Variety (July 1921)

Friday. July 22, 1921 NEW SHOWS THIS WEEK 10 PALACE Continued from p«ffe 17) l90 much tepid bremdpuddinf in what ;%^ld be a snack of angel cake. Tlie Erection throufboat is humpty 4a0pty. the beautiful girl's ooatumes t ggf Dot strikinff, and number after I number closes without a titter or a llstter. Cut it down, Ona. Boy CO Combe, No. 2, had himself well started, but did not bold up to |he speed. He began his vaudeville career hereabouts two seasons ago with a crack pianist who stood out; IS prodictod, he couldn't hold him. He now has a commonplace accompanist, who works with the whole orchestra 'drowning him when he has the stage alono. Mr. Combe does several talk- ing songs familiar to his repertoire, and when he exists on his sneezing bit—wII 1 he does superbly—he is orer. Tlie pianist lets the act down while he is off, and Combe, returu- 4aK in a shabby genteel, fails to pull ^riC back through three or four lengthy verses about one Bertie, a typicid music hall ditty, but not strong c&'jugh for his finish. Combe is per- fectly tailored ,and closing in char- iacter takes away from his strength there, too. He should reverse and do the sneeze for the finish, massing his It«»et8 for strength where it is most ivalaablo. I Dolly Kay worked her fast songs lap to a wow and a stopper. She liockeyed with her accompanist, Phil fillips, for a tie-up, and manipu- lated the old stuff ab'iut as well as anybody does, except that she pushed it once too often, and the audience fooled her and quit. She didn't really ,Aeed to spar, as her hit was healthy -and legitimate from the startand was jvigorous enough to have pleased al- Sost any performer at the finish, arry Watson followed for laughs v^jVMi his household articles, the vJBattling Kid Dngan and the 'phone booth scenes .as familiar now as a team looKin<; for a route. Kitty Gordon belted the audience rrifht in both eyes with a gown of ! arange iridescent that was a gasp. She ; was in fine fettle and extraordina^'y : voice and her act ran all class and [^ speed and quolity. When it seemed Fibe had gone the distance in ward- ^ robe, she reappeared for her finish in a Paris affair of coral that out- did the other. She was a distinct and distinguished hit, and her support was swept along with the star to a tii- vmph. Eddie Moran replaced Marvel, ^Vha was temporarily incapacitated, find went over decisively. r Jack Wilson worked in black after being Keen here the last several times hi white. Whether it was the cork •r the Palace, Wilson got his stuff I borne with what seeme<i - mm-o tUan l even his usual punch. The laughs were riots. An Artistic Treat, one [ of the most beautiful posing acta in the business, staged and dressed and operaiiMj with artistry as well as snu- perior good taste and showmanship, V held in the audience solidly and lived ^ to close a show here with an act all silent except the applause bang. Lait, where such things are most eagerly appreciated, the young folks will open their eyes at their success. Two other young ones on the bill, early, were not so lucky. Alice and May Mc-Carthy, likeable kids with a uke, juvenile harmonics, unimportant stepping and insufficient dev«lopm<»nt to make them a place as yet in the ranks of the big-timers, were faintly applauded and only indulgently ac- cepted. Sam Liebert revived the masterly Addison Burkhart act in which Vera Gordon made her English-speaking debut some five years ago. lier suc- cessor is of the same school but not of the same mold. The ingenue is affected and monotonous. Liebert is the sturdy whiskered comic of the Aaron Hoffman-created vaudeville family. Save for an overflow of dra- matics he holds up the piece accord- ing^ to the traditions of such pieces, which have had their vogue but will never return into foremost popularity, as the type has faded away, at least from the ken of average tlieatre- goers. Liebert can progress—he proved it in "When Greek Meets Greek." But Yiddish sketches of yes- teryear, like heavyweight champions, cannot come back. Furmau and Nash, standard Tuxe- doed rathskellercrs (I^ years ago hey would have billed themselves as "Two Boys and a Piano") were a typcial Fjfth Avenue (Theatre) suc- cess. A Dixie ballad and patter for a start; a Wop double with barbers, stilettos, macaroni, and all other Ital- ian table d'hote ingredients; then a mother song in a purple Hpot with hat in hand, followed by a couple of pub- lished Hure-fires add a skillful jug- gling of lights for recall bows, and this act passed down the avenue of two-man get-overa, where thousands have trodden before and thousands will follow—gone but not remembered. Jean Grancse, a girl with a melo- dious and mclliflous lyric soprano, jointed by two plants from front, went merrily. The l.iughs were light, but the man's glorious voice as well as the girl's got the three-act over. This trio sells good vaudeville. The plants tthould work from a box in- stead of aisle seats, though, as the comedy is lost otherwise. Lane and Hendricks got laughs in line's re- lentless mugging and clever clowning. The material smells of mothballs and sounds like a blind handful grabbed from the rag-bag of rag-tag discarded by the whole N. V. A. Iiane is the male Kate Blinore of the Lane and Moran acL John Jje Clair opened, the veteran showman of enduring gen- erations still smooth and entertain- ing. Leon, illusionist, working with much flourioh to fair attention, closed. LaU. haviqg the true value of being able to repeat successfully wilhin the pre- scribed limits. Joe Bennett, formerly of Richards and Bennett singled for a hit on fourth. The dark stage opening proved aa effective as in the two act, while Bennett's work alone was a surprise. His exceptional light-foot- edness, used for comedy purposes more than straight dance results, was always worth a laugh. The chatter between times is bright enough for it is amusing. Bennett was called on for a double encore, the demand after the "house on the hill" chair bit bringing him out for a few added steps. The Lovenberg Sisters and Sime Neary worked up to most gencrou)» reward mostly through the efforts of Neary. The latter's Uriot work marked a confliction, there being similar manipu>ation in the opening iHiniber. His falsetto got something as did the sisters' tap dancing. Their pony bit at the close waa fair but again Neary came to the front ef- fectively. Mabelle Sherman with TjOciUe Jar- rot ot the piano opened intermission. Miss Sherman has an excellent modiste and she displayed two very becoming frocks. The song routine is away from the published idea, which makes it different but the spot was too far down for the weight of the offering. Ann Pord (who has a singing voice resembling that of Ivy Sawyer), and George Goodridge proferred Blanche Merrill's "You Can't Believe Them" on second when it was fairly well greeted. Dal'as Walker, who says she is a real "cowgirl" opened, with bits of dancing, singinff and lariot stunts. Miss Walker talked too low at times but did succeed as a novelty in the position. The bi'l was of>^ct acts, one off through the length of the Marx revue. "Aesop's Fables" pictured with the "Topics of th% Day" nnd shown in cartoon style was billed as an addi- tional attraction and claimed to be "the greatest comedy film ever shown to the public." This week's contri- bution was illustrative of the waste of aivarre'ing, with labor and capital in mind. I FIFTH AVE. The well-known team of Rainy and Cooler, whidi tiasn't played much eastern time this summer, headlined here and drew in the tubers. If that wasn't the cause of the capacity Jiouse, what could have been? Surely not tbiv first-half bill. There wasn't one solid wallop in it, no '^names'' and no surprises. A couple of youngsters gleaned ^hat honors there were. Junior and Terris (Junior being Max Hoffman, Jr., son of Max and Gertrude Hoff- aian), scored the top legitimate en- thusiaMtn. They ought to be spanked, •t that, for running 20 minutes with t 12-minute net, but they took up all that stack and waste and still outdis- 5j»ed their field. Blood will tell. Jnnior has versatility, class and budding showmanship, and one eloment which still transcends all these—anywhere—and that is breed- ing. This youthful thoroughbred of the theatre di.splayH it through the jaateurishness of the tyro, through the awkwardness of inexperience. And '?K'«tor8 ringingly. Miss Terriss (Normo) also conveys a spirit foreigu to vaudeville, and, Ujerefore, markedly welcome in it. ohe has been scrutinizingly trained *nd intrlligontly taught. As a mimic jye IS at her best in the Marilynn fuller number. The Doris Keane Jtt»t«tin., is not badly done, but is a poor H^lertion even if a good imita- gon; in contrast, Grace La Rue's Dancer in a French Cafe" is great, 17** «:Jcn it misses its mark half way. The closing classical (not orien- JW) dance is the high spot, and it wned the pair a soUd send-off. f-i. j'®"" "*'«*»' >«•▼« the day at Coney »!?»-? '**. *"« brilliant mother—it is Jft for him yet. The chatter with we orchestra can go in the aame Y«JJ'.r**®"*' "^^ t*t*e. "I» OV New Si*' "■"l'^ •'*«*' ^^ wng add the aomer. Tb€ act is neither gay nor ar!rfJ :^ '* *• '«^^ talented, •r^tooratic and an exceedingly pwaaant change of fart. Oat west. RIVERSIDE The summer season here is claimed to be normaL That docs not mean big business, but that it has been as good thus far this summer as last. The house has had one really bad break. Hat was two weeks ago when the heat wave withered every- thing along Broadway. Monday night the lower floor was about half capac- ity which appears to be the summer pace. Monday afternoon considerable switching was resorted to when a hurry call sent the Four Marx Itrothers in "On The Mezxanine Floor" doubling down to the Palace to fill the matinee hole left when Kitty Gordon and Jack Wilson, slipped up in making the jump from Atlantic City and did not go on until fJie night show. The bill was certainly in season but it had strong features, topped off of course with the always refreshing comedy of the Marx quartet. If there was any discomfort as to weather, and it may be said the house was Quite tenable, the brothers made the OMsenihlage forget it during the en- tire 45 minutes of their stay. Julius' r (owning is 90 good that every new I'ttle bit he slips in is recogniKCd. F«arly he kidded with the flute, bur- I'tsquing a warbler going through her paces. When the muKlcian in the pit l^ft him suspended 3,000 feet under the register, it was production of the first big laugh. A melody used when the act was recently at the 1*alace is out. but the turn eased into an ensemble finale witiiout it be- ing missed. The first act W93 off to a late start which put the finish of the Marx act dose to 11.15. The Bums brothers on for closing would doiibt- lotisly have been stranded but .Tnlius Man hopped in with them, stayed through tlie rrttire routine and the Burns were therefore favored with virtually the entire attendance, for their well worked out equilibristic routine. Julius' stunts with the aero- Wats brought laughter. One of his brothers yanked him under the drop but he quickly retomied, strctrhrd himself on the floor, tried a stunt with the top-mounted, with a near wrestling bout the resulL Harry flobnan and Co. with "Hard Boiled Hampton" provided a corking finish for the first section. Here is a playlet that is a comedy cameo. There is so mnch good fun and the catch in the throat near tha close to well tfaned, that the turn probably ratea ahead of anything else of its kind in contemporaneous vaudeville. Mr. Holman haa worked op tka telo- pbone bit from otv lani^ t^ half a doeen, having somethlnf diffeicat to poll every time tha phona bell rinfs Slflt ST. The rain and heat Tuesday evening had a decided effect upon business, bringing forth an attendance that'was considerably lighter than customary during the warm spell. With a strong bill on paper, equally powerful in the running, and the personal appearance of IIoi>e Hampton in connection with her feature picture, "Love's Penalty," it should provide a sufficient draw to bring the week's business to the top of any during the summer. ' Marguerite and Alvarez, a mixed team on the trapeze, opened the show, contining, their efforts to seven min- utes during which they displayed snappy tricks. Alvarez is working in a business suit which in addition to its warmth, appears somewhat out of place for an act of this order, es- pecially the wearing of the coat. The audience paid considerable attention to this couple and displayed appreciation. Maxie, a colored boy, No. 2, pro- vided some expert dancing but was somewhat lost with his talk. This boy can take his idace with the best of the jazz dancers but appears limited with bis present material, although having a pleasing personality. Maxie would be sure nre with a dancing specialty in "Shuffle Along." Elsie Pilcer and Dudley Douglas. No. 3. provided a flaah on the strength of Miss Pilcer's gowns which follow the French idea originally introduced by her when she first appeared under the direction of her brother Harry. Douglas as a number leader is show- ing improvement and carries the turn along during the time his partn(>i is making changes in clever style. The calliope effect u.sed by Miss l'il< with her voice provided a comedy bit that brought forth several laughs. Williora Gaxton and Co. in "The Junior Partner" had no trouble in gathering laughs with this comedy vehicle of value. Gaxton with his clowning brought out the comedy I)oints to a nicety with the remainder of the cast rounding out the picture in a well balanced manner. ('raig Conipbell with Hector MacCarthy at the piano presented a sens cycle of value, appealing strongly to the high class eljentole of the house. (Campbell opened with a selec- tion from "Uomeo and .liiliet," fol- lowing with a novelty number with "Goodbye Forever' a.'' the finish. The applause denoted a thorough liking for this chap. The Cameron Sisters clo.'^ed the vaudeville portion of the hill with their neatly arranged dancing routine. Gaxton appeared at the termination of their offering for a clowning bit that brought forth immensie returns. BRIGHTON His week's Brighton show was one of those entertainments that looked much better lOn the eight-sheet than it played. Of the eight acts, five u.sed the stage piano. Five turns out of eight thumping the baby grand isn't variety. As if to accentuate the lack of contrast, the three acts compris ing the second half, Bernard and Townea, WiTliama and Wolfos and J. RoHunood Johnaon and Co. each used ^^ ^ tkt plaao eanaecotively. ^e act'ia att for ouny aeaaoni^ k ▲ thMtft party .occvpled the whole iiouhc Monday ni^fbt, making U a sell oul for the Hrigliton. As usual with theatre parties, it wiis an in mu\ (vi| •ort of audience, catchiug fly stuff, aud missing it in e<:ual proportions. The biggest apidause winner of the night was the Catcs Brothers turn, third. But that ^■.-1- herausp Cntcii P.rothers had sense enough to leav 1 'em when tlie leaving was good. It's a hard shoe dancing turn with a mat, excellent stepping and the rest ot the trimmings. 'The novelty opening on a dark stage started thuni off fly ing, and they kept up the pace right through until the "Yankee DooiMe" double tapping finish. Another act that received he-^vy np- l»lause through their offering were Bernard and Townes, opeuiiig the second half. Had the piano and nii'S- ing duo been contented to quit after the brief dancing bit done by Mr. Bernard, they would have retired a not. They came back just once t.i often, however, and closed, following a superfluous eucore, to a patter- ing reward. Cecil Lean and Cle'> May field (New Acts) headlined. Kate Klinore and Som Williams, and Williams anu Wolf us, split the bottom. Miss 1 1 nore worked the ermine muff for the customary laughing returns and Mr Williams registered his regulation with his piano-loged numbers. Just why 8am Williams is iueluding an imitation of Eddie Jjconard is a mys- tery. Miss Uliuore is making numer- ous costume changes in the i>rcsent turn, all of a comedy nature a •' each' funnier than the preceding out- fit. The pair got all the laughs in sight. Martha Pryor, second, waa on a bit too early to do herself justice an the house took a long time to mtt\c down. All of Miss Pryor's vocal numbers got something however nnd she breezed by comfortably. \>ni- liams and Wolfus. back in town after n long period in the we.^L next to closing, i»ulled a heftv laughing aver- age but there was a few quiet spot^ where the fun seemec »o lag a bit. The opening with J he orchestra di- rector and the breakaway piano s^an 1 out as two of the funniest low com- edy bits seen around in vaudeville in many years. John S. Blondy and Sister opened witl) acrobatics and dancing, the Int ter by the Sister. They passed nice- ly. J. Rosamond Johnson aud Co. closed. The spot was i» che turn but they mana|cd to strug- gled through, with honors. Weather cool at the l>each Monday right. Dell. BROADWAY A typical modern vaudeville bill for the class and type of house— the sort of entertainment the bookers seem to be trying for. It is inter- esting, has variety and a lot of cos- tuming, but it is lacking in the style of robust humor that used to char- acterize the two-a-day. Probably on volume of applause the Seven Bracks, with their aston- ishing, clean tumbling risley work, and C'arson and Willard, with noth- ing more startling than a group of parodies, took down the honors. The rest of the bill was received mildly with an occasional laugh—mostly at the crudest kind of hokum—and a few bursts of honest-to-goodness ap- plause. Harry Price, quick sketch man (New Acts) opened. Brown, Rvans and Farle, two men dancers and a woman singer (New Acts) did fairly well No. 2, especially with the danc- inS- I Kddie Carr and CU>. with a sketch (although it is only a talking ar- rangement for Carr, without story or character) had the first try for com- edy. Some of Carr's flip Mallies are amusing in the role of the fresh young man applying for a job. but the finish in "one," a rough and tumble burle.<H)ue wedding scene between tlic office boy (they call the affair "The Office Boy") is frank hoke, the sort of thing that might have been lifted as a burlesque bit. However, the crowd was hungry for anything to giggle at and accepted the comic f'»r full value. At that he is a sniootli, effelHlve worker, rertainly v/ortliy of hotter material than his present vc- liirle. Page and TJray, man and woman, havp a caffh-as catrli cjiri offi-ring of medioere talk puiu-hiated with puns and maU'T in atrocious taste. The comif (ould put over a boob charac- terization if he had the lines, hut dainty bon mots about hi.s need for perfume and some other matter along the Hame line are not savory. The girl has an agreeable voire and makes an attractive picture in two very pretty gowns. She also fills in an interval with a solo on a French horn. She laughed at her partner's funniments more than the audience did. The Seven Bracks make up a troup of whirlwind tumblers. The risley work is particularly goo<I. with half a dof.en feats that are novel. The style and the make-up of the routine ii^ remindful of the Boganny troup, which was a revelation in much the same sort of work on this side ten years or so ago. One of the com- binalions is this: The risley under- stander toRses the heaviest of the mounter.^ through n somerRanlt into a ,>w . uon like a [lick-a-back on the |>ack of one of the othrr men. stand- ing five feet away. Then he throws four more men into the first mount- er's lap. One of I ha same aort of fcata was tossing a mouutet to a sit* ting baluuct on the feet ol tha at- ond r«Micy mat worker and then throwing two other men into hia lapw "The seven men fiU Ue ftiage with ac- tion for tcu minntcN vStbout pause 0/ rcHt. Sunic of the fast flipflaps ara heaulifuily done. The costuming is neat black and white. Curson ana Willard have substi- tuted a uoYcl comedy talking ar- rangement for their lormcr "Hutch'* dialcot matter. Oui workd stiraight, announcing tha co.nt.'(tiau as i'roL Soiucthing-ur-i;ther, who is about to lecture. The coinediun is a red- noded grotesque in misfii cutaway coat aud moth eaten silk hat. Ha lecture's in Liirl:'squc fashion on top- ical matters such as prohibition, cost of living aud the like, with good laughing points. The pair go into a sort of "House That Jack Built" jingle and finish with the parodies. There seems something in the parody thing. Monday night the audienca wouldn't let the team go until they had gone through five parodied tunex And the odd thing about them waa that they were all framed out of the same material that served a score of years ago, such as the wife who ua- uressed and spread her false teeth, glass eye, etc.. all around the plai-e. This went with the air of "All Over Now." S|>oor and Parsons closed with their sightly aud graceful acrobatic dancing turn, a quiet frameup for a closer, but one that held 'em in very weli Rush. JEFFERSON Business was a little better than evppcted Monday night. There was a fair he use downstairs and ;i scat- tering on the second floor. It is juat a good three a-dav program, lacking a lash in the body of the bill Strangely enough the acta individu- ally went very well. iiiiddy Walker probably got mere f?pln'jse iha.i »ny of the othera ^- cnusc of some friends, in front and also his ability to milk. Buddy does a little of everything. • He siuga, dances, recites, whistles, ttlla itorirM and writes scngs. The latter he doesn't 4I0 on the stage. Monday ni^ht he only told about It H Buddy will pick out one or two of theaa things which he dres best and work on those exclusively the result will be better. He shouldn't be fMbd into thinking he is doing a gocd act by the applouse received here. The first thing to be abandoned is t*« dancing.' It's done as an oncore anJ is poor. The stories are old and it stories are tc remain new onea shctvM be secured. Buddv Walker is capable of doing an act that would gain re- cognition but It will need strict at- tention to knitting and the self-con- scious air which his manner of work- ing new gives. ])uvnl and Little, fo/roerly Duval and Simon, doing the same act en- tertained nicely without starting a riot. The little girl who replaces Miaa Simon is pretty and cute and makes up in appearance what she loses in Slaying, although there is not much iffcrcnce in the "act through the change rf girls. Duval is a quiet natural light comedian who handles laughs skillfull,v and puts over hii material in a little different manner. He should do well in a light comedy role in a show. The ci.uple came in for their share of the applause asi luughs. Wylie ond Ilartman, the second man and woman team, also went well. The couple have changed oround their specialty some, doing nwav with the woman's single getting to their laughs faster this way, although there is one bit which wos funny that has been eliminnted. A pair of these tan hull dog toed shoes are now worn by the woman st the opening imttead of the overshoes and they give a ver^ funny appearance tr the othcrwirie perfect evening dress. Tlii.s team is moving in tlie rieht <lirection and are siirely hrsided for a regular berth ia the t w<>-a-<lii.v house.M. Alvin and Alvin ,n two-man straight Hcrf»l)atic a<t featuring perch work rpened tli" sliow. They need a sensational tri«k to Make them stand out. As it is they work (piickiy and iientiv and pass pleasingly. "Shadowland" closed the show without losing any Of the asRemblage. Hrrace Oolden and Cronin and Hart (New Acts.) Jean Southern, in person, is the way the billing reads in front of the th< atre. Kid stuff in what she man t* mostly. Jean Southern if shg Km I big fdin reputation is doing tst act that is good enrugh to carry het^ e%er the circuit once but if she must 4f- l>end entirely upon her vaudeville <^'' fering for big time bookings, she needs some new numbers. There ia no particular voice rr <lancing ability but she is winsome and lively and a good showman. A leader who playa the violin is carried. A speech was demanded and Miss Southern asked the audience not to crnfuse her with the .Tean Southern mentioned in the papers as connected with a robbery case. 23RD ST. Nothing snobbish about the 23rd St. They go in for vs-mfort and common sense, rather than putting e« "dog," down in the Chelsea vUlage opera. TueiMiay night waa a awel- terer. but >i didn't bother the mtim customers tn the baWny and gtllaci!