Variety (January 1921)

VARIETY'S CHICAGO OFFICE * i STATE-LAKE THEATRE BUILDING MAJESTIC, CHICAGO. Chicago, Jan. 19. Sometimes it i>n't applause, it ihn t billing, it isn't even great tal- ent, but Just a fa< e that an audience (an't rchist anil can't forget, that stnn<ls out of a show and makes the rest of it Just opa<|Ue Objects to throw a shadow from a dazzling light. This show, one of the weak- est of the year, had it. It was Beatrice Curtis. Beatrice Curtis is the child of heavenly face and form who adorns Harry Fox's act. It is in the same act that Fox uses the homeliest scrub- KO.rof.p. be ciin^fjnd. Only a Michael Angelo or a llariy Fox* cou'd' fhird: of that. Miss Curtis doesn't sing to speak of, doesn't speak to sing of. But when she enters there is an aura of exquisite beauty about her that Is intoxicating and bewildering. Where is Griffith? In winsome beauty this youngster out-gishes all the Gishes. She was given no occa- sion to elicit heavy hand-clapping. Maybe she couldn't if she had the theatre to her own will. Dot when the rest of the show had come and Kone. and passed th«re remained the indelible memory of Beatrice Curtis, one of the fragile, will-o'-the-wisp weauties of a stage generation. Anatol Fricdland also flashed a beaut, and this one. too, was small. But she was chubby and kittenish and naughty, where Miss Curtis was big-eved and spirituelle. Violet Weller Is Friedland's tid-bit. and don't mistake it. she is a wiggling. hoofing, vamping li'l lollynop. She burst out like a round little divvil with confectionery legs and a oh- da-a-a-ady voicelet, and when that wee bimbo wriggled her infantile shoulderettes, well—oh. da-a-a-adv! Iriedland showed this as one of the first acts of this type. At the piano, with his light patter, he is easily Harry Carroll's equal. There is a patrician distinction about his work, his selection of peaches and his staging that is refreshing. His prima donna, Sonia De Calve, is a study in the svelte. Lucille Dalian - tine, Vera Velmar. Neii Mack and the snappy Frledland chorus built it all up to a spanking and sati. fy- ing half hour. Strangely enough two beautiful girls dominated a show remarkable for being almost all-male. Kate and Wiley opened with acrobatics, poses and web. Welch, Mealy and Mont- rose, three men, songs and dances and flip-flops, milked the hoakum for what they could, and stole away. The Barr Twins reported ill. and Bernard and Towne (reviewed re- cently at the local Palace), again two mrn, filled in. Then Bob Hall. Hall sang, smiled and rhymed. In • ne impromptu song he interwove the following trio in the following order: Warren G. Harding, Bob Hall, Theodore Ttooscvelt. He drew some laughs but closed cold, failing to return for a bow and openly showing his rcscntnn nt. Or was it his surprise? Anyway, he showed some sudden emotion, but after that be didn't show at all. Bert Baker, repeating his "Pre- varication" once too often, ran*: down to a chill at the end, though there were sprinkled howls. Bobbie Gordone, posing in the French lamp projections, held in an orderly though noticeably tired throng. Lo4t PALACE, CHICAGO. Chicago, Jan. 19. Jack Rose, supported by Sophie Tucker, Blossom Seeley, Bennie Fields. Jules Buffano and a lot of personal pals out front, made the Monday matinee a family affair. His veudeville return in the theatre where for weeks during the run ol "Scandals" he appeared every Mon- day afternoon, blowing his whistle from his seat and working as an impromptu volunteer "plant" to all the chummy aeadliners, was a hearty compliment to this really lovable or.-and-off clown. Rose has lots of friends here. He never missed a "professional night" while in town in any garden, and he kept rhe whole Hotel Sherman popula- tion ahowling many an hour many a night in the lobby. Now that he i«* back where the/ can do as much for him—as » ueh aa they can, an> way—the reciprocity shows, and it showed at the first performance re- soundingly. After the main portion of his act he pointed out the stars In the seats and the audience made tin in come up. Miss Tuckejr sang a ^ong, with Buffano at the piano, and Rose broke it up with his nut- tis:ns. Beneath the hat Wrecking, falling, OOhini mannerisms of the un- ashamed jester, lto'so his a good deal of Comic artistry. He handles himself with an easy grace and he can point a joke as few men can. With an eccentric lyric that fits him h- can turn vaudeville circles. He has now at the piano a perfect assistant in .James BteigCT, a mas- culine typv of pianist who really chips in nifties with effect. Rose sa^ng (our or live songs, told u couple "of stag stories' icTeaft'ett upT'tWwH'* lily that nobody got really mad over them, and, after the assem- blage of the mighty for a chorus, and Miss Tucker's contribution of a huge florist's horseshoe of rad- ishes, onions and cauliflower, he did a gentlemanly comedy encore, made a modest speech and retired the overwhelming panic of this show. He probably would have been that without a familiar face in the audience. Ro^e has an act Worth any spot in any theatre any- where. Vera Sabina opened in a special setting, modest and ne.it for the position, and executed a cycle of dances with a partner, Maurice Spitz* r; good attention, pleasant to the eye, far beyond the come-and- go opening tlim. Ralph Ash and Bam Hyams, in an old-fashioned two-i an variety talking and song act, pulled a lot of moss-grown wheezes and no few "gingery" ones. The tone of the entire routine is very low, stories and gags about peeping into undressing women's windows, hating one's wife, money- grubbing, etc.. predominating. It got a hand on the finishing song, but the turn is brutally coarse in its selection of material. In spots it is dirty. These men have aban- doned the warmed-over drop they used when last seen * re and work before a house olio. Hyams' neat dread al^ne saves the act fiom be- ing utterly unpalatable. flyman, Mann and Co.. repeat- ing the punchy skit. ' l&.OOU a Year," held No. 3 easily, stoutly and meri- toriously. Pour curtains, deserved and freely demanded. Robert Hy- man and Virginia Mann have ex- ceptionally pleasant personalities, and keep themselves light through "drama* in a way that many other sketch players would do well to study. Rove and Rudac, a tall man with a physique just made for trick dancing, and a sinewy girl who can bend any which way, tW'ftted them- selves into many shapes and got a great deal of applause on flying splits and difficult manifestations of eccc ntricated ballroom figures. Hit. Jack Patton and Lorctta Marks in "Bits and rieces." another re- turn, worked up from a mild open- ing to a solidly enthusiastic ef- feetiveness. This rare pair, exud- ing refinement and wholesome good looks, leading four girls far ahead of even in per *• US "Iris in dance mien, transnavigated the scries of little episodes delightfully. Classy leads and minors, smart act all the way, heartily appreciated, too. Rae Samuels, next to closing. Rae is a landmark here. But never before has she had such a com- pletely perfect routin of songs as she now delivers. Punch, punch, laugh, punch, laugh, punch, laugh, applause ami plenty more applause. That's the way it went and she vent. Whoever wrote her special numbers deserves program recog- nition. Bo does "Miss B. Walker." her pianist, whose first name should be expos* I. Miss Samuels head- lined this bill,-and if ever a single won.an deserved"that, Rae did here. She never looked, sang, gagged or got over better. Four Readings, sensational human Juggling and toaaing, closed, pretty solidly re- taining the impatient m<»b. Cork- ing work. Lait. CHATEAU, CHICAGO. Chicago, Jan. 19. Frances and Wilson opened the show. They begin with a weak song and dance in one, later mak- ing up for this with some good tumbling and rough and tumble work. By condensing their routine and eliminating their comedy gags this would be an excellent opener. The woman does some good work and makes three very pretty changes. The man does some very good tumbling and comedy falls. The Great Harmon strolled out for a clean-up by playing three numbers on a violin, all classical. He Ik of go^d appearwncn,,. nnO this,, together with the way he plays nis numbers, may entitle him to use (Jreat in his title. Osterfeld's Chinese Revue, with Dong Fong Gue and II. Gee Haw, gave impersonations, also a scene from 'East In West." They have a pretty full-stage set with props, and both make several changes in Chinese costume. They finish with a dance taking them off well. Harris and Manion. two men, one doing an old man character, came out w 1th old gags, though seemingly new to this audience, and went over big. Six Tip Tops, six men in gym- nasium suits, with a special drop in full stage of gymnasium, held the audience until the closing trick. They do some good pyramid- build- ing and tumbling, one of the men doing comedy, and could close any bill successfully. crowd in good humor. They finish with a sure-fire Jazz yodel, bringing them off the applause hit of the bill. Hamlin and Mack, * singing and dancing skit in fullstage, with a special cloth, draped "eye," closed, and though it would make a good act for the middle of the bill. Is not pitched right for a close. They open each inside of a phonograph box. singing, after which they go through a routine of smart songs and dances. HART TIES UP ALL BEE PALMER'S STUFF KEYES IS REMOVED FROM HOSPITAL BOARD A. E. A. Representative in Chi. Not Named for Reelection. Terrace Garden CHICAGO* M0S1 BEAUTIFUL RESTAURANT-THEATRE. Booking High Class Refined Attractiona OOUBLfS - TRIOS - QUARTETTES, itc Att Bust ■» reCned ind meaiurt W$ u> • «t*ndtrd wMrb *U) be appr«Iated t>» th» blfhMl *>»»» of patronage. 11 »<■■•» at asrett with the rrqulrrmfnrt atx>?«. vmimtnUatr and atate full oirtli u!ir» to fSfcO HURLEY Staff Olrarter CHICAGO NOTES. Chicago. .Ian. 19. Ttialto, Racine, "Wis., announces it has no connection with any other vaudeville) theatre in Ha cine, and that it is booked exclusively through the VV. V. M. A. Sam Kramer, junior member of Kramer & Levy,, is bock at his d« si< after absence owing to illneaa. lie spent his time visiting the various studios on the roast, and admits getting more laughs than Chaplin. Jessie Reed, after a from the Follies, is Chicago run. shoi t absence buck for the The Imperial, running stock, had live dressing rooms broken open, the artists losing everything, Billy Diamond, genei i| booking manager <»f the Suites Hooking Agency and the Webst* t Agency. left for New York to loos oyer ma- terial for his string ot* western the- atres. While aheenl Cleorge Web- stcr |S looking ai t< r ! >•> NEW YORK COSTUME CO. COSTUMES' „ A „i?™l\£?"»S c >, «**»» 137 N. WABASH AVE. CHICAGO Central 1801 RIALTO, CHICAGO Chicago, .Ian. 19. Finns and Burt, two men, doing hand to hand balancing and Human ring, opened and gave the show a good Bend oil. and could do the same on any bill. Cecil sang four popular numbers lti a sweet soprano voice and when he removed his wig got applause. He is billed with a question mark following his name, which loavea no doubt as to his sex. Arthur May ar^d the KildufT Sis- ters got big laughs throughout their comedy rural skit in full stage ami "one." May follows his character well, the laughs coming fart and furious. They finish In 'one" with a fast comedy dance taking them off to a big hand. Three Eddy Sis- ters in "A Study in Daintiness," this offering being the last word in tho way of daintiness, put over a hit. They open, two girls in tuxedos and the other us a girl, with a song and dance, after which they make several changes in pretty costume. It could take an early spot on any pop bill. Punlay and Merrill, man and t\oman, followed. They have bright talk and some good comedy songs and close with a comedy kissing number, bringing them off another hit. Dan Holt and Co., a blackface comedy skit in full stage, got a lot of heavy laughs with their hokum comedy. Holt does a sons and dance in his turn. They have a very funny finish and took four curtains. Curt Galloway, as usual, cleaned up. He does a tramp character. His material is all original and he has an excellent way of putting litis over. "Tunes and Topics." with four women and three men, with very pretty special scenery, closed the show and is one of the best girl acts seen here this season. HIPPODROME, CHICAGO. Chicago, Jan IP. Kremka Brothers opened the show with some snappy comedy ac- robatic stunts and gave it a good start. "Mid-West Girls," No. 2, not seen at this show. Hector, a small white poodle dog, assisted by three More dogs, went through an extraor- dinary canine routine, a man talk- ing throughout the act. One of the features of the act is the man tell- ing the dog to go to the balcony and instructing him how to get up there. The dog leaves the stage Immedi- ately and soon appears in the bal- cony, barking. The act iv out of the ordinary canine novelties, and could take almost any spot on the pop bills. Davis and McCoy, the man-doing boob character, but later getting away from this, and a woman of excellent appearance but not much voice, tried hard to keep in stride with the bill, but couldn't. Tl?e man opens with several minutes of talk, later interrupted by the wn;;m, then into come more ehatti this getting faint laughs. For a finish the man sine" a parody, the woman accompanying him, playing Reakly on an accordion. Failed to com-' hack for a bow. Jarisen. Iiomsky. Irene and Com- pany, the "company" being a blonde girl assistant, and a' plant b r -u; r ;i)t up from the audience, followed a. d suffered accordingly* They da some magic, conjuring and illusion work. most of this exposed by the would- be comedian, whose attempts ai comedy are sad. They cany a lat nf paraphernalia with which to nc« eomplish their tricks, none of His tricks being startling. The last trick consists of Irene escaping from fi l»ig can filled with water, hl'iklng her entrance through Its top. This didn't even gel n hand, Ward Bron. < ame on and had to wake 'mi Up, which they had a hard time doing, hut succeeded finally. One doi ■ English comedy, and his descrip- Uou of a baseball came kept the Chicago, Jan. 10. J, Marcus Keyes. local represen- tative of the Aotot'fl Equity Asso- ciation, was removed from the board of directors of the American Theatrical Hospital, at a meeting Of the board held Tuesday . Keyes had been a board member for more than a year. His removal was ac- complished through the medium of a nominating committee appointed to choose board members for the American Theatrical Hospital for! tho term beginning Feb. 10. The committee was polled before its ac- tion was ratified on the one issue of Keyes. The consensus \>£ opinion of the entire board was that Keyes shou'd not remain as a director. ' His re- moval, and the attitude of the rest of the board toward him. grew out of "the action of Keyes several months ago in promoting an alleged benefit for a club house for an ac- tor's club, in which the official name of the A. B. A. was ostensibly used for the purpose. No signs of any flub has since appeared. The Keyes 'jeneflt ran opposition to the American Theatrical Hos- pital Boneflt, held around the same time. Keyes turned his program over to a professional solicitor to whom he gave 50 per cent, of the proceeds. The solicitor advised advertisers to steer clear of the Theatiical Hospital affair and turn tho patronage over to the Equity benefit, which in two instances was done. Ono of those with whom the Kayos solicitor did business noti- fied the hospital he had telephoned Keyes about the matter, and Keyes had replied the Theatrical Hospital was of no help to actors, and was "a private graft." At that time Keyes was one of the American Theatrical Hospital directors. The meeting at which Keyes was removed was the first held since then. 3efore the session started, the caucus committee named a nominating body, pledged not to present the name of Keyes for a place on the hospital directorate. Dr. Mux Thorek, head of the hos- pital, is not a director. Aqent Attaches Shimmier for $6,000 Claim. Chicago, Jan. lf» Flee Palmer, the shimmying head- liner, now has something to wiggle j out of if she can. Max Hart, the agent, attached h*»r ! scenery, clothes and trunks, asking ',$6,000 for commissions and manage- rial ft rvioeE.- ■ • M lee Pa!m t Ih 9 u xticd her shoulders—with feeling - and said, "Hart must be crazy." She added he had been her agent, and that he had lent her a few little things, but had allowed her to use them. She is playing the State- I^ako and hastily procured c'othr* and a house set. "TOOTS" IN TRIANGLE. Chicago. Jan. 19. Mis. CharlOS If. Hahn, formerly known as "Toots" Clark in vaude- ville, has sued her husband for divorce, charging him with over- friendliness with Mrs. C. If. Reek** The P.eckers shared an apartment In Bvsnston with the Hahns. The suit followed a hair-pulling Btatetl between the women after Kr-eker had sued his wife and named Hahn, TRUNK TRADE 0. K. Chicago. Jan. J9. Oscar Herkcrt, of Heritor! & Meisel, St. I„ouis. trunk rnunufac- hirer*, who are to open a branch factory In Chicago, says business in looming and that the firm may shortly open another factory in New York. Co-respondent, Mabel Bedwell. Chicago. Jan. 19. Mrs. George Jessell (Florence Courtney), named a Mabel T 'edwell as co-respondent in her divorce against (leorp'e Jessell. tiled here. Mrs. Jessell Is one of the Covrrt- ney sisters. Blossom Seeley Records. Chicago. Jan. )?>. P.lossom Seeley has called off all vaudeville dates and goes east te make rec o rds for the Columbia, after which she will play Eastern dates. TOM MOOR* ARRESTED. Chicago, Jan. 19. Tom Moore, the vaudeville actor, for years of Tom and Stacia Moore, has been in the county jail here for the last ten days or so. He was arrested while playing the Hippo- drome and charged with issuing a worthless check for $20 . Moore was attached a few weeks ago on a similar check for $180 by his agent. Jack I'^ine, and assigned his salary. When arrested at the Hippodrome. Moore had played two days. Protested Attachment. Chicago, Jan. 19. Wilbur Cushman was attached this week at the Hippodrome on a commission claim by his agent. Jack Kox. Cushman wired th<- X. V. A. protesting the claim. Kvelyn Watson closed her with the Ted McLean Players a year on the coast, and will vaudeville with a sketch. tout aft. r enter Sophie Back at Circle. Chicago. Jan. 19. Sophie Tucker will return to Itc i- senweber's, Xew York City, opening there on Washington's Birthday, as soon as she completes her local vaudeville tour and cabaret work. ENGAGEMENTS, Bird Millman. "Midnight Frolic." Eli Dawson, replacing David Ad- ler. "Welcome Stranger." Herbert Waring. "The Green God- dess." Howard Lang, "Wake Up. Jona- than." William Kersehel?. "Tip Top." Violet firming, "The Night Cap.** Tot Quakers, "Midnight flound- ers." Sam Bines, Charles ffalton. Ann Austin. Charles Brown, "The Haunted House." Vivlenne Segal. "Three Kisses." Tom Powers, "Cognac." Mary Jeffery. Jack flafacl. Horace Newman. "The Haunted Hous-." Kdwin Nicander, "Tangerine." Elaine Arnt, Billy Mason. John Keefe, "Jim Jam Jems." Gasman Twins. Harry LaughllB, Harry Carroll vaudeville revue. Miriam Folger with Sam Shan- non. Edith King, for "Cognac " Conor and Perry, Jeannette Die- trich. "Midnight Bounders." Stewart Sisters, "Jim Jam J< ms." OSCAR HERKERT SELLING i Dick Green, head S. E., is making against pneumonia. iaid up for s week. of heal 1. A. T. a hard battle He has been Arthur Conrad, western revue producer, has airiliat.-d with T. Dwight Popple and will produce tin in xt olllc Cadillac Revue for the Peppl H.&M. TRUNKS In CHICAGO WITH BARNES TRUNK CO. KXIIt'MVK AOJOTM 75 WEST RANDOLPH ST. Opposite Garrlck Th<aue FRED MANN'S 4 * * "RAINBO GARDENS" CLARK AT LAWRENCE. CHICAGO I SHAM JONES—RAINBO ORCHESTRA CONTINUOUS DANCING AND VAUDEVILLE FAMOUS CHICKEN DINNERS AND A LA CARTE SERVICE