Variety (September 1919)

MOV I N G P I C T U R E S AMONG THE WOMEN By PATSY SMITH In “.Society a la Carte” a couple of weeks ago was mentioned Jean Kay, the soubret, who was ill at the time. Her understudy was playing the par^t. Mr. and Mrs. Addison Fowler have arrived in the east. They do not wish to be associated by their California billing,' “The Castles of the West," pre- ferring to be recognized on their own. Despite the similarity of their style, neither has ever seen Mrs. Castle nor the lateWernon Castle, nor are they desirous of imitating them. Master -Don^d Fowler is an interested specta- tor along Broadway in his marine officer's uniform, and it is said he is some ambitious little dancer himself. There is a woman at the Riverside this week who,. if properly directed, should be the “Talk of the Town.”_She is Miss Juliet, a rai;e, natural mimic, whose wonderful elastic voice makes her “impressions” of celebrities appear realities. Not until'it was all over did she appear to notice a big bunch of red dahlias that some admirer had thrown from a stage box. A red net bustle dress was not bad, but not worthy of the artist, and her hair could be arranged more becomingly; and while these were details compared with her work, an exceptional frock and , novel staging would work wonders. . Julia Levolos (The Levolos) wore about the prettiest costume of the afternoon Monday, It was pink pussy- willow and turquoise ribbon, made soubret length. The skirt, full and puffy, was doubled up underneath quite to the waist without a suggestion, of a hem. A pink and blue mushroom poke had a silver lace brim. The Wilton Sisters’ madonna blue sequin wraps had deep circular collars of ermine, and dainty frilly cherry chiffon skirts had cherry pink sequin tunics, tied down in front with sequin covered tapes. The ^rls take their voices a little too seriously, especially the talky one, and need new songs. They have the knack of coaxing bows .down to a science. Mme. Burnell’s net gown and scarf train were appliqued with autumn leaves. A hugh green rope coiled about her body and one arm in an insidious manner. The Foy girls’r East Side muslin “Sunday frocks” were authentically correct, even to the negligible length of the ' ruffled pantalettes. The amateurish miss in the Bob Matthews and Co. act was in a regimental blue wool, one-piece dress, the tight waist and tucked skirt separated with a wide plain belt pf same. A rose velvet turban was encircled, and tied with a wide black sash, which hung down the back. Merle’s Cockatoos, flashing an abundance of "merle blue” plumage, and Myrle (of<Myrle and Delmar), on the same program at the Fifth Avenue, opening and closing the show the'first half, were a slight coincident. Bron- son and Baldwin were one of the fea- tures. Miss Baldwin’s pretty ward- robe of last season, looked quite fresh. A black .net apron and over-dress trimmed with marine blue sequins covers her pretty blue and silver frock, and her "Jacob’s coat” (quoting Mr. Bronson) still shows the “trail of the lonesome spine.” Ethel Clifton in French peasant attire offered a weird tale of devas- tated Belgium and Hun rape. America has read of all that horror and needs" no stage picture of it to spur her on now that she is in the fray. Fredericka Sims and her orchestra don’t seem to belong to each other, as it were. Opening with “If I Were Asked to Play a Part,” the song done so long by Rose Ponzello, she ap- peared in pink chiffon, a puffy head- ing of green and pink ribbon outlining the full silver lace flounce at bottom. For an old-fashioned girl number she wore two big blonde' braids _ and carried an odd cone-shaped knitting bag. In French blue smock and thrush colored velvet tarn and pants, one leg rakishly turned up, she sang of the^^ blind old Frenchman’s joy at hearing of the coming^ of the Aniericans. A cheery number here would help Miss Sims considerably. They are “some noise,” those “Monte Carlo Girls” at the Olympic this week. A wild and woolly, screeching, scream- ing lot that gave you a headache. There was some assortment of funny bob- bing heads in the Alexander Rag Time Band number at ojiening, for which the costumes were white satin unipn suits. Most of the girls had so much black on their eyes they looked like burnt holes. A few were neatly coiffmed and made up^ but the rest ([of those who have brushed their hair during thi,s engagement) had ^ horribly con- spicuous styles all their own. They surely cannot be blamed, however, iotr~ the made over, misfit costumes. ■ The less they had on the better they looked, which isn’t saying much at that. For the “Chorus specialties’’ number they were in black, full-length union suits, short black and_ White striped satin etons and black silk hats. In this num- ber Betty Palmer showed to best ad- vantage. She is ginger personified—a trifle bold, perhaps, but a corking good worker that the rest could well pat- tern by. The other “end girl” was conspicuous by reason iof neat appear- ance and a shrill whistling enpore verse (more headache music). Ameri- can Beauty and white satin striped | wraps, lined with purple, in the last abt opened up for a second, disclosing the girls in full fleshlings—even Violet Buckley, who led the number. There was a small cast—three women and four men (one colored). Sarah Hyatt was cast W-z "prima donna” role and set her Tight to it by getting away with a version of the Trio from “Faust” all by herself. She wore a few spectacular, costumes, but they looked home made. The most bizarre and yet the best looking had a ripple skirt of natural squirrel, cap and neck piece, while the bodice and long panel back were of cherry sequin cloth. For the “Faust” number she was in solid black Sequin cloth. Kitty Warren was the pjettiest girl in the show, but made more noise that meant nothing than the 'whole chorus together. Her costumes all looked untidy in some way—if the dress was good, the sash had lost its freshness, and with a lovely pink satin frock with dainty accordion plaited bloomers held in with tiny ribbon gar- lands, she wore dirty satin slippers. She looked best in pink silk and chiffon - pajamas. To Miss Buckley seemed to fall all the fresh pretty costumes,, or else she takes care of hers—anyway they showed up the others. Several ' had tulle skirts, one was of flesh net oyer ruffles of blue with long pointed girdle trimming of opalesques. There’s too much “hurrah” in this show over nothing. It looks as if they had thrown the book away (if they ever had one), and were trying to stall while thinking of something to do. The old- Collins and Hart business is the only real laugh in the show. JdMe O^MSers*" Japahesy costume, Effie Weston’s ' (Kerr and Weston) snappy clothes, Trixie Friganza’s nov- elty military wrap and Bessie Craw- ford’s pink satin sport suit have all been described in recent issues. How- eyer, Bessie Crawford wears blue satin slippers tied like ballet pumps with her f sport suit. All of these acts are in the first half of the Alhambra program this week. ; On first appearance Mary Cranston s long flaxen hair gave her an ethereal look that her later costuming denied. Her dainty orchid voile had an apron of ecru embroidered in brown. The new turn with Bryan Lee is spoiled by the incongruous dressing. Despite the pretty story of the sketch, her de- sire to dress like a Ziegfeld show girl almost ruins it. The white satin mili- tary costume was sufficient and if she must wear a wrap, and a white one, shb should get a white leather or satin military (or “"Over There” Entertain-, ment Unit coat)—something more ap- propriate for motoring or aeroplane flights than a brocade silk evening wrap. , ^ Ottie Ardine (McKay and Ardine) has an entire new wardrobe. Quite sanely, less extravagant than last year, but nevertheless quite as dainty. A hlack satin tailored suit dress showed flashes of white satin lining—collars, cuffs and vest. White ostrich pompoms posed jauntily on either side of a smart black satin toque. ' A maize georgette had fluffy petticoats of burnt orange and narrow ribbons di the orange trimmed silver girdlei and chapeau. Over a pink satin bodice and generous dancing skirt of chiffon, a delightful wrap of alternate panels of silver cloth and blue georgette was worn. Lola Girlie (with Jas Teihpleton— ' the long and shor| of it) was a sap- phire and iridescent butterfly in front of a full stage, spider’s web of rope. A goldeii rod satin drop had two huge butterflies On it. Gold net and lace as a matter of fact composed the / finale costume, but it was only worn for a minute as the curtain was rung down before they could possibly have completed their number. Why an act should be sacrificed by the manage-. ment, or why an artist should vyant to be sacrificed because they have to close the show is a mystery. The Fatty Arbuckle feature, "Thb Cook,” was not the least of the Fifth Avenue Theatre’s. attractions this week. The restaurant scene calls-for quite a display of evening frocks worn by attractive women. AUce Lake as the cashier comes in for Her due pun- ishment, 'which she gets in a dance with a strange partner. Watching with mir>th the funny antics of Buster Kea^ ton in this picture brings to mind some of the funny tales I have heard of Buster’s drilling in California pre- vious to his going “Over There.” ^ If Buster gets a chance in the front line trenches, and does a few of those funny falls for the enemy Hun, there will sure be a temporary cessation of hos- tilities, until they get through laugh- ing, and when they do the Yanks will doubtless be “over the top." Marguerite Clark, in “Out of a Clear Sky,” has a wide range of territory costuming and characters to cover. First as the Countess Celeste De Bersek (of Belgium) she is a formal “Lady" with a burden of worries even at 18. Then jumping to America she appears quite at home in the Southern mountain country—even in a rain- storm. Discarding her dignity and wet apparel at the same time, she shows herself in a calico gown and reaches out to her old "admirers for the first time in the picture. Two little co- workers, Bobby Connelly and his little girl sweetheart, not programed, were exceptionally good. Miss Clark knows how to wear any type of gown* and wear it well, but pi’fetentiouS styles or serious tailprmades rob her of much of her precious, youthful charm. WILLIAM RUSSELL in. “HOBBS IN A HURRY By George Lee McCandless Directed by Henry King ' A comedy-drama of the sure-fire kind. The action Is laid in New York City, aboard the top of a speeding passenger train, In a western mining field and in a private car of a millionaire, William Russell at his very best. Supported hy an all-star cast. First of the William Russell Productions sold direct to exhibitors through special representatives of the American Film Company stationed at Pathe exchanges. Wire, write ' ^ qr.call,in, person .at. your..nenrP5.l,PaU^ sec fh'fs productidh 6^^ You can booh it how, WILLIAM RUSSELL PRODUCTIONS Distributed by Path^