nelson and Knight, smooth guy torch; Cholet and Jones, comedy, and dumb blonde, but helpful, talk*, and RelUy and Thrower, headliners sing and step nice enough. His gag- and an excellent, acrobatic clown I ing while he stops^ her fiddling and ■tea m._ : - , :opera „take oft_connects. ^. There's smart staging In thli~unit Will and Gladys XHern andy an by rushing things up to the Rellly unbilled rope-spinner, do a lot qt 4nd ThtoWer minutes and theii ail- things with ropes, while Gladys lowing the boys their own sweet rhymbas and fandangles colorfully, time running right into a finale Her toe nUmber With rope, spinning flurry that makes a neat closing is good. Harris and HoWell, col flash. lored entertainers, have .plenty of TWO pics are 'Sweetheart of Sig stuff. One shows how fastjfeet can Chr (Mono) and 'Beneath the Sea' travel In a tapi niimbctr. Candreva (Indie). First pic Is helping be- brothers—eight of 'em—look well, cause the Sig Chi's from the ffol- dress well and trumpet even better, lege, of course. Interested and all to close. the other frats want to go to hiss It. On screen. 'Charlie Chan's Greieit- Blz much better. JDamey. lest Case' <F<nX> that must be around and will Ing tb Work for. marbles rather than As a combined encore and method I not work at all. It should' be possi- of getting the. orchestra back into ble to put together Something bet- the pit, the girls are posed oh the ter than is seeii here, bknd stand as. it travels forward One act on the current ..bill that's and do-wn. * ' fairly good and shows promise, Martin's combo is.too light to give Four Playboys (New Acts), but the Ravel'score the needed sock and some of the talent on. the balance volume, but suits the other require^ of the show Is pretty small tlmey ments of the hour-long show. I *^"d near to. the impossible. The For the opening 'Only Yesterday' Playboys are colored boys In fast (U), which brought out a goodly dancing routines. They are show- representation of film names and a *ng decidedly at disadvantage up not quite . capacity in this large here and on the small tlmey show- house, Russ Columbo got across Openier looks like a third-rate emphatifcally with 'Last Round Up' circus attraction, Three Tip Tops and Sum Knight planted herself <New Acts), a trapeze trio of girls. aQliaiy:.Mthjajojag-^he didJh^«^N.L -.1^^^^ Y. musical. ' caughit held the Playboys, who were Bolero was the only scene that thrown Into the sppt to take-up an used more than 'one.' Curtains obvious wait for Ruth wid Johnny could have been trimmed more Hayes. As a result, the Hayes turn, evenly. Newsreel (Universal) and ,f o"^^® ^ongs and la^^ an Oswald cartoon -una«, ojj JJi Co. (New Acts). ' 'baaion' at fti JUl I Emmott Gllfoyle and Co. Is the w«r r «ni *<> closer. Poor materlcJ and -Deslitn FOT Uvlng^ will be road- Ualeflmanshlp keep It dowm shown by Paramount, tentatively picture 'Storm at Daybreak* dated to open Nov. 22 at the Cri- (MG). Business Indifferent Friday terion, New Tork. I evening. Ohar,