Variety (May 1934)

Tuesday, May 22, 1934 V4RIEYY HOUSE REVIEWS VARIETY 17 Chamberlain Brown Brings a New Kind of Hodge-Podge Vode to 42d St Chamberiatn Brown has presented many things In his time as an artists' representative and aJso as a manager, but his poorest effort came Wednesday night (16) with the formal presentation of 'Flashes,' a sad mixture of straight vaude- ville and sketches, at the Lyric, on 42nd street. N. T. Present venture of Brown is backed by the United States Patri- otic Society, which hogs the pro- gram and pleads for contributions in its reader. This organization is probably responsible for the ridicu- lous opening of the show, the sing- ing of the 'Star Spangled Banner' by Mme. SamoildfiE, from opera, who hugged the Stars and Stripes to her bosom to accentuate the antbem. This came about 9 p.m., after the pit orchestra had played and replayed the overture about five times, with the show scheduled to start at '8:30. House was about orie-third full when the unusual curtain-raiser took place, with most everybody in on the cuff. All that was necessary to gain admission was to come close to the box office, where ducats were shoved at all and sundry wltb little questioning.. A ^rood portion of the cu.siomers appeared like young stage' hopefuls invited by Brown, and it was a lesson in. what not to do on the stage. The layout Itself was too poor as a presentation, and, in most in- stances, as acts, to allow for actual criticism. Pritzi ScheflE, with au- burn tresses; Prank Parnum, dancer, and Brown himself, were the out- standing performers to the audi- ence. It was Brown's singing that, as a laugh, made part of the evening's torture worth while. He had m.c.'d the early - portion of the show and returned to do a chorus of 'There Go.es My Heart,' written by Abner Silver and to the latter's piaiio ac- compahiinent. Around 15 people started <to walk at this. By the time the menage was over as a' whole, .at nearly ihldnight„ less than 100 die-hards were'left on the lower floor. Rest of the show included Nell O'Day and three boys in a flash; Pete Randall, m'.c.; Julia Kelety, singer; Hope Emerson and Dimples Reed, femme comedy pair; Mar- E^aret McKee, whistlsr; 'The Mlllen Trial,' an extremely poor sketch, portraying -the New England ban- dits' court action; Tom McLaugh- lin, -Irish tenor; Pour Playboys, col- ored hoofers, and 'The Crlmlnsil Court,' a radio sketch entailing a, cast of 20, which Is programmed as by special arrangement of WMCA. At this time Brown came on with a couple of children, Ada May and Elaine Megler, who did imper- sonations and recitations, respec- ,tlvely. Then he made a speech in which he: extplled the patriotic Vir- tues of the show and its backer, winding up with the statement theit an entirely new layout will be given every Wednesday. It hardly looked, however, as though another Wednes- day will come for 'Plashes.' A black house eye was used all the .way, with an eight-piece band in the pit. Acts on the stage had to use a miniature white upright piano for any stage musical accom- paniment they needed. Admish scale set at 26c. and 60c„ two shows daily. (Show closed Friday after four performances.) PALACE, CHICAGO Chicago, May 19. Starting this week the top-priced house in the loop has somethliig to offer the public, and something nearer to reason for asking the stiffest admission in the midwest. Its shows begin comparing favor- ably with the rival Chicago, Ori- ental and State-Lake. Not only is there talent on the stage, but it's •dressed and presented like an ,83c show. Palace has brought in Will Harris to produce and stage' its vaude bills and he starts oft on the right foot. It's understood that the plan Is not to go completely production, but to stick to the basis of vaude- ville with only occasional side- tracks to dance lines and presen- tation ideas. However, there will be more Intercommunciation be- tween the various acts, maybe after-pieces or additional. bits of entertainment thrown in for that extra helping. It shapes a£i a good Idea. Show this week is part Panchon & Marco unit, and is billed as 'Hot and Bothered.' Lots of good tal- ent on the bill, partieuiariy eiTec- tive for this type of house are David and Hilda Murray. Open with a straight .class ballroom dance routine, but then mix it up with some burlesques on the vari- ous types of ballroom hoofing in foreign lands. Murraya handle the idea cleanly and deftly without go- ing overboard. Other standard turn on the show consisted of Marty May and Jean Carroll. They've taken May's chair .■iway from him. but hp'.s .still li^tcn- inn pntioiitly wliilf on tlie hoof. Miss Carroll's chatterbox style mains chiseled and to the point. On looks and manner she's there, and they remain a consistently good •V-aude turn. On minor points Armida is spoil- ing herself. She has her own name and her own style. There is no reason in the world why she should mimic Lupe Velez, . Dolores Del Rio and Marlene Dietrich. Not only are the impersonations done poorly, but they detract from Armlda's own personality. She can get along well enough bein.i; Armida, singing her own songs and doing her own dances. She doesn't have to worry about the others. That piano player she has is also n.s.h. Stooges are still stooges, and when they try to sep out for them- selves they miss. This isn't the first time lloward, Fine and How- ard tried to get along without Ted Healy. Tliey tried it about two years ago and ended up playing dates at the split-week Englewood. Their present straight ihan Is a complete wash-out. They might as well use Danny Russo, who could do a better job from the pit. Stooges still need somebody to top their gags; this present straight guy can't stand the pace. Not that they didn't get laughs here, but the laughs lacked that wallop. Lottie Mayer and her daughter finish the ahoyi^ with. the disap- pearing water-ballet. An overdose of set somewhat weakens the ballet stuff Itself. Tank is pretty small for this stage, with the mirrors particularly tiny for • a house of this size. Shapes up, however, as a good novelty. Business is better this week.and indications are for the upbeat right along. Picture, 'Stingaree' (RKO). Biz was good at the last show Fri- day. Gold. STATE, N. Y. It's Cab Calloway this week, all the way. The ' hi-d6-ho maestro, just back from a European tour and full of excess voltage, occupies the State rostrum for just short of 50 minutes and dishes out a fast and furious program of syncopation. It's the remnant of what was once the Cab Calloway unit. Line of girls has been ttimmed away,' as° well as several other Acts. Unit now consists of the band, Ada Ward, Nicqdemus, Elmer Turner and the Five Percolators.- Which Is plenty, as it happens. There's hot a min- ute's let-down, band going right into one of its hottest and-brashest numbers to open and keeping , up a furious pace all the way through. . When caught, Friday night, Callo- way was in exceptionally good form. He cut up a bit more than usual, dancing and prancing around even more than is his custom—^all of •which didn't hurt any. Rest of the State s^ow is not so much, but provides sufiiclent di version to suffice. Opener Is Arthur La Fleur, one of the best ring and iron jaw workers In vaude. Buster Shaver and his two clever midgets in the deuce continue the good impression, and Sidney Marion is third. Marlon is in for comedy, which undoubtedly is needed. He serves the needed purpose quite sufficiently. Picture IS 'Manhattan Melodrama' (MG), and house Friday night was overflowing. Kauf. CAPITOL, N. There's something highly signifl- cant about stage presentations of the type of Waring's Pennsylvanians who, after a time-honored rep as a variety, record and radio attraction, come back to a Broadway deluxer like the Capitol at twice average Income and register below average. Fred Waring and hla Pennsylva- nians are pay rollled at $10,000 per week for two weeks at the Cap un- der an express proviso that the film must be okay, and extra shows pro rata. That's not hay, and the fort- night is insured by 'Sadie McKee' (Metro-Crawford) if nothing else. From a trade angle the Warinss probably rate the moiiey tilt because of their radio buildup in the past year. They've become impressively established on the air waves and their b.o. draft is not to be depre- cated judging by the welcoming salvos Friday (change) night. But as a stage presentation it is significant ^rom two angles. One— and perhaps that's the answer—is the mlsjudgment to stretch a socko 20-mlnute act into three-quarters of an hour. . Or, secondly, it may have something or other to do with the theory that it doesn't pay for an act to permit itself to get out of practice if it has stage intentions as an aftermath to the microphone sojourn. That's happened to Fred Waring and his basically worthy Pennsyl- vanians organization. The answer seems obvious. Considering their current principal metier—^radlo— they've been thinking in terms of the ether for months, so that when a fortnight on an ace stage even- tuates it is no more tha'n to. be ex pected that they're not entirely pre- pared. Basically, the talent ingredients are there. They've been clicking on the air, all bf 'em—^Poley McClin took, Babs Ryan, the Smoothies, Lane Sisters, Johnny Davis, Stuart Churchill, Scotty, Bates; brother Toni W;aring''with his nlellow tenOr- ing. and pianoloerlng, and all the reist But when you recall the great pains to which Fred Waring 'formerljr went to co-ordinate, his stage pres- entations, and then -see this ragged, spotty,- hit 'n' miss- < sequence, it's cause for captiousness. Waring origrl- nated those elaborate electrb-pyro- techhical formations 'with''illumi- nated- megaphones, darkened; istages, rhythmic pyramids,' etc., biut, 'in- stead at the Capitol, he shows a succession of slow glee - club num- ^ bers and Chautauquaish song and dance specialties. That may be radio, but it's not for Broad.way. It's merely transplanting an assortment of ether specialties oh to a rostrum and expecting a 99c audience to ac- cept what they get for nothing by twirling a dial. The Waring organization 'com- prises the entire presentation, some of 'em doubling Into the- pit to vamp off the newsreel. Two Pete Smith shorts. 'Trick Qoir and 'Ply- ing Hunters,' augment 'Sadie McKee' for the celluloid. Biz .big opening night. Abel. ROXY, N. Y. Practically an all-acrobatic stage show at the Roxy this week. Sole exception is the radio headliner, Teddy Bergman, who announced himself as making his first stage appearance this week. He does mimicry and well (New Acts). Show provided a good measure of entertainment for the attendance, which was fair, for Universal's 'The Black Cat.' There was the' usual Gae Foster routines by the chorus and the established ringmaster, Wesley Eddy, who combined with four of the musicians for some in- strumental hot harmonics. Mooney and Kemp, adagio pair, scored easily. Their stuff is grade A and certified. Fast and unusual lifts characterize their work. Smith, Rogers and Eddy ended a knock- about comedy session with some amazement-c r e a 11 n g acrobatics.' Finally, for the piece-de-reslstance and show-closer, came the Denatti Troupe, whose varied stunts and in- creasing tempo elicited pronounced enthusiasm. Denatti boys are. t0D9 in their line. John P. Medbury short, 'India,' a Walter Disney color cartoon, Fox newsreel and overture complete the program—:the customary amplitude for one's money which this house always gives. Not much room for criticism, the show being about what's it's supposed to be. Eddy is perhaps a trifle too generous with forcing extra boys for the acta and .«<lowing the pace and the acts .spI- (lom succeed in rcsistini? tho temp- tation to speorhlfy. I,and. FOX, BROOKLYN Nautical background for the formula layout at this spot cur- rently. Bert Frohman announces and leads the band as he feels, soine- tlmes forgetting .to walk off. How- ever, he works hard and there's every indication that he bears the responsibility of many things. When the band doesn't cue right in, for instance. It's Frohman who must smooth the pace. At the Fox espe- cially an m.c. has a tough assign- ment. Occasionally the bandsmen e:et chummy and discuss things among themselves while the performers down front are trying to keep the audience concentrated on the stage work. Just the same, Ruth Roye scores her usual big. finish on her char- acter songs. When she sings Pvoh- man honors her by leading the band personally. He. wears a naval of- ficer's cap and coat for the occasion. Frohman's style as a batoneer Is distinctive. The line must not be forgotten the current week. They do two or three numbers. Flo Kelly disciplines 'em here. Miss Kelly knows how to handle a line, with or without credit, and the current week the boards give her credit^ House was gaited to shut and the girls may be so surprised to find the place still running:, despite a most awful, offlsh biz, when caught, probably has the kids all tumbling a little, when not really ^aiming to do so. ..ITThe lighting currently Is one of those things. Has coloring but It's mostly sombre. Even Edgar Bergen, who does a nifty ventrilo act offed, the brass part ot the band tooted- ahead of cue, apparently. That was a sound! Georges Campo, his white pan and tumbling acres plus a cute girl as- sistant is on before the same band. The band sticks right through, clad in white sailors for that nautical effect. Campo only wears white on his face. Rest of his outfit Is dark. Campo docs some good tumbling, but that Apache thing which hits the middle of his turn presently .somehow doesn't let out the punch It .should. Mo.stly timing off whon caught, and the shift from the dummy to the girl or vice_ver.sa is too open. Easily con-ected where stage facilities will allow. Colby and Murray do ballroom adagio and Arline and Eddie, re- membered from the Hotel New Yorker floor show, finale in a danc- ing novelty. Better on the hotel floor, • Show runs around an hour, with Frohman's singing; good time. Feature, 'Success at Any Price' (RKO). Spot continues indef, although slated to close this week. Shan, NEWSREELS (EMBASSY, N. Y.) Pathe claims an exclusive on the lightship disaster. There are brief views of a ship in a fog and life boats scurrying around. In New York conventional coverage is ob- tained, including silent views of the two captains, the story of . a pas- senger and a glimpse of one of the coffins. , „ J It's over a week since Insull made his statement. His talk about fight, however, seems to be leaving the average liewsreel audience neutral. Newsreels overlooked a bet in the Robles kidnapping, Pathe, at least, treating the Arizona case as a si- lent. Better Job was accomplished On the Gettle story, alleged ab- ductors being close-upped and Gettle furnishing details. Good storm views of the Middle West <irought were evidently ob- tained only after considerable effort by Piaramount. Dust and hall were included, Hearst reel unloaded more propa- ganda against the world court idea with a presentation speech by a Hearst editor, along with some sig- natures of protest. Some plane records were estab- lished on the screen with an 80- minute New York-Detroit trip, and ■another of 11 hours from L. A. to Newark "with the mail. The Rome fliers were- caught in take-off. -Through 9ome of the newsreels, a vivid picture of happy life in Washington for the bonus army Is being painted. Eats and tents on the government, pleasant surround- ings and what-not is the kind of material which is liable to inspire, hordes of honorable discharge men to seek a vacation. . ^ , There is considerable about Japan, from old views of the Emperor re- viewing troops to Perry Day. Horse and auto racing, minus spills -In either, along with trout flshing and icebergs complete the progrram. Waly. PARAMOUNT, N. Y. (DAVE APOLLON UNIT) Dave ApoUon is dishing out a 61-minute revue at the New York Paramount this Week that is win- ning the approval of the customers. It's bulked, though not materially helped, by the Danny Dare house line, yet there is little stress on the line stuff, with enough competent specialists all neatly welded by Apollon, who practically never leaves the stage. He Is all over the place and as he knows how to m.c. without making himself unpopular, the show owes much to him. Since its start a couple of months ago it has shaken down Into a smooth and fast-working unit, with plenty Of meat. Opens with Apollon coming through the curtain and down into the pit to lead a brief number, too heavy In the brass, but showy. Cur- tains part to disclose a scrim in one behind which the Dare girls are dancing. Taken up quickly to give the customers a chance to see what it Is all about, and the 16 girls are supplemented by the eight girls the unit carries, stunning lookers, with nimble feet. Winds up with Rose- mary Deerlng and a manpartner In a ballroom number. Close-in to one gives Bob Ripa a chance to-score, and he rings up plenty of audience approval. In flne fettle and did not make a miss In his intricate routine ,with the Japanese sticks. He was over solidly. Fullstage again with a weird Russian drop and ApoUon's own Hawaiian band of nine men back of the Dare girls in Russe dress but doing very little. Regular line is one presently for their own number, done In long', white dresses, ctit In the Russian mode.. Showy. Pol- lowed by Kay, Kayta and Kay, three girls who do a short but spirited dance. Lillian Carmen next to warble through the mike but not covering up an attractive face or a stunning full-length dress. She has a pleas- ant voice of considerable range, land could qualitfy as a class singer, but she goes In for comedy and finds a warmer welcome, for she still shows her voice to approval and has the added advantage of getting the laughs, too. Miss Draper back for an acrobatic dance of the human -dolL typft .tJbal; .t9 . well done and as well accepted and ApoUdri goes into' some foolery with his own boys, getting plenty of laughs all along this section but culminating with Harold Aloma, one of the band, who got a triple encore for his singing. Danisi Goodell gets next-to-closlng for her familiar, but aways accept- able dancing and into the u.sual all- on finale, Thore have been .stronger units iri point of talent, but for smooth run- ning and smart .showman.shlp thl.<5 is up with the leadvrs. Chic, PALLADIUM, LONDON (COMMAND PERFORMANCE) London, May 13. Annual Royal Performance, in aid of Variety Artista's Benevolent Fund and Institution, was held here, as usual. May 8. As entertainment, it was pretty dull and, with few exceptions, very disappointing. Not enough sight stuff; too many talking items, which eventually became boring to a de- gree. Opened with big fiash, depicting massive circus tent, with Kafka, Stanley and Mae foursome, Ameri- can aerialists; Three Bonos/ just back from America, and Frank Bos- ton, local club swinger, with the Sherman-Fishier 24 Palladium gals forming. background. Whole thing was fast moving, with plenty of action, giving show a fiying start. Three Sailors followed. On rather early, but soon got into stride, and finished to real big reception. Lucan and McShane, man-woman comedy team, with laughs handled by man dressed as comedy dame, created plenty laughs with domestic strife and crockery smashing. Act was cut to comply with auspicious occasion and suffered thereby. Elsie and Doris Waters, local ra- dio favorites, did nicely in comedy cameos. Sisters yr&cQ comparative- ly shunned by bookers about a year ago, but ether rep has put them in demand. Cedric Hardwlcke added tone to program, but his sketch, 'The Car- rier Pigeon,' by Eden Phtlpotts, proved a long rigmarole of Incessant gab, -with little dramatic value and few laughs. Then came George Robey, with audience oh tenterhooks, fearing he might spill some dirt. Robey de- leted everything that was deemed suggestive, resulting in his being anything but Robey. There Is no such thing as a RobSy minus sug- gestlveness. Just barely got over. Henry Hall, oflflcial British Broad- casting Corporation . dance band leader, arrived to a big reception, but' his. music was not suited for vaude'vlUe, his being 'more of a dance band. H!air has a very nice .personality, but it's a pity he has to wear cheaters sis it .detracts fni^ his appearance. Following intermission came an- other flash; this tlme^ the Lawrence Tiller gals, were used, 'with nice ball room dancing put over ° by Jack Holland and June Hart (Ameri- cans), dotibling from the Savoy ho- tel. Murray and Mooney, couple of lo- cal comics,' frequenters -at' this house, craoked solne old ones and found, favor with the customers. George Clarke, assisted by a threesome^ did a sort of 'Wither'a Op'ry,' whioh was too old fashioned ahd anything but funny, n^aklng two sketches In otie sitting, in these- days" of modern vaudeville. Both sketches had aotloh taking place too near the Royal box, with the Royal party having to lean forward to follow situations. Billy Bennett, who has been in several Royal Performances and has almost become a favorite with Roy- alty, failed in this instance. Mono- log rendered was one of the oldest . in his repertory and did not click. Then came the spiciest bit of the evening, which, saved the show from boredom. Using Jack Hylton'a band as background, a feature pop- ular on the air—'In Town Tonight'—v was used, with well-known person- alities being .Introduced. Sophie Tucker came first and received an ovation. Rendering two numbers, she held up the show, being com- pelled to take another curtain. Mills Brothers sang 'Lazy Bones,' which was not a wise choice, as number proved too slow. "Violet Loralne, old-time star and famous as one of the creators of song •If You Were the Only Girl in the World' from 'The Blng Boys,' was accorded a sympathetic recep- tion. Concluding item was v^li en- semble of military bands. Jack Hyl- ton's boys and Dick Cream and house orchestra, making'very effec- tive tableaui The King and Queeii were accom- panied by the Princess Alice and the Earle of Athlone. House was jammed to suffocation, with Intake understood to have exceedel last year's, which was $20,000. The B. B. C, paid $2,500 for broadcasting the show, but it' failed to register on the ether, there being too many sight acts. CENTURY, BALTO. Baltimore, May 18. The burfif's vet house in number Of service stripes for cons cutive" years vaude vending has been roll- ing up good grosses the past two months. Currently, of the five acts, three are playing: first date-: on this deck and the other two are old favS. Latter - pair Is . assigned_^flnaL slots and It is largely that Cjo, Seller and Wills and Al Trahan, that lifts bill into highly palatable category. Opener, Throe Kings and Queen, aerial casters, while 'xypsy Nina drained the deuce for 10 minutes. First time she's ever trouped here as a single. Last year was adjunct to Isham Jones' ork. Worked into mike, fin.tj'oring own accompaniment on accordion. She should move around a bit at conclusion of each (Continued on pa$e 66)