Variety (October 1921)

?• Friday, October 14,1981 NEW ACTS THIS WEEK 21 ■RENDEL mnd BURT REVUE (11). Z^^y, Song, -nd D.noe.. n Mint, Full 8Ua« (Special S«ttl«g«). .Winter Gardfft. In addition to El Brendel. tho fiHwede" comic, and Flo Burt, thero Jl Frank Masterab Peggy Brown, Holen NeUdova and aight choristers. Mi« turn i» a Shubert production aet programmed aa out of the Cen- taarf Promenade Revenue. Like bLveral other production acta faah- ioaed for tha new clrcull, the beat rtiuUs were not attained, and cut- t^ has bean neceasary. In thia f2Ma the deletlona Monday ^mgbt -jarooned the 'Effort wifh no r>hnno«» whatever of returns from the audl- aBce. Tho principal elements really oonstltuto what was formerly the Brendol and Burt vaudeville turn. In the revue the act is separated in two sections, the first being the flirtation bit. and the second the marriage preparations, with Hren- delB breakaway "dress suit:* tho punch. An added hit has tho couple In an elopement, wittf Brendel funny as a serenad r and funnier trying to carry 'his sweetie's trunk down a ladder, the rungs of Which fall out. His main worry is saving a "half pint.' X "Black and White" ballet, with £ MI08 Neli<l*\ ' served for the open- ^ inf. and after thp flirtation bit, Mr. * Masters difplayed class as an acro- bftlc dancer. Tho Misses Drown and Nolid • • ha<f a '-Nesting Time" number with the choristors as an Jn^wlude between the Brendel and Burt bits. Following tho "brida! dajr," Mast?r.- r n-h i the stage via an aisle, arriving as a postmua. With MisH Drown a double Uat:cw number won something. That was the end of the act I.Ion- [day niglit. No one else appeared. [One more number with Brendel r.nd rt was programmed. Inetead [Bert 'Hanlon walked on. he being ftht next act and not billed. Th? f)gene.ss of the Idea was all the }fe marked. So far as the Dren- and Burt flnale went, it was a sed aero. I bee. CARL RANDALL and Oa (l». 8ena% Onnooi^ Piano 18 Miaa4 FuB atags (tpMlii Drtp). PalaMb Cart Randal!, Dorothy Clark and Bertha Donn. all recently in "Son- ny Boy/' the musical comedy at the Cort. hava entered raudevilla in a thraaHLCt comedy which indudea moat of the business they did in the second act of the show. Tha song hit of "Sonny Boy," "Peaches." is retained and Uiied as incidental music for Randall's double dancings tipeciality with Miss Donn. Both of the girls are helpful oc- qulsltions. youthful, pretty and tal- ented. Miss Donn Is the dancer, though all dance with Miss Clark contributing a piano specialty that gets over strongly. Randall's dancing is th*» piece de rcjiatanco and will remain so. He is the cleverest all-around dancer since Fred StOne first broke in. Ran- dall's specialty tap dance while man- ipulating a grey derby hat will re- main a mark for tho "hoofers" to choot at for BcusonH to come. In addition. Randall is a clean- cut youthful. chap with oodles of personality and a refined manner of working that is refreshing to tho Jaded vaudovlilc palate. At tho Pulure they spottiHl the iGru before intcrinisHion with very little stepping ahead of them. The act .^ould clo.'\> n dancing contest bill and nothavc the edge taken off, for Carl U:-.n«lall i:; i;.-^ ^rcat a rpe- olalist in hi.s par(k-u!ur line as Dabe Huth in in his. It'H a imttiral bill u pp'^' and stop- per. (\..i. »E NIEMEYER and CO. (4). [Dance Revue. [t4 Mint., Full 8Uo« (Special 8attine»)- i Winter Garden. Joe Niemeyer for the most part liaa appeared in legitimate produc- tions, always rated a ti daacer. His new vaudeville dance revut Is under the direction of L*. Xawrence Weber and William R Medlander, newly formed aa a producing team and, while the latter probably took care of the settings and dressings. Niemeyer staged the Mvel routine. Mmrgo Raffaro and Blllle Maye are chlat In support, but ,^lda DuFrayno and Margaret OiTies count Im^rtantly. The act switches from "two" to rail utapf- for the aeyeral changes. / Inostly secured by a seriea of back r uivp«. fcfpeclal aettlnga went with , «a Oriental number, a specialty by Min Rafarro, whose raiment for It was a lltUe plus nothing. The I number itself aside from the bare- ness did not measure up to other ^orlc by the same girl. Her Spanish number was gIddUy flashings but Mr prettiest was with Niemeyer ••rlier. It was a flirtation bit. Miss jjAfarro sporting something excep- tional In novelty costumes. Niemcyor first appears as a sailor, M a lieutenant, and has a number telling of the sweethearts In the va- nous ports. For a starter he men- tions three In New York. First «wno "Sally," with a snatch of song -*!?'* danco to one of the melodies - worn that show. "Mary," similarly Jjom the Hhow of that name, and .ireno." likewise, followed. k^^^^ ^"'* "'^^^ M*s* Maye's first "jPeclalty had her out as Miss Cupid *nd following the flirtation number ^ Mlssos DuFrayne and Da vies ■jJPted an old-style skirt danco. J»th th<r Rkirts discarded they «PPe(l into the more modern school. A Bcrt oC cycle was the finale. Jlemey,-! in Colonial sllk'j first ^jfterd with a hoop-skirted girl, the •thers tukinp him down tho lino to JM2. tfi..' whole bonden.sed. For an Jjjcorf, :ni(l it was earned. NIemryrr inanko.i the hou.se a^d said he de- Th '"fi'^'luiv the girls' mothers. LEE MING CHING. Handwriting Expert. 14 Mins.; Two. Grsclsy 8q. Lee Iling Chins i« a Chines ' ex- ponent of the pcnmauFhip art with a vaudeville vehicle clo:;ely resem- bling that of Kajiyama. A large blackboard Is used on which Ching writes with both hands, upside down and backwards, with all ot the feats attempted resembling the simpler efTorts in the Kaliyama rou- tine. Ching announces ho has appeared before the crowned heads of Europe, which meant little to the Greeley Square audience, and for the small housoa for which his vehicle is framed has little weight. This chap should acquire a bit of showmanship. Hart HENDERSON and HALLIDAY. SonflSy Dance, Talk. 1^ Mins.} One. American Roof. Conventional two-man colored act in "one," opening with double blues fairly harmonized. A medley of Irish songs, followed by another blues, with a double song and fast faked dance for the finish. Both are fklr vocalists and can fake tho legitimate steps that pass for eccentric dancing. Fair early spotters for an economical bill. Con. >e eiiriain roso and there the four ^moth.Is .s,o(„i I prise. K;„.;, It v»'n.s a total siir- Kirl pranced to l.^r |w^ • Hill |»i a-nctMi ui ii»'r Trf , '''"' •'''' B'dppcd ore to sure Til . V ^f»"Hi whii... All ■•^"^^ 'F.^ulliv.. a„, J'^f PtiopMlIv rlrli .tH'f.l ,„ .,, ,. ^ , su. ' II t:i • I. <lan( e reviio is In it wor!: Ivud Ih • dres.^ing \i* If can l>o fra- ; bee. "BETTY WAKE UP" (3). Comedy Sketch. ie MIns.; Full Stags. American Roof. A wow of a threc-a-day comedy rloL Tho action transpires In a JmH stage bedroom set Yoimg chap en- gaged to marry, enlists aid of his pal to rid himself of an old fiame— a chorus girl. Friend complies un- der pressure where sketch opens. Fiiend reports success, disrobes and prepares for bed. Pal leaves to celebrate. His fiancee, a somnam- bulist enters. She does- the old James and Sadie Leonard from "When Cac.'^ar Sees Her," of sprhikling the sleepor with water after tossing flowers over the bed. The act is written around, an old bit, but is modern enough to make them howl in the pop hou.se.s. They took the hit c' the l»ill on the Koof .1. lute .'^r>ot. <^on. BEAGGY and CLAUSC Roller Skating 11 Mino.; Thrco 23rd St. Mix* .1 I' rirn < it roll« is. .Mati u ir.- Tux and tli»' f^i'l :iltl>r«'\ i.i(«Ml sUiil.^ »1:sm1,i\ in^' r(.ri^-:tl,'r;'l.l'? IcTt-l •mU. The ronti'K^ is ih<' conx« iilifnal whir! ri!-: 'iimI . '; il «i:«M;in»< idea only |»frform(<i i'l \'a'-^- in-sliiiue will) nioi;' '/<'sf ai.d ' P' |» ' Hiaii orUiii.ir:i.\ . Th'.' !•*■« i- •>'<•" < II.' M\ for f\nv>l aiul pyraniiils lua:':. lo a l»eir:i»-«l pr-t- The t<- .in o; '.lit to <ii: ilif.\ as n ,':fOfHl int ro'liiri :'Mi ;ic: (u\ ;i:i.\ ^■nla■.l bl- lifiiv I- !l **'""' SIX AMIRICAN BELFONOS, AerobatiOb' Pull SUflSb ColonlaL That "American*' In the title of the Six American Belford% sticks out much farther than the enuncl- ator or the program, after the Bel- fords get into their acrobatic-. Risley work. For years the belt for acrobats has been around the for- eigner's waist, literally and fig- uratively. For stralcrht acrobatics of the ground style. Four Bards stole the belt away and kept' it away while tliat act was to the fore. As time passed and the Risley or pedal acrobatics seemed to sup- plant the ground variety, the for- eigners again hopped In, If they could hop-out of their own countrj', which many did. Now come tho Del fords, an old va^udvville name, multiplied In num- bers, now the Lest acrobatic net in the world. They have outdone the others at Risley. Almost from the outset tho itellord.s go into two- highs in "Risley,*' which means tlic understander or po<lal bearer up- holds with his ft et two men, one standing on top of the other. The tiirL of the top mcnnlcrH has the tisui)! foot-to-foot r.isley balance. \v*lh the second of the two-high Koing to the first's shoulders. They r execute new pasnes in duo and trio fornaatlons. continuing this line ot It'.isley stuff until toward the flnltjh, when they commence, com- plex c ^mbinntions. of double pass- in;? witli three mtn en tlie pedat- peilestuls tossing ur.d cateliing tUe tfiree fliers. It's new;'It's fmo; it's performed witli ea^e and grace, and it's fast. T^c act was staged at the Colonial, opening the show Monany nlglit, but ai that the houso made the half dozen athletes return for four cur- tains, probably a Colonial record f6r a "dumb" turn. The act should be Kent to the body of any bill and featured, because ihey arc super- acrohats —and Am( i irans. F(ime. HARRIGAN and TRIBBLE. Songs, Dances and Talk. 15 Mine.; One. City. Two men (colored). Open with comedy dialog regarding approach- ing marriage, one as bridegroom and other In "wench*' character as bride-to-be. Both affect black cork make-ups. Talk develops Into one of those regulation quarrels familiar In col- ored acts, with each threatening the other in the usual comedy way. Bridegroom singles coon song, with Bert Williams' pantomimic poker game for business, handling It well. Partner back with costume change for pop number. Dancing contest for finish, with "you take this side and ^I'll take that side." Both excellent dancers and all around experienced perfor- mers. Standard small time act.Bell. ISABELLE D'ARMONO and Co. (3) ''Styles and Smiiss of 1921** Song snd Talt<. 16 Mins.; Two (Special), 0ns and Three (Special). 23rd St. Isabella D'Armond has striven hard for a big time novelty with this, her newest offering, but falls shy, although the attempt was worthy, to her credit be it said. Maybe, eventual fft-unlng and build- ing up 111 the right Hpols win knead it together Into something leally worth while—and the first cut win hav-o to be In the for. of eliminat- ing that crude song plugging finish. A publisher's plugger sitting In a stage box is referred to In the course of the turn as "Archibald,** but his real purpose is demon- strated when he chorus-repeated the tune Miss D'Armor.d sang, danced to. liad repeateU again in a "moth- er" version in u lireplace effect through a scrim drop, th^n openly Invited the audience to "learn*' this "pretty little tune," and on top of whicli Archibald warbled It from tho box. I^ooks like 'tiss D'Armond must be getting a royalty on the song, although she didn't write it. The rest of her company Is a girl in eccentric get-up and another chap. Her routine opens a la house t>arty. with Miss D'Armond- waving ever and anon to Imaginary* mem- bers of the audience and wittily ad- dressing them on one or another topic, winding up with Archibald In the box roost. A pianolog follows that took her off weakly to disclose an Kgyptian drop In "one," with several itanels thereon depicting ancient customs of tho natives, sucli as crap shooting, jazz band playing, etc. It amused but mildly and was a prop to bring out the ec- centric looking dame from a tfXde entrance as "Cleopatra." In the course ot the comedy explanation of the drop? Miss D'Armond pulled a few such original cracks as "she died In a terrible state—New Jer- 9ey,*'_et al. Another drop effect was employed in the form of slides lUus- ^tratlng the lyrics of several well known songs In rebus form, vlx.. *'I hear you calling me," showing a poker table scene among others. A truly timely wlttlckn was pulled when "Cleo" answered she was a member of the Ku^lux Klan. to which Miss D'Armond queried. "Do they all look like you," and on being replied In the afflnnatlye, same back, "No wonder they all wear masks." Borne dancing mixed up the balance of the routine. lead- ing up to the super song plug. That the act has a lot of meat la quite evident, .but It's cooking lacks spice, which should come with fur- ther seasoning. Abet Q60. 8. PRCDIRICKS and CO. (3). Comedy Sketch. 16 Mlns.| Full SUflS (Special Set). Columbia (Oct. 9). The George S. Fredericks comedy playlet is set on the rear platform of an observation car. The train Is running through the night with a panoramic moving film making the speeding countryside. A youthful eloping couple. Just married, are on the rear end. They are spoony and fearful of the girl's father. The train conductor enters. He's a wise one with pertinent re- marka Later enters the father, who meets his daughter alone. As he starts to spank her, having lain the girl across his knee, the con- ductor reappears when the driughter denounces her father as a chosei-. says she v:sver saw him before, with ^er husbands later confirming, this all going to a forgiving finale. A similar playlet with a similar set was in vaudeville some yearn ago. This may be the same one. It has Its uses for comedy, but if in vaudeville there is some of the dialog that must be softened down or cut out. Just now some ot It is too blu^. The skit and set would make a' burlesque turn of valhe. Without the offside stuff, though, there remains a question as to how much tho sketch would amount to. especially with its,present plajiE^rs. The conductor is excellent, the father good, but the two juveniles little better than ordinary. To properly cast all of the four rok>s might make it too expensive. A flip comedian as the young husband could boost this playlet away up. The temptation for blueness the situation Invites (as the young mar- ried couple have a stateroom on th#i train) is so strong and the lati^. are bo easily begotten from it thai it Is going to be a task to keep tabs on every performance. The con- ductor ealls the train **The Con- gressional Limited.** It Is so irell known t^t Pennsylvania limited does not run at nicbt the name should be changed;''Broadway I«lm- Itod" or any other of the Penn's specials. • Blma ED LEE WROTHE and CO. ''Janitor Hioflins" (Comedy). Two and Three (Specia! Set and Drops). 5th Ave. The familiar Janitor Iliggins Is around again, still the same Bd Lee Wrothe, now with a company of two, a woman who does not look unlike Bonlta, and a straight maa Ed Lee Wrothe has been Higgins In burlesque and vaudeville for many seasons. The present turn is In two scenes. The first Is before the entrance to the apartment house and the other on the racetrack, with tho "tout" business. There aro laughs In the "IligRins" turn for those not having previous- ly seen It. The laughs are secured by Hlgglns' get-backs In conver.'^a- tion, though tiio extravagance of the tout's boa.sts on tho winning liprses are linmorous. iiut now there ace not enouph laiighy for big time, nor iA there tnouj^li substance for thai dlvinion. The turn nia.v ilo in the f-mall l»i^' tinio :ni(l pop hmmes, NEAPOLITAN DUO Songs 13 Mins.; One 23rd St. 'j"u<» tr\*n in i>r»l>.r;l it ' lill'" I;;il\' u» t-up. I'<)s<' sstd of itf»werfnl vi>i(« , tlu? to iiii t,'fls by baiKlily sol.h- on tli»'ii ;«l)iiiti«-s as huolhin^ fin CIS. Ttiis w.t^ r\ idi-nrfd j»ar- ficul-rl.v V bni mif oi Wa- hh ii < - .•- i\<(| ;i in)M son^'. (Ik- I.v ric- of wliUh u;i:; '\. clI 'ii!",!! 1 ii^rK'-lI t,'i»>le (I I" to fi'ilt.N < lUir.'i it i'»n. As ;i lii« lo<ly r*-(Ml.liitii, iH'V.» »»i. ;: rcr.rfd. I'or tlie I* •"■I. Ill'- '.I'v I'M lo 11 • 11 III <liU ••>-•. TIk' t< .:)i i vi,i' t"n<^ for the Ahrl ANGEL and FULLER. Talk and Songs. 12 Mins.; One. 23d St. Arthur Angel and Violet Fuller's turn is probably from the Middle West. A dialogue Is fasliioncd around the characters. Angel doing an "A. K.,*' Miss Fuller doing Ingenue. The material, first portion of the routine. Is considerably better than the later chatter and Improvement there should count. Angel started "Silver Threads Among the Gold*' at the piano. Miss I alier Interrupting In rhyme, saying tho styles in songs have changed as they have in dress, he replying In like fashion that he may be old but is up to dale, and to prove It paro- dies the number, which Is rare for •Threads.*' Angel used a clarionet for comedy purpoacs with fair re- sults. The flnale duet number needs attention. J bee. SMALL and SHEPARO. Talk and Songs. 1ft Mine.; One. State. Two men, one straight, the otheir In comedy make-up, using a **Dutch** dialect Tha boys have dug pretty far back for one or jtwo of the gags, which Inoluded **Whk:h came first, the hen or the egg?" Other portions of the talk are up to date and bright, but It all got laughs, the old and the new, so wl^at's tho difference? Straight has good singing voice, shown in a bal- lad. Comic handles his end com- petently.^ Medley of lines from pop songs doubled for finish, pleased. Small timers who can easily •hold on eai^y spot In ths pop bills with what they have and build a better turn as they go along. Dell THE PICKFORDS. Juggling and Acrobatics. 12 Mint.; Full Stage. 44th St. Man and wom.m. M.i;i v, cjirH snjlor garb. Woman is l ill and bnxom, act in;? m* ur!(liM«t;iM<l» r for arr.obrafic j-tiirits peiforrr».<l by man. Trirk tabl< .-, Liir>'i'f>''H<l-', etc.. arc used by man for tumbling. H^' i.s a. d iiid.\' ^tomihI tnnibUr, wnrU- in.c: last .'tr^d iI'anl.N. HalanrSn^ stunts itichidf a irirk tliat hfr< mm boJditiL' siv-'iM)t nolo fiTi fbln. top of tlia: a ftuall pift ■ of board, and oil top «)t t'ual auain two Kl<i^seR, eai b with an t'j.'/,, .«»'r».'ir.ite(| from U'lasM l>.v th'n < ardhojrd. The mariiiailatii. .; oT ilu- eqps into the ;1.': r< •- wiilionf bnakiuf^ them \\hlle iiohlin;;: thf ]o\r balanct^'d on chin raalio ■ a iiifly feature Irlek. Au- (.ili'r fK a!c .stunt is that of drink- ing :i Kla.«s of Ii<ini(t while doiriK a bund ."-tiiiid al .^anio timr^ balanelnif l>ottl*» on bend. I'^X'-ellfnt o|M*nin;; linn for any t; pc of Ikvi. .-, /;< / . CONROY and YATi^S Song snd Tslk (Blackface) 15 Mine.: One 23rd St. Frank Conroy has a new pafiti-p In Yates who is erroneously billed h.a "Frances Yates" outside tho Ioljl>y, although a female photograph ac- companies that of Conroy. It msy be a makeshift. Both men appear in blackface with a sidewalk routine that listens new. Conroy as befom is the piping, walling darkey wlio stands for all the "gafT" from lus moro polished companion. Yatev. is a corking straight and did much t^ exact the most from lines that mlf^bt otherwise have fallen flat. Tb" chatter is not the usual slam-IiauT broad comedy Conroy hat* been Identtned wit& In his "doctor." "spooks" and otiier skits, but dr- pends chiefly on the actors to ptit it over. And they did that. It .'^lart.s with an argument about ^olf, the straight Insisting that th«> burrkcr shot would have been Ijlnycd with the mashie and not the putter. It was,a good pendofF ,nnd t!ie rcMt was easy for 'em. Yai* ■< also fpllt it up with a i>ubll.'<b'd number. The tucn Viii"^ a .•'•olid 1 .i ;i' < .•» 23v1 Strc' I. .1'.. .'. MARVEL and FAY. Contortionists. 14 Minn.; Full. American Roof. Mix^tl doublf open wIlI* <m>m'«. - lion .slunls. The man is a \vondi!* of .supplene.'^H. The j;irl chanKc^ b» one-pi» .'c .»juit. 'Jhe turn \» one f»f the best of I'll tjpo playing tK«' (bi>(-a-da.v. WoiiM b"ld infei#-^t ( .\ a t",.'-ti:n • h\".. t't,,\.