Variety (July 1919)

* '^-"v^'^vpj:" ',~~Vj;, '^f^^&'T^^ •'' ■--'," v%j" ,-"■ ■ -"" :■'-■■: "• ' ■ ■■'•.'' 'T*y^->-Si-; ■ 20 - SHO VIEWS *- :>'■ f SK - '" ■: '. : ■■■:.■ ■ mx ■* :■. ■ ;?. ■ .- : % I - bang of his eccentric style of comedy, it was pie for Felix. The vontrllocjulal bit captured the brown derby in the lengbty routine of "nut" stuff offered, Adler receiving commendable assist- ance from Francis Ross and a stage hand with a natural sense of humor, not to mention a great comedy "pan." Gcorglc Price stopped the show, all of his imitations excepting Eddie Foy going over for a panic. The Foy impression flopped not be- cause of any lack of accuracy, but simply because tbe audience didn't know the sub- ject. Fannie Brlce seems to be the rock on which most of the' imitators stumble, Price being miles away from her mannerisms, dialect,etc. Notwithstanding that Brlce was Oeorgle's poorest, it got the most la tbe way of appreciation. The Ja-Da Trio, three uniformed gobs, started in at a lightning pace and managed to keep things humming continuously for eighteen minutes. The boys harmonize better than the average singing trio and handle com- edy in great shape. The blonde youth scored a separate applause hit with bis acrobatic stunts and mugging. Ernest Evans and four female assistants are offering a turn that ranks high as regards class. Evans possesses a pleasing personality and wears a dress suit like a fashion plate. Tbe girls are all talented, the music and songs offering a nice contrast to Evans' ball room . stepping. The quintet worked like beavers Monday night and deserved the rewards re- ceived. Swedish character comics are few end far between in vaudeville, and Ed. Brendel, of Brendel and Bert, should establish himself quickly in the metropolitan houses. Right now, Brendel Is inclined to exaggerate the character a bit for low comedy results. A little toning down of the rougher material now in use is also in order. Miss Bert han- dles the straight acceptably and sings very well, owning a resonant contralto of unusual quality. The act.landed solidly. "Sweeties" seemed a bit quiet following three fast comedy turns. Lillian Berse and the male quartet worked hard to overcome tbe handicap and succeeded fairly. McKay and Ardine on third were one of the big hits of the evening, George McKay's dancing and Ardlne's cuteness of manner doing the trick. About ten bows and a speech were their por- tion. D'Amore and Douglas (New Acts), a main duo, presenting a sensational' routine of equllibrlstlc and athletic stunts, closed and held about half a houseful. Bell. KEITH'S PHILA. Philadelphia. July 23. It has been raining here so long and the business at this house has been so big, no matter what kind of weather comes along, that It is getting to be a guessing contest whether its the weather or whether it's not. Seriously ■peaking, or writing, however, the rain seems to have everything and everybody full of the gumps, except the managers of tbe theatres which will remain .open. Ihey have no room to kick, but It is simply murdering the out- door amusement enterprises. For the past week or two the shows at Keith's have been running pretty strong to comedy, but this. week considerable of the class and color variety was sandwiched In and the result was the same, a jammed house for tbe opening show . on Monday and with the rain coming down in torrents. Amelle Stone and Arman Kallz are topping the bill in their new operetta, "A Song Ro- mance." The new vehicle lacks the snap and comedy of their former offerings, being tiore dainty and without as much plot to It \b "M'lle Caprice." It is a sort of scries of longs depicting romance In various form, and gulte catchy. It is also prettily staged and tostumed and Paul Pnrnell assists at the piano. The music is catchy and handled In the delightfully pleasing manner which has pado this couple great favorites here. It was well received, each of tbe numbers setting excellent returns. The offering of Maryon Vadle and Ota Gygl was also a classy bit. Oygl drew down the bulk of the applause for his excellent violin numbers, but for some reason or other, Miss Vadie did not dance with .her usual grace and vigor. Probably the pretty dancer bad a long ride from the last stand or the weather may have effected her. but she did not display her well remembered Rprlgbtllness. except In the closing number which was fully up to what we know she can do. The net did very well, however, getting plenty of applause and taking several bows at the finish. »:. ■ i ; -'• The honors were pretty well distributed among the remaining acts on the bill. Wil- liam Sully and Genevieve Houghton got a lib- eral share of the recognition with a neat singing and dancing turn. They have mixed in a little breezy crossfire chntter that gets them some laughs, but the dancing of the two, particularly one eccentric bit by Sully was sufficient to set them In right with the house. Miss Houghton disclosed a voice of good quality In her solo number and they, closed to a big band with a speedy dnncinji bit that also showed Miss Houghton can use her feet. Burns and Frablto were next to closing with' their Italian comedy turn and did very well with it, though there is plenty of room for them to brush up to the talk. The balloon bit Is still good for laughs, but thero is not much to the rest of the talk and the songs and Instrumental music did n lot to help the boys finish to a good hand. Fred Fenton and Sammy Fields were a Inughlng hit with their blackface comedy turn. Tho boys work fast and energetically on their comedy, tho gags used In connection with cnrrylng various o\>-\ Jects from one side of t he stago to another , being handled for plenty of laughs. They also I do some stepping which makes it doubly hard for tho acts that follow them with dancing. There was more stepping in the act of Eddie Weber and Marlon Rldnor, but as they got tho first crack at the house, they had It somewhat easier than tho others. They are a lively pair and held down the early In excel- lent shape. Novelty offerings opened and closed the bill. Beula Kennedy, "The Girl in tbe,Air" was first to show. Sbo has given a new* twist to the bit of projecting the singer over the audience in a basket and got away nicely with It, but her songs are none too well selected. She gets close to the right mark with "How'd You Like to Be My Dad- dy?" but a couple of good, snappy songs would help the act. It is all there on looks. Bossye Clifford closed the show with a series of pretty poses. She has changed her pictures and has developed several very pretty effects which were attractive enough to keep those in front seated until' she appeared for her final pose, that of the Statue of Liberty. Master Gabriel was given a spot In the early half of tbe bill and did just fairly well with a Bketch, called, "Little Kick." This Is not up to what Gabriel has done In vaudeville In tbe paBt and it does not show the little comedian off to his full worth. Gabriel Is a clever artist, ons who can read lines Intelli- gently and get all there is to be had out of the business of the role that suits him. In his old "Buster Brown" characters be was mote than a "cute" comedian, which he seems to be- aiming for now, and if he is to remain in the two-a-day it would be a good idea for him to start tfter a new vehicle for the coming season. KEITH'S, BOSTON. July 23. The termination of the street car strike brought an almost capacity house on an ex- ceptionally sultry night, with a-medlcore bill which lacked even a feature summer headline. The bill was a cleverly laid out bit of book- ing In view of the probable amount of money spent, and with tbe juggling of places of two of the feature acts It made really an enjoy- able midsummer night entertainment. Eduardo and Elisa Canslno are perhaps tbe surest fire dancing act that has booked Into Boston, and Monday night the audience gave them even a more cordial reception than upon their last engagement here only a short time ago. It 1b an Ideal summer act In that this team are able to put over three really strenuous numbers without any evidence of the perspiration and generally suffering appearance of the average hard-working act during the torrid season. Marie Nordstrom in her little character gem was another refreshing spot on the bill, and she apparently has solved the psychology of a sweltering summer audience's whim. The Dixie Duo, comprising Lieutenant Noble Slssle and "Eubie" Blake, was placed In an unexnlalnedly prominent place on the bill, possibly because of tbe fact that Lieutenant Slssle was formerly a member of Europe's SiWtb U. S. Infantry Band. It was in Boston that Lieutenant Europe was murdered by one of the members of the famous band. The Dixie Duo as an act was saved from what otherwise would have approached a flop by the last encore, when he put across one of Lieu- tenant Europe's compositions based on going over the top across "No Man's Land." He put into this the pep and enthusiasm that he should have put Into his entire act If he ever wants to justify tbe billing that he Is being given In Boston this week. "Indoor Sports" proved to he n genuine sum- mer novelty in the line of a comedy playlet, and It caught the house just right from the time tbe curtain went un and tbe audience was still chuckling when the next act came on. Tho scene of two typical family parlors In a small apartment house with the corridor in between tickled .the . risibilities of the audi- ence long before the two young men enrae along and had a long argument In the corridor as to the safest way of making way In the respective parlors successfully without becom- ing actually entangled in the bonds of matri- monial promisee. DeLane and Pike opened in a really credit- able acrobatic act, which they insisted upon crabbing, according to Hoyle, by trying a dance that they couldn't put across and by attempting some comedy stuff which they ap- parently lacked the stage presence to be able to put across effectively. Their actual acro- batic work was so good, however, that the audience cheerfully forgave them for the lapse Into what is unfortunately becoming almost the custom among opening acts of this sort. Jennie Mlddleton is an unusually charming little violinist, giving the effect of immaturity by clever hair dressing and a neat little cos- tume. What little technique she may have lacked she more than made up with a winsome smile and a childish face, and she closed with the audience anxious for more. Joseph E. Bernard and MIsb Ninlta BrlBtow In the time- honored classic entitled "Who Is She?" went over just as big as ever before. An act of this sort giving the very human and realistic quarrels of a couple married only a few weeks cannot help but go strong, as every married person In the audience appreciated its realism nnd every unmarried person In the audience laughed hilariously at what they fondly imagined was travesty. George Austin Moore, whose seven months oversens with the "Over There Theatre League" was carefully exnlalncd on the pro- gram, put over some bewhlskered stories camouflaged with a very clever coon dialect remarkably well considering the material he Is using. His uniform had tho house guessing, but tho consensus of opinion was that It was based on what an actor felt a Y. M. C. A. hut worker should look like when attired in all h ja hut raiment. The Ishlkawa Brothers closed and held the house remarkably well despite the heat and a bill that ran fully 15 minutes over summer schedule. These four Japs work without osten- tation, and undoubtedly have some of the most difficult hand equllibrlstlc stunts that are be- ing done on the stage today, and the finesse with which they put their feature specialities over is remarkable. Len Libley. , -AMERICAN ROOF. St. Swlthln and Jake Lubln were responsible for the capacity attendance at tbe Roof Mon- day night. The eight act bill, proceeded by a two reel comedy, played to good results. Resista, the 85 pound (billing) young lady, who resists all efforts to raise her from the floor, was the headllner and topped the bill In point of Interest. She Is assisted by a female announcer who explains all about dead weight, etc, and then Resista goes Into the audience and succeeds In foiling all tbe ef- forts of the huBkles. Returning to the stage a "plant" committee of six descend the ros- trum and go in for lifting and comedy. The closing trick, is to place most of the com- mittee on one end of a see-saw while another uses her weight resistance as a fulcrum to raise about 750 pounds.' She makes a quick change on the bows. It's a corking small time feature and held interest throughout. Newell and Most were second and the "Four Cliffords," a hard working colored combina- tion, overcame the first spot handicaps. The second combination are an artistic lit- tle couple, but could have ducked the last number. They vocalize well together In a quiet way and both are good steppers. For an encore they are using a "Blues" number with the boy strumming a banjo. Two (New Acts) followed and Wazzons and Bard and Bann. Millard and Doyle opened after Intermission and pulled down one of the hits of the bill. They are a well appearing duo and can har- monize with the best. The Bride & Groom number is a gem, but the tough double at the finish detracts from the artistic impression. They are big timers if they watch their ma- terial. Armstrong and Smith had the next to clos- ing position. It is a two man pianist and Kltfger combination with the musician leaving the piano to Join in a double with wooden guns, for tbe finish. The material used In crossflring has all been released. The vocal- ist gets laughs by maltreating bis own straw hat, later serving his partners chapeau like- wise. The opening solo is a nut song followed by "Another Good Man. Gone Wrong," heard In "Attaboy." Then the pianist has a eolo and the comic comes back with a recitation which isn't particularly funny. For an en- core they sing "I Ainten Gotten." The act is all right for tbe pop bills, but lacks the class to advance. The comic takes his au- dience for granted and their Is always the temptation to fool him. Esquimo and Seals followed by the Uni- versal Weekly closed. The Seals held them In and are a finely trained combination. The man's kindly attitude toward his bread win- ners might he a good example for some of the trainers seen recently. The animals do nose juggling, walk a rope and balance a hall while so doing and the big trick is playing "My Country 'Tls Of Thee." It's a dandy closer. Con. FIFTH AyE. If the electric fans were as continuous at the 5th Avenue as the performance. It miefrt not be as warm In the house. Although Bill Quaid may be unaware of the fact, those fans whirring would not injure the results for some of the slngerB, nor drown the volume of their notes. When a dumb act is on the fans run, but with n talking act they are off. That's milte all right. But when a singer is singing lot 'em go, and If the act or acts wish to place tbe blame on something use the orchestra. Almost any act will be safe blaming the 5th Avenue orchestra. But keep the fans working. Otherwise the bill the first half was a small- time affair, with d counle of blg-tlmers thrown In to stand It off. This gambling with the weather hasn't boen so much of a gamble of late. Everything that breaks as far as the nubile Is concerned sort of appears to break for the theatres and restaurants. Hot for four days, and to hear tbe managers talk one could tmaerlne they were making plans to visit the bankruptcy court. Then It rains for two weeks, even on Sunday, knocking out the base- ball crowd, but driving them Into the theatres. Tt's not hard to believe the stories of "Wall Street" wanting to throw $150,000,000 or so Into the show business or buy tip the picture houses with a couple of trillion more. • Polly Dass, an animal act, opened the bill, with a full attendance In the seats. The turn got lauehter toward Its'close with a boxing nony. Next were Work and Kelt, talking acro- bats. They talked rather much, and, though the talk sounded slim, their acrobatics got them something, for they are good acrobats and wear evening clothes. The combination seems to be composed of Work, formerly of Work and Ower, and Kelt, of the Kelt-DeMont Trio. In a little family spat skit, Grew and Pates got themselves liked more by the smartness of somn of the patter than the smoothness of It or the two principals. It Is a series of cross- fire dining, with tbe husband taking tbe meaty end, making the wife the butt, with mother-in- law getting many a body blow through re- marks about her. In truth ah* got more blows than laughs. If Grew and Pates should want to extend this skit It would need only the Introduction of the mother-in-law In eccen- tric person to make it more hefty In composi- tion. And even then it would not resemble other skits' any more than the present two- ' act does. Some of the dialog la nicely tamed with a good deal shoved in for a laugh, which It secures. The turn should do nicely early on the smaller big-time even with the pathos left In. Tbe bill had two singles, <nan and woman. The latter was Nora Norlnce, with the usual assortment of numbers that the average single woman now carries, even to the Chinese bit, seated within a curtain. Miss Norlnne has a pleasant voice of much better quality than most singles who handle popular numbers. She increased in favor as she proceeded, one new popular number sending her over at the finish, with the girl taking several unjusti- fied bows. Miss Norlnne should train herself to deliver popular songs with catch lines in more of a recitative manner. "~ After was "For Pity's Sake," the comedy sketch that can't miss. About the only other title on the billboards was that owned by Grew and Pates. Their act's title Is "Ha, Ha, Ha," probably to be used either before or after. Mllo was next to closing, and Ritchie and St Onge closed the show. Bime. 58TH STREET. John Le Clair, with a slide heralding htm as the oldest active Juggler in vaudeville, fortified with a background in the form of a drop in "three" enumerating the old-time per- formers with whom he had worked, opened the vaudeville after the Klnograms news reel exhibition. Wheeler and Porter, a neat couple In a well written little song, dance and cross- fire skit, acquitted themselves creditably and merited a better spot. Charles B. Lawlor and his daughters entertained during the 16 minutes they were on. Mack Bennett's "Try- ing to Get Along," which seemingly attempted no trial at sidestepping any forms of vul- garity, split the bill here. The more vulgar he became, however, the more hilarious were the uproars of laughter, so he accomplished his purpose of producing a really funtr^;pic- ture. 5 Coakley and Dunlevy found favor with the audience In a trench skit Both are In blackface, the comedian attempting most of the warbling. His "Somebody's Waiting for Someone," employed as a theme number, went big for him. They encored with an ancient "Navy" number. Ellis and Irwin are a para- dox. Why, blessed as they are with powerful voices, they should Introduce their act with the Inane "sketch" form, Is a mystery. When they will take Into consideration the fact that they are up there to entertain primarily, they will, without doubt, acknowl- edge that the five minutes taken up In reading, their weak and meaningless lines. Is a waste of time. Besides It slows up the entire rou- tine. After this waste of minutes, they cape Into "one" for ballad solos a piece, finishing with a parody on a medley of operatic and classic strains. They were sent off big, hot left 'em hungry, almost causing a stoppage of the show. — Black and White, two misses, clad In pajamas, with the auto-suggestive scene of milady's boudoir for locale, furnished down to the Inevitable four-poster, went through a neat routine of acrobatics, exercises and tumbles. It's big time for them. Louis Glaum In the "Saraha" film concluded the program. Abel. HAMILTON. ThiB Is the final vaudeville week at the Hamilton. The house will close next Sunday. July 27, and after renovations, will resume with feature pictures exclusively, Labor Day. Incidentally during alterations tbe manager and all attaches of the house will be retained. For the final week the show did not average "o to the regular standard. It appeared as though the entertainment was booked from an economical standpoint. In view of the house darkening the same week. A McCarthy and Fisher, song plugger, ap- peared at 8:90, followed by Gallando. who gave the show a slow start This artist exe- cutes a series of character faces by adding and 'subtracting from a ball of clay or some other like substance. Some of the faces can be recognized Immediately, but others are not so good. Bennington and Scott in "Three Yards of Comedy," were delegated No. 2 spot, and aside from the male member who has only one leg, nnd kicks a Diece of cardboard out of her hand at a height of 6 feet, the combination fallB to arouse much attention. His appear- ance undoubtedly threw a sad atmosphere over the house bringing back to memory of some of the recent horrors caused by the world war. Although the combination received suf- ficient applause to prove their worth, it ap- peared as though sympathy was the cause. A comedy playlet, entitled "All Wrong," split the bill and sure has the correct title. The author must have been thinking of the demise of John Barleycorn, or some like sub- ject, at the time of writing this playlet, for it is absolutely devoid of Interest. It em- plovs a man and woman, supposed to be mar- ried. Following a few minutes, concerning family troubles, she goes to sleep and dreams that he answers the telephone and plans to go back to Chicago to hla wife. Following her awakening the phone rings again, she In- terrupting his endeavors to answer isme, saying, "Let's go to bed." The curtain drops to the relief of the audience. Smith and Baker (New Acts) followed and have ability. but no material. Barnes and Freeman, In next to closing spot, was the first and only act on the bill to secure the entire favor of the house. They are a laughing hit. Adonis and Dog concluded tho vaudeville for the evening, with Wallace Reld In "Your Fired" picture, being more enjoyed than the entire vaudeville bill.