Variety (February 1917)

• 18 SHOW REVIEWS Weston in aome Ringing and a faat line of acrobatic and eccentrlo danclog were aeoept- abla entertainers. Mlsa Weston la a dainty little woman small without bolus thin, zu& the act la full of snap and glnjter. Closed to a. Wjr nit. Charlie Abeam and hia comedj cycling com- pany have a lot of new funny "prop" ejelea and the act la up-to-dated with burlesque Ha- waiian stuff aud a smart ballroom dance, the latter performed by Abeara In hia tramp make-up, and a girl In evening gown. Tbey acored their usual large number of laugha. Oeorge M. Rosener, In three distinct tjpee, la a clever character actor, but leans a trifle too much to reciting. He offered the English army officer, the dope fiend and the old soldier, all excellently Impersonated, but the "orating" savors of the lyceum platform. He went so well be had to make a speech before the next act could start. Rosener should secure a protean sketch and aim for headline honors on the big time. With the proper vehicle he could make It easily. Hugh Herbert and Co. In "The Pre- diction" (New Acta). Evelyn Neablt and Jack Clifford opened the aeoond part with their alnglng, dancing and ©hatter, strongly augmented by "New Art* acenlo and costume environment. Mlsa Nea- blt'a voice la pleasing and the settlrga are a revelation of artistry. But they don't do enough dancing. Joe Towle was a riotous hit with his mono- log and piano playing. He has an unctuoua personality and held the audience In hia hand from the atart. Hia la a variety ac*. of the caliber that la aure to get over before any kind of an audience. Joe Howard and Ethelyn Clark offer pretty much the aame act aa presented by Howard and IfcCane. Mlas Clark is a cuts little thing and dances daintily. Howard plugged two new numbers, "My Brazilian Rose" and "Love Ma Little and Love Me Long," besides singing Kit successes. They entertained for about If an hour and were followed by the fifth episode of "Patrla." The bill never dragged once throughout the evening. Jolo. • AMERICAN ROOF. A roof In zero weather lan't conducive to big bualneaa, but the American Roof Monday night held a large-alzed crowd. The overflow In the afternoon of Lincoln's Birthday obliged a performance up there alao, to take care of the extra people. It Is not a common occur- rence for the Roof to play a matinee. Besides the crowd upstairs Monday there was a boy selling chocolates In the orchestra at Inter- mission and a head usher who seemed new to hia* job. The first half got Its best brace In the clos- ing turn of It, the Doris Leeter Trio. It was the second half that held the entertainment, which may be as it should be. The big num- ber was "The Merry Maids of Japan 7 (New Acts), a girl number with 11 people and a regular act of Its class for small time. For laughs the Lester Trio got aa many as any other turn. Little Doris heraelf, now some- what upgrown, has developed Into a very pleasing young woman, who Introducea the family's skit, "A Breeze That Blew," from an opening In "one" to before a special drop In the same position, then Into a parlor sot l r ~ * farcical story that has dialog all hinged upon points, getting lsughs continually and making a first rate comedy act for small time. Dorla closes the turn, again In "one," by Informing the audleace she had to find aomethlng to keep her father and mother busy, so put them In this sketch. The "No. 2" spot had Ben and Hasel Mann, who, according to the program, were substitute lng for Norton and Noble. The Manna (New Acta) could have stood a later position. Fol- lowing them waa the Klnlwa Troupe (New Acta), four Jape, who couldn't make the Roof crowd applaud. Then came Katberyn MUey, with large black earrlnga that added nothing to her looks, and singing eongs with what sounded at first a plugging Instinct, but after- ward seemed to be a bablt, for Mlaa MUey tried to Induce the house to join in three of the five numbers ahe did. She asked the audience to applaud, as it meant more money for her, and waited until the house mildly did. This must be correct small time form, since several acts are now doing it and there seems to be some sense to It if tbe turns have discovered they can secure applauae in no other way. In a "Married" song the orchestra joined In for the chorus with the singer and there waa a little comedy In that, but as It waaa't possible for the musicians to sing any worae than Is so often heard on small time, It waa not the laugh there It might have been elsewhere. Mlsa MUey had a new comic number about picture stars that ahould have been liked better than it was, and closed with a number she said waa first Introduced by herself. Besides there was a lit- tle talk sprinkled among tbe songs and Miss MUey just made tbe bouse like her. Opening the second part were Hendrlx and Fadula, alnglng, and with tbe woman In ad- dition playing the piano, both whistling In one number. The woman, who has Stella Maybew beaten by about 10 pounds only, has a kid strain In her voice that comes out when she sings. The turn opens In "one," goes Into a parlor and back to "one." For tbe man's solo when alone In front, tbe woman added some- thing to the effect by singing tbe chorus through a megaphone from the first entrance, with him. The audience could not see tbe msgephflnc, bjt tfcpy !:«<! no *r.-^b!ft \\\ fcc*.:^!'.^ tne Toice. '1 be act frames up as quite a fair small time entertainment. Neit to closing was Lew Hawklnn, In black- face, doing a monolog, Including In his talk aome new mntter on war and Rome suffragette dialog used by someone else before blm, while he has a long preamble on "Time" that hasn't been heard before, he making very good with the mixture of the term. Ha sang "Coma Over," a bully good topical number that Mr. Hawkins should secure more verses for, al- though he Is much better talker than vocalist. . The how** liked. bjm.,.*nd he eho4jldn:t en- counter any difficulty In getting over on email time. Opening the show In "one" were the Carbrey Brothers, now In (made up) white face, doing different soft shoe dsnees in varloua semi-cos- tumes or uniforms, all from the waist up, they wearing their dreaa trousers throughout until the final danoe, done by both In one eult. Their music for dancing Isn't the beat they can ob- tain, but they got little for whatever they did. Perhapa It was the position or perhaps it waa the aoft shoe work. The Rsndow Trio closed the performance with a comedy acrobatic turn that should have opened the show. Sitae. CITY. The City had Its customary holiday policy Lincoln's birthday, and for eaoh performance packed them In. The fourth show found th,o house jammed with standi j* on two floors. A comedy picture of Ave minutes' duration served to separate the third and fourth abowe, the feature picture not being ahown till after the last act of the final show. The vaudeville portion feU sr.o'rt of the usual for that house. The bill had its customary eight acts, but on several occasions It lagged woefully. You Wing, a Chinese contortionist, opt ned the show. His work save the necessary start with the Chinaman taking down a solid bit. The Manetto Duo, man and woman, alng- lng so familiar around the local amall time houses that It appears that they never lay pff, to< k down another hit with their vocalis- ing and dtmenstratud the reason why •Jiey ire ciiii.iji''r working. Operetta numbers an a general thing make up their routine. A sketch with Chauncey Monroe and Co, se- cured a few laughs. It la a decidedly old vehicle and haa even seen Its beat days on the amall time. In the upper part of the house little of the dialogue could be heard and the upstairs waa crowded. La Petite Mercedes (New Acts) waa a bit too artistic for the audience, but did nicely. Archer and Ward, a mixed team, sang and danced. Tbe man axcala his partner In the latter work, displaying aome good stopping. The couple are using a "Have a Heart" num- ber, which sounds decidedly much Ilka a song In the Henry Savage production of that name. For their final number Irvine Berlln'a "Shang- hai" Is used, together with a tough danoe. It went over handily. Eugene Emmett and Co. have a big act, which la a conglomeration of songs and com- edy. It waa next to closing, aid la decidedly weak In spots. Too much comedy at times and the girls are not dressed to the beat advan- tage, although the stranded troupe idea, which furnishes the plot. Is probably accountable for that. Emmett Is a fair Irian tenor, oaally taking down the alnglng honors of the act. The three rube comedians are not as funny aa they believe. Hufford and Ross, a wire act, closed the show. The turn was recently ahown on the big time and capably filled the closing apot at the City. Jim McWilllams, with a planolog. also ap- peared. The audience fall to got a largo por- tion of his talk. McWUllams' eomio opera Idea still brings his best returns. JEFFERSON. Nothing startling about the Show the first hslf, but It was a fair playing amall time bill, with song predominating, and a little shy on comedy. Buainess the holiday night seemed to be off, but this was explained because of the three busy days in a row and the Intense cold Mondsy night. Instead of the usual eight acts and a feature, the latter waa cut and the pro- gram had two single reel comediee and a two- reeler. Manola, a wire walker on both tbe tight and slack cords and offering a routine very much similar throughout as that of Mljaree, held the opening spot. A somerssult at the finish brought the big returns. Armstrong and 81rouse, man and woman, singing, were rsther alow for the second apot. The ballad by the man is the blggeat asset in the way of an applauae winner. Meehan and Knapp (New Acts), a male dou- ble, with songs snd patter, won laughs and a patriotic parody on "Mother," with Wilson as the theme, waa sure fire. Diana's Models (New Acts) were liked. Those Harmony Boys, a quartet working around, after cabaret experience, were the big hit of the bill. There seems to have been a change in the personnel of the comedian and tbe bans are of the former act The new formation with Its added comedy makee the act worth while for the better bouses in an early spot. The routine la rather well worked out and the repertoire consists of popular num- bers, although the Italian aong used to close Is a little old. Film comediee aplit the bill. Lew Welch and Co., in a comedy aketch that struck home In this section, won'a lot of laughs. Tbe little asides In Yiddish caught the audi- ence just right. Barnes and Robinson seemed to csre little what tbey did on the last ahow and Juat jaszed through 12 minutes. The Four Fujlama Jsps (New Acts) closed the show, with a Bison two-reeler aa tbe chaser. Frtd. by Fern places It In the hit class. The Farrell, Taylor and Co., another blackface act, put over a substantial comedy hit In the No. $ spot. The set Is of tbs old eoaooL bat .tto comedy Is produces of lsughs. Woodrow, a cartoonist monologlst, did fairly wall with political talk. For a patriotic bill this chsp hU In well at the present time. There is no groat weight to bis talk, but the general panning of political leaders brought forth several laughs. MUler and Vincent followed the monologlst with a good song routine. "Veterans" fol- lowed, after which. Cooper and Ricardo put over a real comedy hit The girl, who la a nut comedienne, gets In some capable work, the comedy honors easily going to her. Her part- ner uses songs handily, with the act going over big in a late apot. Helt •» Davis gavs tho show a bit of class In No. 4. Miss Davis sings and Is giving im- personations of chorus girls past and present. The Idea la nicely worked out with sevsral attractive changes. Her "Skirts" number used to open Is a cleverly written bit that has a lyric t>f considerable worth. Ash and Shaw In "Tbe Mosquito Trust," by Otto Johnson, followed. The act has several bright ldess put over to a fair success by the two men. Mabel Burke, the Fifth Ave. HI. songster, sang a new war song. Maxlne Brothers and Bobby closed the show In good style, with the remainder of the program being made up of Black and White and tbe Bolger Brothers, both appearing early. COLUMBIA. The vaudeville program last Sunday at tbe Columbia broke rather well, aa a whole, al- though the hit of the ahow developed in tne "No. a" spot at the matinee. Thla rough- ened up the going for the succeeding turns, none of which commenced to touch the record left by the Montana Minstrels In the early position. The Minstrels is the Bert LaMont cowboy minstrel act without LaMont. Thsy made a tremendous nit with the Columbia audience, with, their alnglng and talking, some of tho latter being new to them, especially tho for- tune telling bit, which is not so new in other acta. Tho sober minute of the performance was given by Lawrence Orant and Co. in their war aketch. "Tho Final Arbiter." Tho playlet seemed even more timely now than it once did, when there waa a neutrality question in connection with It. Mr. Qrant is such a splen- did player hia very presence on a vaudeville stags commands attention. He In a dream Is the Qerman Emperor listening to "Tho Spirit of Pesos" and "The Spirit of tho Workers of tho World." they dlsiUuslonlng him of a wak- ing belief on preparedness. The story is couched in finely written understandable dia- log, and the utterances of the different char- acters were often Interrupted by involuntary applause. There are some strong points made. The aketch at present, unless there la a be- lief the German-American element might re- sent it in part (which is doubtful) for the slamming It gives the Kaiser, should prove a really Interesting and studious item on any program. In the lighter section of tho show was Ed. F. Reynard In a new ventriloqulai turn, with a special set. The latter la a courtroom scene, with eight "dummies" arranged about, pre- sided over by a rube judge from Hicksvllle. During tho act a young woman shows tho court different styles In dancing and also sings, to convince tho judge the show she Is with Is a proper one for Long Island. Mr. Reynard la tho manager of the troupe. It goes to a very Sood finish with aomethlng of a surprise. Ths ummlee are well worked, there la a variety of accents and ths act does not run over 15 minutes. It needs a little attention in the middle to buUd up there. If there must be a singing and dancing girl In tbe act, she should be a corking good one. Opening the ahow were Hill and Ackerman in their tumbling turn thst now has a woman in it, ths woman going upon the stage from the audience. The addition helps, but the turn should close with the woman bit, for afterward it drags. The men are reaching out more for comedy, going for It In all direc- tions, and seem able to make the connection. A little reshaping should put the act In ex- cellent form for a comedy number entitled to leave the opening spot, "No. 2" nad Quinn and Laferty. the two-act with about the same turn they have been doing, the man still giv- ing his Chsplln bit and closing the set by dragging the girl off by the neck. The girl does her solo dance as the one best real bit In the turn. The Columbiana liked them very much. After the Minstrels csme Skelly snd Bsvaln, who talked and handled songs aa though they were lately with a production of some sort. A good looking special black and white drop had "Mile. Fill" painted on It, and their first number was about "A Little Bit." They had to follow the mixed two-act of Quinn and Laferty. Another two-act (men) was Clayton and Lennle, who have an "English" Idea. O'Connor snd Dixon, doing the former Cameron and Flanagan "dressing room" act, were next to closing, with The Act Beautiful ending the performance. Bime. FIFTH AVENUE. The Fifth Ave. had a patriotic bill the first half, known as s Lincoln's Birthday Feetival. Ten acts, several with patriotic bits that pleaned tbe large audience Tueaday night. Harry Fern and Co. In "Veterans," headed tbe bill. The sketch abounds with human ln- tereat, which together with the negro comedy Ruth Budd Cancels Orpheum Circuit A route over the Qrpheum Circuit to start March 5 at Memphis, has been canceled by Ruth Budd, who refused to accept the position assigned her on the Orpheum bills, opening the show. If you don't advertise In VARIETY, don't advertise. ARTISTS' FORUM.. Charleston, S. C, Feb. 5. Editor ^ABiaTr: 1' gee' "Varibtt states Cafewe Carvel is the youngest Peg who ever played in "Peg o' My Heart" I disagree with that statement I was just 16 when first appearing as Peg and played the role for two sea- sons. Dorothy MocKoye. Editor Vakubtt: New York, Feb. 12. ( A few corrections regarding an un- signed criticism of my act in last week's Vakibtt. Same states "Lillian Shaw Impersonation" is my best I never impersonated her in my life. "Critic" says I do same act I showed burlesque audiences. I formerly did specialty, three characters—six minutes. Now seven characters—18 minutes. Do not work full stage. Do not close with "Kalich". I changed my name because "Frankie" sounds mannish to strangers. Am proud of my success in burlesque, and my many beloved friends there. Considering your critic's many mis- takes, I feel justified in saying I prob- ably failed to gain his undivided atten- tion. Frances (Frankie) Rice. PARTICULAR PIANISTE. Chicago, Feb. 14. Mme. Sturkow-Dyder plays a piano now and then in vaudeville. Last week she tried at the Wilson Avenue, re- maining all week. When not hitting up the keys in the two or three times daily, the lady with the piano fingers indulges in concert work, probably us- ing vaudeville to maintain a bank aver- age. In the last half last week there also appeared at the Wilson avenue house Bill Robertson, minus an artistic tem- perament and with nothing but a "sin- gle turn." He was programed to ap- pear just ahead of the hyphenated madame. When she heard of it, there was a declaration of opposition against the colored entertainer. Bill/ to avoid argument, withdrew from the bill. There is hope around that if the Lx^Jame can ever obtain more than one consecutive week in vaudeville she will carry her own company. MANAGER CAMPION DISAPPEARS. Chicago, Feb. 14. Andy Campion, manager of the Grand, Muscatine, la., suddenly disap- peared Wednesday, leaving a little over $90 in the box office to pay off the five acts. This sum wa. divided pro rata among the players and the "angel" of the house, which had been operating vaudeville for two weeks, gave out I. O. U.'s for salary due. The house was booked by James C. Matthews, who as a rule demands in- dependent managers to file a bond guaranteeing two weeks' salaries for all bookings supplied. Campion was formerly assistant manager of the Unique, Minneapolis, which abandoned vaudeville Saturday last. The bill comprised Collier and De Walde, John A. West, Mrs. Frederick Allen and Co. (name assumed for this engagement), Lydson and Emmerson, Rose King and Co. (a Muscatine girl with a pony). The report reached Chicago Uno Bradley was mixed up in the Musca- tine matter, but this is not so. Brad- ley has the Family, Moline, 111., and the acts played Bradley's house before going to Muscatine. Bradley paid the acts every cent coming to them. It is understood vWe Pamages fortrt of contract was used and for that rea- son full liquidation is expected to be made by the local Pantages office before any court procedure comes to light. Andrew Campion managed the house for George Schuri.