Variety (January 1916)

VARIETY IMPERIAL (William 8plnk, mgr.).— "Bringing Up Father." LA SALLE (Harry Earl, mgr.).—New fea- ture film next week. The Qerman war picture withdraws this Saturday. NATIONAL (J. T. Barrett, mgr.).—"The Dummy." OLYMPIC (George L. Warren, mgr.).— "Twin Beds" enjoying profitable business (3d week). POWERS' (Harry Powers, mgr.).—Re- turns nothing to crow about for "The Song of Songs" (Irene Fenwlck) and the failure of the show to pack em In has been a big dis- appointment to owners (3d week). PRINCESS (Sam Oerson. mgr.).—"A Pair of Silk Stockings" got away to a nice start Sunday night (first week). STAR 4 GARTER (Charles Walters, mgr.). —"Million Dollar Dolls." STRAND (C. E. Devlne, mgr.).—Excellent business with feature films. STUDEBAKER (Louis Jones, mgr.).—Tri- angle pictures. VICTORIA (John Bernero. mgr.).—"The Law of the Land." Z1EGFELD (Alfred Hamburger, mgr.).— Feature films. ACADEMY (Joseph Pilgrim, mgr.; agent. W. V. M. A.).—Putting dignity into Manager Pilgrim's monicker is spelling bis surname Joseph, but to everybody who knows him well it's Just plain Joe. Pilgrim has been manag- ing theatres out the west side way so long that he doesn't care much what people call him, but to catch him In a reminiscent mood is worth the price of several show admis- sions, for he has had some funny experiences with some of the queer-looking folks from foreign lands that day after day and night after night percolate through the doors of the houses he has managed. The last half of last week found Pilgrim anything but good- humored or reminiscent as business was off and he was unable to account for it Inasmuch sb they have been coming in droves since the house opened Its season. When Pilgrim was told that his business was a shade better than some of the other bouses he cheered up. Pil- grim says that he has some of the prise audi* ences of the world, not that he meant any- thing disparaging at all, but that they were as changeable as the colors on a chameleon's back. One day a talking act falls as flat as a pancake and the next it goes big. Take Bertie Fowler for instance. She was next to closing and when she walked on and stood still in one spot, starting her kid imitations, one expected that audience to hoot or howl, in fact show Impatience, but lo and behold, the fair Bertie made a bully Impression. Her "drunk bit" caught on immensely, it's the same turn that Miss Fowler offered at the old American Music Hall some seven or eight years ago, but It's going Just as big as ever. And to tblnk that even some late arrivals from Ellis island, looking as though a prison haircut would do them good, were out front. They laughed whether they understood English and it's a lead dime against a stale doughnut that half of 'em don't that visit the Academy. So one can readily surmise what Joe Pilgrim Ib up against. Joe Kennedy opened the show. He's a roller skater who tries to work In a monolog on the side that didn't pan out very well at the Academy. He skates well with the split on the rollers being his best bit. Jerry and Gretcben O'Meara offered their diverting protean act impressively. Some of Jerry's types may have been typical American, but to many in the audience they were entirely too foreign for them to appreciate the characteri- zations. But Jerry's a hard worker and does bis utmost to please. Miss O'Meara's best moment was with "The Little Grey Mother Who Walts All Alone" selection. Jones and Johnson opened slowly but soon bad 'em shouting "we're with you, boys." Irving Jones was Just as funny as ever and be made them like his style of mugging and comedy work. After Miss Fowler appeared the Bobker Arabs. There's a new member in the act, a colored boy as black as the ace of spades, who shows real acrobatic and balancing worth. As one watched the audience file out he could not help but surmise that the war was undoubt- edly sending over scadloads of foreign fuel sticks for the melting pot of the world. (Note —Don't forget that Halsted street gets more than It* share of the European driftwood.) WILSON AVENUE (W. H. Buhl, mgr.; agent. W. V. M. A.). —Business last week slipped down a few notches compared with the preceding weeks. Nobody did any raving about the Wilson hill. The last half of the show was decidedly off color as far as giving satis- faction was concerned. The show lacked speed. Tt ran tantalizlngly slow until the fourth act, and one act wasn't sufficient to give the program the comedy Wilson sudl- ences demand or have been In the habit of getting from Mitch Lacalzl, general manager, who makes It a personal point to visit the Association floor twice a week and select most of his own acts. Lacalzl says he has played about every act available and that be Is going to play return dates with some of the turns that have proved box office draws this past year. The Wilson bill never Beemed to get stnrted and there are not tbe usual applause distribution. Perhaps stage hands also felt the depression, for they banged things about while the show was progressing that not only disturbed the acts, but rankled the peace of mind of the audience. Radium Spectre, which the program says Is Jesse Lasky's. opened the sbow. The electric cur- rent misbehaved and delayed proceedings somewhat. Two women work In this turn, which has the usual machine Illuminated pic- ture effects upon the posing figures. There was a dancing skeleton Illusion which was done with such poor lighting results that the effect wasn't there. A quiet act and Interest- ing to those who have never seen anything of the kind. Next appeared Svengall. the per- forming dog, who is clever and does some excellent tricks, but at the Wilson appeared to work unusually slow. Tho "radium aot" light machine was left standing above tho heads of tho orchestra and almost hid the dog when he aat down directly In front of It. The lamp also was In the way of other acts. So far preciously little comedy and dull activi- ties. Mile. Jenny Dufau, coloratura soprano, late of the Chicago Orand Opera Company, assisted by Charles Lurvey at the piano, sang so high and' loud, standing almost over tho footlights, the upright piano occupying tho central stage space, that tho lady's voice fairly rocked the house. Mile. Dufau hits her high notes with much volume and elasticity of tone, yet In a small house like tho Wilson she should have softened and soft pedaled her numbers more. On those that she sub- dued the effect was far more pleasing to the ear. Mile. Dufau can sing, yet her voloe didn't obtsln the returns that ordinarily It should. She varied her program and sang In different tongues some fine operatic selections, vet the biggest applause came on "Mother Macree." Bobby Watson and Kitty Flynn revealed a new act. The turn started off like a comedy whirlwind mainly through Miss Flynn's eccentric "cornedIng" and dancing. She also sings well, handling a song number In a combined style of Blossom Beeley- Fanny Price-Charlotte Greenwood that was surefire. Watson works with Miss Flynn on the open- ing, both In singing and dancing, has a num- ber alone, does some "gagging" with bis Sartner and for the finish they travesty a cotch number, Watson affecting a funny make-up, with a hot water bag used for the girdle. They also offer a Hawaiian topical song melody, with Watson strumming the blamedest, bat at times ho choked up so that it was almost Impossible to hear him beyond the footlights, and as to the songs going over as they should that was Impossible with Tripp using up every inch of energy and then spouting like a fog horn. Of course it wasn't Tripp's fault that a cold' had to throttle him, hut It marred the entire per- formance and also depressed tho remainder of the company. The character Tripp enacts was written for a fellow of tho Pat Rooney typo. There's monkeyebintng to be done, fresh retorts to ho made, talking, singing and trying to look the part of a fresh, flippant young chap suddenly become rich. As a sug- gestion Tripp might devote a little more attention to his chsnge from the railway In- formant to that of the y.m. with $90,000. At least he might keep that diamond pin until the transformation, ft would look better and a straw hat of tho 1016 period might help. It's understood tho straws are In now—not- withstanding that Lake Michigan Is just dish- ing up Ito cholosst winter breesea. Some of the women are wearing theirs already, meaning hats and not breeses. Tripp works hard, but he was too sick to do himself, the show or the audience any good last week. Fred DuBols Is one of those big fellows with a deep voloe. hut It seemed as though he, too, was under the weather with his pipes. As the bull-flghtlng toreador, he made his lines reach every part of the bouse. Ksthryn DuBols bides a good-looking face beneath a Nell Burgess "County Fair" old maid make-up. She does the best she can with a "bit" that doeen't give ber full scope to show Just what she can do. Eallne Arndt Is the best CARL ANDERSEN, M. D. SURGEON CATERING TO THE PROFESSION Its IMsL 1M North Stabs St* CHICAGO, ILL. ukalele. This "bit" went well. Watson and Flynn make a good team, a better Impression surer when the pair work longer together. The worst fsult now with the act la that the first part of It runs away from the last part. The show closed with Menlo Moore's "Midnight Motorists," five men and one woman, with some minute atage details over- looked. Tbe act depends on Its combined singing to carry It, although there are at- tempts for comedy through a poorly-Imitated Englishman and a German inn owner, the latter getting the blggeet laugh when be found no slszle to the chsmpsgne bottle cork end exploded s mouth-balloon aa a pop substitute. An old boy but still there with the effect. Hallsye Neater is the girl. 8he'e not much of a dancer, but does real well with her voice. Messrs. Eagle, Olllls, McChesney and Lester harmonize pleasingly, snd their singing was well received st tbe Wilson. For the finish there's tbe chsmpagne girl tlluelon. Miss Neater Issuing from the electrically-lighted stage designed wine bottle. The time of the "Motorists" is supposed to be sfter midnight, but why the German Inn "garden" wasn't looking woman of tho bunch and dlsplsys the nlftleet wardrobe, making eeveral Pleas- ing changes. 8be had one number. "You're Everybody's Moon," that waa proved both enjoyable and entertaining. Florence Newsum Is the soubret She Is a sprightly miss, with blue eyes that were too prominently made up, and flits about the stage with considerable ginger. Mies Newsum made one change, that to a life guard bathing suit outfit which she wore until the finale. Miss Newsum should make another change for the closing, any- way, not that life guards or life guardeaeea don't wear their life-saving uniforms while on duty, but they are supposed to be off duty occasionally, even on the stage beaches. Miss Newsum's upper part of her suit didn't fit her as tight as tho fashion papers show them on the models. In Kankakee or South Chicago that outfit ehould prove a aenaatlon. John McOuIre played two roles snd made himself heard In each effectively. The honors of the ehow went to James Fraser as the Insurance agent He'e a tall feller, affecting a booblsh makeup, but displaying comedy talent that seemed natural and able to go COLE, RUSSELL and DAVIS ii I ff Last Week (Jan. 3), B. F. Keith's, Prospect Theatre, Brooklyn This Week (Jan. 10), Proctor's Theatre, Newark, N. J. lighted accordingly wasn't explained. Further- more, the joy-rldlng motorist Ides wssn't very well carried out. Thla act could be rear- ranged for better results, slthough Moore has tried bard to give a singing act a new idea for getting on and off the atage. AMERICAN (E. Louis Goldberg, mgr.; agent, W. V. M. A.).—One of the best light- ing plaeee for tabs flying over the Assocla- tlon time Is the American, where business is invariably a box office delight on the countup. but tbe returns last Friday night were off compared with other week-end starts (In- cluding Thursday, of course, when the mid- week change Is made), snd no one eeemed able to account for tbe slump. If It hsd only been tbe American that suffered the show might have been blamed, but reports from sll the other Chicago bouses outside the Loop bad the same complaint. The Amerlrsn had William B. Frledlsnder's minia- ture musical comedy offering, "Tickets, please." whlrh is another of the Frledlander-Wlll M. Hough contortions, Frlendlander writing the music snd Hough the book. "Tickets, Please" was In bad shape at the American and sll on account of a cold and grip epidemic which has all Chlcsgo by the throet "Tick- ets. Please." could hsve used s dozen tbrost speclallsta and then had work left for a few more. The greatest handicap la this line fell on the principals, with Oenrge Tripp faring the worst. Tripp le e little fellow. playing the role of Johnnie Batee, the Info elork at the railway station, who has lots and heaps of talking to do and has several of tbe best numbers to lead. Tripp did bis even further than It does In his present part. The principal fun making falls to him snd he meets It with lsughlng results. Not only Fraser, with his catch line "You'll have to eventually, why not now?" and divers stage didoes, kept the comedy at high tide when on the stage, but he had the beet-liked song number, "Eventually. Why Not Now" that smacked of the 1016 vintage. He put It over nicely. The audience also liked the "I'd Like to Live In Turkey" selection which Tripp led but wss forced to do In recitative manner. Tbe piece has a refreshing, tuneful m.c. swing. DuBols did well with hie "She Fell In Love with a Toreador" number. James McLean handled the role of Johnnie's uncle acceptably. He also manages the tab. There are ten girls In the chorus. For some reason they were not on their beat behavior at the American and went through their paces me- chanically and Indifferently. The old, tradi- tional pep was missing. Perhaps too much holiday work was the alibi. The tab Is pretty well staged, with tbe main setting represent- ing the Recreation Pier, Ban Francisco. The latter gives the show a true m.c. aspect. A novelty comedy "bit" was worked up by Tripp, Fraser snd Company with a diving suit out- fit msde to stage order. Considerable fun was gotten out of this, but not as much as the opportunity presented. First of all the tab needs some of that liquified stuff used In pictures to give the figures more life. The girls. If ther all can sine, should be urged to keep singing when on the stage and par- ticularly on the rloseups. Another musical number or two would help greatly and in- crease tho m.c tempo. Those used do wall enough, but they are too long between tho nervine. The lab also needs a principal who can do some rapid-fire dancing and a ifcuilnlue voice that aould stand out in tho nrst part of the show, the middle and too nnale. There at least ehould be one voioa among those ten girls that could lead a lively uumoer to give the orchestra a ohanos to bring out the crash occasionally. But no sbow, m.c. or tab. can scale any heights with a sick principal or two. It cant be none. MAJE8T1C (Fred E ber is, mgr.; agent, Or- pheumj.—The Majestic bill is oully in spots, it fairly quakes with music, and music mostly of the classical. Two acta practically shoul- dered the comedy and there is uo telling what would have happened but for them aa lar aa laugha were concerned. There was one dandy dancing act that helped a lot and some regu- lar piano and Hawaiian guitar music (1. a., regular when vaudeville Is concerned) well put over, while a balancing act held atten- tion at the close. Otherwise tho bill tottered and reeled. Bam Bernard topped the bill, eaaily. Bernard In his German makeup, suit and wig particularly helping out, reeled off talk In a manner long identified with him. He had them laughing loud and continuously at his kidding of pontics, racs suiolao, etc. For an encore he returned and dotting his wig, recited "The Face on the Barroom Floor," which he made famous some 26 years ago. Bam Bernard was a big, happy hit and a Jolly entertainer. A surefire laughing hit also waa registered by Harry Holman and Co., "No. 3." Holman's sketch waa so successful It was deserving of a later spot on the bill. Some new comedy lines have been Inserted. There's a new girl in the act. Bonnie Borra, who gives excellent support. She's a vast Im- provement over other girls In this role. Nina Payne and Joe Nlemeyer were there with one of the niceat and cleanest dancing turns shown at the Majestic in a long while. Tbe Majestic audience showed such hearty approval that tbe pair took more genuine "calls" than a dancing act has gotten at this house IS months. Miss Payne has Improved wonder- fully in her dancing and has soms new steps that amacked of originality and much prac- tice. Especially clever was her conception of the "Futurist Eccentric Dance." Mr. Nle- meyer danced his bead off to much applause. A corking good set. The Toots Pake band of Hawaiian singers and instrumentalists were "fifth," following the Payne-Nlemeyer turn, and went very well. Mike Bernard and Sidney Phillips bit the bulls-eye with their combined piano and voice strength. Mlks is one or the best piano players In the land while Phillips Is a winner with his charac- ter comedy types. Bernard worked hard with the manipulation of the keys while Phillips scored favorably with popular numbers. One of his most effective songs was "Bllnky, Wlnky Chinatown," In which Phillips en- acted a "dope bit" that was realistically "typed." Just ahead of Sam Bernard ap- peared tbe Salon Blngera, who pleased but couldn't Inject any speed into their offering. A piano solo by Herbert Johnson, following Mike Bernard, waa too much. The Borslnl Troupe cloned the ehow satisfactorily. "No. 1" were tbe Five Antwerp Olrls who elicit more attention and sympathy than anything else, through tbe program enouncing that ther are Belgian refugees. The girls should look after their dressing ss It holds the act back on Its stage appearance. Ketchem and Cheatem, two men and a woman, were "No. 2." Some of the talk between the men ehould go out before the new year is any older as It doesn't obtain the laughing results desired. At the Majestic tbe turn made Its beet gains with the song kidding of Bryan and Ford, the closing being a parody about the sink mak- ing the best gsrsge for a Ford machine. The travel plcturee opened interestingly. Mark. PALACE (Harry Singer, mgr.; agent, Or- Sheum).—On paper the show looked etrong, ut In the running didn't show the strength expected, although severs 1 acts carried tbe whole bill along. Business waa pretty good Monday night, though not capacity. The Gliders opened fairly well, devoting about ten mlnutea to some fancy dancee of ordinary conception. Brooks snd Bowen were carded for "No. 2," but Instead appeared "A Tele- phone Tangle," programed "No. 4." There le some novelty attached to this telephonic skit of farcical construction but that's about all as the comedy Isn't fast and funny enough to carry tbe turn to any great comedy height. I)rooks snd Bowen were third and were never s bigger bit. tbe Palace audience hanging on to them until the last minute. Beaumont snd Arnold were "No. 4" and following their talk In the female doctor's office, which caused considerable laughter, they went Into "one" where they presented a change of wardrobe and finished up strongly with dancing. Miss Beaumont has made noticeable progress with her dancing. Rooney and Bent received ap- plause. Tbat good-as-gold entertainer and one who never falls to please them all, Walter C. Kelly, was a certain hit. Homer B. Mason and Marguerite Keeler offered "Msrrled," which proved highly amusing. Belle Baker wns next to closing and did seversl songs. "My Mother's Rosary" proved Miss Baker's bp««t applause winner. This song Is Just be- ginning to grsb Chlcsgo by tbe ears. George N. Tlrown, the walker. In a novel and Interest- ing turn to those caring for acts of the Brown classification. He closed the bill. The show ran Inter than the usual Palace hour for clos- ing at night. Mark. McVICKER'S (J. O. Burch, mgr. ; agent, Loew).—Life Is Just one curio of tbe human specie after another at McVlrker's. In New York for years when Hnmmersteln's was at Its zenith tbe management burned the elec- trics until daybreak trying to book Rome man or woman who bad done something so vastly Important as to hsve thp deed spread on first psgea of the loading dallies. In Chicago the Jonra-Linlck-Schaefer house, McVlcker's, Is using tbe same thing to great advantage aad "0 far It has panned out financially. Thla