Variety (January 1923)

18 NEW ACTS THIS WEEK Friday, January 12, 1928 •50 MILES FROM BROADWAY" (10) Sketch, Musical, Dancing 23 Mint.; Full Stage (Special Set) Colonial This is Charles B. Maddock's suc- cessor to the riotous "Kubeville," with Harry B. Watson again fea- tured. It is a bigger and higher- grade turn than the hardy old vehicle which served so many sea- sons, and has three girls and a scenic novelty in addition to Wat- son's famously versatile antics, a silver cornet band, a story and plenty of solid comedy. That last item tells the story better than a column of detailed discussion. Opening before a city drop, a boy finds his long-lost country sweet- heart. She has become a dancer after running away from the jay- village; he has run away to find her and bring her back. She consents. There is a "dream" effect In black art, similar to that shown in one of the "Hitchy-Koos," with the doorways and the practical buggy In white strips and figures against black velvet. This v flies to a big rural exterior with a porch of a general store, Watson, as the boy's father, being the storekeeper and local smart Alec. R. B. Merville. a tall ballad singer, is the girl's father, his old friend and enemy. There is lots of hayseed cross-fire, after which the children are wel- comed and the old codgers make friends again. The girl does a Hawaiian dance to show what the city taught her. The finale is a ten-bass-drum jamboree with Wat- son whacking a drum taller than himself. This portion will bear working up. ♦he drum finish In "Rubevllle," where Watson led the bond, was more punchy, and this one will doubtless sharpen itself up. With Watson's likable personality and clean burlesque keeping the act always up to big time caliber, the scenery and support nothing to blush over, that reliable and valu- able vaudeville producer, Maddock, has again clicked with a wholesome, pretentious, amusing interlude for any kind of "time." And when "Fifty Miles from Broadway" gets rolling in high through steady playing, it will be- come a famous scream, having al- ready about all It takes to make every sort of human being shake his sides. j jU it. (11) JAMS and CHAPLOW "S'Karput" (8kit) 15 Mins.; One 5th Ave. This may or may not be a new- act for Kddie Janis arid Rene Chap- low, last listed in- Variety's New Acta flies as of 1918. The act opens with Janis playing violin, Miss Chaplow interrupting in rompers as a kidlet beating a small carpet. Cross fire ensues with the girl attempting kiddishness she tries to force, although that character may cover up the absence of a sinK- lng voice she later displays. Janis* then turns off "Mighty Lak a Rose" on the violin, known as a sure fire for that instrument, and doing fairly at the 5th Ave., after which Miss Chaplow returns, and for no reason on earth, ethical or other- wise, in a short skirt quite some above her knees. Also for no ethical reason Janis after staring at her underpins, is slapped in the face by the girl, and when Inquiring why, she replies, "I'm a mind reader." As though satisfied with the explanation, which is just pushed in for a suggestive laugh, and relishing taking the slap, Janis does not answer when they sing a double song and retire. The turn needs a lot of fixing to lift in it to a big time standard^j.nd the fixing will call for rewriting with much better material. Sitne. -THE SPEEDERS" Musical Comedy 18 Mine: Full Stage. (Special Set) 5th Ave. This new act by Charles B. Mad- dox was written by Douglas Lcavitt, who. if anyone Is to be blamed, must stand for it, although the five prin- cipals are no better than their ma- terial. Jack Mundy is featured and plays in a burlesque way the muchly and overmuchly burlesque business that has been given to him. There is a meritorious point to the turn and that single thing may carry it to the intermediate houses, otherwise it would be for small time only, if small time would pay th*» salary this production act might want. The merit is the six chorus girls, as pretty a collection of choristers as vaudeville has seen, the real girls of the line who carry themselves like recruits from Broad- way musical comedies, and have been so nicely gowned in addition that it immeasurably helps the turn, pulling it out of the small time mire it plunged into immediately upon opening. The half dozen beauts were extraordinarily attractive In their bathing costumes, while fol- lowing in pantalettes their appear- ance also held up, and they first appeared in dressy clothes setting off their good looks. The story starts with possibilities, although it is supposed to be the interior of a country police station with a jail annex, and the whole is given the appearance of a parlor. It's a speeders' court with the town constable rounding them up for the police lieutenant to fine, the court splitting with the officer, giving him 60 cents fbr each arrest. That's the beginning and end of the story. Mundy tries for a cross between a hare-lip and a stammer for his comedy, the constable de- pends upon a white, woolly chin piece and the juvenile gets away with one song as a duet with the ingenue. One of these "Watt Street" things is rung in through Mundy taking the name of "Hugo Tugh" (Too) and speaking it to the officers, for their indignation. It's hardly likely on Mr. Mad- dock's past performances as a pro- ducer, he gave much attention to this production, or if he did, some- body fooled him, as far as big time is concerned, and in the past Mad- dock only produced for big time. If with this one nls intention was to I make It.elastic for any time, he has j accomplished that for the middle I time as a flash and the small time almost as sure Are. They will laugh at it in those houses. Simc. RUBY NORTON Songs 18 Mins.* One Colonial Fresh from a successful English tour, Ruby Norton (formerly Norton and Lee) shows her single with Clarence Senna at the piano. Ex- cept for a slight error of showman- ship in the order of her numbers, Miss Norton has a pronounced suc- cess in a single act of that sort— the man - at - the-grand-piaijo-and- the - girl - doing-songs-dances-and- changes kind. The mistake is In offering one beautifully dressed street dress cos- tume and two lovely gowns, and th< n coming to tatters and overalls and finishing that way. Miss Nor- ton would probably find the progress more mathematically correct if she saved one of the gown creations for the get-away, making it in a quick change before the house could cool and without necessity of another specialty by Senna. As it is, everything flowed merrily and the little blonde prima, donna was heartily accepted and roundly applauded. lie- selections ran* as much to topheavy operatics in the first portion as it naturally did to dressing them, making the anti-cli- max the more noticeable when she topped it all with a kid song in a sort of Jackie Coogan get-up. Miss Norton used to be one of the fleeciest and lightest dancers on the boards. In her present routine she does very little dancing, none except as incidental to .her songs. Though she undoubtedly has a fine and cul- tured soprano voice, she might still do a more impressive dance, at the finish, if not earlier. These criticisms are only the re- viewer's own suggestions and must not be taken as indicating that lit- tle Miss Norton did less than a heart-warming success here. The public, asking no questions and not bothering about the technical veri- ties or theories, outspokenly gave her enthusiastic approval such as rarely goes to what' Miss Norton has made her act—a pronounced "class" offering. It will without conjecture be accepted as up to the best standards of American vaude- ville—though the undersigned still thinks it could be strengthened by very simple revision. Lait. LA GRACIOSA Transformation and Posing 14 Minutes; Full Stage (Special) American, Chicago. Chicago, Jan. 10. This is a revival and an elabora- tion of the La Graciosa act pro- duced by Clyde Rina'do with Delta LYTELL and FANT Song and Dance. 15 Mins.; On* ' 6th Ave. Two young chaps In blackface, both In "straight" street clothes ex- cepting for one's dinky top-piece for contrast. They open with a double number, going into some neat step- ping. Alternate hoofing to the other's uke and clarinet accompani- ment followed. A pop double num- ber was exceptionally well done preceding a couple of minutes of cross-talk. A double "knee dance" number took them off big. It was a successful try for a variation on the hoofing-off finish and because of its flashy strenuousness proportionately Impressive. It consists of a succes- sion of toe-to-knee alternate bends. Slotted No. 2 at the 5th Ave. they * impressed and look set for an early poslt'on in the «mall big-timers. Abel ago established itself as a standard offering of the kind and Is notable for the perfect working of model and slides. The act stars with a transforma- tion which recalls "Hanlon's Su- perba", Charles H. Yale's 'Twelve Temptations" and "Devil's Auction", and productions of that class. It develops into a series of poses in which a shapely young woman Is the center of pictures which change rapidly and cover a wide range of subjects. There is a new scene showing La Gra ;iosa as a mermaid at the bottom of the sea which might al- most be classed as an illusion. The effect of burning the model at the stake as "Joan of Arc", is particu- larly striking. Two winter scenes are beautiful. The transformation is followed by a golden sunburst which brought the first big round of applause and there was constant appreciation of later scenes and rich applause re- turns at the conclusion of the of- fering when the model was shown for a brief moment. ORIOLE TERRACE ORCHESTRA (11) 22 Mins.; Full Stage (Cyclorama) Palace. *• This dance orchestra Is from De- troit and better known mainly through their records made for the Brunswick. The boys in the usual Tuxedos opened mildly, but hooked them Immediately through the ar- rangement. A megaphone-clarionet looked like a new touch and chimes also megaphoned added a novelty and made for sweet harmony. "Just One More Dance," "San," a pip, with the piano accordionist spreading his stuff; also the trom- bone; "When You and I Were Sumnv-rdyke replacing Gertrude Rinaldo, deceased. The act long* Young Maggie,"-not the blues, and led by the trombone through the megaphone; "Toot Toot," "Longin" For You Blues," "Cocaine Blues" and "Haunting Blues." with the last two encores demanded. The musicians are 11 In number, although 12 are programed. Dan Russo leads. The instruments are violin, piano, trombone, two cor- nets, piano accordion, cellist, two saxaphones, banjo and trap drum- mer. The arrangements are excellent and the solo effects up to any band heard around. As harmonists they rank right up alongside of the best. It is one band that really "get's hot." They tied the show in a bow- knot in third position and are a pipe for a run at this house or a hold- over at least. / Con. HARRISON MOSS Pianolog 16 Mins.; One American Roof Harrison Moss starts as a piano- loglst in "one" with a couple of sonps. Male plant doing a "souse" in balcony box Interrupts third song after bar*or two. Crossfire from box to stage with patter, bringing laughs. Plant docs "stew" very well, refraining from overplay- ing. Moss has serious recitation, with plant following with travesty elocution. Dropping souse thing towards end of act, plant does ballad tunefully. Has good voice and presence. Moss makes good straight. Good act for the neighborhood houses. It went over very well on the Roof. It'll LOUISE LOVELY and CO. (4) Novelty Sketch 28 Mins.; Full Stage Colonial The well-known picture ingenue- lead proved a card, an*l, if she re- peats in the Big Burg her accom- plishments of the smaller centers, will perform that miracle, a draw the week after leaving. This Is done through taking films of volunteers who come up on the stage by invi- tation, and then of the entire au- dience, which Will be showing the following week at the same relative performances as when they were taken. It looks likely that human beings will come again to see them- selves and their neighbors on the screen. The act is credited as "written and devised*' by Wilton Welch, who is the lovely Miss Lovely's main acting support, also. If he thought up the idea above detailed, he may be forgiven seme of his glaring sins in other portions of it, for it Is a crafty and easily workable wrinkle. At the evening performance Mon- day Miss Lovely and Welch played a lengthy skit with a thin-ice end- ing, which ran pretty long. Then into the movie-taking, with Welch clowning In deplorably poor taste throughout, and causing Miss Love- ly to do some very undignified things. The incidentals to this bit. intended to bridge the space during which lay people could come to the stage to be filmed, were entirely out of order, and injured the standing of the star and the house. Most of this was ordered out after the first show. Trimmed" down'to the meri- torious portions, this turn will do. Miss Lovely has not a brilliant speaking voice, but she gets her talk over and is flexible as to com- edy, light drama and melodrama. For an encore a heavy climax in which she shoots a crook, done in typical thriller style, was neatly executed. She is quite at home on the boards, and except for a pro- nounced affectation of an ingenuish drawl which makes some of her earlier talk a little unnatural, this movie girl appears a born actress. The talk - material throughout could stand brushing and brighten- ing. But it does quite well, the au- dience being strongly impressod to begin with, and more than ordi- narily ready to accept Miss Lovely in an audible role. When she directs the amateurs she is actually splen- did, seeming to be then entirely at home, and forgetting that she has footlights as well as Cooper-Hewitts in the sincerity of her attack. Of the numerous film notables who have dipped into vaudeville. Mis s Lovely holds up with the best, and the utilizable novelty she brings with her plants her as probably one of the most valuable of the screen sisters. For houses like the Colonial, in neighborhoods and yet drawing good prices, she should be the gravy, a sure-fire at- traction, and able to satisfy the not- too exacting fans. With a little more intelligent script she would qualify at the Palace or anywhere. even without any other box office as- sets than those of a famous, pretty, talented girl. , Her present vehicle was obvious- ly designed for movie theatres, and in those it should be pluperfect. Vaudeville of the high type is more punctilious, but if Miss Lovely will put thumbs down on the ill-manner hokum, which her adorers do not crave in her appearance at all, and elude forever the objectionable tag to her preliminary skit, she will be acceptable anywhere, and a sensa- tion in the family house. Lait. MARY HAYNES Songs 15 Mins.; One Broadway Probably not a new type of offer- ing for Miss Haynes, but possibly new songs—and very good, too. Ac- companied by a male pianist, a trio of character songs are offered that mean not much as to melody but are fluent In their lyrics. Besides registering on ability Miss Haynes presents a nice appearance, which Immediately draws attention upon her entrance, and that Is needed if the vocal numbers are to click. The songs all listen as hav- ing been specially written and are pointed for comedy. Possessing an experienced manner of delivery she has no difficulty In getting across the sparkling mate- rial and her present turn Is most certainly capable of holding its own In any of the big time houses. Tues- day night, at the Broadway, Miss Haynes scored the highest personal honors of the evening and wisely let it go at that with but one encore. Bkig. MAMMY and GOLD-DUST TWINS Songs and Dances 13 Mins.; Two (Special.) State Very much on the physical type of Aunt Jemima- this woman gives evidence of having been around for no short time. Accompanying are two youths, blacked up as the ad- vertised pair, offering steps and a whistling interlude as their con- tribution. All make one change of costume before a special drop that has a center opening and which is conducive to a fair enough stage picture. A trio of songs by the woman are the vocal numbers of the act. They are of the popular style and all have a pepped up finishing chorus. The boys hoof their way through two episodes besides the whistling, which, Incidentally, reminds of "birds and beasts of the forest," and a short lyric in opening the art. All are behind cork during the routine, permitting of the usual doffing of a glove by the woman and the boys separating from their wigs at the conclusion. The turn did nicely at a matinee performance though a tendency to linger was re- sponsible for a somewhat unneces- sary speech. Skiff. ARNOLD DALY and CO. (3) "Moral Courage" (Dramatic) 24 mins,; Full Stage Palace. Arnold Daly has been-badly ad- vised in the selection of this playlet for vaudeville. It may do for once around, due to the prestige of the Daly name, but It will never aid Mr. Daly in the building up of a vaude- ville following—If he wants one. The piece Is a translation from the German of Felix Salten and tells a dramatic story about a neu- rotic aristocrat, Hugo, Baron of Neustift (Mr. Daly) and his testing of the theories of moral courage, as promulgated by his former tutor and brbther-in-law, Dr. Conrad Hoffner (John T. Royle). The tutor after a physical exami- nation of Xeustift pronounces a six months' death sentence. The latter, horror-stricken and groveling in cowardly fear, receives a lecture from the medical man about moral courage. Suddenly abandoning his fear, Neu.stift picks up a revolver and informs the doctor he is going to kill him in five minutes. He ac- cuses the latter of class hatred, etc. The reactions of the medico frcm defiant skepticism to cringing fear and his desperate paen of hatred and confession that he detests Neustift, his* mental and moral su- periority and all that he represents, terminates as the gun is pressed to his temple and he topples over, dead from fright. This is the assumption as the curtain descends abruptly without a tag line. The Daly enunciation was not dis- tinct in one or tw'b of the more intense passages. The supporting players are excellent, all but Royle being consigned to minor roles. Betti Baker as the sister and George Schaeffer in a bit were up to standard. Mr. Daly in "Moral Courage" brings nothing to the two-a-day but his name. Con. WINSOR McCAY Animated Cartoon Novelty 12 Mins.; One Colonial vVinsor McCay is the famous and brillia&t cartoonist of some decades of wide public service. As an artist of quaint and freakish fancies he stands without a peer. He has made several tours into and out of vaude- ville with sketching-boards. This time, after a considerable absence, he reappears with a unique act, an expansion of his "Gertie" into a menagerie of mythical behemoth?. He enters with a bull-whip in hand and announces that he has drawn 16,000 cartoons, the result of which w r ill appear in animated form. The picture screen (special) comes down. On it are a series of incred- ible animals. McCay acts as ring- master and puts the weird things through the projected stunts, keep- ing up a cracking of the whip and scattered talk. The animated animal antics are different from the Aesop's Fables treatment. The figures are large and each gesture Is vivid. At times the action becomes howllngly amusing. A jazz dance by an Indescribable crea- ture while the rest line up as a band brings a bang finale when a goofy beast blows the big horn to bits, tha lights come up and McCay Is bow- ing. The children should eat this up at matinees, and the grown-ups, while they won't go into ecstasies, can't help being tickled. "With Mc- Cay's honored and so soundly es- tablished name and his personal presence to make it felt, this can- not help being a welcome turn. Next-to-closing at the Colonial, which is not noted for Its highly imaginative audiences, McCay did warmly. Liit. THE FIELDINGS (2) Tank Act 10 Mins.; Three 5th Ave. Man and woman in tank act. The huge glass aqua container is placed In the center of the stage between two set pieces, with a suspended drop light focused thereon. The couple, in the usual bathing cos- tume, alternate in the performance of their feats, the woman showing how mermaids sew buttons on their clothes; singing "Yankee Doodle" under water (which has been wisely eschewed as an American flag finish, but iLserted ift the body of the rou- tine); the man smoking a cigar under water; blowing all air out of his lungs into a toy balloon under water and performing a short en- durance test, etc. The woman does the announcing in clear manner to strict attention. The man's appearance is distin- guished by ornate tattooing the full length of his arms. It's an interest- ing routine and a satisfactory bill closfr. Abel.