Variety (October 1924)

:ii^fwm:rvm\.- ■ Tiwsfffr^ap^ VARIETr "VAUDEVni£ REVIEWS WedaMda7, October 22, 1924 PALACE One of the greatest shows seen at tha Palace this season opened this week with the Howard Brothers CKew Acts) taking the applause and comedy hits, but not without stifl Opposition from Roger Imhofl In his rejuvenated "Pest House," and Grace L.a Kue In the best song cycle •he has been Identified with In sea- sons. The program was laid out perfect- ly and Is the first bill that has sur- vived the Monday matinee without a ■w*ltch In many weeks. Prom the opening act to the final one it was as smooth as a big league infield— minus pebbles—and as colorful as a bouse painter's pants. Two strong comedy acts In the last half and a good hokum laugh maker In the first, spotted No. 3. formed the skeleton. In between the booker landscaped with a real variety layout. Including a novelty bird act, a classy pair of versatile girls, a planologue, a flashy dancing turn, and more class in Miss La Rue. . , Jackie and BiUie, a corking nov- '•Ity opener, led oft with a short •irigle to right field. Irmanette and Violette (New Acts), two singing, dancing and violin playing darlings, ■urprised, deuclng. The act carries Considerable production but more talent, and could have been dropped down anywhere In a pinch. The acrobatic dancer holds heavy and Is aI«o tbare on the tips of her tootsies. Unusually received In the twilight ' Bosition. ' Jos. B. Stanley, a graduate from ■ feui-lesque, proved how soft vaude- ville Is for the burlesque boys No. t In a "skit" entitled "Waiting," which consisted of several standard burlesque bits and Stanley's com- ' ady dancing and delivery. A half ' and half drop with a drug store and floiist shop opt>osite each other served for the plot such as It was. Owyn Stratford and Florence Allen dressed the stage and read a few lines, and Jack Egan, looking Juv- enllish, did straight and warbled a ballad acoeptably. The act was b&rtlly received and rewarded and >;tfave the first half of the bill a great 'domedy kick just where It was "iweded. Leo Beers followed In bis piano- HIPPODROME this and The An abundance of show at big house the current week smacking of a bit of padding, program carried its usual Monday night switches in position. With the Timberg "Rebellion" act moving up to opening intermlsson from the closing spot The Avon Comedy Four held next to shut, and Coileano dropped back to close for the night. The first half ran according to schedule. The applause winners of the night were Glenn and Jenkins. No. 8. who mude them like the chatter, and fta- Ished with strength through the emphatic floor stamping. Cieorge Jesoel. with something of a revamped edition of a previous vaudeville act. terminated the open- ing half and might have won fur- ther returns had not his finale Jammed up a bit. Otherwise the act breezed along readily, with the idea of giving the audience a flash at the' crew hanging and placing a set being an interesting novelty, especially In this auditorium. Jessel opened by saying, "Now that I'm playing the Yankee Stadium," and kept up the kidding assisted by a megaphone, which the occasion de- manded. The house girls were em- ployed. Instead of the comedian's former groupe, and routined smooth- ly, while Joseph Santley, Hary' XiU- cas and Lillian Price, the lattef two fonnerljr with Jessel, also contrlb- nung. Frank McCunviiie, dancer, was an added ^tarter and person- ally scored. The Five Spinettes started off, fol- lowed by the Jansleys, who make a corking No. 2 for this theatre. Nina Payne had the house chorus and the special sets constructed for her four weeks' stay and cut loose with some kicks that looked Just what they 'were, despite the surrounding di- mensions. And it's something of an accomplishment to make a kick look like anything within this mammoth front Marquita (New Acts) was placed right behind Miss Payne, paving the trail for Mercedes with his audience offering. The latter sauntered in and araund the lower floor for show- mJinshlp results, and although lin- gering a few minutes beyond his allotment was well liked and evi- log with an Albert Whalenentrenw. jg„tly enjoyed the advantage of the I^eo In evening togs and two-gallon egg sauntered on nonchalantly, ' whistling. Arriving at the piano he turned up a couple of bulbs on the i-piano lamp and then hopped to it .•3ody In the Ba^." a comedy song with extra verses, sounds very mucfa> llkk one Jack Norworth used, and •^sual Way" la reminiscent in spots ;Of Neville Fleeson's "Quite the Usual iWay," which proves that Leo has ieen some shows rec^tly. They ■liked Beers' specialty, however, and be wbistled his way off with solid applause behind him. "Body in the Bag" ^open» with a line somethlnK like, "My Kitty-Cat Died Last Might" which U cttte, but hardly Tirulent enough for the two-a-day. . EUIeen Schofleld in "Dancing Les- • aoas" <New Acts'), scored a huge Individual hit following in a dance «ct lifted from the usual by the in- ' dividual talent of the girt Although < aho Is assisted by four persplrInK and hard-working young men. it ' would be Just another hoofing ' goulash without her excellent ver- ' satile stepping. Opening after intermission Roger . Imhof, Marcelle Coreene and Co. took one of the laughing hits in "The Peat House." A new set carrying out the old Idea, and a few more gkgs are all the changes noticeable. The act is thp "Abie's Irish Rose" of vaudeville for endurance, due to the eharacterizatlon of Imhof. His.old Tad character rocked and howled *em and pulled the comedian out for a speech at the finish. Grace La Rue followed, assisted by Joseph Daly at the piano. Miss Jja. Rue, in lieu of a costume change, entbra in cloak and hat-later dis- carded to reveal a stunning short- skirted dress. Opening with "Who'll Buy My Flowers," she followed In order with "You Knew," a semi- classlcai; "In Old Grenada." with a tango Interpreted; "Two Fellows and a Olrl." with a patter verse; ''Bpn Jour"; a "Walts Medley," and "Fol- low the Swallow" with an effective patter verse. The last three were encored numbers. A young florist shop was passed over the foots at ' the finish. "Follow th^ Swallows" will be one of her acclaimed songa iia future, for It fits the T.,aRue per- sonality and delivery like a one- pleoe bathing suit Mr. Daly did nobly as the pianist Willie and Eugene Howard wafked on at 10.60 and remained until 11.15. Tbey could have remained until the Tuesday matinee. No bigger hit has played tlie house, and that includes jan bands. Beege.and Quepee, a corking skat- ing act. closed to a stampede that only a traffic cop could have stopped. A turn colder in the weather didn't help the gate, the house being under capacity despite the great bill. • .. <i Co%. %*rf^^i-.... . ..: . —■■- ■ DftCJSIM ,- • :• '^ Artirt-" '-'-' ..■•■•-."■. 11 Mina.; Two ,f,i„ -i,*, 23d 8t. (Oct. 20) One ot the tryout act»'. Dros1n*s attempt at charcoal sketching was * a bast and tha clay n^otk ^wdfj^. . To Uentlfy. hji^. subjects t)#|*pd t^ mAcn oA' one** Imaginatloh. Vltrli smaH time. -' -^rAheL enormous floor, Cortes and Peggy, who probably hold all mileage records among dancing couples, were No. 9, assist- ed by a six-piece string orchestra. Three dancea. Including a ballroom cohception of a- tango, took the couple off, during which the local chorus came forth for one number and also co-operated upon the finish. The Avon Comedy Four entranced to a reception aivd tied things up with their proverbial routine, which remains without change. A short wait at the start was covered up by George Jessel coming back, behind a mustache, to stal] with Kddi^ Miller and Frank Corbett until the set was r^ady. Half the house was wise, to Jessel's return but seemed timid about making it known. "The Rebellion" look^ JuSt as good on Sixth avenue as it has in the other houses, with its novelty easily making an Impression, and the fast action clicking at every in- stance. Not forcetting that they've played plenty of brchestras at the Hip within recent months. The house chorus was again trotted forth during this episod'e, which gave the girls a record of four acts on the night. Coileano, recently recovered from an Injury sustained while working, seemingly made an error In per- mitting his feminine companon to disport herself, as it was at this point the strays began floating up the aisles. Especiallr did it seem questionable headwork in view of the ^sitlon aaslgned. At that Col- leano's somersaulting on the wire sponsored.for solid appreciation, and the usual two misses but heightened the immediate effect. The slow motion film preceding the act ^ud showing the full revolution Jn de- tail was ah attention gainer besides cb^qposlog a neat introduction. Eriislness at the Hipp' Monday night lopped to be a little ptf, rI- thoiigh, due to "dressing" the d6Mfp- stalrs portion, fdlrly well Covered up the deficiency. The aho#. Mf a witiole, ran smoothly enough and was well supplied with versatility, but the impression remains thkt-a 10-act bill at the Hip nicely suffices for one evening. ' The U generally scheduled comprises something of a digestive problem for an audience, Irrespective of the house or the price scale. Eleven acts total plenty vaudeville. BMg. veteran oomedy aoorobatlo turn, that squeesed many laugba from the full house. Dyer's entangle- ments with the chairs, rlnga, tables and other paraphernalia prove him to be as adept a gymnast as many who accomplish the tricks they set out to do without any mishaps. Birdie Kramer followed with imt- tatloni of trumpet ocarina, violin, musical saw, and steel guitar, all of them capable, but tha last-named particularly good. Mtes Kramer seems to be making an error, how- ever, by attempting to-alng tbe lltnle rhymea coming between p.vt Unita- tions. H«r singing voloa U weak and she would do much batter by reciting. Har appearance In kid clothea is cute, and bar mannerlams becoming to tha otrtat Following Miller and Bradford, who slid by with plenty to spare, third, Rogers and IDonndly pluokad the applauaa laurels ot the evening. Their's is an act, however, that pre- sents unlimited opportunities for improvement As a pantomlmlst the man Is one of tha funniest seen around in some tim*. and he has. in addition, a iivry piaaslng tenor voice. But When he essays talk, particu- larly In an Italian accent that is miles off, the act falls prostrate and is not lifted until he comes to the rescue with some tunny gesture or movement again. The woman can sing, too. and is an acceptable foil. At the flnlslb her partner lands them solidly witb an exhibition of what Is probably tba best musical work on a small tin whistle in vaudeville to- day. The couple proved they were there Monday night but overstayed what should have been their time allptment by several minutes. RIVERSIDE Somehow or other the show Mon- day night pulled a flivver as far as a ismooth-running, 18-karat vaudeville entertainment was concerned. It wobbled around like a cork In rough water and missed Are when It should have been on high. Perhaps there were too many men, but the show was not the sort that sent the audience away In high spirits. The first part carried too much of a punch for the second to recover and ateam along to a big success. It might have been due to the arrangement but the running order was not the kind vaudeville audiences of tha big street are gen- orally accustomed to seeing. Raymond Wilbert opened and gar- nered a Uttlf applause. Ruth GUu vllle and Co. (New Acts) were sao- ond, with Etank Rose and Olive Thorne third. The Rose-Thome act depends upon the woman's Swedish characterisa- tions, her mlnce-meating of the Eng- lish language effective, although not productive of any sustained laughter. Dick Henderson, with Us talk and singing, scored cleanly. Ttda enter- tainer from overseas has Aiperican- Ized his act to such an exi^t that he wlU have no dUQcuIty i£ getting results.^ Eddie Leonard and his marry min- strels closed the first half. t<eonard Is a big favorite at the Riverside, and he copi>ed the big applause of the evening. Eddie is some picker of dancing boys, and the ones be feat- ures with his present act dance like a house aflre. After Intermissioh VenlU Gould, Mason and Keeler and Hawtbome and Cook appeared. Miss Gould has changed her Imi- tations considerably, and In her present list shows she isn't afraid of work. Her characters were Ted Lewis, Frank Van Hoven, Will Rogers, Grade La Rue, Jeanne Eageis ("Rain"). AI Jolson and Ann Pennington. Mason and Keeler proved that their amusing sketch, "Married." has lost none of its for- mer charm, and the laughs were spontaneous. Hawthorne and Cook closed the show, but the position was a tough one. as the folks started walking out before they had finished, having seen the comedians before, perhaps. They did well, but nothing like the com- edy and clean-up registered upon previous occasions in more advanta- geous spots. ATorfc. act In "Traviata" Is a banqust aeaaa interior, for tba Info, of tha gent who spent !• minutes telling tha audi- ence something different. Tha wom- an's coloratura obbilgato stuff was weak and the man's tenor only good enough to fake some of the notes. But at this, this pair of old-timers hit a fair applause belt Dixie Norton (New Acta) next. and a fair hit, with Pinto and Boyle following for a mop-up, unquestion- able and emphatic. Carlo's circus act closed, with tha bucking mulaa getting the beat returns. Bi»ki >^ 81»l ST. ^k^ A routine show, with nothing oiit \^ standing and little to help it above the sphere of an intermediary, with the feature picture, Thomas Melghan in "The Alaskan," undoubtedlv cal- culated to draw, since the vaudeville section was devoid of magnetic names. As a hit-and-run show It served Its purpose, held two entries that woke 'em up, but none of the six acts carded registered for a whale, with the audience Indifferent more often than responsive. Even the permanent girl ensemble had a com- paratively easy time, working in but 4wo of the numbers and contributing nothing in the way of violent danc- ing in either. ■ ■ The Dial v?l»taf« more than bald their own as a lively opener with their fast wire work, the bwAfoot Ja» dance and the rope-sKlSlpInK getting over for.the biggest returns. Harry Bentell abd Helen Gould, oU next, worked faat and neat In a combination of xylophone pUying and fast stepping that made them an acceptable deucer. Flo Lewis, with a new pianist re- placing Jesse Greer, contributed practically the same act she had been doing with the conaposer. and clean- ing up. as usual, with her flapper de- lineation. Then came TUdose Iliescu and his Roumanian Orchestra (New Acts). , , Fenton and Fields packed a com- edy-wallop Into their singing and dancing. Clowning ajl over the place and getting their laughs main- ly through supposed Interruptions, the boys also showed some ptfty lef- work Dave ApoUon closed with his like- able revuette, "Bla-Ba-Bo." support- ed by several exceptionally clever soloists and the Slst Street girls. "The Alaskan" held down the sec- ond part of the program. »«0O. 5tH AVE. dlotatloa from three people at on* time tba girl got the most of it and never tha miss of a letter. Her mind seems a dictionary and her memory an encyclopedia. Seated before tha typewriter In "one." with the ma- chalne on a kitchen table, the girl has an ingratiating manner. Is mild of speech, and with her brnnet coU oring poasasses some magnetism. Questionable, however, if at pres- ent framed for regular vaudeville. But it seems the turn might be re- constructed for that. The act might go a little beyond iSs present con- fines. Hare's a new kind of a mental telep-aphy act for the show- man who may be selected to reframe It .fi^ that objective, or something similar, combining the two, as the typewriter and memory teats are worth something if they may be properly developed for stage use, especially the typewritten matter. Martin and Francis were No. 2, a right position for them, as it's a sis- ter act and. a pleasant one. with the two girls youthful. Neither tries for low comedy nor mugging, and that's refreshing. Bill Farrell and Co., third, had a Cinch In a couple of elderly plants, used for dancing, but not unlike -in age those Joe Laurie captured before Joe, Jr., be- came a star. O'Rourke and Kelly were next to closing, perhaps too hard a spot, but the boys will bave to reshape their stuff and the'comedian take a Sbfter tone before they can get very far wifh the present act, at least on the better time. A feature picture also there. 8ime. * 1 STATE Elinor Glyn's "His Hour" and five acts of falrljr good vaudeville ac- counted for a big house Monday at the State. The bill was one turn shy because, of the length of the feature act "I'arlslan Frolics" (New Acts) which- ran about 29 minates. Closing the bill this proved to be a diverting and expensive creation, with three scenes, a special musical director, and a cast of 13, including Tillls and La Rue and the Eight Bfltlsh Rrxfket Girls. The State Orchestra's overture. "Columbus.T Jtttough Just about a week late, proved to be a pretentious composition, des/cribing In musical AMERICAN ter^s the.'VOvSfje .^cross the-At Ij^itlt an<i<the}di;^eycry of the new world. The vaudeville section was [(Ot's e lul, started by Hubert Dyer and- Co., fat the first act Conclusion. The first Maybe beeause most of the folks on the bill are old-timers; maybe because the show has a wide variety of entertainment or maybe because the weather was cold and the steam heat was turned on Monday night— anyway, the American for the first half has a creditable lineup of acts, several of them good. Prevost and Goulet open well, fol- lowed by the colored team of De Loach and Corbln, who dance (the woman shimmies while singing) and put over;soine whining cornet music. Third was the ancient Rice and Edge act about tlie American impersonat- ing a silly Englishman, purely a stage type. Their dialog went heavy here, although it held some old gags. Carlo and Noll were next with their singing. Opening in mala at- tire, the woman dressed as a tough little boy, they sang "O Sole Mlo." Then, going to "two," the man gave a solo and went on to explain that they would sing some grand opera— a piece from "La Traviata." Jhis piece, he said, was sung by Alfredo (the tenor) to Violetta (the soprano) as they stood on a pathway. The wife pulled some comedy-with this, land 'then they both went Into "A "" the aria which is sung For the 6th Avenuers to get' an all-new WU to them, as the show for the first half was, and to have It good basldas, made a double treat for the capacity house Monday evening. Bill Quaid knew if was there, for ha wasn't backward In speaking ot It and Larry Golde stuck to the finish, never looking at a timetable. Cal and EMbel Norrls, Martin and Francis, Billy Farrell and Co., Wil-. Ham Morris and Co. and ORourke and Kelly were the acta new to New York (under New Acts), The others were a new set of "Folly Girls," Birdie Reeve and the Joe Howard new production'act closing the vaudeviUa Although there was plenty of dancing throughout the performance with plenty of it in the first half (no intermission here), the opening turn, the Norrls, nearly smothered all of the other dancers. A couple of young people with a novelty act. they could and did dance. It was fortunate for the "Folly Qlrli^' th.t their tt>e stepping bunk was out this week, for they could not have followed Ethel Norrls with It This Folly Girl atuff Is the bunto anyway. It it I^ to continue as this week. Nearly a new set of girls in different clothes do nothing but bang around wbilo one gir|,do«a a kicking dance. It aH takes six min- utes, with the girls not used other- wise on the program. For them- selves alone they are not worth six minutes, and eight girls anyway never could make an ensemble in a vaudeville house other than small time. Somebody is kidding or be- ing kidded. The bill's star in straight work was the amusing playlet of the Mor- ris Family with the big laughs of the s^ow begotten from Us smart dialog, rightly placed. The regulars liked this playlet so well they thought Its IS minutes, too short. Closing the show the Howard turn gave a big finishing fiash of color, action and entertainment. Joe Howard was In the midst of If. The years have not dulled Joe's show- manship, and in fact made little difference to his voice, either. As something of another sort was Blrdlo Reeve, a girl of unique at- tainments. She is a speed typist and appared some months ago at the 23d Street During her exhibi- tion of fast thinking and typewrit- ing she frequently mentions a book credited to her as author; along lines of a dictionary compiled for convenience. This looks to be the gravy, since a man sells the book in the lobby as the audience leaves. Moving pictures open the turn, with extracts from news weeklies evidencing the young woman has been somewhat of an attraction in different localities, but nOt ttieat- rically. She writes on the type-, writer with remarkable spaed, and more remarkable accuracy. Back stage before-the performance taking HEW ACTS (Continued from page 35) At every try until KIrkland finally accomplishes the trick, there is a Jumble of bhairs, girl and man upon the floor of the stage. That this comedy Idea seems al- most grood enough to use it alone If necessary fo^ a comedy turn is opiy contradicted by the manner in which the couple take to their I usi- ness. The I isiness Is funny but they are not Not that they should be, but the girl especially appears too serious with the man not ma? - Ing enough of his misses-;—In short the idea is Just working Itself with- out showmanship and that it Is so ^^Strong by Itself is what speaks for It , For instance, the man has an ag' gravting habit of taking hold of tha girl's bare shoulder when she starta to leave the ladder for her seat upon the chairs. The girl brushes his hand away each time but not an- grily nor resentfully. Just mechani- cally. And still it brings a laugh. The flrjit misstep qends them all to the floor with,tbe tail ladder falling over them and the chaira After- ward the toppling Is confined to tha chairs and the persons but tha wobbly ladder repeatedly enters. -'; Finally Mr. KIrkland balances th4 -load upon his chin and marches 6tt of the stage with it, convincing tha house ha is a Juggler of -heavy as well as of light objects. For pre- viously be amused the audience muchly with bis -manipulation of a cornucopia of paper balanced upon his nose and shifted to his ear. The shifts sent hi^to the floor ta prevent the loss of the paper. His contortions en route downward and upward, alwaya banging on to tha sheaf, brought the laughter. Fof the ending of that trick, he flred th4 tip and allowed it to burn down, sf close thu bouse was apprehen.tv^; Opening the act the man dl^ straight work upon the ladder. His girl assistant completes tht . properties. They and the act en- tire perform in "one." ' The KIrkland comedy is enough to set thl.i act upon the big tima His comedy chairs and ladder maf be warked out to any extent, tbt broader the funnier. ^ Bime. '^ MILLS and KINNEY Comedy Acrebatie. Talk. Dancina* 12 Mina.; One The male in this combination was recently around in a two-man turn. The girl does Atmlght for his "boob" acrobatlcii and comedy efforts. The turn opens dark stage. Thera Is some dialogue, and an attempt at a surprise opening for the lights go up, disclosing the girl holding S revolver against the comic's riba They go into a double song, whiob tbe two-man team used. The balance of tbe act consists of "Interruptions" of the girl's at- tempts at "explanations" about Elmer. The Interruptions consist of his efforts to stand on his hesd' somewhat similar to Tom Smith's falling nip up. The girl essays.a kicking dance after a chance to bare legs, and of- fers a bit of dance at the finish to the man's acrobatic stuff. H** straight rendition of a forward WW backward twister from a standW* take flff was applauded. A llg* small-time deucer. The fclrl ne#* dlreetlpn. 'I .^. ;.'■.-*.■ I