Variety (Sep 1935)

18 VARBTY ALHAMBRA, PARIS Paris, Sept. 17. Blg-tlme two-a-day. comes back to Paris with this theatre. Previous ..i(ltt,eropte..hay(j..been_halft the Empire, last year, vaudfilm and not reopening this season, and ABC too local and Prenchy to be really bis stuff. Alhambra is the McCoy. Question Is, can it last? House seats 2v600, and with prices |1 top and mats from 15c. to 76c, place will have to be flUed pretty regularly to pay the fancy prices Robltchek arfd Bizbs must be shelling out for their actK and still i€a.W enough., fpr taxes. _ ' ■'Mrst'"6iH Fas Xuclenhe Bbyer *s heudllner and a flock of good inter- national acts to back her up: Larry Adler, Fred Sanborn, George and J4ck Dormonde, good adagio team called Karlna, Vadio and Hertz, Lp- Ilta Benavente, De Long. Sist^ers and . a pice collection of :other8, local and foreign. Lineup such as hasn't been seen here for, many years. Bill, as a whole; shows the glaring superiority of . American acts,' in spite of their handicap^ as foreign- ers, Even Miss Boyer )ias to give something to the YanHji a^ pure en- tertainment, and a .'gopd part, of her current technique 'was learned in America. Little French slrigier. In fact, is Just a bit of a disappointment' on - this bill.. It's her farewell, to Paris before going to Aineric?^ And-phe tries out some neW repertory* veith a few fairly tuneful., numbers; but nothing new that's 'star.tling. Must be remembered, hdweycr,- tbat' thift Is a particularly tough spot for her;, a big house down iii the hard-bolI^d east end of ..Paris,- whereat .what .she heeds is a cabaret. Until she gets goliig on her oil numbers, .which the gang yelled, for; she doesn't get the current, aiidlehce as 'worked up as did sohie of the minor turns. 'Hands .'.cross 'the> Table,' which she sings In. Freh<ih for first time, has a mediocre reception. She ^orks with a fiye-plece orchestra on stage. Too large a proportion of her new stuft is dramatic, ti type of bong that these French singers, all over- do, and only a couple' of hunibets have the light melody and romantic touch that .flts her.. — Larry Adler gets over surprising- ly ..well, consldiei-ing that his har- monica Jazz is pretty, spphlsticate'd for a French audience. For a good part of this act the crowd dld'nt fOlly realize what he was doing, although they figured it was good, and ap- plauded. He. really gets them when he plays 'Bolero' by Bayel, a local boy. .with his shadow, enormous on a screen behind'him, throwii by a Spot In the pit. Shadow is Adler's b6st ally. .\ . LoIIta Benavente, Spanish dancer, Jtist bacjc from an Al!nerican to.ur, is out of place lh''this show; Far too quietly niuslcal and refined, she doesn't register. Works before a beautiful set by Je^n ' Dominique Van Caulert 'that mvist have cost plenty, -and has In: her.act a. Mexi- can singer, Rubens: de. Lor^na, wlio doesn't dp much. Belongs In con- certs. ' American humor, which ghouls 'eri here, comes from' Fred Sanborn ' and the Dormondes, latter a comedy monocycle act .which closes the bill (a mistake) and .wins roars from thos^ who wait' aifter Miss Beyer's act. Sanborn over big,, but somebody wrote some awful phoney French for his partner's patter, That's the trouble with some American acts here—they translate their lines, but translate therti wrong. It's Just as easy to get a writer who knows the language. De Long Sisters got a nice recep-. tlor becausiB of their- youthfulness. They work-in front of a fancy set by French artist Crayon, including skyscrapers, Eiffel to.wer and a big Apierican flag without enpugh stars; Llndgre^n -Brothers, coniedy roller skaters, oke as opeiiers. Big unexpected success, halting show a while early in the. evening, wor by a girl, Karlna, in adagio number with 'Vadio and Hertz. Starting slow, -4bls dancer shows some surprising suppleness ' later, and wakes up the customers. Show has two m.c.'s, Joe Bridge, who draws. before .every act he in- troduces, and a. newcomer named- Vera Nargo, who wears . different gown and speaks a different poem each time. A mistake, slowing up a show that's none too snappy, any way. In general, house.is a great spot for Aitierlcans,! who can continue to show 'em as long as the manage- ment can pay the freight, atern. glee club. In approved pinks, sing a choru$, and Jan Peerce does 'Loch Lommond' .and other Scotch airs. Boys down in 'one' for the close in and the next bit is 'Archery,' wlfh All the girls apparently left- KSd^" 16 Judge' by""We"-way- th«y- heiA . their arrows. Nifty costum- lnf7 In this, with the drop first ris- ing only to the kneeis of the ballet to show a toe dtep dance. Then in fiill With Hilda Eckler taking care pf,_th9.^soJk>^ work with three un- named secphds for breathers!Ei-' fective and appireclated. Third s -tion Is In two parts, with Stanley Bonham, Bobert Lanr driim, Robert Brink and Edward Kelly as a chauffeur, footman, coachniait^^Uf aooTk^eper- • and a coote- - They work- - Vif 1th--Melissa Mason as a chambermaid, Intro- ducing a song, 'I've Got a Ticket for the Sweepstakes,' with music by Kay Swift and . lyrics by Al Silverman. Song has a ple«islng lilt, but does not follow the. audi- ence. hom^. Miss Mason is the; putstander with an. eccentric dance and some excellent legmahia. She does a full ■ Majilton several times,, oncp twice In .succession, and some of .iier other kicks are interesting and unusual. Drop Is. taken av/iy to let the ballet and Olee Club pose as race track frequenters in a bar. .' Then the Rockettps,. as Jockeys; weighing In. Opens with four scales and only two men to watch therii,: but that's Incidental. Girls .go' off as they weigh &ni then come, back for the usiial llnei work, employing a mincing step that Is. suppiosed to Indicate a horse in motion. Not th^ best thing the Rpckfettes have donie, but sufficiently interesting. .Finale shows the start of the rate kt. .'the . rear;. \^ith the" horises moving across the stage. .Then the boys . ahd giris from the eariler scene cover up. until they "can move two of the hags which race home on another trpad close to the foot- lights. Orchestra ,, does a well-scored medley of southern airs to match the picture, ftnd alsb wltti the stage production In mind therels a: Bill Corum short on prize fighting, but titled 'Sports.^ Also the. No. 6 'March of Time' and the regular newsreel; Business heavy. Chic. BROADWAY (BUENOS AIRES) ■ Buenos Aires,. Sept. After weeks of advertising and announcements, Lupe Velez ai'rived and appeared oh the stage before an Argentine audience. In spite of the press campaign, the Argentines were feelinif cautious this time, and weren't tpo.eager to believe all they heard. Last American, cinema star who appeared in Buenos Aires, ar rived heralded by press announce ments and also had" enthusiastic crowds of fans to a,yffiit^lila ai-rlval, but. that' didn't make the show anyi better, and folks came away from' the theatre wiser and sadder. "When people in Buenos Aires read; all about Lupe Velez and what a^ hit she would be, they only smiled and decided to wait and see. Learn- ing- from experience, managers of the show decided "not to present Lupe when Ramon Novarro was here, but to Introduce her stuff as a variety turn, with a :picture and other acts. Picture is 'Stolen Har- mony' (Par). As It. happened the crowd went cautiously, not expecting too much, but from the moment that Miss Velez was lowered from the ceiling in'a silver throne she was decidedly a . hit. A little speech asking the fans not to be too critical, and then she sings 'Cuban Love Song' arid her success Is. a:ssured. Her songs go over well and the Argentine actor, Fernando Ochea, is also a good choice to provide variation. Possibly the most successful items and Miss Velez's impersonations. Altogether a good show, and not too long. LOEWS STATE, N. Y. Louis Soboi (N. T. Evening Journal) Is the second Broadway columnist In Loew's vaudfilmer in that many months, and Loew's gives him something of an edge over h'ljB predeceasor; Ed- -Suni>'an- (News). For support, Sobol has been given Garbo's 'Anna Kare- nlna' (MG) on the screen, and such crackerjack pro talent as the Ritz Bros., Chic Endor and Charlie ParreU. (douhllng::,from the Savoy- Plaza). Martha Baye (doubling from another nlteryr the Riviera), and Edna Sedgwick. Jack Waldron Is dftirilr^ih'e Introducing. He's also, doubling from a cafe, the Holly- wood re8t8.urant. V-C; ^ Bo.ho.l_iBakea no claim of being, an actbr. The ex"-NiBw*Hav^n~a\iSffir unostentatiously makes his en- trance alter a screened Ihtro, goes right into Sedgwick's toe dance, and from there on Waldron does every- thing biit take Sobol's ch,eck. .From.. Sobol's entrance starts a - whale of: a show; an- entertainment holding alinoist everything but SoboVfi .ahd Waldroni's missing hair,. Including Miss Coney Island (Dptptby Howe), whd.was spotted'In here at $100 be-- cause the other Loew theatres which took- part In the contest are no-longer playing v'aude. Friday night Sobol had no guest stars in attendiance, though Jack- Dempsey, Jimmy t>.urante and Ed' SuUivan showed up at the opening, performance., Howeveri the gratis; luminaries were not missed.. From Miss;. Sedgirlck'd^ opening eccentric to(B routine and, .'wlth but one ex- ception to thp dosing Rltz Bros., there's a snap to the layout that makes' It- thef best pop show buy on the ' street currently coupled with 'KaTenlna.' Presentation Is In . a night club setting, standard policy l^or columnists at the State. The-one lull Is when Sobol. says, •You've all undoubtedly seen Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers do 'Cheek to cheek,' 'Top Hat,' now I'd like you to see what Billy Reed and Luclle Mele do with It. This is serldus, and ' so Is the team, though their I Itatlon is actually more "lik6 a bUrlesq. Result Is that 'Cheek' and their opening 'Con-, tinentkl' lack finish. Miss Mele, however. Is a- looker, while Reed, who is oUt oi: two and three-people hoofing turnsi does very well when truckin' solo. Martha Raye* though spotted too early fbr her femme Barton, mops up in the drunk routine with Wal- dron, then^ later in her hot song spot. She has more vocal power than the State has seen sin^e Dolly . Kay, and her souse work somewhat fills a gap that Jim Barton left when he went Actors' Equity. Endor' and, Farrell (New Acts) are maklhr their first vaude apr .pearance.here and. they're ^elcome. They • precede the .Rltz boys, who becoine more aiid ,more remindful of Clayton,. Jaskson and Durante.' Comedy trip has even taken to tossing- hats' around, but their , best bit is a Hitler gag that's slightly marred -by a shady finish. They tied the proceedings Into a knot at this viewing and - had to beg off' with Sobol for the entire show. The columnist will do a big busi- ness this week-^they were standing all over the house Friday night— but there's also Garbo. Scfto. MUSIC HALL, N. Y. with a long feature, two shorts and the newsreel, the. stage show is a bit short this week, but-smart-, -ly done and shows the first two- way treadmill effect tliat comes to memory. The show. In five numbers, Is ti- tled 'Sports' and was put together by Leon L^onifioff; Opens with the stage set for a hunt breakfast, fol- lowing the suggestion of a horde of colored sporting prints. Pretty enough to get a hand from the au- dience when flr.st.' disclosed. The National, Louisville Louisville, Sept. 20 A neiy line of girls Is Introduced at the National this week, and they prove the most effective Item on the bill, \ylth a modified yerslqn of the can-can and a. fan dance routine which registers. Bob Hall is on to Intro Mickey Contii accordionist^ who Is young and personable,' and seems to know what Ifg all about when it. comes to finding the proper keys on his sparkling instrument. Audience not large, but he bowed oft to nice applause. Jans and Lynton, man and wom- an balli'bom dancers, who have made previous'appearances here In nlter- ies, I'egister in three appearances. Femme, a striking blonde, helps to make the pair stand out from the ordinary with her acrobatic con- tortions. Jean Hazlett, acrobatic dancer, and another blonde, makes full Use of her time on the stage, to register for nice applause. Ozzle Swanstrom, with dancing and novelty rope skip- ping,, oke. York and Tracey get oVer with their hoke knockabout. Film, 'Miiry Jane's Pa' (WB), .with Universal new.s nnrt a Sterling Holloway fiho'*t. Wledc. finish off with a levr tosses that approacli the sensational. The real punch comes In their closing routine in which the girl is flung about by three boys. Two or - three flash throws are almost the width of the stage, and the catches by one man .on-thej«_*lonRrdlotftpc.e. he&ves are toprrate. ■ , Deucers are the Radio Ramblers, seen here betofe. In their radio mimicry, "well staged. Fast moving and oke all through, except for an underwear and beer isag. " Ben " Blue- takes the trey with a lot of laughis. Femme partner a looker and okay on lines and busi- ness. . Cafe . ?CPne>.;.gopd for few chuckles although practically saihe scene was done in this town not, long ago W'''another: act^ BuBslan--'dahce--lfr-Blue'«---best--bet7-. preceded by some hokum business of faking a big costume change be- hind a screen. Blue skids through a routine that gets attention. . Fda.. KEITH'S BOSTON Boston, Siept. 19. t)ependlng ui>on picture strength, house booked'In a stage show that will keep the crowd in their seats but not much else. Film is 'Farmer Takes A Wife' (Fox). Art Jafirett and Eleanor. Holm are top-billed, but the surrounding acts emerge the winners. Jarrett, apparently figuring they came to hear him sing, gives 'eni the AVotks in his line and conducts his band on . the side. Miss'Holm, of charm- Ing, likeable personality, is famous for her swimming accomplishments and hardly offsets that Impression in her istage appearance., She Is handed a solo vocal assignment on which she works'hard and later does a duet medley with Jarrett, based on 'Steak' and Potatoes' Idea. This clicks fairly well, enhanced on show caught by somis spontaneous giggling. Jarrett pleases with his many vocals, but never spcks. Act is loosely tied together on the whole. Best bet in the turn. Is mixed dance team of Bliss, Lewis and Ash. Their first is a military tap idea, well routined, featuring the girl in toe taps, and later a double tap num- ber .done ; tP 'Continental.' Both numbers life-savers in the unit, but in for dull mid-afternoon audience they couldn't overcome' the burden of the slow pace of the band rou- tine. Trumpeter from band does' a hick number with a gag cornet and corny outfit that Is Just another number. Jarrett's best offering Is 'Paris In Spring,' which precedes the closing dance routine, and which he uses for a. reprise .to close the show. Opener is Bartell and Hurst, dance fiash. Start is a triple adagio ballroom idea that gives 'em a chance to offer a sample of their stuff. Diminutive girl is tossed around for awhile and then they Nicely hai&iiced . flve'-aiet shpw,i plenty f6r ' the admission,'-, mlu-ks: final •we^k'. bf .'Vaudeville In- this -houset for thp:predent'iat:least; 'trith 'Top Hat' inauguratinig straight pic-' ture policy :next weeit. ..Comedy. I^re-. dominates with laughs ^ In two of -five turns dolng' ihiufoh to' put'Stage -bill iover. Veteran dtio <»f Clartii Barry, ana Orval Whltledge, with .their ■ nature^ humor and bright lines,, tops - ap iar as audience was conce;t:ned and . easily most enter- taining a(:t .in linp'up.. ' With-a ekatin'g-act that promises to go places) a monologlst, dancing act and ace harmonica combination, introduction of this- BarryrWhlt- ledge fUn combq gives-the ^vaud&- vllle array proper . balance. Good assortment. ofpuns plus . languid delivery of bbth man and w.oman in this team netted big-grpsd of laughs. Whltledge - makca' several stabs^ at playing the grand baeking up Miss Barry's song efforts, but except for finale, .he impersonation of Sopihie Tucker, they always swing ' into their chafter for results.. Came back four times and could have continued.. Carl Freed and his Harlequin Harmonlcaps,- in for closing and os- tensibly top ' ^rating; oh program,- drag.their turii put top long for best returns.. With eight clever harihon-: lea manipulators. Freed his fine opportunity to" clesin , up with his talent, but permits clowTjlng • of one' musician, tp. slow -down proceedings. Freed has. a.rare "mixture of talent which he has skillfully blended to- gether, but ■-humberd ..could be trimmed, or' one omitted. Chap by; the name of Lee really steals the laurels with his two vocals. Spot-; ting him earlier, 'would give the act better balance. . ■ ; Helen Reynolds. and Her Seven; Skating Girls (New Acts) opeps. Top-notch in all respects. andcver; easily. - Clyde Hager Is not a fregh' Jace but a welcome one. His pitch- man, snlel continues to amuse be- cause done In isuch: a droll' mian- ner..-. . .'. '' _.■ Dick and Edith'Barstow, on next, hold up the dancing portion of stage fare. After two precision tap rou- tines and opening- song that does not add much, pair build to climax- Ical close—tap dancing on their toes. Their duo. stuff on stairs continues as the act featurei' with the boy re- turning to do Russian steps on toes down - six stair steps. Friday night audience went for all, the acts. House was nearly ca- pacity at end of last vaude show- ing..'Top Hat' trailer runs nearly a' reel, proving' excellent advance bally.' Feature current Is 'Page Miss Gory (WB). Wear. A.B.C., PARIS Paris, Kept. 9. Opening a week ahead of the other vaudeville houses in Paris, this spot Is clinging to the French formula, with emphasis on singing, which put it across last year. Seems to be working, again — .first few nights \v.er.e iaellouts. Headllner is bamia,. femme in a black robe who works on the old Yvonne George lines. Her act com- prises a surprise—she's announced as appearing for the first time with- out her black dress, and when .the curtain rises she appears in white and sings the 'Marseillaise.' Nearly caused a riot on opening night, both: because of disappointment-oh 'sur- prise' aiid because 'Marseillaise' is currently the subject of political' rowing, left wingers considering it a fascist hymm Another riot, of another kind, greeted the act of Willy Thuriis,' tenor who. played . all list season in' Franz Lehar's 'Land of Smiles' and who tried to bring the comic'Ppera. manner Into vaude. - It didn't work,', he got . the bird.. , i Comedian Harmonists have one. of the best numbers oh the bill, Jazz' In the Amerlpari manner^ Mar- guerite Gilbert does a dlseuse turn,' but not as hot as that of Damia, and the Jean-Jac-Jo trio contribute more French singing; On the dance side, bill includes Jackie Smith and Chrlstlane and Duroy, latter being a local humor- ous team. By keeping its strongly local angle, A.B.C. thus is less promising for American talent this ydar than some other Paris hou.ses. Stern. STANLEY, PITTS. Pittsburgh, Sept. 20. Poorest show the Stanley has come. up with since WB deluxer went to vaude as a steady diet sev- eral months ago. Recent average has been pretty high, but mahage- "m6'Ht,''~re'allisi«g"dTmger-"Of- booking- bands week after week, has -. gone In currently for what used to be classed- as the m.c-vaude type , of show,-but with Indifferent results. Lame layout has with It on screen .:Speciftl Agent' (WB) and despite generous Hearst puffs for flicker, opening show was a pretty good tlpbfC on what house can expiect to gross:—particularly with 'Top Hat* and 'Parmer Takes A Wife' for op- .posltian,..JDAivAsytiUra... Juflt about -half and balcjoiiy yawning ;yrith wide 'open spaces." " "■ "" "" ^ Heading the shovr and m.c.'lng It, too. Is the veteran Dave. Schooler, who should know better. Still work-; ing with cute June Carr, Schooler breaks up, his turn with her Into fbuv; different sections, dragging it put)<to -the' point of suffocation and ih^n doing- a bq,nd .specialty and his " ■ihievitable .'Rhapsody In Blue' at the ;plalhp ."nrlth - ork accompaniment as well,; " What cpuld have been, with Qbme. cairefjut 'editing. and 'a bit of cbhe'enti^tlon, a pushover Instead -biicomes a fairly painful experience "for Schp;oler,'.!who seems to have for- gqtton .much .of the, .showmanship that, used-to make, hfm a standout every lime he came to' town. Then, too; 'his gags b.eWng to another era. Miss -Ceiri-';.lB' 'still' dblng the tap dance atop-"the Stelnway, the hoke adagio with -Schooljer and getting laughs with .those long undies^ now tagged to a couple of ostrich fans. Prdmisirig start is made by the six. Lucky Boys; 'Who Indulge In some whirlwind acrobatics, sprink- ling an assortment of okay panto-' mlmlq g^s In the strong-arm stuff. A bona fide click, bUt even they could have been more effective with the ellmlhatlon of a cbuple of min- utes. - Mae Questel, ' hooper, who looks like Helen Kane's twin sister, indulges in -the usual bbopery, re- vealing a plea,sant personality and * a corking delivery/. She uses a male accompanist and for a finish comes up with a Hollywood party, in which she giyes out" with the Im- peirsonatiohs. "To her credit, she leaves out Katharine Hepburn any- way, although there should be a law against any more imitations of Zasu Pitts. and Mae West. Turn of three" Samuels Brothers Is divided Into two parts. First is their knockabout comedy routine in top hat, white tie and tails. While other, which comes at close of show, Is: the military tap. They're still effective . enough,, but then they should be. Samuelses have been coihli^g around with these .parts pretty often. Remaining act is Gypsy Nina, an ether name couple of -seasons ago. Songstress, who accompanies herr self on the squeeze-box. Is a sort of femme Street Singer.'. Possesses an okay set* of pipes and shows them oft .well In three numbers, best of which she reserves for the last. Better selection of tunes, in which sho- might get an opportunity, to exercise that high register right at the start, might make it easier for her. . Other Items on" bill are a Par newsreel and a Lodney Tune, 'An A-nlmated Cartoonists. Nightmare.* Latter is really the high spot of the show. Cohen. EMBASSY, N. Y. (NEWSREELS) Constitution Day. political speeches, kept on Ice for nearly a week, are the hottest thing in this week's Embassy newsreel layout, which Is the tipoff that the custom- ers are In for the brush,, with plenty of stuff off the shelf and an earful of Lowell Thomas rewriting, the story of humanity every second clip. Herbert Hoover and Teddy Roose- velt the younger both ease their kissers into the Constitution Day footage with appropriate panning of the present admtnstratlon, and for Hoover, it looks like a 'showing date,', with more bookings /to come. This political chatter la followed by a satirical animated cartoon on the New Deal .by Pathe, with an infer- ence that; can be taken either way. It's a novelty and Ipoks like some- thing hew. Mussolini doesn't get much of a break from Pathe's character stud- ies of II Duce In the throes of spell binding, but the newsreel doesn't go out of its way to take any pokes. Any impartial treatment is bound to throw sympathy toward the under- dog,'in this .case Ethiopia. Fox, Par and'Pathe double up oh each other in this week's extensive coverage of the sltuash. ' Qeneral Harboard dedicates a military memorial (Pathe), Civil War.'yets parade (Par), Jack Demp- sey and Willie Hoppe put the eight ball In the side pocket (Fox), them that 1^ it play some polo on L. I. (Fox) and the football Pteamup gets under way (KJeaTr.st-Fox). From there on the current bill is mostly off the record. Diving Hons (tJ), rodeo (U), Sey- mour 'Weiss on his late pal, Huey Long (U), sandwich man advertis- ing for a lost daughter (Hearst), Tom Mooney in again (Hearst), (Continued on page 39)