Variety (Aug 1935)

22 VARIETY VARIE¥Y HOMSE REVIEWS Wednesday, August 21, 1935 MUSIC HALL, N. Y. This is 'reprise' week at RaJlo City Music Hall where Leon L«oni- dolf's presentation is so captioned, hlBhllehting as it does some of the better things previously done at the Hiammoth Hall. Pointed for the tourist trade, on the premise that the regulars won't mind revivals of some of the flash stuff, it's good stuff to impress the hinterland visitors. 'Alice Adam?" (Radio-Hepburn) and No. B 'March of Time' (flrst under RKO Radio distribution) are the celluloid features with a 'Car- men' pot pourrl as the orchestral feature. Music Hall Octet, Rockettes and ballet are. impressive mass back- ground for the -vocal and tefp spe- cialties by Robert Weede, Beatrice Joyce and The Hartmans in their BOlo opportuni' ies. Latter are a particularly funny pair or ballroom eatirlsta, accentuating the pash and hyper-modernity of some of our contemporary terp stylists, doing their lampooning in broad strokes of highly effective burlesking. The Rockettes' chief distinction is the final 'chariglrig of the guards,' a pip military flash routine. Aiel, STATE, N. Y. Five good acts, but not a good bill this week, and overboard on length, taking 82 minutes. No act is an annoyance,, but there is no smooth- ness. Each is spotted in the place its value suggests, but that brings th|B.two comedy acts together, with not even a giggle until the middle turn, Billy House, with Al Trahan immediately .following, putting him In'a spot which he has to work hard to overcome. He cets them, but he ha,s to keep up on bis toes. Yukona Cameron. is the usual help, but she might get over better if'she did not laugh so much herself. Audience knowit the act .too well to imagine Ehe's chuckling over an impromptu. Only excuse for stage laughter is when the audience needs to be set an example, and they were laughing without urge. Billy House building a little on his comedy' sketch,. and gets a run- ning accompaniment of giggles, but he's not getting all out of the act that he should. Renialnder- of the- bill Is all under New. Acts.. Includes a smart hand- to-hand act, Two Valors, for the opener with tricks most people have not sfeeri before. Smooth work and (imarf salesmanship. Thelma I<eeds manaees .-to' sing three songs nicely without the aid'of: a stage - pianist. Campbell's Royalists,^ a merger of two turns, -works Into, a, nice closer with plenty of Verve. "The ihusical arrangements are excellent, notably the use. of the timpani In the dance numbers. Singers use such oldies as 'Hallelujah' and 'Chloe,' but do well by both. Film Is 'Love Me Forever' (Col.) ■With' only the newsreel in support and the bill atlll running about three hours. Business light: Chic. long slice of quiet, peaceful parad Ing by mannequins and the Elida Ballet, plus Buddy Clark, another soloist singing under the same cir cumstances, Miss Barrie had to prove she had something they wanted. She did. Had dramatic quality to her pres- entation, sure-flre arangements, and wise selection of pop tunes. Sang 'I'll Never Say Never,' 'Thrilled,' and 'Lady in Red,' each getting bigger response than the prede- cessor. After she has finally saved the show, it drops like a plummet with a fashion walk-around next, then Holland and Hart pick up again with, their final number. Next-to- close finds a much-needed note in the show: comedy rlsley as pre- sented by that swell team seen many times in musicals, 'Wahl and Oldfield. Have everything their own way while they hand out laugh after laugh with their screwey maneuver- ing. Big cliOc. Flnala is more fashion show-off which signals a big walk-out by the unattached males in the house. Elida Ballet helps out on the pro end, decoratlvely, flrst with a 'cav- alcade of fashion,' in which they come out as mixed couples present- ing style modes of the various his- torical periods in American history. Feature of this is a Florodora Sex-, tette which helps. Midway number is a repeat from the winter season, a fan routine in which the girls stand still, wave large feather fans, and twist around in their trailing slim silhouette costumes. Final bal- let looks like another repeat, a cape drill, done with scarves this time. Oke. First pro note in the show is Buddy Clark, local boy from radio, apparently unfamiliar with stage work who shows oft a pleasing voice on pops; but he's in dire need of an aranger to make hie second choruses contrast with the flrst. Clark Is stared on the radio programs of the fur company, which explains his presence in .this lineup. It^s a tough show for the musi- cians, ■ and especially so for Henry Kalis who has to juggle the port- able mike around throughout. Al- though visually effective, the ork split-up dampens the musical effect so Important to a production as slow-moving and picturesque as this. P.a. speakers have been re-ar- ranged to very good advantage. Previously masked by down-stage legs, they are now, placed out front of everything' so that sound emerges clearer. Thei fllm, 'Irish' ("WB) Is draw- ing. Biz fair. Fox. ROXY, N. Y. Universal newsreel had the 'Will Rogers-Wiley Post tragedy as lead- oft at the Roxy Friday night (16). Revamped the footage taken In Seattle prior to the start of the ill- starred trip to Russia. Business was fair on the early show with a Monogram picture, 'Keeper of the Bees,' fllling the mid-August gap. Stage show strong with the goof brigade, Frank and Milt Britton, smashing fiddles. Band grabbed heavy giggles throughout. Max and His Gang (of dogs) is also standard, and, like the Britton menage, calls for no detail comment. An able vaudevillian. Max clicked nicely. Final week of a run for the young singer, Joaquin Garay. His work Is strangely uneven. In his opening number he handles his hands very badly and in speeching between numbers he gets his tongue all twisted. Again during 'The Flying Trapeze' ditty he muffs the fifth verse altogether, losing the words completely. Yet against this inr ventory of .amateurish touches young Garay ends up with a smash click. His comedy style is good aiid his work in animation clever.. Foster girls. hop through their customary production numbers. One has them clad in brown silk opera lengths, one to a girl; with the sec- ond leg- bare. Second number Is really a walkraround In satin and silver ' scarfs. Freddy Mack- an- nounces the show from the pit: Arthur Story and Henry Richards, winners of the Fred Allen contest, on the bill. This. Is pretty inex-- cusable. Neither clever (announced as unable'to read music) nor at- tractive. Just two guys banging pianos and failing to lure any music out of the instruments. Fortunately very brief. Then awkward bows. Maybe the problem Involved Is who's kidding who? Did the judges' do the kidding? Is the Roxy kidding the public? Are the two guys kidding themselves? Put It all together and it spells smell. > ' Land, HIPP, BALTIMORE MET, BOSTON Boston, Aug. 18. 'Somet}ilng for nothing' is appar- ently the idea behind the scenes at the Met this week, where a fur store Is parading dozens of coat models before the cash customers. Fashion shows in theatres present a corny appearance as far as entertainment is concerned, and this Is no excep- tion. The fur store gets a great 'big break, the house clips something oft the budget, and the male patrons fidget or walk out for a smoke. Nevertheless, Harry Gourfain and his scenic designer turned out a more than creditable Job on their assignment. This week's set is per- haps the ultra-ultra of Leicester's work since he has been here. It does much to dress up the show and provides the mannequins impressive twin stairways on which they swoop down onto the stage for the tuin-arounds. The band is split in two parts on special platforms Just outside the stage, in the front of the house presenting an unusual setup for the musicians and a surprise for the regular customers. There are three spasms-of fashion show-offs through the show, with pro models mingled with non-pros, whose walks defin- itely detract from the work of their expert partners, It's a very quiet production until late in the proceedings, Jack Hol- land and June Hart, -ace ballroom dancers, offer their first acro-ball room number. It is a thing of beauty and grace' that makes- 'em sit up and take notice. Later, they appear again In a Continental number that Is definitely a treat in terpalchore, It could have, been titled 'two dancers and a costume,' so sensa- tional is the gown that Miss Hart wears in this one. Cut with an ex aggerated circular skirt which she holds off the floor with one hand, it Is obviously- designed for flash and with plenty forethought, Miss Hart -uses It in her number with full ef- fectiveness. Team very -vvell liked. If Holland .and Hart are hlgh- Jighta of trt'e show, then Grade Bar rie, vocalist, is ithe heroine. On show caught,- she; tied. Jt up and had trouble getting off, even after cur- tain speech. Strictly on her o\yn, out in one, Svith the orchsstr.i lost -in tHe' a'ddlehco,"dnd tdllbwlng 'a Baltimore, Aug. 16. Not much to bounce the b.o. at this Indie currently. Though Leo Carrlllo on' stage as headliner Is presenting a well-liked act, he is something of an old story here. Has appeared fairly often, and the pub- lic Is no longer curious about him as a pic luminary. He'll abundantly please those flling in, but doesn't look to lure to an astonishing extent. Carrlllo has always shown him- self to be a shrewd 'Judge of likes of vaudfllm-going public in his.ap- pearances in Balto. His act large- ly consists of mere pap to the less discerning populace, but it swells over with a bang. He is coming on as closer to a four-act line-up this week, and when caught clinched matters nicely after the 3 preced- ing turns fared bu^ fairly. Carrlllo opens with a spiel in Splk dialect, then tosses off some poly- syllabic words to vouchsafe his ed- ucation and lingual ability Jot into discourse on Hollywood . and wound up reciting John .Blandon's poem on the town, which was slammed over by clever recital. Here a wop description of a ball game gave some guffaws, then he antl-cllmaxed by going for some more verses on subject of 'happi- ness'; that was somewhat super- fluous. However, won repeated bows. Opening, Monroe Bros., togged out as tramps, on a trampoline. Bring on few screwy gadgets to grab laffs 'tween good work on the springs. Liked.' Next, Brooks & Philson, who have seemingly, deuced more bills In last couple years than can be counted on fingers. A mild turn and an undeviating one, the two gals come on in charwomen clothes, spear for laffs with chatter that could be hyped'a deal, duet unexcitlngly, then dive into classy garb for close. As usual, sprinkling of applause. A dance-flash took the trey. As opener or closer, bang-up, and ac tually looked pretty good In spotting on this llne-up. Ford, Tucker, and Johnson, a guy and pair of gals open with waltz that was Just fair, befoie a nice 'full' set. Jack Sey- more, spindle-shanked lad, then hustled on for solo hoofing tip. Number badly lighted. Then Jinelte VaDon followed with a control dance thdt concluded in a compelling caper that won large levy of hands' hammering. The billed trio again at this Juncture for a -very good adagio. Then all,hands had a brief whli-1 apiece, melting into a flashy fade-off. Biz very light Becond,.»how Friday 'afternoon.- ' ' FOX, DETROIT Detroit, Aug. 20. Two. standout acts, with melody as the keynote, give 'this house a well above average stage show this week. Picture Is 'Dante's Inferno' (Fox). Hal Kemp and his ork, In the closing cog, turn In some nifty har- mony and comedy, combined with genuine artistry. :0f Kemp's four, singers',' !Saxy'' DoweU and Maxi.ne Gray ciicted. most,, with crowd,- which brbugittlpoth. baitsk for 's'everai encores'. ' 'Sl^lr(nay! Enhis ahd Bob Alien 'did ^the 'otiier bolos,^ while l^Iiia Laughliri ' sc.orS.d 'Vflth an acrobatic dance. In, the next to shut, Jackie Heller (third wfeek)... jiipliitained his local appeal aiid -was forced to. quit ter four 'encores 'on his all-r6quest song program. Besides singing, eiler did. a nice job of mceeing. 'Marian Shelby, Detroit choir singer, who won d local radio contest a year ago, placed- well In the open- ing act, 'Immortal Memories,' played by the pit ork' under the • baton of Sam Ja6k Kaufman. 'Both operatic and popular numbers used. Duece, the- three Brodtell Sisters, with songs, dances and some good imitations of fllm celebrities, rounded out the program. stooges are Introduced from the au- dience. Once on the stage, they Join with Rlo In a brand of comedy not as strenuous as that of Ted Healy's stooges, but always good for laughs. An imitation of a school boy, a high school student and a blase college man asking a girl for a dance click nicely, and are followed by a slap- stick bit entitled 'Pancho . Villa's Army,' with the four men 'mounted on prop horses. The stooges also do stiff-legged and contortionlstic solo dance numbers. Final offering Is that of Bryant, Raines and Young, two girls and a man. They open wItH a ballroom waltz which Is well executed and sometimes resembles a slow-motion study. An unprogrammed gal (blonde) who doesn't work with the main three at all, then does a con- tortionlstic solo, after which the three return for an adagio. Num- ber as a whole is not notable and errs a little on the score of length. On the whole It can be rated as a little above-average, however. Fox orchestra plays the well- known overture from Rossini's 'Barber of Seville.' Waters. PALACE, CHI Chicago, Aug. 16. They've gone back to the strict band show policy this week, the Vincent Lopez ork supplying the background and the greater part of the entertainment with only two vaude acts spotted Into the run- n 1 n g—the Nonchalants, knock- abouts, and the dance trio of ]^lies, Lewis and Ash. It •added to neatly suitable show for the mobs of femmes flooding the house ci^rrently to see Kath- arine Hepburn mouse across the screen as 'Alice Adams' (Radio). It was Just'the type of mild style of entertainment which the romance femmes would like. Even the knockabout of • the Nonchalants fltted nlcely-,-.since the'three clean- cut youths are thiB cleanest knock- about workers seen about in many a day. They look like -college boys out on a lark, working In a smooth, easy stylo which makes their roughhouse routine. suitable for even the classiest spots. A good solid act that can play anywhere. Blissi Lewis and Ash are two bpys and- a' girl in dancing rou- tines; the first, a flne toe-tap num- per by the girl, followed by a fair tap routine' by the trio. Boy and girl are back later in the show for a' pleasant ballroom dance number. In all a-vneat-looking trio that can flt almost anywhere. , Rest-of the show was Lopez, the Lopez band and two specialties by members. 'Xbe pianolog was stand- out again, with. Lopez running through the keys In his usual ex- pert and tinkling fashion. The drummer supplies the comedy relief oil a drum routine and two flne comedy Vocal numbers, espiecially 'Tavern In the Town.' Other out- stander was a red-haired whistler who came through with a sock whistling specialty. Business was excellent at the last show Friday. Gold. FOX, PHILADELPHIA Philadelphia, Aug. 18. Four acts comprise this week's stage bill at the Fox. Show is shorter than usual by the amount of time necessary to screen the latest March of Time. • Pic is 'Dante's In- ferno.' Friday's attendance was somewhat over average, but Satur- day's was only fair. Show opened with Billy and Bev- erly Bemia, announced as Just from Hollywood. Their flrst number was a fast collegiate step called 'Truck- in',' which tickled the younger ele- ment of the audience. Next the boy did a clever, tap to the tune of 'Swanee" River* with castanettes. Boy was the better of the two, al- though both are okay hoofers. Girl shouldn't try to sing, her voice being rather harsh and unmusical. Num- ber was oftered on a, full-stage set- ting, which supplied a tasty back- ground. Next offering was Bob Marlowe, who was the bill's artistic highlight, although not appreciated by some of the pfttrons. Marlowe, possessor of an easy and agreeable stage per- sonality, offers a Jnariohette novelty in which he allows the audience to watch him manipulate the puppets. A feature of the number la the mu- sical accompaniment. Last puppet Idea', a drunk on a street corner taking deep draughts from a bottle, was especially well done and con- tained a number of good laughs. A 'Mickey Mouse' number was another of Marlowe's best-like efforts. Pres- entation Is not too- long and has very distinct claims to class. Eddie Rio, working with three'un- programmed stooges, follows. Itlo opens with an imitation of a woman taking a ba<h, which is good for plenty of guffaws from both males and femmes, and whose occasional touchejj of -vulgarity arc calculated to score with all but the most faiitl- - dlous. Following this opening, Bio's x-vui :;-.l.f.i-,-.u-. i iny -.1 1 .J 1 FOX, BROOKLYN Fact that the house Inaugurated Bank Night Tuesday evening (20) is the tipoff. Stage show caught Friday (16) Is strictly family trade and not so forte. Vincent Duncan, an ama- teur winner warbling into the mike, drew the best returns of the eve- ning. Presentation opens with the Dave Bines line girls, 12, in a precision number that indicates nothing, un- less it is that the girls are tired and show it in their work. Next, Billy Keaton, m. c., is on for a pop number and then introduces Lois and Jean Sterner, dancers, each on for a solo effort. Smaller of the two does well in. a clog effort tied In with a golfstick panto, then the other girl is on for a variety of taps. Keaton mikes 'Little Dutch Mill,' with the Bines girls in a smart cos- tume effort against a special back- drop. It was the first time the audi- ence felt called upon to Indicate it was watching the stage. De Pace and Ahdrinl Bros., man- dolin, guitar and banjo in Pagliaccl getup, reveal so much in trick ef- fects they contribute very little real music or harmony. They draw mild rewards for their efforts. Hunter and Percival, In 'Wa- pology,' man and woman foil, do okay for laughs, then the man slays the folks from the other side of the railroad tracks with nancy Intima- tions attendant upon hia phoney rope act. Best of the evening is when Lois and Jean Sterner return for a 'truckin' bit In which they reveal some nitty twist and tap accom- plishment. Daisy, the horse, Is okay for laughs, especially in the momenta of suggestions provided by the rear end. Finale, with everybody on, has Keaton warbling the world war days rcllc, '.Smiles,' the whole af- fair back.'jronnded by a drop show- ing a huge clown v/ho.se lip.M and arms are operated mechanically for atmosphere. "Screen has 'The Black Kooni' (Col), an Andy Clyde comedy, a color cartoon and newsreel. Don, APOLLO, N. Y. (COTTON CLUB REVUE) For 40c, the Cotton Club revuS, Intact from the No. 1 Harlem black- and-tan nitery, was on view at tho 126th St, Apollo, Including the crack Claude Hopkins band. Headed by Miller (ex Lyies) and Mantan,- Butterbeans and. Susie, Cora Lai Redd, Jessie Cryor, Babe Mathews, 3 Rhythm Queens, Lena Home, Jod Smothers, Sonny Boy, Babe "Wal- lace, et al., it's a great money's worth In this colored vaudfllmer. Sole drop-out from the full C. C. personnel for the Apollo date was Nina Mae McKInney, -v^ho appeared here on her ownsome a tew weeks back. Ballyhoolng that the Apollo offers the only vaudeville In Harlem, that alone Insures a certain patronage. But combined with the topnotch colored stage -shows and dusky name bands, this house, managed by Morris Sussman, la a gold mine. Its reputed turnaway Is substan- tiated by the tape holdouts on the sidewalks with the patient late- comers often waiting in vain to get within the lobby, as occurred last 'Wednesday night. This night Is al- ways a bullish draw, as the Apollo's Harlem Amateurs Is a- big feature via a WMCA and inter-city hookup direct from the Apollo stage. It's a natural for commer'cial sponsorship, incidentally. In Ralph Cooper's va-. cation absence, 'Willie (Maestro) Bryant, .very hi-yaller and person- able m.c., paced the amateurs In excellent fashion. With the Hopkins band Is Orlando Robeson, a sweet "top tenor who murders 'em and quite patently Is also a local draw all by himself. He tied It up in knots. So did Cora LaRedd, with the 'Truckin' It' number, the piece de- resistance of the Ted Koehler-Rube Bloom special score for the Cotton Club revue. Butterbeans and Susie are a funny combo, latter a behemoth female and Butterbeans- one of those whining dusky mimes. Miller and Mantan have their humorous oppor* tunltles, too. . Lucky MlUlnder, Louis Russell and Louis Armstrong are some of the Incoming band names. Abel. Earle, Philadelphia Philadelphia, Aug. 16. Peppy show at Earle this weeli with Texas Mustangs Band, South- cm Methodist, college 30-man crew- wlth four specialty acts, heading- bilL. Two other acts on s'-:age are regular vaudeville turns. Big turn- out for opening, as customary at this house lately^ must have been drawn by stage attraction. Film, •Tot Tip' (Radio), with ZaSu Pitts, was last-mlnute substitution. Three Queens, vaudeville tappers^ open show with long routine with two breaks. Two brunettes and blonde, they'd look better In skirts than pants if they have legs to get away with It. All are oke on looks. Gals show nice unison In ensemble numbers, but challenge stuff not showy enough ,to overcome staler- ness of that style work. Gag comedians, Ed and Tom Hlckey, on next In old-style variety house routine. Nothing new, but neatly put over and . it keeps audi- ence laughing. Stage flxed up like ofilce, with desk, phone, chair, etc., against backdrop. "What appear to be two dummies sit on chairs. In- terspersed with chatter, one comio cracks other with various articles to stop his songs. Then big redhead, Alice Humphreys, entrances to sing 'Life Is a Song* as zanies offer slap- stick. Her singing isn't missed. They next throw dummies Into wings, discovering one' isn't dummy. Close with eccentric dance. Nice hand. Mustangs act opens with Bob Goodrich batoning band In 'Comirt* Round the Mountain.' With leader announcing, they then do 'Bugle Call Rag.' Boys make up in fresh- ness and good-humored informality for lack of smoothness and pro- fessional presentation. First spe- cialty. Buster Raeburn's baritone solo of 'One Night of Love,* fair. Fault, as in other turns by group, is amateurishness. Band next plays medley of col- lege songs, musicians setting down instruments to do glee club of 'An- chors Aweigh.' Poor choice of songs mars effectiveness of this number, obviously aimed as highlight of act. The Co-eds, three gal harmonizers, follow with 'Song of Surrender' and 'What's the Reason?' Voice-blend- ing subject to improvement, but warbling is good enough and be- coming costumes smarten the turn. Another sp'ecialty, this time trumpet solo, 'Drink to Me Only with Thine Eyes,' by Forrest Cloth, gets big hand, lad's clear tone being obvious. Band then offers medley, with sections offering special ar- rangements. Antic.-', includin.cr as- sortment of rough-house by band, get big play here, although they're oftered all during show. Beth Moore, nice looker with clothes that.set her off. solo.s 'Then Some' witli nice sliowmanship. Then Minnard, one of band, does clowning magic with dumb stooge from musicians. Henry Dick, tap dancer with style resembling Hal LeRoy's, gets swell hand for easy presentation and show closes witli everyone on for finale. As whole, bill is little better than fair, not up to Earle's average. JloVe. I