Variety (April 1917)

SHOW REVIEWS 17 BEHMAN SHOW. Jack Singer's pet organisation, "The Bell- man Show," for several Years the banner at- traction of the Columbia wheel, steadfastly manages to maintain the general speed, class and comedy calibre that originally projected it into the conspicuous section of the bur- lesque world. Singer has selected a very capable cast of comedians to distribute the material. Wilbur Dobbs and John E. Cain divide the comedy responsibilities and make a splendid working team, continually striving for general results without going after indi- vidual records. In the "straight" role is Samuel Hyams, a good "feeder" with a smart appearance and Just lively enough to attend to the duties assigned him. This season Singer is giving the billing honors to Martelle, and Martelle certifies the producer's Judgment by corralling the indi- vidual honors of the show. Martelle can wear clothes, leads his numbers well and has per- fected a string of girlish mannerisms that come in handy as encore "bits," but his weak- ness is apparent through the absence of a speaking part. If Martelle could handle a speaking role burlesque would probbaly lose him. The female contingent Is headed by Ameta Pynes, with Lucille Manlon and Blanche New- combe completing that department. Miss Pynes excels in the dancing division, her specialty with McCarthy coming In for a goodly share of earned applause. And In the ballet, utilised to open the afterpiece, she gave the production a good boost and one that proved effective, for it added that essential touch of "class" that burlesque needs so much of, yet gets so little of. Miss Newcombe la an accomplished soloist and she, too. regis- tered a sound hit with a short specialty. Her forte is comedy numbers, but her rendition of a ballad forced a brace of encores. The only other specialty was Bud Snyder and Co., with their cycling affair, Snyder as- saying a low comedy character and confining his efforts to ground clowning, the "straight" man doing all the riding. McCree has given a sensible reason for the appearance of the Snyder turn, leading up to its Introduction through revolving the action of the part around a circus. And incidentally he has likewise proofread his song cues, arranging the dia- logue to make the numbers fit in properly. The first part concludes with a spectacular scenic effect of military design and without being too broad a play for kind applause, it fits in nicely and makes a good finale for the section. The closing scene Introduces a mili- tary travesty with some genuinely good comedy lines. It measures one continual laugh throughout, and still does not carry a single portion of the expected slap-bang comedy, the principals gathering their returns solely on dialogue and situations. The production end is a bit above the average, which was naturally looked for, and the chorus carries a group of rather good looking girls who dance well and sing al- most as good. An octette of chorus men gives the outfit a flash appearance and they help somewhat in the harmony division. The numbers are staged with a touch of original- ity and the few popular songs offered re- flected credit on the musical producer. On the whole it's a typical Singer show, good throughout and one that could go along for another season without a single change. Wynn. PALACE. The current week's Palace program is thor- oughly entertaining, well balanced and suffi- ciently heavy in box office strength to pull capacity houses despite the perfect base ball weather that came along with the arrival of the home teams. The top honors are divided between Phyllis Neilson-Terry. and Paul Dinkey and Co., both offering sketches, the former closing the first portion of the bill, with Dickey well down in the second division. Both headliners, contrary to custom, lived up to advance promises and shared applause honors rather evenly. The Neilson-Terry vehicle Is divided in two parts, the principal opening In "one" to sing two numbers, "Alice Ben Bolt" and "Couplets du Mysoll," exhibiting a grade of versatility through presentation of a scene from "Ham- let," with the support of a trio of associate players. Miss Terry has a soft voice with a perfect high register and settled down to an easy hit with a scale exercise. In the sketch, playing Ophelia, the star stood out conspicu- ously in front of her rather weak support. George Hayes sounded husky in the rendition of his lines, which didn't help, although the attention of the house was focused on the principal. The turn gave the first part of the show a nourishing lift, taking down the applause prize for that section at the same time. Mr. Dickey, in "The Lincoln Highwayman," has a good semi-dramatic sketch with surprise finish that really 1b a surprise. The me- chanical arrangements bring the turn into the novelty class and provide wonderful op- portunities for natural "business," which, in turn, is developed into the desired assets. Dickey Is credited with the authorship, which probably accounts for the perfect production built around the idea. The supporting cast Is capable and carries all the typo require- ments. As sketches go, Mr. Dickey has one that will hold up with some of the best. It's a departure from the conventional. "Pntj-'V ■»v"-a:-j/ 1 -- *!■.-.- .«•»!■••»• ■...-.?■ .-4~i■-.'••» -. " ., vaudeville down around 8.'*0. with Apda.o's Animals In the first spot. Apdale has a col- lection of bright animals and procures many laughs from his well-arranged routine of tricks. It's a good opening turn. Bernle and Baker followed, with popular numbers on the violin and accordion. Bernle, with sou.e p 0 ™ 60 *** 0 * remarks, brings the tarn out of the "straight" musical classification and c nches it for a hit regardless of position or circumstances. A good idea Is utilised for the closing section wherein Bernle calls for re- quests and goes through with them, playing the selections as called. In the early spot the couple stopped the show for a brief minute, forcing the lights up to offer a short speech of appreciation. Dugan and Raymond followed with a trick automobile and corking good cross-fire patter, giving the program just the needed touch of light comedy. For a conversational two-act this can be recommended with the best, for they gather a continuous string of laughs and gathered them strictly on merit and origin- ality. Leo Beers and his pianolog came next, pre- ceding the Neilson-Terry vehicle. Beers is still using the whistling entrance and exit, probably with the permission of its originator. Beers Is a good showman, a smart entertainer, and gives them Just enough to want more. He landed easily. The Intermission ushered on Bert Melrose and his pantomimic oddity with any number of larughs running up to the final fall. He did not encore. The following specialty, Adele Rowland (New Acts) worked In "two," which left no delay in the set. After Miss Rowland came Dickey and Co., with White and Cava- nagh closing the bill. The latter team re- constructed their routine for their third Pal- ace week, adding a fan dance to the list Wynn. ALHAMBRA. It is Festival Week at the Alhambra, and there are ten acts In addition to the Paths Weekly and the "Patrla" serial, so that it was well onto midnight before the -show let qut. Following the Weekly the Hughes Musi- cal Trio made their appearance about 8.15. The trio Is comprised of two men and a woman, billed as brothers and sister. They played cornets, piano, violin, saxophones to fine applause. A pleasing musical act. Weber and Rome, with their eccentric synchronised stepping, evoked much Isughter. Three Bobs, club Jugglers, two comedians and one straight, the comedy being confined principally to the make-ups. A fast routine with some novel stunts, augmented by a well-trained bull-dog who does a number of clever tricks, one of them probably original, 1. e., the canine straightening out Its tall snd twirling a hoop on it. Lewis and Pelber (New Acts). Lambert and Ball, following Lewis snd Felber, used the same piano, the drop being raised and the Instrument pushed out In "one." Bernard and Harrington closed the first half with the Wlllard Mack farcical play- let, "Who Is She?" legitimately acted and scoring strongly. Before the second pert commenced the audience rose while "The Star Spangled Ban- ner" was played. (Walt until It becomes the proper caper to render the national anthems of all the Allies, a* they did In the music halls In London at the outbreak of the war. Before this was done away with, audiences found themselves standing for a full 15 min- ute*, rb* \ may have had something to do with Its sbandonment.) Ameta. the mirror dancer, with her beauti- ful sight act, did four pleasing numbers, her closing one. "The Danoe of the Llllles," call- ing for well earned applause and a series of curtain calls. The 8harrocka In a travesty on sideshow fortune tellers, making an In- genious excuse for a well rehearned "mind reading" act, interested the audience Im- mensely. Emma Cams snd Lsrry Comer started off with Miss Carus doing impromntu kidding on the acts that preceded her. The team count- ered strongly with a duet with counter-words. In this the orchestra leader, Ben. Roberts, did some excellent directing. When the act finished and she had received a number of recalls, Miss Carus did a patriotic encore, "Everybody Root for Uncle Sam." Dooley and Sales had a hard spot follow- ing so big an aggregation of talent, but did a clean-up nevertheless, and although It was 11.25 when they finally concluded, they could have stayed still later. Jolo. ROYAL It's Eddie Leonard Week at the Royal, on the stage and In the attendance. The black- face mlnlstrel Is a popular favorite In the Bronx section, and the house thinks so well of him, perhaps as a drawing card, the run- ning order of the program Is being chsnged twice dally to accommodate Eddie. In the afternon the Leonard act is No. 4, ' at night, next to closing. The arrangement is for the convenience of the New York Olants so they won't have to go to bat without Eddie on the lot. Tuesday night Mr. Leonard and his four corked Instrumentalists (one of whom ought to change his banjo hand movement to give the impression he is at least trying to play) did a clean up In 26 minutes, the last five of which consisted of Edward bowing and the house applauding. Considering the hit, Eddie Leonard deserves the Vaudeville Cross for the way he can bull an audience and get it over. Dut on top of that, Leonard has an Individuality that Is all his own and tells Its own story. The show was opened by Naloma, or some- £xiii£ 1'fiic, M.1A Jai.'iw * Kit etif Hriwaitau in- strument, or If !t Isn't, it should be. Arnold and Taylor (New Acts) are No. 2 at night, but probably In the second half at the mati- nees. Arthur Havel and Co. were third and they got plenty of laughs In a sketch that has played about all of the time around. Mabel Russell and Co., including her husband's (Leonard) assistants, were No. 4. Marty Ward Is featured with the Russell turn. His nut comedy got over to the Koyal crowd, the softest vaudeville audience one could ask for. Miss Russell bis improved the act somewhat since first showing It, and It goes to a better finish than formerly, heiped along by the young man, who sings In a cross between a falsetto and a calliope, and also pmys ths piano afterward la blackface, where he sings again, although he shouldn't, for that tells things to the front, slnoe the two acts (Rus- sell's and Leonard's) travel together. During Intermission the house stood up and sang the two verses of "America" thrown upon the sheet, after which Claire Vincent and Co. did their comedy triangle sketch, to con- siderable appreciation, all given Miss Vin- cent, who lmprossed the Bronx crowd with her acting. Next were Davy Jones and Mabel Elaine, the latter replacing Grace Leigh. Mr. Jones Is quite a good Imitation of his uncle. Bam Bernard, in everything excepting tne periect make-up Mr. Bernard alwaya gets under, snd the turn runs along smoothly, with a little plot. Miss Elaine warming up toward the fin- ish. At the opening she seems cold and dis- tant, so much so it didn't appear for the moment to make any difference how far dis- tant she might have been. When the couple are not working they should keep on re- hearsing, for It will take a few weeks for Miss Elaine to get used to "one." After the Leonard act the Norman Brothers on the rings and in hand balancing did some nioe work, with a few new tricks of their own, besides recalling the Pedersan Brothers for one of their tricks, and Regal and Bender for another. The latter was the big bit, closing the turn, one of the boys doing a somersault from the ground Into a toe hold on the dang- ling feet of his partner. It would make a better 6pening than closing act on the big time. The "Patrla" aerial wound up its final and 15th chapter by the Jap Ambassador commit- ting harl karl at the finish. The Mrs. Csstle picture Is through, with a aigh, and as Bill 'Rogers on the Amsterdam Roof remarked to Mrs. Castle, who sat at a table with her hus- band: "Irene, If you can go through another serial like thst, you have got thom licked for- ever." Bime. COLONIAL This Is the last week of "Patrla" at the Keith metropolitan houses, and It will be intereet- lng to note whether they will book any more picture serials. "Patrla" closed the show at the Colonial and the Pathe Weekly opened It Chlyo and Chlyo, a Japanese couple, com- menced the vaudeville with ballroom stepping, Russian and pirouetting evolutions, hand- balancing and perch work by the man, con- cluding with a eakewalk that Included more Russian steps. Lively act, well received by the audience, aa were Lew Reed and the Wright Girls in ths second position. Dunbar's Tennessee Ten, with its special setting In a sort of Ethiopian jubilee, was the clean-up Monday night, its Jass Band finish lifting the roof. The applause was equaled only by the hand-clapping accorded Andrew Mack's revelation of a huge American flag covering the entire drop In T 'one" at the con- clusion of a patrlotlng recruiting song. Mack's routine of songs and stories, alternating them, Is well thought out. Andy Rloe delivered In first rate style his olever Yiddish monolog, written by Aaron Hoffman. Nina Payne In her "character studies In dance," with sumptuous and artis- tic settings and costumes, Is a rare treat. There Is never any suggestion of trying to put over "high-brow" stepping or pantomiming, merely a series of brief—all too brief—speci- mens of different styles of the terpslchorean art, magnificently Invented acenlcally and sartorlally, and presented by a young and pretty artiste. The act Is further augmented by a moat helpful female musical director, who doesn't fall asleep on' the job. Claude and Fannie Usher, with their pretty little heart Interest playlet, told In comedy, with Just a few touches of pathos, stood out, with Lillian Shaw preceding the pictures. She opens with an Italian dialect song, "Est and Grow Thin," does a minute or •«* of monolog prior to singing "The Wolf Family" num- ber, which Belle Baker used earlier in the season, then "Meyer, Come Back from Hawaii," and put over her big wallop with her Baby Carriage number, which Is a classic, snd, like sll such tremendous hits, Miss Shaw will probably never be able to get away from It. After putting It over Miss Shaw returns for a patriotic number In the same charac- ter dress, which Is all wrong. Jolo. AMERICAN ROOF. Billy Sunday has an Imitator, and a cork- ing good one. The imitator is Irving Berlin. Not tbst the author-composer-publisher has gone into the same field the evangelist has chosen, but Irv certainly does a splendid re- view of the physical contortions thst have made Billy famous, while he is putting over his song "It's Your Land, and It's'My Land." Tuesday night on the Roof Berlin sang the song himself ss psrt of the recruiting cam- paign which is being conducted In the Loew houses. Kitty Gordon was to havo warbled the number, but while she put in sn appear- ance eceompaoi*! by b«r daughter. »h* plead- ed a cold snd after speaking In behalf of the campaign she Introduced the composer of the sons snd stated that he would sing In her stesd. The Roof was Jammed to capacity. The Deborah Benevolent Society had a benefit per- formance In aid of the poor. The bill went like wildfire from start to finish. But the big punch of the evening wss the recruiting stunt. The song number wss preceded by a speech by N. T. Oranlund. the Loew press agent. The show Itself was opened by the Two Brownies (New Acts), followed by Beth Mayo (New Acts). The Borsinl Troupe on the revolving globes were a decided hit. The comedy scored, and the final trick got solid applause. Tommy Haydn Is doing his English characterisation. He was next to closing the first part, and after getting away to a slow stsrt, landed his first wallop with "Oh Tomorrow Night." His version of an Englishman's impression of a ball game Is used to close the set, and it brought laugh after laugh. The early section needs a little speeding. Orren snd Drew closed the first half with their barnyard Imitations. Darnell 1 and Purtell opened the second sec- tion, replacing Forrest and Church, pro- grammed. Harry Fern and Co. In "Veterans" proved the laughing hit of the bill. Denny and Sykes, next to closing, fed the audience with some popular stuff, with a med- ley prolog and epilog that was well received. Their prolog was all the stronger because of the fact that Irving Berlin had appeared Just ahead of them, and the medley contained snatches from practically all of the Berlin hits and also frequent reference to the writer. The Valadons (New Acts) closed the show with s double wire act, holding the audience in to the last and winning a fair share of ap- proval. The Butcher Boy," the first of the Arbuckle film comedies, closed. Fred. CITY. Kate and Wiley, equlllbrlstlc, opened, shortly after eight. Man and woman. The routine Is woefully slow snd the music used auas to the monotony. Gehsn snd Spencer, a male dancing team, No. 2, showed an occa- sional flash of form, but the boys are in need of new clothes, which would help them more than aythlng else. The heavier of the , wo 5 haD8 ,B a comparatively clever dancer. What returns the act secured he was respon- sible for. -i7i he A W iL r8t b A 0W . w *" ,n No - 3 8 P°t. * sketch W . i | t . h ,/. rthu , r D ? Vo * and Co - The audience failed to give it any recognition whatsoever, it is a big question whether Fally Markus C ?ht UM U lD ° len Cove on * Saturday A news pictorial with considerable patriotic matter in Its. makeup proved more Interest- ing than usual, after which Bell and Fredo (New Acts) gave the show its first real, start ThimL w »» J?'lowed by Toney snd Normsn (b J!2jf *■ FK'KersId snd White). "The Flnsl Arbiter," with Lawrence Grant tt w d Co V- Drove d mildly Interesting, although the pacifist idea Involved at the start should not bring forth favorable comment at the present time, with the patriotic finish hold- ing the act up. George McFadden, with Irish songs and wit. provided one of the most entertaining bits or the evening The show wss badly In need of life, and McFadden filled the bill nicely Walthour and the Princeton 8lsters, a cycling turn, closed. The act Is well dressed and has some well routined riding. HARLEM OPERA HOUSE. Judging from the two ends of the bill at the Harlem opera house the first half, the gen- eral Indication points to a fire sale in violins recently. The two real hits of the bill were scsttered at the two ends of the show. Reynolds and u.! te i New Act8 > opening, stopped the show. while Orth and Dooley. next to closing, were the laughing hit. It seems s matter of regret tnat two men as clever as this pair have railed to possess themselves of material that Is worthy of their capabilities. There were two acts thst come under the tryout" classification, falling short of the i na 5 k . H.fe* ** b, « t,me la concerned. The first is BUlbones and Co. (New Acts), which held down the third spot, and the second Is Huby Cavelle and Co., closing the show. The latter act is cleverly mounted snd exceedingly well dressed, but in the matter of pep is Just about what It wss when the offering was nrst tried out over a year ago. It Is an at- tempt for the big time, but the act is not properly routined. The offering looks as though It could be developed Into big time material. The two girls should be enough to carry the turn. The violinist fails to add any- thing worth while to the turn. The second number is also out of place. Sandwiched In between the "Fatty" Ar- buckle picture and the ill. song. Ward and Faye held forth. The former was one-half of the former Ward Bros. act. With the tak- ing of a new partner the English Johnnie makeup has been discarded snd the boys sre working in ordinary business suits, relying at present on their dancing. This brought them generous applause. The talk at the opening nerds speeding. Sahcra and Co., the mind-reading turn, held the stage for 25 minutes, the first 17 of which were devoted to the blackboard work wl»h a committee on the stage. This section brouchl laughs, the closing portion, with the blind- folded neeress answering questions and making predictions for various people In the audience Mted out the rarafrtivg portion or" tap tfmV Then* wrh comedy id the oarly section that brought real laughs, but the act finished to a Htnnll share of applause. Monde and Sallo (New Acts) held the sec- ond spot. "Paddy O'Hara," a Triangle five reeler, closed the show. Fred. (Continued on page 18.)