Variety (April 1920)

>':■; ■.>i:^:M^ yy\ .1::'/ ■ ■'-.^Jir ACTS THIS WEEK .i- f ■ 'V ■T-r IjiQtrMV,. , .•'..;■■ .>;•■ ■'■•"■•'.■■"■■ 1 ?V«UJ^ r*ljf^ playefl the IWA^ctt ^ wecltjj WBo.! A^t^t;, Uiat', qn- igimenl'tlia ai!t yma t«k«iKOtt ud isUged by Ned Waybum. Three iff pttixcttaia wer« Added, The ntt oaat IJad Bobtar pWefll, AJpia ialp, Helen Hlg^a, Natalie Bates iia throB chorttters. Replacing liBri&B Adair, HIgglns and Bates are Isiiia Tamora, Ann liynn. Bobble PblBom, MlflB Yates and James ■impleton. The new version of the a openB In full fltage, Instead of ue'*r formerly, the same pretty tey satin cyclorama with steps and lenter opfening being used. O'Neill itarts the act off with a soiig treat- Jitfof the different typ<8'off eWs;! i fbte brings OB the thre* JiJ^JnefliaP' jrotnen arid 'three chortBters ftor'a. trsttate costume display: Nfeit an ueratlce number by Mies Yat^is, a lit too 'heavy for her'.light so- pano. Neither the first or second pitnbcrs £ot more thiili a passable iai. A double diincis hei±t by |jfi«ses'Lynn and Tamora. Thus far Iheact is about the same as before, k bit of comedy handled by Bobble folsomand Bobby O'Nejn with Mtss folsom > tnishinr a plaho out from Ihe wings whllo O'Neill sits on tho ItepB leading down Into tlie audi- torium ond patters, la n^V.' This is tot in good shape as yet but will jlevelop as a «ure Are lau^ getter pritb a week or two of 'playing, liunes Templeton, new in the act. Is a pai^tlcularly good eccentric iancer, scorlns twice, onee'in a trio ilfith the sister act and later In an iicrobatic single. Templeton should |)e given more to do. "The flnlsb has |j«en greatly improved, the act now i;l08lng with all dancing, whereas before half of the people were dicftped around the stage posing, silver cords dropped from the flies III "one" and handled as If they were sleigh bells with the company going through the business of play- Ipg Is a new encore hit. The act Is ^t yet right. It will take at least |IWO weeks to bring It up to the IJtandard expected of No. 3 big time i^t^ As it stands it will pass nicely ||l the smaller big time hoasea. The iftcUtlons to the cast, especially Ctnipleton, have greatly benefited ..^f^^ ■*0 ■; a? :rm '"M mK Spngtj^d. Oaoctt. . v j ij it FuiisuoA vtirtj- "' c' ■- ThttJjUn TwMty i tlir*e-act, for, (n' iwU|U>it to. Cunnl^faam anfl Cie^kimfin^ there is a singing piano player th the act who managea to get over ii couple of nuibbers, in eio'd shape. The act opens with the girl and the pianist doing a double, the girl leading with a song that explains her quest for a danc- ing man which leads logically to the arrival of her dancing partner. A couple of danco numbers . follow after which the pianist eings, get- ting over the song. The man then peters acrobatic dancing with some of the best floor stuff that has been seen recently included in it.' It was this floor stuff that goi the audience to' unloosen oh applause. The girl* noticeable. Jle haA two vocal num foUti'wed with a: toe Jaiu that was liked. A whirlwind finish after > ' Inland solo tompleted. This finish lis <yne of the felstest in the steppinjg line <!omblned With acrobaticis.. Biit the act needs a little fixing here and there and this fixing will come along jhaturally with a' little' work. As a daiice turn the act ia there. ■■- ■' '■ ■'• Fred. Pobby RandalL BdioHfac* MonoIoabL * - ' 16 Minaif Onsb . Alh*mbra« • ■ This Is a new zriaJe single from the west. Randall has a routine of talk relating his experiences while EOldloring during the' world war. He wears a black alpaca tux with a shiny black helmet for a derby. On his left arm he has the red inverted V that denotes discharge from ser- vice. His war material and ex; perience in the camp from the tlnie he receives the postal marked greetings up to the day of bis dis- charge, is well wriUen and cleverly constructed. His falk drew laughs Impartially from the ex-service men and the non-martial females pres- ent Randall lapses unconsciously into a Jewish dialect and it is most M turn. I Sell. 'If/' Jstkb's lloliiokers. Vanicins ■nt) Jua Band.' ■■■:-^ ■ ';>»'' (IIMInt.; Fiill. ;, :VA |<90«c. Drop Liahts, ste.) :'\.'' |«1umbis. . ■• .1 . ^: The stage is dressed as an <out- ^or cabaret with tables, lights, iiower arbors, etc The act opens lifiUi the Jazz band playj.ng a fast |Mlody and the dancers in the' eoni- ,||bKitlon sining at the tables, ^ere ijlire three oit}\p latter, two festnales i4^)d a male wh^ does sover.al d^ifl^le ,«altaes and fox' trots vAih one of r:^»^ .girls, the othor contributing a ifood Jazz solo in which she exhibits [some high-water kicking. She is a l^autifully forfi\ed^areature ohd got •Wnsiderable Tewar.ds. Ih'e bafid is 'M* of \ho best jazs comblfiatlons ffifiexA around and secured plenty yit laughs with excellent Jazz panto- mime while playing. They are har- ^rlng a drummer who is a pip. He gl^ys everything he can reach and iji^ever misses a beat With a couple f^ Toices and some Tehearslng the : ttim could make the bigger stuff, it :liiey are still interested in the.Jais ',«fate. Con. Jean CNase and; Co. (8). - "Peggy's WcdHIng Night" (comedy). 19 Mins.f Full ttiage. '. ■■ ^ ,' 23d'.Street' :"■■y;■^^i^^\V ••'' Jean Chase, neat and attractive, and youthful, has a vehicle well suited to her. She is kittenish as a fresh bride and that pose is for her. since she appears to be. not out of her 'teeins.^ She plays Peggy, who has Just been married, and with her hubby, arrives, at their home. He shows the proper spirit in asking for a kiss, but now that they are married Peggy aims to go forward In easy stages. Her mother bad said that "If you give a man an inch, he'll want a mile," and Peg is for that The upshot is that the gi'oom stalks oft to the garden to eat worms. Enters a strange woman who fills Peggy with all kinds of bunk about the groom, who Is pictured as a man of many wives and children. Follows a burglar who calls himself "Larry the Worm" and refers to Peg's hus- band as hlfl chief, a crook known as ■Bull Dog Willie." All this la brought out humorously through Miss Chase's childish Innocence. The finish finds the strangers to be really friends of the groom'and the stories were a "receipt" for his practical Joke when . they' were married a few years before. There is a cute finish, for Peggy decides to ^ step normally as a wife. For the tbroe-a-day bouses Hiss Chase's turn will be sure of a wel- come. It should not be long before a legit role will seek her out bcrs, the first being his introductory song, a medley oj; popular sorigs abent his Jtrlp'to prince, and Utei Other a Spanish "St Si Some More," sung with tamboriiie, etc. He also uses "Only a. Dre^m of the Past" and gets some kind applause with the, sure fire reference to the Six Months' Pay. Aside from his dialect defects Randall should .brush up his pronunciatlffn. The character doesn't excuse his real Bngllsh and.it de- tracts fnm the class of his offcf- ing. Pufldainentally Randall will do- foi^ an garly spot, on the better bills. At the Alhaipbra he. didn't.belong In eighth position. . Con. "Toys" (8). Pianpf Singing and Danelng. 2ZMint.rfuUatand (8p«eial). 68th Street, ■:-^' There la aoorking Idea behind this act but at present th« offering needs considerable speeding end soma va- riation. At> present it Is a constant BucoessioB of number and dance and number. A piano player and two girls in the turn. The scene is a sort of Nuremberg set, with the sou- bret doing a UtUe girl without a playmate. .There are a number of figures' about, representing Little Boy Blue, Uttle Red. Riding Hood, Jack Homer, etc. These are used for the screening of the dancing girl of the team, who appears after each number and-contribute stepping to the act. The "Condrella" song is used to .oiHsn, the soubret and the pianist offering it. After this Bed- Riding Hood is switched to an Irish colleen for adanoe number. A "kid- die" number follows, and the Jack Hqrner changes to a Pierrot for an- other dance. A French soubret im- personation is next and ,a gypsy fol- lows It. A double number closes the act., At present it la about four or five minutes too long. Speed ts what is most necessary. With fix- ing the act can make thp big time in an early spot Both of the girls look pretty and .Wbric Jiard. ■•■.'; .-■:- '.''"■:-.. ■■■rnd. I Wward Kiefer. . • r v ^• 'fbesHtt. ■ ' ^^■ ' ■ ■ ■■;••:•*• ■, . ^' Mins./ One. ■• .■'.•■*■'. lisrlem O. H. (April 19). Straight concert vocalist with a ne high baritone voice, with piano mpanlst Opens with Italian peratlc number, followed by Kip- _ ■ igCs "Road to Mandalay," then a |!^Jiple more. Starting poorly with ^an antagonistic small time audl- fetice which was dissatisfied wtth w offerings preceding Kiefer, ho Joa them over by his art and "uralglft. . JoJo. ' Slagiir iand James, i;",'," ;V\''v';> Blackfao^ . .,^;..v.'..■'■• Talk and ^na»^U'.,j-\^:.^'\;.:ykKy 9 Min«.| One. ■.;'. i';;i;:-,*.^'>^'''-^ '■ Fifth Avtnue. • • -.;•...■.-•''' ^ Blager .dad James, in blackface, open with talk, after which tho straight man sings. The comedian holds himself like Frank Conroy, the dilapidated type of darkey, but the resemblance ends there. When the comedlaQ returns after the song, aii a wench, and the couple the|i have 8 number with "busi- ness" by the "wench*' there are sothe real laughs drawn. A, simi- lar turn In the past Is said to have beeitt.' known as Armstrong and James. In Slager and James the straight' could improve himself. He either should ease down in his style of working or make it very harsh, for contrast. Now he Is just be- tween. At best though the com- bination is small time and can make the better grade of that. Matthews and Aypea. . / Comedy Talking, Singing A dancing. 12. Mine.;. One.. , Columbisi There Is a new talking combina- tion with a vehicle written by Benny Ryan. The idea is framed around the young man who'is the \*orld's champion- economist or cheap guy. He cops dime tips, and is the inventor of an unopenab\e pocketbook. Miss Ayres plays the abused object of his economy and feeds him cleverly, also looking charming in a blue tailored suit. She Is a classy blond girl who can handle dialog and. possesses considerable personality. Matthews was formerly a dancer but ciuallfled as a handler of talk. He used another name in his pedaling days. The.act contains som&^ixk the brlghtoist talk since Laurie and. Bronson dissolved and is Just such another natural turn. It is a scries of "wows" right down to the comedy finish which contains a punch. Here Matthews starts to dance and the younisr woman at- tempts to aid him in the oxecutlpn of one-step by jrrasplng his foot, his shoes comes oft and reveals him economical to the-last, with a half n sock on, his toes sticking out At the Columbia they thought it was on the level. A little more experi- ence in waiting for their laughs and this pair will' be ready for the big time bills. Con. ■••'^'41^ Dunii and Dunn.. Sfnging and Crossfirs* '■ 11 Mjna'lOne. Harlem O.'H.CApril 19). , a: = - Two hopeless young men, devoid of any talent. One does straight while the' other characterises in ":^lddlsh" by pulUng a derby.hat down over his cars. The "comedian" .does a 'cello solo, like a schoolboy, more crosstalk—'all of it ancient and old-fashioned, flnisHIng.with'acom- y.duet. Not the sUierhtest chance or this pair to develop into per- foriitera Jolo. Cook and Valdart. Singing, Talkirtig and Aerobatics, 12 MillB.; One and Full Stage. /S8th Street This Is a variety aot in the fullest ^cnso. The team opens in "one" with some singing, talking and an acrobatic dance.,^he singing la fair, tlie talk not so good and the dance passable. After this they go to full stage, using a special set, for acro- batics and hike riding. The offering Is a small-time act* FreS. 5«ed and Clifton. Singing, Dancing, Crosstalk. U Mini.; One. '* Harlem O. H. Man and woman, essentially dancers, but filling in with eccentric smglng, costuming and crossfire, tioth are brilliant steppers, but the Woman might fare a lot better by sutting most, of her "nut" efforts uid costume' changes, switching "rom her first make-up to the final, a which she is a dream of lovcll- wss, omitting the intermediate ones Which are trivial and small time by eomparlson. Some high-class stag- ing of thls^'lialr would place them in no best two-a-doy houses. JoJo. tion was dependent entirely for - latu;bsoa .the Solly Ward act. an, assignment too, heavy for it, this being the second vyeek at the, Pal- ace. The running timo has been cut down four' minutes or so and the finish has a tot three or four years old and looked In the baby dads. Miss Plerpont's sketch Is a novel- ty with the materialized visions' of tho rural couple's mlsalng daugfitar affording a histrionic opportunity lor the lead (Mlsa Plerpont). 'Run- ning 23 minutes, the Woolf product' did nicely, the "guaranteed" finish figuring handllv. Grace Nelson was excellently spotted between the two playlets. ■ She' possesses a beautiful voice, which she doesn't attempt to extend into extreme ranges and that made for an enjoyable 14 minutes. . Unlike songbirds of her class, ^iss Nelson finds a more popular strain in offering a routine made> up of nunibers praqtlcally all of which are known to tho average patrons. She opened yith "Say It with IJlpwers." throwing several small' houiiuets to the audience. In •'When Yoor'Ship Comes.In" she sang a very* Irtfetty number in pretty fashion; •'Venetian Moon" had a Spanish swing despite its title. MtssNelsonwasone of the first to slug "Ell Eli" in vaudovllle. Her pianist announced sho wb.uld do "Rocahlem," Tirhlch he said WTM a "new •£» Eli,'" part of it being in English. The number was an en- core. ■ '"■ ■ "' ■■•'■■ ■•■■•■■.■■ John Outran and "La Petite" Marguerite ■ wcro third in' a dance act of class (New Acts)/ Horry Krahz and Bob La Salle, down next to closing, showed their /strength and devernjess. The boys sure..can deliver soril^s. La Salle's hoofing put the turn oyer to real return^.. Rose and Mae Wilton trotted off No. 2 in large favor, ^tne l»ow these girls havo a trick of shooting ovM* encored, with *Bbme ieacned more markedly than others. The girls show progress in new bits here and there in the routine. One is the solo song, a classical number with the flute. • That bit outside of the finish vraa tamo compared- to her .former effort with "I Hoar You Cann- ing Me." But the finish drew big. If one of the "new" things is a Una in the blues Bong it is in bad taste. The line tells about "Mammy" hav- ing spanked thorn because they kissed a Jewish boy. Mother Wil- ton showed her sable coat-twice, coming on for tbe encoro bows two dlfferont tUnes. The Four Readings opened the show. Few were In, but thO ath- letes got hearty returns on th^ljr ex- cellent routine. On in any other Bvot they would have started a young riot. As hand to hand leap- era they look about tho best. The Curzon Sisters gave their iron-jaw ■''.-"j.fs . >./. iij: ■Ifff^ y'n ;f3 v^- m -■m Haller and Haller. V Acrobats. 13 Mins.j Throe. Amerioan Roof. Man and woman. "Acrobatic" is the generic term of their offering hut It is mainly cauilibrlstlc work topped off with some stunts on the trapeze and flying rings. The king- pin stunt is performed on tho lad- der, tho inan doing a blindfolded cutaway and catch, or some such technical term as per the woman's announcement It is effective and provides a good sendoff for tho act. The eqiuilibrlst routine in tho first section of tho offering commanded strict attention. Three a day sure- lire. Corinne Tilton Revue . With 10 People, Johnny Stanley and Bffle Laur- ence, revival of their former act "Cuddle Up" (10). ' Musical Comedy. ' - 16 M ins.; hree» One and Thrse. (Special Sets). ^ Jeffersoit. '■"■,;' A Marty Brooks production, fea- turing Ollle Bingham and Trueman Stanley of the cast of ten. Six are tho chorus, the other two couples essaying the principal roles. It's Just a small time "flash" at best There Is not much to commend it— and on the other hand'not muoh to condemn it in comparison to the general run of "tab" acts. The scenery looked much the worse for wear, in need of repainting with two glaring ruined spots in tho first cyclorama in "three." The material is nothing distinctlvo. The num- bers are all published. "Wbatever there is of the plot is needlessly pro- longed and played up. Conversely, the women all make a general neat appearance both tonsorlally and pulchrltudonously. Tho two male principals labor hard with their lines, but are handicapped by un- funny dialog. It can pass alright in three-a-day company, but the Interr polatlon of vew lines, numbers and bits of business suggests itself for general improvement Four Cliffords Song and Dance. '" 15 Mine.; One. . American Roof. A colored quartet two men and two women. They open step- ping Bimultaneously, followed by a trio dance. "Buddy." rendered vocally by the other woman came next Solo number by one male, then a double by the men, both tho real knockouts of the act. A quartet finish. They can certainly dance and should please pop house patrons. Exceedingly well re- ceived here in tlie second spot. •■ •"•;v"V- ;PAIACB. . 'V';"' Ten acts on tho bill this week, six coming before Intermission. The presence of two turns which class as playlets may have been the why for the extra mmiber. The Palace has been running along for many weeks at a time without the sem- blance of a sketch. Then two at . once. One was a farce, Solly Ward with Marion- Murray and Co, in "Babies" (hold over^; the other was Laura Plerpont's new "Guiding Star." At the matinee show both turns were In the second half of the show, and, what mado It worse, they followed one another. In the even- ing performance the bill was switched, both acts going into tho first section.. Ward showing No. .4 and Miss Plerpont clQsInf before intermission. Tho shift sent Gertrude Hoffman from closlhg the first part to eighth (second aft or intermission), which at the night show looked Just the right spot. jph9 Bocond section was easily the strongest, with . Miss Hoffman the evening's hit Bven to^thoso who don't knbw her siio Is a marvel as a vaudeville player. She has. Just returned from a long West- ern tour with what is basteally tho same revue of dances and Iifaper- sonations, but there seemed several points of difference, that being in wliat looked like several new num- bers. The opening dance, having Miss Hoffman as a glorified white pcacoclc, was not in the turn when It first showed at the Palace. After the Allies' Danco slides of French and Bnglish war songs wejre project- ed to fill in the wait the audience started a "sing." Among the imi- tations was one of Olga Fetrova in "The Shulemlte." It is new hore for Miss Hoffman and one of her best characterizations. For it she donned corsets and affect- ed the same old style of ballroom gown worn by Hiss Petrovia. The house had a giggle while Gertrude squirmed Into the corsetB. 'The changes are mado in the Uttle dressing room alcove ae formerly, Sho did a goodly part of the Petrdva fall at the finish. .In her Ann Pen- nington bit Miss Hoffman showed class as a kicker. Her Fannie Brlce bit was not good and It la out of date. But in Besslo McCoy she did very well, and the "Trip to Coney Island," retained from the other rou- tine, affords a strong finish. Miss Hoffman was out for a bunch of bows, and sho looked so good a holdover date at the Palace, Is quite probable. Max Hoffman made him- self evident at the piano In the or- chestra pit and' a couple of brazz Jazzers blared out oijl Individuals but to good purpose. On Just ahead, Lew Bockstader landed the comedy punch qt tho show (New Acts). The earilof sec- ■'Vw-vJiVJif'iv :!? turn' on closing There are several new- features in Hie Curzon act for whioh'.they should be credited, espeqiaUy sfnca , other turns have lifted Ideas <?rlgl* >;' ■;;. .- hated by them. Tho act Is carrying :.;... rwfCv its own hangings now, there being ' a cyclorama of green flowered slUb . In the rear there is a painted stirlm' panel showing two large butterflies and when Illuminated tho sisters sro' disclosed with outstretched wings, ready for tho first number. Tho'^ Idea suggests "The birth of tho but-, terflles." Another new number is "tbe spirit of tha. times" With the girls aloft bearing white silken ban- ners and with trumpets to^ their lips. loee, ,, COLONIAL. :SW, Most of the good in the Colonial':. bill Monday nlgnt was supplied by ; tho two headline acts, the Leo Chll- ; dron and Billy S. 'Van and James J.' . Corbett (new acts). The remainder of the prograni passed through, more or less.vWitli a couplo of production acta, one on either side of the Intermi^lon, not , helping tho show any. The "Flirta- tion" production, formerly called. "Puppy Lova" and now back to Its original title, had the first chance. No. 3, and Just about held up the spot The best of tho turi> was. the "pretty picture" at the finish, lodk- Ing like the ending of a feature film. The other was "My Tullpl Qlrl," sec- • ond after intermission, with 12 peo- ple running over 80 minutes. That's" a Ufetlmo sometimes in vaudeville, or it seems so. But the "Van-Cor- bett act came next and tluit eased up the hOMse. Billy 'Van had a cold thai troubled him a little but it didn't interfere. A bunch of Friars scattered all ove;* the orchestra came up to see their brother-memi- bers. The turn would have gotten . over Just as big without them. It was not a "plugging" bunch, bow- ever, merely oomi)limentary. Some Elks were there too. 'When - Janies B. Donovan opened Ms'coat and an Silk's looth showed on his watch charm, the fellow behind said to his girl, "Why, he's a brother of mine." and then two of Jim's best gags went to the ceiling while the windy boy told what kind of a brother he was. Quite a come-back James ::. did in the fourth position, with Marie Lee for tho straight A •very nico feeder, too, is she. Dono- van put over a couple of old ones ho must have chuckled at hlmsfelf, but thoy got the wows as Con often remarks. When Donovan and Lee reached that Irish "Baby Boy" lul- laby that Jim has never forgotten to use, It was all settled; they were the hit you could have expected, through the laughs preceding, and It they weren't the bit of the Mil it m '''tM :m ■rt--