Variety (Oct 1940)

Wc(]n«s<i<^yy October 9» i9iO PSkiett HOUSE REVIEWS 47 ROXY,N;^. Milt Herth tHo, Peter IMd Haues, Betty Jane SmiW^^ 724) and Boi/ff a2), Paul Ashls Pit OTch; 'Spring Parade' iU), reviexaed in yini^Y, Oct. 2. : ; ■ ■ ; There isn't much' quantity^ but there's 9 lot b£ quality in tlje current stage Inyout here,. On ^he^prddvsc- tibh and costuming side it s alsa plenty okay, but the spotting - could ■5e .definitely sdckier. : The one major staging; fault; is:the olacirig of the Milt Herth Trio with- in the first Id miriutes of the shoW- The swing musical outfit cpiild be a closing - smash, with the. strikingly costuiried 'line's routine to -Rhum-. boogie' adding nduch to a finale blpwoflf. Instead, this diance,. With the .girls po uh din g tom-toms strapped to their swinging hips, is 110W merely ah interliide in the Milt .Ilerth session,, with: the- Het^h crew .makihg it tbugh for the;subsequent; prdeeedings,'."..^ ;■ Herthi at the .electric orgiah, lively Jack Gonhor ait the driims arid marinibaphone./and Morty Jacobs at tlie piano give out-with ian infectious brand of swing. They're pfeserited nicely here on a rhihiatiire stage that rolls down cloise to the foots^ .and they live up to the production nice- ties in ?Hbnky. Tonic Train Blues,* 'Tea for. two' (Corihor bn the marim- baphbhe), 'Shiek of Ataby*. arid the Bpogie'v tune With 'the linev^^- ': •, : iPeter Lind Hayes.is up Wainst'the! obstacle of ^ollowirig Herth arid it; tells the first couple;of minutes; The i son of Grace Hayes, - once a rioted vaude headliner, proves .himself a trouper, however, by w-inning over im^aiudience still uiider -the. spell, of the Herth Trio's jive. Hayes is a inimic of the rnpidrfire school, 'each takeoff of a celebrity segueihg into the next;^ He's, fine' 90% of the tiiriei which is a plenty high average, Jind some of ;the portrayals are brilliant satire.- Pliis gi'abbing. a tremendous reception, Ha>^es at the last show Friday (4) managed to get in a pliug. for. his mother's hitery, Grace Hayes' Lbdige, Hollywood. Rest bf the show,'fore: and aft is held a»p extremely: well by Gae Foster's line of girls, augmented by a riiale hbofing . chorus . of ,12, arid Betty Jane ..l^mith, a corking little hoofer who is'seen too ,briefly. She's on with the cdrhbined line in the opening rhythm njimber, uncorking some swell rhythm tapping arid twirls that are reminiscent ^of Betty Bruce; The. rdiitine by: the . line, at this poirit is especially strong in pre- risiori and Miss Foster appears to be strongly challenging, the Radio City Music Hall Rbckettes for the honors ; the latter have held so long. ■ At the ilnale the mixed chorus does a cute bustle routine, half., the girls acting as the rear-end decoratibhs,. but this might have been ispotted at the . b.e- Vginning rather than the end of the ."ihoiw. V If; nothing else, this number .•shows how the Rbxy's piroduction corps Is also; graduatiri'3 in. the cos- tume i metier.; " Attendance' at the last show the Second night was good. The Roxy bowed In on Thursday (3) iristead of the Usual: Friday, to. catch the Jewish New Year trade,, Scho., . COLONIAL, DAYTON goes into t^ couple of accordion solos that go over in showmanship style, Tito Guizar delivers the .biggest sock of the show with his singing and. . guitar'-playingl accompaniment, Gptsninjg With a Spanish number, he follows with 'Madame La Zbnga*^ and 'I'll Never.Smile Again.' The tre- mendous vesporise accorded Guizar oh the first show had hirii obliging with .an - encore, 'Rancho ' Grande.' Everi this didri't satisfy, .and a.second one had to be presented; With Mur- ray .lending a coniedy touch.. ••, The. spotlight is. again, taken over by Murray with the help of a high- pitch, voiced, stooge in rube rnakfeup, Milton ' Chai'leston,- who gets batted arbiind the stage, dancesf,. etc., to hearty laughs.-: ' ■ Finiale offers the entire corripany singing 'Sweethearts on .Parade.' : . ■ ■ Karty.- . APOLLO, N Y. GOLDEN GATE, S. F. Dayton, dct A . Ken Murray iDith Carole Landis; Tito Guizar, Oswald, Park and CUS- ./prd, Betty Atfci^ison, Milton Chdrliston 'Gold Rush .. Maisie' (M-G)i . Ken Murray has surrourided hirii self with sonie capable talent that has: -show^topplwg-"^jira its- bf-: fered at the RKO Colonial this week. Comedian, works in and out of the show, kids with the audience, gives an assist to thb various acts when they rieed It, arid generally , keeps the setup dri its toes through :;:out,. /: ;■.-.;.. • ,:. , After Mbrray AV^^arms up the audi encc with a few gags, Betty Atkin- son^ starts the proceedings with a flashy display of baton-twirling to strains bf a hiumber of college songs. She.incbrpdrates sorioe effectivie tap dancing that is good for applause, too. :WInding tip, she features a 121- pound bsitbn which she.handles With e^se and efTioiency. _Murriy next brings on I'ark arid Clifford, who , execute Some difiicult strpngarm acrobatic feats and hand- balancing. A highlight of -the act is Murray's. - clowning With: the boys, coming but in an abbreviated cos- ; tume.simiiar td the ones worn by the niae. tearii, arid then resorts into a bit of burlesqueirig of, his musctir: . Jar 'prpwess.'; Carbie'Landis,'of the .screen, is: -spotted :next 'and delivers several: ?°n6s-nicely; and she, too;, enters ■ into the comedy spirit by singing to Murray, .latter going, heavy on the ; mygging; .Sturiningly dressed, Miss *'»ijdis: is an eyefill.. -- . - . f ■ ^ The type of coriiedy with which 'M>irray : establishedrW bri the' couple of years back is brought M> the fore with the appearance of n's. stooge, ■ Oswald. • With Murray • ^^^.ng gags, .Oswald gets over some - Corlcmg laughs, -relying on some di :l,^ pet expressipns which.have inade 'liin krrbwn to i^adid listeners. After *'^verai rfiiriutes of pftttef; Oswald: Ershine- Hdiokins Orch i^^ witK .X)elores Btoiohj. Avery [ Parfishi jinimy Mitchell; Salt & , Pepper,. Kitty Murtail, Johnny, VAgal, . Johnny , Mason; Viviayi H a'r r\i s- ,.: Foiir Kanazawas, Two -Ticrbines,. Apollo , Choir (l.a). Hdusc,Liiic (18); 'Golden Gloves ( Par) . : ■ ■ ■, ■■: This is a ;r.ather staccato ihPW: as fair-as the pace " . cpricerried, with the first pf two parts beirtg mainly responsible for the; lag. . Principally at faiilt; -are. a. ' couple ■ of : hbusfe/ standbys,: " Johnny, Vigial : and: John- , MaSpri, .both 6i ■ whom are involved With aribtheir house staridby, Viviari; Harris,/, in : a prplbnged ; blackout, sketch • that: .takes Upwards ; of 25 minutes. Also in this pprtipn iis ari aburidarice of terpijig • that bids :fair to:;exhaust the. audience, the house line of: .12 .girls and six. boys going: 'through :a: couple, of : prolonged pror dliction numbers with taps, pltis 'two tap turns in;. Salt-Pepper ; and -, the TwP Turbines. ..y .. • ,. . ,-Salt and Peppei: are. a Couple ' of riiale hoofers who: db standard tapsy in ..challenge arid :unisdni 'arid' ddii't halve-:anything tp' set. them. oU par-: ticularly. : ■ They .: riicike several. . ap- pearances: through the. laybut - to further heighten the. exeessiye-danc- ing factor. The Two Turbines are in the same idiom. . : ■ Miss: Murray, whb's' made per- sonals of late, with 'Rochester'. (Ed- die .Anderson),, is^ a . hefty girl: Who does : songs,' with air the .biz^ in the low-^down . manner;. She's dressied accordirigly, arid .didn't go over tob well generall,y. though: a few s.eelri- irig Harlem - initiates Went big for her stufT operiirig night (Friday). • Best part of: the first'portion, and. ai smash click: in: their own right, are the, Foiir Kanazawas, Japanese risiey unit Svhpse cbmedyy pantomimically, is bne of the sock parts of the turn. • Erskine Ha'tt^tins* band (14) .is the riiarquee lure. Outfit,: Which lent it- self formerly to a cacophony that fiairiy blasted the eardrums,-hais tem- pered the: brasses considerably ■ and is emphasizing, rtiore thythm than formerly. 'They-re still: going out bf this : world, hpwever, on - ocbasion, with the.now-pbrtly.riiaestrb pacing with his trumpet.:: Latter is still ex- cessively -mugging , at ,the mike, though-this isn't as apparent as for- merly, when he had a penchant fbr taking the spotlight from the speclal- :istS; -. . ■ •': : I . ' ' ;. Thbiigh ■ the unit conies thrdugh with its :'Tuxedo Junctidn,' which it recorded., the arrangement of 'Lady Be, Good,* for which the three trum- peters step: dpwri from the bandstand to join Hiawitins' horn, is .butstandr ing. in the ■ group's: repertoire. Fianist Avery .Parrish and tpoter Jimmy -Mitchell do specialties ader 'quately,. the latter singing ''Whisper- ing Grass' and the fprriaer ivdrying jin£L.QfJuS:.r.ec(^.dings,::_ ^ .;__ _. Delores Browriv v.?arbler withthe band, is a;llght-skinried Iddket", who does couple of tunes: well enough for; the : cjustbrners to demand: more. She: obliged with an encore when caught. ' ' ■ Biz fair at thii catching (Friday,; last show). lAhii-British Continued •from page licans arid Ifemocrats,: the advlsoiy notice added, ; Unable to get a sarhple program for inspectibn,.: the code enforcers said^infilysis of the prospectus issued by the: Ariierica :First :garig indicates station managers 'vvill be violating their pledges if they sell time to the cbrnmitte,e'a:spielers.: . ::- ^ ''Radio stations and .networks, guided by the cpnsideratioiVs. of fai^^^ hess to bbth. sides of all contrpversiial matters, wiir continue to: allot with- I bat cost .equal: pppbrtunity to respon-.; ; sible groups for: a fair-sided, arid full discussidri of this .important subject', said ,Ed Kir.by, Secretary, of the .cdrii'- pUance Uhit; ''Ariy -v Pther ^ policy- Would throw, the weight of our fa- . cilities to, thbsc; with the greatest t)urse.:er infliience.V ■ ..: : , . •Frank; Andrlnl Fotit ppcned iridell- riite engageriicnt Friday (4) at Hotel ) William:i.Penri's - .Continental Bar, { Pittsbi^rgh, : replating Wat.hda and ' Her^^scnrts.'' •■■ : Saw Francisco, Oct, 2, . : Clifford^ :C. Fischer's"Fblies Btir- ge^,' featuring the Weire Bros (3), Senor Wences, Gloria ' Gilbert; Rita Borden and- Co, (4);, fled Do7inhue end Unb, Emmet Casey, Deniis and. Dubins, Diana Del Rio, Gloria Hills, Lily Sandan, Palmrt, Wait Rojfener;:| 'I'm, Still Aliv.e (RKO). . Shifted'-over from the. local Expo, where it .closed: Sunday (29),: .Gliif Fischer's -Fdlies'. is essentially, the same arid definitely : sockp although sbmewhat cramped on a;- rioririal stage after the ample acreage avjail- able in the Treasure Island audi- torium. ;.' Fact; V was . underlined . at opening when ' a v20-fpot: section, of glittering prop gate collapsed with a: resounding crash' as ;a bevy 'of cho\ rine's sought 'tp-swing it. operi,. the regulation biz.v . Stagehiands had. quite, a - tussle' hauling away ■ the: wreckage but: gals - riever missed a step and audience. :cackles quickly subsided;: .'In. fact, nearly -everybody: had -trouble. A mike :stand; was. knocked over: at beginning: of Senor "WenceS*. turn, necessitatirig replaces merit: :befpre ventriloqiiist. ePuld gb on.' ■ : :/'••: • Principal Sjiles jangle of 'FPUes,' .of course,:- " l uridraped ; femiriinity;. which brings up interestinig: Compari- son, with; liast year. ..As caught on the Islairid :iri '39 .and .jri hotises up and: down: the. Cbest, there :\vas; nudity, but-with a teiidencyV to cover up. This - year there .Is ■ probably; less actual 'coriceritrifitibri on epidermis,, butV.whiat's . qffered . is d'fTered fiilly and frankly. Principal, contributibri is .'adagib i'outine in .'Under the Sea',. :produ.ction: n umbei', : femme half emerging: from.- a: sea shell garbed entirely .in minimum ,. ot^ G-string, -Nor are: lights cjs dim, as before. :An- dther impression is that .-this^ year's road ,version;, as 'broken in here, steers almost entirely, clear of blue: material,^ which cpiild : hardly be clairried for the '39 uriit. Shdw is; heavy on the ,'taleht side, Senor Wences. being-little, .short of terrific with his combo ventirilbquiist and juggling act, keeping iip runnirig conversation with a doU and a head in a box,, plus -.: imitating various' voices .dn phone; etc. A .; smooth workeiii- he aldne is worth the ad-, variced tap, hoiisirtg going: 40^50-59 fdr this .-run. ■': ,.' -- '-V-:' Perfect timing , of Weire . .Biros., trio of; synchronized: steppers with ..a: flock of .goofy hat and other gags; gives their: act a-jsip .femiriiscent of: the: good old days. Red. Dpriahue and- his amazingly iritelligerit riiyle, Unp;: Gloria. Gilbert: thC: 'human top' bri toes, and aU. pthers. cpncef ried are: top-flighters in ..any langiiage. Novelty twist to Rita Bdrderi's acro- batic turn is garbing of three iriale partners as hunters/Who bring her on .stage:in guise of a slain; leopard, ga:i. hanging from pole and dragging a tail which is: shed before lads start tossiiig het abPut. ^ Specialties; .are interspersed be- tween and among seven, produetibn numbers. Band, pf course, is, iri pit this Week,; batbned by Walt Rosener, an old favorite here; he led a hduse band-in the days of vaude and rated an bvatiori from the fans upon, ap- peairance, Regular house line gets a r.est -'this week; ■ ■ " .,Biz fair; at opening, oorisidering number bf. pebple who have seen 'Folies' at the Expo.,, - Wern: ' FLATBUSH, B'KLYN New Acts SONJA WRONKOW: Songs .: '15 Mins. :■ .Cherry. Lane:'Theatre:,: N. ;■¥;; Aiter : siriging in hiiriieroiils; Eu- rbpean riiter.ies, :Miss Wronkow has come to; the U.iS. : frd:rii an', enigage- merit in Palestine. "She has appeiared briefly with:various refugee groups, in this «puritry,. but riiiad'e her more- br-less formal debut . Sunday < 6.) night. urider .the auspices .of Wendell Phillips Dodge at the 200rseat ,Cherry Lane iri Greenwich Village, N. %■ .; : ^Being pds,sessed Pf . "aUv the ^iattvi- butes for being .physically atractive, in the American way-r-pr the Amer- ican idea of the : Eurppieari way—arid exhibiting . a .. varied" 'vrepcrtbire: 'iii! Seven languages. Miss. WrQHkow has> all-the riiakings tjf a: natural :for a smart east side: nitery,'p.articularly brie of those Which now flrids: itself ' catering to an increasing, siriart Eu-r rooean refugee set. Tiny in: stature, . Miss. Wrbnkow assuriies a -humqrbiis . upright stance: at -the piianp, .dri' which' she's a soclti perfbrme.r, and thi'bws ',oiit her voice- 'in a ' snappy,- :'cbntirierital version : pf 16w:rdoWn. Whether it: is French, Yiddish, :'Russiari, Geririan, Polish or whatnot, and np.matter how uniritel- ligible the; language,; it's still :highly listenable. Only thirig'she will have tp ;avoid-^except in the ;righ:t'. spots, of course-=-^is- too rnany Yiddiish folk; sbrigs.': It mSy endanger her ..being called 3 : carbbri: of : Mdlly Picort^ whbse style she sbiriewhat resenibles. She'll be.at the Cherry:.Larie for- the n^t three'Siiriday-evehirigs. ■■■ .:^;::.-. ■:•■.■:.: ■;■>■■■. ;■ •::■ Hcfh. VALESKA GERT V Satiir'io 'i'Mime'- -'" 45'I»ihs^. ■.':.'■-;/• ■:^-";- Cheriry.'Lahe-Theaitr'e, N...'¥, -.> , :A German .fefugee with a reputa- tion iri Europe, ValeskaGert debuted in..America at the tiny Cherry Lane theatre in Greenwich Village, N. Y;, Sunday (6) night.; It was the first of four successive Sabbath, eve ap- pearances at the hoiise, in' which she is billed to divide li full evening's prbgrarii with Sbnja WrorikbWj hei: piano.accdmpanist; who precedes Miiss Gert's.: appeariarice ;with sbrigs;. Jrj: severi languiagesi '. ; r ;': ;; Curtain-upper on Sunday took less than;one hour all told,;at least: 15 mitiutes df which : :was . occupied by Miss: T Wronkow.-v - Reniaihder ■ was riibre: than ..enough of her, colleague, ; ;Whb is.bijled as providing 'Satirical:: Types in.'Sound 'arid Movement.' : ..Whatever,: it is she does,' it-S: in'a miedium 4nd style., entirely: airifft' miliar to Ariierican audiences arid Gondeivably commercial only in the artiest of art. theatres. Certainly not-., ■on the vaude,: legit or cPncert stage; pbr:-'even.in':a':sWank nitery.\' - . A -meduim-tair .gal iri her riiiddle ■ thirties , with .clpse?.cropped : black "hair, : she pei-fbrriiS in^ dead'-white makeup: and in costUnies . which strive so haird to be unobtrusive they, become just the . opposite:. SJib does : riirie- routines of-'satiric mimicry, 'as.: 'The Fairibus Pianist,' 'Baby,'. 'Trage- dienne -Fraricaise'. and 'Coloratiira,' except: that -they seerii' to be too much; mimicry arid nothiqg but the crudest and mpst obvious foriri-bf , satire.' 'It's more: an exhibition of energy in ugly mdvement than .ariy-.' thing else. . ■• ■-.■'' : Miss Gert's rep- aibroaid is for scar-: iijg people, . but apparently : with the thought American audiences wbvildn't go for it, she has included Only, dne, bit of this, type, "To bie,^in which;. she runs : the gamut . f i-bm : .next-to-the-last-breath to rigor mdr- > tis. It's rather intei:esting..;Alsb in- cluded are two riurilbers in English;' orie bf them 'Oh Johnny,' an obvious imitation : bf :Borihie Baker , arid' not satire. ■ Herb. StJNNIE O'DAY Z'- Sonffs, Dancinip iO:'Mins: ■ .:■; .. Flatbiish, Brbdklyia Most recentlv jn 'Keep Off- the Grass,' this blbride bbaut is trifle lightweight with her vocalizing of 'Iiriagination' afnd 'Pocketful of Dreams.' However, she really is socko with her tapsterihg, bdth in the slow-tiriied-fancv steps arid the faster dance which includes difficult curli- cues.:.;.^ Better costuiriing to accentuate her looks likely would help. She is okay for ariy of the visual fields. Weor,~ Ray: . Bolper,. Ciro Rimac Orch (12), ioith Alzird . CamixrgOt JEstrel- lita,\ Charley Boy, Felipito, Chinitd; Sunhi6, O'Ddy, Bob Howard; News- reels arid Shorts. :\ .:: presence of Ray Boliger at this .BriWjJsIy b itbe§itre^. ii^^Bpai^eritlj^; .re-_ sponsible: for' the / strong business this .week. ' It. was packed to 'the' rafters : over the :weekend,. ddyig capacity at the- early Friday night (4); perfbrmarice despite stiff nearby :filril' cdnipetitibn. Without Bplger, the stage production ivpiild be large-: ly a cut-and-dried string bf: vaude; and- night'club eritertainer.s. With :him as rh.c.'it's a: slick, musical reviie enhanced ,by trim' lighting,. par- ticularly , noticeable, on. the-' dance numbers. ••':-■ " •:.■■-;••.-■: '■ , Bolger^: at the. N. Y, , Paramoiirit abbut twp riidnths ago, also wbrked. .at that' time on-the Sf>me bill with the L^tinesque erew, Xavier Cugat's.r Here : he's,; emceeing. iri f rbrit ;of an- other; Latjri-type creWiCiro.Rimac's. Riri^ac's band arid entertainers • are little; changed / frorii what; he's been offeririg nitery- Srid. vatide patrons for several ybarsr It's not especially; strprig on the, sweet riielody but ver- ;satiie' ori the bnt'Ttwb-three' burrip: ..rhythni.: Chiriitii is' the most; tbrrid dancer: backing up the riiusi.cianis, gdirig; barefoot • for a Guban yopdop: specialty with stress on the abdomi- nal riipveirient. She's still faifly,:r:e- strairied; for vaudeville.. : Estrellita's best effbrt i.*;' the zbniba. with: Ririiac bhiming in for J^trong cfTect; , Then,, of cdur.se. there are " Charley Boy and Felipito for terp special ties,;: ^ Alzira darriargb, iriiport: from :Brazil is'featured.. Three Portuguese sbng solos are in the rapid-fii'e chat- tering grpove. -She sports freajcish- headgear and . ;garby a lai , Carmeri Miranda; her country woman. - Her i.efforts caught bn big with the house, her^r •fiolger's ' clowning aids heiV ;; terp eftorts; and general appeal. : Sunnic d'Day rNhv Act,<;) is clickd With her tiipsteririg arid okay on ber warbling. -.;■. :. , Bob Howard, colored piarib spngr plpgy artist, has virtually the sarhe array-bf : solid material that's put hirii across before iri vaude hduses. Audi- tors here Went for him in a big way., Despite hoarsenesSi he w.as re- called several tiiries. ; Bolger offers a gag political:speech to open, and. is in and out foic; e-very specialty, giving them a bobst. For his own session at the close, he is doing his tap-dancing .prize fight, the slow tap: with rhumba interruptions and a specialty with Miss Camargo: :•;. ■- : • - Wear. . KEITH'S BOSTON Boston, Oct. 3. ,Al Trohan 'with Gefi' Dorsey, Jeanne Lorrdinc and Roy Roijnan^ Six Antaleks, Herman Tiiriberg, Jr., and Pat Rooney, Jr.i Nellie Arndut and Bfo^, iZ), Larry Flint House Orch; 'Up in therAir^ (Mono) : and 'Three: Men irorn Texas' APdr),. New faces lappear jn a variety bill that's a real: barg'airi,: sold ■with two features at 55c tPp. Al Trahan, starred, clpses the show with hiis pkaiy brand bf low - cOiriedy and a riejv partner, Geri Dorsey. Caught t^'ice on operiing 'day, :Trahan, looks to_ be still _experimeritiri|[ with : his. ac't. Not quite up tb'^fili established" standard, the coriiic smoothed out the turn between the first and third .shows and received riiore acclaiin'for his evening efforts. Miss Dorsey has a plbasing personality arid vbice, :but has not yet: quite caught the: spirit: of : her . partner's ;:dizzy dbings and: prattfalls. ' --'.. Noticeably .improved since 'they last appeared here .are Lot'raine .and •Rognan, playing the trey Spot. No impbrtant changes , in their rbutine, but they .pack rridre; -sock;: deliver with better' tiriiing and: more finesSe. Roy: Rbgnari does a sd-so jpb as m.c. :for the shipw, but he. arid: Miss Lorraine havd to beg off after, stop- ping,everythirig cpld .with their.; ace. ■hPkum. .ballrobm ,w9ltz.. ; -. Opening turn, Tlie: Six Antaleks. shows for the'first time oh this stage. Four igirls: and two riien. register all the. way in: a nif ^: high?perch. pol e act that moves ex|)e.r.tly and swiftly from orie gksp to another, : jntrbduc- jng-circus. atmosphere iritb'the shPw,: the Aritalek's. featvjire; the' girls, whd, hang arid balance in; twps -and: threes atop pples' that .reach up'-intd the: I-flies,-■'..':-. :■ "..'-:,:■.■' I y. YoVmg .Timbejg . and-. Rbbneyi' : deuce, .reveal th(6rnselves to ;b'e - well-. ..seasoned troupers.. ; Spme bf their •'Chatter is. tbo blue, Rodney's waltz clog is igood arid; dittb for Timberg's eccentric, hoofing and Holly wood irri-- .perspnatibns, wisely trlirimed to a I rii'iniriiuiri with the. scissors of shovvr' i'riiianship.--•--''•:' X' ! Nellie .Arnaut and iBrps.r next-:to- ' .shut, were nicely,;received,: as usual, I for their trick: fiddling and the fa- ■' miliar whrstTirig flriale :wliich reprq-. sents two riiale birds on the make: for a female. Although they rouised plenty of plaudits when caught, the impression; still, remains th^t this particulaif stuff , either strikes bne as being very funny or ;cbnsurtimately boring, With comproriiise opinions in the minprity. . ■■ :'.'Fpx, EiM^ASSY^ N Y , (NEWSEEELSy:';, The battles of Britain and the pp- liticds in this cbuntry highlight the newsreel display here, ivith the sipot-: light also trained dn. several- major football battles. Free fi-om a lot pf uniniportant ;,sportrf stuff, style shots and material that isn!t' newsf ,the show is much tighter and entertain- ing than many that have been slapped together of late. However,, there is Still too riiuch silently-shot film de- pending on narration for any sem- blance of lifb," Sceries of the wreckage and havbc wrought bver Englarid by the Nazis; bring home:all tbo forcefully the ex-, tent of the war, biit it is tempered a little by Paramount,; which pictures the Britdns as carryirig dn business as :usuai. This cpmpariy, as well as Fpx-Mpvietbne and. Universal, sup- ply material pn the bombing of Lbn-i dpn. The ICing and Winston Chur- chrll' :ai-e-caughtHjy- Fdx;~bnt-they- aren't heard. A little>talk frorri tbeni would have heightened the humanr : interest angle. . ' The Pathe: phbtpgraphy covering: Japan ori its Joining the; Axis is poor.; On the military side; also are shots bf. Presiderit RooSevelt inspecting de- fenses: and making a brief speech tour of the XJ. S. by South Ariiericani army ,chiefSr army drilling, Ariieri-.: can . Legidri cbnveritibn, new speed plane brought <Jut at Buffalo, retuni of Queen Helen to. Rumania, etcr, U's air shots ph the new speed plane ire : excellent. P. b; R. Scored a largei* hand here, when caught, than, did Wendell Will- kie, Henry Wallace, making a speech, did fiairiy well and Johri Gafr : ner, returning to::WashIngtbrii got a coriiplete applause brushbff. Willkie turned in by.Par^ ■ : : . • In. the sports. aVenaj In additlbri io terinis in. Chicago, are. a flpck bf foot:^ ball garii'es, orie of therii the Dodgers- Steelers pro game,' which: was sa tis- ~ factorily shbtj The Washihgtori-Miri-. nesota,: Navy-William and Mary, arid the;. &)utherrt - Califorriia-Washlngtbn: State games are: the most thrillirig; arid best photographed.: Par is cred- ited with the Mirinesbta-Washi tuissle, Fox the other two.,, The, Ohio estate- Pitt,, Tulane-Bostori College, ;by Par, are jiimpy and difficultto appreciate. First game in the world's series, cpn- tributed by Fox, -was done fairly ,we]l. -but camera- had some trouble fpllbwirig the . ball, ^partly due,, lap doubt, tp clpudy .weather, :,, ; Shots :,of trie Boulder, Dam in :cele-. bratidn of anniversary'of its operiing (p}))-) are -very good.; : Chnr.'.