Variety (October 1921)

10 BURLESOU E Friday, October 7, 1921 BURLESQUE REVIEWS TIT FOR TAT I f rst iiuincd. Mish llilsoii lius a rulhor I brilliant voice for Whoi'l sIiowk uihI II"'" ; ■ ^•''^TI'V^ ^''*'';: took part in llw operulir liisplav of Hud <. Johnny <)Donnfll w. .. _ i v • i • i i Mr IIUHIU r Iln,n,y lonnurn I '^^*'»»" »"<* ^♦''■'' ^l' »^*» ^••'* "»' «l»Pl«l»rt<' Dippy Dun jo(» strm) riol. Vhvy paired up for several of ri.rtor Mi«<M J'iuii*'lla Dintpl^ I>jir«> Mi8n Mt'lbu SwL'ii M;»M.' Man-to N«Ti i r-un. . . Klf-nuro Wilnon Trnny Illliion AnnA t)'Di>iinrll h\ aiiti -provejl exrel- Tbcn- nro in(li«*dtioiiH t))ar thiv .lor Ilurlijf show, rurreiil at the (*olunibia, han been hooked up with some idea of eomoniy for the new season, hut it );olds enough of fas!; i:. its refur- bished eostuniiUK ann settings to n I ve all pruetieai i)urpos<s Its pro- jlui'tiou feature.^ ire striking, but it is first and last a strong laughing eiitetiainnient and that will earry aii.v burlesque organization. (leorge \iblo is the prim- i)al comic and he has ovorylhijig for wheel i(;,ulars. ll'.s prop ioniedy is funny, his trick Mtuff is amusing and bis s[,ice. although it aometimes is well seasoned, gets past on the strength of the humor that takes the curse off the blueDe»8. Smut for itBelf is indefens ble. but when linei* and busi- ness just edge close to the line, an in this case, the spontaneous laugh sa\es the situation. .\iblo has a good trick worth study.ng. lie gets them early and holds then Mteadily. The flying Rtart is securtd by so simple a de- vice as a roughhouse entrance, going irtin)ediate]y into a fast and furious (lance with .lohnny O'DonncM, a real dame that prohnhly takes up three mi?iut»s. not just knockabout and fall"*, but fa>it, whoop-hurrah novelty KleppinK. That introduction carried Niblo a long way, because it got the show a first-class start in quick, sin- cere applauso before the curtain had been jip tin minutes. Niblo never lost the crowd, although he has notJi- jnjr oriisfnndij'.g ju business or spe- < iiilty (hat should go on the record :!s an ind vidual novelty. I.ut^e is a .sure vo'lscr wjtli the f.imir:;r stuff mil a re.illy funny facial and voc.il coiif;Mi oi.isi. Tlr ji;:s a kn;ick oi spont.MMM ;is < .)rnedy and is alt.tgrthrr a smooth and »*ffectivo workci .lohn- ny ()I>onneIl is iiiv co-worker, a capi- i tal foil, but the re.-'i stn'nglh of the coinhinat on is Niblo. 'riicy both do a sort of grorestiue tramp type, clean in (In ssnj: and foj the mo«;t part in l»ns.ii#'>s. Hl(h(»ugli there are u)inor in- frjMtioii.s it; word and j:esiure. .N.ldo and (>'I>onuell liave a daiuly c(nindv scrne ^ct in a street car wiili ahon( :i do/.4 I rhoru^ K'rls in street clotiics d<iinu the "feeilin;?." It is liicat.v wiJh laughs and ratliei- out of iSe e>f;il)l shed run (.t buriesipie ar- ranzenichts in that it is in re:ilily a "bit." ht:t is | ut <»ver bctwcm thi* fir<:t and sctond vceii' s of ilii< first act with >-p(i-ial set and a !<»t ol jHops piM-)i :is a foiidu-I'jrs fare reg- ister out of which a lot of ^nflaws J4re e.xtrn'-icd. .I.Min;.v Coniiors is the straight, a dir«'<(. (jipihle worker, hut one of the f«'v. <trni„'lit biiilcs:|iit rs wlm does not c t'ler sin«r or dance. He is just a tifllilv ni.in jind does his \N<»rU neatly. Tuo ol lie,-men enter the .pro(( cd.n^js in Mil i.niis lal way. 'j^iey av-> .to-eph St< ni> jin.'j .Miuwio N>ri neithi'r o« whom gets into the game ai»|»re'-:ahly nut 1 ne.tr the end of the siiou. wlieii \ tir.v }ir\ .-Hvay with :i hi^ih'y n.vel j ^»lInf. ll.it of sinning thir;* litavyl operatic v!"'bers in sucre^si -n hoth I all (ires • (I Dp n eveijinjr ijofiie:; jind • takii'j; the i- wii-hiin^. -^e; ;.,ii.-ly. The ' funny j,;i:( of it w.i- ilij;t lliey made the CociinJila erowd like it to the e.xte:i| <i: t '.;» « n.-^ore-. The \. ..i.K.M set a world-hejitinfr l)a' <• foi- fi.i.-^di of dressinj:. both in obvious cist of tJieir idahorate eo- tumev and the fre<]Ufiicy of their changes. Ihlen Spencer, who gets dispi.-u tyj.e witli .\ihlo in the h lling. had nalti a do/.en diz/.y creations, scant in material considering her very plump fifjnrc. but stunning in mat rials and de^i.-jn. (hu\ for in- stance. w;)s a tifrht l(Mlice from v. heh not a thread could srdely h;ive been Kuhtraeted and made entirely of gol«| fringe in layers. Tor a st-»cky wom- an (jf fairly ample lines eveji for bur- lescpjr- .Miss Spencer dances minieu- lousiy. She vJMs over an. oee>isi<»fial shivver. (lis- 'eetly toned hut when slie w;ints to she can si<y out with a.-- nroli ;;i;)cc ;!nd a jjrwwl de d ip/>'-o Kpee ! tiiiin !ii(.e out of imy ten hun- drid and ten poim lei s Another striking sami'le of \\'h(-el dressin;; was lireRiM:r((| hy Klenore \V |> jn. \\!io turned out lute in tl;<> evenirir to he n pv.nia «;oima with a deci«|e.||v acrre:- al)le vo'c-e. iiithoii','!» she Innl lieen l/a«tically nnite up !<» that time only flgu-in;: j.s feeih'r in h't •. Tor the big flash nunduM- of the pieces. "Ladv «;f til- Lain[).'* sjie wore two Hma«hing gouns. one an e|;di-t:;ite af- fair (»f cloth of gold and ;i ton of gold he:iddre»s and later an ir'range nient of v.hite oslrnh fentheis. pearls and wh te tigi»t< that c.ime -is near the l).>It>res- p^ak of costMiii' deliri'.in as an\ thing dsidosed so far The * r.amp" number, as t«. the costuming: of t'.e choi n«<, is i|iiitc a>' nudiitious and a |)rcientious burl(><«oue affair. Tvxo other Jil.ejihU' gi-ls are Tenn> Hilson and Ann:) (ri>onn'dl liveh •lepi'ers and ginjre?y ni:mber leaders although tl'cy (! > not. soar to the decorative heights of the two women the hi;; cnseir^'.ey lent on loitks and style. The show must have cost n lot ot mi>ncy in the first plac(\ but the j whole investment was not. made this year. Most of the ensemble (0<tumes I hav<> been us«Mi before and s > have ! the .sots, but they are clean and fre^h I looking enough to get by. •Tit for Tat" in a good .show in all departments, particularly in the comedy end. Rush. -m. HURLY-BURLY Mr. Gabby loe WiMon ("Imrloy Pill ('''«». (;ol(lir (^harley Marshall CIias Murtihall Signer Peluao Jimmy Kuymond Mr. I. M. Sickley Irving Karo Nellie Qould H«>len (juuld " Miaa Stately Nollif Nke Loney .Tohnaon Arlone Johnson Comedy that gets the laughs—good old reliable hoke of the rough and ready school that carries a direct ap- peal unmindful of finesse or sub- tleties—but accomplishing its pur. pose completely nevertheless, makes Joe Wilton's **HurIy-Burly,'* at the Olympic this week, a railing good burlesque show. Joe Wilton put the frolic together, and made a good job of it. For once at least that fanciful brochure of ro- mantic fiction, the Olympic program, DOINGS GOOD OP fifcALLJSTER and SHANNON •'AS YE-STRETCH, SO SHALL YE LIFT" A Littia LioM, But— JACOBS A. JERMOM'S "FLASHLIGHTS OF 1921" Next Waok (Oet. 10) QAYETY PITTSBURGH in the house. Jimmy Raymond, seated in the audience, responds to the call. Arriving on the stage, Uaymond and deviated from it^liimV'hTnorecrpiiicy \^ other principals go into a pat- and told the truth when it credited '•1'"^ introductory that gets the show an author with having written 'Ivrics' pf/'th speed, and incfdenta ly ehm- for a show, for 'Hurly Burly" has "»'•<«» t»»e conventional choral aingiDg lyrics." not many, but enough to ^°C»r^* r^ m- i m u n u ^ warrant program credit, and Mr Wil- ' Wilton, Goldie and Marshall have ton wrote em. Also the music that «cojnedy bit in one, following the goes with 'em. And they're bright /»P<^.°'°B 'k"" /^fvu'*''*".''' ^*'•^^l* ami characterized with ideas, abSve 5"!t«*>'^ ^owl. \yilton does a bull- the average for burlesque, and that | ?2?.'°f Jl?® n ^1^. *? l!i'.?:.,!!"^#^,!\l1l! goes for both wheels. When it comes to the '*bo(»k." whi(.'h Mr. AVilton also is credited with —a «-car(h through the misty pa.';t might turn up an author—or a coniic or two who might take issue with Mr. Wil- ton's claim to authorship" but it wouhl pro'jably be u pretty tough proposition to (letermine who did some and Marshall are a couple of bicks on a bicycle, who start an argument with the cop that's funny in itarlf, and made a wow by Wilton slamming them all over the works. An atjiletic girl number which has the choristers in the roles of golf, swimming, fencing, baseball girls, etc., is also built up for a succession of of the more familarcomedv hits first, l!?"^*'". ^'•^ ***** **"'"'* ^ ""*• Wilti^a. .♦ w:i»,.- I Ihere .^ with the chances even that Wilton would hav(> ah good a claim as any- one, general usage having made them public property. In addition to his other labors Mr. Wilton staged the dances and pro- 1 duecd the show. He's also the star, and straight — sometimes a light! comedian, carrying the show to sue, cess and without b(»g;;ing matters.' keepin;; well within thi s suitable busineas for each game impersonated by the respective girls and it's all made entertaining. There isn't a single damn or hell in the show—and not a line of sug- gestion. The Wilton show was one of those whose scenic e<iuipment was damaged during the recent "open shop" campaign, and their present equipment, a make-shift, a* about as picture i ^"***' le;\gue as they come. The cos- throughout. T.nst sej,son's "Hurly- t"!"*"^ V'''^** not elaborate are ta.ste- r.urly" was a hit and miss entertain ' ^"'- •**'"' '***''^*' **"' »»»'"pose satisfac arlj|i Mir.-shall. Mitniul ccunics. purpose torily. The choristers cut loose in one or two of the nmnbers at the Oylmpii- but what's a wriggle or two in n burlycue. Tuesday night was 'Amateur Night." and the Olympic packed 'em in. fifit incur. Tliis seaso'i's show lays over its predecessor like a circus tent and (he r»*ason is obvious. This sea- son's vliow h:is a corkin;,' cast of principals, chief among wliich an Charles (iiddie and Charl They're a pair of y() both (loin;; eccentric ' types, rather unlike' the conventional burlesr^ue st.-.iul-bys. .Mr. (loldie is a cai»it:i1 f tumbler, ii g(»od acrobatic and eccen- ' trie (hineer and a c»»niie who works like a ionjrsliorcnian all the way. but whose c;tuie;Iv method not wit iistand- 1 in;; his stiiMo-ons endeavors is never j forced or ni.Tvl -d by over shooting' iIm' t:n-get. .Mr. .Marshall is a lallj red.Iicj.ded • Imp \« it|| .^ n:iturally j funiiy lookii!',' p.m. and an ea'^y stage! presence. Neither of the tno co;nics ( wear ui::<. n )r make tiicmselves re nulsive w^tli :irj over-ii|)p!i'aiion of fcniai nnikeiip. This is their Hrst se.'ison in hurles';;>e and tiiey're a fride iiiihnished as vet. but inaik them \ (he down for <omers. I In .limmy Kuymond the show has i a rejd tenor, who knows hov to carry ; evening dress as well as he sings opera. Despite the jtossession of a 1 voice. Mr. Ka.Muond doesn't take him- ' self serioiis'y. evidetn-ing ability hh A li;:ht c(Mi>ed;:;n ;,nd entering into , !>' e\ oiis'v for nmny years the bits >\hen r(»(inired to with a! The letter urgin; the EXTRA ATTRACTIONS . NEEDED BY A. B. A Poorest Three Weeks in Years Brings Herk Letter An <»r«:er wen: o!it tiiis w: ek to the American wi:e(d j)ro(lMie!'s in sirncting them to he on tiie look- out fo.- extra all ructions for their ^hows from now on for the rest of season. The extra attraction order follow(>d • meeting of the bo.ird of directors of the A. IV A. at which it was de.-ided to t»ike such act'ot, with a view to boosting b!!'iiies>. whi'h has Ijeen [loorer for the three ojerii:ig weeks this season than am grasp of l»urlcs(]ue values ih:i! mak( him a decided asset to the show in i stead of a regulation juvenile. Kay- ' mond handles the only di.-ileet ch:ir- ' :h ter. doiii'i >i p(dite type of "wop'" ' in eveninir cl.)thes. tli;i{ fs surprising- '. Iv correct in e<in»opiion Irving f\aro proSahly eiasses as a second iuveni'e with little to do. hut doing it well.* Helen (•ould. :i chunky liitie (oM'son ! with oodles of pcft. ;Mid a dancer ; whose routine embraces biiel; ntid i •>^ in;:, bullet and Kussian stepping is j the v!»ubret. N(dlie Nice. ;i bhtnde of! pleasin;; appearance, is lb;.' nearest! :iI»proiich to a prima. She leads num. hei < ciifiably and generally :idds to the ensiMuble effect. Arlone .Irdiuson. iiiM)ther souhret. cashes in strong on r(»riM. dunces niftily and pjits over numbers in excellent style. Sixteen < lioristers. witli the exreption of one shtuh'r show girl, all of the modern inediitm an<l iiony typ(-. and a bunch of fast v.(»rkers. who c.uj shimmy with I he champs of thiit division aiii render a c(»rkinK account of themselves. The show has a novelty op(>ning. M:' Willon appearing in i>n(> as if lo make un announcement. He states there has been an aoeident back stage, and asks if there is a doctor America'! l)roduce's to stretigthcTi their shows with added jtlradions was signed b T. H. Herk. iire'ident of the Ame- •"-.n cii*'oit ;H>d fwrtl«er jMs'tM,'' '« i the producin;; manjgers th;it the UMiiiev: of .-II extra ferit-ire- iinde' eonsi(h<i-iit ion must first he submit ici' to Mr. Ilcrl:. in order thnt it miuhf he diM 4'rrnlned whethei- the act wi. :icce;italde to the cirruit The hoi).«»s and -'hows are to shar(- the co.«;t of the ;tdde«l attra'tiuns o:i Tti euual basis The let:er coucIudeK hv informing the producine maniger*: that the best of acts are des'red and that n<»ne is too big or costly to be eon«iid(M ed. The (^oliimbia wheol producers are also to sfren«jthen their shows with extr«( altraclioris. IVior to the sen <ons of lf)17-lS-10. durinir the u'lr both r'idumhia and American wheel shows as a general rule canied added feature acts, but business was so irood during the period mentioned the extra ret thing was gradually thrown into the discard. Present conditions make the replacement of added features a necessity. TOMMY'S TATTLES By THOMAS J. OBAT Actor's Fund benefit shows will look like small tlnae affairs com- pared with the vaudeville bills now being presented in New York. Music publiehers have a bit of good luck, with the World's Seriss played eiclusively In New York. Think what tboy save in fares for those singing song pluggers. To stimulate the theatrical business in Denver, a local newspaper startejl a movement called "Go to Theatre Week." It's a good idea^, but if other bueinesscH and professions should take it up. Will w«>> have— '' , -^ "Buy an egg- week" "Get a hat week'* "Take a pill week" "Lose a wife week" I "Be an acrobat week" ^ Critic in western city is trying to start a "Little Theatre Move, roent" We thought the movement toward all theatres was littlt enough. The present Republican administration has shown it can put oa a flrst-class panic as good as any Democratic bunch that ever po8e4 lor a News Weekly. Now the question habit has reached one of the booking offices, bt ready to answer any of the following questions: What ia your stage name and what stage did you take It from? What ia a split week? Who does it split with? ' Are you doing your own act? Why? Did you ever have an agent In your family? If "No." why not? If "Yes,' don't bother answering any more questions. Are you married? > "^ If so, Lb it Burlesque, Vaudeville, Dramatic or serious? While waiting for your act do you ever watch the pictures? How do you keep awake? t Are you a dancer? If so. with which foot. If any? Why does your representative wear a amall black book? Couldn't you lay off just as easily in a blue, white or pink book? Did you ever meet a hotel clerk who was polite to professionals? Have you his photograph? How can you prove it? What stage door tender ever smiled at you? W^bat orchestra leader? W^hat acts have played with you who never-told you how to do yours? Are you a dumb act? How dumb? Do you eins to music, or have you a Jazz band? Do you save your press notices? How about the bad ones? How many people dislike your act? (Use extra sueets of paper to answer) What wars have you been in? Circuses? Music publishem? Actors' boarding houses? Are you one of the people the Ku Klux Klan are against? Before answering the above questions, please find out what they anv* If all this loud talk about the movies continues pictures can uo longer be called the "silent" drama. Theatrical experts say show business is now back to pre-war con* ditions. That's right, guess they mean the Mexican War. Rival vaudeville managers are going outside the profession to get opposition baseball stars for headllners. Why stop at baseball? Wouldn't it be nice to read show reviews like this — Goyold City vaudeville fans are in for a treat this week. The headllners at the Happy Hour theatre are Mi\ Wrigley of chewing gum fame and Henry Ford, who is well known In the automobile luBlness. Manager Fuzz of the Catseye Dream has engaged Tuttl Fruttl Adams, known to all users of penny slot machines, and tho Dodge Brothers of Detroit, who appear iii their well-known act, "What Comes After thee Purchase Price?" Some shows this week. Coming Attractions Bunk Opera House—Park and Tilford, Sears. Roebuck and (^o. Spoofing Park—Cross and Black well, Montgomery Ward. Moth's Garden—Ed Pinaud, Swift and Armour, B. T. Babbitt. If President Harding is serious about cutting down the Xavy he might start in on some qf those sailor acts brought on by the war. The World's War will go down as the greatest producer of femalo inirersonators in history. Whatever became of the people who used to eit in the balconies? GIRLS IN CRASH Two Choristers in New Jersey Auto Accident—Both Injured and Mareella Whit.?, both of Hurtig & Seamons "(;reenwi(h Village Ue- vue" were iiinTc<| i" ',1 :u' • ccidcMit in West Paterson. N. .T., oarly Sun- day morning, that re ulted in the death of two (»ther women and a man of the party. The driver of the car, Charles Lawler and another man were fCight- ly injure<l. Miss Lorraine Huffered minor hurta. MisR White was severely cut and bruised, her Injuries neces- aitating aevernl day'a at4iy in St. Joaeph's Hoapital. Paternon. The accident come about from the car crashing into a tree, Cbarlea T^iw- ler, the driver, stating he waft blind- ed by the headlight of another car coming toward him froi. the opposite direction. Inatead of ma^ng a turn in the road, the machine went ahead full force into the tree and wan overturned with the resulting wreck. Tho two women killed were Irene Cavanaugh and Mrn. Louis Bohnke. William Shane, .survived a few honrs, and died in the hospital. Lawler, the driver, was arrested, following the accident and charged with homi- cide. He was later released on .$1,000 bail. i>r. Ives of Patersf)ti wfio exam- ined all of the party 8h(»rtly after the accident, issued a statement to the effect that none had been drink- ing. REEVES DID $7,500 Last week at the Columbia. New York, the Al Keevea show did a gross of $7,.'W0. It was a notoriously bad week along Broadway, with the Indian summer weather against trade, also the ball and football games. Albany's. N. Y., Free Weekly Albany, O t. r>. Oscar J. Perrin. Km|)ire maniigf' here, in getting out an eight i»rtg<* weekly devoted to burlesque, distrib- uted free. It is well edited. Ben- ny," the Empire's treasurer, is «■• sifltaat editor.