Variety (February 1920)

10 BURLESQUE I BURLESQUE REVIEWS i- t - ' r- -■ t'--';. b- i m fi ; THE BEAUTY REVUL The "Beauty Revue" at the Olympic last week certainly has It on the at- traction of similar name on the Columbia wheel In the matter of "looks." • The title applies not only because the three feminine principals are "there," but there, are youth and comeliness In the chorus to a more generous extent than Is found In the average show on either wheel. Also the show Is costumed on more fetching lines than the bulk of American wheel troupes and measures up in a degree with some of the better first wheel shows. Sam Levey Is presenting the "Beauty Revue." but this season Jlmmie Cooper Is back of the organisation and Is said to have a "piece" of it That la quite probable from the way he works. Jlm- mie got out of the service just about a year ago, but didn't appear until the start of this season. Cooper always classed as one of the dressers In bur- lesque and still.heads that rank. He staged the show .and his Idea was speed and lots of it In that he has been suc- cessful. There are changes of pace, however, when the comedians are operating. Cooper being straight and general "speeder-up" has a quartet of comics working and they all make good. Marty Collins ("hot dog, let 'em ride") and Ed Hall, both acrobatic comics, figured in much of the fun. Both registered, with Collins standing out as the clever- est. One of his best laughs came with a garter hit. Helen Stanley, the engenue, was showing how she wore a garter in memory of each of her four husbands. When she lifted her skirts above the knee to show the third garter, Collins, who was standing at stage right close to the abutting box, turned and said, "Oh, I beg your pardon; -Im standing right in your way." The house roared and bo did the people in the box. Morris Tolen, a young comic, was not so good as a framer, but did show very well as a Hebrew lad in the school room scene and gives promise of developing into a funny comic. In that scene he led a number which sounded like a Yiddish chant, rather unusual and rather pretty. In leading a ballad showed a tenor voice. He strummed a uke cleverly and was generally valuable in the climaxes, one of the show's strong points. Billy Cumby. the colored comic, was useful, but failed to materialize as the "assassin of grief and sorrow." The moving picture bit is retained, but made much better use of than form- erly. Both choristers and cast appear in the guise of noted picture stars Every girl has a line or two on her entrance which is a good stunt for there is a chance thereby of "finding* talent and yet not employ the "pick-out" idea. Sev- eral of the girls showed good speaking voices. After each entrance of the pic- ture "stars" the -comics bad something to say, alternating, and there were a number of laughs brought out. One sounded fresh. It was "When is a cow a widow?" Answer: "Why, when some r body shoots the bull." Most of the cos- tumes -used in the bit looked well. The show opened with Cooper jazzing things at a great clip with "Don't Shake That Shimmy Here," with all the cast in on the number for repeated encores. Quite early Cooper, Ada Lum and Hall figured in a picture bit called "Moving Picture Stars Revue." It was funny. Ada, who started out as a vampire In the "first reel," was set down as an A. K. for the third reel. That brought attention to mention in last week's Variety by Bime of A. K's. Bime admitted he is in the A. K. class, though he prob- ably had a reason. And for support he put in Jelo, Bell, the Brooklyn pedestrian and the writer in the same class. It's not the question of defending the others. That would be time wasted. No one will admit that A. K. thing excepting Bime, who looks the part so perfectly he got a Christmas card from Campbell's Funeral Church. 3ut as a personal de- fence the writer is one of the kids of the staff. Miss Lum was introduced by Cooper as the "only Chinese prima donna,:' which may be kidding. But she's very good to look at. Miss Lum belongs to that class of principal women who do attract in burlesque theBe days. Once the three- sheets carried pictures of tighted ladies of Amazonian structure which was sup- Eosed to be the emblem of burlesque eauty. These times it's the tall look- ers who have the call. Miss Lum is of that style and Ina Hayward and others belong. Helen Stanley belonged in the soubret role and RoBe Hemley was an- other personable girl as the engenue. There was a quartet dancing number In which four of the best lookers in the chorus figured. One was Marlon Liv- ingston, formerly of the bicycle act of that name. All the rest of the family are now working for Sam bcrlbner, Cooper said. Dot Daan, from the chorus, had one specialty, singing "Till We Meet Again," and it drew solid returns. Miss Dean was formerly engenue In stock burlesque at the Olympic. Cooper has pyramided hi* climaxes cleverly. All are strong and .get over with a smash. "The Beauty Revue" classes with the best on the American Wheel. Last week It looked good enough to switch to the other circuit and deliver. 75m. BURLESQUE WONDER SHOW. Of course nobody takes a burlesque show title seriously, but It certainly seems puzzling how Joe Hurtlg, who presents the "Burlesque Wonder Show" at the Columbia this week, arrived at such an exaggerated monicker for his production, in the real sense of the word It isn't a "burlesque" show. It's an old-fashioned farce with numbers. As far as the "Wonder" thing is con- cerned—that's all wrong, too. And when It comes to "Show," it just about man- ages to get within that class by a hair. Oeorge P. Murphy and Primrose Semon are featured. Murphy does an eccentric Swiss the same he has been doing In burlesque for ever so long. Whenever the lines and situations of the book by Joe Mitchell permitted. Murphy was funny. In some Instances legitimately, but this was at infrequent intervals In the second part and hardly at all In the first. Unlike the majority of the shows that have played the Columbia this season. "The Burlesque Wonder Show" cannot be termed "clean." It Isn't "dirty" but it Is "spicy" In two or three spota and openly suggestive In several others. Murphy handles all of the questionable material and he makes H funny. Still the suggestion Is there, .unmistakable even for the unsophisticated. The strongest piece of double entendre Is In a comic song about a Ford auto, sung by Murphy in the second part. Who- ever wrote it turned out a masterpiece for a "stag." but it doesn't belong in a theatre. The song was a clean-up for Murphy, who after singing three .verses had to beg off with a speech. This was "giving 'em what they wanted," but it was just this same catering to the nar- row ' forehead element that kept bur- lesque In reproach for years. In the dialog too Murphy reads a double mean- ing Into numerous lines which If re- peated without the suggestiveness ac- corded them would seem harmless enough. This was done principally by Inflection. The book Itself entitled "My Wife Won't Let Me," and concerning the mar- riage of an old man (Mr. Murphy) to a young girl (Miss Semon) for the purpose of carrying out the terms of a will, or something like that, fs filled with lines where Murphy is called upon to refer to matters relating to the rela- tions of man and wife. Some of these lines are a bit strong without any em- phasis as a result of the subject under discussion, and when shaded by Murphy just stop short of becoming "dirty," hovering between that and suggestive- ness more than once. -The only comedy outside of that pro- vided by Murphy came In the first part. This was a rube number "Sipping Cider" led by Arthur Conrad, who did a Patsy Bolivar character throughout. Assisting Conrad were seven choristers, each con- tributing a stunt after the fashion of the chorus girl contest idea. One of the girls, -a lively pony, did a short "hick" bit, another slipped over a song, etc., Conrad meanwhile keeping up a running fire of comment that kept the laughs coming his way continuously. The num- her pulled Beven legitimate recalls It was the only one to get anything, all of the ten other numbers dying with a scat- tering hand. "Preacher Makes You Mine" done as a double by Primrose Semon and Frank Martin and* a single singing specialty by Miss Semon each brought bigger re- turns than all of the numbers combined, with the exception of the above men- tioned chorus girl contest. The flopping of the numbers appeared to be equally due to the way they were costumed as well as the manner in which put over. Eighteen girls are carried. As an aggre- gation they fall considerably below the Columbia standard on looks and shape- liness. The stepping in most of the numbers also displayed lack of team work, one girl moving her arms upward if she felt so Inclined and another ex- tending them in the opposite direction. The costuming with two exceptions favors the old style pink tights and tinsel style of wardrobe popular In bur- lesque when Sam T. Jack first came to Broadway. . "All the Quakers are Shoul- der Shakers" led by Miss Semon had the girls in blue and white checkered one piece garmentB, simple but effective and "The Irish were Egyptians Long Ago also soloed by Miss Semon brought forth another pretty collection of orange hued abbreviated wardrobe. Miss Semon workB hard, handling her alloted lines competently. In addition TULSA REMAINS IN PROBATION. Arrangements were made last week a the American Wheel officials and r. Butler, head of the company con- trolling the Grand opera house, Tulsa, Okla., to retain the Tulsa stand in the American route at least until March 1. Tulsa is guaranteeing the American shows $1£00 weekly. Whether Tulsa, which was slated to be dropped next week, remains in the wheel after March 1, depends on the business done in the next four weeks. BURLESQUE CHANGES. Hilda Le Roy closed with "Girls De Looks" at the Columbia last week. Harry Mendel, of "Grown Up Babies," for Union Square stock. Wen Miller, straight, for National Winter Garden, New York. Amanda Hendricks has replaced Kathryn Pearl as leading woman with the Al Reeves show. GALLAGHER ALSO INSPECTOR. George Gallagher, general manager of the American Burlesque Association, will leave New York Saturday for a three weeks' inspection tour that will carry him as far west as Kansas City. I. H. Herk, president of the A. B, A., is now in the middle west on a similar inspection- mission. HASTINGS' NEW BOOKS. Harry Hastings' three American Wheel shows, "Kewpie Dolls," "Hast- ings' Big Show" and "Razzle Dazzle Girls," will-be refitted with new books and productions next season. Dan Coleman will be starred in the "Big Show," and Tom Howard simi- larly billed with the-"Kewpie Dolls." SIMONS' DIVORCE. R. M. (Bob) Simons and his wife, Agnes Frawley, were divorced Jan. 20, last, in Boston. Judge Fosdick, in the Superior Court, granted the decree. They were married June 11, 1917. Miss Frawley is with "The Frivoli- ties of 1920" at the 44th'Street theatre, New York. ""r Burlesque Club Initiation Raised. At a meeting of the Burlesque Gub Sunday the initiation fee was raised from $5 to $10. This becomes effective immediately. A resolution was also adopted tilt- ing the annual dues from $9 to $12, be- ginning May 1. A special meeting will be held Sun- day, Feb. 8 to complete arrangements for the benefit, around March 15. Al Reeves Able to Go Back Al Reeves, who has been out of his show resting up for the last five weeks, will rejoin next Monday when the troupe opens at Hurtig & Seamons. Robini and Rosa, who replaced Reeves in the olio, will be retained. to the announced Al Jolson impersona- tion given by Miss Semon In her single specialty, she also does a continuous "Jolson" In all of her vocal numbers. This inclination toward the Jolson man- nerisms tended to take the edge off the announced Impersonation. Miss Semon's "Eddie Foy" was fair and her rendition of "Dangerous Dan McGrew" in rag tempo the best number of her individual turn. She changed frequently and her costumes were all becoming and in good taste. In the second part she appeared as a boy for a few minutes, carrying male garb extremely well. The other female principals were Clara Douglas and Edna Green. Neither displayed more than passing ability in leading numbers. Miss Douglas, the nearest approach to a prima the show boasts of, makes a good appearance but lacks voice and personality. Most of Miss Green's costumes were lacking in class. She is also shy on singing voice, and acting ability, but dances well. Joe Mitchell and Lloyd Pedrlok play character straight roles, each efficiently. Frank Martin, the Juvenile. Is a manly appearing chap, but possibly through lack of experience reads lines just a shade better than the average acrobat. He owns a good singing voice, but lack (Continued on page 22) CHORUS GIRL MURDER. ■ Cleveland, Feb. 4. The local police are working on what they believe to be a murder case in the aSair of Frances Altaian, 22 J ears old, a chorus girl who played ere with Thomas Beatty's "French > . Frolics," an American Wheel show at the Empire«_ The girl's< body was found in the yard of a rooming house at 225? East 55th street about noon Sunday (Feb. 1) and was identified by Victor Cohen, a theatrical man, and Jack Bowers, manager of the "Blue Ribbon Girls," staying overnight Sunday. Physicians pronounced that death had occurred about five houra previous to the discovery of the body and evi- dence of foul play was discovered by the police, in marks on the body and ' blood under the finger nails believed to have been collected in a struggle. A coroner's autopsy performed Mon- day at the County Morgue revealed bruises on face, neck and body which 'Dr. P. A. Jacobs thinks might have been made by a strangler but were in- sufficient to cause death. He found in- dications of poisoning and ordered a chemical analysis of her stomach, the result of which has not been revealed. Another theory was the possibility that the woman froze to death after being left unconscious in the snow. The woman, left the "Broadway Belles" a -month ago and joined the "French Frolics," which finished a week's engagement here and jumped to Detroit. She had been staying at the Hotel Moreland and was registered. t under the name of Mrs. Stockwell, .be- lieved to be her married name, as she carried tattoo marks on her right arm reading "I love W. B. Stockwell," and - on the left arm, "Billy Stockwell, with Love," and underneath, the design of a rose. On her right'leg just above the knee was tattooed, "Francis F. Alt- man." The girl was last seen alive at 11.45 -Saturday night when she checked out of the Hotel Moreland and returned a few minutes later to check her traveling bag, telling the clerk she would return in a few minutes. She was seen by Bowers and Cohen to meet a man in sailor's .uniform just outside the hotel and disappeared until the time her body was discovered. Late Monday the police questioned a man dressed in sailor's uniform re- ' garding his acquaintance with Mrs. Frances Altman Stockwell. The sailor told of having met Mrs. Stockwell last Friday night but denied that he had.'.' seen her since. The description Of this man doesn't tally with the Bowers- Cohen description of the man seen with her Saturday night, the police said. In the baggage of the dead woman numerous letters from theatrical peo- ple were found and a letter signed "C. H. E." which read: "If you come out of this don't ever come back to your little hubby in Denver." Joseph Levitt, -manager of the "Broadway Belles," and the other mem- - bers of the company are collecting funds to insure proper burial in the. event that no relatives are located to assume charge of the body. THE ILL Harry Ditmars, manager of Harry Hastings "Big Show" was stricken with.' influenza in Detroit last week. He was— reported very ill. Charles Edwards, general manager for Harry Hastings, influenza, confined at his home in Staten Island. Bob Simonds, manager of James E. Cooper's "Roselartd Girls," joined the show at Miners, Bronx, last week after recovering from a severe attack of pneumonia. Art Moeller filled the va- cancy during his absence. Jeff Davis is back at his desk in the Keith ofnice, after two weeks of in- fluenza. Roy Townley handled the books while he was away.