Variety (August 1922)

Friday» August lo, ivss VARIETY I ERNEST BALL and GEORGE MACFARLANE Songs 18 Mins.; On* P«lac«. ^ . •. — t The billtngr ouUlde the Palace says the teaming: of Erneat Ball and George MacF'arlane 5a but" for the 'current week. Mr. Ball haa been In vaudeville off and on for years, partnered with Maude Lambert. Last season he did a single. George MacFarlanc hitherto also did a sin- gle. It's practically a single act, of MacFarlane and Ball in the pres- ent arrangement, with Ball playing the piano accompaniments, th- lat- ter interpolating a song or two here and there himself, pianologi^.g them as formerly. '"^^^^ Ball opens the turn with a piano- loged number, MacFarlane follow- PALACE Vincent Lopez and his Pennsyl- vania Hotel orchestra were the mainstay of the Palace show Monday night. The band is la Its second week, of a four-weeks' scheduled run, and going strong. Spotted fifth the Lopez Jazzists ran away with the show. The show was short on the sort of robust comedy elements that makes for good vaudeville, although the two monolog men. D. D. H., fourth, and Phil Baker, next to closing, both got plenty of laughs. ^ Harriet Rempel and Co. third with 'The Heart of a Clown" pleased. The playlet is overdrawn and while faithfully produced, never gives the spectator the sense of real life that a dramatic sketch should suggest. Les Gellis did well No. 2 with acro- batics. The turn is camouflaged with a song and dance opening ,and an illuminated drop. A midget Ing- with a ballad in his fine barl- plays an important part in the tone. A Scotch story by MacFar- lane and a medley of Ball's song iiits of other days and more recent >ones were included in the routine. *The numbers were all of the pub- lished variety, with several publish- ers represented. The team landed for an unqualified hit. If the partnership is to last longer than the week announced it will have to be built up a bit for a two- act. Bell. EDDIE and LEONARD Colored Singers snd Dancers : 12 Mini.; One _.-•,. >.; ^ ■ ^ . ' > American Roof ' Two colored chaps who are play- ing in "Strut Mins Lizzie." running ja.t a loc.xl house. Leonard has boon around a.«< a "singU." Eddie is Eddie Moore (I'Melds and Moore), colored song and dance combo. Spotted second at the Americ-xn to enable them to double back to the "Lizzie' tiight performanc/?. Neatly attired \n tuxedos, the boys open with a doable essence eccen- tric. A waltz clog contest follows. Kddie'fl triplo time tapping and "wings • making his version unusual. Leonard follows with a "hock" solo. The duel idea is followed out _with Eddie stepping a buck and wing that stopped the act and re- called som#» of the famous dancers of a decade ago. A double eccen- tric sent them off to thunderous applause, one of the .<?easons hits In the early spot. A neat buck without music for an encore. Eddie and Leonard are one of the strongest dancing combinaiions put together recently. Eddie is a real dancer, not faking in any portion, and on» of the best soft shoe buck and wingers seen in many moons. They're a pipe for anywhere. Con. CHLOE (2) Talk, Songs, Musio 16 Mins.; One 23d St. Two men under cork, attired In tuxedos and checkered band straw hats, open with a double song. Sev- eral unnecessary verses are sung. One goes to the piano for what aeem.s to be a travesty, but which Is accepted literally. The same member delivers a song in top tenor, accompanying himself on the banjo, played mandolin fashion. The comic after change to "■ •wench" outfit returns and they crossfire much too long. The talk Is laughless and should go out en- tirely. Neither can handle dialog and have an obsolete method of de- livery that reminds of old minstrel days. A piano and song double and a rnedley of old 6ongs vocalized to fair harmony concluded. The boys need ^ stage direction. The turn In spots passed by. .sagged limply in others. The straight member should wear a wig or cork up the .scalp where he parts his hair. It showed as white as a nurse's apron. The act needs revamping before being an accept- able small time entry. The singing and music got the most at this house. Con. ALICE and DOROTHY MORLEY Brownsl<in Talk and Songs 14 Mins.; One 23d St. The.-e Kirls are the Morloy Sisters from "The Mimic World." They later oa.«ayod a two-act wliich tlu-y have discarded for the prcsfiit tuin under C()ri<. It consists of «ol() and doul»!p .sons;.!. hannDnized plo;is- ground tumbling. Both of the men are experts In that line al.sb. Mabel Ford's Revue, closing, In- troduced the second Jaza band of the show, a five-piece combination that played splendidly, but the five- piece band should never have been asked to follow the Lopez ten. «Miss Ford was assisted by Doll Sisters and MARION MURRAY and CO. (2) ''Hatred" (Comedy) 15 Mins.; Full Stage Broadway Mai-ion Murray was last around in a sketch with Solly Ward. Her latest is written around a, clever w<^man's method to rxreoncile a Jeal- ous husband to her friendship for a former admirer. IJoth men have avowed undying hatred for each other. The wife's theory is that people hate when they think they are. in turn, disliked. She arranges a dinner at her home, bringing both men together, telling each separately how much the other admires him and what glowing things he ha,s said about him, etc. This quickly thaws them out and they become real chummy after a cocktail. While she is absent the>' check up and learn that the mutual ad- miration was a figment of the im- agination of the wife. She returns In time to straighten this out, when the former admirer announces he has been secretly married. Upon learning the name of the girl, the wife sarcastically remarks she knew that woman would land him, as she bus tried to cut her out. She ex- presses her hatred for the new bride as the curtain descends. The playlet In other hands would be impossible. The three players deserve credit for making it stand up through clever handling. Not an opportunity is muffed. The finish Is woefully weak and misses widely a "surprise" for which it was obviously intended. The vehicle will hardly satisfy Miss Murray after the worth-while things she has been previously Identified with. It entertained mildly here. Con. JENNINGS and DORNEY Comedy Talk and Songs 15 Mins.; One ' American Roof Jennings, the comedian, Is P. O'Malley Jennings, late partnered with Howland. Dorney, a tall, slen- der, good-looking chap, with an ex- cellent baritone voice. Is the straight. Jennings Is English, with a like- able smile that gets across Imme- diately. The act .opens with Dorney in golf togs, carrying bags, which serves to Introduce Jennings as a dense Englishman for some cross- fire. A ballad solo by Dorney In a pleasing voice caught on nicely given a straight rendition, then a jazz one. More crossfire of song titles, with Jennings getting comedy from his twisted titles, followed by a song recited by Jennings and sung by Dorney. The act will hold spots on the in- termediate bills without trouble. A little brightening of the talk in sev- eral passages will sot,it for the big- ger bills. Doth of the team are capa- ble and of big-time dimensions. They went .strongly on fourth on the Hoof. *^'^*^ ingly. A i)e:u li is used f6r most of coinni.ind.s ;itteiition and. in fnrt the numbers and a bit ftf rros;-firc Kvon iierindiral re3pon.>-e for prrie- well hand'otl IneaUs \\\t t!ie r.'iiiUiie. | tUnlly every .'^tunt. A rnrnedy .'<ol(» by onv l.indcd Their clofc.;ns Kni;?i)in ^ tunl f.'^ tin' strongly. The yirlis have pcr-sonal- cii.nr t:ick. such as I'ranklyn and Golden and West, two first rate hoofers. An old fashioned essence, with Miss Ford and the two danc- ing boys, was picturesque and beautifully executed. A hard shoe arrangement that had the five stepping fast and furiously for the finish held the house In remark- ably. Alma Nellson and Co., with Miss Neilson doing toe dancing and kiek- ing that took the edge off the kicking In the Mabel Ford turn, opened the second half. The N»!il- son act also had two dancing boys. Miss Neilson made the fan wielders sit up and take notice with her legmania work. The Neilson danc- ing tui'n and the B^ord act held too much of a similar nature to be so close together, If on the asMie bill at all. Ernest Ball and George Mac- Farlane (New Acts) were second after Intermission. Johnson and Baker closed the show with hat manipulation, with practically the same routine as obtained when the act held another Johnson. Monday night the Palace did cap- acity with a few standees, excel- leitt business considering the un- usually hot weather. Bell. FOLEY and SPARTAN Hand-to-Hand Acrobats 7 Mins.; Three State Two-m'Mi ;Ht in a hand-to-hand routine. Their .«-tuff is familiar, but l)«rf"rm(d with a decisivenes.s tiiat BROADWAY One of the best balanced bills of the summer at the Broadway this week pulled about three-quarters of a house Tuesday night. The head- liner and show closer was the 15th Hegiment Band, the colored musi- cians back for a repeat here within two weeks. They are now featuring "Stevic," the demon trap drummer. That kid is an act by himself. The selections were "March Bangor," "Dancing Fool," "The Elves," "Step It, Man." "Southland," "Pick Me Up and Lay Me Down." "Twilight" and "Oh! You Drummer," led by tl»e drum stick kid for a sure lire en- core of another syncopated numter, A saxophone duet, in 'Southland," was as sweet and smooth as honey. The band is carrying 30 musicians. If they can get the money In vaude- ville they should be around for a long, long time. The other hits were Margaret Ford. No. 2; Kuth Budd, No. 6, and Hawthorne and Cook, next to Bhut. Miss Ford Is a double voiced song- stress with one of the best mixed vocal equipments ever heard In vaudeville or anywhere. In addi- tion K^e has personality and scores in either register. Her rendition of a soprano and baritone .arrange- ment was masterly. She whammed them. Marion Murray and Co. (New Acts) In a sketch let down the show considerably, following, and Iten Smith, fourth, proved unequal to tlic lift. Smith is a monologist with an idea that is at present wasted. A special drop showing the interior of a Pullman sleejiing car gives him right of way for a corking entrance, but the talk that follows is as old as the Ten Commandments. Two songs near the finish, delivered in a pleasing tenor voice, saved him. The act is decidedly small time. Miss Budd, with Billy Grlfiln at the piano, sang two songs, played a violin In a special gypsy set and then got down to the meat of her act when she ascended the flying rings. At that style of work this girl ranks alone. She swung over. Hawthorne and Cook, a corking "nuf act, held the next to closing assignment without straining. The pair hoked It up with comedy bits and gags to sure-fire results. They have an original style that means more than the material and a turn that pleases any type of audience. This pair can deliver on the best of the bills. Maggie Clifton and Co. opened. It Is a man and woman acrobatic combo, the woman acting as under- stander In a novel and Interesting cycle of' hand-to-hand lifts, perch balancing and a buck dance by the girl while holding the top mounter aloft in a two high. The turn gave the show the fastest kind of a start. The Jackie Coogan feature, "Trou- ble," closed an excellent bill. Con. ity and vcicf*. One co-ti;.-ne suf- ficed, on* girl wearing i green drt-.-^s and hit the other a burnt oran.-je outfit. T1j:-v landeil stroimly i»ere and Char'es do. A team (aiip;ht ;it xUm very liou.se I State) .some wee'.cs .130 ;i!^,') did the .«i:ime trick. lV.:<-y and Si>artan do t!ie eh »ir Xr.cU .sitnil.ir to t» tli tlic.-e othi r look like a rei)e.'it fov any of the aets and jt is sure--lire t'tr return.-,. three-i-day l>ills, or an e.iiiy sfiot on Itie big ones. Con. V. '■* ■' - (foorl turn fore or a-day bills. M ;ift on three- A hrl. STATE One of the sweetest clicking lay- outs seen at this hou":e for a long time. The audience reacted accord- ingly, en masse doing their share in approbation of the entertainment. Although the weather Monday ni«ht v/^as far from Ideal for indoor .sports, the almost capacity attendanre came there to be amused and gave prt)portlonately for all they took out of the show. In addition to the fea- ture, a Pathe Screen Magazine, a corking Lloyd Hamilton comedy (one of the best slapsticker.i .s»r>n in a long while, by the way) and the usual news reel led into tlie vaude- cille. The well-laid-rtud film pro- gram mu.st have had considerable to do with the attitude of the auilieneo I'"or the first tiin*- i i numerou.s trip.n to tiie State, the orchestra v.as roundly applauded fo its ' Chaco- Iitp Soldier" overttire. I<'(dey and Spaitan ^Xew Art.H). (•IM-niMK. won intermittent rcspnnso for .-ome of their stuff. Hiintiow and Mohiwl:. a n.i'-d .-.ofur and dance te.im in full Indian trar»pinf^''. have built up tlieir routine 'on- a flashy tinsel drop In ••one.* an- tlrely covered by an Iridescent rainbow. Uainbow as the squaw disclo.sc8 a prop ))apoose on her back, later changing to decollete in a "20th century squaw" conception. Mohawk got something on a "cake- eater hound from Kansiis" ditty about a redskin who went to college and now displays his slang knowl* edge. They got tho most on an Indian dance bit closing, doing nicely in the "deuce" all told. Coughlin, Taylor and Co., the "Co." a girl for a flirtation bit, scored on the strength of Cough- lin's strenuous eccentricities. Cough- lin is obviously a burlesque recruit, probably filling In between seasons. Taylor, the "straight," too bespeaks burlesque rearing in his aggressive [ earnestne.ss. Tosti's "Good-bye" ragged led Into the encore, an ec- centric dance by Coughlin. "Getting It Over," a seven-men revuette probably recruited from one of the many soldier shows, was introduced as being comprised of former 27th Division (N. Y.) men. They did not need the American flag introduction and because of that, the few words do no barm. Four of the septet do Eltinges throughout, their low comedy tickling the audi- ence's risibilities to a surprising degree Monday. Every move or re- mark the "dimes" pulled scored a bull's-eye, and when it came to the toe dance bj' one of the "gals" It was a succession of Intermittent rounds of applause with each new step, concluding with three extia bends tying the act up for the nonce. If that's the average the act gets it looks like un all-year grind for the boys. "Ukulele Ike" Cliff Edwards is topping the vaude section In the tungstens thi.j week. Edwards works in j>arlor entertainer fashion, in "one* downstage ^enter. comfort- ably seated on a chair throughout his routine, warbling the pop stuff and performing his "calliope" vocal calisthenics in accompaniment. They ate up that peculiar "yodel." stop- ping the show after a blues wall. The eerie throat stuff is Edwards' prime distinction and he is cashin>? in on it on the Gennett phonograph disks to orchestral accompaniment. His records are reported catching on. Edwards is now In whiteface working "straight." In his former double frame-ups he was in cork. Mavon and Ladd, assisted by a pianist, clo.sed elT«*ctively with a neat song and da nee routine, more or less conventional in routine, al- though distinguished by the young couple's personality. What might be differentiated as musical comedy "class" permeates the offering and while the couple, too, seem self- possessed and Hure-footed in all they do, a few months of small time seasoidng would do no harm. They are potential big lime standards. "Under Oath" the feature. A hc\. Kide!..l)ly smr'e I.V.Hf .Cf-PP. Th U \ " r e. tofore too obvious iiilent to impres; as genuine reri.-ikins rre,'»ted .su.-pj- ( ion ;ind iioo.ru-r.inned, whe:e.is now, v.hile the suspirirm still lin- pern they .»re other than fiiJl- blfMxIed Caura.'-lan.H. it i.«» not st ap- puent. The turn is backed up by FIFTH AVE. The first half program had the usual eight acts and a picture. Nothing unusual about the turns to compose more than an average sum- mer bill for the pop prices. They hardly did that. A couple of the turns, thouggh fairly seasoned, seemed amateurish through attempt- ing what was unsuitod to them. The next to closing turn, Jean Granese and Co., got the hit of the evening through th^ brother's sing- ing. The closing turn, Gordon and Germane, two comics (tramps) on the trampoline, gave the most Inter- esting number through Its laughs and acrobatics, and a sketch. "Thank You, Djctor,' got some- thing. Mattylee Lippard, an Imposing blonde, with Kalph Pollock at the piano, In tho No. 2 position, seemed to fall through having a voice but not beii^g able to place It for pop numbers. Neither did her pianist have tho pop Idea In either singing or playing the Instrument. In his solo the orchestra had difficulty trailing with him. With Miss Lip- pard it looked like a prima donna trying to be a vaudeviUian. She would look good in a unit production but Is going to have trouble in se- curing any kind of a commanding st.ation in straight big time. About the same in effect could be .said for Beth Berrl, No. 6. Miss Berrl, like Miss Lippard. had spe- cial material, but it didn't help. Miss Bcrri al.so had I'aul O'Neill and Talhot Kenny as assisting dancers, with one of the boys also singing, be.HJdes which Miss lierrl played the piano, but the whole, including Miss i'.ern's dancinc:, was merely a Jum- ble. A stager might straighten out the turn if it can be done. It needs to be brought together, which will .shorten it, with more ginger and le.s.s class attempted. Neither of the principals feemed to be in the pop division. Miw.s I^erri's place right- fully seems (o be ,a prrxluction. ll'.wever. Miuwl ly evening was rather warm, and no one would hl.ame act* on the heat when the lionkers cheat, even if the acts cheat little themselves. That may have h«M-n also the c.au.-e for Primrose •Senion's Klowne.ss. This Kirl when in burlesque gaine*! H(;me||ting of a »e[) there a.s a .sout-.ret with action. Aitjon flidn't apijeir in the vaude- v ill e tu rn f h e . v .M th'Arthur Conrnd ■ ind .a colored maid, is giving. Miss .^enion walk<d iliioiigh it, did .1 iit;ht <I;infe (>r nri;ill value, .-mrl Conr.id hndly anythirii^. Their ( losing Sf»ng let the turn d«j-,vn v«-ry light. The talk nefds repluirnent . It is never wfuth wild" and crm't even fotrw laughs, while the crossflre with the colored maid is all wrongr. That happens behind a transparency, an ide.a too oUl for nowaday vaudevillo unless for the smalHime, which will ge^ this turn permanently if It Is not brushed up. No. 4 got as much applause as any, through two coi- ored men. Williams and Taylor, who mostly do dancing, though one \:\ a sort of Bert Williams comedian who Isn't, including a song. But tho boys are step dancers with new steps. That's what helps the most and can get them the intermediate time. They are sure with the hoof- ing. The Gordon and Germane trampo- line holds possibilities. One of the "tramps" is a corking performer < n the springing mat. taking his boimda high in the air and doing what looked like a half twiste^ and a double Homer.sault as the feature trick. But his best were several doubles almost consecutively, per- formed, swift and clean, while the closing trick was no slouch, the bounder taking a flying somersault, alighting on the back of his partner standing away from the mat, and both sliding to tho floor, back to back. The high vaulting acrobat is also a good ground tumbler. Their error looks to be In the opening, ia "one," 'where there are laughs, but these cotMd be held in full stage. The "Duke" and "Baron" talk could bo used in full stage, where the act should open, for It will usually be employed as closer (it not opener), and the full stage may prevent the couple from watching walking backs. It's a big time turn. The "Thank You, Doctor," sketch has a poor title for Its story. White the story Is worked up as written by Gilbert Emery, Its big point ap- I>eared to miss with only a lauch where It should have been a howl. Eleanor Hicks and Chester Cluto arc the featured principals amonf the company of six. It's a crook plot laid In the office of an alienist, with a woman crook securing a pearl necklace from "Carter's" through enmeshing the Jeweler's messeniiser .".8 an Insane patient who Is her brother and called for an examina- tion. With the messenger believing every one but himself craiy, while the woman has the pearl string and a comic detective breaking In a couple of'times, this Is low comedy for those that like it. A crude bit of business was the woman adding the theft of tho messenger's watch. It was aa crude in idea a« In execu- tion. Qompany rather good and there are probably laughs enough to send the playlet along, but a little rewriting wouldn't hurt It. Downey and Clarldge opened. It'a a man and woman team, with the man doing a Joe Jackson on the wheel and with the wheel, getting little from It. while the girl first ridea a bike and rollers at tho finish. All right for the small time or where J.ackson has not been seen. Fair attendance for the weather .and sho*^. Bhne, 23rd STREET A spotty small-time bill the first half. The house was about half- filled Monday night, getting all the worst of-It from the weather man. Bob Andej-son and Pony opened in- terestingly. The man's appeat-ance and personality were 50 per cent, of the turn. Chloe (New Acts), a light No. 2 for any time, followed. The billing is misleading, the turn prov- ing to be two blackface comics. They closed to a fair hand and en- cored. "The Chicken and the Hawk." one of the oldest sketches In vaudeville, followed. The turn Is presented by Alan Dinehart, but bears a marked resemblance to a Sketch done by Mark Murphy and authored by Johnny O'Connor many seasons ago. One of the lines, "Call up the cathe- dral" (City Hall), used by the politi- cian, la the same aa the original script. Several modern slang touches have been added, but the story of the battle between the political bomi and a reform adversary, who wins through the Intervention of his wife, is as was. The cast proved an ex- cellent one, the girl particularly standing out, Frederick Carr, C;eorgla La Hall and Robert Ilyman are the principals. It is a safe three-a-day vehicle and well done. Alice and Dorothy Morley (New Acts) next scored strongly with their brown-sktn singing idea. Al Shayne, next to shut on the vaudeville portion, copped the even- ing's comedy honors with his He- brew characterization and trick vo- calizing. Shayne's act remains tho same as la.^t season. The assistant, in the pit, who mounts the stage for crossfire, handled his portion neatly. Shayne has a comedy pan and a knowledge of values that should make the road of vaudevllh? a boule- vard. Its a big-timer all through. Mulroy and McNiece, a man and woman roller-skating duo. closed before llw featuie picture. "Don't Shoot," reviewed elsewhere. Con. \n the show arranged by Walter C'PiTcival for Saranac I^ike. re- ported in Variety, the names of Itenee .Noel and Williams and 1 )ear» rtounf were rrmtttrd among t h ( j <^ mentioned .a|)pearlng. Mr. Pcrcival intends taking up ,a mid-western vatideville route during the we'isun. For the next three months he will Ik- at ttie Montgomery Blfwk. Mua- kej^on. Mich.