Variety (March 1922)

Friday, March 10, 1922 NEW SHOWS THIS WEEK 21 i PALACE X ^ory good vaudeville bill for the nubile at the Palace this week, but R,- lust as likely the vaudeville men interested In that theatre are not JrUd over It. Anyone with the time, inclination and certain of finding Jjitenera, could write two volumes •bout the bill, how inside vaudeville Would see it, what it means, what Jot over and what did not and why; the cuts and what was left, how the Jhow was framed and what was In it, and so on. There is one thing almost anyone In the show business'who visits the palace the current term will notice. That is that the house has no spon- taneous draw, even with John Steel, undoubtedly th>» best act of his type and style ever in vaudeville, ana Florence Reed, a name, making her vaudoville debut. Yet Monday eve- ning at 8:30 It looked like the Pal- ace would have a bad night. That unfailing sign, the side boxes, started to tell the story. While they never did wholly fill up. the orches- tra held what could he termed ca- pacity, hut with no .standees. And the Dollys were also there, their third we^k. Who drew them in or who drove them out will be what the show people will observe. The I>oHy engagement at the Pal- are for live weeks is rather unfor- tunate, not for the Dollys and may- be not for the house, but for others, like Steel, for InstXnce. who could remain there for a run if this Dolly precedent had not come up. There's no getting away from it, a bad open- ing is killing; the Dollys can not overcome the impression left the first day and week of their l*alace stay. This week they have a nice act, for the Dollys. The stage Is prettily dressed and loolis as nice as the Kills' clothes, which is .saying a lot. but there's no punch to the turn, nor is there any punch left to the Dollys' Palace stay. They may be hold over their five-week term at the ralace; maybe it is imperative their contract be kept. I'.ut on the Monday nlpht attend.mco showing llie Dollys shoiilil not have been there this week. It looks very muoh as if many Pala e regulars are wniting to have t\\o jfirls lea^e before trying again, for onre v.as enough: wiiat they saw the first week st^ttled it and they won't believe what they hear. The ehances are that if any of the first weekeib at the Palnoe read Variety l;ist week, or may be read- ing this, they will sJiy. 'Trying to square them," and lot it go at that. But it's so—the Dollys have re- arranged their turn, even to drop- ping that dialect or accent when Jennie announces that final "Over There'' dance as an old-timer of their own. It but shows what the first impression can do. but the girls are still a draw for their one week stands linked with the Palace date, like the Colonial this week and Al- hambra next week. They have added a band- of five pieces. Gene Dabney's California Orchestra, ex- cellent for the number of pieces, and they do .say that the Dollys are pay- ing for the band themselves. That shows, if true, that even the girls now regret. The T'.il.ace 1«! runnini? time-t.ible billing this week, which gives Flor- ence Reed (New Acts) In the No. 3 spot the first big type on the out- side pair of boards. Monday eve- ning Mi.ss Heed was shifted down second after intermission, probably because the booking men thought the act was l>etter after they had seen it than the reports from out of town had said. A couple of cities didn't like the "Royal Rendezvous" sketch, but Chicago did, and that may have gotten Miss Reed into the Palace but No. 3. Anyway, at night, when It was seen No. 3 was the spot after all for Miss Reed in this playlet, though she was In the second half at that time, came John Steel, as far apart In vaudeville entertainment from Miss Reed as their two names de- note. Next to closing, Mr. Steel sang and held/them; his pianist, Jerry Jarnigajj/played an overture, and still they waited, for John Steel. Which may mean Steel's voice or act held them, but It meant more to the bunch in the rear; It meant that If the orchestra remained intact to the last man or woman after the Dollys and Miss Reed had appeared, then that orchestra was there prl- Jiarily to hear John Steel to his final note. That's what makes a hoadliner. when you can first draw them and then hold them, which can only be done next to closing by a real act. Steel can go anywhere, can headline anywhere. There's a remarkable magnetism In his coun- ter lyrie^il voice that he uses only with melodies ho knows will touch the popular chord, and they do. lie's one of vaudeville's least'exploited nigh lights, yet one of the strongest at the box office and on the stage. And while his "Follies" rep may nave carried him around the first Jjme. it's John Steel all the while on the rt»tiirn trips, when ho la even stronger. Besides, he Is a willing ^vorkei- with an agreeable person- ality. Anotiier turn caught tlie interest— frankie Heatii. in a different kind J>r a siriRio. JMiss lieatli had Khen '^- I-it.hflold at the piano for her special sontr mimbc i-s that covered |luit<' ;i gaiiiui ill tiieir iviical rang" •Jl'ss H.;ah started witli a ch;ilty ny suiii; that became conversational f^9y\\o inipl.Mc.l her '.lohii" to loosen J'O lor $.-,.uoo f,),. a fur coat, then '>H.aii.. etnofional as Miss Heath ftarnd to aet over th^ pho'ne about her 0lck child at the hospital, who I ment. the boyt having appeared here died just before the touch for five I last week. went through. She didn't tell what she ever did with the five but the audience liked the bit. It sounded In too direct contrast for an open- ing number but Miss Heath got away with It as she did with the others, particularly a coon v all that went very well, but this girl, who has been coming along for a long while and is finally here for good, slapped over a wonder of a comic for an encore, called "Attaboy," that she did with lightness and finesse. It made her certain at the finish and will properly wind up her turn everywhere. It's one of those num- oers that if not restricted would be stuck In the act by 90 rer cent, of all popular song singers. A blackface comedy two-act in a Blanche Merrill sketch. "On the Scaffold," was also in the second part. Rice and Werner, with Mary Werner now an agile contortionist and acrobat through her twice daily exertions in this turn that has been playing several seasons. Rice and Werner are recently La^k from the other side. Either they or the program forgot Miss Merrill wrote this act that has made them suc- cessful on two continents. Despite Mis.s Werner's avol»dupois, she han- dled everything neatly and with despatch in the ladder and window climbing, doing a funny litth' shim- my as she backed out of the win- dow. The turn Is in blackface. Ahead of it. No. 2. was another dark act, two colored boys, Williams and Taylor, who dance well and think they can talk. Their talk runs to 'best dancer in the coimtry but now In the city" and "stand In front of a drug store to make people sick and buy medicine." The more these colored boys dance the better they will get along, for they are dancers onlv, and gopd ones. "Topics of the I^^ay" had a gag Walter C. Kelly told at the same house lust week, but a.s the Topics travel faster than the Judge can. it's going to beat him to it in many an(;ther house. The Topics has l)een a steady lifter. One moie is hardly worth noting. 'The Familv Ford " with Jim llar- kins exci»ang-Hl places at nigl)t with Miss Reed. The W. C. Fields com- ed\- auto skit got many laughs dur- ing the running witli plenty oi business in it, tlie slapping bit on , the kid beintr brought to the fore twice and getting a laugh, as it must do all over. regardles.«». Ilarkins handles the driver's end nicely and has a good compa../ in support. It's a return date at tlie I'alace and did well in view of that. No. 4 held Kane and Herman, who wouldn't take an encore, as It w.as not heartily enough ealled for. They had had a couple of what they thought were good gags cut out after the afternoon show. One was the "Jamaica." It may have left them peeved but they worked all right, although following another two-man act that also tried to be funny, but a turn removed th.it could not have helped them. Miss Reed also had some cuts made in the dialog of the sketch, a couple of those near-oaths that were ex- plosive in the afternoon. "An Art- istic Treat" closed the show. The Palace bill this week for the first time In months runs with a snap, through holding no long drawn out turns. The Palace lobby holds a card in- forming patrons seats are on sale there for the Colonial. The return of Ben Roberts to the orchestra chair does seem to have picked up the orchestra, so much so there Is a suspicion the men in the pit must have laid down on Jones- while he was in charge. The music was too bad then and tor good now not to suggest something wrong. And after that, Elmer Rogers Is back, again directing tlie Palace as its manager, the toughest house in the U. S. to manage, bar none. Not alone it's the leader in its division, but at the Palace the whole troupe keeps (n coming down from up- stairs, ail of them and each maybe with a dirCeront idea. It's not alone trying to manage but It must fol- low a diplomat also must run the Palace. No wonder Rogers had to go to the woods. Almost anyone else would have gone to Blooming- dale's. But he's back and that's pretty good, as good as he looks anyway, after quite an illness that threatened serious conseciuences at one tinu'. Sitm. WINTER GARDEN The ten-act bill let the audience out—that part of which st.iycd through it all—at 11:'3.'. which Is unusually late oven for the ace Shu- bert house. The show itself was switched inside out and backwards and forwards after the matinee, al- tliough the five acts in each stan/a division wore mnintained. Mr. Alex- ander Carr (the "Mr." features prominently on all Shubert p:iper— programs. 21 sheets, annunciators, etc.) toj)p<(l an average supporting lavouf witii a revival t>f the peren- nial "Toblit7,kv, or tli'^ l^nd of the \\(.rhl' .'^ ketch. C.tn's romp.'iny w.is Hwilc^ed from cluving the first inning to serond ;ift r intei nii.'~sion. exchanging sj»"ts wiili liny .Miller's r.and and ClUT Ivlvards. Th'.^ makes tlie fourth weel^- lor the lat- ter loMibmation ri«. tie- < lardeii with- in a period of h'ss than two months. Tlio Jii:<t hncuifig \^as u douuie we. k i'.in*-r.irv. a» is the ciuTent engaj^e- Andy Byrne wielded the overture baton promptly at 8:15, giving the show an early start which, even with the short intermission, accom- plished little In combatting fleeting time. Speaking of Byrne, his trench boys slipped up once or twice on cues Monday night, once starting late In the Dickinson and Deagon offering, and a couple of times in the course of Ernestine Myers' "dance creations." The terp act closed an over-long show and possibly the musicians were played out, which may be some sort of alibi, but they jazzed up one of Miss Myers' double numbers quite noticeably. The Kremka Brothers gave the show a start with an average gym- nastic and ground work routine. Besides, the team needlessly elabo- rates where they could assassinate two or three minutes to advantage. Speed is lacking. Seymour and Jeanette. colored mixed team work- ing In male attire, were another combination recruited from the minor leagues. Their stuff is fast and snappy for the intermediaries, but not up to standard for the Win- ter Garden. Arturo Bernardi in the trey Interested immensely with his protean stutT. He has elaborated much on the old vehicle of some years ago. doing a seven-character skit for the first number, followed by impersonations of f.amous com- posers (done from the orchestra pit, actually directing the musicians). The third scene discloses how h.» ac- complishes his quick changes with the assistance of three dressers vis- ible through the scrim hangings. Homer Dickinson and (Irace Dea- gon, brought down from No. 9 to No. 4, impressed politely and i'flectively, cliiefiy on the strength of Miss Den- gon's personality. Dickinsiui is a good enough straight and all that, but somehow his pretext at supreme composure becomes too apparent at times and boomerangs. But at that, the average vaudeville fan is not too ex.icting or discerning, and snme of the male member's pallies brought one or two hand-to-hand s.alvos from a similar nunibcr. or numbers, of frail palms. Kay Miller and Orchestra .niul Clilf Edwards are billed as "re- tained by poinilar demand," If the recognition on this quadruiile return date Is any criterion, those jazz hounds may well move their trunks into the Winter (Jarden. This coin- binalion has been dill\-dallying around in one or tlie other jilaces at divers times. I»ut suddenly they found themselves "made" overnight. Comparisons are odious, but one is compelled to resort to them at times, and the inevitable Paul Whiteman parallel is again dragged in. Like Whitetnan'.s music. Miller's aggre- gation dishes up ix>p stud and makes it sound like symphony. One v.ould relish hearing as dancing to it. l5oth are ns pleasur.ible and soul stirring. The way he makes those baby saxes behave with the "Ka- Lua-A" rendilitm is beautiful. Tlie "Song of India" was carded as a spe- cial request selection. Etlwards then took a hand with his "I'kehde Ike'* calliope wailing and whanged 'em. The second encore was ti»- nounced as a repetition of a disk they made for the Columbia and Okey rect)rds. It is good advertis- ing and ought to establish the boys with the "canned music" buyers. Tho band should be made an exclu- sive feature by some company. They are corking copy. Ciccolinl reopened after the brief siesta. The Shubert p. a. has bur- dened this truly pleasing tenor with the appelation "The Adonis of grand opera." That's a terrible monicker to live up to—or live down. How- ever, Ciccolinl is a sure-fire for vaudeville despite the "grand opera" scare. In breeches and Colonial cos- tume his stage presence is romantic, dashing and compelling. Opening with the "Tales of Hoffman" aria, he follows up with another heavy selection. Two published songs C(»mplele3 the four-song cjcle. He might have done more, but, like tho rest of the second half of the bill, he worked against time. Felix Bernard and Sid Tov.nc; followed Alex Carr's offering with a pop song routine, Bernard at the baby grand and Townes shooting the ditties over laboriously to some good effect. Ho probably Interprets that as pep and speed, but the strenuousness of it is too evident. He ought to tone down. Some of their stuff was whizzed through so fast It Is possible they mouthed their lyrics purposely because of the 10:4.'i hour when they came on. Tho boys' first three vocal numbers soun<led much like they were sold to one publisher, but they rang in an- other ditty that alibis them any- way. The spot was too late for them. Walt(!i Brovver monologed his stuff In his usual dndl manner to good purpose, coming on at sharp 11, Every point and pun <licked, tii«- mrtnologlst salving tlio way for th«' closing Ernestine iM>ers turn with a remark about abl)revi.iled cos- tumes. It was good showmanship and Kept .a fair perc( nta£;e in, Onre started. Miss Myers' terpiclunean pi-oduction interested on Its own ac- (ount. Nat fJenes. Lovey T*ee. (e'(M"{;e CIllTord and l:trni<e Speer niak«y .'I e.apabie s ipixirfing com- pany, the Lee and .'^pc er gals stand- ing out Willi th"ir •■cut"" st'-ppin??. They have the ' niakingv" of a i»ro- duf tion sister act. Clifford Is a tine looking ecceniri>" l.oof.M* with v. Iiom Ing member of tho quintet. As usual the Oriental costume (what there is of it) worn by Miss Myers in the closing dance number made 'em talk in general-en route for the exits. Business was about three-quar- ters capacity, although skillful box- olfice liressing camoullaged the population sparseness. \N'hen the first act started the house was not half full; by the time No. 4 came on it looked decently filled compara- tivelv'. ^4h(l. BROADWAY Tli»> Ihoailway hehl very nearly a capaeity turnout for the night performance Monday with the bill running the usual two acts short at this show. The absentees were Fisher and Hurst and Burns and Lynn. "Tho Stars of Yesterday' (New Acts) headlined and got all honors in fourtlj position. The act was a tremendous hit. Alexander, the xylophonisl. opened with his comedy hokum. This musician's novelty opening as the boob stagehand who gums everything up, is so exagger- ated the "surprise" element is dis- counted bj' the comedy effect re- mains. Mary r..awlor, assisted by her two male dancing companions and the pianist, danced her way into favor following. Her solo work was the outstan«ling feature of the turn. The betiding and rolling splits were good for big returns as was her soft shoe ecientric contribution. The assistants are clever hoofers but shy vocal 1.1'. It's a good dancing turn. Miiller and Stanley found a soft spot. Maud Muller's comedy hit them iM^tween the eyes and they had to double encore. Tho last encore an "interruption" bit with Stanley trying to explain a sc<»nnrio to be constantly distracted by Miss Mul- ler, couhl .supplant the encore ahead of it. H»^r solo contribution, a "come-all-ye" and monolog Irish characterization, were efective and well handled. It's a corking pop comedy turn. Stanley has unusual ai)ptarance and is an excellent fail. De \'oe and Hosford followed "The J-^tars " and did well in the assign- meiit. The "vamp"' fini.sh with the d.uKing member in "vamp" attire was Kood lor tho usual wow. The vocalizing of the pair Is average and t\u' rtongs all of the pop variety. This will keep them out of faster compaitv until remedied. Tlu'y have ability but the present vehicle is hamperiug them. They mopped up h*i e. Leon and Co. held them In re- mat kabl.\- well with smooth magic and illusions nuisterfully i»r»'sentetl. Leon t» a versatile chap .•uut a clever sliowniaii. His work Is fast and 1 eat ;ind without the ifsual liie.sonie "l)aHv boo. • i'on. STATE the .v.t ir pel ftunied in .-.t Me nutnbrrs. Nat CJene.« ol h«-r dou' is thf sing" to be deplored that she did not have an opportunity to show her goods before a bigger portion of the audi- ence earlier in the evening. Her lit* tlo act is full of snap and she per- sonally, with the exception of her solo Oriental dance, delivers from first to last. The boy she could r)lay up a little because uf his splendid footwork is the one that tangoes with her. Ho would stand out working on the end of the quartet. The Buster Keaton comedy, "Tho Playhouse." was one of the addi- tional film features, as well as a news reel. While the Beban personal appear- ance may have added a little some- thing to the usual cost of the Stato bill, that was counteracted by the fact that there were two actn dropped, and the show as laid out was one of the best that has been seen at the house In weeks, judging it from all angles. Fred. RIVERSIDE (icor^f lUban with a eompan.v of three pt-uple who appear**! with him ill the screen cast of "The Sign of the Itos* • i.s making .i person.al .'ip- pearanee ;»t the State this week, ap- pearing in the former vaudeville sketch wh.i'.h lie i)reseiited for years and on which the picture is based and also from whence It recrived its title. The app«'arance of Beban in conjunction with the f<ature c.iused a tenii)or;ny «h.inge of the regular \'audeville poliey. Instead of the usual eight acts, six of which ap- peared at each of three of the four shows given dail.v, but kIx a- ts were billed for the fir.st half, with the pic- ture i)!aced after the fourth, leaving tv\o acts to apj)ear after the feature had been completed. ^^onday night It appeared Beban was a worthwhile box-office draw. It wasn't so much the picture as his personal apjxar.ance. Th.at w.as evi- denced by the fact that the house emptied to tho extent of fiO per cent, after he had completed the sketch, which is placed about the middle of the fourth reel of the picture, with u final reel to run afterwards. liusiness was greater than that usually done at tho house Monday nlght.s, judging from the etandees that there were back of the orches- tra floor. F(dlowing un overture of popular .•^ongs that ran about eight minutes, Le Fleur and Portia opened the vaudeville. Collins and Dunbar in their ringing and dai.cing had rather a hard time g<!ttirig over, for tluir voices in both the songs and talk did not carry in the big house. Amoros and Je.anette, with hoke comedy, songs and some music, were the real hit '^i the early vaudeville portion. ' Tid F.its of 10L'2 " (New Acts), a rombinatifjn of two boys and a girl, his a much more Imposing title than an act. It Is a neat turn for the average small time house. The lit ban feature followed. Aft.r thr« picture. lOlsje White had to fight through her first song with a l.uge number of th(» audience up and walking, but she* m.'inaged with the coon S(*ng, and tinallv, in her sev«'»nd effort, .'i Yidili.-h ninrd»er, s)ie caught tho attention of th(j«-e le- maining, and from that on had an easy time of it. landing an Iri.-h and an Italian number flT«< tisely. and litiislad with a ballad fwr an en- eon-.' The Litt'-r is i-m; of the lust niMiiW' r.^ ill h( r r*'p( rtojie ;«rid .^tand< (»nt in th" niarirnr ;\lii h sIm- puts It (tVCt. C'lo.sin** the \aude\rt1.' sec!i«*ii, Mildiefl H(, ;,'.•!;; ;riid Co, f he lilfer eofisi-ling of fceir daliciiu; l'«'>v s. 0)i'« a find, put :i kick in the show. |i is Monday night's house wus light in comjiarison with the attendance of the last three weeks. The Dolly Sisters last week double' up from the l»alace and were a draw; tho week previous Irene Castle drew corking business. For tho week prior to the dance star. Belle Baker was a magnet, and It was the latter who set the pace for the Riverside, starting the second week In Febru- ary. The eight-act bill offered for the current week was mln i the big names of last month, but It was an excellent variety entertainment, so well placed Monday night that there was no weak spot perceptible. Not a few changes In position were notrl over the programed running order. Toto (New Acts), listed to close, was reported ready to wa!k. He was sent on second instead, Arhile Gor- don and Rica, marked to open, went into the shut position, much to their credit. Sylvia Clark (New Acts) was listed No. 7, but moved ono spot up. Opening Intermission, sh«» exchanged places With the Mosconl Brothers, with the going fine for both. These two turns were coupled for the evening's honors, though tho others were not passed up b: an.v means. The Mo.sconis made their first ap- pearance at this house In a year. Without tne father in tho turn, tho brothers have lately changed the i-outine, and right now is paced .as fast as when the boys were alone, the entire act being accomplished In le.'s than 12 minutes. No encores are given nor sought, though ap- iJaiiHo at several times earned them. Again it could be noticed that the younger dancers of tho qu.irtet .are Improving. Verna, ospc- rl.all.v, looked good Monday. Sho .ai>peared without tights, and flashed through her work without fault. First with Willie, who for the double nimiber was togged out in p.iteni leather coat and hat t » match his hair, and then Charlen. with whom she did the "Scandal Walk." I^ouis Mosconl clicked for .a bang in his speci.alty. Charlen and I..oui!^ together also landed surely. The boys have inserted some of the double work that originally brought them attention, and it looks as good now as ever. Louis Silvers is cred- ited with the special soi • number.i and arrangement. William Kdesou as lender and bnssoon s iclnt re- mains a feature. Florence Nash and Co.. with "A Iheuth of Fresh Air," fulfilled thp Iiurpose.H of .a playlet, which means something In fliese timeq nf reviM'- vaudeville. The Kdgar Allan Woolf sketch is "lifted up" by Miss Nash, mucli In the same way she explains- tho city lifts people up (also the beauty experts). As a satire on the morals of country yo ith. tho writing Is amusin , but it Is MisM Nash who Is the more so, nn<l rightly. Also her support, which has IMinnie Staliley, Lygla P.einanl. Frank McDonald ani Herbert Del- mrire. are all capable. I'M I'Managan and Alex. Morrison, the Coast golf expert, supplied ' corking <'omedv-novelty for riosing intermission. It Is paid the pair arj* due to leave for the West and enter pictures, which In to be regrett»'d f<ir their "A liCsson In flolf" is one of the smartest acts of the season. It doesn't take a golf -enthusiast to appreciate tho turn, and yet It Instructed and loaded with hnmot - ous points. Flanagan h.id the house In chuckles throughout, the big laughs coming with the watch bit —a mixture of skill and burlesque- • and his remark. "No wonder they call this an old man's game." 3foore and Jnyne delivered with comedy and songs on third. (J«'<», l\ Moore, first as "Algy" and later with a dash of nance, showed to belter ndvantage than in several seasons. Miss .T.nyne looked husky besi<le the juvenile, yet she Js wel! .appearing arul handled Ir-'r sonu numbers to good purpo.«?e. Moore'.- ".\Ioose talk " was Wfll ).i.iced at the start, and it got across. The tn:M lias britjht maferi.Tl. and oring-^ n new lace to wiudeville jn Mis.*- .T. I -. tic ^I'-rdoM find abro.id Tin' loolvcl «|iiii.' ff" in "one." with and .a .A ijtpitu,' i ope dance fha! soni.ihing. On his high bllce the m.'ni moi)o]o'^i/ed so oIe\erl. hoU<-e \v.i»- held ir.t.ict. Afli flo/< II lioKlts he remarked: *l i,Coniifi\if d on pige 2h niei have be. n tontine therefore h. The team 0|>eried t.'ilk. some com^'dy ^o' th( • rii. r .1 it .;