Variety (February 1921)

were Second, and Edna Aug third. Mis* Aug's scrub woman was new to the larger part of the audience, as it will be to nine-tenths of the pop audiences today. It's.just as funny as It was a decade ago, Miss Aug putting over her comedy points wjth a natural, easy method that betokens the experienced comedi- enne. The gag about the marble yard being on tire was a bit too deep for Brooklyn, and Miss Aug had to explain it. getting the laugh any- way. The first section was a laugh from start to finish, the encore fall- ing off a bit. This can be easily remedied by c.hangmg the material at the finish for a still broader travesty bit. The turn went very well on the whole and should shape as a novelty in the big small time shows. Gertie Carlisle and Six Sweet- hearts (New Aets) were next, and "Every Man's Sinter," a dramatic sketch with plenty of comedy re* lief, fifth. The act holds special values for the pop houses, with its mixture of comedy and sentiment. and a melodramatic finish that brings the big hurrah applause. Bobbie Henshaw was next to closing, and cleaned up. As usual, ovemihere, where he appears to be a fwrtorite. Mr. Henshaw is still claiming the ph.. .ng of "Stars and Stripes Forever? on the uke is a difficult feat. They might believe that dn Brooklyn, but Bobbie should know better. Mrs. Henshaw (V'er'a Vanatta) now appears in the act, Bobbie calling her from the audi- ence and having her get in the finale with a jazz cornet solo, the instrument being borrowed from the orchestra cornet ist; Miss Vanatta is an exp rt on the instrument, and the duet which closed the turn, with hor playing and Mr. Henshaw imitating a clarinet with .his voice, jUst goaled them completely. The Claire Trio, acrialists, closed. The woman of the turn holds the apparatus from a head downward position on a bar, while the two meii perform on rings, etc. One of the men does a corking balance, holding the comic on a pole, the latter balanced on his chin. Attendance was good Monday night, the house being slightly less than capacity. lu U. H. 0. H. . At 8 P. M. everything was sold but the lease Monday night. Blame It on the try-outs, of which there were six. with another.half,-.dozen: acts of the regular bill following and Q)C feature picture winding up an evening of quantity anyway. The Harlem audience sat right through the picture and staggered out glutted with vaudeville, re- sembling a six-day bike race bug about' Thursday morning at the Garden. Five of the .try outs were New Acts,. Lea and Fritz, Frank and Leary. Martin. Morrison and Mar- tin, La Violette and Brown and Singer. "Phantom Hands," the fifth try out, has been playing the split week stands. It is a "request" thought transmission turn. An announoer and audience worker precedes the turn with a short explanation. The stage holds a black box set with a. grand piano. The "Phantom Hands" ere placed on the key board but the "switch" is bungled. The male then plays requests from the audience without any verbal or other cueing visible. The act holds great possibilities. An opportunity for comedy is missed by the audi- ence worker. A showman would have had thin act at the Palace in four weeks. The audience worker leaps over people taking their whispered requests with little or no comment following. People a few seats away lose interest. It's one of the best systems of trans- mission y<jt seen, despite this. After 40 or 50. requests the an- nouncer returns to the stage for the final switch holding up the hands to the house. Mabel Fondau' started the reg- lilar bill following the try-outs, fol- lowed by Paul and (Jeorgia Hall and youthful violinist and girl singer in olever numbers. Opening as street urchins the act goes to "two" for an antebellum number with the girl in period attire. A violin solo helped. Bice, and Ward kitted them. Every move "Fop" made wits good for roars, and Miss Kice's imita- tions were accepted as literally as the Declaration of Independence. They were a panic. .Toe Bcnnct. with his novelty opening retained from the former Beimel arid Kichard? nun, had no. trouble in ;« lair spot. Bonnet is a good blackface cotrttc and one of she niftiest loose dancers In the busi- ness. His jerky, fast stepping rou- tine put him away'solidly. Dippy Dior* closed with panto- mine acrobatic clowning and the fall. Dlers takes the fall from s standing position ntop the four tables and works the rot king up for shrieks fro mtlie women. IP- is assisted by u petite blonde who does some clever balancing stunts. using a bejewelod jdiovel for appar- atus. A eat tight i*>'::itioo by Diet's and the girl was followed by a shower of tin cans from the t?:ng*. one of the stage hands hitting Dlers with a fast one that neailj knocked him Off the tabic, rt was one of the Cunnlcft bits in the act and nd l?b. 23D STREET. An interesting small time bill with plenty of singing, but rather short on dancing, backed by a first rate film feature, "The Education of Elizabeth," featuring Billle Burke. The show had fair comedy values, although the farcical sketch of Leigh DeLacey and Co. made rather a halt in the No. 3 spot. Otherwise there was enough variety to the bill, although it contained two double men acts. Kstelle and LeRoy opened with their neat gymnastic number, offer- ing nothing especially striking in the acrobatic line, but holding atten- tion nicely for an opening number by reason of the tricky work of the woman of the pair, a neat 100- pounder in a cutie-cutie costume of black running to semi-tigbts. The pair use a tall apparatus* like a single standard of a casting act. with cradle atop from which hang the roma nrings. Simple feats are worked on thTs paraphernalia, end- ing with the man in the cradle do- =«^i 23 £ .-. 4si SB 4. =t=*= f 7 Stanley, return, duplicated past per- formances, "cleaning up" from Btart to finish. Miss Stanley has several additional comedy numbers that keep things moving at a Jolly pace. Lew Brice and company made a favorable impression. The company is a male pianist who remains at the keyboard. The present turn could stand a better line of comedy talk to start proceedings. Brice finally aroused them with his usual steps, followed by a burlesque bal- let, the latter satisfying. Arthur and Morton Havel, run- ning 12 minutes, during which time they offer a little bit of everything, should continue indefinitely. Arthur Pickens and co. in a comedy skit, four people, preceded Current Events (lilm). Although the skit is founded on a good idea, it is too conglomerated at present to attain the best results. The two feminine members are scheduled to be ma - ried the following day and have all necessary preparations complete. One of the brldes-tp-be tak ^s 'a motor trip the night before and meets with an accident. The victim H ing a kind of upside down feat iUi hand to hand formations. The-man] does Some mat tumbling 'in good Ms °'»° of. the coming bridegroom", acrobatic style, wearing a pierrot | hi|t Jhis I costume. • Florence T'im'pphi "followed with a single straight ring'-Jig turn of popular published numbers and sev- eral ballads. A simple turn with- j out anything to distinguish it from of the. car. who brings him back into her;apartrriehr_ for medical at- tention. 'He sleeps until 11 a. m.' the following; day, the lapse of time conveyed "to'the patrons via scrVen flash. Bride-to-be Can't got'lilm- from her home and fears for 'he Innumerable others of the kind and" f™2 * . nom * * m \ u ' rs T Iu shaping up about as usual. The coming of her-future h"«l>and. Lat- audence iked her well enough to £*2 , * er * ?■*** by thc other bride Oottld and Howard have a fast routine that should lceep the turn i in the limelight. Both are attired 1 i in evening dress as French char- I acters, starting with comedy talk. r! f ESESi b . y '%? « 8 fJ2?£!? g ? n J??rZ 'skates and the offering .1 several comedy' song selections. allow her 14 minutes and were gen- . erous in applause at.the fin sh. At No. 3 a good ppmedy .number ; would have done wonders for the* bill, but the sketch of, Leigh De- Lacey and Co. hardly tilled the bill. position where it could take ad- vantage of a previous comedy num- ber to break the ice. As a first comedy turn in a bill it somehow, is slow in getting away at the be- ginning, but works up to good laughing material, at the close. What was needed was an act that opened with a solid laugh and had 'em laughing at the getaway. DeLacey act has beert made ov since sit went the rounds last fall. Now the first wife is out of the ac- tion and an accomplice-friend of the wife works out the trimming of the husband in order that the two women may get financial backing for their poker" game. The re- arrangement improves the climax, although It does noKhvlp the open- ing or the rest of the sketch much. It formerly was called "Bringing Home the Bacon.;* but the title did not appear "on the lobby billing at the 23d Street. It was Nestor and Haynes. who delivered the first real comedy of the evening with their' patter and singing in "one." . They got the Lizaeed Troupe, numbering seven. : opened the show, but a change of 'routine from their last appearance i at this house throws results off i quite considerably. They are an I acrobatic' aggregation of Turks I offering the* usual twists and bends, I besides making as much noise as »ir' lhev do wiar k- Tne opening has 1 been ' changed to that of a kid parade, us ng all kinds of miscel- laneous articles for musical instru- ments. Each member is completely LEGIT. REVIEWS. (Continued from page 19) get her they had '"There Comes a Someday." the theme song. The melody begins markedly reminis- cent of a number that have been Uoetze's In "The Royal Vagabond." Max Sheck staged the numbers and his novelties drew attention, with three or four good exits and entrances standing out.' The Swan- pon girls in low back gowns were rolled on at one point and It looked as though the sisters were sitting in bath tubs. Reversed, the girls were shown to be merely draping settees, the low design frocks being responsible for the rest of the trick. Lew Morton was stage director, the production being staged by Hazzard Short. There were two settings, the first showing a rose garden on the Uiviera. Here a back drop showed excellent conception, resembling a foreign poster. The second set was entirely of silks, well blended. The first night found the show finale at 11:30, with the necessary cutting not a difficult task. "The Rose Ctrl" has not a deal of musical competition, which betters its chan- ges to register. Jbrc. PEG Q' MY HEART. 1 covered it is all cntly with white sheets. What for i3 a mystery. Appar- for «*Omedy. • icBArrs "glades" (Continued from page 3) than any other artist. Miss Hard- wick, the prima donna of all Healy.'s Glades show*, has passed her 3,000th performance there: • - When.Tom Healy decided Broad- way wanted ice skating as a part of crowd laughing at once and kept in jits night pleasures, he concluded to that humor throughout, although to J convert the garret of the Healy achieve that end they Ijad to resort building for that purpose. At that to a good deal of material that was pretty rough, such as the man wal- loping the girl all over the stage. Their few lines of doggerel and "I get you, Steve!" is pretty broad tun. too. They don't need this sort of stuff. The girl's eccentric stuff is first rate low comedy results, and the singing and dancing finish is well handled, Nestor's yodllng work- ing in for those harmony effects that never fail before a pop audience. Irving and Jack Kaufman, the phonograph singers, have capital- ized their phonograph record-mak- ing careers to advantage. They sing their first number, a duet, oft stage, and make their entrance, both in Tuxedos, through a ten- foot high phonograph of gold tinsel. The act is a straight vocal offering made entirely straight, and has only the entrance as a .novelty, but the 23d St. clientele liked their agree- able singing on its own merits. Bowman Bros., still working in blackface, gave the. show another strong comedy spot next to closing, where it was much needed. The steamboat laugh of one of the com- edians, their capital singing and the novelty of the finale got them over as one of the ts of the bill, prob- ably the honor bearers of the sh< v. This consists of one of the pair fin- ishing: his solo close to the tor- mentor, and making a lightning change from straight tuxedo to gay minstrel attire. Tin- transforma- tion was done ii\ a twinkling. To top it off the other comedian joined >the roloiSt In a ridiculous burlesque of a woman's boudoir gown with -.aMor trousers instead of pajamas. Their talk also was-well handled and * on many legitimate laugh* Weadltek- and LrtDtte 1 1 9 the lariat whirling te;its the man working after the mann. r of W.I I Rogers, although he seems rat! r Self-conscious with his talk, there is too much of it between tricks with the rope and the humor has not tin time, about six years ago, to make the garret presentable appeared an 1 impossible feat. It was Just a bit worse in Its raw appearance than most garrets. In disuse since the building was erected, Mr. Healy converted it into one .of the hand- somest restaurant rooms of the strictly cabaret sort in New York. The roof was torn off and a movable skylight installed, with the floor re- constructed to hold the Ice rink, under which was the apparatus for freezing the ice. Of undiminished attraction to those who are fond of ice skating and with the Glades presenting the world's best known speed and fancy skaters at different times, thc CI lades held a steady business. Mr. Healy has reached the conclusion, though, the younger set nowadays prefer dancing during the evening, and with this In his mind posted notice for quittal of the present dlades performance to turn the big room into an exclusive ballroom. ".f«rr>" A. K. M;»Uh«'ws f.lnrte. , ; Percy AmM iewke* tit-arse Riddel lin-nl. Tb'miaH A. BvsldOQ ?Hr.viH (ieorK'- Kyil. rU.ain Irs. rhUh<Ht«*r Mmid Milton EChft Qreta K*mbl»« Cooper Maid , .... Mildred Post yi'KK" • •■ l.aurctte Taylor This reviewer had never seen •Peg o' My Heart" until Monday. With "an open mind," and sizing up the piece from modern, playwright- ing standards, he regards it as a good bit of theatrical property—a play that presented, for the iirst time in .New York, .would be likely to seme as big a hit as if it had never been seen here before. It is the most certain form of play con- strue! ion, primitive comedy-drama, but written 'With smart diajog. with the 'fattest ' kind of a role for the star wherein the entire company feeds her for quick-witted retorts. Miss Taylor is eminently fitted for the role of. Peg. her vacant, hol- low intoning lending itself to the characterization. On tho other hand, it will be recalled that every actress of the innumerable touring Companies .who played the role was |ahv> sensationad|r Puecessful. AU ;most any amnion*, with thu slight-. Jest gift for actings could not fail in the part. A very wiggy -w'g and ■grotesque made-up eyebrows did (not lend much to the ' illusion of lyouth for tho star. A ileal of snobbishness was manl- •fe>f in the lobby between the acts •in- referring feelingly to the original x*ast ; which the old-timers declare was far superior to the present one. !lf this be so they mUst have been Kyonderfdl Artists, for the present isupporting organization is excellent 'throughout. In her curtain speech after the second act Miss Taylor ihdicated the revival was made for legal rea- sons, probably with the idea Of re- taining for the author and herself the financial emoluments accruing from the picture rights. Jolo. MANHATTAN OPERA HOUSE (Continued from page 1) daughters of Oscar Hammerstein a judgment of over $124,000 against the widow (not the mother of the daughters) may hasten the sale oX the Manhattan, since the award acts as a lien against it. There are mortgages of at least $r.00.000 on the Manhattan. The ground itself is valued at that sum. Mrs. Hammerstein secured a loan of $150,000 on the property some time ago, indicating the equity to be much larger than supposed. The in- creased value Is further shown be- cause the most recent loan was granted In splto of the lien which Operated on th rt starting of the" Ham- mer;.tein suit by the daughters.' Mr. MeCormiek looked over the Manhattan property about ten days ago, accompanied by his architect. Should he buy the Manhattan the roof skeleton, never completed, may he converted into a picture studio. When the Manhattan was erected Oscar Hammerstein planned a roof garden, but abandoned it after the theatre proper was completed. Mr. McCormii'k Is married to the daughter of John D. Bock,e/ellex, but is said to be worth $70,000,000 in>. .his own right. He is one »of the Harvester Trust heirs. so i hut-act.' r hacking which leil !tf much effectiveness to Kogers* wise cracks, ills manipulation of the i-ope r- exceeding!} interesting'and the p.«-s« nee nf a young \\' man with ,i routine of rope feats 6! her own ;i ii :ohh'd touch ol •hownian- he un- e.i\ « ship 1,'iish AUDUBON. 141 \ ud< • ilh' at this hour" w HI i" ,; h.< il.si'niil inticd as (in i < nt l,\ i ••- ported along Broadway. Tlwr* hat I.- .n :i < hnnge in 11 •• pici tire end uhuh i- 111 efTcct uy . Allceij SPECULATOR BILL. (Continued from page 12.) other agency willing to admit that it could be <fone. Reports of a fund being raised by the brokers to light the 50-eeni premium bill arc coupled with tne subscription of a fund for engaging legal talent to light the appeal of the Ilosalsky decision which declared the city ordinance of a year ago limit- ing premiums to no cents to lonsifniTtOhAi. It Is s;>io i'h- tion of the latter fund was opposed by some agencies. The appeal Is due f..r a hearing m the spring term of court*. - ' In New York this week, as the re- sult of a crusade personally started by David Betasco; five speculato r s were lined and Magistrate Simpson, in West Hide court, declared his m- t•iition of soaking everyone brought before him and found guilty of vio- lating th<- sidewalk ordinance. \'- lascd created a sensation in front oi the Ilelasco theatre l>.\ giving chase to a speculator and then re- turning to the lobby, where le- made .1 siieech to a gathering audience M 'king their cn-ojieration In ending Hie sidewalk speculating null tnci FAMILY PRIDE. .\fr. CroMRlIck JoRoph Khnmgolil LAOS Laaar Fried Wantla Haltrha K»ttnor Mita Lisa Votdn teonha ■ . Hone Stlhort The Aunt Anna Appel ROM lloi.-nHtela Henrietta Bchnltser titer Father Joc-hlol (Utl.lsmith Her Mother ...nine Abrarnovltch ,f>lh Max Kkulnik Her I.oule Welaahers !one of the VOttesfe'.' •*«• Pecker A Maid riara LetigsleJr This three act comrfly was put on at the Jewish Art theatre Saturday evening with Joseph Schoengold heading the cast. The play is by Sholem Ash and the staging wan done under direction of Ossip hymnw. The reviewer, having no command of Yiddish whatever, took the occa- sion to test out nn oft-repeated as- sertion of dramatic technical wrlt- Itera thai the nearfr the play comes to being understandable to an audi- tor by its visible action without ref- erence to the spoken lines the nearer it comes to being a good play. With this in mind he refrained fi-om reading the synopsis printed in Knglish on the program until after he had witnessed the perform- ance and constructed his impres- sion.-- of the Story from watching the stage action without understanding a syllable of the di.ilog. This process left tWO conclusion Open: Wither the dictum of lh< dra- ■ ;•;.■ :'• hi -.*. '<„'] •.■.-•^n^fc.u.v "}';»;n-. il\ Pride" is not a well•>constructed play. The weight of evidence Is on the side of the lath r opinion, for the revii wei's understanding of the p*t»- ceedingji was ;i wide miss until the program • nllghtehed him. Piecing the stage action ami the printed synopsis together resulted In a mixed un«l'i standing of the object •in.i mes il;c of the dramatist, and if seetned <ui our hind to !>.■ a >a«IK distorted .<<•< ial Idea. Mr. Ash pi> % - tures :i \ "r> worthy family, formerly rich and how reduced in rlrcum* stance-* but preserving their breed inf aid high traditions, who fall mid' r the rlomln (tion of a thorough- ly unwoithv woman, bv reason of their pwn feebleness The worthy !.ro>■'(• of the play all <le n»nd to fie- . i pi n »"•" of i m v ery low st:i nds • •' I LOCAL MANAGERS SLEEP (Continued from page 1) business on the road, as well as New York, is believed to have- In- fluenced the framing of the legisla- tion. In Connecticut the legislature has in committee a bill which will levy a state tax of 10 per cent, on all admissions — theatres, amusement parks, baseball, etc. Huch * a bill* if it became law, would bar legltl-; mate attractions from the state^ind seriously cripple vaudeville, bur- lesque and pictures. v . In Pennsylvania thortj has ibeen a bill favorably reported' on calling for one per cent, of the gross going to tho 'state and applying to all classics of amusement. Such a tax Could not be passed on to tlie, pub- lic hut would be a tax on the at- traction manager and the house con- . trol. It is estimated such • a tax would call for payment to the state of considerably more than $100,000 yertrly from . managerial sources, mostly theatre people. Missouri Blue Law. Ap attempt Is being made to press through the Missouri legislature a blue law which would stop all Sun- day performances. If it passes it will eliminate the valuable stands of St. Louis and Kansas City so far as Sundays are concerned and thc loss to pictures, burlesque and- vaudeville would be far greater. At Trenton, N. J., Monday was introduced into the New Jersey as- sembly a so-called "Equal' Rights Bill," providing for a penalty up to $500 where a manager refuses to sell any person a ticket or to deny entrance to any person presenting a ticket. Legislators generally appear im» pressed with the fact that amuse- ments and especially theatres are cleaning up vast sums and round the opinion on stories sent out. J$o at- tention is given to the jump in expenses during the past two or three seasons that has actually As* creased rather than increased -the number of productions on the road.- The proposed state admission and gross taxes are of especial iptvrcs^ to the producers and managers, ot touring attractions. In all case« the bulk of the burden would fall on the attraction because of the sharing ar-» rangements with the house. Shows on tour hold contracts calling for from a 60-40 split to terms as high as 75-25 (a few call for X0-20), apd the tax. therefore, would affect the attraction shari in like proportion. HASTINGS' BIG SHOW. <Continued from page io.) aggregation Is Mat tie Billie Quii.n, ;i iftngery Utt'.'v brunette •otrhre.tls who started a riot with a plain hard shoe Specialty near thc end of th< evening and held up the. show. Ha sells Lorraine was the ingenue or assistant souhrette, a slim girl of plenty of animation, hut i.o special fcift In ither the dancing or sing- ing departments Hoa*aver, she is pretty and makes a nloa looking and satisfactory number leader. The show never lags for a minute. if la mad" un of g succession of ht« ( d( nt*. numbers and hits, which provide constant interest, an effect such as is striven roe in a high-class re\ ue. hut all in the bu. lesque at- ntospherc. Besides, which there is litth- of the threadbare burlesque material, and what little there Is has Ihm n given i new IwiM which maU< n it u'^tm* t ire. A**A