Variety (January 1922)

Friday, January 18, litt THIS WEEK PALACE r^n« Castle rttuntA to Brotd- Jfano 1 MnSianito at the Palace T week It was an event. That ♦ least would be the conclusion £•!££* the line at the Palace all 2f SSSday and the audience that the houie tha* night It Jed like the old daye with * X«T line of standee; acrpae the 5k of the theatre. Mies Castle Is ?o be aettln» tt.MJ for the Si at the Klace and the Indica- nt; are that ahe Is earning it at the box office. The entire bill, however, la prov- inr to be great vaudeville entertain- ment It i» * s now that n&8 every- E» Lots of "comedy, a flock of i any amount of dancing, and a Die of novelties at either end of Se program. What more oould any audience ask for? In comedy the strength of the •how stands up wonderfully. Next to closing Williams and Wolfus with their "From Soup to Nuts" offerinK were a veritable Johnstown Hood of laughs. It has all the old hokum, the smashing over the head with a baseball bat and all the others. That that ts what vaude- Ule audiences want seemed proven by the manner in which the Palace audience ate up the offering. The first part likewise had a laugh wallop in "The Family Ford." formerly known as "The Fliver- tons." On fourth, following a clean- up by the Harry Carroll act, it had the audience rolling with laughter. The Carroll revue is held over, and though on third pulled down aa big a hit as anything else. The result was that the turn after 48 minutes had the audience asking for more. That two fast-moving acts held the opening and second spots of the program helped a lot. Daley, Mac and Daley (New Acts), a roller skating trio, opened and got laughs and applause with seven minutes of fast work and some comedy. Lew and Paul Murdock, second, with eight minutes of neat stepping de- livered with a sense of comedy values. 1iit those in front hard. Closing the first part, Irene Castle appeared after about six minutes of film showing her at home, etc. She made a speech and informed the audience that she was going to sing. "Some people come out and cough a coup! of times and apologize for a cold; with my v?lce it makes no difference whether I have a cold or not. it's just as bad either way." With that bit of kidding directed at herself she made the grade with the audience, for she put the number •ever rather nicely in a quiet way. But It was when the act got to full stage and *he started dancing with Wm. Reardon that she shone. The first two dances were received nicely withradpreclatlve applause, but with the "Castle Walk" for the encore dance there was nothing to it, the house went wild. A solid minute of applause followed the conclusion of the dancer's efforts. Bert Enrol had the task of pleas- lag 'em Immediately after intermis- sion. He did* It with ease. He had the women sitting down as close as the stage box guessing in the bridal costume, one going so far as to ask whether or not he was Leon Errors sister, but the "wig oft'' at the finish was the tip off. Paul Morton, Flo Lewis and Co. (the "Co." being the name colored ghi that the comedienne used in her single) were another comedy fowl with "Broadway Butterfly." Morton does a corking souse at the opeuing and Miss Lewis made the second, score of the show for the Teds." Miss Castle is also red as yell as bobbed, a reminder it was Irene Castle who started that fad •ome years ago. Then came Williams and Wolfus and with them came shouts, screams and shrieks of laughter. Closing, the Six Hassens. a fast Arab troupe, ran through a series •^ pyramid formations and then the wheels, doing four minutes that held the audience. Fred. WINTER GARDEN The house was slow In Ailing up. The late comers didn't miss much. ¥ they got in Just in time to see Olfa and Mlshka, especially Olga, Uiey got in Just in time. If they f**ne earlier they beat tho barrier— beat two barriers. •'General" Ed La Vine, who pub- lics that he has "soldiered all his "fe, • soldiered through No. 1 spot Js a sailor. His juggling didn't sup- a?I . tne comedy and the comedy <»dn t alibi the Juggling. He walked °« on a missed trick with the hat and cigar. If he intended to miss it l0 » 8 reviewer has no sense of humor or the humor had no sense. Benn Linn seconded the lack of {notion. Ren weighs in tho neigh- borhood of 250—in the neighborhood °t. He is mildly amusing and has a iair voice and his elephantine efforts At dancing come under tho head of ■o-»o entertainment. Linn ought to »na n ready spot in a good quartet °r a three 7 act. As a loner., he's a gather. He started heavy and fin- ished ii pht Then on tripped Olga on her tors, ,f,p <\v as a rainbow, this little beau- !>. assisted by Mlshks, one of those *tralc»ht" mon to a feminine dancer. jiisnku may be a needed stage brace n tin- art, but he could be spared '" *"«• billing. John Alden. leader. n ™> double with pash fiddling. •■"•MMK a mor<1 n kelv candidate ^or '"♦• racial,,, j ohn Alden is iff even *l>okr-n of, and Longfellow wrote a epic about man named John Alden who didn't speak for him- self. Olga is a dainty little darling and handles herself about as well as any one on her tootsie-tips, Pavlowa not especially barred. A little astute showmanship would make her a celebrity. are other acta using the some song but they miss by a mile In getting out of It what Burke does. Miss Durkin. aa usual, flashes a note- worthy appearance, and proves a corking accompanist for her partner. Monkin the Du Calion got the An* .Is.jjh. jei^FTMt^mSSS^A^ the evening. This Britlshereteps out with a keen line of slang, a strange combine of real English and unreal United States, and spill* many a wheeze while tottering about on his weird ladders. He kept himself right side up and pulled himself up on the right side of the assemblage for a hit. Mabel Withee and a pleasant lit- tle company with Eddie Dowling, author of the act—"Mary, Irene and Sally"—repeated this week, as did the versatile and pleasant Eddie later in his next-to-closlng single. The big act closed the first half and ran on and on—but on pneumatic tires. Eddie knows his east side and I he knows his Broadway, and he in- termingles the heart of the one and the nerve of the other to make aj fascinating little playlet. The laughs roared and the sympathy sustained. Miss Withee, as Mary, was charm- ing and frequently on the key. Catherine Mulqueen, as Irene, came In by a whisper, and little Helen, O'Shea, as Sally, did a great Imita- tion of Ann Pennington in her Mari- lyn Miller dance. It was a dandy act, with nobody hurt and every- body tickled. A few strong men used handkerchiefs at Dowling's in- termingled pathos and homely wit. That's a Winter Garden novelty. John Charles Thomas, tailored im- maculately and bearing the air of a concert appearance rather than vaudeville, came through as a strong feature of the second half (New Acts), between James Barton and Eddie Dowling's reappearance. Bar- ton opened the siesta, holding through a stew scene that struck this reviewer as much funnier than the audience appeared to think it. Maybe the audience wasn't as Inti- mate with true stew humor. But It mattered little, for Barton went into his series of trick laugh dances, at which he need not take off his comedy hat to anybody on this here globe, and he went home dripping with gravy. Dowling, now dressed* "neat." got chummy with his audience rapidly. His flip talk established him, and his Hebe and Irish dialect nifties breezed him in and held everybody in. Kremka Brothers closed, an act with a fast getaway for' the spot, which saved them most of the audi- ence. The eccentric gymnastic nov- elties did the rest. The booking of this show ran so preponderantly toward men, single men especially, that It was one- sided. The opening act was a male single, so was the second, so was the fourth, so was the seventh, so was the eighth. Barton had a man and woman as assistants, but it was to all intents a one-man turn. The Kremka Brothers were two men. The women were in Dowling's big act, and Olga, and the girl who never said a word in Barton's, and Du CalIon's "hand-me" assistant. In all seven women entered, one of them a character woman, one a si- lent straight, one a prop. Lait. solidly, with Leon Varvara and his pianolog following. Leon came very close to arousing the wrath of the powers that be on high with his slow start, and which also gave evi- dence that the Colonial gallery, whose members have given more than one act "the works," but has been extremely quiet of late, is com- ing back into its own. Varvara managed to pull out to a fair enough degree with his rendering of the "popl* melodies, but It was close— awfully close. White and Leigh succeeded the piano player and amused for the period they were present, as always, due to White's slang and the man- ner in which he delivers. Miss Leigh came very near repeating Varvara .s unintentional invoking of the voi< i-n from above with her French ditty and "prop" laugh, but the storm passed over before com- ing to a head. Ames and Winthrop concluded immediately ahead of the interval, drawing laughs all the way and closed out to sufficient and satisfactory results. The best part of intermission was the eliminating of the "Fable" film that has become prevalent of late. Bessie Clayton and her company opened proceedings for the second time, holding sway for almost 40 minutes. You can't say much about an act which is classified as being the best In vaudeville today, except that it's so and that as such it was one continual rpund of applause from beginning to end. Miss Clay- | ton displayed an abundance of "pep," the same being true of the I remainder of her gathering, which carried the house right along with it, and with the volume of music I coming from the band on the stage augmented by the cornet player in the pit, and the building up of the applause finish, the action moved so fast it approached being a difficult task to fojpow the episodes. Kane and Herman assigned to fol- lowing the clean-up, walked on to a reception and did nobly with the position allotted them. They held the audience seated which, let it be said, is no mean feat following the Claytor act at 10.45. The Whe»ler Trio finished. Sklg. COLONIAL A nicely put together show which ran according to the program and demonstrated «ts ability to hold its head up during the first half, which was all that was necessary, as with the Bessie Clayton act placed in the latter portion it didn't make much difference what else was contained therein. The Clayton name, out in lights with a big display besides, was undoubtedly the cau*>e tor the near-capacity house that was pres- ent. And they were In before the end of the second act at that. Burke and Durkin, No. 4, ran riot with the bill for the early half. Burke got to 'em easily with his singing, and made the most of his "hard-boiled" lyric, which never seems to weaken. It took him up 44TH ST. Business took a nose dive at Shu- berts' 44th St. Monday night. The rear of the orchestra showed rows of vacancies, the mezzanine section upstairs held but a handful, and the boxes looked lonesome. Two of the acts of the nine-act bill were re- peats. Belle Story having played here when the house first opened, and the Joe Boganny troupe repeat- ing within Ave or six weeks. No Individual name was featured in the lights, the electric sign carrying the monikers of Mason and Keeler, Belle Story. Carl McCullough, Marie Stoddard and Boganny Troupe. It was an average show playing rather slowly and strictly along conventional lines. Marie Stoddard carried the first part by storm, spotted fourth and knocking over a hit that shook the rafters. Miss Stoddard offers an act consisting of familiar types, most travestied blue in the face in vaudeville for years, but through giving them a touch of distinction makes 'em stand up. The announcement that goes with the burlesque queen isn't a bit clubby. Everything Miss Stoddard offered went right over the plate, the house falling for the English Johnny version of an American pop song as if they had never heard of rfuch a thing before. General Plsano, preceding, held up the third spot splendidly with his shooting turn. Plsano handles a rifle like a wizard, some of his tricks including the running off of 24 sue- to a quartet of encores, and ex- cesslve bull's-eyes shooting at a hausted the supply of verses. There target on a pendulum, shooting the ashes off a clgaret held in the mouth of his assistant, and playing "Suwanee River" on a steel xylo- phone. The shooting from the aisle of the theatre, however, looks dan- gerous for the audience, should any nervous spectator suddenly decide la.RlL'jA-U.q.and take a flash at the marksman. The shooting of heads of." matches, thus igniting them, and then shooting tho matches out again, made a corking trick. The act is very well staged, the Alps mountain set furnishing excellent atmosphere. Homer Mason and Marguerite Keeler, presenting "Married," rang up a good total of laughs. The act Is a revival and has been seen around New York quite frequently. so much so in fact the edge has been taken off. Both Mason and Keeler play with the sure comedy touch of experienced vaudeville sketch people. Jolly Johnny Jones opened with wire walking, using a wire for some first-rate bounding stunts. Jones had the usual difficulties of an opening turn, only more so Mon- day night, the house filling up very slowly. Beck and Stone, two young fellows, working in a manner that suggested recent cabaret experience, made a goou No. 2 turn. They spe- cl*4>i~e in doubles, with a bit of comedy business Interpolated after each song. The boys have a piece of business that has them whack- ing each other over their respective domes with newspapers, it's funny, but rather strenuous punishment for laughs. Belle Story, opening the second half, did Ave high-class numbers, finishing with a likeable Italian ditty. Miss Story was In good voice, her high tones being especially clear and tuneful. She pleased the whole house, upper and lower sections, and scored a sizeable applause hit. Joe Boganny was programed for the "Billposter" turn, but offered the "Lunatic Bakers" instead. The fast ground tumbling and'rlsley work landed and put life into the show. Carl McCullough, next to closing, cleaned up with a mixture of songs, stories and Imitations. Mr. McCul- lough presented his usual dapper appearance, and his singing voice has improved. McCullough is best when Imitating, doing a fair impres- sion of Jolson, and a decidedly good one of Warf!eld. His Irish stories are marred by a very poor brogue. He handles a rube accent much bet- ter. The phone conversation went for a wow. It's familiar, but well done by McCullough. Horllok and Sararapa Sisters closed with their nicely produced dancing turn, holding In most of the house. Betl, INSIDE STUFF (Continued from page 22) short skirt und ermine clonk," and to Al Jolson, because he made a reference to Christian Science and Ford, although Patterson James- Fitzpatrick didn't quote the gag. What Patterson James-Fitzpatrlck said was: "In the course of his continuous performance 'Bgrnbo,' Jolson remarks that 'it is hard to get jokes.' Is that any reason for dragging in Henry Ford and s: coring at Christian Science? It may not have dawned upon Mr. Jolson that there are people who do not belong to the Christian Science Church who resent religious belief being made the target for any blackface comedian's defective sense of humor." Tho Ford-Chrlstlan Science reference, which Patterson James-Fitz- patrlck so bitterly resents, but which be did not describe, looks mild enough when it is examined. Jolson in "Bombo" described several ar- rivals before St. Peter. One owns a Cadillac and was classified as a Catholic; another drove a fitutz and was ticketed a Presbyterian, while the arrival who admitted he was proprietor of a. Ford car was told to sit down with the Christian Scientists. Maybe Patterson Jamcs-Kitz- palrick looks upon Ford's business as a religion. He appears to have some odd conceptions of doctrine. For example, It was Patterson James- Fitzpatrick who was shocked by the "blasphemy" of the heavenly police court scene in "Llliom," which he seemed to regard as a slur upon his own personal paradise. A pretty parochial aspect of a harmless stak r « fancy. k This super-sensitive resentment looks absurd to a lot of people, al- though all references to religion that could, in any way be regarded as doubtful, have been forbidden by several theatrical managers. J. J. Khuhert for one has ruled out all reference to religion by comedians to which anyone could object. He even forbade the singing of a compo- sition based on Jewish church music, and banned the use of any re- ligious music on the stage when it might be looked upon us inappropriate. RIVERSIDE The bill ran as programed at the Riverside Monday night. It was a satisfactory entertainment contain- ing considerable comedy, which seems to be the answer for the vaudeville layout problem. The first half contained five^acts, the last half three, with comedy punches 1n both Sections. The earlier entries held Harry Langdon in one of vaudeville's best comedy acts, and Ruth Roye in her usual song cycle. Miss Roye, after a couple of en- cores, asked, "Do you want a speech or the 'Robert E. Lee ?" Although half the house requested the speech, the singer crossed them with the old warhorse. Miss Royo breaks all mugging records and seems to have one off-color punch line In nearly all of her song selections. However, they voted large applause to her delivery. She was fourth. Langdon closed the first part In his "After the Ball," a satirical travesty on the golf and auto crazes. Langdon is an artist and can get laughs by the turn of a hand. His "boob'' character is one of the classics. The new act embodies all the merit of the former standard and some new ones of Its own. It will play for seasons. Max Hoffman, Jr., and Norma Terris were the artistic winners of the bill, in the third spot. This combination will be heard from. Miss Terris is a girl of many talents, a singer, classical and acrobatic dancer, contortionist and a mimic of no mean ability. Her Imitations of Lenore Ulrio, Marilyn Miller and others were of the nigh lights of the act. Young Hoffman puts over a song and eccentric dance, plays the violin and doubles in the closing classical dance that is as well exe- cuted as anything of its kind. The act has been speeded up and the running time cut down to vaude- ville proportions, ft looks like a fixture for the bi^-timc bills. Leavitt and Lock wood (New Acts) opened after intermission In comedy talk and songs nnd a few drops." Levitt is Abe Leavitt. for- merlv of burlesque, but more lately A. Douglas Leavitt of "Take It from Me" and still more lately Douglas Leavitt of vaudeville. In this turn lie i-; assisted by Ruth Loekwood and a pianist Olson and Johnson, following, took one of the cornedv hits of the even- ing With hokum clowning and songs. This pair have solved the bladder problem by substituting inflated bal- loons in place of the former too's of the burlesque comedians. They also enlist the services of a eoupie of stooges, who cavort on nnd off in burlesque attire for porno clowning. One funny bit was all four with a foot on a prop bar rail singfn;; . "Sweet A del in'*'" to bum harmonv. Olsen and Johnson Uiiow what they want and give II to them la soup ladles. "Two Little Pala," tho George Chooe act, closed the show and played to a continuous stream of walkouts. It features Jack Henry, Edythe Maye, Charles Oribbon and Estelle McMeal. In addition there is a dancing team—Harry Pearce and Estelle Crete. The book and lyrics are not up to the usual standard of the George Choos acta. The dialog is draggy and punchiest. The spe- cialties alone make the turn worth while. It has been given a fair pro- duction, but can't follow the other Choos starters around and stand comparison. The Eight Blue Demons opened with their Arab tumbling and pyra- mid formations, followed by Paul Nolan, the comedy juggler. Nolan is showing the usual routine of hat and cigar juggling, with the "cup and saucer" trick featured as an en- core. He took several healthy re- calls. About three-quarters of a houseful present. Can. ALHAMBRA Because of the lengthy Gertrude Hoffman ballet production the bill this week runs one act under the usual nine quota. Miss Hoffman's terp offering is the sole topllner, the house marquee being clrcused with a couple effigies of ballet dancers, upon which a baby spot plays ef- fectively just before show time. The show itself, excepting for Miss Hoff- man's and Billy Glason'e names, looked inauspicious on paper, al- though it played surprisingly well. Siegel and Irving (billed on the anunclators as Segal and Irwin) in- augurated proceedings with their hand-to-hand stuff, which they have dressed with silver cloth-spangled costumes a la Roman gladiators or something on that order. The lifts are not extraordinary or unique, al- though neatly executed with pre- cision and dispatch. The getaway stunt of whirling tHe topmounter on the understander's back in baton fashion stood up, further enhanced by a real or assumed dizziness by the propelled one. He played it up by stumbling over a chair, reeling off seasick fashion and stalling the applause until he acknowledged it Whether real or assumed it's sure fire in its effect and is an asset. Helene "Smiles" Davis, backed up by a pretentious Integral drop and curtain effect, showed her chorus girls types to strict attention that grew in Its enthusiasm from the Florodora Sextet coryphee right down to the final modern Zlegfeld "pony." She acknowledged a quin- tet of curtains with a well-chosen four-line verse. Jones and Jones, typical southern levee types, presented a ludicrous '•hobo" appearance and msde con- siderable of their characterisations with a line of cross-gagging that was a relief as compared to the fa- miliar "sure fires" so often dished up by two-man talking acts. If memory serves right this colored duo some years ago labored hard around the local smaller houses as a straight hoofing combination, and their graduation rrom the laboring class into these lolling, nonchalant characters that shoot the funny talk at each other Is all the more credit to their progressiveness. Marion Weeks and Henri Barron and Florence Nash and Co. (New Acts). During intermission he manage- ment announced the sale of tickets for the special Friday morning ben- efit at this house and the Harlem O. H„ around the corner, for the widows of the slain detectives. Mil- ler and Buckley, the victims of the negro Boddy. The martyred police- men hall from^hls section, and the "Harlem Home News" arranged these benefits at both those Keith houses. Gertrude Hoffman and her Ameri- can ballet was a revelation In varie- gated styles of dancing. Toe, hock. Impressionistic, ballet j&ss, shim and what not are embraced in that 40-mlnute dance melange. And what a soothing concoction It nil proves to be! What probably Is the most striking. Is that the stellar dancer is almost literally submerged by the efforts of her assisting octet, for Miss Hoffman appears only in doubles with Leon Harte. For a sight act Miss Hoffman's newest and certainly most pretentious of- fering fills the bill. Billy Clason. coming after Miss Hoffman'* long session, set himself right as soon as he whipped across his very first ditty, and then kent 'em warm right until the "Matri- monial Handicap." At eleven bells sharp he was still going strong, beg- ging off because of the late hour, not without goaling them with a new "Olga from the Volga" vodka ditty and responding to a request for "Dapper Dan." It wan apple sauce for Glnson, nnd to him may be accorded the applause honors of the show, filason has a great line of new lingo that must be Neal O'Hara's stuff. O'Hara and Glason are program credited for the chatter. G In son's hand is obvious, with n few old reliables that have been Identi- fied with the monologfst for *ome months. They are so certain of re- turns one cannot censure him for their antiquity. It remained for Miss .Teanette and Norman Brothers to bottle all the wav with a continual homeward- bound nudjence, but all things con- sidered. 4n$upinK he late hour. Ihey held 'ern 'nt^-cstihg in their variety stuff surprisingly well. Abet