Variety (Mar 1934)

Tuesday, March 13, 1934 V4BIF¥¥ HOUSF REVIEWS VARIETY 17 NEWSitEELS EMBASSY In the old days every time Hitler was mentlQbed there was a rough toombinatipn of hisses and applause. 8£turday. afternoon the reaction was neerattve; although the. house crew was mustered in the back expecting trouble ^ven the ex- oluisive Nazi blHhday the Emb .pre- pared to fbllow the "Mad. (harden Indictment failed to get rise. And the' house was well 'filled. the time. Emb Using Pathe let the Garden story riin for several, ininutes. tt was worth the additional footage, since it. gave speakers like Smith and Wise an opportunity for screein continuity. Xuz clipped U to the bone op^ th6 siame subject. Camera, gets a free 'situation wianted' ad oii the Emb 'serpen. Mumbling something about Ljough-. ran, he' suddenly manages j:6 get this over Intelligibly, 'I'm willing to flght anybody, anywhere, anytlthe.* Pathe strikes a heavy '<^dltor141 note when, .after projecting a' sub- ject dealing with a |B,000 appro- priation to feed birds,. It digs into the slums and lets, its re^tprter "Irtrtdly^omuieut that the'-hunger ■ pt- chtldren should be'a.ppeased.; before that of animal life; "\ ' "" Intercollegiate track- meets • &nd Golden .QloVe contests are numei":^ o<iB and have a following irttnhing high into the thoiisftnds. Quick to appreciate that only Ja-r jjercentage, of jthese could .fill. Its/ hoii^p for ,a. week. Editor WondSell is allowing such subjects to go' the limit in the Emb. Clb^e-ups of the star bouts are particularly worthwhile, regardless If none in the audience are friends or relatives. Inoiden* tally, the Emb this week is intrP duclng the first trailer on. future hews In an all-news theatre. . Jt reminds that the next Glove show will be similarly covered. Captain Bartlett and YektB TRANSLUX Farampunt slipped over' a nice scoop by sending a crew to. the DllUnger farm and getting the father to defend, his outlaw son, and also to accuse the isiuthorlties of trying 'to make a mountain of a molehill.' " The subject is providing more laughs than thrills. Where the father.-got a roar in the ljuxer, the Emb scored. in the pomedy vein with the jail, garage man. Eihb let this run to the limit, even in- cluding pauses between questions and Answers. The man possesses all the habiliments of Keatonian n^lrth. H6 thought DlUy was kid- ding at. first, but, when sotaeoiie tipped , him off the-outlaw was seri- ous he d€K!lared, * went right with him.' ■• " •• •The number that DlUy ''sang, en- route was another laugh-getter. The sincere manner In which. the garagemtin . recounted his leave-tak- inp. V receiving some' money and' shakltig hands with, the outlaw, proved a. glegl^ haymaker' with the Emb folk, Fox' 'and •'Piar ahead .pf Pat^.e in current- European'"-"coverage. ' Von Papen'8 'Sbeltement about the Saar. Vienna-, funerals, as -well ;as Prince Georfefe. d oing sPtt ie mounta i n cllmb- ihp. -were" among- these. .Universal, added to the'dlfCerence betw.een the prxigrams -with. gUnipses ^ oif *. recent .Air. and. railroad wrecks in -lltnols .and Jpwk, ,resp6<it}yp}y.- . •- ■^ ■> Both ^hpUses'. had: Mxk. /Boose- velt's trli>. to the. Carrlbean; Green ehdorslng!. -shorter hours \and pre- seht'lng tome' laibor .figures; Florida fashion .and beaut contests. Chinese wrestling,-. Soviet avlatprs. Cali- fornia's- tailless plane, Jersey, house- wives with firearms, bid views of .I>r. Wyntikop.- -skating,' .baseball,, ice jtims, and ;>Iavers . being' .returned to MassachuE'etts.. Walp. bur Hall follows- for -his trpmbone and hand-pump-blts to. excellent re- sults. That gives things a flying start and then Sidney introduces Penner. During his turn, orchestra leaves pit and show winds up in full stage cabaret scene. Let-down quite nat- ural following Penner, but remain- der of Sidney's turn gathers mo- mentum as it goes along and whole thing Isn't as anti-climatic as it might have been. Hall cornea badk for his hoke 'Pop Goes the Weasel' on the fiddle, old but still great audience stuff;: diminutive Annette Ames crocks '6m with some neat hoofing, finishing solid -vrlth a crackerjack Zasu Pitts imltatloni and'Hal Menken registers with, a novelty stair dance in the Bill Jlpb- Inson manner a lai viariatlons; In between, Sidney Warbles a . senti- niental ballad, but he should pick soihiething more in keiSping with shPw's otherwise snappy pace. In- cidentally, he's assembled a neat array of talent this season and act can stand up well anywhere. ' VoMn. Ago' are the nearest items - to ■ short subjie«ts whiPh the Eipb is using. .Waly. MUSIC HALL* N. Y. The second 'Radio City Music Hall Revue,' staged by Leon Leonl- doft and running «xactly an hour, adequately takes care of the stage requirements this week. It Is in numerous scenes using the full- stage, broken by some numbers In •one.' While not the best thlpg the big platform of this house has accommodated, the revue proves an •ntertalnlng hour's diversion, with some high spots to bring out salvos pf applause. It leans to spectacle, without Which the Music Hall wouldn't be the Music Hall, but manages to bring out more than the usual Intimacy. In this connection the revolving stage figures importantly in introducing Gertrude Nieseii. 8he is given a fine buildup by the production effectiveness of a sklt- llke number, 'Hat Check iSlrl.' Miss Nlesen and another are hat check girls lamenting their lot in song. Suddenly one of the checked coats becomes a man and takes Miss Nlesen' on a tour of night clubs, with song, numbers in each to fit. This includes a Russian scene in which Hilda Eckler doPs a sob solo, a French retreat . where Dora Boshoer has the spotlight in song, and finally HArlem. Here the Roxyettes arp brough; in, as well as the Gondos brothers, smairt buck damceTS."""The Condos boys rated one of the best applause reactions of the evening (Thursday)? Their buck and wing work is excPllent. After the number with Miss Nleseh takes her back to the check- room for a reprise of the key num- ber, 'What Good is Life Without a Man,' a few minutes in 'one' Is spent, with, Robins, the comedian who pulls bananas and a lot ot other things from capacious pockets, meanwhile imitating musical in- struments. They like... the act. A love song In one by Evelyn Duerler and George Hey man leads to the finale, where an Pstentatlous wedding serves, to bring out much color, plus the ballet. Roxyettes and others. It's a very tlntfUl finish. Unit Opens with the Roxyettes as Jockeys In a; novel numbei*. In which newsreel film of actual races are effectl-vely employed. The bridge between this and the 'Hat Check Girl' sequence has Jacques Gasselln, violinist, playing •ZlgeiinPr Weisen' in 'one/ Gasselin -=is-eonceut-master-^^f-=the=symphQny= orchestra here. He apparently was: pressed Into service becauige a bridge act was required on top of the opening, and It works out okay. Tho picture this -week Is 'Spitfire' (RKO) with Katharine Hepburn. It win do pood business, despite the fact it o.inie in with a snowstorm that In.'^toa until 7 p, m. Thursday and r <'>'! another all-day blizzard Saturila.v. Char. PENN, PITTSBURGH . Pittsburgh. March 9. Management had to call out the police to hold back crowds storm- ing b.o.. for first show this morning. First time. Penn has seen anything like It since boom days of 1929. The magnet's Joe Penner and Penner alone. Picture, 'Six of a Kind' (Par), and remainder of show can bp tossed in ash-pan as far as busl hess -draft Is concerned, for it's the duck salesman who's doing it and -will continue to do it .for remainder of week. . In at $3,760. Penner should give this site its biggest week in couple of years and turn a neat profit for a house that certainly needs a profit for a .change. Two years ago he was tops as a marquee name here. This has always been a spot In which he's king. lilow,; with an in- ternational .radio rep, -vrlth the kids alLo'i'er the country promising to be good If. they cian stay up and listen to his Sunday night broadcasts, he's nothing, short of sensational. In other cities, the ether has made Penner*overnight. In: Pittsburgh, he didn't hav(B to.be made because mob In this burg has always gone for him; They know what to expect. Still there ^e some tO whom he has been a stranger until recently. They're due for a pleasant surprise. For Penner differs from . the ayeriage radio comic. Hie has always had a sock vaude and presentation routine and he know^ how to sell it now better than ever before. Only thing that seenied to istop hlni previously from being a really great comic was a certain lack of confidence. He's acquired that BPW^Wd there's no telling how far he'll go. With Penner hfere is Jack Sidney's fash act.. Comedian works in pne in. mlddlie of this, using the same two straight men he-employs On the ialr. He's on IB minutes, delivering time after time, and had to beg oif. Everything, he did was sure-fire and it's been a long time since such a solid click has been registered here. They screamed and yelled, pounded their fists and when Penher pulled 'you nath'ty man* and 'Don't ever do that' response istopped him dead for what seemed to be minutes. With few exceptions, he's wisely depending on old standbys, includ- ing the violin bit and the song about the pussy willow and the cat-, nip. Despite their familiarity, they still seem new, for Penner has a peculiar knack for keeping then! fresh arid vital, as though he were doing the routine for the first time. He. socks 'em again at the finish -with a sketch and had to make a speech before they let him get away. cleanups. flU^lie^Jtfty^Jtta^ that's 'the only way to. put it. Sidney opens show In front of drop that looks like a huge trunk aicross which Is pairited, 'Jack Sid- ney's Sample Case of Comedy and Melody.' Brings on Birdie Dean for nice control dance, and three good-lOoklng Stewart Sisters for some slick warbling that's out of the usual trio groove. One pal's a natural comedienne and helps. WU- FOX BROOKLYN in staging a show it's the Imag Inatlve-tricks Ufl6d that sway the bal&hce either way In the test of a producer. Without thpsp no stapWi Uhlesis equipped 100% with remaric- able talent}.* ever hits above medi- ocrity^ BUt. when a producer does not furnish a' show evfejft the funda- mental principles, then that produc- tlQiUaJinJi jOasg that,^ w hile hi^d ly unique, is as low as an -oCefiin vbot torn. ' . V ^ So it goes this week 'atthls house —at least, so' low ls the/shbwhere. And there sbd]jS4-'lw? *o Jceaspn ,fQr It, for It is ricum tiUent in three .of the , four .spoti-bobfepd ' acts.. Its greatest deficit is lA the staging aUd llghtiitg. .Almost equal to ' this handicap is'the 24-glrMlne; a story in Itself. : Granting that all picture-liouses are living up to thp .$35 minimum wage for chorus girls, the Fox has ho legitimate.reason why it should have 24 rai^ ftmietteurs attempting to diiahce for DtjBl' tMttrbns. These girls are pathetlc.'an'd it is nbt their director's fault. -A genius Pduld hot r-.ouid them into if presentable en- semblei ' Froni their -manner of working at the show caught, they are getting paid for rehearsing. And they even fake the rehearsing. Certainly walst-hlgh kicks aren't that tough. Oh the production end,- It should not take great ability for a producer to realize that masklng-in the band would look much better than tUlow- Ing a bare stage on either side and rear of the stand. Also, If the pro- ducer Is a producer and therefore necessarily, a director* there is no apparent reason why Freddy Berrens should not turn on more of the per- sohallty faucets. Surprising that this suggestion should have to be made Berrens/ for, with his stage experience, he bhould know enough not to stand cross-armed and frozen-faced when the other acts are doing their stuff. Another thhig the producer could be made to real- ize is that the routines of certain acts could be splltup two or three >.ays to give shows more body. Maybe he ought to go see a unit. A check on the band's music when playing for the acts could itlso be made. The 19-piece aggregation does hot seem to realize the Im- portance of shaded music. And as for the lighting, that's Where a technical advisor is necessary. The way certain spots In the show looked from the loges, the cast might just as well have been work- ing behind the traveler. Tagged 'The Madhatter Revue/ the production contain such stand- ards as Frank Mellno and Company, and Edward J. Lambert*' The former turn Is acrobatic comPdy, while the latter is low hoke, and both are usually surefire. Mellno, working with two men *hd a Blri,_got nipe hands fOr^ the tbp-hbfch fumbling afid daHPiBg ef- forts, but not as big as the act de^ serves,. Lambert fared even better, but In his cade it was a matter of the big shoes and derriere grabs on the tall brunette fitting in with the hokey production more fully than Mallno's turn. This house has something of a family trade,, ai^d, with this In view, Lambert & couple of times over-reached, bn the dlrt^ Ray Heatherion, iannounced as the former Ipana (radio -commercial) troubador, is another spot-booked turn and also a clicker. He does about four numbers in front of a: mike and all sLre done well. Aliso has appearance in his favor and, if he didn't get a reception coming oh, he certainly got one going ttway. Betty Keane, blonde hbofer, also shows up well In talent In the rou- tine early In. the show. She did this against the handicap, of ha-vlng the line precede hiar as well as stand behind once she was into her dancp. The one act In the show not on par with the rest of the turns is the IDeimW"'I'Pi^r^raediiRa'e"" They come' on for an enactment of 'AJlce in Wonderland' that does not look anything at all like 'Alice in Wonderland,' For the finish there's a military routine by the line. The costumes 'The Tsrinth Guest* (Col.) on the screen. Biz the opening night was about half capacity* PARAMOUNT, L. A. Log Angeles, March 8. Nothing outstanding in the cur- rent & Fahchoh & Marco stage show. Couple of effective routines by the line girls, and straight va-pde by five acts make up the bill of fare, running 34 minutes at the Initial performance. this afternoon and re-;; vealiiig little to get excited a,bout. Easily topping is Al Verdi (for- merly Cpscia arid. . Verdi) now teamed with an a;ttractiVe blonde violinist arid foil labelled Thelma. Utilize most of the cbniedy gags used by the old combination, arid .click solidly. Girl Is. so^so on . the. violin, with the act depending spl^ly^ Ori Verdi's clo-wnlrig and his break- away violin bo-W and cello. - Petit a.nd Douglas, unusually small midget . and normal-sized feeder, also provoke plerity of -Jaffs. with Petit easily dominating the act with his gags and. snappy hoof« Ing. Jerome Mann offers a series of impressions, including, his cbncep tion bf how Slriglng SiEun, Walter Wlnchell, Ben Bemle, Ed Wyriri and Pat .Rooriey sound, over the. air, Mann tries hard, but it requires cbnstderable stretch of the lp^aglha ttpn tp link him tb the chi^racters he Impersonates. '; i .•,' ■:, VlPkl Joyce, throaty, torch TVarb-^ ler, gets two vocalizations, off liet' chest during the prp(^edi;igs iaqid. also • announces ^a- .cb)ip)e<>. <>f -pfyft other acts. Unp|rogramm43, but reiEilug a "snappy routine-."^f acro^ batlp dancing,* Is Bobbe - Joyce,, whip appears Only- - ip; :thefinale^ '-:and starids out.promlslag|y. -S," i , ^' ' 'vt Girl routines 'iare s:. flbwi^' etCfecjt: nuriiber f br'the dpiexUng akti'd-ei' semti^' hula rbutlfte at the firiSle;; t^'accSm-' panlirient of Miss <d^py;^P^l war1dlri& •Little'Grass Shack ih,'S|jfU(trall,''^d the. other Miss..Joyce'-s:>nlfty...step ping; ■.^:■.r^ C - . Screen has. 1>eath- TaHes aMloll- day' (Par) ^wlth , News,. comedy, sporillght arid screen souvenir tog- fillers. Edwd: STATE^LAKE, CHI Chicago, March \9. As good as the vaude .show-is^thls week! that's hbw brutal the lilcture Is. No matter how, tight the pic- ture market is for subsequent tuns in the loop there Is still every , ire^ son that this house could havei got- ten a better jpicture than 'Song Tou Gaiye Me' (Cpl). Comments' were aUdlble and sounded suspiciously like Bronx' cheers throughout :th^ running of this atrocity. Picture looks like 1911 on recording and direction. It's all . up to the vaUde end this week, and flesh once more .demon strates that it can hold a public pn Its own despite the opppsite drag of a weak, flicker. Headed by the Watsbn Sisters, the show packed laughs and novelty In a zlpplngly paced performance. When' caught at the final show on Friday night the au,dl^n!(!0 responded eagerly to gage and business. ' ^' Watsbn Sisters are closing this show and with new material. Fanny is topping, her past efforts with a burlesque fan dance. Their name is helping them at .{his house.' To thp. custpmers the Watson Sisters are bright and big- headtlriers.. On this particular marquee their mon- iker means coin. Also, in the presentation half of the show are Buddy; Hal. and George In a short, but furloUs com- edy knockabout routine. A type of act that Is. surefire at present with every 'type' of audience. It lacks finesse, and restraint, but it's what the public wants. Presenta- tion, half of this lineup had every- thing, as is usually the case week in and week out. The line of glris, directed by the Nlggemyers, can't be beat for grace, style and appear- ance. Nothing corny about them and they add mlghtly to the bulld- irig. of tne . rforriianpe. Also the music as handled by Verne Buck riiust be credited, as an integral , and Important asset in thd running of the sho-w. This band and this one at the Palace are s 'endid examples of th best kind of Vaude orches- tras.... Opening the show were Ford; Marshall and Jbries^ a fast step- ping colored hoofing act that sent the performance away' to a flying start. No pauses or. waits in this turn. This act has played the best' there Is around here and can fit Into any show, anywhere. ■■, In the deuce there's a hlU-bllly turn labelled as the Radio Haymaki ers, a, sixl-iperson act that Is right up the alley for this house. With a barn backdrop they twarig guitars, push accordions arid yodel away to everybody's contents The radio tag looks slriiply by-the-way, with the act soriiehow remlndirig of a forriier standard vaude rube turn. However, either Way, it's still a punchy vaude arrangement.- From way bj.ck coriic a Jo e Kelao^ 'and'TiIs^niSgicT^'WPrEIri'g Tn~"oia^ fashlpn&d Htyle with a couple of comed--* stoocres added. Okay. Then came the O'Connor Family on a re- peat engagement. One of the best fariiily acts around and nover .seem-s to. ml.«?g. Successive apos ot the kids as they hit the footllfrhts for thPlf bits makP. it nn art thnt s-trirtp .slow an* hundP n -Ivn:; ■finish. jfiop. ROXY, N. Y. There's a very lucky guy In New York named Wesley Eddy. He's the, new m. c. at the Roxy, a tough spot to m. c. as several lads ;an tell him ■who couldn't riiake a go of if. But Eddy, with the good fortune, of hav- ing a very strong show back of him for his first try, mops up. He has plenty on the ball himself, but -yv'Ith that show, to help he can't miss.. Things begin mPvtrig; brightly by neatly staged line routirie. Four Trojans pan ipto the dance. They're four neat-looklrig lads in college dress who go iri for tumbling: Fast and okay. Girlis then Intro Eddy, ■who comes on in npat dinner clothes arid with a smile. ' Just to leave no doubt about him^^ self, Eddy 'Starts intmedlateiy to do his stuff. Barid goes Iritp a medley, and he Into a. marathon of show- off. Sings, plays a' plario; violin, banjo, riiandoiln arid sings some riiore. He can sell sbrigs, '.too, and had a* tbugh' time stbpplng arid let- ting tbe show -go op, " . Paul Sydell and Spotty, , next, is a better , than average dog act though on a. bit.too long. Mickey: Corite fol- lows.; He's ajUd: who looks like he's still In hls'iel^ris' arid .plays thie ac- pordlbri;'' "Very. gbod, .but also? on for one song.; tob mariy. y About the best production number Boixy's'has'lieih follows? 'Starts with '^GariPoo^ and -meriges^ easily . Into, a -tahg6i - Eight boys are added to the 34 gfrl^' llne ' folr. to ts' iiiuimbe'r, artdi. Frances Stevens la rotir'front, hug- glngra' riiilkei* to "keynpte *the -iterii. MlBfe(~ iStecv^UCf hiaii;'^ radiigf'Xyofce'anll^HDliM^^ 5t»e a|»le to ^.-.places.-'' yrMn .altfiyleattiB:- h6W- to iejiUnctiite ' a bit. li^ore cti^.riy { than she. -did JFriday - 'iiight,;t, WhiSfever, ■at$^»idi:-iij&}^, ^.danbe - rputltte of this number d^et«vSS'a*deiiitded«-b6^, al- though'^ "^aldihlttedly the tcoBtumlng helps aj-Jpt^-'L'r-^- .v.. Jafck TPepper- and' quintet Of . stooges .in^thls-spot was smart, rou- tining^ He plcKsV up :tbe pleasantly frowsy :atlnpsphel:;e,.^e<^ated;■ by the tffngo aMv-^ui^a '^t' swiftly-in a hebtlc,.. njghtmai^," 'Pepper riieans niothinjg -mUcK '^o'. the act.' His stooges ai^'^bbd, ;thpugh, aUd/inas- iriuch aS ' h'iB assemblpd^'^tbem and paces "'tKem,''° he.'might a^"weil take -the boWB. : And does, every time he gets a'chance, , v-, .:.;; '.. In caae-the ,Iads put-front have fotrgbttefn' cbp'ut' hlm,.:Eddy roes back Into action-at .this "'i»b|nt with a hig]^ly" etteciive '^reiidijttdn of 'St. 'Liouls BLUes.' . Leaves no'doUbt in anybody's'. mtnA' that he can sell a Song aidnif -wIiCh 'tbe bebt Of 'em. Girls arid hdya are 'back for a 'Poet' and Peasant' overture finish that turns out much better than might be, expected. .It's a .straight tap routine and highly etfectlve. It proves the .old conientlpri that hoops, feathers, stairs and all other ad- denda are so. much hokum. Give the children, cute costumes and Jpt them dance or sing; that's aU that-s really needed. Makes' exactly one hour of show, added to which are 'Mldrilght' (U) on thp screen, newsreel, 'cartoon and a two-reel cAibrt for a- two-hour and 45 riiiriute total. * Kauf. PARAMOUNT, N. Y. Better-than-a'verage stage show for this house. That may be due to two comedians, ■. Jiick Haley .and Benriy Rubiri,. working, individually and JPlntly. for results. Lots of giggles and entertainment, even if Haley unnecessarily stooped'-'to a couple of .bathroom anecdotes not in . order. One of them was the gag on Bing Crosby's mythical sponsor. A gag mat went the rounds of radio row- last week and Is not for the parlor. Probably not so much a question Of possible shock to the Parariiount patronage as a ' surprise coming from ^ Haley. Maybe on. Friday he was leading from fright. Desire to gPt bellies has tempted more than one comic sluriimlrig fPr the nonce in the varietlies. Haley vgot by the rest of the time without detouring off the road of good taste. Lillian Roth works with Haley, and also with Haley and Rribiri as a: trip. Blackouts arid production type numbers predominated. . It was frequently -very funny. In her own right the torcher smacked over sev- eral songs, not ideal samples of her ware's,. but sold on personality and delivery. lalne. Arden, exotic satin clad stoog-ess for Benny Runln helped him a lot In getting laughs. She has a trick of tossing her abdomen in coriilc nlp-.upk that goes beyond anything .seen in sriakehlps. On the program, but badly muffed so far as shp-wmanshlp buIld-Up by the' management, are the so-called Soviet Dancers (New Acts), over here for a little cultural propaganda on behalf of Russia. Haley an- nounced them, and Haley announces =^veryb6dy--wIth-InipaptIal=matter-pfr'-=^ factness, exactly the. wrong way-to ' handle a novelty. P.aramount ballet handed In a very pretty opening number, arid Iritcr, In celldijliane skirts, did a bit ()/. hallwt durInK 'Nvhlch. some of the airlfi. didn't hfithcr to pirouette on tficli- tdos;. M;iybo they were tired, or iri;i.vlH' tli(> :n!ifT«; bernp: (lark had (f'onrinut'd on. page 20)