Variety (November 1914)

VARIETY 19 Lang and Coulter. Song and Talk. 14 Mine.; One. Lincoln Hip., Chicago. Chicago, Nov. 11. This blackface team is seen in an en- tirely new vehicle, which, however, fol- lows somewhat in the line of what they have done hitherto in vaudeville. One is short and dapper and the other tall and lanky, with a sort of Bert Will- iams style of humor, and yet not pat- terned after him at all. The men come on after the sound of pistol shots back stage. It is explained they have been in a "crap" game, and the dapper little one has made away with all the money, leaving the lanky one to fight it out with the belligerent darkies who re- main. A comedy razor is used with laughable effect, and a crap game played in the footlights is another good laugh.' The little one has a song and later the tall one ambles on in a woman's gown, and there follows a travesty on the modern dance. The act closes with a quaint dance, while the men play harmonicas. Both have a rich dialect, redolent of the southern darkey. They offered a lugubrious joke or two about a medical college and a cadaver, which might be elimin- ated. The act is a fine one for small or middle time, and at the Lincoln Hippodrome it seemed to hit the audi- ence right in their funnybones. The men depend a little too much on real- ism, and their own native wit, but when they have worked the act out a little more, it will be a sure winner. Thornton and Corlew. Songs. 11 Mine.; One. American Roof. From the start this couple decided it is appearance that will help them get along. They have not made a bad guess. With their present wardrobe they can fit nicely into any bill, as they have the voices behind the clothes. The songs used are mostly published numbers, some not so new but well rendered. Three Kelos. Tumbling. 10 Mins.; One. American Roof. Three men, one in a funny green suit. Ground tumbling does nicely, the the comedian showing himself to be a better tumbler than laugh getter. The two straight men work hard and the acts makes a good closer. Victor Musical Melange (18). One and Full Stage (Special Drop and Cottage). Broadway. An Italian band with a "Creatore" leader, somewhat embellished through an opening "church scene" when "The Rosary" is sung, and afterward by a Spanish serenade, before the band starts to work, finishing with a "Spirit of 76" display. The band is not as noisy as most of these Italian organiza- tions. Ethel Hendricks is featured as the vocal soloist. It's a matter of price for the small time, thn ' the flash. .«iwr. Spiegel and Jones. Comedians. 13 Mins.; One. Union Square. Two boys, in black face, singing and talking. Will do nicely on any smalt time bill. At the Union Square they were the hit of the bill, through the program being shy on comedy and they being the one act that had any kind of material that got over. One of the boys is a wounded soldier while the other is doing a female impersona- tion as a Red Cross nurse. Some clev- er talk at the opening and three songs. Barnon's Circus. Animal Act 15 Mins.; Full. Union Square. Barnon has four cats, a like num- ber of dogs and two ponies. He has enough animals to work out a nice little act for small time. It is an act that will please a kid audience. Lillian Sloane. Songs. 12 Mins.; One. Union Square. Lillian Sloane is an English single with a pleasing personality but not the right material for this country. With the proper routine she should pass on the small time. Her present three songs have the little suggestiveness found in the majority of English num- bers. Prince Napoleon. Midget 10 Mins.; One. Union Square. Prince Napoleon is about three feet in height, a cute little chap, with per- sonality and a happy faculty of get- ting to his audience right from the start. He gets over a couple of songs, though no one can understand the lyrics. He also offers a female imper- sonation, dancing at the finish. He Ikis a good little act for small towns. Teddy. Balancer. 11 Mins.; Full Stage. Union Square. Teddy, with the aid of a woman as- sistant, has a novelty balancing act that serves nicely for the opening spot on a small time bill. Ben Hendricks and Co. (2). Comedy Sketch. 26 Mins.; Full Stage (Special Set). Union Square. Ben Hendricks was at one time in "The Spring Maid" with Christie Mac- Donald, and was funny, but at present, in vaudeville, he is not. There is no chance for the act in its present shape. Denny and Boyle. Piano-Act 12 Mins.; One. American Roof. These two boys have the latest songs the publishers can give them. It is on that account they will be able to leave the good impression in other houses they did on the Roof Monday night. Otherwise they do not differ much from the usual run. If the boys keep he new song idea in mind they will :.nd their "act" will be appreciated. "The Little Lambs" (9). "Girl Act" 23 Mins.; Two, One and Full Stage (Special Set). Broadway. Seldom has vaudeville gathered as many useless people together as "The Little Lambs," a "girl act" that looks as though it has just come east from the smaller small time of the middle west. In the turn are six chorus girls who know naught but how to screech, an eccentric woman and ec- centric male, neither of whom com- mences to be funny, and a juvenile that has youth as his only excuse for the role. When this combination isn't screeching, it's trying to sing or dance, and when doing neither, a couple of them go in for a bit of double mirror business. As a sigh escapes when it looks as though the act must end, it starts again, and goes along to the longest 23 minutes on record. The act also looks as though framed to fool someone, but it can hardly hope to fool New York, and will be fortunate to remain the week out at the Broad- way. Tuesday night it was "No. 3," after having been programed for an important spot. Sime. Whipple-Huston Co. "Spooks" (Comedy). 12 Mins.; Three (Exterior; Special). Harlem Opera House, An act that proved a novelty Tues- day night. Bayone Whipple handles the role of a smartly dressed widow who carries on a conversation with the house painter, a comedy role capably acted by Walter Huston. That the widow may benefit by her husband's will, a portrait of the deceased man must be painted on the front door. The house painter volunteers. He draws a head, which comes to life, the movements of the tyts and face in the door panel giving Miss Whipple and Huston a chance to sing one of those quaky, shivery, ghosty numbers in floodlight. Huston had nifty and time- ly remarks that hit the house amid- ship. Andrew and Mae. Songs and Harp. 11 Mins.; One. Jefferson. Two men in Italian dress, one play- ing a harp. The routine consists of mostly popular numbers, the harpist showing no real classic ability at that instrument. The other member sings fairly well. In houses where the au- dience have not seen the better class of these acts, the two should find the going easy. *^ The Gladiators. Hand-to-Hand Balancing. 14 Mine.; Four. Harlem O. H. Neat idea the young men have in using the old Roman gladiatorial ring background and gladiatorial raiment to show off their hand-to-hand balanc- ing wares. The two chaps have an excellent routine, one similar to prev- ious exhibitions by other teams on the big time, but effectively done. The Gladiators, however, have several lifts that are different and on these got big applause. Hope Vernon. Songs and Violin Imitations. 12 Mins.; One. Alhambra. Hope Vernon is a neatly dressed young woman who wears her hair in a braid. She has a sweet voice of high range, but no great volume, due per- haps to her practice of the violin imita- tions which follow her opening num- bers. Miss Vernon takes a violin and bow and as she goes through the move- ments of playing, imitates the string notes with her voice. It's cleverly done and fooled a lot of them at the Alhambra where Tuesday night her act was well received. In Miss Ver- non's favor is a splendid voice. Lloyd and Britt. Songs and Talk. 17 Mins.; One. Harlem Opera House. A happy combination for the three-a- day. The boys have fairly good talk, several wheezes sounding especially new, while the singing end is capably ^» handled by the "straight." The shorter * chap has a good Wee and put over "Carolina" in great shape Tuesday night It's one of the best things in the act. The taller wears a comedy suit, also sings fairly well and does several dancing bits that varied the routine. Act made excellent impres- sion. ReUly and O'Neill Twins. Songs and Dances. 15 Mins.; Full Stage. As nice a dancing trio as one would want to see on the small time is about the way this young man and his part- ners impressed the Sunday audience. The two girls in the act look nice and dress tastefully, excepting the second dancing frock, which looks old and soiled. Otherwise their appearance is tip top. The three open with some "gogs," a number of which do not sound so awfully ancient. The girls do a bit of good high kicking. An act that should nt well wherever played. "A Night in the Alps" (5). Songs and Dances. 16 Mins.; Full Stage. - "A Night in the Alps" wa« *tJo> 3" on the Sunday bill over in Brooklyn and easily put over one of the hits of the show. The act is foreign. The women who comprise it look very much like Europeans. The four women and a lone man go through a routine of their national dances with considerable yo- deling thrown in. In the latter they excel the majority of turns trying this sort of vocalizing. The turn is dressed well and could easily fit into any small time bill around New York. Zella Norton. Songs. 10 Mins.; One. Jefferson. Zella Norton varies little from the usual run of women singles who rely on published numbers. This little girl has a good appearance and her songs are put over in a way that should please most audiences. An attractively dressed single for the small time.