Variety (July 1922)

20 NEW SHOWS »9I Friday, July 7, 1922 \ PALACE A 3roung cloudburst descending on Broadway a half hour or so before curtain time affected the Palaco at- tendance Monday night but slightly. The orchestra was but a handful Bhort of capacity, the standees were somewhat fewer and the boxes suf- fered appreciably. The rain resulted In the house Ulling much later than usual. An- derson and Yvel, the skating turn, fooled the form players, going like a whirlwind and copping a hit open- ing the show that was astonishing as it was legitimate. Their applause justified the speech Mr. Anderson had to make before the proceedings could continue. It was the general excellence of the skating bits, with the whirl at the finish topping all that had gone before, that did the trick. The Dixie Four, colored men, har- monized and stepped a bit No. 2. Tlie singing was featured with the familiar barber shop ha*'monies col- ored quartets usually trade-mark their vocalizing with, and the dan(i- ing brought forth the conventional routines acceptably done, the turn pleasing. Toto, the clown, next with contortions that disclosed some dif- ficult dislocations, comedy that earned a fair average of laughs and dancing which showed Toto as a capable exponent of acrobatics as well as pedal tapping. A travesty on the Salome craze of some ten years ago seerhed a bit outdated for modern vaudeville, but the house accepted it at face value. Yorke and King held 'em easily, following with their old-fashioned family album types. The talking routines held a number of vekirans tricks were wasted, as the house started to travel an soon aa the Japs' card was flauhcd. RIVERSIDE His languid drawl falls soothingly —but they like the gags they know- on the ear, further enhancing the Evidently, not everybody left town over the Fourth, a good sized line at the box ofllce attesting to this fact at the matinee. However, there was very little advance sale, for despite the waiting lobby mob the house was only three-quarters filled. Van and Schenck topping probably drew 'em, although the weather was ideal for the theatre. Holding eight acts, the show pro- gressed evenly to a climax with each half. Van and Schenck closing the first section and "Stars of Yester- day" the second half. The latter turn was a surprise, for his holding- them-in ability. Either the house en masse was Ignorant this was the final turn or the act gripped. Most exited when the news reel was flashed. Van and Schenck aKso had them applauding for more despite the intermission period immediately following. The "pennant winning battery of songland" lived up to Its appelation, winning their own game with some eight or nine song-hits. They are doubling from the Palace where they are due for a four weeks' run in conjunction with a week at a different Keith house in Greater New York weekly. Lawton, opening, showed a few new ideas in juggling proving his astute showmanship to the utmost BRIGHTON at the Palace, and everywhere else for that matter—and the bunch laughed Just as hard at "Don't fiwear before me—I didn't know you Wanted to swear first'' and similar Btandbys as other audiences have laughed at the same gags when grandpop wore a beaver hat. And the chances are vaudeville audi- ences will be duplicating their un- doubted affection for old gags 100 years hence. Some neat dancing by Miss King secured individual re- turns of a hefty nature, and the travesty duet, which brought forth "Shade of the Old Apple Tree," also registered solidly. . The show took on new life with the advent of Adelaide and Hughes closing the first half. The couple did 83 minutes, running through their diversified routine of classy stepping and putting atmosphere into the show that made it lo3k like a million dollars. Adelaide's in- comparable toe dancing and Johnny Hughes' expert step dancing never went better. Making speeches after 33 minutes, closing before intermis- sion at the Palace, is not common- place, but the team accomplished it Monday night. Lew Brice started the second half. "With his sister Fannie programmed to follow, Liew was a bit handi- capped, but they liked everything he offered, the laughs rippling along nicely and Lew's dancing sending him over surely. This is the fourth week for Fannie Brice at the Palace. The opening number remains the same as the first week, the rest of the repertoire including the Scotch-Hollywood- Jndian travesty number, "Floro- dora," and "My Man." All but "My Man" were written by Blanche Mer- rill, and they fit Miss Brice like the proverbial glove. For an encore bit Miss BrJce got Into her brother Liew's dress suit and he donned one of her costumes for some likeable clowning. A song, evidently put to- gether by Miss Merrill for the spe- cial bit, had Miss Brice kidding Lew about his booking at the Palace, the lyrics giving Fannie and Lew alter- nate laughd, through the "get- backs" interpolated in rhyme. She says she taught him to sing, and he replies he taught her to dance. It looks as if Fannie got the best of that arrangement, for the number had her dancing as nimbly as the best of hoofers. The house was In- siKtent for another number after Fannie had encored three times with dancing, and several shouted re- quests had her responding with "Second-Hand Rose.*' When it come.s to versatility it would be pretty hard to duplicate Fannie Brice. What a range of tal- ent—from the low comedy of the Indian travesty to the remarkable characterization of "My Man," a se- rious study that would do credit to a Belasco production, and then top- ping it all with buck and winging that would be an act for many a woman single. Miss Brice was on 36 minutes Monday night and it seemed like five. Next to closing Van and Schenck found a cordial welcome and un- belted nine numbers, including a "tough" ditty that sounded new and lent itself splendidly to character- ization. Joe Schenck had an odd little Yiddish lullaby at the piano as a single, something about a mother singing to her infant son, that pos- sessed genuine sentiment, and he expressed it perfectly. The rest of the rep consisted of dialect numbers of recent vintage. All of 'em bounced over for noisy scores. The boys don't have to worry about en- ~core8 after the stage piano has been removed any more—they use the orchestra piano, and the crowd made 'em do it. Hayataka Brothers closed with a ladder and perch turn that held incidental small talk. The staccato beating on the drum head as the balls are Juggled to the accompani- ment of a popular song made a nice effect as did the military drum beat- ing stunt. The cannon ball Juggling and catching on the back of the neck proved extra thrilling to the women who sighed in trepidation and relief. Ryan, Weber and Ryan, formerly a two-act minus the last Ryan, went through a dance routine neatly. Ryan and Weber were formerly in "The Royal Vagabond" (they still do the "Bit of Lace" number from the Cohanized operetta). On their ehtrance into vaudeville last season the man sported the military attire he did in the pro- duction. This accounts for the open- ing number about "my dancing sol- dier boy" although he^is now in tux throughout. That should be changed. The man scored individ- ually with a clog dance, the girls looking nice in a couple of changes. Clara Barry, supported by Orville Whitledge, went well with a song and piano routine, Mr. Whitledge accompanying and foiling for his partner's quips. He introduces the act naively with a prolog winding up that is only a stall until the piano is hauled out. Then, too, just to bp a little different, he versifies he will omit the otherwise inevitable piano solo, Miss Barry resuming her song cycle. Some of it i.s restricted, some free-for-all, although she does everything with a style all her own. The incidental fiy talk also told, al- though at tln^d the impression, the persiflage was too mechanical, and being overdone could not be over- looked. She encored with a new one, with a few topical points in the lyric. Frafik Ellis In "A Dress Rehearsal," Alice Gerstenberg's travesty pre- sented by George Choos, was a set- up for the spot. The lines were broad and the laughs thick. Ellis a.^ the author now confines him- self to the front section o2 one aisle and does not wander all over with the house lights up. He is rehears- ing his play with the usual vamp, villain, hero, heroine quartet. Each of the characters broadens the chat- ter accordingly, Paul Byron as the blonde-pompadi ured hero who waltzes on reading his lines stand- ing out. Van aftd Schenck clicked as big as ever with "Sheik of Avenue B" and the rest of the pop routine. That "Don't Blame It All On Broadway" Is a fitting defense for the Main Alley that has been blamed for everything on earth, it seems. They discourse that the shim came from the Barbary coast, cabarets from the mid-west honky-tonks, jazz from New Orleans, etc. Following intermission and the Topics and Aesops' Fables reels, William Brack .and Co. (Seven Bracks) reopened with their acro- batics, tumbling, aerial propelling of human bodies, etc. Zuhn and Dreis did nicely with their cross- talk in boob characterizations. The chatter consists chiefly of each ac- cusing the other's relations of their shortcomings, viz., "your father is so tough," and "your father is so crooked" and so on. The second section is built about a Baron Munchausen recounting of their swimming prowess. They won laughs throughout, although not strong enough for the next to clos- ing position. "Stars of Yesterday," the old timers' act, closed and held them. Barney Fagan, Lizzie Wilson, Joe Sullivan, Tony Williams, Little Mae Kennetly and Corinne hav<» framed their offering to best advantage, from Lizzie Wilson's Dutch solo up 'to Corlnne's double with Barney Fagan. I'athe New.^ let the show out at Ordinarily, the Brighton, Coney Island, should be swinginff along at maximum apeed by July 4. The continuance of the rainy weather has pretty nearly ruined everything at Coney, and the Brighton is suf- fering proportionately. The mat-i inees have been feelin^r U more than the nights, as might be ex- pected. The holiday helped a bit Tuesday afternoon, but the crowd Just about reached fair proportions. The show held entertainment in spots, but only averaged up so-so. Ted Lewis and Band closed the first half and dominated. Lewis sells his stuff like a master. The band con- sists of two trombones, two trump- ets, bass brass, piano and drum, with Lewis getting in occasionally with sax and clarinet. Preceding, Walter and Emily Walters, the ventriloquists, gAve the show a big boost, with comedy that arrived opportunely. The talk has a number of Joe Millers, but they laughed at the oldest wheez- lets. Arnaut Brothers were third with their familiar acrobatic and clown- ing. Lowe, Feeley and Stella, sing- ing and dancing, showed little sec- ond, until a medley was reached to- ward the finish. Opening the second half were William Seabury and Girls. The act seemed to run over- long Tuesday afternoon. "*- dan- cing and singing, with the accent on the dancing. The turn has produc- tion, but needs comedy to relieve the dancing. D. D. H.? next to closing started quietly, progressed gradually until he reached the meaty portion of his talk, and after he had been gabbing for three or four miutcs. had them yelling. As a talking turn that's different from the others. D. D. H.? has established himself by sheer merit. It's a standard act now, and will remain one as long as D. D. H.? cares to stay in vaudeville. Van Cello and Mary opened with pedal juggling, Van Cello manip- ulating barrels Japanese fashion with a dexterity that is remarkable. Monroe and Grant closed with acro- batics, a comedy motor truck secur- ing some laughs, but showing pos- sibilities of considerably more com- edy that is derived from it. The truck has a trampoline which the men utilize for some excellent tum- bling. BelL BROADWAY] The stufllncss of Monday probably would have held down attendance in the evening, but the deluge that con- tinued long past show time was an added handicap. The meagre at- tendance was chased in by the material, this act Is big time right away. Another that pleased the small timers, though it ran a bit long, was Lew Hilton, with Harry Young, it was easy for Hilton, with his Yid- dish talk and comedy, although a Scotch finish with both la kilts storm, with very few noticed enter- i (Hilton wearlngr the whisk broom and water bag) got howls from the bouse. • A playlet by Elmmett De Voy, pre^ sented by Arthur Devoy with a com^ pany of three, pleased the American crowd greatly. It's rather well done for a four-people plece^on the small time in the summer. Closing the first part was the Dublin Trio, two women and a man^ with one of the women a harpist. The others sing. They can get over anywhere on small time only. Their closing song was "When We Were Young, Maggie," a song Bryant and Stewart, just ahead, had kidded on the title. It was merely a coincU dence, as the title kidding is a reg« ular part of the two act's routine. The Dubllns have refinement of apt pearance as a recommendation. The opening and closing turns were not caught. Dare and Dare, a mixed two act, were second. Then Kennedy and Leo, another mixed two act, run- ning in odd fashion, first a song by the man alone on the stage, and each time of B. little cross fire by both the man sings again alone, while the girl changes. The only time the girl gets into the singini^is at the finale, when the man starts to leave through an aisle, but is re- called by the girl. As the girl does real well otherwise and seems to be able to sing, though the man's voice may drown her out, if she were more on the stage and did less changing, perhaps the act would advance be- yond the small time it is now des- tined for, as the girl looks very well in addition. Billy Lewis in black- face opened the second part on the roof, followed by the sketch with Hilton next to closing. Bime. JEFFERSON with the favorable weather break Tuesday this 14th street Keltb house did a consistent capacity business. Tuesday night they were standing several deep by the time the first act came on at 8 sharp. The boxes and loges were densely populated and the few empty seats in the balcony would have been insufficient to ac- commodate the orchestra standees. An unusually strong comedy bill was on view the first half, in addi- tion to Chaplin's "A Dog's Life" (re- vival), and a Mary Miles Minter feature. The show was built for comedy, Frank A. Burt and Myrtle Rosedale, Al H. Wilson, Sliding Billy Watson and Mae West helping ma- terially tewards that end. Miss West is toplining. Autumn Three opened. It's a two- men and one-woman combination doing farmyard imitations and fin- ishing with whistling in "one," the men in full evening dress and the woman in appropriate decollete. The latter somehow suggests she is striving too earnestly, not to say laboriously, to please, heaving her shoulders in not too subdued fash- ion in accompaniment to the whis-f'ftot In the Monday night show tllng. Smith and Strong (New Acts) ing after 8.15. An exceptional Eski- mo picture, "Nanook of the North," ran until a bit after 9 o'clock Und a Chaplin was on the card. The bill seemed to hold'an unusual amount of talking for the Broadway, but that was not a drawback, with the audience well concentrated in the front of the house. Of course that applied for the particular schedule for the last performance of the day, and a varied lineup, including the other two turns in the full nine-act total. woTkld have eliminated that impression. Al Shayne went over for the first hit of the evening, on fourth with his well-working assistant. The singing ^beaut" was slightly an- noyed at noise back stage which could not be heard in front. When he was readying himself for a straight encore song he called out for quiet. However, it did not seri- ously affect the comic. Hg worked a full 20 minutes. The number used for the finish was "Sunshine Alley," Shayne saying it was written by Shaw and Lee, who were next to closing. The dialog lines at the start fitted the house. Shayne. in telling the "wop" to play "intermission," won a reply that there was no such thing at the Broadway. Thereupon' Shayne asked him to "go ahead." Marshall Montgomery, the head- liner, followed, landing the evening's honors by a .shade. The work of this ventriloquist displays marked self- discipline. There is careful calcula- tion, and all points carry through. Montgomery's ranking in his field, when ventriloquism is not often given feature attention, is a result of just that and his always high showmanship. He fooled the house with the toy dog trick at the close. It got very little and was hardly worth while. Shaw and Lee, eccentric come- dians and dancers, opened with a laugh, added to by a nut lyric to which was hitched some Yiddish. As types they have worked out one bit of difference, that being the hair trim or the way they oil and brush it. The gags, mainly told in dry rhyme, started giggling, while the hoofing bits stood on their own. The team has succeeded in getting away from comedy routine, with enough original bits of nonsense to always make them worth a spot. Monsieur Adolphun. in the closing position, had no trouble in holding the house. Every one of the four persons concerned can do something and each one made good in the re- spective assignments. The lead dancer, a compact little miss, showed a lot of stuff and original bits with Adolphus quickly won re- ward. The rather plump maid sur- prised with her acrobatics, and twice drew applause. Hal Johnson and Co. in "Mr. Chaperone'' made a satisfactory No. 3, though the impersonation farce was a bit long. He has the right idea in turning his characterization to comedy purposes. T^at got more than the Impersonation itself. Orms- by and Remig, on second, stuck to their idea of "Hello Melody, Good- bye Jazz,'^ with songs, violin and piano. The finish duet, a medley of song hits of 1921, take in several production numbers. One at least has not been released, since the at- traction is still on Broadway. "Dreams" (New Acts) opened. Dia- mond and Brennan and "The Girl from Toyland" wore on the bill, but •ome corking feats, but most of the '4.4I>. Ahcl twiced. Frank A. Burt, assisted by Myrtle Rosedale, a svelte foil for Burt's hoke antics, tied things up No. 3 with their musico-comedy routine. Walter Manthey and Girlies (New Acta). Al H. Wilson (New Acts). Sliding Billy Watson, assisted by Joe Mannie, scored with their "Back of the Front" skit. Watson is a facile low comedian who gauges his laughs for the best returns, peddling the hoke for all it's worth. Mae West, assisted by Harry Richman, held down the ace position and showed the natives a few things. Her thr9e characterizations of a vamp, a temperamental prima donna and the various versions of singing a "sorry you made me cry" song are gems. Compared to the Miss West of seasons back, who shimmied, shivered and shook on the slightest provocation, the present artiste is another personality. Harry Richman at the baby grand is a capable foil for Miss " .'est's affectations. When she insists he become her Roman gladiator he Is vamped Into compro- mising on being a Jewish gladiator. That getaway number, singing a farewell song to her sweetie as a "Follies" girl would do It, a dra- matic actress, a cabaret shouter. etc., concluding with the cabaret impres- sion, was sufllclent excu.se for Miss West planting a kick at the end with her inevitable shim. Neville Fleeson wrote the routine. If he also coached Miss West into grasp- ing the niceties of each situation he is equally n« expert a stage director, although the comedienne probably inj<K!ts her own ldt?as into the num- bers. Davis and Pelle, a not-too-flashy but satisfying hand-to-hand team, closed with a fast six-minute rou- tine of lifts and pivots. The picture concluded. ' Abel, Ihee, AMERICAN ROOF The Fourth was a great holiday for the Loew Circuit. It probably drew a gross that day in the metro- politan district of $40,000 more than had been looked for. All its houses did business at all shows. Tuesday evening at the American the down- stairs theatre was about capacity and the roof held its largest crowd of weeks. The acts on the roof had to fight the fireworks. Somebody somewhere had bombs or they sounded like them. Whoever was directing the noise must have had a roof schedule. Some of the bombs banged out at the point of some of th^beHt gags. ,The usual nine acts made up for the summertime. The American has been breaking rather well of late, considering business all around. The flrst h.ilf more dependence was placed upon "Sonny" as the feature than the vaudeville. Nothing in the acts was expected to draw, and, without the weather break, who could have told what might have been? Among the turns was a two-man act, Bryant and Stewart. They look very possible. In dancing at times (doubles) they suggest that a pos- sible try in the past to Imitate Doyle and Dixon can't be got away from, and their encore isn't right for what has gone ahead of it, though It is small time right. It's what the boys might do that suggests itself. T:eir methods are their own. They u.se foils and slapstick, get Into the TJUt elasfl at times, hut both appear to be comedians, with one more so than the other. They put up an en- joyable turn that was one of the hits, and If they had wanted to hog FIFTH AVE. Anything that affects the whole- sale district, the center of which is the Fifth Ave.'s location, is bound to affect attendance. Fourth of July matinee figured to get only a handful of patrons, but the box office did enough business to count better than half capacity. The overcast sky made it soft for the |2 houses which gave matinees a mile northward on Broadway, but the visitors reached nowhere near 28th street, and the audience was mostly from the Chel- sea neighborhood. Joe Cook, the Alexanders and con- federates spent 60 minutes of the holiday afternoon tickling the fans, and succeeded in making them for- get the weather spoiled the holiday. On just ahead and next to closing, Tierney and Donnelly danced them- selves out in eight minutes. Hard work in the summertime appears not to feaze this pair. Invitation to encore was declined. Double imita- tion dancing is a novelty right now. There is a lot of stuff in the routine, well conceived by the team. For finale a burlesque of Ruth St. Denis oiled the house thoroughly. "Devil Land," a musical satire (New Acts), was spotted fourth. Swift and Kelley came next, with "Gum Drops." Miss' Kelley's sing- ing of the semi-classical "Dream- ing" was very well done, and the im- pression was that she is or has gone in for vocal training. The couple with pace expertly smooth were "over'' at entrance. None of their acts ever was designed to "panic" an audience but to amuse all the way, which "Gum Drops" does. Marinl and Martin, with "wop*^ nonsense and songs, landed surpris- ingly well on third. The chatter anent "two eggs plain" and "yester- day" found fertile soil. Maybe th^ house had not heard the gags lately. Both stuck to dialect, even to the Dixie song for the finish, probably one reason why It scored. Mildred Myra (New Acts) wai second. The Bally Hoo Trio opened. The straight member, whom the girl announced as a "bonele.ss ham," ac- complished some exceptional con- tortionistic stunts, and the trio fared well for the spot. Ibee. TERRORS OF "HOOTCH" L. Wolfe Gilbert Reports Riloy Reilly, His Pianist, Is Insane Ran Jose, Cal., July 5. Riley Reilly, his pianist, says I* Wolfe Gilbert, has become a raving maniac, with the outcome doubtful, through drinking moonshine whis- key. At flret Reilly seemed slightly de- ranged, says Gilbert, who states he placed him in the Berkeley Sani- tarium, from which Reilly three times escaped. Gilbert says each time Reilly was picked up by the police ;ind finally was sent for observation to the De- tention Hospital at San Francisco* whe:o he is at present. Hugh Herbert's father-in-T.iW, Phil Epstein, has settled perma- nently In New York at the Hotel Hargrave, Mr. Epstein came east from Little Rock, where he wns noted as a musical arranger and ^^ ^ ^^ __^^ had been in charge of all of the bows, could have «rtoppeff'the show. I orchestras on the Interstate (vaude- With some necessary changes in ville) circuit.