Variety (June 1911)

22 VARIETY NEW ACTS NEXT WEEK. Initial Presentation. Flrat Appearance or Reappearance In or Aronnd New York Nellie McCoy, Hammerstein's. Andrews and Brown, Hammerstein's. Cierds, GerdeH and Donn Hammer- stein's. Kyan and Tucker, Brighton Theatre. Kvlns and Erwood, Henderson's. Stella Kari. Singing. 11 Mins.; One. Brighton Theatre. Back in '49 there was a rush of gold-seekers to the sunny climate of California, but since the run on the west has long become a memory, there has been another rush—from the other direction. The latter-day rush in mind Is that of the rathskeller act and the California trot "singles" to the east. In the overflow comes Stella Karl, who put her wares on the vaudeville stand at Brighton this week. Stella is a good entertainer, but a rearrangement of her act after opening proved a severe handicap. Stella wears good clothes, displays ani- mation of the Pacific Coast type— that same bearlike glide and swing now familiar in the east—and enunci- ates better than the average "singing singles." Stella's best work was on her first number, "I Want To Be in the Land of Harmony," which should be used for the close. Her second offering, "When You Kiss an Italian Girl," went fairly well, but following it with "I Never Had a Man to Love Me Like You," another "straight" se- lection, marred the impression made on the opening. Miss Karl has ability but unless she puts over a different arrangement of numbers is very likely to force herself back into less promi- nence. Mark. Rem Brandt. Cartoonist. 10 Mins.; One. Fifth Ave. Rem Brandt has something new in the cartooning line. That something new, whether it is worth while or not, just as long as it is something new, sounds interesting. Rem Brandt has a peculiar pistol-like arrangement with four compartments or cells. Each cell contains a different colored sub- stance. By pressing a trigger the car- toonist is able to get any of the four colors he desires. The instrument makes a peculiar hissing sound as the ink is shot on to the paper. The effects obtained are naturally a bit crude. The best are the comedy pic- tures which Rem should stick to en- tirely. The Lincoln and Washing- ton heads were very poor, while the, girl in the roses and the comedy col- ored man were decidedly the best. Rem Brandt has something of a novelty In his line and It should Interest in a light position on the big programs. It should be able to take one trip over the circuit during which time the cartoonist might be able to perfect the idea, which would make him a fixture. Dash. Mum ford and Thompson. Singing and Talking. 16 Mint*.; One. Majestic, Chicago. The most important feature about this act, new to vaudeville, is the some- what different character essayed by the comedian. Weighing in the neighbor- hood of 200 pounds, he reminds one of a bashful, half-witted youngster, who is trying to act like a man. The re- sult is what has been generally term- ed in big cities, "a boob." Although capably assisted by a straight man of neat appearance and perfect enunica- Hod, the turn rests with the comedian. He carries it exceptionally well. After a nicely timed routine of good original talk, well saturated with legitimate laughs, they turn loose a pair of popu- lar songs, disclosing voices that will always guarantee them a recall. Long- fellow's "Village Blacksmith," twisted into a comedy verse, scored the strong- est, with the exception of the singing, the strength of the offering. Mum- ford and Thompson have brought something a little different to vaude- ville, but there is still room for im- provement. Monday they replaced Frank Tinney, who was delayed en- route to Chicago because of a railroad wreck, and on the showing pulled down a large hit, although it was quite evident the house was exceptionally friendly towards the boys in some por- tions. However, they would have done quite as well without the "boosting." Wynn. James Keane and Co. (1). Comedy Sketch. 17 Mins.; Fall Stage (Special Set). James Keane is assisted by a very good looking girl in a rather broad farce comedy, the plot of which is laid in Mexico. Keane takes the part of a stranded actor. He is in love with a Mexican girl, played by his assistant. The actor has a millionaire uncle in New York. He is anxious to get the old boy's money, and wires him for $5,000 which he claims is for ransom, he having inserted the fact that he was held by a Mexican bandit. The uncle appears on the scene and Keane does some good comedy work as the bandit; also he pretends to be insane before his uncle, to make the rich fellow part with his coin. The plot is well worked up. There is enough travesty In it to make it a laughing success. Jess. Louise Brunelle. Songs. 15 Mins.; One. Louise Brunnelle is a girl who shows more class than most of the "singles" on the "small time" for a "showing." Miss Brunelje is a charming brunette, and dresses her act in fine taste. "Dutch" number should be placed "No. 2," and the finish could be made with "Harem" number, which seems to be the strongest. Miss Brunelle with a little attention paid to the arrange- ment of her act ought to be kept busy on any time in vaudeville. The girl would fit nicely Into musical comedy. Jess. Havtland and Thornton. "A Question of Policy." 1ft Mins.; Open Three; dose One. Fifth Avenue. Havlland and Thornton offer an amusing nonsensical conglomeration of rapid fire talk, travesty and songs. The act opens with what might be called a sketch structure, but soon gets to the duolog thing. Haviland, an Insurance agent, breaks In on Alice Thornton, lady of the house, and tries to sell her insurance. Some of the comedy is bright and new, but the greater portion is old though made laughable through the good handling by Haviland, an excellent light come- dian of the breezy type. The travesty comes in in an old idea of how they act at the theatre before and after marriage. This is well done and con- tains laughs but the idea has been worked until it is not even threadbare any more. The finish in "one" is a summer girl number in which Miss Thornton appears to advantage in a pretty pale blue bathing creation. As an encore the couple used Lean and Holbrook's stepless buck dance, a pat- ter arrangement, which took them off nicely. "No. 4" at the Fifth Ave- nue, the couple experienced no diffi- culty whatever in getting over. They should do well anywhere when not asked to take too heavy a position in the going. Dash. Ioleen Sisters. Wire Walking. 12 Mins.; Full Stage. Hammerstein's. The Ioleen Sisters work on the tight wire, varying the usual routine some through introducing sharp shooting from the thread. One of the girls car- ries the brunt of th e work, while the other acts as assistant. The worker is at home on the wire, although not up to one or two other women In the mat- ter of speed attained In crossing. She is a good looking girl, wearing crimson tights to advantage. The assisting sis- ter also adds to the offering in the looks department. The act Is. not a heavy number, but looks nice and can fit in the big bills in the opening posi- tion. At Hammerstein's Monday, after the matinee, the girls were sent from the "No. 2" position down to close the show. Either spot on the long bill this week gave them a real chance. Hash. Winston Sisters. Music. 12 Mins.; Four (Interior.) Violin and 'cello numbers are fea- tured. A noticeable sameness should be remedied by a rearrangement of numbers. The sisters play well to- gether and should give satisfaction in any of the "pop" houses. Mark. William Hodge, in "The Man From Home," will travel to the Coast next reason. Four Largards. Acrobats. The work of the top-mounter stands alone, though he does not work as • gracefully as he should. The four men have a straight acrobatic act, marred by the slowness of the men In getting Into action. They work as though they had long been accustomed to cir- cus life. Some new tricks and a lot of ginger would help considerably. In its present frameup, the act Is of "pop" house calibre. Mark. Gary Owen. Singing Monologist. 9 Mins.; One. Fifth Avenue (Jane 4). As a very youthful monologist, with the confidence of a veteran, Gary Owen is breasting the "big time." He is but a mere boy, of a stage presence that will pass him nicely in an early spot. Gary has some talk, speaking of his "Paw," who is a "rounder" and his "Maw," a suffragette. From this some laughs are secured. More should be. The material in spots is too "wise" for one of Gary's age to be saddled with. It doesn't sound nice for a boy to say that his mother turn- ed around and smiled at men, or that his father went to Salt Lake to study human nature. The last remark, though, caught a laugh. Gary should be made as childish as he looks, in action and material. If the dialog runs to lines beyond that of youth, then Gary must be coached how to deliver them in childish ignorance of their meaning or Importance. If Gary persists in appearing alone, he will become a first rater among the singles. But he must keep himself within his stage looks, while upon the stage. Of the two songs, the parody should go out. Gary might open with a song, doing away with the attempt to smoke a cigarette. While this bit of busi- ness is inserted to break the stories into sections, it doesn't belong. Kid talk about baseball, school and stories of little scrapes that boys fall Into, having a naturalness to them, would be far better for Gary. If not opening with a song, Gary might start the act by entering with a baseball bat in front of a street drop. Looking be- wildered, he might ask the leader what street he is on, again asking if the leader has seen his mother. When the leader replies by Inquiring how his mother looked, Gary might describe her in a little old-fashioned boyish way. With a few remarks passed be- tween the boy and leader, Gary could go through the act without artificial assistance. In assuming Innocence, it does not become necessary for the boy to laugh at any of his own stories or remarks. If Gary gave as his rea- son for being on the street that he played hookey from home after his mother left him to attend to the baby while she went to a meeting where all the women talked all about the men, it might strike the audience more fav- orably than to walk brashly out, with stories to tell, in a matter-of-fact way. Stories like the baby started to cry, when he placed It on the floor, while looking all over the bed for a pin, would be the proper kind, it would seem. Gary might say that his mother said if the baby ever cried, that was the sign a pin was sticking into it. But he couldn't find a pin in the bed, so he held the baby up by the feet to see if a pin would drop off. When a pin didn't, he left it standing on its head and went out to look for his mother, to tell her something was the matter with the baby. Then he met some boys and played ball, forgetting all about the baby—asking the leader at this point if he knew how long a baby could stand on Its head without growing tired. At least this is the style of stories a boy monologist should tell on the stage. Sime.