Variety (April 1924)

VARIETY NEW ACTS THIS WEEK Wednesday. April 23, 1924 BHEILA TERRY and Co. (7) Revua 22 Mins.: One and Full (Special) Royal 'Tiie I», in. o (;iil" is the lillo of the Uu.-t sli'-';l.i. Terry rovue, pfo- Sufej by liobert I/iw, staKed hy Al- lan K. IVistor with lyrics by McKl- Ibert Mooro anU music t«y t'reU Coots. The act i.s quite As imposing ns the list of its pponjor.i. beinK an •labotate scenic and rostiinie flasli. It has a complete beore. all si>ocial, and a cliuru.^ of four girls in adili- ♦ lon to a juvoniVo (I.estor O'lCeefc) comic Oamcs iiunn) nnci IcaJinp m-vn (I'Mwani KImmey). The turn opens in "one" licforo in striking gol.l drop. Tour dre.ises ara hini^ini; in a border. The girl.i' legs are thrust out in .^ifflit he- r^ath tlie dres.-es. from under wliich they apiic.ir a moment later for •'Come A\ith Me." led by O Keefe, toi>pi(l b.. a luannikin dance. The suns pave.s tlia vviy for the (•witch to full .stai,-e. -Tlie Hoof (iar- den," a benitiful an<l colorful ar- ray of dripes and hatii^incr.^ With gold and red the prodominating col- ors Miss Terry inaki"» her fust en- trance from a jiimbled tieap of cush- ions. She is ong.'igeiJ by the yoliii;,' blood O'Keefe as 'hostess" to his p«rty. .spc'ialti^s follow which in- clude two toe dances by Miss Terry. Otie, a novelty, Introduced "Dying Rose" elTect, tiie ghl nppearijig in a large jir as the center rotie of a fcunch reuiriiing: to the jar after the d ui'e to vither, 'The Lite of a Hole." .suuij by O i"e're, w.is the BOng theme. Dunn registers i.s a silly vvi.iler, end vMtU ills eccentric dancing, i<iv'- Insr the necessary eomedy back- pround to .in otherwise straight elnglng .t;i 1 d.inciiig vehicle. The men ire t'lere witli :ippe.i'.-,irt( e and vocally and t'.io ballot ot four no- ticeably well trained by Foster and handjioniely > stunied throughout. Foster's uiethO'I of building up a dance number hy .-sustaining it an 1 Jntrodinirg each m'lnbtr in his spc- riiilty to 'he s iir.e melody was evl- (l'''nt in • ATary's Pet Linili." T!;e closing number, a wed.htig iBcene, witti Miss Terry in bridal cos- tume nnd tlic chorus as maids of honor iii cute I)are-le:;ged dresses was bilked !.y a special drape re- sembli'ig .1 '^ii I,il train. A special Ptefei'iiliion effect of Niagara F.-iUs topped off th':.T hij^hly attrac- ,tive linah\ The revue is set fur VTudcvii:e iind r.isily cl.isses :is one of the most elibui.ite r\nd er.tertainln., flashes of the seison. TIso score i^ tu'ieful an<I, While iiiiiinis jnt, Is ibove tiie vaude\l!le average. Tlie iirinclpals nre nil t ilei'ted. and the entire pro- duction sl'.rjeks class from the open- ing b ir. It will he an entertaining ftddi'.ion to any of the higti class bi'di. Con. GERTRUDE VANOERBILT A Co (3) "Gertie" (Comedy) 23 Mins.; Full Stage Palace Cicrlrudi) Vanderbilt Iiai in enter- taining light comedy vehicle lu lil- gar Allen Woolf's 'Ciertie-." The playlet is written in an igreeubly humorous vein, with a touch of satire occasionally that tikes it out of the conventional There'.! a sketchy plot about a chap who is in love wuh a girl who dolls up a bit too much to suit him. Miss Vanderbilt does a clo^ik room 'itlendant character in working gals costume at tirst, and later the plot gives her a chance to get into glad rags, with tho finish showing her again in the cloak room girl's garb. Six months is supposed to elapse between tho Ilrst and second parts of the playlet, the curtain being lowered and a slide denoting the passirig of time. A couple of excellent juveniles. Kennelh Loane and Walter I'limmer. Jr, plant the story at the opening. A char.icter woniai., Cora Williams, also figures, I'limmer is a son ot Walter Plim- mer, the vaudeviile agent. lie crtrries a Tux like a society favorite and evidences act'ng ability ' that should keep him busy in show busi- ness, with special quahncations for light comedy legit roles, musical comedy or pictures. The same ap- plies to Loane. Miss Vanderbilt interpolates a song number, 'I'm the Poor, Not Kich, Misa Vanderbilt," and also does some lively sleppin)?. She and the two men :md Mlas Williams bet- ter the material contained in the playlet, the four combining for smooth and Intelligent team work. Tlio act WIS fourth in one of the heaviest hills of the season at the I'alice, Monday rugl.t, and it landed in the money. licll. WUSICAL VOGUES (6) Music. Singing and Dancing 18 Mi.is.; Full Stage (Special) S3d St. Two g t'..~. one a toe dancer :iva\ the otlier a vioi;nist and vocalist, and four men, three pliiying cellos and or;e pi .no, cornt-o.^'e tiie persoii- rei. Tli'> cmhiii it ion of Ihrco cellos, pill, 111 .ind violin is one that call,? fo.- ftubdiied effecls, but the hou.'io or- chestra here played so fortissimo it r.e,\il.v blanketed the nuts,c made by th > strings on the stage, Tho violinist .should play the vio- lin or.iy. not sing. She is a capable miisicim, but is so obviously shy of •vocal gifts that lu-r singing is n tot.il loss. The girl who does toe dancing is an cxcollent performer, her to>.' woi k being e.speiially graco- lu! atol wel! routined. Tli'> three rello pl-iyrr.q. pianist nrl violinist play smoothly ind pro- dU''e a soft sweet tonil volume. Court co.stumes of th" sixteenth century period are Worn I'y the tour men. ' • The net is .a small time number as It stii;ils; entertaining, but could l-e m-\Ji- more so wiMi revisions. STRATFORD FOUR Comedy Quartet 16 Mtns.; Two (Special) 23d St. A male Comedy sii/gln^ (ju u fet With the familiar schoolroom back- eround. The baritone plays the teacher, bass does a Swede comedy pupil and two tenors atfe !n knicker- bockers'. The harmonlzJIng i.s exc(>j>tional. ■Ill of the foiir owning voices 'much above the usual. The comedy run.s itO the sort of stuff that has boen .as^ fcoclated wfth'achoolroorri fiirrls for The Stratford r'o'iir hn,s a turn tbat Id" fool inoottdv tKepop'hotMe.f ♦*6..v .!/,_ ,V ;.|.o; itv. :i ^jjfjj [ ROSE and THORNE Talking and Singing Skit IS Mins.; Two (Special) 23d St. M.in and worn in. Man does .xuto s.ili'smnn, trying to sell car to Swed- ish .';ervant girl. A goocl looking spctial set in two, makes for at- mosphere and serves as sightly background for conversation.al stuff. The tilk has lavghs In generous iiuiiitilies and is convincingly handled. Woman does Swedish type in a manner tint's free from ex- aggeration and Is letter perfect in every rtet.ill of characterization, dialect, manner:sm and general in- terpretation. Man fli.shes in excellent high baritone singing volco In single number, nnd there's a doul.le vocal bit at linlsh, a comedy song about automobiles, with the aoto vernacu- lar effectively used for gags. Some of the gags In this double song •ire a tride sn.apty. The woman's SA'ed'sh character, through being seldom dona In vaudeville, helps to take the act away from the general run. The team shouldi go along and secure plenty of work, .advancing as It travels. It's an excellent double for tho pop house and irilermediato bills and looks as if it ould easily gallip away with the light spot in the best. Bell. PAGE and BERMAJ Talk and Songs 19 Mins.; One American Roof Jim I'age (Jim and Detty Page) and Henry lierman, 'straight," did a happy two-man combination. The crosstalk about Herman being the medico and the rotund Page the patient jibes with the latter's ap- pe.ar.mce. Page Is dressed "straight" although lian<Iling the comedy and harping )n his physique for returns. Uoth have pleasing voice. Page clicks with a comedy "meow" num- ber and Rerman tied it Up with his sympathetic teno.Ing of a "rain" ballad. The talk co'ild be strengthened which would c;irry them along. For tlie Intermediary time, thoy satisfy. .1 hcl. NEW ACTS l!ob I''.■Ills iiiil N'olile .\ray in a comedy. I. liking, singing and dan- cing .'ICt. Amy I,e Koy and Arthur Xevons, talk, singing and dancing. ' C>ur Honeymoon.' nine people musical (lash, featuring Ward und IJl.iisdell. liCnnard and Davles, dancing act. Hilbert and l!reiinan in skit. lUace Ijtinbar Nile, in 'Trapped," with Teddy Ciibsoii. EDDIE ELKINS' ORCHESTRA Music 20 Mins ; Full Stag* Palac« Eddie Elkins' Orchestra Is one ot the very tew jazz organizations playing vaudeville that utilizes mu.sic stands. A drape was used at the Palace for the brasses, banjo and reeds to mask off the stands. The drums, bass violin and piano had no stands visible, but may havt had their music arranged about the floor, or in some oth&r place not discerned. It's a smooth i)layinff, well bal- anced orchestra of eleven pieces, this KIkins Woodmansten Inn aggrega- tion. The instruments enlisted run to the familiar brass choir of two trumpets and trombone, three saxo- phones, tenor banjo, violin, drums, basg fiddle and piano. All capable musicians. Elkins leads and plays violin. The selections run to dance music, with a tonal volume that is kept nicely subdued. Modern arrangements, with all the tectinical tricks of the symphonic sort charaoteristh; of dance bands, are made good use of. There are no specialities, songs or individual attempts at shining by any ot the orchestra. The trombon- ist is part.:ularly good, standing out. Two selections of an Oriental na- ture, following e.ach other, made for lack of contrast. A number in •waltz tehipo might also be included in the rep as a variant for the prepi-nder- ence of fox-trot .'enpos offered. A special drape set is used, with lighting effects. E.'kin's is a better musician than he i:^ a showman, ap- parently. The band produces as pleasing a quality of music as any of 'em, but somehow lacks a punch, that est.ablishes it <'is Importantly for vaudeville as its musical talents en- title it. The act went over nicely at tho Palace, but with some sort of outstanding features now lacking could readily be worked into a turn of much greater weight than i' now holds. One improvement would be the immediate elimination of the music stands. Bell. MARIETTA CRAIG and Co. (2) Comedy Sketch 16 Mins.; Full Stage (Special Set) 23rd St. Marietta Craig has the ingredients of a good act. If she. In a May Vokes ciiaracter part^ did not resort to over-mugging and trying to use a lliberni.an brogue which she focgets half tho time. The sketch in a b'lrle.sque on the mystery plays, opening doors, ghostly lights, spiritualistic hands, reflections ot a tlylng bat, etc., which turns out to be just a dream of the Irish (?) maid on a stormy night after returning from tho theatre, where she had been thrilled by "The Bat." Her master h.as m.arried and has his wife's fortune in bonds locked in his safe. On the maid's return from the theatre, he tells her these things and puts her on guard to protect the bonds. The maid, nervous and in dread, after fussing around a while, goes to sleep, and then ensues the mys- teries, already related, with a wake- up at the finish, and all "ends happily." , It will do excellently for the small time, where audiences are not so- phisticated or critical ot such things as mugging and dialect, and maybe Miss Craig will work into smoother playing ot the character. In which case it win be a good vehicle tor any bill wliere a comedy sketch is needed. I'lverhardt nnd Ole,x«on, S-acf. George Neville and Co,, three peo- ple, comedy skit. iJurns nr.d Warner, 2-act. llarold Krariklyn and Co. in dra- n»at(c,sket.:|., 1,, ', , t£,irry lU'iasforil, sheloh. , , MLLE. NINA and CO. (2) Dancing ^& Min.; Full Stage (Special) State Mile. Xina i.s an accomiilished ac- robatic dancer and also a good looker. Tlie assi.Hing "Co." is Da- con and l^ontaine, roller skaters who had their own i roduction act prior to their present ulllance with Nina An attractive orange and black set forms a picturesqa. frame for the specialties. Hacon and Fontaine open the act with a .Spanish tango on rollers. Nina follows with a clever jazz toe (lance. IJacon retaliates with his familiar drunk dan'ie, al.so on roll- ers, with Nina coming back for an Oriental that was a. revelation as far as acrobatic and contortion stuff goes, and was easily the out- standing feature ot the offering. Bacon and Fontaine doubled again for a fox trot, with Nina joining them for a snappy dance as a finale. The act la tastefully costumed, ; nd sufficiently diversified to hold i,tp o^in.as !n.d.^ric;in^ n.xsl^ c^n tUe ii,nt«ra»e()tarte3, , I LANIN'8 R08ELAND ORCHES- TRA (10) Band Act 21 Mint.; Full (Special) Stst St. Said to mark thia Ruselanfl (dance place) organization's en- trance into the vaude field. Well dressed and lighted, with the boys appropriately In dinner coats, the act has appearance which was fur- ther impressed at this house by the Importation of 16 of the Hippodrome chorus girls for one number. Two backstage inserts are also used, one a "dumb" picture and the other a feminine singer vocalizing. Lanin directs throughout the six numbers with there being 11 chairs On the stage, 10 of which are used. The extra one remained unac- counted for throughout the entire act. Instrumentally this outfit is made up ot three saxophones, two cornets, trombone, tuba, drums, piano and banjo. The boys play with a danceable swing, without attempt- ing anythinf, other than straight numbers suitable to that V>rm of enjoyment. Both the brass and reed sections take their turn at predominating In the orchestrations, which listen as being equal to the present demand as to arrangements. A "hot" in- sertion brings tho banjolst down front for a dance, which could be eliminated, while another, and like (dition, permits the drummer to warble a chorus, succeeded by the brass boys conversing with each other. The .let is without flourishes and is simply what the title implies— S,im Lanin's Roseland Orchestra. Those who like tha dance combines .are bound to be favorably impressed by this one and tho.se Who don't will simply listen and remain In- different. Tliey can't "pan" It—that's a cinch. The actual merit ot the boys and their past record will squelch any such tendency. Skiff. ALLMAN and HARVEY Comedy and Songs 15 Min.; One (Special Drop) 23rd St. Jimmy Allman in blackface and his partner, Harvey, made up as an Arctic explorer, have a new routine dealing with the colored boy s misery In the cold climate they find themselves subjected to in tholr search for a gold mine In the "friggid" zone, .as Allman calls It. Their drop helps out the cold idea. A good routine of comedy conversa- tion, which also sticks to that theme, with Allman in a Palm Beach suit and Harvey In he.avy fuTS, is responsible for a continuous ripple of laughter. Allman just wrecks the audience with a song on the subject, accom- panying himself on the ukulele. All- man gets as much music out ot that much maligned instrument as any ot his compeers in vai'deville, and Harvey does the same with his fine robust baritone at the end of the act, the two making their exit sing- ing in harmony. It is a clever, entertaining turn, which any big time audience will enjoy aa much as the 23rd Streeters did at the beginning of the curre.it week. BLOCK and STOWELL Comedy and Songs 16 Mins.; One 23rd St. (April 21) An eccentric comedian and a lively singing soubret, who put over a novel line of clowning, the woman a good straight and doing a lively Southern song as It should be done, with per;:onaUty, In a very pleasing voice. The man Is an elongated chap whose forte is International comedy, not In the slightest over- done, and whose makeup Is a cross between Larry Scmon and Harold X-,loyd. With a little more playing. this team can hoU: a spot on better bills. They did splendidly here and on the reg ;lar bill should have done even belter. Plantation Act Again Chicago, April 22. 'I'lantation Days" as a show is all off. The plan to book It Into tho Olympic on a rental basis is off on the disagreement between Maurice fJreenwald and Sam Tlshman and tho colored aggregation will, in all probability, be reframed as an act to go back over the Pantages time. Ted Snyder's Auto Smash Ted Snyder, music publisher, was struck while drving his automobile on Eighth avenue hy a machine driven by John Monday on Monday night. Snyder hL^tisted that Monday be held on a recklMs, d(-ivinff charge and win *[>pear /igatntiL hiw;, BRADLEY.HENNESSEY REVUE (9) Songs and Dancing 11 Mint.; Full (Special) 81at 8tra«t Boy and grirl, backed by a choh of six girls sufflciontly out of gtsBT make It seem as though they Km been Imported from fhe HId t conform to this theatre's new nai ley. and hadn't had time to sm^^ out their routines. It they are mT manent with the act, their Der' formanoft is deplorable, Bradley opens the action with a song, quickly followed by a danca whence comes another vocal eltort a change of costume by his parti^ and a chance to solo by her in > speed Insertion. In fact, the turn's major attractiveness is in the mo- mentum, for, with the chorus, fly, dances and the two songs are com. pleted in 11 minutes. The costuming, stage setting atn lighting have been neatly presented while the individual dressing ot Miss Hennessy Is also tastefuL Thft act Is minus a definite kick and did but fairly here. Bradley's singing Is negligible, his dancing se- curing much better results, while Miss Hennessy displays more effort than anything else to make her pre- dominate from others doing the same type of work. How the act would he without th« six girls Is something else again. One vocal rendering made them a necessity to that particular num- ber, but another insertion had the pianist idle while they worked, which m.akes It a problem as to whether the girls are members ot tho revue or not It's more likelly that they .ore; and. such being the case, it is unquestionable that a smoother performance, by them, is essential. Skig. CORRILLA SISTERS (2) 14 Mins.; Full Stage ; 23rd St. (April 21) The Corrllla .Sisters (Julia and Ruth) came to the 23rd St. house to show their act for the Monday night show, and landed so solidly they were held ovar for the first half. Julia has been in opera .and Ruth in concert. As they tell it in an introductor-y song, "of that we've had our till, so we're going to sing in vaudeville." And when they learn to costume their act, dress their hair, etc., up to vaudeville requirements, they very probably will remain la vaudeville. For both are artistes vocally and inslrument.ally. Both have saprano voices ot flne quality, cultivated in the Italian method, and both are fine planlste^. But some friend who knows how should fluff them up a bit. They remind ono very much of tha Ponselle Sisters when they first appeared in vaudeville, and with proper management have the sama prospects in the two-a-diy. Thejr sing in perfect English, and In their closing International number (good, new ide.a) they sing in several languages, songs of the several countries visited. They were a riot at this house la spite of the Indifferent impression their first entrance made on the audience. RAVEN and KELLY Talk, Song and Dance 15 Mins.; One 23rd St. (April 21) A mixed young couple who, in- stead of trying to \r:ing something new to vaudeville, are content t» go along witli so many others, uf- ing old gags and published number! which haVe been done to death aliead of them. If satisfied to compete with ^» nayflad of similar acts and tak» chances on intermittent booking, that is their own affair. However, they do what they hava laid out for themselves In good enough stylo for the small time, and thoy also Show evidences of being able to handle better material It they, had it. They sing, daitce and talk, have fair voices, are better dancers, especially the girl, and also speak the lines they have distinctly. There is nothing else to be said except to repeat that they will do for the small time, and a se,ason or two ot this may teach them tSa value of new material. Do You Want Work? HARRY DANFORTH 302 Loop End BIdg., CHICAGO Can Gat You Plenty of It Booklnr KirlnaiTrly with WmIi""' 0<5** n. F. Knllh Kirhnnirr. Orph""" *"'' Weatem Vaudsville MMOMgen' An*'