Variety (February 1921)

VARIETY'S CHICAGO OFFICE Chicago STATE-LAKE THEATRE BUILDING - PALACE, CHICAGO Chicago, »'• i>. '>. J. Ilonamond Johnson hai a :- I H.-t. But not good enough to fttop \ s-ho\v fOf 1" rninui.N 1< nil nii-i t« !v. Monday afternoon a acen* trana- pired ai the usual!) oi •!• i ly !'- that waa a s< amiui. Jobnson'n act had proceeded quite quietly until tha audience began to take note oi a colored man Heated in tin- fourth row on tha al»le, whoso BhouUlert! were aba king to the lilt of Johnson*! syncopes. After that stich applause I impression, ns he has rare appear- «s there was mine from acatteredI .-in,-,, and good way a. il<" never spots in the house; mostly above.yairectly says h<* lost Che limh in accompanied with whietllnsr, nboi.it- France, but recites ■ poem <>f a ing and feet-atamping. I^or a largefsoldier who did, which gets him part of this Johnson was directly at sympathy* Ha is very ISngllah fault, qs he and his troupe employed • though ii«>t as a "•character," ami all the too-well-known tactics to [tells gaga, soma P,<»<><1 and some tease bows and recalls. Even it weak, He sings smartly and dances Ing, construction, conception ami HI toil. The MeQanp opened the show, hat ami club juggling before a < oniedy drop of a stable with prac- tical »low u effects. \\«nt well. lack Joyce, • new one here, is a remarkably handsome youngster, Immaculately attired in evening \s - i!-. with one leg and a black crutch, If he could camouflage his deformity behind a waist-high cur* tain and then spring it as a sur- prise he could work up a wonderful > the colored "patron" out front was not a "plant," Johnson's methods aggravated rather than relieved the condition. By the time Johnson was "fed up" on the demonstration, which began to grow embarrassing and uncontrollable, he made honest ef- forts to stop it. But he had the crowd tasting blood by then, ami then not only wouldn't let the next act go on, but wouldn't let him, either. At last he got attention and j few minutes sang "They Rambled," which was J played to th< enough of an anti-climax to that ! of going out, as boisterous uproar to let him off in : the night show. utter and, desolate silence. John- son's supporting musicians shared with him the misbehavior, as they jockeyed without shame for the earlier bows, breaking into dance steps and then darting off, and re- turning with one foot on and one foot back, etc. At no time during the turn did it "go" in any degree legitimately warranting such an extravagant and sudden explosion at the end. Colored patrons on the main floor of the Palace are rare. And this one arose and left the theatre im- mediately after Johnson's act (No. 3) had finished. The whole thing had a smack of illegitimacy and claque, somewhere, and if not en- gineered by anyone in the act was done by over-enthusiastic friends gratuitously. It put a damper on the whole show that followed, as the discussion of the unusual event kept the audience buzzing through the rest of the performance. Donovan and Lee had to follow. In fact, most of the disorder took place in their set. This made it difficult, though the respectable ele- ment of the house gave Miss l-.ee a heavy reception, largely as a pro- test against the rowdyism which had delayed her. and which made her start obviously nervous. She could scarcely be heard during her opening song, and quivered per- ceptibly. With the arrival of Jim Donovan, of sentimental memories, the house began to settle toward normality again, but never quite regained its equilibrium, and the comedy went in spasmodic blurts and bursts rather than in fluent streams. Donovan works as be did at Tony Tastor's— and some of his gags must be from there, too. But he has a warm personality. Miss l.ee is inclined to laugh too con- tinuously; if she fancies herself in that mood, she can heighten its ef- fect by doing less of it. The act took two bows. Brown and Weston, the two peppy, pretty, talented dancing e,irls, ran their Spicy routine to healthy takings, Dave Dryer at the piano acquitlng himself in keeping with this smart and spic-span offer- ing. Bert Xenncy, in hi:5 one-man duologue (with •'Nobody") was off form. For a consistent show-stopper he did only fairly. A dialogue with the orchestra leader, featuring B somewhat unfunny confusion be- tween "blues'' and booze," might be eliminated, as it tomes when waste matter is hurtful. Keimey went to a blues encore and took three bows. The Santos and Hayes Revue was next to closing. If Johnson re- mained In the house he heard an act, at G: 15 after a matinee that had an audience weary. rter\ous and off-key, stop a show as it should be stopped—nim spontaneous curtain calls after the final curtain. Menlo .Moore and Muckltn Megley, fre- quently admitted in this column to i>o vaudeville's predominantly su- penor producers, outdid themselves here. With the personalities well for 0 monopedc. Billy Bouncer closed. It was con- siderably after 5 o'c|oclc and he was set to follow that whole bill under circumstances extraordinarily trying. Just ahead of him the Santos-Hayes get held it up again for numerous bows and a speech. Then ther was an excruciating stage-wait. Meanwhile the horde llo«ked out. BoUncer started to Kenney's partner. If he'd waited a more he could have m coming in instead the opening act of La it. Hon. their feature being one of the men taking a back leap from a high pedestal onto a table, landing on ids hands, went big. Annie Kent, as- sisted by a male piano player, held the next-tO-ClOsing spot. Miss Kent puts over several ehauiter songs With a punch line !:i every one of them, her best being the one about the plcntc, also a hick number, get- ting many laughs. Her offering was the comedy hit of the show. The Royal Harmony Five, three men and two women in costume, singing classical songs, closed, holding them In to a finish. EMPRESS, CHICAGO. Chicago, Feb. 9. This theatre is one of the most keenly managed anywhere. For a doaen years or mote Harry Mitchell kept it afloat and profitable through every booking vicissitude. He has had his pick and he has bad to comb the seven seas; lie has seen all the ups and downs and overs talents and lovcable ways of their stars as a nucleus, they combed the seas for glitter and gorgcousness of never offensive proportions but al- ways rieh substance, and gave to the industry .i m i lerpieee in si EUGENE COX SCENERY STATE-LAKE, CHICAGO. . Chicago. Feb. 9. A heavy bill of Chicago favorites. The second consecutive week for Kae Samuels, the first headliner—in fact, the first act—to ever be held ov» r here. Roode and Frances, rn a neat wire offering, started this week's bill with a fast shove, Roode doing some clever trick bicycle rid- ing on the tight wire. Tuck and Clare, with weak talk but strong on contortion work and some clever flip-flops, ooxed by the number two spot. "The Fall of Eve" hoakumed it up. probably thinking that the State-I,akc bunch might not get the humor or pathos of the light story. The sketch is full of laughs, though the studio setting, with satin drapes, re. ms to be overcrowded with unnecessary props. IVIiss Samuels, with some new songs, proved the sound reasoning of the booking office that she could easily stand the honor of a second week. She captivated the mob with her nifty songs and peppy style of work. She proved very accommo- dating, giving them song after song, then begged off in a little speech. Rose and Moon, in a classy, pre- tentious dancing novelty, kept up the fast speed of the show. Their singinp is so-so. but their enuncia- tion and delivery nf numbers was not hard to take. This pair snored bard and got the noise on exit; many bows. Kellam and O'Dare were a comedy riot. thr» boob character, portrayed by Kellam, while th~ sweet voieo nnd the straight work by the peacv- looking O'tJare was a combination bull's-eye for laughs. Harry Langdon, assisted by his relatives, In his super-vehici'*, closed the bill. Langdon has played this house three or four time-, but doe<? not prow tiresome, as he always seems to add some new equipment on r;i i> return visit. Harrv For. with Beatrice Curtis, nnd Jerome and Newell were not seen at this show. McVICKER'S, CHICAGO. Chicago, Pen. I. Flying Weavers, mm-ami woman I nerlalists, opened with fast teeth 1 WOrk. Roeher and Could in a mil | net full of .loe Millers have a special drop of a race-track scene. The ncl Is built for the very small time nnd there is little, either In the working ; of the two men or in their material, that would recommend them for anything beyond it. Beatio and j Blome, in ballroom dances, a spe- : clalty dance by the male member, n military too dance i>v trie g;!rl and ; :i double for the finish, went off with fair returns. Harry Webb, In blackface, told several stories, using the female as the Rtihjpi t for hi-: panning*. \V**b'h opens with n parody on a po>> num- ber nnd closes with a ballad -duck soup for this house, going noisily. wide! Mooneyapd Capman. man and worn- Ask HURTIG & SEAMON ITS4 UODKN AVK. Phono taelej CHICAGO MO I nn: Capman announces In song what 'hey are going to do, and Introduces Miss Moom y in the same mnnn« r, Tills clever team sro*s through a corking routine of dancing, and the and gracefulness of 11». ir team work stamps them n i a coming pair to be Watched by the bit,' producers The way Ihey went into their act belied the faci thnt Ihev *vere doing four froii.'vj ;1 day, and they e.isi 1 ' T.ioyed themselves and pleased Ihe audi nee. They possess irresistible personality and mannerisms and v.. nt for a "smash hit." The tarconlans, two men In clevi i ground work, tumbling and contor- and rock-bottoms of vaudeville. He has seen his drawing district swollen with war-time prosperity and he has seen it starving during stockyards tie-ups. Hut he has met every, circumstance. Now he is faced for the first time with heavy local competition, a new and pre- tentious vaudeville theatre supplied by a competitive circuit, having opened close by. He has risen to the crisis by a sudden switch of policy, throwing into his liou.se. at f>0 cents* top, an all big-time bill, probably the most remarkable and costly ever played in a pop house. And he proposes to keep it up, with Bee Palmer next week and Kae Samuels to follow. Jammed to the car-tracks, the Knglewooders went wild Friday night over six Orpheum turns, head- ed by Sophie Tucker and her Jaatz- eis. The bill for the week must have cost upward of $3,500. Miss Tucker and Joe Darcy, the second feature, play^ 1 the full week. It is scarcely necessary to review Miss Tucker again in this column; her vCord-breaking tour of Chicago theatres, whose records she is break- ing, has been a succession of tri- umphal receptions, shamelessly tumultuous audiences and violently vociferous encores. The Empress outlit always was hearty—for Sophie they made the chandeliers dance. She "broke in" two new numbers. But what matters? Everything ran riotously. She was cheered like Pershing. And she talked back to her lans in their own language— that easy lingo of good fellowship ari^4-platn United States. Joe Darcy scored probably the biggest one-man hit In the history of this theatre. Next-to-closing, this serious songster in blackface did 2'J minutes, with the common people storming for more. Darcy has a powerful yet sympathetic voice, deep, mellow, melodious. He puts his every fibre behind a lyric and his panting soul into a quaver. He has a touch for. comedy and is a wizard wiih a.i audience, equaled probably by Eddie Leonard alono at the system (it's professionally known as "showmanship") of mak- ing the patrons think they are beg- King him to do more. They certainly begged. He left them exhausted — meaning he was and the audience was. He will never be forgotten around those corners. Kennedy and RoOIiey, one of the oldest but one of ihe surest bing- bang comedy acts', drew the doubl) haul spot of closing and following Tucker and Darcy. They gave the mob all they had from both barrels and laid them low. What Tucker had been in enthusiasm and enter- 1 iuiment, and what Darcy had been in impresslveness and appeal, Ken- ii' dy and Kooney succeeded in be- ing in guffaws and screams of hys- terical laughter. Preceding the headliner, Kane and Herman had, by the way, slapped in a show-stopper with their neat and nifty two-man patter and harmonics, holding the house in their bands every moment and going to two encores and u speech. "Watiska and Understudy, a seal act that eari safely match any opening act in the business for laughs and speed, had opened and « nl in a knockout. Harry Mit hell's idea at Ihe Ian- press— and its instantaneous suc- cess is the proof of the oft-reiter- ated argument that Chicago is ready for big-time vaudeville in principal neighborhood Spots, which it has never had. Instead of huild- i#ig No. 2 houses in remote burgs', the Orpheum might well consider establishing a few Riversides, Co- lonials, l{a:ni)tons and Alhambras s:' Chicago's "uptown" cross-roads of residence and commerce. Lait. CHATEAU, CHICAGO. Chicago, Feb. ». Good show as Pantages vaudeville goes. Curl McCullough (New Acts) stood out as the class and quality of the bill. The Cabberts opened, a man and woman balancing, somersaulting and tumbling on a nickel-plated ap- IKiratus of steps and a perch. Went swiftly and closed well. Page and Cray, a tall woman with striking personality, a fashionable llgure and aggressive technique, assisted by a man of extreme "nut" methods. The starting dialogue was fair. The man's monologue went on and on and got little. The woman returned ;;i a dr/.zy cordage of brilliants, very becoming, and played a solo on the French horn. It was well done. Hut the man entered on this, the first showing of real merit in the act, to interrupt with a feeble wheeze—-a "local."* Then there was back-and- forth chatter, some of it worth while, leading to A ilat exit. The turn needs material badly, and the man should let his partner alono when she blows in that wonderful horn, which, by the way, she might re- vive for the linish, as it will win her a sure applause getaway. Hteed's Syncopaled Sextette, a hot jazz band featuring a saxaphone balladier, and two singing-dancing principals, the whole set in silk hanging; a turn ideal for the small big time. The girl, a tall and agile creature with a pleasant voice and athletic figure, looks like Anna May Hell, remembered here in Menlo Moore and Boyle Woolfolk acts, ti it is she, she has grown and de- veloped. The man is Kalph Hert- lein, recently nt the Edelweiss Car- dens, lie is a snappy eccentric dancer, but not so convincing as a biues singer. The two danced off a catchy finale, with the girl in a cute panties suit, and the whole turn went as a meritorious hit. fMcCul- lough followed. "Little Cinderella'' opened in "one," before a phony-looking rural drop, with the juvenile dressed in a green coat and gray trousers and purple cravat and the Ingenue try- ing to look like Mary Piekford. It was kidded. Into full stage with the chorus on, the turn brought on Eva La Uue, a low comedienne who got some of her stuff over despite neg- ligible support and despite too many bromidic puns. The ingenue re- turned and wailed a song about Cinderella. A costume number with a fashion parade flashed loud and inartistic gowns. In all a typical Pantages "girl act," lacking talent except as to Miss La Rue, with a tin-can 'book" and produced with an e. e on Butte. Mont. J.ait. "HONOLULU" SHOW $9,000 H. McK. Barnes Musical Production In Chicago. Chicago, Feb', 9, "A Night in Honolulu," a Howard McKent Barnes production, Whlci. has broken records in the "sticks'* for the last three years, got u track at city time two weeks ago playing the Victoria and the ImpeliaI. where they succeeded In hanging up a few more house records. A little better than $8,000 was done at the Victoria, while $9,000 was grossed at the Im- perial at $1.50 top. JACK FOX GETS $750. "Little Cafe" Cass Settled and Per Cent Held Legal. <!fc i i Chicago, l\b 9. The case of Jack Fox, agent, against Wilbur Cushman ("The Little Cafe") which act Fox at- tached at the Hippodrome on a claim of $1,800 lor commission at 7 Vis per cent, as a result of which he was invited to stay out of the Pantages office, was settled in court for $750. Fox's contract was held valid at law. The V. M. P. A. supplied Cush- man's attorney, and James O'Neal, Pantages manager here, testified in the defendant's behalf. Adolph Marks represented Fox. CHORUS, CO-RESPONDENT Mrs. Banister Alleges H«r Hubby Ovsrlooksd None. Chicago, Feb. 9. Mrs. Billy Banister, testifying in a divorce suit against her husband, a musical comedy actor, charged him with infidelity with her maid, with a woman named "Diamond Min." and with "the whole chorus of the show he was with in 1919. " She swore Banister had confessed to her about the entire chorus of the show. 1 "Passing CAFE SHOW TIED UP. by Chi- Revus" Stripped csgo Sheriff. Chicago, Feb. I. "The Patsing Revue," the popular entertainment at the Marigold Gar- dens, was attached Monday on a I claim transferred to a local at tor- I ney by an eastern cost inner, who alleges that one Bouchlet gave bun two checks on account which came back marked "Insufficient funds." Ernie Young, who bad engage >\ the. revue as it stood, without any responsibility in its financing or organising, was left without a show. but hastily dug up costumes at local sources for the chorus and gave a pretty fair* performance Monday j The costumes, however, bad b< • n the feature of the revue .is an attraction* BRYANT IN VAUDEVILLE • Chicago, Feb D. T.ester Bryant, lessee of the Play- house and Studebaker, proved his versatility by grabbing off th^ Har- den, an 1,100 seating capacity vaude- ville house in the outlying district last week, and then jumping to Anderson, lnd., where he leased the (band thratre. The Garden will use a feature film and five acts of vaudeville supplied by the W, V. If. A., while Urn Grand will play Western B. F. Keith acts. P. D. Q.—Ii S. F. Pseudo 'Ellison'' Spends Wad, Checks Come Back. But FKED MANN'S RAINBO GARDENS" CI ARK AT I AWKENCE. CH.CAOO THE ORICINAL^-RAINBO ORCHESTRA CONTINUOUS 'DANCING AND VAUDEVILLE Chleago.'Feb. 0. young man holding himself Kllison of Pease and A foi th as "Mr Kllison. New York brokers," cat a BWath lure with a four-roam sdlte at the Drake and as an entertainer, of show folk. Wo spent $800 in cur- rency to have an extra performanc of Brnle Young's review pul on aft< r hours at the Marigold. Then Ik' left town. A numb r of N. G checks signed •"Kllivon'' came back. T< legraphle inquiry to N< w Vork brought the answer that Mr. Kllison had not been out of towrt 111 five j eai s. TEARNEY AFTER EDELWEIS Chicago, Feb. 9. Negotiations have been entered Into between Al Tearney, proprietor of the Auto Inn. for the leasing of the obi Kdehveis Cardens. If the transaction goes through, Tearney will raise the old Winter Garden Building and erect a larger garden to be dedicated to King Jasz. An elaborate vaudeville program will be nsrd as < w\> rtaihnru nt. Terrace Gar den 4 CHICAGO 9 M0S1 SfAUllFUL RESTAUHANT-THEATSE. Booking High Class Refined Attractions 00UBLE8 — TRIOS — QUARTETTES. Et«. Ait ni ist t>t rrflfifd tnd meantrt up to I itPtnlard wlilcb will b« at>i<rerUted by ■ L.» h'.ghcftl -U*» of patronac*. If rovii art mrri> wltb th« requirrirenta atott, •ftnununtraM and ttfttr full pir'J :il.-.'» to f'REA HURtfV. £ta|« Otrt.tor C0NLEYS IN DIVORCE Etta Conley Sued by Harry, Service Through Publication. Chi. ago, Feb. 0. Harry J. Conley, vaudeville comedian, entered suit for dlvoree here rtgainst Etta Conley, who was tor many years his partner In **Ai ■ i" < 'r<» isroads." gervlee is being sought on Mrs, Conley by publication, the rase bi Ing • f lor March 7. Conley is now pla.ving In ''Rice 'ami Old Shoes/ 1 wi'h Naomi Ibiy. AN0THEK TTTCKER FAREWELL. Chicago. 1-Yh. ». r.v an eleventh* hour arrange' mint, Sophie Tucker will wind tip her unique local vaudeville tour with a "farewell" nsturn we< k at lie Majesfic, beginning Feb, 28. For this Sfie postponed her re-di-but «'«I Kerscnweber's, .Ww York, 10 .M.ireh 7. ART F s- A HENRY" ElER & OULL1VAN •• ' IN. MERCHANT TAILORS TO TtIK PROFESSION '. , 610 State-L^ke Bld^. Chicago, Id. THEATRICAL and STREET FOOTWEAR DESIGNERS MAKERS and RETAILERS AISTONS INC. 14 W.WASHINGTON STQ6ST CHICAGO PAVLIY-OUKRAIMSKY BALLET SLIPPER* NEW YORK COSTUME CO. COSTUMES 137 N. WABASH A\ LARGEST COSTUME MANUFACTURERS IN WEST GOWNS CHICAGO Central 1801