Variety (January 1922)

» I • III • « •' Friday, January 80, 1922 NEW ACTS THIS WEEK ID VALE8KA SURATT and I Co. ZSL White Way* (Comedy Drama) 80 Mm. ; Full Stage (Special Set) Hiverside The second playlet of the current -aaeon for Valeaka Suratt will do. !£Ta jack Lalt output, an entirely new writing for Mlse Buratt, bear- ue no relation to nor recollection of JJJt "Green Jade" thing Mies Suratt atarted off the season with. -The White Way" la crisp, yet lengthy, with Miss Suratt handling • mass of Lalt dialog, always in the center of the stage, with her assist- ing players acting aa feeders or "straights." In the support is Will- iam Roselle, a legit leading man who gires a certain tone to the substance through the finesse of such re- strained work as he performs in it. for Mr. Roselle acts but little here. Neither "does the star, for that mat- ter. Hers is purely a speaking role. She comedes and emotes* as the dialog sways. Miss Suratt can draw a laugh much easier than a tear, equivalent to saying she swings over the comedy points but muffs the dramatics. Still the story carries along the players. During the telling. Miss Suratt moralizes, preaches, recites her theories gained from experience and mingles in timely slang at time- ly times. It's about herself as Jac- queline Mnlone. a prima from '"The Follies" who doesn't sing in this sketch. She had noticed a little cutie from the country, Gertrude Meyer (Viola Frayne) in the chorus and .missing her one evening in the line, learned from the stage doorman she had taken a ride in Billy Van Deu- een*? (Mr. Roselle) car. Billy was Jacqueline's former husband, a mil- lionaire she had walked out on after marrying, taking up a divorce en route, but she knew her Willie and hied to his apartment to save Gertie. As the prima walked in, the ex- husbnml had the country girl wrapped in his arms. Jacqueline told them both a lot. enough to make Billy wrathy and Gertie repentful. Gertie became homesick after hear- ing what the prima donna had to say about shows, choristers and Johns, and Billy got a hunch he had lost something when Jacqueline left him. So Gertie got her carfare In one of Billy's biggest bills presented to her by Jacqueline, and the two former life partners had a drink be- ! fore the prima left, answering her ex-husband's remark that she was "all Wool and a yard wide" with the reply: "No. I am all bull and yard wide." This playlet has its teachings and Its place in vaudeville, through the cleanliness of that lesson, for though it does not relate an oft-told tale. It is told in a new way and written to fit Suratt. That it does so perfectly fit her is what makes her possible in It and will carry her over all the circuits, gathering laughter and ap- plause, albeit at the Riverside Tuesday evening the very full house laughed more than it applauded. But as a writing architect Mr. I*ait has built around Miss Suratt a playlet that matches in its conform- ity to her. the handsome wraps and the single magnificent gown she wears. Bime. zxz FLANAGAN and MORRISON -A Leeeon in Golf" (Comedy) 10 Mine.* Full 8tage Palace Here Is a real novelty, both In- structive and amusing. It is as the billing aays a lesson in golf. There la a oyo of heavy canvas painted green and from little patent tees spotted upon a mat, which takes the place of a golf green, balls are swatted as though out of doors. The stage setting is virtually t'xe aame aa an indoor golf studio. There is an introductory film, the titles saying Morrison is or was a champion of California. Flanagan is shown doing a bit of hoofing on the grass. "Pro and Con" are the sub-titles for the pair. Slow mo- tion bits shown Morrison swinging at the ball and the ball taking flight. As comedy relief there Is Flanagan's dancing in the eyes of a slow mo- tion camera. The pair agree to meet in Morrison's golf studio. Upon the rise of the curtain. Mor- rison, a neat chap in flannels, first enters. He makes no pretense of being an actor, but Flanagan with his kidding while taking the lesson, delivers the laughs. The various clubs are explained and some golf expressions, so that the act is nicely proportioned as to comedy and in- terest. The film's titles said that Flana- gan was roped into playing golf. That was an excuse for using the lariat. Upon entrance he said his doctor told him it was a cure for lumbago. In getting the proper po- sition he gave the impression of contracting back trouble. A number of trick shots were shown by Morrison. One had him teeing a ball on top of a watch and sending it on its way without in- jury to the ticker. For the first try Flanagan's Ingersoll was used, Mor- rison purposely striking the watch and sending it galley-west. Another ball was safely hit from a resting THE POSTER GIRL* Songs and Imitations 22 Mins.j Three (Special) State A personable young woman this, with a capital vehicle offering pos- sibilities for the big time. The stage is set with a black drop show- ing a city in the distance and in the foreground a practical billboard with three life size posters. Enters a billposter with pail and brush from one side and girl in street costume from the other. They fall into conversation disclosing in exchange of bantering talk that the girl is a burlesque queen. She de- parts on her way to the theatre and the billposter sings a short bit of introductory lyrics while hanging a three sheet of Fay Bainter. This is done by rolling up the poster dis- closed at the opening and revealing the Bainter "paper" beneath. The girl then appdfcrs and does the Bainter Chinese love song from "East Is West." While she is oft for a change to black knickerbock- ers and tights the billposter has another bit of song and the girl re- turns for her soubret, a sprightly bit of lyrics and a glimpse of sightly Frankie Baileys. There comic business on the part of the billposter in disclosing the third figure on the board which turns out to be "The Creole Fashion Plate." Stage is dark for an instant and the girl is revealed in place of the poster When the lights come up. She does Karyl Norman's vamp number, not very close copy as to voice, but with a good reproduction of his mannerisms. At the finish she doffs her black wig, showing smooth "patent leather" hair under- neath and in this sings the "mammy" song as done by Norman. For a moment there is uncertainty whether the singer is a boy or a girl, but the finish is another twist when she takes off the boy's wig of is I "FANTASY REVUE" Girl Act 14 Mint j Full Stage (Special Drapes) 58th St. Four girls and a man T rise of the curtain finds three o. the girls in a routine of legmania, girls young and fairly graceful steppers for the type of turn. Two principal dancers, girl and young man, appear from divided drop back stage and go into a composite of old-time Bowery spiel «.nd Apache ma- noeuvres to the accompaniment of a medley of airs popular 20 years ago such as "Sidewalks of New York." Both principals first rate dancers, the girl making an espe- cially good showing with contortion and acrobatic steps. One of the three girls on next with a snake dance in Oriental cos- tume, merely perfunctory dance to fill a wait. Other two girls take up the running in a series of Rus- sian steps, beim, later Joined by the young man, oddly attired in green frock coat and silk hat. The prin- cipal girl back for a short session of toe dancing and all together for a finale, the young man changing to Tuxedo. The billing does not reveal the name of the producer or the persons concerned. Lively little production, r.eat and attractive in unpretentious, small time way and far that grade satis- factory. Rush, LEO EDWARDS (5) Song and Dance IS Mine.; Three Jefferson Edwards, a brother of Ous, does not even accord the five people with him a "Co." billing. As a matter of fact they are the whole act. Edwards rests on his laurels in several num- bers he composed for various stars. Ills company does imper- sonations of those stars, including Adelaide and Hughes (twice), Fan- nie Brice, Willie Howard, the late Ralph Hers. Jlmmie Ilassey, Nora Baycs, Lillian Russell, et aL Each personation is introduced by a slide of the composition title and original singer thereof on a screen behind the folded drapes in three-quarter stage. Edwards accompanies at the piano throughout, .winding up with his latest number rendere* vocally and super-plugged right down the line by each of the five supporting members, the prima re-renderlng it. another dancing to it. a box plant singing it. etc. The Hera recitative number, "The Mills of the Gods." doesn't belong and falls to grip through poor delivery by the Juve- nile. The girl doing the Fanny Brice and Nora Bayea impressions is a fairly clever performer, stand- ing out above the others. The production is nicely dressed • and mounted^ but falls short of the real big time mark. Abel. place on top of a half-pint flask. For the close each lined up half j and shows her own fuzzy blonde a dozen balls and shot them sue- < locks. The whole thing is a neat cesslvely against the cantas stop.: bit of bright and amusing entertain - Morrison was blindfolded for the ment. . Jiuah. stunt, which is designed to show that rhyme is the keynote of driv- ing from the tee. Flanagan used a phoney bandage. "A Lesson in Golf is a smart and amusing novelty. It went over eas- ily on fourth. Jbee, _ FRANCES ROEDER REVUE Songs and Dances 11 Mins.; Full Stage (Special Cyc) »rd St. Francos Roeder is a vocalist, as- sisted in her present offering by Mae Lubovesce and Bob Heft, both dancers. Miss Roeder opens the turn with an introductory number, during which she Introduces her partners as her brother and sister. A fast Spanish dance by the couple start proceedings, they mak- ing way for a vocal selection by the featured member, who displays con- siderable ability with high notes. Solo dances by the boy and girl follow, with the latter combining high kicking and contortion work in a capable manner. Combined sing- ing and dancing closes the turn. Opening the show at the 23rd St, the returns were adequate. The turn displays sufficient strength to be placed in the closing spot on Mis of that grade. Ilnrt. OBALA and ADRIENNE. Acrobatic and Contortion 8 Mins.; Full Stage American Voting man. garbed an bellboy, Birl In lights, short skirt. He front somersaults t0 handstands like the ■Arab troupes; she a few contortion stunts on pedestal; he handstands and front somersaults; she bends backwards from table to floor and u 'k'. he pin wheels handstands. •he following! doing the same trick With one hand stands; he dives over chair* to handstand and over: she eenda backwards from two chairs, drinks from glass while he does more Arab stuff. • a.st nfovlug attractive thrcc-n- oay closing act. Jolo. McCOY and WALTON Comedy Talk, Sengs, Dances. 18 Mins.; One Columbia Man and woman knockabout pair with a sure-fire low comedy frame- up for the pop house bills. The man's first entrance is a flying slide from the first entrance, from which he is supposed to be ejected by the stage crew in response to her "Send my husband out here." It starts them strongly, and. bar- ring a few intermissions between slaps or falls, the turn maintains the fast pace. Most of the comedy is derived from the rough handling of the woman by the man, with she countering several times with real- istic slam* on tho jaw that were good for roars. There is considerable dialog on a bench, with the male slapping the woman resoundingly on the back to illustrate a funny story, followed by her pushing him off the seat for a get-back. Two solos and a double song and dance are worked in, both proving capable steppers. The turn is sure fire for the three- a-day houses or wherever they like low comedy for that matter. At present they are on too lo:ig. They were a bam at this house. Con. GRACE NELSON Songs 10 Mins.; One 5th Ave. It seems a lapse of quite some time since the beauteous Grate Nelson graced vaudeville. Miss Nelson is the same handsome girl JU» look upon. Since appearance means so much in vaudeville Miss Nelson may depend more upon her looks for safety along the vaudeville route than her SOQgS, or even her voice. Neither, of the latter need be re- proached and th^ whole composes a likeable combination, but first with Miss Nelson It's her itage love- liness. Hilled in the lobby :»s carrying a male accompanist, Miss Nelson sang only with the orchestra. No expla- nation was vouchsafed ,or ,h '" ; ' 1 '* sence of the billed assistant. The Nelson a >ng repertoire i* a mixed one. ..f classical and seml-SOi Where 'hey want looks well dolled np, Grace Nelson ms a singer will do; where they Insist upon every- thing else that Should go With singer, that may be a matter opinion. But vaudeville univen isn't so fastidious. WHELAN and KING Comedy Sketch 15 Mins.; Full Stage (Special Set) State Whelan and West, a man and woman team, have a fast farce comedy vehicle with several situ- ations of good comedy value and dialogue of equal worth. The set discloses two. hotel bedrooms di- vided by a bath. One room Is occu- pied by a young woman and the other by a man. Both believe that the bath is connected with their room. They enter it at the same time. A corking comedy situation is worked up at that time, with the dialog employed getting several laughs. There is plenty of pep to this of- fering, which, together with its other assets, should make it a capa- ble contender for a late spot in the better three-a-day bills. Hart. FIVE HARLEQUINS Acrobatic Full Stage State Three men working as whlteface clowns and two boys one in sim- ilar makeup and the other a natural pickaninny. The pick Is the feature of the turn, a whirlwind acrobatic demon in straight ground tumbling, Arabian^ stuff and top mounter in some first rate hand to hand tricks. Tho second boy Is a dandy contor- tionist and tumbler. The three men, except for the less spectacular function of understand- ers, are fillers although two of them do some Arabian tumbling which helps to give the stage action. The closing is the usual Arabian whirlwind feats, straight - ahead pinwheels, butterflies and '•Arabs" in series, with a variation for the climax. One of the older men an- nounces the feature leaps of the small colored boy. The others, first in threes and at last In a four formation, stand one behind the other, and the boy makes a running dive over their heads, landing on his hands and coming up forward on his feet. The finale Is a whale of an ap- plause winner, built up during the preceding routine by the fine dis- plays of the same youngster. Hush. ETHEL GILMORE and Co. (5) Dances 12 Mins.; Full Stage (Special Hang- ings) State Ethel Gilmore is a toe dancer as- sisted by a young woman partner and four girls used for ensemble work. In her specialty work Miss Gilmore displays ability. Her danc- ing is the outstanding feature of the turn. The dances by the four girls are used merely to M>»|25^ii^lJ B ~I^~3fcS time while sho is making changes Several costume changes are made during the turn, in all of which the girls appear in tights, something out of the ordinary for dancing acts of this kind. A dancing act which will suffiec in the houses for which it has been framed. Ilart , LONE 8TAR FOUR Songs 12 Mins.; One (Special Prop) State The Lone Star Four is comprised of three men and a girl costumed in white cowboy regalia, whi h gives the turn a decided flash. The routine Is largely patterned after that of male quartets with the young woman possessing a pleas- ing contralto which fits In nicely with the group singing. The vocal selections are largely of the popu- lar variety, convincingly developed. The present layout contains but one comedy number used at the finish. A song along those lines earlier would help materially. A quartet that should expeilence little bill any- CONLAN and GILMORE Playlet 15 Mine.; Three (Parlor) 23d St. A two-act playlet that has plot and action with the talk virtually a monolog, the woman handling the lines and the man pantomlnlng the action. The setting is the home of Peter Hudsons. T,he wife opens a verbal barrage when her spouse enters two hours late for dinner. Every time he makes a motion to expostulate, she Interprets his ac- tions as threats to beat her; when he toys nervously with a fork, she accuses him of Intent to malm her. Thus the action progresses for IS minutes of laughs without a word from the man. For the finish when she accuses him of forgetting this happens to be the day of their first wedding anniversary, he dumbly produces a piece of jewelry as a token of his homage, to wh'.ch his wife replies something to the effect she knew all along he would not be so thoughtless without am- ple reason. It makes for a sweet curtain fol- lowing which the man in a witty after-curtain speech remarks (still in his stage character of Petei Hudson) that now he will have one word, stating the skit has a moral. If a married man disbelieves it is possible to come home and not be permitted to have one single word, here is the proof thereof, moralizing to the effect it pays for the wife to give her husband a chance to ex- plain. The skit has a chance on tho better bills. Abel. where. HarU f £ GEORGE SCHRECK Songs and Talk 12 Mins.; One 23rd St. George Schreck is off«-rii ig a single aet built exclusively fur comedy purposes In whkh he discloses himself as a comedian acrobatically Inclined. Bchreck has developed several good Comedy Ideas which, at tb^ present time. have not been routined in such a' manna? as to get the bent results. Much ol the chatter is amusing; rtf9) songs are humorous and the dancing sure-lire. No. 2 at th> downtown house, lbs return* were meager at the start. but took a brace as soon ns Ijtc i»<>'. :•..( under way A,iut«r spot would • helped to a large degree. This single should develop rapidly. Hart. MILLS and MILLER Acrobatic 6 Mins.; One American Two men, straight and 'boob," open with brief double dance and then go into their tumbling. Straight does front and back somersaults and says: "Try to do that." Iioob never spunks, merely affects a silly look and then tops the stunts performed by the straight man. He then "un- stands" for the straight with funny pantomiming; acta frightened, does somersaults with half twists, then a brief double routine; straight does a aeries Of front pinwheels, boob I doc* front somersaults with straight on his back, Bxcellent three-a-day turn. Jolo. Harry Shafter has resigned from th ■ offic of Arthur J. Ilorwlfi and is now connected With Irving C per. Bhafter Is formerly of Chi- 'r<«, coming here with Lee Kraus when th*» latter joined with Hor- wlts in forming a vaudeville SAMMY DUNCAN Charscter Singer 12 Mins.; One State Sammy Duncan Is a single on tho style of Harry Lauder, kilts, crooked walking stick and Scotch burr, singing a quartet of special num- bers In the Scottish character. The opening has him as a gay young Scot singing a love song resembling "She Is My Daisy" in type, although no infringement in music or lyrics. The second, with a partial chango of costume. Is a comedy song with a weeping lover and the third has Duncan as a white whiskered old boy with an appropriate song-story. The characterizations are clean cut and neatly done, but the tunes are rather flat and mechanical in lilt. At the State the turn was rather mildly received. American vaude- ville has had a long aeries of Scotch character singers. Few have become conspicuous. The truth of it would appear to be that vaude- ville is not particularly drawn to the Scotch comedian type unless he is one of overpowering prestige such as Lauder. Duncan gets down to about this basis: he Is an agreeable enter- tainer in his style and will please moderately but will scarcely achieve feature honors. • Hush. LAWSON and NOBLE Flying Rings 8 Mins.; Threo Jefferson Two men. Straight and clown. The flying rings are employed in differ- agency several seasons ngo. Ifor-jenl manners, including an "iron wir/. and Kraus both are On Hie'riJaw" getaway trh-k. along familiar J lines. Thnc-u-day closers. AbcL i own, dissolving last summer v