Variety (July 1912)

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18 VARIETY UNION SQUARE. <K>linmte<l Cost <>r Show, $2,4MW.) With eight acts on the bil' and two (t'iryiiig their own accompanists (the remaining six having mostly incidental n.uslc), the pianist at the Union Square is having a comparatively ciisy time of it this week. Right in the heart of the entertainment the tilth and sixth acts supply their own instrumentation, thereby enabling the "orchestra" to have a long respite. The opening number was the equl- 1.bristle work of Edgar Berger, who n. j.eated the hit he made at Brighton lat; week; it anything, going even bigger. McCormack end Irving (New Acts) were contenders for blue ribbon honors and were entitled to points for style and class, falling behind a bit in the matter of speed. Wentworth, Vesta and Teddy's ac- robatic clowning fared so-so until the urrival of the canine, carrying them through to a strong laughing finish. The first part of Lloyd and White- house's act was also below the aver- age in the matter of approval. Begin- ning with Miss Whitehouse's bur- lesque singing to Lloyd's A crazy" piano accompaniment (still another reprieve for the regular planipt) and continu- ing to their travesty operatic duet fultfh, they went well enough to eai-i a number of good bows. The somewhat meagre audience was made up of a goodly sprinkling of Carter DeHaven's acquaintances. Poa- Mbly it might not be stretching the truth to declare that there were a few professional "boosters" present. A couple of strong-armed hand-clap- l era started to applaud strenuously from the moment DeHaven's accom- panist appeared and hardly quit long enough to breathe until the act was finished. DeHaven does not need this son of assistance. His material is good—most of it—and he puts it over like a good showman, with the able assiptance of his pleasant-faced pian- ist, Harry Tierney. In the musical playlet "The Opera Singer" Homer Lind's artistic rendi- tion of "The Heart Bowed Down," ttlircst at the beginning of the act, at orce stamped him an artist with the audience. Fannie Brice has somewhat differ- ent songs from those used at Ham- irerstein's a while ago. The present lot if: much more effective. She has also altered her last change comedy dressing—also an improvement. If Hhe adhered entirely to one dress the act might even be more improved. The Four Regale closed the show in a most astounding strong-man act. r \ hese four giants know every trick of weight distribution, enabling them to display several novel combinations. Join. KVANS CiKTS DEC KKK. Allan Evans, of Marr and Evans, has been granted a decree of divorce from his wife, professional known as Jeanette Alpine, by Judge Bene- dict of the Supreme Court, Brooklyn. Howard Washburn was named as co- respondent, and the action was not defended. M. Strassman was counsel for Evans. FIFTH AVENUE. (Kstlmatetl Coat of tthow, $2,300.) No one can blame a management In vaudeville during the period when your coats feel heavy for* taking no chances with a big bill, but the gamble of playing new acts in any weather -s most fully exemplified at the Fifth Avenue this week. Two sketches, both new, flopped properly, one after the other, with little choice between them, although that of Olive May and Co. was the longer. The other play- let belonged to Mr. and Mrs. Thornton Fiiel. Each is under New Acts. The remainder of the program suf- fered accordingly, although the show was never alive, and all the dea*l- wood ahead made it very hard for Dessie Wynn in the next to last posi- tion Miss Wynn did quite well con- sidering the program and absence of an orchestra. The missing musicians hurt more than one turn, and did the same for the program as a whole. The Van Der Koors ppened the show, with "A burlesque magic act thai raises the Thermometer of Humor to 120 in the shade." That's the programing. The ther. remained at 120 for the rest of the evening. After the mercury lifters were The Strolling Players (New Acts) and then came another bump in the way of a rural sketch, followed by Donahue and Stewart, a turn that should commence its work with the present encore. As singer and dancers Donahue and Stewart are in trouble, but as a loose dancer Jack Donahue is all over the place. The entire opening, including the kid of the girl's, might be thrown cut. Donahue should make his danc- ing pay accordingly, and to do it he needs something. The boy's stepping, however, put the act over at the finish very big. The animals in the slides used for "Visions D'Art" belie the title, but otherwise the act looks good. Fleu- r< tte is the girl who poses, and they say that when it's 120 she must use talcum powder to get on her posing suit. Lou Anger gave his philosophical monologue uniformed as a soldier, but they didn't laugh much at Mr. Anger. He was in the same boat nearly that Miss Wynn found herself in later, al- though Miss Wynn had to follow the second sketch, "The Inspector From Kansas." Miss Wynn had a new dress • or her first number, and it was some i.rcss, boys! One side was fully made, but the dressmaker ran short of good:* when building up the back, and the shortage lasted until the gown was built up on the other side. If any- one had regretted the price of admis- sion charged at the Fifth Avenue up to Miss Wynn's appearance, and they liked Bessie (either for her looks or hei work) they got their money's worth right away when that gown 1'ashed. The Clemenso Brothers closed the show. The former orchestra pit has been prettily decorated for the pianisc. Surrounded by potted plants and near- trees, right next to the stage, he must have been the only one in the house Tuesday evening who remained cool, for the chill from the frostg on the Mage couldn't have missed him—poor fellow, he sees this show twice daily for t;even days! Slme. HAMMERSTEIN'S. (KHtiniated Coat of Show, $8,050.) "Don," the "Talking" Dog, is this week's curiosity at "The Corner." Al- though "Don" surprised the wisen- heimers by getting over, he is not de- tracting from the skaters or Harry Houdini as attractions. The inter- mission act still remains a big magnet. It will keep the Roof well filled for the balance of the heated term. Houdini continues to turn off new stunts each night. The fact that au audience will remain seated at a late hour to watch the escape expert wig- gle his way out of sheets with wetted knots gives sufficient proof of his pop- ularity. There are several newcomers be- sides "Don" (New Acts). The Jung- man Family of wirewalkers and Max's Circus (New Acts) pulled out solidly. The Jungman Family, six in all (two girls and four men), put over a regular wire specialty. The act gains in value through the very good comedy derived from an assistant who does not interfere with the actual work- ing, getting his laughs in a legitimate and natural manner. The two girls are a real delight. Both work with an abundance of life and snap. Their good looks and grace count for more than any real tricky walking. Two of the men are capital workers. One dressed as a girl does some splendid fast ground tumbling as well as the wire.work. Jumping and somersault- ing on the wire comes under the h^nd of real work on the wire. A splendil act for the Roof, the Jungmans can hold up an important spot on any program. Joseph E. Howard and Mabel Mc- Cane are also new this week. The couple had rough sledding in the air. Moved to close the intermission, which has become the hardest position up there, the couple fought against the odds and managed to break even. Blossom Seeley was unfortunate. After singing one song she lost her voice and was forced to retire. Jarrow, "No. 4," caught enough laughs from the first ten rows to pull him over. The rear portion of the house were at a loss as to what was going on for the most part. Creatore's Band holds the same pos ition, "No. 3." Francesco might change his repertoire some more. He is not giving exactly the same program as last week but it is close enough. It looks as though Creatore would re- main up in the air as long as the musicians stay out. It's an ill wind. Rem Brandt and Louis Stone, "1" and "2" respectively, had the pleas- ure of playing them in. Both acts considering the positions did very well. They were much better off than the Bison City Four and the Swain-Ost- man Trio, the two closing turns. Aft- er Houdini had worked almost 30 min- utes releasing himself from the sheets and bed, there was very little left in the audience or very little left of the audience. Dash. Joseph Shargrin, for ten years man- ager of the Grand Theatre, Youngs- town, O., has secured the lease of Weller's Theatre, Zanesville, O. Stock or pop vaudeville will be the at- traction. AMERICAN ROOF. (Estimated Cost of Show, $1,215) The black-haired usherette on the American Roof had a night off Tues- day. The stout young waitress-usher- ette, says she'B a nice girl in the win- tertime, and only sells lemonade dur- ing the warm weather to reduce. The candy butcher announces that Monday Mr. Schenck kindly gave him a chance to try out in Brooklyn with a sketch and that* he made good. In view of the facts, Variety is request- ed to give the act a boost, but the youth forgot to slip over the name of it. The head usher at the American who has a little something on any of the head ushers around for atten- tion and politeness to patrons said nothing at all, so this goes for him voluntarily. His assistants are all girls, which might embarrass anybody. The cash register during the long intermission quit at $4.35, when the heavens cracked as the lightning flashed, for a near rain storm sent the neighborhooders back to their seats, It was a bad evening all around, excepting the show was better than usual. Of the fair attendance a con- siderable number were .drawn in by Major Doyle, who "pulled locals" while delivering his singing monolog. As an impromptu fellow, the Maje is there a mile, and he had to send over a speech for his getaway. The Major kidded Rawson and Clare, who had appeared just ahead of him. He said Guy Rawson broke into the business with Joseph Jeffer- son, and Frances Clare, although playing a kid, was no chicken. Guy will stand for it, but if Frances had heard the Maje, she would have let loose something that might have been heard in the rear of the orchestra, where none of the dialog of their neat little sketch could reach. In "Yes- terdays," which is a new "Just Kids," Rawson and Clare are playing in New York in vivid contrast to the many harsh and discordant acts vaudeville has been crowded with lately. An extremely pretty pastoral setting has been, added to the turn, which, with its little jokes that get laughs, its "pathos" that gets nothing, and a pe- culiar harmony in the singing that catches an audience, made the act go very well, though it is not by any means adaptable to a Roof program. Rawson and Clare as "kids" are about alone now in variety, and their differ- ent sort of singing turn could fit in almost anywhere. The flash number was "A Night On A Roof Garden," which has been im- proved upon somewhat since last seen, especially by the lifting of the Mabel Hite song and business of walking through the audience clapping hands. If the dialog were almost eliminated from "The Girl Untamed" (which is the sketch that has been set to music for this act) the piece would do ever so much better. Cornalla and Wilbur in comedy acrobatics opened the show, doing fairly in the spot. Mr. and Mrs. Harry Thome were also there. Mona, and Murray, Love and Campbell are under New Acts. A couple of other turns also appeared. gime