Variety (April 1924)

to VAllETY NEW ACTS THIS WEEK WcdnescUjr». JlfiU 9, 1924 -«, MARJORIE RAMBEAU and CO. (3) •Bracelets" (Melodramatic Sketch) 25 MIns ; Three (.Special Parlor Set) Palace Thi, niaiks Mis-; H iiu..':'r.i's de- Viul in \ rmdcvlllp, nltbi.uyh this le riot her first veliltle. Sin; irU'J out • sketch authored by A. E. Anson. who Is chief In her euppoit, but the act wa« found wantinp. The cur- rent mellerette t« by Sow. :i Col- llno, .ind is of the "crook" penrra. It.s strong reminiscence of "Cheating Cheaters" recalls (too h^izily to be accepted a.s fact) a i?ric-vaiicp this author had again.st the pi iv, claim- ins the latter an un,iutlio:ize.l adap- tation of his ait. The Hlcilch i;^ rc- IKjrted having served in Kni:land for Fonie time, althouyii new to this Bide. The action talics jdace in a p.irior eet. Lionel GleIli^t<^ i.« Mi.ss Itim- be.'iU'.s accomplii-e in crime. t«lio im- persunates a lady of noliillty and he iier secretary in order to dupe a jewelry tradesman, llobbitt, the Bond street Jeweler, Is played by Kd- •ward Damey. The latter Is tricked out of some expensive baubles. Their material worth is further Impressed by their valuation Individually at .Buch fabulous sums as 20,000 pounds, etc. The couple are about to make their getaway when another man (.Mr. Anson) holds them up at the point of a Kun and takes every- thing. He Is about to make off when the jeweler returns. He taps on the door. The three crooks fear thcniselvea trapped, which causes the oriKlnal couple to confess their duplicity to the character played by Anson. They decide to divide the swag three ways If they manage to nit away. Thla debate is conducted In loud voice and fully five minutes elapses before the door la opened. It is Mr. Hobbitt, a mild man, who merely forgot hl« cane. He exits. «Ilow the delay did not waken his Duspicions Is one of the unexplained mysteries of the act.) Then, too, the heretofore wily crooks forget to • Kaln lock the door. They start quarreling about the division of the spoils, when Hobbitt once again returns, this time armed. The girl crook (Miss Rambeau) ex- < laims "Chief!" and the jeweler tiadesman turns out to be a Scot- land Yard operative, and she his as- ciHtant, both gloating at their bag- fc-ini? the two male crooks. It Is a most Implau.slble twist on aiialysla. It is not explained why, It siic is a detective, slie was on such intimate terms with the "secretary" ciiiok character and why such delib- er.ite plans to capture were taken. However, the action is snappy and the twists so radical they arc Ji.tcrcsting, despite their inconyruily, which, for the moment. Is over- looked. The star is convincing and tlie support top-notch. To make it j)cifect they should have Btarted out with something really s-ound. .As it is, it's another case of star carry- ing sketch. Alrl. IMPERIAL REVIEW (60) Songs and Dancing 2/ Mins. Full (Special) Hippodroma. Enlarged aa to the cast by the theatre's chorus and ballet corps, the linale reveals in the neighbor- hood of sixty peoi-io on the stage, whii h con;r.butt.s Hash, even for lli:s huu.^c, and probably, con.sider- ing tiio matter deleted from the Uia:iiiee, make.s it a sure holdover for luxt week. With or without the add.tjonal tliirty-two girls, the act looks a certainty for tiie lirbt string vaude houses, prov.ding the inevit- able question of salary is settled. The revue was originally aimed as a flour ^liow to be in-^talled in the Ciaruigo iiotel, but the final ar- r.ingcmeius have long hung lire. The cpiJiode must have run in full at tile matinee, for it is reported to have consumed some fifty minutes at tlie aftei iMon performance, of whicli at least twenty-three were eliniinatid. Tiie protfram names I>arry Cebal- lu.s as having dcvi.-ed and staged the production, with the music credited to Carey Morgan and tlie lyrics by .\rUiur Swanstrom. A list of principals feature the For.'-h.iy sisters, followed by Uillle and Uilly Ta\ lor, Morinos Coni- dari", Julie Kteger, ituth Urban, Lucin.-? .Metz, .Margaret Finley, iJru-.ila, Jiuby Keller and Peggy IJeal and .Matilda. The act does not deviate from the usual routine of the type, but has been Lavishly dres.sed, staged and presented. Knsemble numbers and specialties work up to an In- vigorating linale that is eyefiUing on this stage, if for nothing else than the numbers i* includes. How- ever, it should be understood that the presentation, in a smaller house, will probably be just aa Im- pressive minus the additional choruses. Practically cut down to the best of the material, one programed number was completely out, the routine In- cluded four ensemble dennltions spaced by a pop song, with the P'orshay girls rendering, a feminine soloist and a couple of dancing misses splitting tap work and high kicks between them. Each scored. All of the ensembles have been so staged as to make it out of the question to construe a regular twice daily classification from the con- glomeration other than the act looks to be basicly sound. The set- tings and costuming present an as- sembled effect that will not be realized on any other vaude pro- f,'ram, although it will prove a worth while "sight" interlude that sliould also be elastic as to running lime. The manner In %vhich it w.a.s cut at this house evidenced a neat sense of [iroportion on somebody's part, for the acttioii moved swiftly ar..". suf- fered no let-down. The military t'tiish concluded to an auditorium ■^till seated, and \7lllingly so. Skio. DUKE YELLMAN and BAND (10) 17 Mins.; Full Stage (Special Sets) State. This la the band which formeiiy tioui>ed with Irene Castle and her traveling aggregation. They are iiow in vaudeville on their own, and are likely to remain, aa they com- ji.irc favorably with any similar mu- sical organization. There are three siijcophones, three trumpets (one of whom doubles the banjo), a slide trombone, violin, double-bass tuba, a drummer who also carries tym- jiaiii and Duke Yellman at the piano. Their selections arc pleasing to the e.'ir, whether classical or jazz, and their perfect unison in tempo under the Yellman's direction makes fur satisfying results from both hides of the footlights. Severjil good novelty effects are used to illustrate the melody or lyrics of the song played. In Tollman's solo. "The Kosary," for Instance, the limire of a nun is seen nt the rear on a platform telling her beads, ai.d in "I'm (Joiiig .South," there Is a scene cf the Mississippi, with two linlit- ♦d steamboats steaming along ii. very good perspective. The musii! Is good and tlie ot- clie.straiioii.<; spbiiclid. It is a biK time aggi egation. Do Yoa Want Work? HARRY DANFORTH -302 Loop End BIdg., CHICAGO Can Get You Plenty of It Boohlna FirloMvHy with W»H»em OHlrt H. r. Krltli F.xrlwiiit'. OrplH-iim ■nil VI'mtrm Vuudrtille Maiuic<tn' Anh'o WRITE, WIRE, CALL GUILIANI TRIO Piano and Songs 14 Mins ; In Three (Special Back- ing) ' State. Woman discovered at plann, man's voice he.ird oft st.age, he en- ti'i ill); in full song for finish of solo. A trio next, in harmony, followed by a song alone by the pianiste. All this just average singing, the punch of the act coming at the finish with .1 demonstration of harmony rela- tions between oper.i and Jazz when judiciously blended. The woman sings several old American songs, while the man sings operatic ex- cerpts. It is remarkable how well the airs sung together blend in li.umony. with very little adapta- tion. While none of the voices is of exceptional i|uallty, they are ple.is- iiipr. .niid the trick alluded to will put tliem over on any small time bill. ELLIOTT DEXTER and CO., (5) "A Good Provider" (Playlet) 28 Mins.; Full Stag* (Interior) Palace, Chicago Chicago, April 8. Elliott Dexter, fresh from the film studios, comes into vaudeville via a break-in week and a stop in Mil- waukee. One of the best polite actors in pictures. Dexter makes an Impressive figure on the stage, his only defect being a tendency to mouth his speeches. Still he is the same satisfying player of dignified roles. In point bf vehicle for his vaude- ville approach, however, he is not fortunate. He takes nearly half an hour to put over the flimsiest of stories. There is no substance to it; it has not action, no progress and notliing like tension or climax. Indeed it is just a rather dull and mooning monolog by a neglected husband (least sympathetic of char- acters) soliloquizing ;.bout his own self pity. It is Samuel Merrill's 40th birth- day anniversary and for a change he comes home for dinner, only to find that both hla daughter and wife are dining out. He asks them to stay home for the evening, but they flit off, forgetting altogether the occasion. So the head of the family gets to sympathizing with himself, while the audience can't see the tragedy of it all. You're inclined to scoff at a grown man who gets the blues because his wife and daughter won't stay home to sing him to sleep. The lines are rather skillfully written in a dainty sentimental sort of way you'd expect from a woman author (Elaine Sterne is credited with the writing), but the story doesn't register because of the fem- inine viewpoint pinned on a m.an. and a family man of 40 at that A wife might go Into attractive melancholy over the situation, but a husband who does it makes him- self a foolish puppy. Mr. Dexter's support hasn't much to do, and does it neatly. They are Winifred Barry as the daughter; Fred Walton aa her beau, and James O'Neill, with the best character of the sketch as the English butler, and Holen Holcomb (daughter of Wlllard, by the way) aa the wife. Miss Holcomb has a frigid kind of role for which she Is entirely un- fitted. Anybody could play it. This promising young actress is wasted. Dexter made a curtain speech Sunday, explaining his delight at being face to face with a human audience again, instead of with a frozen camera. The sketch isn't worth his while. It proved a spot so dull as to make the well disposed audience restless Sunday afternoon. Rush. LEO DONNELLY and Co. (3) "The Chump" (Comady) 18 Mins.; On* and Two (Special) Broadway. Leo Donnelly is an accomplished light comedian but has a hard time proving it In "The Chump," a com- edy skit written by Howard Em- mett Rogers. Donnelly is on first In one with some talk to plant the idea he's a sap for the women. Givfs 'em dough whenever they ask for It—a per- fect set-up for a gold-digger. Don- nelly's monolog is interruiited after a brief session by a fine looking show girl type. A flirtation ensues and the act goes to two. This is backed with a black drape with a center oiieiilng showing a [icrspective stfllr cnse. A telephone swltchbo.ird sketchily suggests the scene is a hotel or apartment house lol.iiy. The girl needs coin and Donnelly is there with his check book. The check book stuff is essenti.iUy re- peated with the switchboard ojiera- tor, a pony size ingenue. Donneily dates 'em botli up and starts a third dating uji process over the phone when the girls exit, A third girl arrives and Donnelly gets the check book ready for .action, but the last one bawls him out and spurns the m.izuma. Donnelly's talk over the phone has several bri.;;ht cracks and there are laughs sprinlcled through the conversational stuff, but the sketch as a who!e lac'ks the heft.i sort of (comedy punches a turn like it should have. The finish is too abrupt. The repetitious check book business, while apparently building up to seme sort of climax, rambles along aimlessly to a weak finale. A good Idea on the whole but not worked out in a way to fully realize Its possibilities. Dormelly gets as much out of it all as any comedian could, and the three girls besides scoring on ap- pearance handle their line.s adeptly, but the net result is mostly minus. The act was No. 3 at the Broadway and closed to mild returns. Betl. (1) McGOOD-LENZER and Co. Acrobatic 9 Mins.; Full Stage (Special) 5th Ave. Two men and a woman, the latter In riding li.ibit. The setting is spe- cial, uiitisiial for an act of this kind, including rug and special hangings; also a pool table. The atmosphere morn nearly approaches the "club- by " idea all polite "dumb" acts aim for than any of its predecessors, al- though the girl's equestrian get-up is not quite consistent. Tlio lifts, somersaults and acro- b.itic stuff are instinctive and a bit off the beaten path. The people look continental desiiile the Gaelic lifTit name, which may, however, be the girl. It's a dnssy act of Its kind .ind suited for the best houses. Closing a long show, with no feature film to follow the vnudeville. they held them exceptionally well. Ah^l. CHAIN and ARCHER Comedy Tal|< and Song* 21 Min*.; On* Dell Chain and Lou Archer have been playing west. Archer Is the comedian, a sort of semi-clown nance in painted face make-up and baggy nondescript clothes. Chain is a standard straight of many partners. The new trio are a happy frame up. Chain has unction, appearance and a corking singing voice. Archer has a fine sense of travesty and a knowledge of comedy values. Th6 material has been identified with several former two-acts of Chain's, but is fresh, nevertheless. After the opening crossfire foUow- ery they do a burlesque mind read- ing bit with Chain in the audience and Archer naming the first names of the subjects. The cueing, such as Chain calling Arch; and his partner answering Louis, Is funny. Another funny bit was the "An- vil Chorus," played on a toy xylo- phone by Archer with lights out and darkened st.age, while Chain flashed a pocket searchlight on and off for the electrical effect travesty Double songs nt the finish were good for several encores of more singing. The pair are a natural next to closing blg-tlme comedy frame-up and will breeze on any bill follow- ing anything. * Con, 8IANQ-SIN Ballet Opera, Paris Paris, M.arch 31. "Slang-Sin" Chinese ballet by Pierre Jobbe Duval, music by Georges Hue, is a creditable show for the local Opera, and was well received at its premiere on the oc- casion of the production of "Les Dieux Sont Morts" (script by E. Berteaux, score by Chas. Tourne- mlre), the two-act lyrical drama referred to in a cable last week. The plot of the ballet concerns an aged Chinese emperor discovering his pretty little wife in the arms of a younger man—and to add insult to injury—a man of humble birth. He thereupon commands a wizard to transform him, by his super- natural manipulations, into a h.and- some young man. but the charm so works that the unfaithful queen changes into an ugly old woman. It Is then the emperor realizes the situation, compelled as he Is to re- main with his lawful spouse, and orders the wizard to restore their original status—preferring to be old with a youthful companion than young with a diplapidated favorite. Whereupon the complacent magi- cian, taking pity on the sober-minded ruler, gives them both perpetual youth until they die. "Siang-Sln" Is well staged, with ravishing cos- tumes, and sm.artly conducted by Gaubert. Krntlrrw. PALACE An Ideal bill hoida forth «* Keith's Palace this week. It haa two Illustrious "names" witli tev. eral not so Bolntillating but judi- ciously spotted in support, the sum total making for a perfect v.mde. ville evening. Marjorle H.iinbcau (making her vaudeville debut) is splitting topUne honors with Vln- cent Lopez and his Hotel I'ennsyl. vania Orchestra. For Ruby Norton (with Clarence Senna at the piano) and Jack Rose (also assisted by a male pianist Jimmy Steiger) It Is old home week, both marking their return to Main street. Miss Norton has heea globe-trotting, this being her first appearance after her world tour while Hose, self-confessed "nut,"' has only been girdling the Orplieum circuit for almoat two years. Both were heartily welcomed. Mi.ss Norton has a corking nov- elty ojienlng. It was inevitable that the loud-speaker radio horn should see its adoption on the vaudeville stage. In this case, a complete re- ceiving set accompanies the horn. Senna fools with the dial.s and gets .in announcement of Mi.ss Xorfon about to do "Giannina Mia." The voice comes through realistically but the idea does not end there. It is further enhanced by such comedy byplay as Intermittent "in- terference" through the announce- ment of other stations, the occa- sional intrusion of a male Jazz singer doing a "mamma-papa" num. ber, etc. Then, too. Miss Norton's voice is "tuned ln"to come through stronger. The idea is Ingenious although Its presentation is ob- vious. When Senna enters, a projei ting piece of cloth partially coverin.t; his wing collar is visible and makes one wonder as to the Idea tliereu'. It becomes evident later it is in- tended to hide the movement of the piano accompanist's Adam's apple, he having performed the ventrilo- quial "announcements" and also doubled as the "Interference" through the ether. Jack Rose broke five hats, cut up generally and Impressed decidedly. When last seen Steiger presided at the piano In the trench. Now he's on the ro.strum at a. baby grand while Rose at one stage descends Into the trench to conduct the or- chestra. Among other things ha dons a pair of boxing gloves while wielding the directorial wand. One crack, aimed at his partner, was: "Any guy who talks so much muet h.ive a touch of female in him somewheres." The show runs long which caused the elimination of the news and "Topics" reels. The Four Ortons opened. It's a corking comedy wire act. the two natty males and the young woman, all adopting the uni- form costume scheme of white satin hunters' garb. The comedy i« furnished by an eccentric male who gets considerable through the as- sistance of a well schooled duck. The legitimate wire work is a bi: In advance of the usual. The Keller Sisters and l.yrch. versatile mixed trio, made an im- portant Impression. The girls rea'ly are sisters, seemingly, and young Lynch resembles them well eiioush to be their brother. They Jilay piano, saxophone; violin, and also sing and dance. Their refreshing youth is an Important asset Enrico Rastelll with his marvel- ous juggling is truly "unique and extraordinary" and "the master A complete review of the Sells- Floto circus, which opened at the Coliseum, Chicago, Saturday, April 5, will appear in this week's "Clippar," out Thursday, April 10. SNELL and VERNON Flying Rings 5 Mins.; Three (Special Set) Palace. The rtinning time was evidently cut short because of the late show. The couple work in a special wood- land set. He is discovered on hang- ing by his neck In a fast revolving si'iral. The ring stuff is ot the usual sort with the punch the one man "feet catch" which is program- featured. The man Romcrsaults from the ground to the catch on the suspended loops. They were handicapcd at this house as explained, but managed to lioUl thom quite well in view of the hour. ^6eL "TUBS IS TUBS" (3) Comedy Sketch 16 Mins.; Full Stag* "Tubs Is Tubs" in spite of it's title Is good small time entertainment, principally due to the good low comedy cockney characterization of one of the men. There is another man, a kind of comedy straight, and a wom.ah In the character of a maid, also concerned In the act. A boss plumber and his helper arrive to Install a bathtub. There follows a line of comedy conversa- tion between the two, good for laughs hut nothing to do with the plot. This seems to be confined to tho fact that the tub brought on Is too small for the prospective woman bother to perform her ablutions In, and therefore those who brought It In must take It out. The cockney helper gets underneath the tub to remove it, when for some reason the maid faints. Is caught by the bass plumber, and both fall on top of the reversed bathtub, pinning the helper under It. It Is a rather thin story but the three concerned manage to get con- tinuous laughter through the Inci- dental patter and action they Im- pose on the slim structure. It will do very well for a trip round the amall time circuits. Juggler of the world" to quoi' lii« bluing. Thla young phenom starts far ahead of where the others end. Ina Williams and Dick Kecne might generally be described as a song and dance team. The ili scrip- lion does not distinguish them but their presentation of soiig-and- dance certainly does. There is a re- freshing nuance about their de- livery that Is Indelibly Impri'ssive. Jack Benny looks like Paul I'.aker and works like Ben Bernle did be- • fore Bernle succumbed to the jaz« band craze. Benny was scored for the similarity when Bernie still was "singling" but with the com- parison removed Benny Is a blS time asset. He has re[)ose. ma- terial and delivery. He relegates h» fiddling as Incidental although » proficient Instrumentalist. The Vincent Lopez orchestra were their usual wow. That Is get- ting to be so stereotyped in print one looks about for a new angl« to comment on. One encounters K on the program. Seemingly t"* Keith press department Is at lea*' six months behind. Only U «* lleted in the personnel. The ban» numbers 13 and haa consisted ol that quota for quite some time. No small factor either la B. A. Ro'"; the cornetlst, who dlstlngulshea himself with an extraordinarily "sweet" solo. Joe Gold is the other omission, he being at the other piano. Then, too, the Anipico re- enacting piano has been ellminateo from the act. There arc f^everw new numbers, the "What'll I Dot setting looking a real flash. Tnei open with the George M. Cohan I song hit medley. The clos< r » (Continued on page .'"'J)