Variety (December 1913)

VARIETY 19 AMERICAN The near approach of Christmas and a driving rain Tuesday night knocked the bottom out of receipts and there was hardly a corporal's guard present when the show began. It was a small time show at best, but as there was no chance of any extra money going to waste at this season of the year nobody expected anything great. The Kichis, Jap top spinners, opened. A neat little act but lacking class. The Kichis should make their work seem harder. Gilmore and Castle, blackface, should tone the act up a bit. The "comedian" could im- prove by wearing his hat above his eyes and a different stage suit. He held the act up with his eccentric danc- ing. The Five Hay ward Sisters (New Acts) enlivened things somewhat, while Jones and Brown proved to be Cordeau and Naud, who had a Fifth Avenue showing not long ago. This man and woman have splendid voices but are behind on dressing the turn. The act went big atop the American. Leonard and Whitney furnished some fun through their Duffy sketch in which the old tad runs counter to the high- falutin' ideas of his wife after they be- come rich. Acceptable returns despite the recent showing there of a similar act along broader lines by the Ryan- Richfield Co. After intermission Tony and Norman gave the bill some true comedy swing with their dancing turn. A bully act for the "three-a-day." "The Stool Pigeon," the former Ed- win Arden-Ann Sutherland act, held attention with its story, although the police and underworld characters are poorly interpreted, barring the young man who plays' the "framed up" crook. Melodrama at any time requires clever acting, but whenever raggedly, done strikes a discordant note. Ave- ling and Lloyd have become more natural since their work in productions, although they still dwell upon some of Fields and Lewis "listener and feel- er" business. These boys have per- sonality and should work for results on their own. They had an easy time Tuesday night. Daring Darts closed and held the audience seated. Mark. FIFTH AVENUE. The Fifth Avenue is still opening its show around 7.45 and consequently the early acts find the "house" walking in. The usual depression that comes the first three days before Christmas affected business Monday night. Hugoston and Brummer, cannon ball jugglers, opened the show. This act was at the Union Square last May. The men show little improvement since. The act lacks class and showmanship. Luce, Bruce and May were formerly Luce, Glynn and May, a musical act, at the Union Square last August. The '"outine could be improved and a snappier ending worked up. The trio opens stronger than it finishes. This act and the one ahead are best classi- fied for the smaller houses. Grace De Mar has gone in for more elaborate dressing than heretofore and has changed her former routine con- siderably. She now depends for more returns on the straight songs and has discarded her character impersonations. Miss De Mar on looks classes with any of the big time singles. She makes some pleasing costume changes, and on her second number brought out some gasps with an abbreviated model that was quite nifty. This outfit should have been reserved for the last. Robert L. Dailey and Co. showed in "Our Bob," also at Hammerstein's this week. Edward Clark skidded along with his opening, but struck a better gait with his character "bit" as the tattered workhouse gamin. With Clark i& a young woman who plays the piano and bass viol, the solo on the latter earning applause. "The Willow Pat- tern Plate" (New Acts) went a long, dull way to a sombre finish. Ralph Herz yanked the audience out of its comatose state with his droll numbers and then had 'em groggy again with the dramatic sobriety attending his "Mills of the Gods."^ Adele Ritchie, looking most attrac- tive, didn't start anything until she forced a "plant" into play. Clark and Hamilton walked away with the show despite the tumult ahead with the whistles. Jed and Ethel Dooley closed. The Great Asahi also appeared. Mark. BRONX The show at the Bronx this week is long and draggy. Several good acts are on the bill, but as they are placed do not make a good show. The first five turns are very quiet. The only life to the show Monday matinee came after intermission. Tate's "Motoring" was the laughing success, with Ray Conlin a close sec- ond. "Motoring" is as funny as ever. Although this act has played around for so many years, the public never seems to tire of it. Jack Tate (brother to Harry) is playing the principal role (the owner of the car). "The Trained Nurses," with Clark and Berkman, livened up the afternoon with their singing and dancing. Clarke and Berg- man held up this act entirely. But they need new songs. Mr. Conlin is an extremely clever ventriloquist, and has a great line of talk. He has dropped the material that formerly sounded suspiciously like Arthur Prince's, and Mr. Conlin is do- ing much better without it. James Diamond and Sybil Brennan were favorites with their "Nifty Nonsense." Rita Gould is with us again with an entirely new set of gowns and songs. The first^number ("In Me You See a Girlie with Ambition"), sung by Miss Gould, is the same as Lillian Lorraine is using, but Miss Lorraine gets much more out of it. When Rita made her appearance she received applause, evi- dently from "Bronx Boosters" working for her. She was forced to make a speech—that is, not exactly forced, but, oh, well, she made it anyway. W. Ucsscm's Third Generation have an acrobatic sketch with four people who work, also two men who pose. They do about cverythinp in the acro- batic, hand-balancing and aerial line. A clever lot. there is no doubt, but the turn is imirh too lonj? and slow for vatidevillc. A small woman in the act introduces a toe and Spanish dance. The dances arc not worth anything except to give the others a rest per- haps. It seems they could be easily omitted. Percy Waram and Co., in "The Bo'suns Mate," an English sketch, did not do much. The sketch is too English for many people over here to understand. For example, what do people living in the Bronx know of English slang? George E. Delmore and Wm. De Graaf Lee closed the show with their artistic gymnastic act, "A Study in Black and White." (What is the idea of the "two-dollar stuff," boys? It used to be just plain Delmore and Lee.) Belle Onre did well in an early position. Polly Prim, New Acts. Yeata Potoell. NEW ACTS (Continued from page 17.) Hayward and Stratford. Sketch in Rhyme. 1< Mins.; Five (Parlor). Columbia (Dec. 21). This is said to be Harry Haywood's new sketch. In it he has an enter- taining novelty that should get over anywhere in vaudeville, big or little time. It is a sketch in verse, written by a regular lyric writer, perhaps someone even mort so. The two play- ers, Mr. Hayward and a woman, read it well, the man especially. Points are well made, and are apt, while there h some red fire declamation that seems to get right to the audience. During the course of the turn any well rounded bit of the verse which tickled the audi- ence was applauded. The story is of a husband who returns from a masquerade, where he had gone as The Devil. A French maid awaits him at home. He doses, but a key at the door awakens him. His wife has re- turned after an absence at the sea- shore for some weeks. Resuming his masquerade as Satan, he and the wife discuss their domestic affairs, she pro- fessing love and pleading neglect. The finale discloses the wife is also the French maid, who was made the centre of much of the verse. When the rhyming takes a turn toward the sen- timental, almost pathos, the piece glides back somewhat, but the rhymes hold it up, and the finish found a wtry ap- preciative audience. The woman's de- livery was much preferred when she grew somewhat emotional. Though but two people play it, the story is complete and holds attention from the outset, though the opening is quiet, with some pantomime and action. (Sood effects are obtained from the lights. This latter will likely be strengthened where a week-stand is being played. The Sunday show at the Columbia was for two performances only. This sketch, title not known, shotild be played by the big time. It is well done. Sime. Marie Laurent. Songs. 8 Mins.; One. Bronx O. H. (Dec. 21). Marie Laurent is' traveling on her voice, with a straight song repertoire that almost snowed her under at the Bronx Opera House where they like the pop stuff. Old Horatius and his bridge specialty had nothing on Miss Laurent Sunday, when she rendered a classic, "Mother McCree" and "My Hero" in the face of opposition out front. Miss Laurent sings well but lacks stage finesse. She seems to have no use for her arms and during her songs carries herself awkwardly. Act- ing naturally and taking herself less seriously will help Miss Laurent in her pop house travels. Mark. RiUa MacBiilUm, of the J. F. Fersey repertoire company, was granted a de- cree freeing her from Robert D. Sac- ray, the circus man. Elizabeth Goodall opened with "The Passing Show of 1913" on two days' notice. She was with "Little Boy Blue." CORRESPONDENCE Unleit Otherwise noteJ, the followiDg rcporti arc for tht cnrriBf wtk. '""''I'wvyff""'"' CHICAGO In Charge SI TABIETY*B CHICAGO OFFICBt MAJESTIC THEATRE BUILDING EMPRESS (Harry Mitchell, mgr.; S-C).— Tnngo cJaneiR rciichcd Halstcd atreet this week via the Emprr!)H bill. There In no doubt at all liut all .Sixty-third Htrret will he stepping at a livelier rat<> from now on. Fenner and Tall- man and Motto and Van wero the dancers, and they had headline place In the proKram, which ihiy very well deserved. ThoB«' dan- r.'.-H ar«» fast, and they have all the latest etous. and they also do some of the old fi.irir* H well. Murray Bennett was the laugh- ing hii. He followed Robert E. O'Connor, and it \\a.s not an easy task after the ski trh. "Thf Ktlck-llp Man," but he Hoon had hlH aiidleneo with him, and held It elosrly. Mr. Uennett does Jewl.'ih imp<rHon:it lonH, but without be- ing offen.slvi'. He telln new stoilrB and old Htorles, and some of the ol<l ones ap|)ear to go better than the new. Tlw o'f'onnor aketeb went big at the first show Siimlay night. There Is plenty of humor In I ho onc-.uter, and there are also Home llttli' tuiu'he.s of pathoH that help to make tin' |ili ic |if»|<ij|;ir. The RfFsow Midgets h.nl i ll.s;rl^^ spot They went through their pace;i m ,i llvi ly clip and were favorites. WarrI ;in>. <'l:itk. \ ik ;ill.stH, wer<' In B( cond pl.ire Jind offi rt d a go(nl i)rogr.im. The act has cliins .iii." <llspl;iy<(j well traln<d Vf'K es. DcnniN Mrotl.irs op<iie(l. Tiny di<l their conjedy l;idc|<r \\erk to gnod .id vatilagi' anil fitarted the show on Uh \\;iy at a lilirli r.itf of spie.j I'lver/ ;i v.i ll:i lile .si at was nceii- plfd at i)olli pIiowh .'Sunday night Large number were turne<l jiway. IlI']KI>. AMi:i{H"A.\ MCSK- HAI,h (S.tn I*. Cirsoii, tnur ). —.lo.si ph ,SantIiv, In "WlKn DnartiH <'iinje Tru^" opi-ned Siifuln.v fri-tiirn > ir-aj;" - ment). AUDITORIUM (Bernard Ulrlch. mgr.).— Chicago Grand Opera Co. In repertoire. lU.AfKSTONE (Augustus Pltou, Jr., mgr.). - "The Fight," formerly played In Chicago aH ".Stftn<llng I'ut." Fair business. '"QHAN'S (Harry Ridings, mgr.).—Ray- mond Hitchcock In "The Beauty Shop," still drawing crowds. COUT (U. J. Hermann. mgr.).—"Help Wanted," by Jack I.alt. a Chicago writer, opened Sunday. FINF: arts (Albert I'erry. mgr.).—R^p. <'otnpany. (JARHK'K (John .1. Carrlty. mgr.).—Wil- liam Hoilge In 'The Road to Happiness," liri akliiK all rerordH for dramatic attractions thlH Hea.Mon. HOWARDS (Frank (). Peers, mgr.). — "The Traffic," white nlave play attracting growing l.uslncHs. IJ.M.NOIS (Will J. Davis, mgr).—"Follies," big buHineflS. I.MrKRIAD (Kllmt & fJazzolo, mgrs.).— "Hii»y Izzy." I.A SALMO (Harry A«kln, mgr.).—"Sep- tember Morn," opened ,Katurilay night. .VATIO.NAI- (.lohn .1. U.irrett. mgr.).—"The I-lttlist Kebe.l" or.YMI'n- ((;iorgn C. Warren. mgr.).— "Hiniglit anil I'ald Kor," good returns l'()\Vi;i;s' (Harry .1. Powers, mgr). -"Poor Mttle Kill. Cirl." filr bouHeH. I'HI.NCKS.S (Frank I'belpn. mgr). -Doris Kiaiir In ■■Romance,■■ k< eping uj) good pace. VK'TOIUA (How.ird HorlnKkl, mgr.).— •The llosa ry." CI.ORE (K. H. nrf>vvne. mgr.) Winter cir- rus, fair business.