Variety (March 1921)

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A TERRIFIC SENSATION WITH a DOWN YONDER" in "ZIEGFELD'S MIDNIGHT FROLIC" PUBLISHED DY L. WOLFE GILBERT MUSIC CORPORATION 165 W. 47th St, NEW YORK CITY _^ SHOW PREVIEWS (Continued from Page 17) possess the art of talking without moving their lips—the man mu !i more so than the young woman, but she is cute, sings and dances,, works In the audience with a dummy and "feeds" his dummy. It seems rea- sonable to inquire why they do not work their lay figures simultane- ously. Which suggests that IS might be a good idea for a pair of ven- triloquists to get up an act with an unlimited amount of crosstalk be- tween the two dummies and with Interruptions by the operators them- selves. This may not be as prac tlcable as would seem at first glance. It would necessitate the services of two very good ventriloquists, and managers would not be likely to pay a double salary for such a single act. Secondly, both the voice-throwers would have to be fairly god actor* to achieve the desired result. Ar- thur Bell employs the familiar "im- promptu" topical ditty, "Now there's a young fellow sitting over there," using a couple of the set verses that apply In a general way to all audi- ences. Bernivici Brothers and Co. (the 'Co." consisting of a gondolier who sang tenor) played soulfully on their violins, backed up by special scenery. 1 Swift and Kelly, a mixed couple, do crosstalk and singing. Both characterise legitimately ar. their material is on a par with th ir tal- ent. They do not find it necessary to yell their lines, but nake their points naturally, conducting them- selves like ordinary human beings. Theirs is not an applause-getting turn, but no one can honestly allege they did not go as well as anything on the bill. It would be well worth while for other performers to ana- lyze their methods and, incidentally, go to the same trouble to secure suitable material. Franklyn Charles and Co. are an- other example of what can be done in the way of creating for vaude- ville. The two men who form the basis of the turn are a couple of gymnasts, but they are artists enough to surround their hand-to- hand lifts and balancing with suf- ficient other material to make up a most entertaining act They open with some intricate stepping, acro- batic and otherwise. It is not the. greatest dancing hereabouts these days, but it gives them a start. Then they havo a woman vocalist who renders a couple of operatic numbers legitimately and accom- panies their burlesque Apache trav- esty .dance. Again when they come forth to do their actual work of gymnastics they introduce a few comedy bits, the vocalist meantime humming sotto voce and gently tickling the ivories. They are not yet the greatest comedians on the stage, but their progress is in the right direction. It goes to prove that showmanship is profitable. Without it they would be a regula ^n open- ing or closing six-minute turn. Demarest and Collette followed, next to closing. Demarest's humor- ous efforts to tumble were fitting burlesque on the Franklyn Charles legitimate work. Here is another act that has imDrcved since last season. They have Introduced a lot of new comedy, the funniest of which is when Demarest is about to wallop Miss Collette for annoying him. At just that Instant a gong sounds and he is thu^ prevented by the call of "time." Durkin's Ani- mals, a fine aggregation of dogs and monkeys, with no human being in sight, made a fitting closing act, The feature is Marion Davles in "Buried Treasure." Jolo. ■■ ' ■ •■ Original Creations exceptional halite YWl^ HAVE ACHIEVED A REP- %XX UTATION FOR EXQUISITE TA8TE AND INDIVIDUAL- ITY. TO MAINTAIN THI8 HIGH STANDARD AND CLIMB 8 T I L L HIGHER 18 OUR IDEAL. m E ARE CREATING FROCK8 AND 8UIT8 EMBODYING THE8E FEATURE8 AND AT THE 8AME TIME MAINTAIN- ING PRICES RADICALLY LOWER IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE 8PIRIT OF THE TIME8. o RIGINAL CLAIRE CREA- TIONS CAN BE HAD A8 LOW AS $79 AND $100. CLAIRE ORIGINATOR 130 West 45th Street NEW YORK CITY, 81st St. Four of the six acts at the 81st Street had easy sailing this .week, but two of the entries just made the grade after an uphill battle. They were Arnold and Lambert, on third, and Hughes and Nerret next to closing in the vaudeville portion. The first combination consists of Rena Arnold, a "nut" comedienne, and Harry Lambert, a good dancer who attempts the feeding without registering much. The act contains an idea that might be heavily cap- italized, but instead has been draped around released gags and old ma- terial, alibied by the taking of dif- ferent kinds of pills. The Joe Miller pill is supposedly taken in the mid- dle of the turn, but the material would lead one to suspect that it had been thoroughly digested before the first entrance. The dancing and clowning saved the act from a total flop. Hughes and Nerret are depending upon the falls of the comedian for comedy, and are also afflicted with some of the oldest gags heard around. The method is to pull a gag, followed by the straight throw- ing the comic on his neck or back. The tumbles are worked up for laughs, but the dialog dies of mal- nutrition. They are three-a-day artists with nine-a-day material. The hit of the bill from a comedy standpoint went to Homer B. Mason and Marguerite Keeler, who struck out like a sore thumb in Porter Emerson Browne's "Oh." It is a natural comedy vehicle, ideally suited to the talents and capabilities of these two people. The new finish which follows the former riot hasn't detracted from the act's value. They followed Arnold and Lambert, giv- ing the show a much-needed boost. Will Oakland landed solidly Just ahead in the deuce spot with his song cycle and crooney tenoring. Oakland sticks to the old melodies mostly and thereby exhibits good showmanship and judgment. He opened with a pair of Irish ballads to quite a reception and closed with a medley of old Irish airs which ran to a speech. Parker Bros, opened in an eye- holding routine of hand-to-hand stunts, Blow lifts and intricate throw-ups. The feature and closing trick is a drive over a piano to a hand-to-hand, the understander re- clining on his back with his shoul- ders bridged. The trick is doubly effective, for the house plainly sees that the timing and position of the piano prevents the understander from seeing the topmounter until he "lights." They were ovated. Natl Bllbainlta held the closing position with the feature picture fol- lowing. The Spanish woman l» working much smoother than when at the Palace. Her real native cos- tumes and dances held attention at this house. No capacity but a goodly crowd. Con, STH AVE. All Comedy Week at the Fifth Ave., seven acts and the Chaplin picture. "The Kid," the latter play- ing the full week. Each of the seven turns held something of a comedy nature, :ome more and others less, but the bill as a whole shaped as a decidedly pleasing en- tertainment Reddington and Grant opened and warmed things up for Billie Bowman, following. Mise Bowman is a character change ar- tist of the riodern school, offering an old maid type, a male imperso- nation and a girl of the period. Complete changes are made for each number, even to wigs, these being attached to Miss Bowman's hats. The closing number, a Yiddish dia- lect song, is unsulted to Miss Bow- man. If it must be a character song a rube ditty would seem to be the answer. Entertaining all the way, she did very well at the finish, but a number better adapted to her would have gotten her more. Lew Welch and Co. in "The Prod- igal Father" got laughs consistent- ly with a sketch that appears to have been pointed for the pop houses. It can't fall down there. holding made to order hoke of the (Continued on Page 22) • • • - ■ .• . . I —ALW AY8 OPEN— RESTAURANT Formerly WALLICK'S B'way, Bet 43d & 44th Su. DELICIOUS SHAD ROE AND BACON AND PLANKED SHAD ■ -■'■-- • - • . ■ u - SPECIAL BLEND OF COFFEE -.1— j m BACK AGAIN AT THE FIFTH AVE. THEATRE J. ANTHONY NOW—MARCH 17, 18,19, 20 WILLIAM A. SHRINER and FITZSIMMONS A Novel Comedy Diversion 'THE NEWSDEALER" Direction HARRY WEBER