Variety (July 1919)

"" ""^^^fl^^pp^pw^^w & H 0 W R E V I E i. p. i. - !■:. .■ 19 = i • : ,■"■'■ f KEITH'S PHILADELPHIA. Philadelphia, July 10. Manager Harry Jordan seems to hare hit upon the right policy (or the summer season In making up his bills on an even balance Instead of one or two big feature acts sur- rounded with an ordinary show, and It li prov- ing its effect In the business this house baa been doing despite the hot weather. The Mon- day matinee this week was played to a well filled bouse, with a sell-out In the balcony and the lower floor more than three-quarters sold. The billing honors were well divided among five acta, one being a local dancing turn and the other four names which are well known without having any particular drawing power. Harry Watson, Jr., the former "Follies" star, had the preferred position in the billing, and proved his ability to hold it by putting over a smashing bit hit. Watson in the telepbone bit and the boxing bout from ' "Odds and Ends" was here only a few months ago, but he repeated In great shape, keeping the house laughing every minute be was on the stage and getting a lot of applause. It la all Watson in this act, but he has a com- pany of five which helps fill out in a vary satisfactory way. While' Watson was the laughing bit, Venlta Gould drew down the applause laurels with ber series of Impressions of stage stars. Particularly good were the Imitations of Lenore TJlrlo and Julian Bltinge. She also handled the dramatlo bit ot Mary Nash in "The Man Who Came Back" in ex- ceptionally good style, and her George Cohan number was a riot. Miss Gould might drop the Bert Williams poker game bit and also the Eva Tanguay imitation. These are her weakest numbers, and she Is clever enough to select something she can do better and which have not been done so often by others. George Austin Moore worked under a handicap. He wore the uniform of the Overseas League which entertained the soldiers, and told a Ipt of stories and sang a couple of songs. Nearly all of his stories, however, have been done here before, some of them as many as a half dozen times, and, while Moore tells them in negro dialect and injects a lot of personality into his work, the fact that Will Creasy, Leo Donnelly and several others are telling the same stuff ahead ot him does not give him a fair chance. He did score a big applause hit, however, for he has it all over the others in the telling ot his stories and made every one at them sound good. Irving Fisher, who ap- peared here some time ago and later in one of the legitimate theatres with Nora Bayes, is trying out a "single" whleb was very well received without getting all that a single ot Fisher's ability ought to have had. His pro- gram of songs is none too well arranged, but after his second, a number that sounded as If it might have been written for the tenor and chorus In a musleal show, he struck the right path and followed it through to a good sized applause hit Fisher has a spendld voice and knows how to sing. He also has appear- ance and the advantage of what was gained through association with Miss Bayes. It all depends now on what songs be sings. The local turn was offered by Marguerite Mac- Carton and John Marrone, a couple who have a large local following through their appear- ing at Atlantic City, at private dances and the better class of cabarets, where they have been featured. They did three numbers, one of which was a revival of the "Apache" and which did not add anything to their act The first and last numbers were splendidly done, par- ticularly the whirlwind bits In each. These are nicely handled, with one or two twlsta which seem new, and they brought the couple good returns. While the act has a local draw, there Is no reason why they could not continue In vaudeville, but with a substitute for the "Apache," which has long since out- lived Its usefulness. Helen Oleason and Arthur Jarrett were very well liked In the one-act comedy, "Stateroom 19." The lines of the sketch have been changed somewhat since It was shown here last, taking It away from whatever war atmosphere there was In It, but it still remains a very pleasing sketch, with some good lines aBd business, and It Is splendidly played. The Four Bolses closed the show with a good-looking casting act that con- tains a little comedy done by one of the three men. The comedian is also the star flyer of the outfit, and has some very showy tricks. Black and White, a couple of girls, open the show with a neat acrobatic turn. Demsreat and Doll got by nicely on the piano playing of the man. The girl has a good voice, but aside from one number does not use it to advantage. A little more singing and not so much dancing and comedy would improve the act all 'round. KEITH'S, BOSTON. Boston, July 16. Viewed from the angle that a vaudeville show should be one that Includes a series of offerings producing laughter or stir the au- dience by means of novelty, the show at the Keith house this week could not be beaten. About everything that the general public has come to believe goes to make up vaudeville was Included in the bill. For the most part It is a good show, but there are three acts in the fore part which the audience did not enthuse about and unfortunately the closing act, while a good one for a "closer" was a bit too long to hold sustained interest. This is an unfortunate condition which exists more often than it should, and when a show runs late, as the Monday night one did, such c condition is most noticeable. Twice at the Monday night performance the' show was in danger of being stopped and on neither occasion was the headline act respon- sible for this condition. Once it was Nat Nazarro, Jr., and his "Jazs" and which al- most kept the swivel arrangement that de- notes the coming acts on the Keith program* from doing Its duty on schedule and the other act which Jumped into this dais was Fallon and Brown which followed immediate- ly after Nazarro. The "Creole Fashion Plate," is the house headllner this week. The advertisements car- ried about the show and the position be oc- cupies on the bill, being next to closing, prove that this was the Idea in billing him. But a vaudeville audience Is a peculiar one and they choose to elect Nazarro and his "Jazz" band and Fallon and Brown. In the "Creole Fashion Plate" the program stated the au- dience would Bee a delineator of song and fashion. The performer's falsetto voice was wonderful for its kind. Not a falter In his singing and even the throaty sounds which cannot very well be avoided in an aot such asthls were well timed and well governed. A special drop is used, the act is pretentiously staged and the two coBtumes worn by him before he drops his female impersonation stuff were creations. He used two songs, of the "rag" sort in his female end of the act and sang a splendid ballad when he dropped Into his true personality. He did not do an encore at the Monday night show, although he might have done one by stretching things Just a bit. Since the days when Julllan Bltinge appeared in vaudeville a female Impersonator such as this one haa not been seen here and that he got away with it could be told when one petite little blond in the audience audibly gasped and stared ber astonishment when the denouement came. It can readily be seen why there Is some little fuss over who is responsible for the talents of Nat Nazarro, Jr., after watching him perform. Here is a "Jazz" artist of the first water, as Bostonlans are wont to regard them. From the minute he appears on the stage until he disappears In the wings In a flip-flop to the strains ot a "Jazz" number being performed by that splendid TJ. 8. At- lantic Jazz: Band, there isn't a dull second. He sings, dances, leads the band like a Crea- tore, plays a bass viol and seems to enjoy working. For the band but the highest praise is due. They worked like demons, despite the heat ot the evening, "Gobs" are not ex- pected to be dignified, and neither is a "Jazz" band. While it may be a bit out of order to compare Nazarro with "Frisco" still it is not amiss to say that as a "Jazzer" he made a decidedly better Impression on Bostonlans than did "Frisco." The show was stopped and the house could have stood for/ an hour of the kind of stuff that was being shot over. On one of the most difficult spots in the bill Fallon and Brown scored heavily. Hav- ing little except their personalities and a gift of putting things over right to recom- mend them they went big. Fallon's antics are of the laugh producing sort, sure to score, his imitations of Bert Fttzglbbons be- ing perfect, and hie partner can sure sing the old ballads. Why. the house even stood for army Jokes from them, and It that Isn't Indicative at how they were getting over nothing Is. Kartell!; a Juggler on a wire, opened the sbow. He Is worthy of a better place on the bill as he pulls some stunts which appear very difficult, whether they are or not. In 2 position Is Ed Morton who sings some songs and then proceeds to hold a burlesque' town meeting with the topics that are brought up being dwelt on In song by him. Prohibi- tion, suffrage and other topics were picked for his efforts. His act is a good one. with but one drawback—be Is forced to laugh at his own stuff to get the act across, and oh how easily an audience tires of that. In- cidentally the vote he took on the prohibi- tion business at the Monday night show dis- closed a big majority In favor of the "wet" condition. __ Paul Decker and his company In an act entitled "The Ruby Ray" went rather flat. Through no fault of his own, Decker has to appear most egostlstlcal to get his act across and in so doing loses much of his attractive- ness. It Is even necessary for one of the females in the act to announce him as a wonderful dresser, which be Is. This acts depending to a great extent on farcical situ- ations and utternces which border on tbe bur- lesque, It drags easily and, sod to relate, did this at certain times at the Monday night show. Sherman and TTttry have a novelty skit with music. As far as the skit Is concerned it could well be dispensed with, being but at? excuse for Uttry to relate a eulogy about an old race horse that kept him from the poor house. But their singing Is good. She does better than Dttry at all stages of the game. And Just a little tip to him, our principal and only promenade of fashion is "Tremont street." not "Tremont avenue," as he stated Monday night. If he ever plays Boston again he might do well to remember this. Frank Davis and Delle Darnell in a com- edy, "Birdseed," wont over big. Davis Is responsible for most of the success of the skit, as he Is one of the best rapid-fire talkers ever seen on the stage. It Is a novel act, one well worth seeing. BfBsln Clifford In an act called "Art Im- pressions," closes tbe show. It Is a real novelty, she posing In one position and then by a series of spot lights and other light ar- rangements of the kaleidoscope order being thrown Into view as tho central figure Irf several tableaux. Len, Libbm/. AMERICAN ROOF. Monday night and everything was quiet on the roof. None of the nine acts were able to rouse anything that approached enthusiasm from the regulars. Business was aided and abetted by the cool breezes, the lower portion being nearly rapacity. The nine-act bill left a lot to be desired, probably the reason was three "dumb" acts who were placed first, third and closing. Brown's Novelty Canines, one of the three, opened and proved a good lead-off turn. The dogB are well trained, and the oloslng trick with Brown balancing three of the dogs oh a slender pole was applauded. Edna Lee (New Acta) was second and got away nloely. She was followed by Blnns ft Bert, two male acrobats, who featured lifting and ring work. They have s good turn of their class, but weren't placed right in the trey spot Cook and Vernon followed and had tough sailing until they slammed over a couple of double vocal numbers that landed them solidly after a start that prefaced a possible flop. Some of the dialog is worth while, but there Is altogether too much of it Their vocalizing got them the moBt, and they should stick to it. A Chinese number was well handled. The girt is using too much make-up, it being partic- ularly noticeable in a colored spot. "Somewhere in France" closed the first part. It Is a male quaretet using a trench episode for a vehicle and going In for characters. The vocalizing is worth while, but they read lines amateurishly. The Englishman, a red- nosed type, Is the only exoeptton. He Is a natural comic and pulled laughs without effort. The dialog is weak, most of the comedy being aimed at the Scotchman's kilts. The one doing "Irish" doesn't look in character and shouts his lines with poor dialect The roof liked them, however. After intermission,' Ed Phillips livened the show somewhat with a routine ot popular num- bers and Borne new sounding gags. Phillips pulled a very good eccentric dance at the finish, featuring some high kicks and run- ning to a split He delivers a song in the familiar qulvery torso manner and makes a neat appearance in a tuxedo suit Phillips can't miss on the small time and should de- velop. Pearl Bindelar and Co was the sketch offer- ing on next . It's a well constructed little com- edy and the people are above the average as readers. Miss fllndelar, as the actress trying to make a touch to get her troupe out of town, Is a clever performer. Tbe old gentle- man about to a marry a 22-year-old widow Is capably handled, and the son, also about to embark on the sea of matrimony, deserves mention. The finish is a trifle weak, and with this remedied It looks like a blg-tlmer. Frazer, Bunco and Harding are showing a new member in place of Moran, their former partner. In next-to-elosfng spot with well- wTltten medleys and high appearance average, they were the bit of the apathetic bill. They are pleasing vocalists, and the finish announced "As the Men Behind the Men Behind the Oune"—a dandy number. They are garbed as army cooks and have a vocal routine about food that is consistent and likable. Ohlvo ft Chlyo closed. The woman In this turn is evident]v a Caueaslon, but tries hard to disguise It when making an announcement They open with team dancing, tbe man a Jap wearing evening clothes. The woman's ab- normal leg development makes this kind of work look very awkward. She solan a dance featuring hpek steps. Then some,body bal- ancing by the man, followed by leg Juggling. On the woman's announcement,;that a cake walk would follow the walk-out started. They did well considering. / Con. I ' weekly and a feature. The overture started things about 8.20, which Is a little late for tho house. Russell and DeWItt (New Acta), a two- man acrobatlo dancing act with some comedy, failed to get very much from the audience, although the boys working In one really de- livered. The Columbia City Foar, in the second spot, started nicely with a lively medley, but flopped In between that and tbe closing number. The latter was the medley of tbe "Frencby" songs, and with a final chorus in Yiddish it went over> with a bang to the City audience. Their encore got them away nicely. Tbe Liberty Dancers (New Acts), a classical dancing turn with six girls, proved to be a sort of a betwixt and between turn, a little classical stuff, a touch of pony ballet and than a dash of Jaw. It looks, as tbe name also suggest!, like an act that haa been working the camps The news weekly split the bill after that turn. Following tbe picture, with rather a handi- cap staring her on the face, Marva Wrenn (New Acts) came along and was the first act of the bill to really start anything. She virtually stopped the show with her modified shimmy shiver at the finish. Then James C. Morton end Co. -(the letter comprising his wife, son and daughter) tied the show right up in knots. The act is a little long and some of the talking business "seenm to have been repeated too often, but there was laugh after laugh In the act. When the. youngsters feel a little more certain of themselves the new Morton fonr Is going to be a mighty fast moving combination tor comedy and danolng. Sid Turner (New Acts), with a piano player assisting, managed to fare very well indeed in the next-to-cloelng spot, following the tremendous hit ot the Mortons. Bongs and stories were the combination offered, and he managed to put both over In good shape. The Yalta* (New Acts) dosed the hill. It Is e ballroom dancing aot of tbe variety that haa pretty muoh passed Into the discard by this time. Tbe feature picture was William Des- mond In "Bare-Fisted Gallagher." FreoT. 23RD STREET. This house probably has a minimum stage crew and the first half the boys back stacre had a vacation, for the entire six-act bill worked down on the apron. Nothing was fur- ther back than "two." and the majority of turns called for "one." Tuesday evening with a good house In the show ran to pop form, and though a bit shy on laughs went over well, the fact that no full stage offerings were present not figuring In any way. Zelaya. the Central American pianist, won the show's hit In fourth position. He does more talking than playing, but bis chatter appears to be of considerable aid, es- pecially for small time audiences. He an- nounced that he would play a Granada selec- tion and then explain why Americans liked ragtime or Jazz in preference to classical music. Instead he preluded a one hand rendi- tion of "The Rosarv" by a monolog anent nn accomplished friend's experience in the war. This chap bad enlisted and had lost his right arm in action. Recently Zelaya had called upon the hero, whom he declared could play better with his left hand than he formerly could with both. The talk on ragtime then followed, and after a medtted number he went off to big returns, well earning an en- core. On that occasion he said he believed that current popular muslo waa beginning to be tinged with classical melody after all, and took oportunlty to boost a young' composer, Lee Davey, also a friend, whose number, "Romance," he played. Hampton and Blake did nicely next to clon- ing, and tbe girl of the duo came out with the comic of the Argonne Five (New Acts), who closed the vaudeville section of the show. Mary Howard and Co. with a surprise finish nklt made a pleasing Interlude on third. Num- ber two was occupied by Blaine Oordon In a song and musical routine (New Acts). That still very skillful old-timer, John Le Clair, opened the Bbow cleverly as usual. Jbec, CITY. The early section of tbe show at the City the first half was utterly lacking In pep. Perhans it wasn't so much the fault of the acta themselves, for the orchestra seemed to be very draggy and lacking In any animation that was expressed In their playing. This naturally deadened things for all concerned. The bill was a seven-*act show with a news ■'V jflSl JEFFERSON. .--i^t^ui' Pleasing pop vaudeville bill of seven acts at the Jefferson the first half, with business holding up nicely for midsummer. Murray Bennett grabbed off the lion's share of ap- plause, stopping the show next to > closing. Bennett gets a lot out of hts material, hand- ling both songs and stories equally well. »Jack Stern and the Dawson Sisters also chalked up a high score with their neatly costumed sing- ing and dancing turn. Stem, unlike most piano accompanists in acts ot this character. has a good singing voice and an excellent understanding of song delivery- The girl* dance acceptably and aid the general effect immeasurably, by their stunning appearance, Rlgo, the Oyjsy fiddler, put over three semi- classical selection with fair results. Tool and Fuji, gymnaRtlo combination consisting of a Jap and white woman, offer an entertaining routine on the Spanish rings. The oloslng stunt In which the Jap mattes a dead weight lift of bis rmrtner from the floor to ati altitude of five feet, while reclining on his hack, Is a corking exhibition cf strength. Spencer and Rose, conventional two man singing and stepping duo. fared very well as long as they stuck to hoofing. Tf the hovs' must talk and comede a •'nod vaudeville dor- tor should be consulted. Their present linn of hnkem Is too passe even for the small timer*. It mUM be a good Idea likewise tor the tesnv; to decide which Is to b* the comic An the turn Is now arranged both try for the laughs, with poor results. , Rwatn's Cats and Rats has an element of novelty absent In the malorltv «f »nlmnl turn*. The rodents perform saveml difficult tr'nfcs and the tabbies dlsnlav unusual Intelligence. . A bexlne bout between two of the cat* it nicely w ^-irM hb. m"trtn«r • fl r*t r**e fln'rt. Reslsta landed solMlv at the JeeVrsen. end. ceuld undoubtedly duplicate Its bit 1" the bigger houses. Bell. , t - *. -i HAMILTON. The show on s whole did nnt come up to lbs -•': '■■ 5" rerular "tandard. Nnt a *lnele set nn fh«» . • bill reallv had a good spot. Lorlng «nd'■■" Harvey (New ArtO onenefl, followed bv M1I- :,V lard and Tiovle (New Acts), with'neither dele- '. gated a beneficial snot. Celestial Duo. two sS Chinese musical entertainers, wsa the first set bS on the bill to receive the whole favor of the .' house. Applause for their contlnnatlnn lasted at less* 2 minutes after thslr exit. One of '.; them finally was forced to reappear bofnre the- ■]■: house would remain trantiull. Mumford and >-\ Stanley, although In No. 4 spot, which should, prove a suitable position for this combination,'.':.'*'- only followed a highly annlaudert ant. con- . •'"■• sequently two consecutive hit* were virtually In the centre of the bill. The oonole work . In "one," with one of the men dressed In over- alls working the comedy angle* via an assum- ed embarrassed attitude, Several ballad seleo- tlnns are then rendered, with harmony that ex- cels In the duo line. They should eliminate '. a little of their preliminary comedy work and dig right Into the song line, as It Is their main asset and something that can't possibly & miss. Emma Stevens, substituting for Blsls -..>•. White and Co. in next to closing spot, did not overwork herself. Hor ballad selections -, ■•;- were very much appreciated, but the Inaugura- tlon of several comedy numbers, which were virtually talked through, did not promote thing*. She has a good voice, wonderful par* son alt ty, and should stick to high-class ma- : ferial. The Runaway 4 (New Acts) closed the show, and have a variety aot that furnishes comedy aplenty and a surprise acrobatic finish. Sesaue Hayakawa In "Tbe Man Beneath** film kept them seated -until the and. Tf-7