Variety (June 1923)

0 Thursday, June 28, 1923 NEW SHOWS THIS WEEK ) 29 PALACE The bill at the Palace this week 1b one act short of tile regular line up through the length of the Singer's Midget*, headlining. Spotted clos- ing the first half, the Lilliputians did about an hour, showing several new scenes. The midgets have a "ballyhoo" In the Palace lobby. The tiny member of the elephant herd Is on exhibition out there, guarded by one ef the midgets. The kiddies are staked to a seat on the elephant's hack If they want it. A couple of prop lions go with the "shlll." A King Tut number, with a special set was new and introduced a pair of snake dancers. The dialog, tinged with broad German gutterals, was unconsciously funny. Another new scene was a miniature revue. The males were on in tuxedos as a jass band. Specialties with a sign announcing Dolly Sisters, Gallagher and Shean, Belle Baker, Frisco, etc., carried imitations that were wide of the mark, but entertaining. The music of the jaxzers was also tinney, but in the assemblage of versatility was accepted. The act as a whole ia one of vaudeville's best entertain- ments. The effort to freshen the material Is commendable. The first half went smoothly and well, considering about a half a houseful were in. Bebb, Carroll and Syrell (New Acts), a fast dancing trio, opened. x The Browne Sisters, a pair of rretty girl piano accordionists, did 1 minutes,without leaving the stage or stalling, and registered neatly. The act has been Improved and strengthened by cutting out the sing- ing and dancing and stick to the Instruments. Both girls are pretty and attractive. The father of the sisters leads the orchestra. The rou- tine is a sure blend of operatic, pop- ular and muslca.1 comedy airs well delivered by both. The beauty of the duet can still go a little piano on the affectations. Franklyn and Charles must have shed about 10 pounds apiece with their hand-to-hand stuff, which fol- lowed the Apache dance. Had they ducked the lift encore in "one" no one could, have blamed them, for they were perspiring so profusely they actually dripped all over the stage.* A couple of towel swingers should be stationed in the wings, for while honest perspiration is not to be censored It is far from a pretty sight on a night like Monday. The act went strongly despite Its fre- quent appearances at the Palace without change. \ Moran and Mack got away to a quiet start following, but hooked them with the "early bird" routine. The blackface pair have a new pie<je of comedy business in the boxing bout, also a couple of new "dog" gags. The rest of the turn remains as seen around this season. After intermission Irving Fisher, with Don Prosser at the piano, sang his way to favor In a well-selected routine of songs that didn't Include a familiar. Fisher is an extremely likable juvenile with a resee«ant, sympathetic voice and an appealing personality. "My Wonderful One," "Some Pretty Day/' •"Tommy Lad" and a medley of musical comedy hits were Included in a 14-minute rou- tine of delightful entertainment. This chap has improved muchly and will be a familiar lace along the big- time trails. Harry Green, back from England, followed Fisher. Green is still doing "The Cherry Tree," one of the best character comedy sketches of its decade. Green's is a living example of the fallacy of the belief of the booking men that the public don't want sketches. Vaudeville can use all "The Cherry Trees" in the v orchard. Edna Leedum and Dafve Stamper, closing a long bill, did very well in a tough spot. For a nut comedienne of Miss Leedum's type to hold them and make them laugh around 11 with the thermometer at 95 is no slender assignment. Dave Stamper is an admirable opposite for Miss Leedum. The talk is credited to Paul Gerard Smith. The slight skel- eton upon which the act is built con- cerns Miss Leedum's determination to do an encore for which "she paid a guy fifty bucks." The tall blondina has toned down her nutting consid- erably and is coming along fast. One or two portions of the seemingly ad lib crossfire "were quietly received, but the turn as a whole is a genuine • two-a-day Spot holder. It's by far the best thing Miss Leedum has ever done in vaudeville. Stamper gets an even split on the credit. • "Dame Fashion on the Beach," de- scribed as an extraordinary repro- duction in colored photography of the Westchester Biltmore Fashion Snow, tuned out a misty, badly fo- cused parade of stage coryphees in summer wardrobe. The girls pa- raded down a colored carpet laid on the beach of the -club. The photog- raphy crabbed the flossy program description, and outpointed the adjectives. Con. Golf Interfered with his regular vaudeville work so William Mandel <of William and Joe Manuel) de- cided to forego the latter Tuesday afternoon at the Orpheum, Brook- lyn. The Arnaut Bros, doubled from the Brighton for the afternoon's substitution. The Mundels returned to the bill Tuesday night. William Mandel is competing in the N. V. A. golf tourney at Garden City, L. I.. And is one of the semi-final runners up. RIVERSIDE In the midst of these daylight saving times It seems as though the vaudeville houses played two matinees—the sun was brightly Shining on the Hudson, glimpsed down 96th street as the curtain rose for the "night" performance at the Riverside Monday. Attendance was about the same then as in the after- noon, though It was surprising trade measured even that much. At that there Is no escape from the heat for the Manhattanlte. and there certain- ly Is little difference inside a the- atre and out. Here's a little secret about this house. On the extreme sides the exit doors peep open and there generally is to be found an air current. That's one out for the 93- degree stuff. There's a rule about advertising in the Keith houses, but two acts on this week's varied and entertaining bill hold the hint of publicity. Both were featured. First came the Westchester-Biltmore Fashion Show, in natural color moving pic- tures, and then came the S. S. "Leviathan" band. Perhaps both count-as exceptions, and that par- ticularly applies to the band, which to feature the entertainment on in the field. They achieved some ground lifts that looked impossible. The colored fashion pictures are in- distinct. Only the colors In the cos- tumes were sharp, but thai Is prob- ably all the maker aimed for. /Dee. 18 as the States the great ship which sails queen boat of the United Lines next week. The billing classes the organisa- tion as the "S. S. Leviathan Orches- tra." but it's nevertheless a band and a credit to Paul Whiteman. Closing the show it aroused encore spirit, which means something in Hades-like temperatures at nearly 11.15. A good-looking blonde youth who appeared from his chair among the brasses Just walked away with individual honors. Modest in man- ner be sure has a sweet tenor, and he strode forth three times, but at least once a email claque was re- sponsible. Tha*. boy will about own the ship after a couple of trips. Altogether the band is good adver- tising for the Shipping Board. Upon the blue background there was a white reflection that distracted at- tention and ought to be eliminated. Williams and Vanessi, a hot sis- ter team from the west, gathered the honors in bundles for '. leir en- tertainment closing intermission. This "study in contrast" h s been on its way from the coast for about four months. From Frisco, Chicago and other points the house reports have been excellent, and they were correct. Fanchon and Marco di- rected the turn, Harry Singer also being credited with the find. Two real "lookers" who can dance, but in a way their own. Frances Williams is a peachy blonde, Miss Vanessi (first name never billed for some reason) is an even more striking brunet type, plus a confectionery smile. She stepped through'a peacock number that is going to win her plenty, showed something* different while the two pianists sang "Peggy Dear," and shared the honors at the dancing finale. Miss Williams stood out as brightly. With '"Blind Papas," a J western blues, no doubt, she tickled, Apd then surprised by uncovering an eccentric dance number. With a semi-ballad, "I Cried for You," which Changed to' Jazz, she again proved her versatility. It's a tossrup which girl is clev- erer, and the choice will-depend on whether one likes 'em light or dark. Two classy girls who can and do perform. TheV could step into a Broadway production and hand the wise birds a thrill, and it would not be surprising if they were copped by some legit producer before the summer was much older. The song numbers in the turn were composed oy Arthur Freed. He with Jack Clifford accompanied the girls, the pianos being novelly set on either side of the* stage. A song solo by Freed was the only weak spot and that wasted two minutes would en- able the girls to pare down the run- ning time that much. Jack Norton opened intermission with the aid of Frank Dufrene and Lucile Haley, presenting the Hugh Herbert skit, "Recuperation." Nor- ton's comedy falls got funnier as the act progressed, and each a as good for a healthy laugh. Dufrene took his medicine in a sweater, but it was his own fault. Some athletic trainers may sport the woolen cov- ering, but they are wise enough to leave them in.their quarters in the summer time. Dave Both had to work next to closing to land but he succeeded. His imitation of Paderewski may be burlesque or not, but the play- ing is powerfully effective, and it seemed the audience wanted him more at the piano than away from it. Some of Roth's talk wilted bad- ly, but the dancing dummy "Annie"' took him out of the box. Hawthorne and Cooke, on fourth, had the kind of nonsense that fitted the going. The business with their ears will likely not be Imitated Such stunts count as nuttiest in their nutty routine, sure first for audience purposes, for few present had ever seen the like before. The eomedv instrumental section put the team over, and-it is always a guess which they will or can play. I >orothy Russell and Co. fNew Acts) were third. Horace Wright and Rene 1 >1< trh h were No. 2, wi seemed unusually early for them. Showmanship proved Its value, how* ev< r, and a score that invited an encore resulted. Herbert and I opened with a routlno of equillbris- tics that rates them with the best BROADWAY The weather certainly took toll Monday. Prospects of a continuance of the heat' wave justified tbje calibre of the program offered, also the las- situdo of the orchestra. The Brightons, man and woman, with rag pictures opened the bill with a series of clean-cut rag pictures. A suggestion would have the orchestra a little more forte in a "silent" act of this kind, and, on the contrary, a little more pianissimo in a singing act like McFarlane and Palace, who followed. It seemed like a contest between this team and the orchestra for the most noise.. And that fune- real recitative should come out pron- to. "Answer me, old pal," Is a bal- lad, not a dirge. Kelso Bros, and Co. (New Acts). Charlie Olcott and Mary Ann, with their piano-duolog, wer fro ext. Mary Ann, with the ex- ception of her boy make-up (which she must have designed after seeing the Huckleberry Finn picture, arid which is all wrong), is about the best partner Olcott has shown yet. They sang half a dozen numbers, and the audience wanted more. Ted and Betty Healy opened with cross-fire kidding, followed by some clowning by Ted, who Is encroaching on Frank Tianey's repetition style of delivery, after which Betty put over the gem In an exhibition of front and back kicks in dance tempo. An interruption from a gallerylte In their double .Apish brought forth a rebuke from Ted which effectually silenced the undesirable patron, and the pair received plenty of applause at the conclusion. Billy De Lisle and a woman assistant (New Acts) had their act all bailed up by the butting in of the ambitious Kelso Bros., who are quite some Jugglers themselves. Their first interruption —the passing -clubs—was o. k. and fitted, as did the buck dance while juggling clubs, by one of the broth- ers. But neither the Introduction of biirlesque sharpshooting, with the crumbling cracker, nor the trunk trick, was useful. If De Lisle is con- tent to have his clever Juggling snowed under by numbers, it would be a good idea to book both acts on the same bill in the same positions. Clowning up an act that needs first aid is all very well, but even this should have Its limits. De Lisle needs no such aid. The Kelsos also took bows, with De Lisle at the con- clusion of his act, and that was not * ln * * n « ^clowning. As far as Cliff Nasarro and his band are concerned the band means nothing; It is all Cliff Nazarro, and he could get as good results with less expense by carrying only a leader (pianist) and using the house orchestra. The band serves only to kHl time between Cliff's songs and dances. It looks like Cliff is self- satisfied—a serious fault in a rising young performer. A Maurice Tour- neur production, "The Isle of Lost Shins," a very good picture, closed the show. O'NelKs feeding is outstanding all the way. The Dinus and Belmont Revue closed and kept everyone glued. This miniature production has smoothed in every way since last seen. The dancing overbalances de- ficiencies in the singing and the Spanish tragedy finish provides one of the few real thrills on the small- ■time. ^Trailing African Wild Animals." feature picture. Mondn* 5TH AVE. / night' was a striking in- JEFFERSok .Terrific heat affected even this house, which usually does capacity business, and the management is en- titled to a lot of credit for maintain- ing the excellent standard of pro- gram always provided, in view of the decreased business. The orchestra also maintains its quality and is a treat to listen to, even in the dog days. A fine program was opened by Rasso and Co. (New Acts), who set a fast pace for. the next act, Reed and Mayo, two men, who started with a song which did not get them very much and might be eliminated. A song and dance did much better, due chiefly to the dancing, and their next number, a double routine of tanglefoot and hock steps, scored a good-sized hit. Their encore, with one of the boys in fast eccentric dance, the other playing the clarinet, let them off to satisfactory results. The Rainbow Six (New Acts) is a minstrel act. Frank Hurst and Eddie Vogt (New Acta) also batted out a homer. Harry Holman and Co. In "Hard- boiled Hampton" followed, and with this clever liftle company landed a solid hit, as usual. Mr. Hofman's characterization is perfect. Ruth Roye sang half a dozen songs and had to beg off. In doing so she announced a contract to make records for the Columbia, and put in a plug for it. Walter and Emily Walters followed wfth their well- presented ventriloquial act. "The Gilded Cage" is a revival of an old idea done under several dif- ferent titles. At the opening a vel- vet drop In "two" Is seen, with the girl in the cage suspended about the middle of it. She sings a song and the drop is drawn away, leaving her suspended in the air. The stage is darkened and the girl (a pretty one) is swung out over the auditorium, singing another song and dropping flowers to the audience. The stage was not darkened sufficiently, as the apparatus and the men working it were easily discernible from the balcony loges, which destroyed the illusion. The audience liked the act Just the same. "The Spider and the Rose," a pic- ture, closed the show. AMERICAN ROOF STATE The thermometer outside Loew's State Monday nl.Jit registered a sweet, even 90, but It was decidedly comfortable inside, the temperature apparently being about 20. degrees lower. Half a houseful saw a good summer show, a bit light on comedy, perhaps, but holding plenty of gen- eral entertainment. After a corking popular overture by the State orchestra, Stanley and Elva opened with an extraordinary wire act. The man's dancing and gymnastics on the tight-rope are big-time stuff and his comedy souse bit was good for several, laughs. A buxom girl assists and" passes muster with a graceful solo dance. The beginning of *he turn should be speeded up and the mau should discard the horribly ugly purple skin tights to which he strips now, for something less gaudy and more harmonizing. Frost and Morrison, two-man piano and song act, pleased greatly with their vocal numbers but went flat with chatter. Any talk at all Is unnecessary, as the boys. have voices and stage presence. Their songs are all pretty much alike. Evans and Wilson followed with their standard little skit, concerned for the most with the woes and troubles of marriedNife. The girl's baby-talk and winsome mannerisms got the State crowd, and she scored individually. It has been a long time since a girl as beautiful an Fay Marbe stepped across the stage of the State, and a longer time since a headliner with a voice as terrible as hers has sung as much as she does. The red, decollette gown she wears is stunning, her face is lovely and her form divine, her dancing is worthy of topline" honors and her personality is of a musical comedy star, but the thing she sings with, commonly I nowrr as a voice, is husky, shrill, quivering and three mil< s outside the pilch limit. * Slw struggled with four songs. Her ac- companist, Jerry White, demon- strated all kinds of salesmanship with* the singing of a good ballad Steppe and O'Neil next-to-closed and were a laughing hit. The argu- ment Muff m.iy set in overdone at tiroes but as handled by these two comedians of burlesque training, it keeps the amusement up to pitch. The American has an acceptable bill first half, a fairly filled house Tuesday night becoming much en- thused over certain features. The Walnrlghts and Al Raymond were sixth and seventh after a con- tinually improving succession of standard acts, and they found the gates open to solid applause and deep-seated approval. The Kawana Duo, Jap man and woman, opened Instead of Dlavolo and Betty, billed. Their foot Jug- gling and hand-balancing feats kept the audience absorbed, and they ini- tiated the show with a hit. Jason and Harrigan, girls with consider- able appearance, personality and ability to deliver pop songs, followed with a sister act that might easily have been placed farther down on the bill. One is a graceful planiste, something rarely to be found in three-a-day vaudeville, and the other warbles ballads wistfully enough to merit her using- worthier ones than those she now sings. Ben Marks and Co. did not appear and were replaced by Hoban and Green (New Acts), fourth. The Romas Troupe exhibited some acrobatics and tumbling that spells big time from start to finish. The reason they are still on the smaller circuit, however, becomes apparent as soon as they begin to interpolate a lot of cheap talk and old tricks Into their turn. There is no ear'hly reason for six men of their athletic prowess and experience to include In an otherwise exceptional act trash remarkable only for its age. It re- tards the turn from climbing. •The Walnrlghts opened with a short scene in a kitchen, written, according to the billing, by Paul Gerard Smith. With Grlndell. from the preceding act, clowning in as a Janitor this was good for many laughs. The scene is cleverly shifted to "one," and the man, accompanied on the piano by the woman, sings three excellent semi-standard num- bers in a tenor voice of delightful sweetness and lyrical quality. The last song is particularly melodious, and necessitated a well-deserved en- core. The woman Joins in for some good harmo and played an impor- tant part in making the act the Hit of the show. v Al Raymond crasfted through with a funny monolog, concerned mostly with the study of history from Bden to the subway. Ho uses a Dutch dialect that is not overdone, but that gives an opportunity for some very laughable pronunciation. Lillian Ziegler and Co. closed with a sensational display of balancing, "ling some on top of a lamp that appeared very precarious. The "company* 1 is a man, who does half the work and deserves equal hilling. "Trailing African Wild Animals" feature pbdure. lav stance of how a rather good Inter- mediary program can progress list- lessly or, more strictly, seem to progress listlessly, not because of any shortcoming from the perform- ers but chiefly due to the lackadais- ical response from the audience. The entire attendance could easily have been accommodated in little more than half the orchestra chairs, and the lack of numbers was by no means balanced by any unusual re- sponse. As a result the show dragged and hit-or-mlssed spottily. A full-length film, a summer de- parture for this house, now serves to round out an hour otherwise oc- cupied by extra acts. The show accordingly assumes the aspect of a pop house layout, a radical change from the big time atmosphere that always obtained at the Fifth Ave- nue despite Its mid-season three-a- day grind. Many an act has showed at the Fifth Avenue and played the Palace the week following. The Le Rays, opening with their neat aerial routine, worked smoothly for five minutes but to no avail un- til the final minute or two, when the man's forward heel catches on the trapese roused them from their leth- argy. Will J. Ward, pianologing a quintet of overfamillar pops, won consistent response despite the super-plugged songs. Ward's baby grand is located at the right end of the stage, a relief from the usual focussing to the left. However, he warbles too much into the L. E. and should aim more obliquely in the audience's direction, Ward, when he decided to abandon girl acts In favor of a pianolog, started out with some good stories to supplement his ivory tickling. The present routine Is strictly song-at-piano and a change of pace would be welcome. Howard Kyle and Co. In Paul Ger- ard Smith's "House at the Cross Roads," dramatic sketch, is exceed- ingly good vaudeville despite its "heaviness." Kyle as the host lends austere weight with his personation and more than offsets the natural query as to the host's supernatural powers in having prepared a table for five guests and admitting he "ex- pected" them all. The effect is as- sisted by the mysterious opening and closing of the door, an illusion spoiled through a stagehand's care- lessness in making himself visible in performing the door business. Cahlll and Romaine have dressed up their stuff a bit since last' seen. Otherwise their routine remains standard. The 'blackface comedy wench's bit of strumming a wash* board with thimbled digits in guitar fashion Is a piece of business Iden- tified with a Jass band comedian. Jack Powell Sextet. "Marry Me." the musical com- edietta, with Guy Voyer featured, still is a good flash for the better grade, three-a-day bouses. The radium gown spectacle is a corking conclusion, as ever. £ Francis Dooley and Corinne Sales clinched It In the next-to- farewell position. This combination, a popular vaudeville standard, per- petrates some fierce hoke and still more fierce punning, but even the ennui-steeped customers always re- sponded loyally. And the bit of the orchestra is ."my ^rang" (she) and hlssflalling on the gallery cohorots as his "gang" Is almost as old as vaudeville. But they get away with it, not as crudely as some have in the past but with poise, distinction, unction and finesse. Dooley pulled his set ad lib crack, "Its Just the way you sell it, that's all," which best describes it. Ethel Parker and Al. Allen, dance couple, assisted by a male pianist (Joe Mann), working In full before a pretty gold cloth eye, fared but passably well. While the turn qual- ifies for the big small time it Is lim- ited there. Miss Parker does some snappy knicking and "splits," but the routining lacks something. Allen is too dramatic in his song Introduc- tories, overacting the lyrics, and his chink solo meant little to this audi- ence. The pianist is not even an average accompanist and his solo specialty failed to connect. A seven-reel feature closed. Abel CITY Consistently good'shows seem tb be the rule at the City. Maybe its the advantage,, that no with a strategic position occupied by the City in the vaudeville booking situa- tion or making the best of the "breaks." or Just plain luck. There have been better shows at the City than the first half bill, but compared with some of the other pop bilk) around the big town this week it was a humdinger. Most of the show Tuesday night was given In "one," before the same olio drop. For a while it looked like a benefit on a Sunday night in one of the legit houses. The second, third, fourth, fifth and seventh acts worked In one, and the sixth start* d in one, going to full stage later. Hurt Bhepard, the whip manipu- lator, started It with hi* familiar routine of tricks with the Australian <•.•(!..• persuader. It held the hou*.- Interested. Deadly weapons, those. hull whips, that can cut a cigar in two at a distance of 10 feet as clean as If ti.ry were razors. A young woman assistant of nifry appear- aii'p holds th< various objects. The trick of snaking a gat out or ti hands of a would-be stick-up with the leather thong, coupled with the revolver '.'<< «i icks oi the whip,