Variety (June 1924)

Wednesday, June 4, NEW ACTS THIS WEEK VARIETY ^ f US. uetLll CARTER CO. w AMinatie Skttch f^ Min.; Fun (Special DrapM) Palace Making her vaudeville debut, the tne-tlme Zaza la ualng a aketch by John Colton, one of the authors ol "Bain," called "Allxe of Tartary," H being a luper-mellow-melodraina, with a murder to prove Ita aerloua- licss. Despite that, however. It Is «o In- volved and pedantic In its sopho- nioric plottlngB that aside from the polite applause accorded the star, it drew little but coughs and the fhuffUng of feet from the Palace audience on Its debut, Tuesday jnatinee. The plot contjrns two women, one the wife of the Russian Grand Duke Leopold, and the other his mistress, a dancer. Kemenoff, the Bed leader, has murdered the Duke. The two women, bound by their common love and the self-renuncia- tion which must be written Into a Leslie Carter part, determine to ©utwlt the Red leader. That they do is apparent from the moment Mrs. Carter enters from behind the secret passage masked by the dou- ble-headed eagle of the Rom.'-noffs. The Red begins drinking, and gets a sharp edge on. But fhe tltian- haired Mrs. Carter retains her nian- ners of English drawing-room com- edy and keeps sober, thereby scor- Ins her point. For a finish she kills the Red, coming back to do a Eurlpldean Electra over his dead body, the wh'lle reminding herself that the blood of Kubla Khan flowed in her veins and that by her murder she has avenged Holy Russia. Which, of course, made It okay. J. D. Williams staged the sketch, and considering the material, did well enough. Skimpy settings did not help the general in)pres8lon. -Marie Ilka as the "other woman," Edward Arnold as the Red, and RoKS Hertz In a minor role, fur- nished capable support, with Mrs. Carter making a handsome appear- ance in a Jet black gov/n. Her role In this piece _ is supposedly dra- matic, but the lurid and lengthy theme proved too much. Bisk. ABE LYMAN and Hia California Orchaatra (12) 86 MIna.; Full Stage (Special) Palac* A few mlnute.1 of pictures Intro- duces the band, announcing Cali- fornia's contributions to the dance music field with Art Hickman, Paul Whlteman and Abe Lyman listed. The "shots" deal with screen and sports' luminaries, all expressing their sorrow at Lyman's departure for the east. The band opens with "Waters of Hhe Mlnnetonka," a Lyman favorite, in a beautiful palm garden set with a waterfall background, a rep- lica of his coast background. It runs through an assortment of dance numbers, depending chiefly on the band to sell the act. And how they sell It! The debut Monday was sensational. There will be no denying for this organization In the east. Their dance rhythm is Irresistible. The sensational "gazook-mutlng" by Kred Martin's trombone, Ray Lopez's "hot" trumpeting, and Charles Kaley's fetching tenorlng of different choruses, coupled with the personnel's general" contribu- tion from all angles, leaves little doubt as to this newcomer's mu- sical importance. Lyman will take his place along- side of the foremost leaders at once. The orchestra numbers 12. Ly- man conducts and Is at the drums in the centre. Three saxes, two trumpets, piano, two violins, banjo, trombone and bass complete the line-up. It cannot miss as a vaudeville act. Owing to their Hotel Astor roof engagement, the vaudevlllo will be limited to the metropolitan hou.ses, but this band can go Into the Hippodrome for an Indefinite stay EMMA HAIQ and Co. (2) Dancing and Singing 14 Mina.; Full Stage (Special) Fifth Ava. Emma Haig reiuma to Taude- vllle after a mwrloal oomedy. 8b« is doing practically the aame turn she has for aome time on the twice dally, with the chief difference the^ presence of Walter Preston auc- ceedlng another tenor, George Grif- fin, as th<i vocalist. Miss Halg opens with a little Introductory song in one, emphasizing her sojourn in the legit. A shift to full-stage reveals a ratheiT -good-looking drape and set. Mary Washburn is at th«> piano, a sweet appearing girl, who Is not given the opportunity to be anything but an accompanist, al- though she makes her keyboard work outstanding. Preston Is a lyrical tenor, hailed as a find eorly this seaaon when ap- pearing in a different act. He has two solos, one standard and one popular, and shows great tonal beauty in both. He etill has much to learn, not only in the vooal line, but for stage presence. At the fin- ish he does a few waltz steps with Miss Halg, getting away with them surprisingly well for one who is evi- dently not a trained dancer. The chief value Is built around little Miss Haig's stepping, always notable. Besidea the waltz, she does a Jackie Coogan novelty and two other dances, demonstrating the pirouettes, ankle bends and trick turns that have won her fame. Miss Haig's costumes are, as al- ways, dainty and tasteful. The turn *t present is somewhat lacking In the way of paice and fin- ish. With these acquired. It ahould serve as a neat number for the beat houses. MOORE and MITCHELL Songs, Talk, Acrobatics, Dances 12 Mins.; One Aioore and Mitchell are talking, singing and dancing acrobats. They wear bell-shaped French tuxedos for comedy, one of the pair also using a slight Hebrew dialect. The gags and talk In between the tricks are mostly of familiar vin- tage, but the turn entertains con- sistently and Is sure-fire for the in- termediate houses. The dancing runs to eccentric buck and acrobatics, both being proficient at all styles. Travestied hand-to-hand tricks, with falls at the finish were good for big laughs. A "rocking horse" trick, both up- setting by rocking too far, was an- other comedy punch. At the finish the comedian over- does hie ballyhoo of his partner's excellent ground tumbling and re- versed hand-springs. The turn can hold a spot on tne pop bills and would get by early up on a big-time layout. They were very well rewarded here. Con. QILDA GRAY Singing and Dancing 18 Mina.; Full (Spacial) Hippodrom*. Gllda Gray la In vaudevUle after a season's sojourn with "Zlegfeld Follies." For her two-a-day vehicle she has three of the numbers she did with the Zlegfeld show and In lieu of the Zlegfeld b«auty brigade, has substituted the Allen Foster Dancing girls for her showing here, working them In all three numbers, presented in the fashion of song scenes, with individual settings and costuming. Miss Gray opens with "It's Get- ting Darker on Broadway" as an in- troductory for a nifty jazz dance with the Hip steppers coming on in white costumes similar to those used by the Zlegfeld choristers in the same number. The trick light- ing is also employed to block out the white features of principal and choristers, providing the Illusion that the strutters are colored. There is also the background showing Broadway's night places In the throes of Ethiopian entertain- ers. The number is well pepped up and goes over with a bang. Another group of 16 girls appear In the second scene, a South 8ea Isle affair which provides the set- ting for a number and hula hula dance by Oilda, with the girls also lending to It much snapplness. All are costumed appropriately with Miss Cray substituting silken shreds for the regulation grass shred skirts worn by the ensemble. An un-billed toe dancer filled a change gap between this and the final number, "Beale Street Blues," which Miss Gray sent over in char- acteristic fashion, punctuated by the "shimmy" dance that shook her out of the cabarets and into the "Fol- lies." The latter wowed them as usual. The Hip presentation proved a great build-up for the shimmy queen. The settings and girls helped lots. Spotted No. 10 the act was a cleanup. "A PICTURE OF 18(10" (7) Miming Tableaux and Playlet It has everything desirable in i IS Mins.; Full Stage (Spacial) band acts. That takes in a rhythm **"'■ ' ''- that l.s unique, a pretty set, melody, and, not the least, personality. Aid CADIEUX Tight Rcpo •• 11 Mine; Full Stage Cadicux is a stoutly built fellow, whose weight is no handicap to him In his bounding wire stunts, similar to those originally shown to New Yorkers by Juan Caicedo, when fea- tured In Broadway production 30 years ago. Such acts have been scarce since and Cadleux should be a novelty on that account. Instead of the soft soled shoe generally worn, by wire walkers, Cadieux wears ordinary shoes on his opening, later putting on high- higeled leg boots with spurs at- tached, in which he does leaps. Jumps and somersaults, using a heavy balancing pole. His various stunts each received generous acknowledgment, besides a couple of curtains at his finish. A good opener for almost any bill. WALTER LIBBY and Co. (2) Triok Bicycle 14 Mins.; Full SUgo Llbby Is assisted by an unbilled cyclist, who works In grotesque clown make-up. The assistant is funny and a corking performer on the giant unlcycle. A nicely pro- portioned brunet appears once or twice for some conventional riding. Llbby's solo riding on the ordi- nary bicycle Is excellent and in- cludes all of the standard tricks and spins. He features a double and triple boomerang around the handle bars. The triple is preceded by comedy business, with the clown after each miss winding up In a realistic looking collision when Ubby's bike hits the clown riding ahead ©n a miniature wheel. The clown's attempts at riding a wooden disk with pedals on it was a big laugh-getter. The act closed a long bill and went nicely. It compares favorably with any of the bicycle acts seen around. Con. P. DODD ACKERMAN SCENIC STUDIOS, be. 140 WEST 39TH STREET NEW YORK Deaigners and Mahera of High JAZZ ORCHESTRAL REVUE (9) Music, Singing and Dancing 18 Mins.; Full Stage (Spacial Cyc) Eight pieces In the orchestra— two saxaphones, violin, piano, trum- pet-cornet, slide trombone, banjo and drums. Good combination for this class of theatres A snappy working, good looking girl appears to be the reason for the band, she singing (better than average voice) and dancing to the band's accompaniment. And she dances, too. Three num hers, each flashing a different st^le of dance, was her contribution to the entertainment, and each was heartily applauded by the blase (as far as dancing goes) City theatre- goers. Besides this, the -girl has a ton of personality and only lacks op- portunity for better things. ELLY and CO. (1) Juggling 15 Mins.; One and Three (Latter Special) Hippodrome. Elly, billed as America's peer of lady jugglers. Is a blonde woman whose smallness of stature fits in well with the Idea of her act. Dressed as a kiddie she comes on with doll caYriage in one, Juggles pillows, balances carriage and other objects. The act shifts to three where she continues to Juggle toys ranking from dolls to a mammoth rocking horse, all of which dovetail with the nursery set background. For a finish she tialances a huge settee on forehead while ascending and descending an eight-step ladder. The act is a novelty in the Jug- gling line as far as treatment goes and Elly Is as an accomplished jug- gler as has thus far trod the two-a. day boards. A likeable feature any Coliseum, London. This act marks a distinct enter- tainment change and it may be a new era in the entertainment world. Described by Cecil Hepworth as "luminous miming" it Is the prolog from the Hepworth picture, "Com- ing Thro' the Rye." A huge picture frame is draped with tabs. The canvas is in reality an ordln.ary 'transparent klnema screen. Main sub-titles are project- ed followed by Introductionary ones. These latter fade out, disclosing an ordinary oak chamber set of the early Vlctorijin period in which one by one, each introduced by a sub- title, the leading characters in the picture appear and with a few ges- tures of pantomime, give an Idea of their respective positions in the story. The introductions are followed by a short pantomime setting forth the motif of the story. The thing about the show Is the beautiful dressing and the genius of Cecil Hepworth'e lighting. He car- ries his own lighting apparatus and switchboard and operates entirely himself. As an act pura and simple it Is somewhat unsatisfactory aa sean in such a huge theatre. From the back of the clrcla the figures are blurred and It la Impossible to dis- tinguish expreaalon on the players' faces. From higher up In the build- ing the faces themaelvea must be little better than a blur. The set would do wall In amaller houses and make a distinct and welcome changa In a rvvue. Head- ed by Alma Taylor, It la presented by the original players in tha pic- ture with the exception of Gordon Hopklrk, who now plays the hero originally created by Shayle Gard- ner. Hopklrk Is 100 per cent better in the part than the othar man. The act was well received, although pretty obvious It had not attracted a multitude of picture "fans." A full call waa taken and an at- tempt on the part of Cecil Hep- worth and Alma Taylor to "pinch" a special "tab" call for themselves was ruined by the Indian army bands commencing their act while the two were still bowing. Oore. ROYAL HONG KONG TROUPE (6) Japanese Novelty and Acrobatics 11 Mins.; Full Stage (Special) 58th Street Five Japaneae, two men, two women and one anoall boy In an ordinary routine. One of the women has light brown har and appears to be partly if not entirely Caucasian, although she wears an oriental cos- tume. The routine embraces fire-eating, plate spinning, contortion work and hair swinging by the women. Noth- ing is extraordinary, and some of the work is very poorly done. In addi- tion, this trouj>e lacks ahowman- shlp. At present the turn la only for eat Claaa VaadevUle SINGER and EDWARDS Songa and Talk 12 Mins.; One Lincoln Square Two men. One handlee the comedy and is the mainspring, the other working straight, doing fairly well with his voice. At this house the boys whammed 'em, largely due to the lyrical construction of a com- edy number. Some of the inferencec were close to the "blue," with the comic switching to another word other than the one that the audi- ence si.rmi«ed would be there. MARQOT KELLY and Ca Skatch 1 25 Mine.; Full SUga Maryland, Baltimora Baltimore, May SI. The Entanglement" is a comedy- playlet presented by Amelia Bing- ham, with more or less farcial treat- ment by and with John Bowie. Mar- got Kelly la starred, but Bowie's part is of first importance, and tha most effectively played. The rather sketchy plot has to do with Bonnie Allen (Norman Hackett), and his ward Iris (Mlsa Kelly). Allen Is about to marry someone offstage. He tells Blanche Wlckham (Kathleen Belden) all about it It seems that he still regards Iris a child, but she Is eighteen and much In love with him. Iris makes quite a scene when he leaves to apend the evening with the other woman, but he doesn't understand her emotion. She Is only . pretending this time, however, aa she has arranged for Phillip Hull (Mr. Bowie) to call on her. Phillip Is a comically bashful swain. In a scene somewhat sug- gestive of "Fair and Warmer" sho introduces him to cocktails and In- sists they don robes du nuit, so that she may be "compromised." Allen returns at the psychological moment, suspects tha worst, and in- sists that Phillip marry Iris at once. Iris then confesses her love for Allen, he realizes that It Is she ha really loves and prepares to assume Phillip's place when the minister arrives. The scene between Bowie and Miss Kelly la the only one that matters. This haa decided posal- bllltles. With more direction Bowie could develop his role Into some- thing very diverting. Miss Kelly doesn't seem to be especially well The comedy chap has a story ^ort, embracing foolish endearments. about a traveling man and a fem- inine hotel clerk which is raw in nature,' but gained an outburst, The boys warble now and then and the comic throws in a brief dance that combines a little of a Russian routine which got applause. One point In the comic's favor is his delivery, the rear of the house catch- ing every word. If .the boys retain their "blue" gags and keep the last number in- tact they will wow them in every pop house they play. The "strfiight" could help by not taking hiq work so seriously and mechanically. MURRAY GIRLS Harmony Singing " '. ,„ ( 11 mins.; One Jefferson The Murray Girls have been around for some years and always with their harmony singing. The present turn haa most of its music sung to the bare accompaniment of a well strummed uke. Fop stuff is their material and in several songs a patter version Is used effectively. The dressing^ calls for comment. White Jeweled bodices are used with the skirts of a light chiffon material which allows for a divided light effect, the bodice sparkling and the skirts taking the spot color nicely. On the strength of their harmony the No. 2 on the medium time, and on some bills could jo down further. GAFFNEY and WALTON Comedy Talk and Singing 14 Mins.; One (Spacial) 68th Street Before a special drop, represent- ing the exterior of a church, Qaffney and Walton appear aa a newly- married couple. He is undersiaed, and she la about twice aa tall and built proportionately. She has. however, a sweet expression and • good deal of charm. — The talk is usual for acts of this petty arguments, "going home to mother," and one or two allghtly suggestive honeymoon wise cracks. There is also a good deal of kidding each other on acoount of the great difference in size. She says she fears to be arrested for kidnapping, and he for bigamy. Again, when he demands they buy a cradle, aha re- fuses, saying she thinks ha (the husband) la almost big enough to sleep in a regular bed. That brings a howj and a good many other wheezes do llkewlaa,-' but the turn Is essentially ainalN . time 'In construction, humor and delivery. Some of the talk la very antiquated, and none of it la of tha sparkling variety now popular In the better houses. At the finish they attempt a song to dlsasterous results. She baa a melodious talking voice, but her vocal powers are aadly limited. A burlesque dance, with the wonoan tossing the "shrimp" partner about, brought down the curtain to tumult- ous applause. , BENNY RUBIN CO. (6) Comedy Skatchoa 31 Mins.; Ona and Three (Spacial) 5th Ava. A series of flva sketches with Benny Rubin, the principal comic in each Interlude, and marking himself through means of his trick ^ ^ laugh. Assisted by three men and glrla f>-«_K00d an.y^here^ for ^„^ ^omtn the act gains its rea- son from the side stage apertures revealing a man and woman perus- ing newspapers with the verbal de- scription of happenings leading Into the playlets. A railroad station, husband and wife squabble, police court and Russian skit are offered, in between which Is Inserted a vocal solo by one of the women, and a duet backed by a series of goldfish bowls so lighted as to Illusion live canary birds within the globes. Tha bit (Continued on page 31) MME. BERNICE DE PA8QUALE Singing 15 Mins.; Three (Special) Hippodrome. Mme. Pasquale is recruited from the operatic stage, having succeed- ed Mme. Sembrlch with the Metro- politan Opera and having co- starred with the late Enrico Ca- ruso with the same organization. Although using a piano as a prop the singer works with house orches- tra, at least she did at her showing here. She Introductorled with an operatic aria In Italian, disclosing a pleasing soprano voice, rich In tone and robust In volume. She fol- lowed with another Italian aelec- tlon and closed with "Coming Thru' the Rye" in English. Was a most acceptable feature in fifth spot with the Monday night audience showering an ovation upon her that could not have pos- sibly been outclassed by a Met au Do You Want Work? PARRY DANrORTH 302 Loop End BIdg., CHICAGO Can Get You Plenty of It nooklna Rxieloiilvely with Weatrra Ofllr* n. F. Keith Rxchanae, Orpbeam »a4 W«irt«ni VMdcTlUa MaJMacra' Am^