Variety (November 1917)

N E W A C T S THIS 'WEEK 19_. ...M NEW ACTS NEXT WEEK Initial Presentation, First Appearance or Reappearance in or Around New York . Lady Duff Gordon, Palace. The Night dork," Palace. Elinore Cochran, Riverside. Valesha Snratt and Co., Riverside. Halo and Peterson. Dances. 11 Mini.; Full Stage. Colonial. Frank Hale and Signe Paterson haven't been dancing together since last spring and although for several weeks they have been framing the present routine, it is said they opened cold" at the Colonial Monday mati- nee. Some Changes were effected for the second performance, probably in the way of eliminations. Whatever it was, the team went over with a bang at the night show. One thing chopped after the matinee was a Chinese or- chestra, and at night the Chinks draped themselves in fancy regalia in the rear of the back hangings, sitting amid smoking incense. This was, however, merely during the second number billed as the dance "Quan Chung," a waltzy thing that the dancers did very prettily, garbed in creations celestial. The opening number was programed as a combination of "Strutter's Ball," "Shimme-Sha-Wabble" and "Walking the Dog." It is a dance number of the jazzy syncopated type. Mr. Hale and Miss Paterson seemed imbued with the "let's go" spirit during the dance and their efforts quickly brought the house to a realization something was going on. After they exited for the Chinese change the "Dixieland" (five men) orchestra took up the pace with a fly- ing start. This is the same bunch stir- ring up things at Reisenweber's and they are "some" jazz players. Hale and Paterson were to have had two orchestra on the stage, but after Mon- day night they should be satisfied that the Chinese aren't needed. The jazz players syncopated "Chinatown" for the dancers' Chinese number and it sounded very good. The boy also had two numbers alone, one being "Livery Stable Blues," and that alone planted them solidly with the house. If Hale and Paterson can carry the jazz play- ers their new turn is sure-fire. The final dance was the "Whirling Der- vish," similar to the finish number of last season, but Hale is robed as an East Indian prince and his partner shows considerable of her slender form. Hale is accredited as one of the best of what are known as syncopated or jazz dancers and the crowd sure took to his body evolutions. The pair went over an easy hit. With or with- out the jazz musicians it is a better act than last year. Ibce. Maurice Freeman and Co. (4). Playlet. 20 Mini.; Three (Special). Before a good-looking special drop of an apartment house, Maurice Free- man plays a domestic sketch of an ap- pealing nature. It should prove ac- ceptable to the better grade audiences. Freeman's acting goes a long way to- wards its success, but the superb per- formance of the blackface nurse did much in carrying the skit across. It deals with the dispossession of all families with children residing in an apartment house Freeman acquired. The family in question is a young mar- ried couple with twins. Freeman never did like children and cited an instance as the reason. A patriotic side involved is drawn out and loses its effectiveness for that reason. Freeman changes his mind, with the finish showing him playing with the kiddies through a silhouette on the window blind. VVhen rearranged for consistent running, it will undoubtedly prove the best skit Freeman has ever been identified with. William H. Crane and Co. (J). "Winter and Spring" (Comedy) 2f Mint.) Four (Interior) Special Set- ti*f)- Palace. William H. Crane has shied his cas- tor into vaudeville and for his debut at the Palace this week has a character only to be expected of an actor with the reputation of Crane. The playlet isn't the eighth wonder, even of the vaudeville world, but it has Mr. Crane, is capably presented, and what else matters? It is no easy task for a man like Mr. Crane to bring all his stage attributes and assets into dynamic play in the lightning time required by the "two-a-day,"* yet in <r Winter and Spring," a little touch of nature which Thomas F. Fallon authored, the vet- eran actor does splendidly. Of the sup- porting cast of two men and one woman, the latter proves she is well qualified to play "opposite" Mr. Crane. The woman is Peggy Grey, a good- looking actress who plays the grand- daughter of the crabid, fussy, irascible old John Crosby (Mr. Crane) with charm, naturalness and finesse. 'She made the role stand out all the way. "Winter and Spring" tells a story as old as the hills. Crosby's daughter, Rose, the apple of his eye, had run away with a scapegoat named Carter and according to the story of Crosby "he (meaning Carter) killed her and up and did the only decent thing in his life; he died." To this union was born Marian Carter (Miss Grey), who, owing to Crosby's bitter hatred toward Rose for having married Carter against his wishes, had been banned from his life to such an extent that in the mak- ing of his will the granddaughter had been left out entirely. Thomas Thomp- son (Charles Wingate), knowing what a splendid girl Marian was, calls at Crosby's home to protest against the will being made without the girl in- cluded. The girl, having returned from a girls' school, drops in, but the lawyer contrives to keep her out of Crosby's sight. Crosby, meantime, was firing his maid and butler every other second, the maid leaving for good, with Crosby calling the employment agency for a substitute. Marian overhears, slips from behind a screen and later returns as the "new maid." She is hired. She cleans up the old man's living room. She has him doing this and that against his will. In short, she wins him completely. She recalls, with the aid of decorations that Rose liked but which Crosby had had removed, as well as picture of Rose to stir the old man up, but the finale comes with Marian, coming from Rose's old room, cameolike but as Marian herself, pleading for "granddaddy" to take her to his heart. Sentiment, but sentiment that rings true. JPhe curtain found the old man's icy heart thawed out. The act in the hands of any one but Mr. Crane would not last long in vaude- ville. But with William H.—there is only one Bill Crane—acting as Crane of old within a time limit that had him cramped perhaps, the responsive touch of stage nature reaches right out and grips the old hearstrings. It's human, but humanity that is deftly, adroitly and naturally played by one of Amer- ica's best known legitimate character comedians. That's worth knowing and worth respecting. And Mr. Crane, with Miss Grey, can ride right along the circuit and demand and receive at- tention and applause. At the Palace the act at times caused hearty laughter and received the closest attention, the finish getting applause that evidently warmed the cockles of the veteran actor's heart. Mark. The Paldrens (4). Acrobatic. 10 Mint.; Full Stage. Two women and a man in acrobatics, performed upon a crude looking ap- paratus that detracts, though the tricks are somewhat sensational. They appear rather old in the present man- ner of presentation. It's a matter of showmanship. Mary Marble and Ce. («)• *In Far Cathay" (Fantasy and Cosnedy) 2t Mlns.| Full Stage (Special £«t). Fifth Avenue. "In Far Cathay" is Mary Marble's first individual starring attempt in vaudeville. For several years she co- starred in sketches with the late Sam Chip. Miss Marble's new playlet is set in Chinese. It is placed in the throne room, where she reigns as Princess. Her pet and constant com- panion is a tiger. Before the turn ends the animal impersonation has become as important as the star. For no very plain reason the Emperor sent by a messenger to the Princess on her birthday a silken rope to hang herself with instead of the costly present she looked forward to. A town crier in reading her fortune (after he had per- formed a prolog in 'one") told her to look for trouble that day, but said a great bird would rescue her. With the rope was a message she should be dead by sunset. As the sun commenced to beat it. over the hills, a whirring is heard above and the great white bird appears. He is a bird man, also named Dick Bird, and dressed in white. The Princess and the flier have a rapid love match. Although she confesses mar- riage is not her reason for a hurried departure, he insists they will bt mar- ried, even after she forced his promise to take the tiger along. And so they left. Where they went to no one knows, but the crier hopped out in "one" again to say they lived happy ever after, still reading from the book. Here and again through the turn were songs. One was a duet, sung by Miss Marble and the aviator. It didn't fit, for it's at least 20 years since even comic opera dragged in a number so abruptly. The Kings Messenger in very much char- acter costume sang about the bad man he was in diam, where he chopped off heads, illustrating the number with motions across his throat and a'horrid laugh that didn't get over. This player struck but an ordinary average. The flier could be taken by any singing juvenile. Miss Marble is cute and pleasing in this fantastic playlet, but the tiger impersonator lent the most value to the act. His animal work is subdued, nicely timed and one of the best animal skin performances vaude- ville has witnessed. It will greatly amuse at matinees. Miss Marble has a fair song in the "Bird" number. The other musical compositions are hardly worth while, but the mounting is. Be- sides the full stage setting is a special curtain for the "one" portions. The act may stand a good chance in the bigger houses, where Miss Marble is personally popular, but if it had to try on the material alone it might experi- ence hard travel. JSime. NEW SHOWS NEXT WEEK ReT. Frank Gorman. Songs and Talk. 13 Mins.; One. Orpheum, New Orleans. New Orleans, Nov. 28. Dressed in clerical garb, the Rev. Frank Gorman offers several ballads, a routine of stories, and concludes with a baseball poem. The program states he is the late pastor of the Atkinson Memorial Congregational Church of Portland, Ore. Most of the stories bear on his connection with the church. Mr. Gorman in the course of his re- marks frankly admits he is appearing in vaudeville for the money there is in it and winkingly derides Billy Sunday, whom he styles a friend, stating that Sunday's money would probably melt in his pockets after death. His admis- sion of a mercenary attitude seems in had taste for one of his calling. Mr. Gorman's voice is a light tenor. It earned him some attention. Several of his stories evoked scattered laugh- ter, but the conclusion of his con- tribution found the audience frigid. Vaudeville as a respecter of the cloth seems to have erred when it subscribed to a clergyman capitalizing his former religious connection, especially as he so frankly confesses it. Samuel. 3). "Blind Youth," Republic (Dec. 3). The Qraas Widow, Liberty (Dec. Hugh Herbert and Co. (2). The Lemon" (Comedy). 14 Mins.| Two (Special Drop). Fifth Avenue. The Hebrew sketches built for laugh- ing purposes more than anything else when well played appear to make an easy appeal. It partially arrives through the playing, for in that is included the delivery ofthe pointed lines, seemingly made <*.f quicker laughable point in the Hebrew and Italian dialects than in others. By reason of this "The Lemon," as played by Hugh Herbert and Co. may be set down as a comedy success. Not as big perhaps as expected nor as big an act as might have been looked for from Mr. Herbert, but it's a good laughing turn. Its story may hold it back somewhat, for that is quite well known of a kind. It's the writing, with the playing, that holds up the playlet. An elderly Hebrew who says he is an attorney walking down the street runs across an older friend, Jake, who pur- chased a small cigar store three weeks before for $600 to find it wks • lemon. There were no customers and no stock. The drop is a street scene, with the cigar store to one side and an empty store adjoining. Some one hat taken the other store. A carpenter working on it hangs out a sign reading it has been rented to the Union Cigar Stores. The young fellow who sold the active store to Jake is the pro- moter of the double-crossing deal. The young fellow appears. He won't talk to the lawyer, but receives a phone call saying the National Cigar Co. wants Jake's store for an opposition place to the Union. The young fellow after some talk and business pays $1,000 to the attorney to regain the lemon he had disposed of, and the cur- tain goes down to the lawyer (Mr. Herbert) saying he was the "National Cigar Co.," although how he could have deceived anyone with his accent re- mained unsolved. Sime. Count Peronne and Delyle Aide. Songs. Majestic, Chicago. "Cheer up, little small-timer, don't you cry, you'll be on the Orpheum by and by." This is what happened to the Count and his lovely partner, Miss Alda. And peculiarly, their offering is one which might be a failure on small time, but is assured of recog- nition and appreciation on big time. They sing, the Count in a resonant baritone and Miss Alda in a fine mezzo soprano. It is said that the Count is a regular, bona fide nobleman. He assuredly looks like one, and wears his correct evening dress most cor- rectly. It appears that he was an officer in the Italian army, was wound- ed, and turned to the stage here for surcease and support. He will get it, because the audience said so by its enthusiastic applause. Miss Alda, who in the spot looks like Ethel Barry- more, makes a fifty-fifty deal of the act. She contributes just as much as the Count. Between the two there is music—real music—good music—for which Allah and Alda be praised! Sluing. Mme. Worden's "Birds in Dreamland" (3). 10 Mins.; Full Stage (Special Set). 23d Street. A bird act with a talking cockatoo featured early in the turn. That seemed the best bit in it. The stage is set for a sky effect with the birds resting on the stars and moon. The usual tricks are gone through and a young girl at the finish pnscs with doves ("Of leace") flying to hi r. A man and woman in colonial dress arc the other mrmhers. As ;\ small-time opening turn it should do. (Continued on page 21.)