Variety (Oct 1937)

TTednesd^ly, October ,li3, 1937 REVIEWS VARIETY 55 Unit Reviews BIG APPLE (FAT'S, PHILLY) Philadelphia, Oct. 8. Thrown together to cash in on the present 'Big Apple' terp mania. This show lacks almost entirely the in- gredients of good, solid entertain- ment. Capitalizing on' the 'Big Apple* novelty—which is obviously what is being depended upon to carry other weakie^this theme is used in only one turn,. the finale, when th6 entire cast . goes • into a circle to execute the new-fangled hoofology. ■■ ^ , \ That's a good number and plenty strong with the craze now swinging the country, but it's not Atlas. It can't suppbrt the entire show, which doesn't seem so much to lack talent as that the talent seem^ to lack ma- terial. Even the Harry Crosley gal numbers, in which Fay's, usually ap- peases with plenty, of flesh, are only so-so'. Aside from 'Big Apple' number it- self, the only stanza that even half- clicks is a turn by Gil Lanib, long- legged tapper and eccentric hoofer, whose antics resemble those of Ray Bolger. In addition to ability to dance himSelf into a double-knot, he has a powerful comic streak. Fol- lowing his own turn, his amusing work in the 'Big Apple' number is largely responsible for its click. Lamb uses Tommy Sdhford to split tp his routine.. Sanford is a pleas- ant-looking youngster who does things with a harmonica—or about a dozen harmonicas. Lamb retires in the middle-of his act to give the stage'to the kid exclusively. House igives his playing the strongest ap- proval of the day. Lamb returns ..for a comic bit of swallowing a tiny mouthorgan and emitting noises by ■poking his stomach—noises being provided by Sanford offstage. Following the curtain-raising en- semble number, Rio and Rita do a mediocre, opening turn.. Gal plays the clarinet while the guy imitates a violin with a rubber hose. Then they pluck strings imbedded In the skin of bass drums. Claim to be playing "melody on a bass drum,' but doesn't sound like anything in par- ticular. Billy Reed, who also emcees the *Big- Apple' number and does a fairly decent routine in it with Ann Woods, is next. Does a solo rhumba terp • and an imitation of a wooden-legged m'^n truckin'. Comedy is provided by Charles Kemper, Jack Squires and Pat Nemo. Fat,_ sputtering Kemper and half- pint Nemo, who looks more like Charley McCarthy than any living dead-pan artist, have plenty of Physical attributes for providing umor. But lack fresh material, good for laughs. Intro a series of football gags with a newsreelshot on th6 screen. Overlong. Line is out next, with punkar.oo . ballroom duo, Grautschi and Sonnen, supplementing. Then Zelda Santley, who does pattered monologues to a piano accompaniment. Only laughs she gets are her own. and thiere are plenty of those. Ballroom pair on next with the gal in leonard bras p.nd panties, guy usin** whip on her. Better. Gil Lamb follows, and then ponies, aided by entire cast, finales 4n 'Big Apple.' Herb. Precision Rhythm Revue (UTAH, SALT LAKE CITY) Salt Lake City, Oct. 10. In the entire line-up are three standouts: a graceful, boneless Chi- . nese girl acrobat, Florence Lin How; Frances Berk, whose mimicry in song and animations contains a goodly load of sock fare, and Ted Mack, who does his best to fill the bill of a band leader and emcee. Besides, there are a brother-sister roping act, a juve hill-billy moaner, a tap dancer, a team of sepia skat scorchers, and 17-piece band. , Mack, well draped in formal clothes, makes his initial appearance soon after the openin,g by announc- ing purpose of his revue—to pencil om any superfluity of acts. His re.g- tilar band is augmented by more than a half dozen local cleffers. Addition of a miniature origan en- hances orchestra renditions. Having introed Louise Boyd, tan dancer, Mack resumes his batonin.g, while tapper uncorks a pleasant rou- tme of soft shoe steps that digests well. Bfihd nlun.cjcs int'^ limelir^ht rext with ofFei'ing of. 'Merry-Go- Round Broke Down.' with Mack glv- "^•^ his brritone pii^ef; a workout. Novel lighting efferl,*; and hoko an- tics of b'<ndsrnen th" tunp. Mack oeTins hecklinfr tli« finmirner. JJ^Ued, and into»*mittent]y commands, T^Ve another bow.' 'Two^ Rascals nf Rh,ythm.* colored {l'J>ys...M) on a H?rle'-" choml fiostn., Thair opTticulP'" rerditions are con- centrated on ofT-heot ton-.nb P"d vn- e\nected rhvthmi" iirc?ks. '''hev'rc tafjiou"?. Team's fon+w'^rlc. however, is th". tvoakept nart of act. j^ick and- T ""^a N.""*! c'^**^'^ri.'!P a imjr,ye .so-ralJpd brnt'iG'--„'-'-*"" ^"y^ is r>+*r''r'-iv" «n»^ piiUr, Vinnf^'" V'-'th n but Dir'-'" r"ntin"s ^^e Pii'/^-i to the rente". 'I^'<^ ioi— ivb=i- tVVirljpr, 3 YOi^e r->-r> r>"'~-'<d"'l. Tn Frances Berk is grade A categorv warbler delivering In lush manner 'Swing High, Swing Low,' followed by 'It's Delovely,' as might be inter- preted by Mae West, Edna Mae OIU ver, Katharine Hepburn, Luise Rainer and Fannie Brice. Gal has looks, an ingratiating personality and a versatile voice. Her trump card is her full, appealing contralto tonal qualities, abetted by an assortment of licks and rhythmic .patter. Sammie Hinton, a Texas lad who should be able to vote in 1940, is a slickster when it comes to nostril tunes and guitar banging. Presenta- tions of 'So Rare,' 'It. Looks Like Rain' and 'In a Monastery Garden' by the band is positive entertain- ment. Unusual touch sootted for 'Garden' number. Backdroo, on which three stained church windows appear, covers stage, but through novel lighting effects audience sees bandsmen playing on chimes. Mack's. solo stint spilling jokes paves the way for the heaviest billed revue act, Miss Lin How. As a con- tortionist she's all wrapped up in her work. She displays gracefulness and artistry in performing seemingly im- nossible twists and body gyrations. She works in Colorful Oriental garb, and band plays subdued Occidental tunes throughout her act. Winding up the show is Ted Les- ter, band member, who is a proficient all-around musician.. He starts v/ith a toy flute and, in rapid succession, has a turn on- a miniature violin, har- monica, bazookr. saxaphone'. clarinet and oboe, reaching for various in- strument«! tucked m his clothes. Pi? is 'Something to Sing About' ^GN). Guss. H'wood Band Wagon (LOEW'S MONTREAL) Montreal, Oct. 9. Flesh and film combo here cur- rently after a month lay-off. Atten- dances at :ohce jump to around $14,000 mark, near treble average for this 3,200-seater. It's the kind of show they like, lots of knock-about, tumbling, tapping and a clever, well- paced, nicely-drilled 16-girl line of lookers and figures. Fans standinc in back all shows over the weekend and for Thanksgiving Holiday. Line opens, harnessed as ponies, and driven by ribbons from top of 16-foot band wagon that turns at finish to show spider's web with Melba, show's near-nudist, stretched across it. It's only a glance, but the crowd wants an encore everytime. Line routines, sings and backgrounds most of the acts that file in for short wisecrack, step or tumbling. Vefn Rath starts the show ^ith fast tootling on the sax and clarinet and is followed by Jeanne Lorraine and Rpy Rognan in clever comedy work-out. Are continually in and out through the show. Carol Man- ners gets in a change of feeling by singing Italian opera and ' familiar songs. She shows training and fans, though not much for this 'sort of things show appreciation. She sings Against an effective blue voile set. Line back dangling puppets and ending V/^ith black out where gals are only just visible but puppets are luminous, a new touch here that gets them several calls, rare here for the girl line. They bring in Abbott and Costello, who have a rather too long officer and private slapstick, wise- crack set. However, slapstick goes down big in this town. Then produc- tion dance with gals in feathers and Melba in back on pedestal in half- light. She ordinarily dances, but not in Montreal, where police barred it. Lorraine and Rognan back in adagio which quickly becomes a freak knock-about dance that goes over socko. Another act that takes with the fans is the repeat of Abbott and Costello in baseball skit for the big receiJtion of the show. Revue closes with Keen Twins and Vic and Lamarre, clever tumblers, who throw -their stuff fast and smartly. All acts on again for swing finish bv Joe Lombardi conducting Loew's orch. Harry Anger producer, with Leddy and Smith. Show opened at Springfield, Mass.. went to Boston and from here to Cleveland. 'The Sheik Steps-Out' (Rep) and Laurel and Hardy comedy, on screen. Lane. oke fast tap routine to 'Christopher Columbus.' Something novel is of- fered by petite June Page, baton swinger, who does four minutes -of straight trickery. Wearing red, white, and blue outfit, she twirls the batpn to medley of stirring marches, silver stick making a pretty picture in white spot. Jim Foley and Harry Mason, knockabout comedians and hand bal- ancers, do a so-so turn with Mason as understander. They get the laughs, but offer nothing new in their line. Lorett^ Grey, who in the meantime has been leading Joe Claussr's Streamlined Collegians band and acting as emcee, then sirigs 'Trouble Don't Like Music' and 'Goona Goo' and does a swift dance, to 'Gee But You're Swell,' mixing in .a comedy bit with Johnny Reavis, trombonist, for okay reception, OUie Heitz trips-back for an acro- batic waltz to 'Beautiful Lady' and is followed by Charlie Page, who does the whiskery lady ta.'ting a bath gag, which is still good for laughs down this way, but slows up the show. Del Allen then joins Page for a challenge dance to Bugle Call Rag.' They're followed by Paoli, tall Hawaiian youth, who sings a chorus •Till the Real Thing Comes Along' in front, of mike and then goes into a fine tap dance to the same routine. He then dons a derby and gives his impression of Bill Robinson to 'Do- ing the New Lowdown.' Lad's a dancing fool and made a- big hit. He encored with more tapping to 'Sing, Sing' and audience wanted more, but he begged off. Bobby and Mae Carbone and son, Billy occupy the closing spot, and their 10-minute turn is another crowd pleaser. • They offer knock- about comedy, singing and dancing, with Bobby, in stagehand character, letting loose the floodgates of, his Italiano dialiect, of which most is wasted because there are few fol- lowers of Mussolini to be found among . the Cap's customers. His Henry Armetta antics, however, are good for the laughs and his. bursts of song from the popular- operatic arias are a hit. Billy joined him in a duet. 'Life Is a Song,' using the p.a. system, which also pleases. Billy offers some creditable dancing and sings 'Sing Me a Swing Song.' Finale finds Loretta Grey, trotting each act across the sta.ge and lead- ing band in 'White Heat' as t'^e traveler closes. Pic is 'Super Sleuth' (RKO) and only half a nOuse saw opening show, which is a bad open- ing for Cap. Combination of South- eastern Fair and baseball fans tun- ing in on the World Series was blamed. Luch. NEW ACTS House Reviews MICHIGAN, DETROIT Streamlined Revue (CAPITOL, ATLANTA) Atlanta, Oct. 10. Loretta Grey can always be de- pended upon for a good show, and this one is no exception. She has gathered capable performers and worked out a nice routine that moves fast through 45 minutes of entertain- ment. Miss Grey starts proceedin.'^s her- self bv coming on in one for a bit of introductory small talk, traveler nartine to reveal whole company op stage Imockin'^ small balls attached (o p.-jdd'es hither and yon. S*ie '•>^'«ses all of them off except pretty OUie Heitz. »*arbed in crimson, who r1oe<! a sneedv rhi'mba to 'Ladj[ in Red.' with Mi*-"? Grey leadin.a the f^rch. Hcitz firl. was crowned '"li-^s •TTnvf^ ^mp'-^'"'* in contest h^Vl in Old Orchard, Me., in 1936, and is a looker. Charlie Papte and DpI Allen, man and wife dance team, follow with an (Continued from page 54) could use a little more polish. Stuff's a trifle shaky. Bob Hall, next to closing, earns the runner-up palm. His ability to put current news and about every- thing else in rhyme -hits the spot. Deftness in handling crowd, who furnish him with stuff to put in rhyme, is a valuable asset Contortions offered by Frances and Carroll are among the best seen here in mai^y moons. Duo turn in a round of nonsensical hoofing, etc., but it's femme.'s contortions that really clicks. Frank Conville, abet- ted by a beauteous blond, gets across with gags, hoofing and imp of Charlie Chaplin. Latter is minutely exact, Femme's appearance is snappy and she does nicely in a round of patter with Conville. Eduard Werner's overture, in tune v/ith season, comprised a medley of famous college football songs. House almost jammed at late show Friday evening (8). On .screen, 'That Cer- tain Woman' (RKO). Pete, BOBBY SHORT Singing, Piano 7 Mins. Frolics, N. Y. Bobby Short, pickaninny type, is a colored singer of hot songs for which he plays his own piano ac- companiment. He may have the makings for advancement but might have a better'chance of climbing the ladder by turning to different song material. ' Is the'kind of a colored kid type who should be doing bal- lads or gweet melodies rather than a strictly Harlemish torch. What he is singing here and his style of de- livery makes it sound like he be- lonps in a HarlQm cellar cafe. He heats'it all up with the pianoing, also. In ^You're Not the Kind,' 'Gone with the Wind' arid 'Sin to Tell a Lie,' most all the way he's screaming the lyrics rather than singin,e. , Char. VIOLETTA and RO SIT A Singing 6 Mins. Hollywood Rest., N. Y« Spanish song stylists and lookers in a brace of songs suited to them, a Hispanic sopran6 selection and 'Chiri Biri Bin.* Sister team is equipped with good voices and a lot of personality. They hit a fairly high soprano scale. A hit here. Char. STANLEY MEEHAN Sinrrin? 6 Mins. H<>lIywood Rest., .N. Y. Stanley Meehan, an ' Iri.sh lenojr with a sweet, young- voice, gets billed here as a radio tenor. He is a per- sonable laid whose voice would be equally as acceptable on the stage as on' floors or the air.» • Spotted around the new floor show in here,.Meehan gets across nicely with 'Am I in Love?' a good number for him, and 'Sounds in the Nisht,' written especially -for the rroduc- tion. Char. MANYA ROBERTI SlnRTlnff (* Mins. Frolics, N. Y. Manya Robertl is a younger sister of Lyda Roberti, singing comedienne, Lou Holtz's ierstwhile Stage partner and ,now in pix. She is an attractive personality on the sweet side and has a fairly resonant voice adaotied principally to popular melodies. Miss Roberti does not go in for. comedy, being more .the straight sinking type. Playing the guitar. Miss Roberti is doing a Russian, swing song here, topped by 'Building Up to an Awful Letdown.'- She sells both adequately but dubious whether she can reach the importance as an entertain'"' that Lyda has. ' Char. HARRIET DE GOFF Siheinsr 12 MlDs. Hollywood Rest„ N. Y. In night club work on lesser as- signments for sometime how, includ- ing at the Paradise, Harriet DeGoff sets out for major honors here as a soloist Her chances for attention are fairly good. Miss De GofI is not 100% on per- sonality and technique but sells her songs acceptably, backed by a voice that is good enough to mount nitery and perhaps picture house require- ments. Probaoly not top star mate- rial, she may come fairly close ns a pop songstress. Of the five numbers she is doiM here the best for her appears to b- the pop, 'That's Why the Lady Is a Tramp,' 'You Can't Have Everything' is also well .-"old. Char. GRANVILLE GAYE Sinsfiner 9 Mins. Hollywood Best., N. Y. A London-trained tenor formerly with bands, Granville Gaye has the makings for notice on this side, and m..ight bear observation by the pic- ture scouts. He should screen well and for musicals is likely to turn out okay, Gaye is doing four numbers here, three of them straight, the other in naval uniform. He sells his wares effectively and has a tenor r.f fair range and sweetness. Chaf. JERRY and TURK Dancing: rt Mine. PrrtUcs, N. Y. Mixed combination I h comedy, novelty dancing plus, some torching bv the girl member, Routin'ng and style being considerably oft the beat- en path, Jerry and Turk lend a fresh note as dancers. They do a .specialty that is something of a variation of the old Bowery routine, m-^n working in brown suit and hat The girl, a neppy half of the twain, adds a vocal touch In singing 'Black and Blue.' Teem should prove satisfactory along the nitery route, where their work would fit, and for vpudfllm dates. Chan LE AZORROS (2) Dancing ' 9 Mins. Hollywood Rest.^ N. Y. A modernistic ballroom adagio team which performs With flash and brilliance. Two numbers are being done here, both Qlong very different lines. Azorros make. a stfiklng appear- ance. The girl is an exotic tyoe who takes her work ver.V seriouslv. '^referring to put her shoulder to the wheel without smiling or trying to be f'lamorouS. Act suits f"^ pic- ture houses. Char. Embassy Newsreel, N. Y. With the World's Series in full tilt in N. Y. and first of the big foot- ball games played the first Satur- day in October, sports takes the play away from the Sino-Japanese warfare and the President's rather threatening Chicago speech against gangster nations. Smart Embassy editors sensed the trend, spotted the baseball classic as the lead-oft news- reel topic and climaxed a well- rounded show with five gridion contests. Can't blame 'em for sub- ordinating actual scenes from the Japanese-Chinese front, after seeing them. With Graham McNamee at the mike. Universal does the opening of the world baseball title clash up brown. Grabs the early crowds, folks in the stands , and the long line of celebs and. LaGuardia tossing out the first one. Camera gets close- ups of leading players before the game, the first and only Giant run, and then the procession of Yank players cantering over the platter. Healthy footage was accorded by Metro 'News of the Day' on the celebration for Chica,?o's lake d:ive with Roosevelt's startling talk. Edi- tors cut back from the speech to rhow recent clips of bombed spots in China and old views of battle stuff in order to get away from monotony of watching one person talk. In this way. little nf the speech had to be trimmed. ''Universal handled rU'p- lice Black's radio talk by reprortuc- ' ing the ra lio ' explanation of his Klan membership, and spotting in views of. typical listeners. Far East conflict boasted some dramatic bombing shots, with the cameramen obtaining an aerial view as 'eggs' dropped on objective. Fox Movietone and Metro both had this, specific portion of the bombing be- ing enough alike to be duplicates. However, 'News of the Day' also showed additional views of aerial strafing that were trim affairs. Paramount gave a concise picture of troops moving in, while Pathe had other movements, with action mate- rial highlighted. ' Par also depicted the European sector with clips of Hitler and Mussolini together in Germany recently, and the strict patrol maintained on the French- Spanish border. For the pigskin battles of the previous Saturday, Universal's han- dling of Columbia-Williams and Notre Dame-Drake, Pathe's Cornell- Colgate game and Paramount's rec- ord of Nebraska-Minnesota and Army-Clemson were shown. There was a maximum of stirring action in these early-season tilts, especially the Cornhusker upset of the Go- phers and the display of power shown by Columbia against Wil- liam,<j. U's camera captured a div- ing Columbia back that was a nifty. Clem McCarthy did Pathe's, nar- rating in his usual fashion. Paramount displayed editorial re- sourcefulness in digging up old shots of national events and personalities in the news 10 years ago. Same reel gave the labor situation by "rabbing speeches of Green and Lewis. Particulary dull were the fashion offerings, one from Fox and another from Pathe, despite pretty models in both. In the comedy sector, Lew Lehr chipped in with defty-timed dialogue on two, both good for laughs. Spon- taneous laughter resulted from a stray monkey perched on a cow In Illinois (U). Government tagging of .'•"imon In Washington state ditto (U). High spots in remainder of pro- Tram were Masaryk funeral at Prague (Par), giant cattle round- up in Idaho (Pathe), procession for Austria's chancellor (U). society hor.se show (Fox), chemical w.Trfare in Maryland (Fox), Duke of Wind- for and his duGhe.<!S (Fox), fate of Leviathan (Par), launching of i^e Cruiser Nashville (U), and a Cali- fornia rodeo (Metro). 'Along Romance Road,' Ma^ic Car- net series (20th-Fox) and 'SIrrn"er Than Fiction' (U) fini,'jhed nut the nearly 60-minule program. Wear. KEITH'S, INPPLS. Indianapolis, Oct 10. Six-act stage bill on' which little money or booking skill has been spent marks the fifth week of try- ing at this vaudfllm spot Zella and Wllborn open w'lth a mild hat jug- gling turn topped off by a rUbber- kneed dance by the male half of the team for finish. In the deuce spot Delores, female ventriloquist and Leander, the dummy, Inflict six pun- ishing minutes of comedy that fails to come off. Paige and Jewett, man and woman cyclists, are next with a series of unicycle stunts lacking in variety, and are followed by Lydell and Lee. Lydell, who did his old man char- acter in bigtime for years, hasn't been around this way for a long while and apparently has been in re- tirement His makeup and antics are still good, but he needs some bet- ter material and a more experienced 'stral'*ht' woman. Billed as the Arkan.sas Sod-busters in the ads and the lobby but intro- duced on the mike by an offstage voice as Ross Lewis and the Grant Sisters, the next-to-closlng act is hillbilly turn mdde up of a male ac- cordionist and three girls, harmony singers. Act has nothing to dis- tin'^ui.ch It from hundreds of others of its kind. Closing spot is occupied bv th-j Six Rajah Arab.s. an am.a- teuri.sh acrobatic troune. .Dark brown powder, turbans, amber lighting ef- fects, a few turnovers and hand- .springs fail to hide the fact that the boys are neither Arabians nor acro- bats. This act and the femme ven- triloquist were cancelled aftor oncn- in<» day and a family act the Four Warners, was used as replacement. Picture is 'Artists and Model.s' (Par) in its third or fourth run and attendance was light Frid."" eve- ning (8). Kjlcy. Dancer's Nudity Pinch San Antonio, Oct 12. Smiles and an umbrella we.-e not enough array in which to do licr act in public, so Bexar Counl.v deputy sheriffs arrested Ruth Boautaire, ."specialty dancer in the Brr.aclvvriy- Tavern, near Alamo Hcl.nhi-^, lo.st v.-eok. Hoofer .gave her addrc-.!! ;is Hol- lywood. She was booked in county jail on charges of indecent CNpo.<ui€.