Variety (June 1912)

20 VARIETY NEW ACTS NEXT WEEK Initial Presentation, First Appears) or Reappearance In or Around New York Pendleton Sisters, Haiumerstein's. Hale Hamilton and Co., Fifth Ave. Madden and Fitzpatrirk (New Act), Fifth Ave. Hart and Johnson, Fifth Ave. Three Emergens, Fifth Ave. Wood Bros., Fifth Ave. Lee Kohlmar and Co., Bronx. Kmmett Corrigan and Co. (2). "To Kill A Man" (Dramatic). 17 Mine.; Four (Special Set). Hammers tein's. Jack London's story, dramatised by Roi Cooper Magrue, is now on the stage with Emmett Corrigan in it. The title is "To Kill A Man," begot- ten because Mr. Corrigan told the mistress of the house he entered to rob, that, although she was holding his own revolver at the time, she didn't dare kill him. Then Mr. Cor- rigan walked out of the parlor, and the woman didn't pull the trigger. For that revolver can shoot, if it's the same gun Mr. Corrigan as Lay- lock, the bad man from the west, handled in "The Deep Purple." It seemed to be the same revolver, and Mr. Corrigan played the same charac- ter he did in that piece, a cool, calm fellow who hadn't been east long enough to know some dining room tables have a push button. As chief assistant Mr. Corrigan was fortunate In the selection of Edna Baker, a pretty woman who is an actress be- sides that. As principal Mr. Corri- gan was as happy in the selection of himself. Without him the vote on "To Kill A Man" would have been yes. With him it can travel the vaudeville route and hold close atten- tion anywhere. rime. Andj Rice. Talk and Parodies. 14 Mins.; One. tHammers tein's. It's a long time since Andy Rico looked over Broadway footlights. Monday evening at Hammerstein's this Hebrew impersonator who wears nothing besides his own face to help that character, saw but little of the foots either, for as Mr. Rice talks he takes a posture that carries him al- most into the audience. Another bend and Andy would have been at right angles with himself. Anyway he go: at the right angle of the house, and it was after eleven then so that's pretty good for a Hebrew impersona- tor who has cast all precedent includ- ing crepe hair out of his dressing room window. Mr. Rice first sang a parody, told about wedding presents and other things, with another parody after that. It was 11:17 by the time this happened, and Andy knew he was a hit because they weren't walking out on him. As a somewhat different Hebrew comedian Andy Rice gets over nicely. With a good position on the program, perhaps this boy will send all his brethen of the Yiddish dialect into the clean-face division. bime. Klta Could and Her Gowns (4). Dresses and Songs. Hammers tein's. As a dressmaker's exhibit Rita Gould did quite well at Hammer- stein's Monday evening. For her new- est act in vaudeville this young woman has a repertoire of gowns that runs in many colors, starting with black, followed by blue, with a Turk- ish or Persian dress next and closing In a pink affair shimmering with sil- ver braid that looked like a portion of Niagara Falls in the winter time. Miss Gould did not wear all the dresses at one time, but one at a time. Owing to the warm weather this week, Rita would not display the white ermine opening costume that is a part of her routine. White ermine in the summer may not cost as much as in the cold weather, but Rita should have flashed the coat, just to show the audience her ability as a "single" was not limited to four gowns. The first dress was liked, the second passed nicely, while the third, which the dressmaker had cheated on a little by leaving out a lot of goods in the rear, gave a back view of what Rita looks like sometimes. It was the closing dress however that won over the people present. They thought the pink and silver a pretty combina- tion and looked at the program to see if the name of the gown builder was there. Had it been the suspicion would have arisen immediately that Rita was a new kind of "plugger," but there are so many acts on the Ham- merstein bill this week, not much room was left to describe Rita Qould. For tne remainder of the cast of her new act, Miss Qould wore some hats, the first the most striking. It was a drooping hat, disguising one-half her face. Be- tween the changes of gowns (when Rita was on the stage) she sang songs. One song to each gown. Had there been more songs, Miss Gould's turn would have cost much more. Whether Rita's "wardrobe" will be weighty enough to carry her over the "big time" is a problem of the future —perhaps next season. In Wilkes- barre for instance, the clothes should be a feature, whether Rita wears them or they are hung upon models in the lobby. It wouldn't be oad ad- vertising to send them on a week ahead, and stick them out in front, with a sign reading "Look! Guess who's going to wear these dresses next week at this house?" (of course don't tell them it will be Rita Gould). Rita is going to settle the question whether it is the clothes that make the singles. She has the kind that are seen on the stage and the little girls who read the illustrated maga- zines dream that someday they will wear. Or a fond old mother imag- ines her only boy is out with an actress clothed just like that. Simt. Vaniito. Japanese Skater. 0 Mins.; Four (Exterior). Yamlto is a nice-looking son of the Orient who does three stick manipu- lations, top spinning and water jar swinging while skating on rollers. Yamito also goes through a skating routine which he performs on his own stage mat. The Jap is good r lough to fill an early position on a "big small time" bill. Mark. Eva Shirley. Songs. 11 Mins.; One. Hammerstein's. A dainty mite is Eva Shirley, now attempting a "single." The girl has a voice and many vocal tricks. Both tricks and voice are carried into the numbers sung by her. They are "straight," "rags" and the Trentini selection. Miss Shirley did so well at Hammerstein's she should not be mis- led; it's all very nice for her to show her voice, but not in "rags." Eva has an excellent chance as a single and deserves time because she knows vaudeville, with the little things nec- essary to "get over," but a "rag" should be sung as "rag," as it was never built for a voice. When Miss Shirley revises her list of song num- bers, she'll do. Sitne. Bobby and Dale. Songs and Talk. 19 Mins.; One. Henderson's. Bobby and Dale affect the English hall style of working, with the taller of the two striving for the comedy. The latter displays a high-pitched speaking voice, while his partner has a very strong singing one. They saunter on in boulevard fashion with talk about betting on a horse race ana* going halvers on the result. The shorter sings "When You Are Away" and did real well with it Monday night. Then comes an exchange of patter about "suffering cats" (suffra- gette) and a lot of others that have outlived their usefulness. The taller reels off a comedy song, "You've Got to Feel It, That's All," with a German dialect. For the finish they sing "On the Boulevarde" and for an encore use "I Never Thought of That." One verse about the Presi- dential candidates was well received. Bobby and Dale should cut tneir act considerably, put in some new patter, and look over some of the later song catalogs. Mark. Grace Dixon. Songs. 8 Mins.; One. Henderson's. .Grace Dixon is a plump young woman. She sang ,three songs at Henderson's Monday night, and the orchestra started an introduction for a fourth, but there wasn't enough ap- plause. Miss Dixon is to blame for the way Henderson's received her songs. She displayed very little ani- mation, and her features throughout were for the most part devoid of ex- pression. She opened with "On Moonlight Bay," followed it with "You Are My Baby" and closed with "Please Don't Take My Lovin' Man Away." All were sung in about the same strain with no change of ex- pression, and she walked on and off as though she didn't care whether school kept or not. Miss Dixon has a good voice with the nasal tones more pronounced than anything else. Judged on her performance at Hen- derson's, Miss blxon needs a new song arrangement and more exper- ience, mark. Jessie Busley and Co. (8). "Miss 818" (Comedy Sketch). 26 Mins.; Full Stage (Special Set). Fifth Avenue. Whoever staged Rupert Hughes' clever satire on department store life deserves a strenuous slap for per- mitting it to be so badly cast and letting pass such atrocious character- izing. The special scenery shows a bargain counter in a department store. It is excellent as to detail and the girls in attendance look their parts, but here the resemblance ceases. Miss Busley is as consistent an offender as the others and in addition fails in putting over the sinister comedy lines allotted her. Running through the sketch is a little heart interest story, slightly melodramatic in theme, but worked out with grim humor of the kind that proved so effective in "The Chorus Lady." It is a pity that so original and effective an offering should stand in the position of being relegated to the list of possible suc- cesses instead of being placed in the front rank of successful novelties. Jolo. La Deodlma. Stereoptlcon Poses. 18 Mins.; Two (White Curtain). Henderson's. La Deodlma halls from Europe. She 1b rather late in crossing the briny with her series of poses with pictures and vari-colored lights thrown on her figure fitted into a white screen. In all pictures she Is the central figure and some are very pretty. The man at the three light machines is an expert. Everything depends on his work. La Deodlma should reduce her hip outlines, for she's an attractive looking brunette with a pretty face and neck. While the act offers nothing sensational or extraordinary, it makes a pleasing "sight" turn in an early position. Such an act fits in splendidly at Hen- derson's. There is the usual red, white and blue hurrah at the finish. That's the first thing a foreign act thinks of when hitting the American variety stages for the first time. Mcrk. Lockhart and Leddy. Acrobats. 8 Mins.; Full Stage. Henderson's. Lockhart and Leddy have an acro- batic act patterned along the routine, make-up and comedy arrangement of Martinetti and Sylvester. It's so similar that a comparison must be drawn and Lockhart and Leddy suf- fer in the drawing. The comedy man does more back falls than anything else, and tak«s some pretty hard bumps, but he's a long way off from putting over his chair and table bits like the rough and tumble half of the Martinetti and Sylvester act. The act will get over where the other couple haven't played. Mark. Martin Sampler sailed Tuesday for Europe. Alfred P. Hamberg, of "The Rose Maid" company, who was operated on last week at Miss Alston's private sanitarium (W. 66th street), Is im- proved. Edward Halton, last seen with Louis Mann's "Elevating a Hus- band," is now playing with "The Rose Maid" at the Globe.