Variety (July 1923)

T'" ''■'^- ■> '^T-^T •*■ •f''T 'Tfr-; "»■ ^1' f-\;t^;v" •; ;^.'T NEW SHOWS THB WEEK '«cj:fr- *;r^sr» ■,. 7 ■. -i-^ "^ ?^'' Thuriday. July 26. 1923 4k>uble-voiced Bongstres* had them cuesslng: aa to her box ob Hoon av •he started using the barltono with tier second numl>er. and after finish- tag It held them in the palm of her hand until the finish. "Cupid's Close Ups" kept them laughing and didn't drag, quite a •tunt for u sketch during the sum- mer. The offerl.ig is done by two men and a woman, one playing tiie mutual friend who listens to the reason told-l>y each one of tlie otlier two, who are married, as to why they separated. Jack La \'ier clowned on th»' stage «nd on iiif Irapf/i-, ilnding it f-asy to get both iaugliM and applause. Morton and CJlass went nicely, but didn't apF»ear lor bow«. In the tinale. while jijnii)iiig ft>r the i>ogo Ktick, Morton tripped, but didnl seem to have hurt itimseif. Van ai-d Vernon Were a hit, de- spite lliey are using the same ma- terial, whieli ought never go except with a .<?MiaIi-time audience. The pair can handle material and Hhould get It, There's no reason for an act to use a song with lyrics thai speak about the time when women will get the vote. Mary Drew and Co. closed the •how. Another girl in addition to Miss Dicw and a man comprise the compa;iy. who offer a series of gymtiacitic stunts in hand-to-hand and head-to-head balancing, all be- ing very well done. ' STATE A good show for this' type of house the first half, with Anna Chandler featured next-to-closing. The bill was a bit stronger on com- edy than ordinarily and all of it was unquestionably welcomed. Joseph Jordan, the house orches- tra conductor, itrranged a novel overture which would make a dandy picture theatre "presenta- tion" anywhere. Its investiture is negligible and the sum total is flashy. For general adaptation, any of the local music publishers would probably be pleased and willing to iK)-operate as in this case. An in- troductory slide introduces the number (which is entitled "Song Moods') with a caption about "lias it ever occurred to you that any •tory or song is governed by the author's mood«" and the idea is de- veloped with a slide Interpreting the mood announcing the title of the composition. Thus, "I've Got the Joys" for Joy;' "Smlle.s" for smiles; "felue" for melancholy, etc., with probably a score or more composi- tions embraced by playipg a chorus snatch of each. The inevitable "nut" song is topped off and Just as inevitable is it that "Bananas" is the one. A corollary climax is another slide heralding "the nuttiest of them all" with a new nunmber, "Hot Roasted Peanuts" Interest- iingly produced with a Latin at a peanut cart singing the number in dialect plus some cfomedy by-play by a petty grafting cop. Among the other songs played was "Just A Little Love Song" to^ typify the amorous mood and labelled "bor- rowed," seemingly reflecting on itH adaptation from "Mighty LaU' A Hose." Four Dancing Demons, standard mixed colored combination with a new nam<>. fulfilled their cognomen to the utmost. Both couples are expert legmanla purveyors and clicked consistently. They are given to a little too much Jockeying for bends. Betty Washington, looiting very "girlish" sold her violin routine interestingly. Conn and Hart. No. 3, sound like a coui)le of Variety's critics who have de.serted the typewriter for the rostrtim.but that shouldn't be held any further against thoni. The boys are reminiscent in style, but have pos.sibilities. Their stepping distinguishes them at times but lets them down and out with the closing Egyptian dance t;avesty done along overly familiar lines. The make-ups aae good for an opcfiing lauRh, but it is here that they hint stror;g!y of paralleling a standard team. The tagllne, "Hor- ace, don't gi\e them too much" \^as not overdone and proved effective. Jay C. Klippen and Co. have a neat blackface Jail-house skit with Fllppen as the prisoner nud the kind friend bringing such .soothing information as his house has burned down; the wife has eloped, etc. Top- ping this is the advent of a social worker (Florence Talbot) who kind- ly lends the inmate various 1 ooks all of which are titled sotnelhiUK like "Vacation Guide," "Outing." •Travel." Flii»pen's "sweet worn;«n" blues solo packed a couple of e.v- tra hot lines. Miss Chandler with Jack Neal subbing for Sidney at the ivories was in the ace position. Hef Blanche Merrill material scored heavy and the pop stuff couldn't miss with Miss Chandler's deliv- ery. A now and pleasing one was a "YesT We Have No Dananaa Blues" ditty, sure-fire. Lew Follaclt was Introduced for an encore as the father of "Midnight Rose" with Miss Chandler avowing she is not the mother. The songstress dri ssoi the number up with consIdenbU- conversational persiflage, IncUullnf* patter anent "the curse of nn ach- ing heart." For an extra session Cella Davis was introduced as tl- stster of IJeniiy Davis for a pliu< of a Berlin number. Miss Davis sounds like a fair parlor singer but th;its all. Trella and Co. (Nev« Acts). "The F-? "■ Metro release. fAal\ir«> film. Ahcl. ORPHEUM, BROOKLYN The Orpheum seema to be weath- ering the summer nicely despite the opposition of beaches and humidity. Monday night the house was about four-flfths capacity. The show sized up well on paper, but it dragged along like a B. R. T. local. Louis Mann's (New Acts) re- entry into vaudeville was the chief item of interest from a casual scan- ning of the bin, but that was only until the act appeared. Mr. Mann IS presenting "The Good-foi'-Nolh- Ing." A shift in the first half had Mann exchariKing the closing first half spot with Sheldon. Ballantine and Heft, No. 3. The three-act is a pre- tentious dancing turn, with some ex- cellent stepping by the woman of tho trio. Lights and drapes give it a decided toucli. of modern flash. One of the men dances well and the other chap entertains at the piano. The general effect. hoWever, is one o/ conventionality through the familiar method or presentation. Whoever wrote the lyrics of the opening and the number done at the piano exerutt'.l a first-class job. The variou.s numbers went over, but the finish was just so-so. Lydia Bx»rry was No. 4, and in- fused considerable life in the first half with coTiversational knick- knacks. Miss Barry has a likeable off-hand delivery and knows how when it comes to talk. Jack Hanley was second with comedy JugKHng. Three-object stuff done by most of the tramp jugglers that have preceded Hanley. but marked with a certain individuality b^' him. He went over well. Le Fleur and Portia opened with aerial stufT, witii the man doing an iron jaw whirl that could stand three sheeting started things off with a rush. The first and second turn.s^both being silent ones, Han- ley aWo using no talk, however, made the show a trifle quiet up to the second inning. White Sisteri;, a couple of cute little girls, got tlie second half going with songs and dances. The singing is pleasant, the harmony l>eing well arranged. The hard ahoe dance done as a doub7e is not up to the vocalizing. The taps are not always clear. A producer and a strenuous rehearsal or two looks like the answer for the dance. The house liked the team. Leon, the magician, ran through several illusions, mostly cabinet stuff, and with speed that height- ened the values. The closing trick, which has the woman assistant tran«t"erred from a screened cabinet after she has apparently been btKnaed to a cinder to a tank of water, makes a first-rate bit of mystery. Ben Welch, closing, performed the miracle of holding the entire house in. Mr. Welch did something IHce 25 minutes or more and he simply rocked the building with laughs. That monoiog of Welch's is Just as funny as the first time it was spoken on a stage. WHch is a real comic. Many a modern comic could well take a day off and learn something about delivery from Ben. BeU. 23D STREET A good summer flrst-half bill Tuesday niglit well attended, the house getting a break on the weather, just cool enough to help the theatres. . The Sterlings, a good dancing act on skates, opened in speedy style. It in a man and woman combination, both exceptional dancers, in addition fo having appeuranco and i»er8onal- Ity. The girl looked well costumed in a Spanish dress, which was shed in a strip chajige for short red skirts. The man was n^atly garbed in a tuxedo. His solo eccentric buck on tho rollers was heavily applaudfxl. as was the double routine at the finish, which included ditficult looking stepping and Russian dancing. The act can open any bill in the big houses and hold a later spot in the Intermediate stands. Fid CJordon, second, made them like his trick violin playing after a «rtow start. Gordon should talk as little as possible. His present dialog gets him very little. The trick vio- linlnsr, with Gordon playing the baw with the fiddle and the proscenium arch is sure-fire finishing materia!. In addition he is an excellent musi- cian, playing clas^sicai and pop stuff with equal te< hnique. "Four BhKk-F:yed Susans" (New Acts) were third, followed by Ncvilli and Paulson (New Acts). Murray and Alan took the hit of the show with their special songs. "Three TliOU.sand Years Ago," used .IS an opener and closer, is a well- written comedy lyric that pulls them back for many encores. The p.air open in Fgyptian costumes, then charge to sap outfits for another comedy double, ninl after a double -j.izz song in neat blue suits don the Kirypti.iii headdrt'ssos to finish with ••Tlii.f Tli(Mi^;.n.l y.-nvs, Ago," which is the KltTnt;th of tiie act. They goaled them h«re Tlie Regal Jl'nnc. a small-time flash of live girls headed by a man, closed the bill. The girls are fair lookers and taleaU'd. but the act is Hiopplly routines The male lias dis- tinct limitations. His Imitation of (ieorge (lohan. ci.ii'd have ar.awjxed for Jolson or atiyone else. Thej^|fc)k it all literally :«t th.s house, however. Con. BROADWAY Smooth, Iii*t vaudeville entertain- ment, building up as It went alone to a comedy smash next to closing with Al Shayne and his wop partner, Frank Danla. Fair house, amount- ing to two-thirds downstairs but light on the shelves. All real spe- cialty material, and for that reason clean cut and diverting. Only defect was interpolation of talk that didn't belong. It started at the opening with Dallas Walker, girl lariat twirler. Nice looking girl with a nice voice. She tries to do a Will Rogers, but the talk isn't there. Instead she would be wiser if she kept to her showy rope tricks and novel snap- ping of the lines Into knots, keeping up meanwhile an occasional accom- paniment of humming, as Charmion used to do on the tiapeze. Miss Walker hasn't the knack of dealing with gags and admits she doesn't like chewing-gum. The talk was against a neat novelty, although Miss Walker is playing a return within a few months. Carl Shaw and Co. of two boy har- monica players have a timely offer- ing, following the competitions among the kids for mouth-organ championships all over the country. The colored boy is a wonder with his "blues" number and slow shuffle dance, and young Carl is a great little stepper himself, almost if not quite the equal of Toddle Cliff, al- though he uses a different Ktyle. Ernest Anderson and Marjorie Burt have a sure-fire talking comedy sketch built on the always funny matrimonial wrangle. Only here they are bride and bridegroom spending their honeymoon climbing the Alps (special set). The exchange of bitter complaints are rich in broad fun and Miss Burt's querilous bride is one of the few bits that make mugging and grotesque throat noises laughable. The vehicle is by Paul Gerard Smith. It was 20 min- utes of coBlJnuous chortles. Two nuMoers intervened here be- tween Anderson and Burt and the laugh smash of the evening in Al Shayne and his co-worker, the gap being part lighter on comedy than the surrounding bill. There was a bit of a lull, but the Shayne specialty restored the pace and held it for an even 20 minutes, the final three or four being Shayne's delivery of a straight ballad that went as well as any of his superlative clowning. Leo Kenning with Lillian Aker, pleasing singing and dancing ^ct with two conspicuously attractive young people t>acked by a rich dark velvet eye, closed the vaudeville part. The picture was an excellent come- dy melodrama with Hoot Gibson, appropriate for the season and the company. Harry Barden, monoiog, and Flo Mayo, single trapeze (New Acts). RU9h. well placed and put them over for top value. Billy Hughes and Co. the latter comprising four shapely dancing girls, scored bea'vily in a whirlwind dance revue. Hughes Is an accom- plished and versatile dancer. He works at top speed throughout the offering and Is ably assisted by the girls. Individually and collectively. Monte and Lyons, wop comics, clowned all over the lot in their cus- tomary style. Henry Morton and Co. in a comedietta ostensibly de- signed as a vehicle for the "rube" characterization of the featured member. The story is Inconsequen- tial and hinged upon the thread- worn theme of the gay old widower trying to marry off his daughter in order that he may take another plunge into the matrimonial seas. Horton handles the Lem role in ade- quate style. Bryant and Stewart, nut comics, did u pleasurable mixture ef clown- ing, songs and instrumental num- bers, while Angelo Armento and Co.. the latter a male assistant, contrib- uted a fast routine of gyi-nastics and acrobatics. Reno, comedy cyclist, and Ward and Oliver (New Acts) rounded out the bill. 125TH ST. 5TH AVE. A plentiful showing of the grand piano for the first half. When the curtain arose on the first act the lower floor was packed with quite a few patrons standing. Starting off were Bedalia and Na- talie, man and woman, in a classical and interpretative dancing turn with the customary pianist for turns of this kind. The double numbers seemed to be either poorly framed or not sufficiently seasoned. The finishing number sort of removes the edge of the good both accomjyilsh in their solo endeavors. |lehearsing aifd mending in spots would place this turn In the category of "class" for the better small-time houses. Next were the Caits Brothers, a two- act now without the woman partner. Each of the boys does a dance solo, and the turn is ended with a double eccentric number which carries them off nicely. Laura Ormsbee, with Paul Reese at the piano, submitted her vocal offering. "Moments of Melody," Miss Ormsbee's repertoire consists mostly of restricted num- bers of a caliber not meeting with much favor from the audience. She has a fairty wide range of voice, but It seems to be handicapped through her endeavor to sing and play the violin at the same time. Miss Orms- bee might eliminate the Instrument. Her act carries a most appealing setting, her three costumes are be- coming, and were she to change her songs a bit the act wou'i register much better. Reese might &lso de- lete vocalization. Harry Green and Co. In "The Cher;y Tree," a comedy, consumed 32 minutes. Green's hokum and low- comedy were absorbed readily, and at the end he was recalled for a cur- tain speech. Dotson. with his com- edy song and lightning dancing steps, next, scored heavily. Flo Lewis, aided by Jesse Greer at the piano, was next to closing. Miss Lewis found tlie going easy for her singing, mimicry and dancing. She consumed some 3!) minutes. Closing the show and holding them were Al Tucker and his Syncopated Society Kntertalners (Now Acts), AMERICAN ROOF An eight-act bill tlie first half here. Although comfortably eool Monday evening the show played to a slim audience. The upper section audience, usually lai^'e at this house, had evidently deserted for the Lcon- ard-Tendler fight. Hall and Oaks, two likeable < happ. got over nicely in the trey spot with their songs and instrumental num- bers. Tlie boys have a varied rou- tine, with each of the'r niimbeiM A six act bill, with comedy feat- ures dominating, provided capital warm-weather entertainment Tues- day evening. Attendance was near capacity. The weather break un- doubtedly was responsible, and if every house along the line shaped up as well show business surely must have taken on a boom. The bill moiled fast and seemed to have just the sort of "turns" one would enjpy glimpsing and applaud- ing. The vein of comedy which got a slight introduction in the opening act expanded as the bill went along, and finished decidedly strong with the closing act. wnlch was contrib- uted by Charles Ahearn and Co. It proved to be a merry hodge-podge of song, travesty and cycling stunts which flt the tramp comic like a made-to-measure garment. The of- fering is divided Into several scenes, each one giving Ahearn full sway In letting his funmaklng proclivities run riot. He is capably supported by a company of seven that includes a girl dancer, who. t>eside8 possess- ing a magnetic personality, contrib- utes several delightful dances. A travesty on bands done by Ahearn and his misfit assistants and a bur- lesque on classical dancing by Ahearn and another memt)er of the company were outstanding features of the skit. William Smythe, assisted by a lady accompanist, offered a pleasing song cycle. For an opening number he bunched choruses of the hit songs fix)m several Broadway musical comedies into a lyric in a manner that was decidedly novel and did excellent service in planting him with the audience. He followed with another novelty, supposedly an ode to his flrst-bom, and wound up with a medley of old favorites strung to- gether in a flirtation number In which he was assisted by the girl at the piano. Smythe has a splendid voice and eufflclent personality and showmanship to make the l)etter grade bills. Jarvls and Harrison, a mixed team, demonstrated that old vehicles wear well by scoring with an act they have been doing for several years and which seems to Improve with age. It Is a combination of comedy and song that has a slight semblance of plot, plenty of good humor and a sufllcient essence of sentiment to prOVide adequate balance. Griffin Twins. Juvenile daneers, offered a simplified routine of danc- ing that registered mainly for the exeellent precision with which the girls dance. At times one would suspect it was one kiddle doing a shadow dance, since they are so much alike in resemblance and exe- cution. They came on In Fauntleroy outfits and planted a soft-shoe rou- tine. lAter they returned for an Egyptian, and wound up with a Ftoman gladiator divertissement. The kids are finished performers, and merited the prolonged hand that greeted them at the finish of their act. Hawthorne and Cook, nut comics extraordinary, had them howling, as usual, with their happy mixture of nut comedy, clowning and Instru- mental bits played upon toy and freak instruments. They kept the mob roaring from the very begin- ning, and ran Charles Ahearn a close seeond in the race for comedy honors of the hill. The Musical Rowellys (New .-^cts) proved adequate pacemakers in a novelty musical offering. 58TH ST. !•: very thing packed at the 5Sth Street Monday night except a few box seat.s. The bill was unusually interesting for this house, and it had Just those elements appealing most to the neighborhood, homey crowd. IT.Mi Ross kidded them Into good humor; Moilie Fuller .-iwakened some i)oigtiant memories, and Judson Cole Jollied them until they were bubbling with appreciation. The New Acts were Stone and llailo, j<econd: Ross and Maebrii, fourth, and Judson Cole, fifth. The last two vied with each other in scoring the applause hits. Crordou and Kiney opene^l with a novel acrobatic turn. After a well- done comedy song an<j danre they shift to full sta«s. where the mis- performs on the trampoline, boun^ Ing with hilarity and an ahand«I that should make jealous all thoM who long to jump and twist on thi mattresses of their beds. The traran* oline Is very worn and shaggy Mollle thiller tugged the old- timers' heartstrings and provided plenty of amusement for the younger generation. It is doubtful if many icnew the terrific handicap under which she is bravely struggling. The opening medley of old songs ou the screen is a great idea, and at the 68th Street it went particularly well With the clever lines of Blanche Merrill, the \'aluable asslsUne*. of •Marriet Marriot and Edward Gra- ham, and, above all, the sweetness and ability of tlut star, the turn had no trouble in winning that deep- seated approval which means more than wild, spasmodic applause. The show was closed by the Blue Brothers, who held everyone witb an excellent exhibition of balancing. The closing stunt, with one man jun^ng over three chairs to a hand- stand on the outstietche<l hands of the prostrate understander, is paK tlcularly worthy. "A Man of Action," feature pic* ture. FASHIONS OF 1924 (Continued from page 1J») Sterling, ope of the mannequins, an opportunity to show her figure and all but disrobe in a silent display of lingerie. The other mannequins from the Fifth avenue shops who worked throughout the show aro Silance, Elaine Field, Diana. Dinarzade. Helen LaVonne, Maida Palmer. Louise CJarlton. Aldcn Gay, Muriel Lodge. Teddie Gill and Miss Field. All are tall and most are slender, different from the show girl type in that respect. Five were used in "forecasting furs" supplied by Jaeckel &. Sons. Miss Taliaferro was delightful in "Kitty Kat." a silken number sup- plied by Cortlcelll. John H. Roberts played the cat, the number being cut from the original length pro- gramed. Miss Taliaferro again counted with lier bright face <ind smile in "Just a Little Bit of Love." which had Dc Jari. a tenor, doing the warbling. Marie Nordstrom had several numbers in "one" and also figured in the comedy scenes. Her first ap- pearance was as '"The Bride." the number written by herself and Arthur Gutman. She wore a Fash- ion Bilt gown. Later with "Hers Comes the Kid" she had a neat kid frock made by Elsie Hiller, the lyric being another of her own to music by Eris Zardo. Miss Nord- strom played Sarah In Hussey's comedy "When the Cat's Away." The playlet is a variation of ths bedroom comedy in last season's "Music Box Revue" and also present in Hussey's vaudeville unit show and can be Identified by the bridr- telling all her "men" to hide under the bed. The turn Is played in dia- lect by Hussey and Miss Nordstrom and got across. The flnale of the show was "The Walker Law," the boxing bit used by Hussey on occasions for several seasons. Originally Johnny Dundee acted as the boxer in the bit when Hussey staged it in his show out of town. In "Fashions" Gene Deflmont, also a knight of the stuffed glove, is Jimmy's "opponent." The various style credits were programed, though the mannequins Monday were In old- fashioned frocks designed and used in another number. Masters and Kraft led a dance novelty number called the "Dancinif Dally Dozen," It having the eight dancing girls making up the chorus outside of the show girls. They are the Misses Brownie, Tillman, Cricket, Nedd, Elsworth, Hurst. Grady and Vinton. Miss Vinton stepped out to lead a chorus number earlier, singing "Oh, Joe." That Is a rather pretty number, but Ted, Snyder's best melodv was easily tabbed as "Just a Little Bit of Love." Ina Hayward had a vocal Inning with "One Last Waltz." She figured, too. in "Indu-Chi." an odd number. "Night and an Imaginative Min" proved the most fantastic of the numbers. It was designed by Adrian, with a profusion of curious costumes of lace from Van Raalte. John V. Lowe Ataged the dances for the show. Milan Roder conducted the large orchestra tucked away under the apron. Leftwlch is to be credited with making the fashion show idea a theatrical attraction. It is not de- ,1 signed for the road and probably ,\,^ counted out for the term of the >^- merchandise exposition. ^ Another attraction is listed to« open the I^yceum'a regular reason late next mon;h and it Is reported i that "Fashions" will be moved to " another luuise if I-ts business war- rants. That Is doubtful, for the revne is a-jmed for the vIsHing buy- ers, who should furnish the bulk f f ^ the patronage both for the stjrte j displays and the rntertalnnient. 3 The show is priced at $2..''.0 to|». the seaTe being lower than the other ; summer revues. Ihcc. '^ Tlie Mishler, Altoona. Pa., wa?» sold l;tst week by I. C. Mi.shler to interests beaded by John S. G inter. a banker, of Tyrone. Px. for I'.'OO.- 000. The house will continue .wllli Wft le^it poliey.