Variety (March 1922)

10 BURLESQUE Friday, March 3, 1022 GROSS JUMPS TO $11, WITH CASINO'S NEW POLICY Latest Venture in Burlesque Holding Attention— ^Tollies of Day" Attraction, With Jack Dempsey Opposition at Howard Boston, Marrh 1. TI»o Cisip.o, playing ihe (Toliimb.'a tvhccl sliow, "Follios of the D.iy.' uith v.iudcvillo and picturos add<d. inaklnff tho show continuous, did $11,700 last week, Its second with that style performance. The pre- vious wcelv, when tho Casino in- stalled the new policyi it did $7,000 with tho Sam Howe show, and the week before, the last under tlie for- mer policy of straight burh-sque. when the Jack Singer show was fhero, the Casino ddi just under $5,000. During the season the liouse had been doing between $4,000 and $5,000 with the straight burles(iue shows, all Columbia wheel attrac- tions. The Casino Inaugurated the new policy, following ihe Howard here, tliat has had that in vogue for years, I-iast week Howard held Jack Demp- •sey as the special attraction and did a turnaway all week, rea<"hing a gross, It is said, of between $11,000 and $12,000, all the house can hold. Tho Howard's turnaway is claimed to have helped the Casino's busi- ness. Dempsey v»as paid $0,000 as :i flat .salary by the Howard for . the week. Locally the FJainey rjrrard show is also credited for the increased receipts at the Casino. The Uerard nhow now leads all Columbia attrac- tions for biggest gi;oss to date. It is reported to have passed *Peek-A- Boo" several weeks ago. Up to that tjme it was a second to "Peek-A- Boo." The Gerard show has been taking the record for the season all along the line. Its drawing power was best exemplified In Bridgeport, Conn., "Where it did $5,000, a phe- nomenal figure for Bridgeport this Koason. May Be 'Find" The departure of the Ca^i<io is holding the attention of all bur- lesque. Burle.sque managers s^ay that in the now policy may be the very business getter they have been struggling to And. This week is looked upon as tho true test for the Casino. It has no special opj)osition, and will o))erat<^ tho same stylo of show as last week, with J. Herbert Mack's "Maids of America" as the burlesque feature. The Casino, managed by Charles H. Waldron, shares the extra ex- pense of the added entertainment with the Incoming attraction. It amounts in total to around $1,400. $700 for the two vaudeville acts and $700 for the pictures. Xo extra advertising to any account was usrd last week. Waldron is 5^.iid to have Sam Srribner and Maik as his i);ivt- ners, they having botjp.lu in on Hie house sonio time ago. The Sam Howe show at the Co- lumbia, New Tork. did slightly un^ler $10,000 last week. The Columbia «o far this season has consid'M'd $0,000 a very good week. B, B. 0.^ SHOWS Nev.' Circuit Has 10 Shows and Nine Theatres vaude\illo houses In the South, ac- cording to present i)lans, tho show traveling as a unit, with an oiter- taiimient running about an hour and a half, on the order of tabloids. Bookings for tho B. B. O. time next week are Bijou, Philadclphta, "Monte Carlo (iirls "; People's, IMiil- adeli)hia. * Ting-a-IJng"; Claycty, Brooklyn, "Mile a Minute Girls'"; Star. Brooklyn. "IVII Mell"; Gaycty, Baltimore, "-Mischief Makers*'; Cap- itol, Washingt<m, "Miss New York, Jr."; i:mpire, Cleveland, "Whirl of (Jaycfy '; Avenue, Detroit, "All Jar.z Revue." and Haymarket, Chl»'ago. "J.idlifters." The "Victory Belles" will lay oft next week. The B. B. O. houses plan to oper- ate throughout the summer. NEW B. B. 0. CIRCUIT OPERATING IN WEST Haymarket and Avenue to Start With—Orpaniza- tions Formed CABARETS AND ATTRACTIONS %>'• The Burlesque Booking Ofllce will operate a new Western circuit now In process of formation with the Empire, Cleveland, a recent American Wheel stand controlled by tho Amalgamated, a Columbia subsidiary and Haymarket, Chicago, and Avenue, Detroit. The latter two houses are controlled by War- ren Irons (damage & Irons). The new policy is said to bo distinctive Inasmuch as the shows now playing the eastern territory of the B. B. O. arc not to be jumped West but new organizations formed in the AVcst will be used. The Hayniarket and Avenue, both withdr.awn from the American Wheel since the split with the Co- lumbia, are operating a burlesque stock policy. The shows will be utilized with the permanent chorus idea now used in the eastern branch of the B. B. O. and the other fea- tures. BURLESQUE REVIEWS The Bin'esq ue Booking Ciriiiit, Avluch now iomi)risos 10 shows ami nine hous<'S, added two new shows this week, "Ting-a-Ling," opening at tho Star. Brooklyn, and "Pell .Mell," sterling on tho B. B. O. time at the Star, ji< xt wc/>li. Both shows were formerly on the American wheel. Chas. l-'ranklin controls "Ting-n-l.ing' and Jatk Stro'.tse ' IVll Moll." Solly Fields was rngajud as ihl* f riiunber produ'or for tlx' B. P.. O. rircuit this v.tok, .iiul ni'l jnatt.mi- i.ite an innovation :»s ri'gards bur- I'squo produffion. Ono flion's girl will be picked from each show Fields I'Uts on tlic jnimbers for, and the » lioi'ister who has ha^n de^i!;n;ited as a re|nT>(lu< or by tl)»> B. 15. (). will will {riiv«l ;iloi'g ov« r tlio cirfuit, dupliiMlitig liif ni:nib<Ts l-'ir-lds has ta'ight h< r. The six g'vls s"!r.'ted U'V the re- producing of tiiiniber-; arc M\i;:n Jewell, BoMy .M,i rmod. Vie i:;>ynv«:!iJ. l'»arl^ Watsou ;:nd M( na'Grahrini. The B. B. M. -h,,»>s will jihi), FOLLIES OF THE DAY Ho:;o Hon Snydor Stt\<-' Smiii «J roc II iMumatu' .\inl)"i fc^iJw.ii'l i.'ritolilpy t'ompdy Autho" Morion nork OpfialJo CoiniM'Sfr .\l;ttty Whilr Hurlo.«i|uo Auihor Julin It. Williums ••"utlior Tim- t;oorR»» iltirman Hot Dor Man .lohniiy Wrhh'-r •luvtMiile llany Watnon Hrll Boy Hob Tolliver Priin.a lulic Do ' "anioron Ingcnuo .• •Jojlru'lo lln;>»"». Jr. .Soubiet Mac Dix Kvery otice in a while science produces an Kdisoii. art a Michael Angelo, baseball a Rabe Ruth and burlesque a show that stands out over the rest of the field. Just such a show is Barney (.Jerard's "l-'ollies of the Day" at tho Colum- bia this week'. Barney (Jerard has turned out many a good burlesqi.e show in tho past 15 years, but this season Mr. (icrard has outdone him- self —beaten all of his j)ast efforts to a whisper—.ind incidentally i.iost of the others in the lino of Lmlesriuo production, and that take.s in all of tho best that have flashed across the burle.-)t|ue horizon since the days of Harry Morris, and going down the line with the courageous efforts of Fred Irwin. .Tack Singer, Dave Marion and Jeai^ Bedini in maid. "The Follies" has everything. Thri c's compact entertainment, a production that fo;* once can fulllll the ])rers agents' description as lav- ish, iiilaiious comedy, an exceptional cast, special music, l)eautifuljv ))ro- duc<Ml niunbei-.s, costuming that daz- zles tho eyo—and a coufilian in Bozo S.r. der who is so different as to be uuin'io as regards comedy methods for burlesque, Snyder doesn't .«-ponk a word, during the en- tire show and he's on tlio .stage for the bcll< r i)art of two and a half Imur.'--. H<'s a i>antomimist. a mu- sician .'iiid .1 dancci-, besides bciiig a cr)n)ic who can get m ►rj laaghs with a movement of his eyes than most conir-dians can with oc ans of diiilog and business. TTnctuons and repressed in the highest degree, Snyder conibines tho best methods of the advanced picture comics with the tinishrd tcchnltjU** of burlesque and fajce. 10very known trick nf the e(*mic is his. He nr vo • scrms to be trying for laughs, and tltat's what mal^CH hiw comedy dolighlfnl. lically i\ show in himself. t'lerard wrote the bo«»k of Ihi.s voason's "I'oUic^." p,it r.n.ii! com- posed iiifi nuKsic and Seyinoar l-eli.x staged the inunbers. Tiie produc- tion is th«^ 1?20 Ziegfchl 'j'ollie.c." whiih (]e)ard purchased in'act. propertie.<». costiunes and scenery. The oii;;inal cost of the Ziegfeld si off is claimed to have hr-r^n .around $200,000. That may be ri bit of an exaggeration, but i looks like a mil- lion dollars in ,i barles«|a'^ show. There are 1.1 scein'c change.^, the show svvr ping along with a differ- ent phase occuMing so freqacntly 'hat the» two and three-qn.irter i)on)-s' ruiniin.'; time Mvnis hut half of tiiat. Assisting Bozo Snyder Is Sam rircfMt. whii iloi-m a piano ijio •• tvpc that biought recoUeciions of the late lalniutid Hayes. Mr. Grem is all over the ]f,f, fording indnstiious- ly. building up file corn* dy and v>..ring individually all at the rime thue. The teamwork is r<-in)arkable. i:v.ry thing goes like eln.K work-, eaci) part lilting into the oihei- witli Ihe prtM'iciou of a machine. The show ev« n staits diff. really Ihan liie others, the ctu'lain rising on a bit of dialog wlule tl.o entre act music is playing. Allegory js employed to piece n thread of •■tory tog.-llMr. four auth«)is start- ing oul lo write a .«-how th.U will >ii/'ce<(l In pleasing ihe pul)i;c. A of the j>anto- f>f the second simp'e id) a and well carri« d out. l!dward I'riuhley, Morton lieck. Matty White and John B. Willianis arc th.e four auiiiors, reprcscntiijg comedy, tlrama, burle.sqiu», etc.; all good Epeciully people aiul bur- lesquers who know ihei.- business from the ground iij). The women princi))als inchule (Urtrude Hayes. .Ir., a pretty dancitig ingeruu'; Mac Dix, .soubrtl; Julie He Cameron, prima, and several women who tiguie importantly, including Olive Bligh. a choribtcr who is a real comedienne. The Jirst section Is a riot of .rcenic change.-^, numbers and comedy bits, with an auto scene thai roclud the hou.'^e with laughs. Tiiere is a theatre scene in the se'ond half, that is a low comedy gem of the first water. Tliis has comp.any seatetl in a theatre box and sup- posedly watching a .vliow, with , specialties arriving every few minutes, and comedy that nearly rolled 'rm out in tho aisUs Columbia. Bozo is at his mimic best hero. Tlie idea theatre scene is a sort of cousin to tho old NigliL in an IJng- lish Music Hall, but away from it in trcatmnit. Johnny Webbtn-, who does a "Dutch* character, con- tributes an excellent bit of feediiig in this. ^^r. Webber is secondaiy in a comedy way throughout the rest of the show, not because of lack I of ability, but simply through his I part being one of those contribiitary second comic things. A si)ecialiy by Bozo and Sam Oreen, with Bozo playing the trom- bone and getting more comedy out of th.at instrument tiian any one ever could behove possible, was n wow. Some versatile guy this Bozo, Willi a future as briMht as Times Squaj«» illuminated. Anot'aer come<ly wow was the liotel bit ne.ir tho finish, with Bozo, Sam (Ireen, .lohnny AN'ebber and otheis of the ca^'t rendering first aid. The nmnl>ers are immense, Sey- mour l<'clix getting effects with ihe 10 girls that were i-em.trkal>Ie. A church scene illuminatetl for a wed- diiig bit, a Bosemary nun)ber with the girls grouped around four singers in tableau fashion, a needle and haystack mmnber, a whistle nimib< r, distinctively led by <lert- rude Haye.«, Jr., ai-d a walz song wei-e among the numerous high liglits. Beit Crart's music is pai-tieulai*ly tuneful un<l would do credit to any musical show. I'or burlesque iis a revelation. The •l-'ollies' ing simi)ly bewilders tho set outdoing lla* oilier ^sclienies and ariis1r.>'. In the currtm "Follies tlerard has bun. up :. mark for all biule.squc to shooi at. 'J'ho audi- ences having (ho Colnml)ia Tuesday wei'e unanimous in voting the "I'ol lies' a great show that's exactly what il is. lUU. for all Will in business, lid ward iCaharcls in and around Xew Totk and iliclr prcacnl altractluHa) Beaux Arts—Bush's and Perella's Dance Orchestras. Boulevard Cafe—Vincent Itizzo's Orchestra. Blossom Heath Inn —Music only. Good business. A record nighfg receipts last Saturday. Cafe de Paris—Sally Fields, Eddie Cox, Mile. Phoebe and Whitenian'g Vernon Club Orchestra. Carlton Terrace—Mike Special's Orchestra. Club Dansant—Sherbo's Orchestra, direction of Jack Shilkret. Club Maurice—Veronica and Company of 15 iji a "South Sea Revue'** Jane Green and Jimmio Blyler; Maxie and George; Twinetette and Boila^ ballet dancers from the Metropolitan O. H. ballet; Ray Miller's Orchestra and CliflC Edwards and a native South Sea Island band. A $1 cover chargo with heavy stress on tho word "informal." The Maurice was strictly a "boiled shirt" place formerly. Club Royal—New York's most exclusive club "nlck.s" Its patrons |3 couvert charge on week-end days. Clyde Doerr directs the orchestra controlled by Paul Whiteman. No entertaimnent offered. Gallagher's Broadway Gardens—Charles Cornell's "Stepping Some" revue is the show attraction. Vinc<:it's Orchestra, supplies tho dance music. Healy's Golden Gladoc—Kunice Vernille arid he r M'^yptian revue. lluMs, worthy's Symphonists an<l the Memi>hi.s live ar«^ the altrat tioi.s. Hotel Astor—Al .Xoiary's Orchestra. Hotel Biltmore—.N'atzy's Orchestra. Hotel Ciaridgc—llnu'st Huss;r,'s Orilicstra. Hotel Pennsylvania— Nine I lit l.ope:'.' Oiclas.'a is a iiMi-i«a! irr.j ihe dancers. Hotel Plasa-Niik Orland..'s Orchestra. Hotel Waldorf-Astoria- .lose])h M. Knethts (^rche.-tra. Hunter's Island Inn Bun Heath has been keeping 'em dancing winter at this roadhouse which Is doing suri)risingly particularly the ^week-ends. Knickerbocker Grill—Bc^ssio McCoy Davis dances nightly. Elkins' Orchestra dance music attracti<.)n. Little Club- .M .lockers, who succeeded Jat'k Shilkret at this Salvia house, is a i)rimo favorite witii the dancers. His orchestra is the only attraction at the Tattle Club. No show. Montmartrc—Kmil Kohuan's Orchcstr.i. Moulin Rouge— William .\molds Society Chi us Itcvue, featuring Ted and Catiierijie Andrews, at ihia Broadway re'sort for some lime. Beanie Sclvin's Orchestra is a fixture on tho dance music end. Palais Royal -Paul VVhitcman s Dnr.ce (^rchesHa is the lodisione at tiie A'ti.=ailles Gardens. Mvan Burrow es Fontaine dances nightly also. Plantation—An all-«olcr( d revue seems lo have caught on at tho re- christened I'obcs B'M'fe'Cje. I..iettt. Tim Brymm's colored band ofllcittes for the dancers, Pelham Hecth Inn- Charles StiliKIa.i.d's Orchc-lia. Business at this roadiiouse repoit<d very good. Rsisenwober's—Sophie Tucker with Art I'ranklin accompanying holds forth alone In tlie Crystal Koom. Henry l..odgc's Orchestra has re- placed Ra.ni)*s aggregation. In ihe 1 avadise Room, Harry Rose is master of ceiemonies. his show consist iiig of Chick Barrymore, Marjorio Coales, Bee Hall, Peggy Hope and Dorothy Maughm. Sherbo's Orchestra fur- nislies the music. Rendezvous -Gilda Grey still Hawaiian dances to "Tahiti" at this newest side strcvt resort. Joseph C. Smith, who was identified with the Hotel Piaz.i for s(»mc Itirigih of time, is c(uid'jccing the orchestra here. 88. Flotilla—A Yerkes' l;and ij the musical attractlcn. A floor shOTT i« in i)reparation. Strand Roof— Vv'illiam B. I'ricdlandcv's R*»vue. foaturitig Dan Healey, .lean Shirley and Cliarles Bcnr.eit. Paul \ ictorin's Orchestra, headed by Billy James. Ted Lewis Club- .Ice ISaymonJ conducts the orchestra in T.ewis* ab- sence with th.e '(Ireenwieh Village Follies" in Piiiladclphia. Ted jumps into town for Saturday night and Sunday. Woodmanstcn Inn—Lou Redcrman and orch.estra. Another roadhouse that is holding its own in ipoi*^ than fair n^'asure, considering the season. Yoeng's—Dolly Brugere's I'ive Queens of Syneoiiation and IClsie Weber. Also D'Orta Sander.0' Novelty Tunester.-. ' (;ostum- eye, "one in tolor I ' Barne\- | PELL MELL "Pt 11 Mell," the Harry M, Strouse American biirlesque attraction, is playing it's last week for tlie .season in nn American hotise at the Olym- pic this week. Next week the Strouse show jumps to the Bur- lesque Booking Office circuit, open- ing at the Star, Brooklyn. It is un- ^frstcod the thow will receive some flxiMi and that one or two of the fa cast will be i)la^ed when it make.i the haj). Buei.i Aino'd. the ingenue, and about tho best of the woinan r)rincii)als, leaves Saturday. 'Pell Mell' is a bit and mnnber piece fiom t'urtain to cnitain. The prouuctioj) js abont on a pai" will) the average American show of this .reason. Tis book is a group of an- I'ieni bits, funny and unfunny in Sl)OtS. The principal comedians are I^illy l\el!y, in a dirty tramp gel-uj>, and Chas. Countr\', an eccentric Dutch- man. Both are ex-acrobats, apparent- ly taking falls and doing ground tum- bling at intervals. They pulled more of their laugh with tho acrobatics and rouKh housing than with dialog. A "faille" bit, wliero both comics become steweti ami fall all ovlv the place, was ouo of their real good moments. The other men are Frank* Malla- lian, a heavy straight, who also <loes a dramatic character bit in a 'Jekyl- Hyde" stunt, aiul James Kelly, a clean-out ju\euile, who looks neat aj)d sings aeceptabl>. Kelly helps tho appearant-e aver.age a lot. .Mal- lahan is a hard, sincere worker with excfllent enunciation. <'onspicuous in a cast where nearJ.v every j>rin- cipal slurred lines so badly it was almost imi)o.^>*iblo to deLii»her liie dialog. The women jirincipals were three in Jiumliei'. litnia .\rn(»Ul, the in- genue, a brunet fulsome eiciluie with a slow shimmy that heljx'd; Mabel \Vhil(\ a generously i)iopor- tioned i>i ima doima with some ex- cellent W(udrobe, and .Mildred l''raid<lin, a "cakie" shimm.\ing sou- bret with .a wiggle that ])ulled her back cm almost every .'ii)pearanco .'isj a ntnnber leader. .Mis.^ I'r.inkiin made up mtiscuiarly what she w.is shy on vocally. She is a nice look- ing blonde girl with a trim slender figure and as peppy as they come. Jtuth Brady, one of the choristers. a good-looking brunet, was out of the line for two nmnbcrs, one a pick-out affair consuming a lot of lime in act two. Four full-stage sets of acceptable scenery, with a lighting effect show- ing a.yilroad train pulling into a darkened station was the production flash. The costimiing of the chorus was in atrociously bad taste, but m against that the dressing of the I»rincipals was good. Tho only real entlmsiasm «>f the evening w:as aioused by the closinjf number, a jazz band of Howard, Kelly, Ctrifiin and Kelly. Two ban- jos, a fiule atul an improvisement on a washboard, with harmonica nad frying-j)an cymbals attached, was good for several recalls. Another specialist to make an im- pres.-ion was Chick (Jriflln, one of the princii)als, who worked in black- faro throughout. (Iriflln got over a singing an<l hoofing imn in "one," l)roviirg a neat dancer at eccentric and hard-slioe stepping. He also read lines intelligently in his orher I>ortious. TIjc bits were all veterans that have ^ovn service on both wheels in ihi.s and other .seasons. Tliis rei)eti- tion of pieces of business is getting to be noticeable in burlesque, (^ne bit in this show has seen service in at least four different attractions this season. •J'ell Mell" failed to do the u«ual capacity business Tuesday night, when the am.ifeni-.s hold forth. It'« a very e«niseivativo production and looks it. cov. AMALGAMATED MOVES OFFICE The Amalgamated Burlesque Fn- lerpi-ises controlling thr< e Ameiican wheel shows, "I»assing Revue," •'Hurly Burly" and "Beauty Revue," lenntved its olHces this week from Ihe Ameiican Burlesque As.<<ociation suite in the Columbia building to R. 1\. Hynicka's ofliccs in the Co- lumbia Amusement Co. .suit, on the third fiooi- <f tie same bnilding. The three Amalgamal-d sl^o\^•fl will have closed by tho eral of the week, "llurly Burly" stojiping at .Milwaukee last week, and the "Beauty Revue" and "Passing Show' closing at Cleveland and Minne- apolis. Hynicka-is tlie treasurer of ih^ AmalgamateJ. Olhei-.s inter< sted are the Columbia Amusement Co.p American Burlesque Association, Sam Scribnei-. J, Heibert Mack, I. Herk, K. T. Bcatty and W.nrrn Irons.