Variety (August 1911)

VARIETY 19 HENDERSON'S. As dancing festivals are becoming all the rage, Manager Faber is giving a veritable feast of the terpsichorean art at Henderson's this week. Out of ten acts, six are there with legmanla of some kind. In sizing up these dances at Hen- derson's, one gets everything from the grotesque to the sublime. The audi- ence Monday night did not grow tired of what passed in view. With a superfluity of dances, the bill ran short of comedy. That made it easy for what was displayed to rush over the footlights with telling effect. As to the dancing it fell to White and West (New Acts) to stir 'em up. Harrington, triple bar cutup, and his knowing little black dog gave the show a nice start, followed by the first of the dancing acts, Kessler and Wood (New Acta). McBride, Purcell and Shelly combined comicalities, singing and dancing and got away with the combination nicely. The Talto Duo, whirlwind dancers, scored heavily. Flanagan and Ed- wards chalked up their usual hit and topped off their work by taking sev- eral bows. White and West followed and then came Bonita and Lew Hearn. The act found big favor and the au- dience wanted more when the comedy "bit" at the close was over. The Coccia-Amato Co. (New Acts) in "The Apple of Paris," closed strong with deserved attention. Howard and Howard were "some cleanup." Twenty minutes were consumed by these fun- makers. Bush and Peyser wound up the dancing bill with their comedy bar act. Mark. AMERICAN ROOF. On top of the American the first three days of this week, the vaude- ville show was a very decent affair. Al and Fannie Stedman De Haven and Sydney, Kenny and Hollis, Dean and Price, and La Maze, Quail and Tom, all helped to make the bill look like a big timer. The Stedmans had things their own way in closing the first part of the show. That Stedman girl keeps com- ing along and is bound to be one of the big comediennes some of these days. Dean and Price have worked up a corking good act. They should be heard from on the bigger time very soon. The comedian of Kenny and Hollis went right out and landed them a very short time after appearing. There is a line or two that could be cut out of the act, especially the "gagging" about "Distinctly." The turn doesn't need it. The two also should get to the finish more quickly. The comedian ranks with the best. La Maze, Quail and Tom closed the show. No one moved until they had finished. It is a corking knock-about number. Marie Dorr with her character sing- ing appeared quite early and got away nicely. Polk and Polk, De Haven and Sidney and Polk and Miles (New Acts). An illustrated song opened the show. Irving Cooper sang quite loudly from a box during the chorus. Jets. BRIGHTON THEATRE. After the matinee show Monday Dave Robinson shifted all his big acts until he had what may be called a very smoothly running show. Maclyn Arbuckle, the big attraction, was mov- ed from second after intermission to close the first part, and Rooney and Bent went from next to closing to Ar- buckle's spot. This sent Trovato down one, next to closing. Clarice Vance, who was to have opened the second part, was given Trovato's position of third after the interval. The Frey Twins who closed the first part in the afternoon, opened the second part in the evening. While the audience was very much interested in Maclyn Arbuckle's clever bit of work in his funny sketch, "The Welcher," the applause hit of the first part, was captured by Lyons and Tos- co. If these two boys would quit one number earlier they would be almost a riot. They are pretty popular at the beach, receiving the reception of the evening when they first appeared. Pat Rooney and Marion Bent are back again to their newsstand act. The two are singing a new song, "Tootsie," that just fits in. Pat is doing a sin- gle dance somewhat different from his other one, and using new music. It was one big hit. Pat Rooney, the third, in the form of a light haired kiddie, helped take the bows. Trovato, the violinist, cleaned up the second part with his funny business with the fiddle. It was pretty late when he finished but he got them all. Miss Vance was made quite welcome by the Brighton throng and scored with four songs. The Frey Twins proved interesting with their lessons in wrestling. It is the fine appearance of these lads that helps the act a whole lot. Hermany's Dogs and Cats and a goat opened the show, doing well in this position. The cats make the airship finish a pretty funny affair. The Stan- leys were on "No. 2." With their shadowgraphs they established them- selves as a very good act for an early position. Les Montforts, acrobats, closed the show. George Felix and the Barry Sisters appeared early in the program, and ' cleaned up in a comedy way. That Felix fellow is some laugh-getter. He proved it all the while Monday night. Jess. PUT OUT BY STAGE FRIGHT. Joe McCarthy, song writer, and Al Piantadosi, composer, were booked to appear at Hammerstein's this week. It occurred to them it might be a good scheme to "break in" the act at the City theatre for three days last week. On the first show McCarthy was taken quite ill with stage fright, and on the second performance was even worse. Piantadosi decided to cancel the Hammersteih engagement and broke it gently to Aaron Kessler, add- ing: "If it is going to hurt the house any, I'll go on and do a single." Ham- merstein's is surviving without the act. FOLIES' BERGERE. The Cabaret show at the Folles Ber- gere this week is the best one the house has had since it opened. This is mostly due to the revised "Hello Paris" (New Acts), which moves along smoothly, and makes a very pleasing finish to the evening. The earlier turns are short and sweet. Alabama and company (Alabama, Garrett and Bena Hoffman) opened the performance (New Acts). They were a decided success in that spot, giving the Cabaret a pleasant strong start. Al B. White and the "Melody Maids" were second. It is a rather good "piano act." White'sings while the girls play the pianos. Jesse Lasky's "double piano" is in the turn. This may give the Importer of the two-faced instrument a proprietory in- terest in the act. Outside of a "Yid- dish" song sung by Mr. White, which did not at all fit in at the Folies, and a couple of instrumental selections for the four female pianists, the act is well framed up, closing with White and a young girl singing "Alexander," always sure of a recall (whether sung or played). The Instrumental work might be dropped. It isn't worth while. While the girls are plainly and neatly costumed in white summer dresses, they will look much better when really gowned. A foreign Spanish dancer, "Le- desha" was billed, but did not appear. Fougere was the "single woman," al- though accompanied by her "sister." Fougere has cut her turn down until it just suits the Cabaret. In an act having the same foundation as the one given by her at Hammerstein's, Fougere was quite at home with the audience, accepting a glass of wine from a front row diner. In "The Frisco Rag," sung by the French woman, she employed a "dummy" of a man for a "rag" partner, performing the dance very well. It was a big hit. Fougere in this latter day, proves a couple of things; that she is still the first French soubret, and that all French soubrets are alike in method. Due to the length of the perform- ance, Jean Marcel's "Living Statuary Groups" had a night off Monday. The house was fairly filled, not as full though as it would have been had "Hello Paris" of the second week been the " Hello Paris" of the first. Sime. Tom Smith's wife presented him with "the finest baby girl in the world," Aug. 17. 23RD STREET. To say nothing of the excellence of the bill, one picture alone Tuesday night at Proctor's 25>rd street theatre was worth ten cents of the best money ever made. It was "The Runaway Leopard" (Pathe), and from start to finish kept the house in an uproar. Seven acts are still being offered. Business Tuesday night was almost a sell-out from pit to dome. Barring the sameness of eccentric dances in two acts, the bill was pretty nicely bal- anced for a "pop" show. Heins and Fenton (New Acts) start- ed with Margaret May and Co. fol- lowing in their melodramatic playlet, an absurd thing with the kind of end- ings the old-fashioned "mcllers" had years ago. Weston's Models got applause on HERE'S BILLY GOULD By WILLIAM GOULD. Haines Falls, N. Y., Aug. 22. Lew Fields claims there isn't a funny comedian in all of Europe and England combined (interview in American, Aug. 14). While 1 have a great respect for Mr. Fields' ability as an artist and as a good judge of comedians, I think his assertion is much too broad. Wilkle Bard and Geo. Formby are really great, and as I have often said, either of them would score an absolute riot in any American city. Everybody is looking forward to Labor Day at our hotel. Labor Day they are going to give us meat. Did you ever notice that the mov- ing picture actors are creating a new style of acting? They all over-play for expression. The Chaa. Frohman of Haines Falls wore a clean shirt last Sunday. The natives have as much use for an actor as the Pope has for a pi- nochle deck. Nearly had a fire in our house Mon- day. It wasn't a regular fire because our noble fire department took his uncle to Palenvile to show him fast life In a large city. I think the clerk at our hotel reads my mail before he hands it to me. I suppose he wants to see if the con- tents are fit for me to read. (I get all my newspapers open. Sometimes I have to send a chambermaid up to his room to get my weeklies.) I wish Ted Marks would bring his English clothes up here. All we need to be really classy is "foreign atmos- phere." Haines Falls was illuminated last night. Big doings for two hours, then the constable turned the old lamp out, and we were in total darkness again. The Symphony Band from Tanners- vllle came over and serenaded us. The only instrument in tune was the bass drum. It is cold enough up here to wear an overcoat. Golf Note: I can never do anything with my "Mashie" after I wash It. Judiciary Note: Judge Ogalsby presides at the Ten- nis Court every morning. Musical Note: Art Saxs is having his fish horn mended. each pose. "The New Stenographer" has some good lines, though the act needs some toning. The man play- ing "Schultz" does capital work, put- ting his lines over effectively. Harvard and Cornelle, Blanche Gor- don, and Tyson, Brown and Co., New Acts. Miss Gordon stopped the show with "coon" songs. Hark.