Variety (February 1920)

VABIETYS CHICAGO OFFICE /"■ STATE-LAKE THEATRE BUILDING •:.■ '■' . . i. : ■. - ■ n r "ft*, •. : MAJESTIC, CHICAGO. Chicago, Feb. 26. With Alice Lloyd gracing the dessert of a rich feast like the fleecy whipped oream on a toothsome parfalt, the rare this week at the Majestic la substantial, appetising:, wholesome, dainty enough to suit,' filling enough to satisfy—a first rate vaudeville table d'hote, smartly served, knowingly compounded, spiced with frivolity, seasoned with comedy and action. Miss Lloyd, after a number of years, returns the same headllner. Her youth Is Intact In Voice, figure, chic and ani- mation. Her songs are her own kind, and It Is almost too late to say that they are good. "Victorian Days" did not chute her off with a bang, but the "First Wife" thing had the music hall smack and brought the shoulders forward; then came In succession "I'm Not as Young," which she did ripping!y, "Who Are You Getting At?" which Is a master, piece, and her "Splash Me" encore, with the lisping ditty in between as a piece de resistance. Miss Lloyd got to the ca- Saclty audience with that strength that enotes "class" and Is reserved for the sterling AA1 artlstB alone. She won her niche here long since and she can occupy It with welcome and affection as often and whenever her journeys bring her to Chicago. If there was a disappointment on the bill it was Vie Qulnn. Sharing the gen- eral local fate of the overnight Mew York celebrities who were year after year Chicago obscurities. Miss Qulnn found that as a shimmying prophet she was without great honor in her home town. The turn, handsome and gaudy, mualoallzed by a good lass band, was cordially but not vociferously taken. Frank Farnum got more than his star, and George Kreer. In a series of draggy ballads, got nothing. Miss Qulnn was viewed curiously, tolerated, mildly handelapped. Lydia Barry, perhaps, took first honors In demonstrations of approval. Flashy, floating In an. ocean of sang-froid, on terms of Intimacy with the audence within half a minute, she ktdded, clowned, chatted, had a good time and gave a good act. Miss Barry, after decades In vaudeville (It seems) Is lust becoming a great single. The audience said it with flowers—hand- made ones. ■ > ' The Novelty Clintons, first time here, opened. It Is a Jumping specialty, typi- cally British, with an attractive girl to trim the scene. Better than most turns In the spot. Lou and Jean Archer Bcored In Number 2. Lou has been "here before and his voice, smile and dancing have left memories; but Jean Is a newcomer and a refreshing novelty. Bhe Is pretty, dainty, and, yes, funny.' For a pretty girl that-Is as rare as a chimera. A career beckons her as a light character comedienne. Lou was right with her. Not In weeks has an early team been at thoroughly liked as were the Archers. Wood and Wyde—the subtle and gram- matical comedian and the svelte blonde —had been seen before, but repeated with ease to a hit- Bert Hanlon, the philosophic Josher, got woofn of laughs and had to encore nevt to closing. The Casting WardB closed and did It to al- most the full house. James B. Carson and Company got some laughs, but went a lgno way after them In "To Be or Not to Be." The work of Ada Jaffe as a Jewish mother stood out—the rest of It ■ vipa lukewarm. ha.it. pauceTchicagOv , Chicago, Feb. 26. Jimmy Hussey, another of those Chl- oagoans who turn out to be New York favorites until New York calmly adopts them, returned after three years, and came in like a Hon. With his big, snappy, roaring farce act, timely, funny, enter- taining, diversified, perfectly staged, graced by a nifty girl (Edna Burton), who wiggles a wicked shimmy, and Jimmy's bull's-eye Yiddish song spe- cialty, It aeroed across for a sweet hit with the crammed holiday matinee throng. Nobody can do an eccentrlo Tld comedy song like Jimmy, except maybe Lillian Shaw, who preceded him on the same'bill. Neither detracted from the almost a veteran, dances like a youth. The-grand-dad support got a few gig- gles and a hand on his soft shoe dance. The turn finished strong. Skeet Gallagh- er, and Irene Martin followed, as per program, which was not inspired run- ning order, for this pair presents amuse- ment on about the same type as its pre- decessor, though not strongly similar. It didn't seem to hurt much, especially after Irene showed In an elevator boy costume that Just whooped her across on youth, beauty, grace and figure, and made her a rich foil for the handsome and lightsome Gallagher. The comedy was good and the dancing fetching. Re- called for an encore, the pair topped their act with good automobile hbakum, and departed with gravy dripping. Mme. Forbes played three numbers to fair returns. Princess Radjah closed and held the house remarkably, despite her exit after her Cleo dance, which might have been a cue for a general walkout, but wasn't The vigorous Rajah, with her sensational Oriental tragedy shimmy was fascinating. Perhaps, after she flop- ped to the floor In her death scene and then made exit, the folks stayed In be- cause they were tremendously Impress- ed, and perhaps It was because of her bold program matter for the forthcom- ing dance: "In this dance Rajah com- bines grace and strength to such a de- gree as to make It a performance which hau never been equalled." Tall order, that But she made good. Holding a chair In- her teeth, she executed In- credibly artistic and amazingly compell- ing dance maneuvers, and got a bow and a hand at the close of the show—with no films to follow—which was most unique In this house. Preceding her, however, came the big* applause wallop of the afternoon—Ernie Ball and Maude Lambert Ball's medley of classic hits was a panic. Miss Lambert looked wholesomely charming and knocked over several in a row, but the finale, "Boy of Mine," done in perfect earnestness after fifteen minutes of mel- ody and kidding, corked home a-terrific hit. Maude's vibrant contralto crooned cello tones, and her soft delivery was clutchlngly dramatic. It wan a shining example of a vaudeville audience Its ap- solldly to quality, thundering Its ap- preciation of sentiment and genius a moment after shrieking its laughter at farce and knockabout—and that Is the apotheosis of vaudeville. halt. other goia.v caul Plant, some o rows tired of 18-carat went on No. 2 be- r'groi ■•■•-'• r</ JreTiForrbBe', particular personal i late arriving, left a lesson for _ the younger and more obscure performers to take to heart instead of whining that they haven't a chance be- cause of early position. Miss bhaw, on at 2:21, had a hearing within half a min- ute, interest a moment later and after that a continuous canister of laughs and rousing applause. The "spot" did her no harm. , Herbert's Leaping Canines opened. It is a great dog act, but the ringmaster should have his olothes pressed and he should not wear a stiff black tie and a soft shirt with evening clothes—not even a dog act justifies such eartorial dis- orderly conduct. The act closed to a hand. Cartmell and Harris followed Miss Shaw In their adroit song, talk and dance vehicle, smartly caparisoned and pro- duced. Miss Harris grows younger and more likeable each season, and Cartmell. SALT-LAKE, CHICAGO. Chicago, Feb. 26. As welcome as the flowers In May were Kltner and Reaney, a new two- act In these .parts, and a revelation of bright, hilarious material and top-notch delivery. Before a marine drop in "one" the team works, one In the uniform of an officer of the navy and the other as darky castaway who later, drafted Into the ship's service, appears In a starched white uniform, which, as he says, makes him look like a blackberry In a barrel of milk. The talk Is Jammed full of belly laughs; and the blackface char- acterisation of the comedian Is refresh- ing In these days when cork as a rule doesn't mean a thing nut cork. The straight man Is a paragon, with all the virtues of the Ideal straight man and none of his vices. In addition he has an excellent voice, which he uses to bril- liant effect In a fine number entitled "Watch the Rest of the World Go By." Mabel Burke and Co.. with the sure- fire expediency of offering old and new songs, aided by a screen which threw the words of each chorus In large print for the gaze of the customers, were ap- plauded for each number, the old songs being rendered In a clear, beautiful voice by Miss Burke and the late ones In a fine voloe by a youth named Sidney Forbes. There's nothing the matter with his voice, but he has not the Jauy tech- nique which would give the proper con- trast to the old-songs offered by Miss Burke The act. however, Is a sure win- ner on the big time as It stands. Keene and Williams, a boy and girl working before a rural drop, kept them howling, mainly with the comedy char- acterisation of the girl, who Is the lucky ftoseessor of a high-pitched laugh which b contagious and irresistible. Meredith and flnooser, the mannerly trainer and his Intelligent canine, rang the bell. The act, backed up with two beautiful, cats and a good-looking wo- man. Is a fixture on the big time and 8leases all classes of people; few acts o that, hence the value of the act Is not to debate. "Indoor Sports," the funny sketch In -which two young men determined, not to become engaged do become engaged, went much better here than It did at the Majestic the week before. The sketch Is of the type which depends largely upon the number of women In the house. The more women there are the better It will go, for Its subject Is one which Is most appreciated by women —viz., the ways and means whereby the coy/male is captured. Paul Conchas and Com. opened. Brown, Gardiner ft Bennett closed, and Frank Hurst and Wlnslow's seals did not ap- pear at this show. Swing. AMERICAN, CHICAGO. Chicago, Feb. .26. Two of the acts at the last half show had unmistakable blg-tlrae form. One was a new act—Jeannette Chllds. Miss Chllds classifies as a singing comedian. She has a Yiddish number called "Sadie," a Chaplin number, a rube number and an oriental number called "Mid the Pyra- mids." Barring an inclination to ex- aggerate characteristics In the Yiddish number, and given some more work In which to set her act Miss Chllds, who has a pleasing voice and a peppy manner of delivery, should develop Into an ex- cellent number two act on the two-a- day. Six American Belfords, who closed the show, could do, the same on any bill. They have some hair-raising risky work, and the finish, in which three of the men, locked in each others arms, do a somersault is an uncommon thriller. "Fjred from Yale," a - sketch using three people, will serve excellently for the time. An Irate old man Is the chief character. An office setting is used, and the old man allows that when his worthless son can show him 110,000 in cash, he will double it and give his con- sent'to the marriage of his son to his stenographer. The young man get the money from his father by a subterfuge which is exceedingly Impossible and ridiculous, but that sort of stuff goes on the family time where nothing Is Im- possible. Ford Hanford, working temporarily as a single, stopped the show, after the clammiest start an actor ever got He began by singing "Down In Arkansaw" to the accompaniment of a banlo uke, This is the opening used by the Weaver Brothers. Then Mr. Hanford. In all seriousness, sang "In the Shade of an Old Apple Tree," ahd the majority of the audience took It to be a new number and applauded enthusiastically. For a finish, Mr. Hanford played the saw (also used by Weaver Brothers) and - with this he tied the show Into a knot. The house couldn't get enough of It. * Page and Gray, a willowy girl In dec- ollete and an eccentric comedian In biz- arre makeup, offered the typical Josh- ing two-act the girl Playing a horn be- tween gags. The act was liked. " Swing. STAR, CHICAGO. Chicago, Feb. 26. Fourteen years ago Kohl and Castle opeitwd this theatre and the man who presided at the dotngs was Jake Ster- nad. Since then both the house and the man have undergone varying vicissi- tudes. Now Jake is back as manager of the house and plans to make It an- other Wilson Avenue. Mr. Sternad has had the house completely remodeled and Is endeavoring to Improve the character of its clientele by offering the best vaudeville he can get—for the price. The house Is being booked by George Webster, but Sternad has a say In the bookings and Is careful of what he Llnd Brothers opened the show Fri- day night It looked like a sketch at first, with a farm setting, and the char- acter of the act was not revealed until one of the men climbed a ladder In or- der to pick fruit from the tree. Then the tree drop was hoisted and there was revealed the other brother, mounted on a ladder, the ladder covered with a dress, giving the effect of a comedy giantess. The act proceeded with ex- cellent ladder routine, every effort be- ing made to get away from the common- place. The offering Js worthy of plenty of work on the better family time. Parker and Clark followed, the man dressed In a quasi-military uniform and the girl in a neat gown. The man (one arm a stump) Is apparently a soldier recently discharged from service, and the material has a war flavor. The act was well received, partly through the natural sympathy coming to one ostensibly wounded In service. Earl Girdeller, in a tramp costume, offered a monolog, using a cute canine at the finish. The. house has not yet been acclimated to monologlsts, and things looked dark for Earl until the dog was taken out of the grip. He fin- ished with some tumbling. Benson and Benson, a boy and girl team, showed big possibilities. The man evidenced unmistakable streaks of good comedy, and the team put over a couple of harmony numbers which Jilt hard; A smoothing out of the routine will set the act. Joe Anthony and Company closed the show with a girl act way above the heads of the audience. The act Is worthy of the best the association time can offer. Bxoing. hippodromeTchicago. , Chicago, Feb. 25. Hundreds were turned away Washing- ton's Birthday, as In every other vaude- ville house In the loop, and they missed what would be regarded as practically a big time bill at popular prices. Jimmy Savo, who played the Palace here recently, owned the house. His peculiar brand of low hoakum seemed to fill an aching void. They applauded him so heavily that he hit upon the expedi- ent of appearing for comedy purposes with other acts, and Invariably he got a hand. The best act on the bill, without any question, was that of Catalano & Will- iams. Williams Is Irene Williams, lead- ing lady of the late lamented ''You'll Like It' 1 revue, and Catalano Is Henry Catalano, who boastB local note as a girl act leading man. The teaming of the pair In a Saintly sat singing cycle Is a felicitous one. Both have pulchritude, manner and voice. The routine Is In the nature of a progressive vocalization of oourtshlp, beginning with a flirtation number and ending with a wedding num- ber, both double, with a couple of solo numbers In between. The act works In full stage, using a Pianist, who knows how. It has just about calibre and olass endugh to warrant booking on the bettor The Three Lees offered a Juggling and hat-throwing act of the type always ac- ceptable on the better family time. Two of the men work In athletic costumes and one works In comedy blackface. Thu act Is peppy and efficient «ugo Rio, solo gymnast, opened on a high pedestal with a few poses, and then leaped to the rings. His work showed grace and finish, without any sensational f QEltB Chamberlain and Harle, with a draggy start, got 'em when the young woman In the act began to play her violin. She does not play It enough In the aot and her playing 1b not helped by the young man's comedy Interruptions. He has a sense of comedy and a good voice, but lacks material for both, his Irish num- ber being by no means the best he could use. The act Is unquestionably prolific of possibilities and when set could work 0n Raymond e Wylle and Co. in a clever satlrlo setting showing a futurist Jail, drew hearty acclaim with a well bal- anced and Intelligent routine. One of the men sings In a full, trained voice and the other furnishes the comedy In black- face, both In jailbird costumes. The cork half of the team does a tap dance to tne- tune of "The Vamp" that Is a bear. ^ ; wung. WYNN SHOWIN AND OUT. i Chicago, Feb. 25. telegrams came In to the local dra- matic desks announcing that ,Ed Wynn's Carnival was coming to the Illinois, succeeding •Tfitchy-Kpo" after its four-week run. Several local pa- pers carried the story, which was promptly denied from the K. & E. offices here with the statement that no known booking of Wynn's «how had taken place. Tl from Boston. ■ . ■ Fhtj wire* were sent PEPPLE AND HOFFMAN JOIN. Chlcago,,Feb. 25. T. Dwight Pepple and Dick Hoffman, for many years factors in vaudeville matters hereabouts, have combined to open a booking business. Hoffman was 14 years a W. V. M. A. booker, first as the Allardt man and later handling the family time for the Interstate. Pepple has been a respected -nd suc- cessful girl-act producer and promoter, who recently sold put his holdings for a substantial sum., The firm will spe- cialize in supplying theatres, cabarets and clubs, and will handle acts, orches- tras and whole shows. The working name of the combination will be the United Vaudeville Agency,'and it is said that twelve houses have already signed, several formerly booked by the Correll Agency. The office is in the Woods Theatre Building. ■ - • • . : WILLIAM A. GRAHAM. William A. Graham, for 25 years dra- matic editor of the Hartford Courant, succumbed to pneumonia Feb. 19. He was 63 years old and had been a Friar since its organization. New Vaude House for North Side. Chicago, Feb.- 25. Local capital (not in show business) is behind a project to build, at Broad- way and Bryn Mawr avenue, a hotel with vaudeville and picture theatre ad- junct. Construction will start in Sep- tember, it is reported. The site is in the neighborhood formerly occupied by the Wilson AvenueTheatr*;,