Variety (December 1914)

VARIETY 23 HAMMERSTElrfS. Loney Haikell got a chance Monday night to lecture. He told the audience at 11:05 Lillian Shaw could not appear that evening, having been stricken with ap illness after the matinee perform- ance. If Loney explained all the walk- outs at Hammerstein's he would be a busy boy. Lou Anger left the show because the "No. 3" spot brought him nothing at the matinee. Miss Shaw was following Josephine Davis, and while this may not have been her reason, it might have helped some. The bill ran through the night show two turns short in consequence, but with starting late with a long and user less Keystone comedy to open, the show ran its customary length. It wasn't a bad bill, with a corking good finish, Earl's Six Water Lillies, dressed as they were when at the New York theatre last summer. Different girls and better looking ones are in the turn now, with an exception or so, but this is the original case of where you don't see their faces. If the girls could go over the circuits in their present bathing costumes, they would surely do business for any house. Since it is a diving act, there is no real objection to it The union bathing suit is cut as low at the chest and as high at the hips as the law will allow. Other than that the girls have only shoes on. It's about a yard of cloth that removes them from the Turkish Bath dressing class. They held the house in, men and women, and it was a big Monday night crowd, espe- cially with the weather against busi- ness. Next to closing were Cross and Jo- sephine, in their third week, putting in the old travesty just to make it different for their final period there. Wellington Cross is singing Remick's new one, "The 5:15," a good comic with the "Casey Jones" melody. Another turn to get over in the second half was Madden and Fitzpatrick in "The Wan- derer." These boys play so easily and nicely they just ingratiate themselves into the good favor of the audience, and after that they can do as they please. Sophye Barnard opened after intermis- sion, but Sophye, like some others on the bill, took an awful chance when she fooled around with the applause. There wasn't enough left to make her sing "Swanee River," but she did, contralto, too, showing how easy the "double voice" thing really is. Of course the better the singer, the easier, and Miss Barnard is both a good singer and looker. Dooley and Sales juggled with the applause, and nearly lost their audi- ence. They were "No. 4." J. Francis is certainly playing the limit to get the "hands" and even the comedy attempt to stand off the stuff doesn't commence to hide it. The turn got the most on Dooley's finishing song. Dooley will only hurt himself by jockeying too much, and Miss Sayles' continuous laughter isn't of any special aid. Josephine Davis and Billy Geller (New Acts) got it over "No. 3." Le- on's Models were "No. 2" and Lona Hogyi opened the show. Both under New Acts. Sime. COLONIAL Business at the Colonial Tuesday night was the worst at the house within the last five weeks. It isn't the fault of the show, and the blame goes to the weather. The headliner is Ethel Barrymore, and the Colonial is doing a good mat- inee business, .Miss Barrymore attract- ing large audiences of women. The bill was slightly switched around with Willa Holt Wakefield moved up from opening the intermission to next to closing the first part, exchanging places with Nan Halperin. The show ran for a solid three hours' opening with a pic- ture at 8.10. Following the weekly, which started the proceedings, Bert Crossman and Helen Stewart (New Acts) did their semi-acrobatic version of the modern dances, starting the show nicely. An- thony and Mack have a good comedy conversational turn with Anthony as an Italian and Mack doing straight The talk is fast and gets a lot of laughs' and the act will do nicely on big time, although it is a little short and could stand slight padding. The eight Okabe Japs followed and worked like Trojans for 11 minutes, putting over one of the solid hits of the bill. They are offering a combina- tion acrobatic, balancing and risley routine far and away the best shown in New York for some time. Gladys Clark and Harry Bergman in Jesse Lasky's "Society Buds" were the finishers of the early section. The act is a clever miniature musical com- edy and the two comedians of the cast, Clifford Robertson and Vincent Erne, walked away Tuesday evening with the honors of the performance. In pro- ducing the act Lasky has worked out a fashion review that is very charming and brings applause. There are eight stunning beauties in the chorus who help along in great shape. Opening the second section Miss Halperin was a riot with three songs and two burlesque character imper- sonations. The first few seconds of talk at the opening keeps one guessing as to what the little lady is about to offer. Her first song, "Personality," is a little different from the other "Per- sonality" numbers and particularly suited to Miss Halperin. Her "Rag- time Wedding" number which she fol- lows with is a work of art The "aoub- ret" and "prima donna" each received their share of laughs and her closing, something about an Indian Cabaret, was also well liked. In this case it isn't the number, it is the way that this artiste "puts it over" that counts. Miss Barrymore in the one-act play, "Drifted Apart" by Sir Charles Young, followed and at the conclusion there were many tear-dimmed eyes in the audience. The star's company consists of Charles Dalton, who plays the hus- band, and quite well, too, for the most part. Edward Warren and Toots' Francis (New Acts) held the audience in at the tail end of the program. Dooley and Sales also appeared as substitutes for the Jack Wilson act. AMERICAN ROOF. There was a show given on the American Roof the first half of the week that came mighty near being big time in its calibre. Nine acts, a Key- stone comedy in lieu of intermission, and the third episode of a serial. Five of the nine acts were of big time speed and the audience which crowded the roof in spite of the horrible weather thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the performance. The management of the American has evolved some scheme or other that attracts the women strongly, for of the audience present Monday night there were several hundred women unaccom- panied by male escorts. They were a great audience for comedy material and the bill gave them plentiful op- portunities to laugh. Franklyn Ardell in "The Suffrag- ette" was easily the hit of the bill. Ardell held the stage for 19 minutes, clowning through for the entire time and kept the audience in constant screams of laughter. There is one thing about Ardell and that is each time that you see him you are certain to see a different act from the one that you witnessed previously. There is al- ways a new gag or a new bit of busi- ness and although the manner in which it is presented would seem to indicate that it is extemporaneous humor the ef- fectiveness with which it gets over might say it has been carefully studied out Lonzo Cox with his silhouette novel- ty opened the bill. His offering is a very clever one and it can open any small time bill. The Celtic Trio (New Acts) with a repertoire of Irish ballads followed and passed in fair shape. The show really got its start with the third act. Schreck and Percival with a com- edy acrobatic specialty. This team dis- played big time speed and put over a laughing hit of large proportions. The girl is as cute a little person as has been seen for some time in an act of this nature. William J. Kelly (New Acts), the stock star favorite, told stories, recit- ed a dramatic poem and generally pleased down next to closing the first part. Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Emmet in "A Quiet Evening at Home," closed the intermission and went over very nicely. After a comedy film Sadie Sherman opened with songs and impersonations, getting over fairly well Down next to closing following Franklyn Ardell, Keene and Sharpe put over a solid hit Sharpe is a clever pianist and Keene is the type of comedian who will undoubtedly find his way into one of the revues before long. He has much personality and an inimitable manner of putting his comedy over the foot- lights. The Four Victors with their well- worked-out routine of acrobatics closed the vaudeville portion. The one disappointment of the bill was the serial episode, "The Mystery of the Old Cheese Maker," was the title of the installment, which, while photographically perfect, was produced from a scenario that was very laugh- able. The moment that the announce- ment was flashed the serial was to be shown two-thirds of those in front walked out. Those who remained laughed at the serious points. ROYAL Despite the heavy rain Monday night the Bronx public or a goodly share of it turned out to see Evelyn Nesbit and Jack Clifford (New Acts), for while other features were on the bill, nothing was there in the way of a drawing card except the headliner. The Royal that has not boasted of big houses lately was packed Monday even- ing. The show had a hard time getting started and the audience was in quite a solemn mood for the first three acts. Of course, Lane and O'Donnell in opening position, obtained laughs, but it's a pretty tough job for any clown to come through when the audience is cold (and Monday they were damp be- sides this) and start them with dumb antics. The big fellow in his funny antics will always get over. Outside of this he is a great ground worker. Robins is an imitator of musical instruments, getting comedy by taking the instruments which he docs not play out of a funny suit of clothes. Here again while having a pleasing and funny way the act was not strong enough to move the audience up to an en- thusiastic pitch. Genaro and Bailey who came next could not get their talk over with any definite result After the talk there is the dancing that this team has been identified with for so long a time. This netted them quite a lot, but the cake- walk at the finish always will land for them. The audience evidently would like to see the old walk brought back again. It fell to the Courtney Sisters to pull down the first hit of the evening. The big girl with the big voice a«nd her funny facial efforts brought the house down to the stage level and then the show began. The girls had to come back, and then some more. Allan Dinehart, assisted by Marie Louise Dyer, in "The Meanest Man , in Town," closed the first half. Dine- hart has a pleasing way and gets a lot of laughs for his efforts. Miss Dyer while with a very good speaking voice should remember a house like the Royal is a big one and be certain she could be heard in all parts of it. During the action Miss Dyer's back is turned to the audience nearly all the time, and it was very hard to follow the story on account of her modulated voice. In quite a novel front drop Ray Ray- mond and Florence Bain score, both with comedy and song efforts. Ray- mond has a very nice voice and he knows how. to use it. Ball and West followed Miss Nesbit, and in this hard position managed to hold it up. The work of the character man is at all times of the best. W. Horelik's Ensemble is a Russian dancing act though Russia is not men- tioned in the billing. Seven men do great work and three girls look well. The act is there and can close any bill as it did this one. A scarlet fever epidemic has closed everything at New London, Wis., but the Opera House and poor business is likely to close it. Over 40 cases re- ported.