Variety (January 1920)

■ , \- .-^v '■>-.-^: ■ : ' '■^■"■'^'■f^V'''^^^ .- •■'.-- :. • ■ . '...• . • •.■:'' .• -. . ■-••'■' -'■: ■•■■•; ::• ■•'•■'■■:;■■.,;■ ■:.■■■ ,'''■"■' ■;"*••: ' .' / ■ \ -■ . i' ' - . " / ■ V ' r' - • ' 10 BURLESQUE \ '■'. ; ' -'..■-. ■'■'. ■; ' Y I 0.7: ;■ ■ft'." ?■■ ••■'■' <Vl GIRLS DE LOOKS. It's about due to burlesque that the Columbia Amusement Co.-bill its attrac- tions everywhere as "The cleanest show In town." The Columbia will be perfectly safe in doing: that, If It will oblige every show on the wheel to play as It Is made to play at the Columbia, New York. How that is to be accomplished before the show Hits New York is up to the Colum- bia people. But they had better go after this thing, for burlesque has a great big chance now. When one knows and thinks of every stage In New York where rag or jazz music 1b played showing the shimmy dance and finding it barred at the Columbia; where nearly every drama around Boradway Is built up or on sex; where musical comedies at $8 or more use "dirt" and other things; when "The Gold Diggers" can keep going in any house and holding enough of that Off color matter to fill Madison Square Gar- den twice dally If playing, then bur- lesque had better commence to claim what it is now giving, the cleanest of shows, at least on the Columbia Wheel, at the Columbia^ New York. What a revolution of evolution of bur- lesque, that of today from that of yes- teryear .when the burlesque managers worried themselves sick how to clean up and have the matinees draw women. That old fear is still with thorn. It must be or they would let the,shimmy go on and other kind of dances, besides spicy talk. Even -spice In dialog goes under the knife at! the Columbia, New lork. Really, the Columbia is too strict. But this strictness works to another end; it makes a show.' show It's a show. For many a company it given liberty would depend upon the off side stuff only. When they, do the shimmy in a restaurant, right next to your table, with girls Bare to the thighs, as is now being done In one restaurant at least; when a ooooh dancer can shimmy It and gel away with it on almost any stage, and when vaude- ville,is even standing for barroom stories being delivered over its stages With the points toned down, then isn't It time for burlesque to turn over a new leaf, take a decisive step and claim that the Columbia burlesque shows are cleaner than any other kind at the piesent time, which they are. i ■■ " ■ The Barney Gerard show, "Glrls-De Lkjoks," at the Columbia this week, is not the sole cause of the thought. As of ton of late as the week rolls around One may walk out of the Palace, after seeing a shimmy dance, to walk Into the Colum- bia (just opposite) and find that the number there which should have a shimmy has not the shimmy because the shimmy is not allowed. As a burlesque show, real burlesque, "Girls-De-Looks" could be used as a model. Without having seep all of the wheel's productions this season, it's safe to say that no other show on the Colum- bia's line up contains 76 per cent, of the laughs of this Gerard troupe, which is starred by Joe Watson and Willie Cohan, both in the Hebrew character. And al- though this is the third consecutive weekly attraction at the Columbia hold- ing Hebrew comedians as the chief fun makers, Watson and. Cohan' run so far ahead of the others as laughmakers that not alone there is no comparison but you . forget the other two.' With comedy like that, a show needs but little else, although Gerard's has enough of everything. The stars are not alono responsible. ^Whoever wrote the dialog into the performance did his 50-60 for the result, and the dialog sounds very' much like Barney Gerard's own. The program says the show Is 'By Barney Gerard, Chas. Hoey and with 'Watson- ians' interspersed." The dialog is bright the situations are bright, the story of the.plot Is brightly pointed, the settings are bright and "Girls-De-Look" Is the brightest bur- lesque show at the Columbia in a very long while. In, the. first part Watson and Cohan have several comedy scenes, all good ones, about a check book, about the North Pole, about the earths axis (the "axis" bit probably written by Hoey, as it is reminiscent from the former Hoey and Lee act), about the salary of tho office boy, about Cohan running for Senator, and the speech made by the nominee. The best bit of its kind heard upon any stage is Mr. Watson'B argument why Andy Gardner* as (Patsy (Bollivar), the office boy, is not entitled to receive the increase of salary demanded. Mr. Gard- ner said he had "worked like a dog for one solid year" for the firm of attorney"? (Watson and Cohan) and was entitled to an increase of wages. Mr. Watson as Jake Slotkln, of "Slotkin & Slltkin, Re- fined Attorneys," refuted the statement through a series of questions. He asked Patsy if It were not true he worked but eight hours dally. Patsy admitted all questions. Then, said Slotkin, the office boy hud but actually worked one-third of a year for them. Through the 52 Sundays In each ydnr that he did not work, 62 days would have to be de- ducted. Fifty-two Saturday half-holi- uays made anotner deaucuon of 26 d».ys. one'nuur aatty lor luncn meant io more uaya out umrteen national boliaays tfuk the count uown.to two aays of work in the year tor the oitice boy, and ween siotkin asaed Slitaln It f atay nau worked on juwisn kuiiuays, tilitkia replied tne oiiice had been closed on two Jewisn holidays, which left .fatay owing the firm one day. The author of ithe dialog knew bur- lesque and wrote for It Nothing missed, anu barring one or two old bits, togetner with a "money changing" scene, tue periormance was thorougnly new. The money cnangmg was piactsa far down in tne seconu part. Not alone it should go out aitogetner for tnis snow, but If It remains In, It snouid be placed some- wnoio else. Watson s specialty would be better In the spot, use oi the gags lilted is in the jail scene, opening tne second part, with Watson anu conan In different cells. Conan asks Watson what is the time, wltn Watson replying- " Wtiat do. you care/ , You are not going any place." This Is taken spiidly from a , blacktaue act using a prison set in "one" in vaudeville. Tne "berth mark" Is an- other old boy that doesn't belong even wltn the laugh if receives. . The jail scene wittt its added court scenes carries as many laugns almost as tne- ilrst part oi is, nut tne .second part uoes not noid to tne pace or the tun of tne first act altnougn balanced alto- gether the performance averages. Watsons speoiailty, wltn tne mono- ■ logue written by Aaron Hortman and Watson as Abe KaDlbble wnlcn be did in vaudeville and is making ,ais char- acter tnroughout tne snow, got over easily, .but It was Watson's pronibltlon scng in tne specialty, mtsaieyea ana paro- died, that brougnt a storm of applifuse. it's the best pronibltlon number or ar- rangement that fias been neard and should be taken up oy tne wets lor pro- paganda. Tne music is of old time and patriotic melodies and the i>ric Is cork- ing. Hoey wrote it Another special number. well put on and meritorious in itself, until reacnlng tbe chorus was "Telephony" wltn elgnt cnorus girls answering pnone calls, aiter a quiet singing opening oy two princi- pals. The cnorus killed the number mus- ically but not as. a production bit Dur- ing this number Mile La Viva did equlllb- ristic stunts on a raised pedestal to tne rear of the lines. Tnat is an Innovation tor numuer producing. The dressiest number was a minstrel first part. Tbe clothes looked well here, leading all other sets of costumes. The costumes mostly ran to the tignt effect In the minstrel bit tour of the heaviest choristers and two of them are hoavy, were thrown out. in a bunco to lead one number. They looked funny but the house passed it up. " . • ■ Two or three of the latest pop songs were put in without programing. One was "Havana," a prohibition song, and another the lyric to "Dardanella." Then there was "Peggy," a'pretty song, An oriental scene closed, the show. It looked as through intended for cutting loose on the oriental stuff If that could be gotten away With, with Mile. La Viva doing the dance. It wound up the show too soberly but at the final curtain there was some applause after it had dropped, unusual in this theatre. The shimmy number tho girls didn't shimmy in was "Shoulder ahakers." . Messrs. Watson and Cohan are doing extremely creditable work. Mr. Watson has bits of Individual business with Mr. Cohan that are always good for laughs. Watson Is the smooth Hebrew, Cohan the eccentric with eccentric make up. Cohan uses a tonal inflection when speaking that is comedy in itself and he will prob- ably surprise even bis friends with the good playing he is doing now. Hilda Le Roy Is the prima donna, not strong of voice but having a pleasa,nt singing ono: She looks and dresses well. Hattle Deane takes a role and leads several numbers. She is very girlish in appear- ance; of the ingenue type too seldom seen in burlesque, and carries herself as her looks might imply. Gussie White is the soubret, always in those awful short skirts. Miss White sings and dances. She does both ordinarily enough and might do the dacing better if prac- ticing to place what is now a half kick at a greater-- elevation. Patsy Bollivar Gardner, the Andy of the old Miner and Gerard days, is mak- ing very good In this show. He doesn't do a great deal and Is in support of the principals but he never overdoes' and what is done by him gets across. Mr. Gardner and his Patsy Bollivar charac- ter look good enough to be featured once again, on either wheel. Ray Montgomery Is the straight man, taking care of that, besides singing and dancing, the latter a little. Tho story starts off with Slotkin & sntKin who open an office as attorneys, trying to sneak- through without a li- cense to practice. Their first case is to locate a lap dog and they receive $1,000 as a retainer. That and the absence of BURLESQUE CHANGES. Tom Barrett replacing Harry Koler, Union Square stock. "Billie" Robinson, soubret, Union Square stock. Minnie Hoag, replacing Jeanette Mohr in Stone and Pillard show. - Bob Nugent; replacing Frank X: Silk in "Jazz Babies," through Mr. Silk's illness. I Babe Malcolm, soubret, replacing Margie Hilton in "Tempters." Alice Isabella and Johnny Collins with "Blue Birds."- Lee Joelet with "Social Maids." Harry Mandell and Tom Barrett with Union Square. Benny Small, "Social Maids," was stricken with influenza while the show . was playing the Columbia, New York, Jan. 26. Friday Ben Bernard replaced him and finished the week out. Sydney Hamilton deplaced Vic Day- ton as e/igenue with Harry Hastings "Razzle Dazzle." ATTACHED FOR SALARY. Samuel Campner, an attorney of New Haven, last week attached I. H. Herk's "Beauty Trust" in Bridgeport, Conn., in an action brought by Effie Burton to recover $800 salary she alleges due her through being discharged as prima donna. ' \ In her' complaint Miss Burton says there was no cancellation clause in her contract. A cash bond was deposited by the manager of the company with the sheriff in Bridgeport and the show was allowed to proceed: COMING AND GOING. Next'Monday Sam A. Scribner will make his annual pilgrimage to Palm Beach. The day before another of the Columbia Circuit's big men, J. Herbert ' Mack, will return from his five 'weeks' trip to the Pacific Co^st. The other Columbia big gun, R. K. Hynicka, is now on his way back from the Coast The Columbia's season will end about the same time the traveling season does, usually marked for the finish by Sam Scribner visiting his home. town in Pennsylvania. TULSA OFF AMERICAN. ' The Grand, Tulsa, Okla., is slated to be dropped as a spoke in the American Wheel within the next two weeks. A deal is pending for ' the American shows to fill in the open week result- ing between Kansas City and St. Louis, by playing two days in St.. Joseph, Mo., and filling in the remaining four days with one nighters. -'■ Burlesque.Club Meeting Sunday. The Burlesque Club will hold the first of its regular. monthly meetings Sunday, Feb. 1. ' The club announces the recent mem- bership drive brought the personnel up'to 400. A Lena Daley Recovering. Lena Daley ("French Frolics") oper- ated upon at the Mercy Hospital, Scranton, Pa., Jan. 3, will shortly be able to leave the hospital. Dixon Selects His Authors. ' Benny Ryan and Bert Hanlon are writing the book, lyrics and music for Henry Dixon's '-'Big Revue" for next season. Tired of Stock Burlesque. Miner's Bowery, now playing stock burlesque, is reported as about to be switched to musical comedy stock. Joe Shea will handle the new policy. theTTceTse™hTnas™niemTnTaTirwTtr71?e story or what there is of it made hu- morous enough to last throughout the JJW Gerard has been using this book for a couple of seasons but now has rewritten and up to date, outside of the main plot. gime BARNEY GERARD ENTERS LEGIT. Barney Gerard will make a try in the $3 legitimate'field in the spring, with a new musical show written by himself. Gerard has confined his producing ef- forts .to burlesque heretofore. This Saturday Mr. Gerard leaves, with his wife, for x the Coast, to be gone two months. It is his first trip so far west in 14 years. HERK INSPECTING. I. H. Herk, president of the Ameri- can circuit, left New York/Tuesday this week on an inspection trip. He was accompanied by Rube Bernstein and Charles Baker. Chicago Replaces St. Joe. The Columbia Circuit will drop St. Joseph, Mo., Feb. 9. There iVa pos- sibility that the American Wheel may ■ go into St. Joseph in [place of Tulsa,' now on the American. The new Columbia house, Victoria, on the North Side, Chicago, will open Feb. 15 with Barney Gerard's "Follies-A of the Day." This week will replace stjoej ___ ,.;-■ . -. "', Florence Darling Reported Injured. Report*)! early this week • Florence Darling, prima donna with' the "Star and Garter," sustained a broken arm' while the show, was playing Cohen's, Newburgh, N. Y. * SPORTS- > A few years ago a second rate pugi- list with an anemic bank roll and a large, family reported to his local draft board in response to the National summons. He was then placed in a deferred classification when his state- ments and financial condition had been investigated.. As a boxer he was so obscure that his services were not in' demand even as a boxing instructor in' the army camps. Subsequently he went into a ship-yard and when the war ended started to earn his living at his old trade, fighting. After the usual set-backs he was matched with Willard for the heavy-weight championship. The newspapers devoted columns to his "golden hued body" and they 'wonderful physique of this sunny- natured, contender. Women "sob" writers raved about his eyes, etc. A few days later he won. the champion- ship of the world and < his troubles commenced It was suddenly discov- ered this gladiator had been hiberna- ting in a ship-yard along with Babe Ruth, Joe Jackson and hundreds of other athletes. Some obscure post of the American Legion served notice on the governor of their state that as Dempsey was a slacker they would op- pose any attempt made to stage a boxing contest in which he participated in their vicinity. This was the tip-off and they were on him like wolves. In the excitement they passed up. all the rest of the champs who grabbed bomb- proof berths as camp boxing instruc- tors. Leonard,- Kilbane, Frank Moran and hosts of others were equal targets for the sporting writers, but Dempsey made better copy. And all this f,or following government instructions im- plicitly and seeking an essential occu- pation in the bargain. It's a long cry from the present to the time when the picture of the ship-builder with the hammer and the rivet shrieked its message that every blow drove, an ad- ditional nail in the Kaiser's coffin. ■ ) The Marcus Loew Basket Ball Five will oppose Keith's Boy's Band Five at Alhambra Hall, Sunday afternoon, Feb. 15, at 3 P. M. A dance with music by Keith's Boy's Band will' follow. Sunday, Feb. 1, the Loew Five will op- pose the Central Jewish Institute at the latter's court, 85th street and Lex- ington avenue^ at 8.30 P. M. (Continued on. page 55.) '»-.