Variety (December 1924)

:'*.r'i:iHf:t3-.ii!MiK-'*.^ >*\ WedoMdaj. Deceniter 8,1M4 VAUDEVILLE REVIEWS VARIETY 41 ' ^ FALACB y^ ] ■ An arwi raqaiiit bUl «rowdlnc ■luoli ronicklnt •aterUlnmMtt Mid reception eoininUt««a salor* at th* PAlMi* on Monday nisbt wtth ji«av7 Moaptlona beatowed upon Ui* XMtum o< Jifra. Laalla Carter in tawr tonnar Taudevlll* ▼ablclei, "Allxa ot Tartarjr." and IX>rotb]r Jardon, who retoma Irom opara to vaudevUlo. Both wara reclplenta of inuch palm whaeldnr. Mlas Jardon rea)pon|iJ«d with a' apaicb; Mra. Cai^tar ra-> trained. Tba ten-act bin held aeven fa- BilUara and three new onea, the latter balng Frank Oe Vo% In the dance; Clayton and Lennle, on fifth, and Trevor and. Harria and the Vincent Roae RIts-Carlton Orchea- tra in the follow up (New Acta). The ahow held aeveral namea that demonstoated drawing ability In thla geireraUy olt period when ahow burtoeaa.ln ceneral (a bucking the uaoal pan-holiday aliimp. The Palace eaeapM dapi-eaaloh Monday nitht, paoklng them-in and atandlng them UP for the ftrst Monday night aes- aion In weeks. A rearrangement of the bill Diove^ George Jessell down from next to closer In the first half to opener of the second, with Clayton and Lemile changing for the earlier «pot. Torino, Buropean Juggler, assisted by Dorla. Whltely, led the proces- sion with a creditable line of Jug- gling that won Inatant appreciation. Frank D^ Voe held follow up In songs. .Arnaut Brothers clowned their way through a line of Instrumenta- tion and tumbling and wowed them as usual with their "loving birds" bit in which they carry on a flve- mioulQ conversation by whistling. Clayton and Lennle- next, and then' Mrs. L«slle Carter, supported by Hal Clarendon and Marie Ilka, supplying intense drama in John Cotton's drama of Russian revolt, "Allxe .of Tartary." This story of the. courageous Duchess whq traps the Red Jeader to the room of her husband's mistress on the day of his execution and sUbstitutea her- self for the mistress in order that the latter may rejoin her Illegiti- mate children, of which the titled woman's husband was the father, gives Mrs. Carter a role wealthy in emotional scope that she carried well and climaxes. AlthoUi^ a trifle heavy for vaudeville It serves Ita purpose in projecting the histrionic abilities of the star. Treyor ^nd Harris and Vincent Hoae'a Orohea- tra closed the first half. ' ■:'Mr. Jesaell opened the second section''With hla uquah line, of .J^recay stuff, not forgetting a plug for his new musical,. "The Girl ' From Itelly's," and trotting out twd • cuti<fs as s'ipposed rtinaWays trying «-*« bife«at ■ Int*' the shbw ■ lousiness. r^The girls do' specialties - and make '>3a great prop for a baUad closer for ,; Jessf>'U, His i;ot|mate chatty over !,.ihe phone woWed most of them, Especially a'yai^ about his aunt, Skdle; who'had inherited two dur- InaT' ther- night which he cleared up -.l»y stating they were tickets for the ;.'MusIc Box opening,, instead of -twins', as the audience had oon- , cIUdM. As for his contemplated '' pluhgii In musical comedy he con- tided that all he needM waa two Cood acU and (36,000. . Miss Jardon, radiant In person- ality and in excellent voice, not ''bverlobklng a dazzling equipment, * followed on with Jerry Jarnlgnn at *■ the musie box. Introductorylng ■ With the Cigarette Song from "Car- ; IBen,"'abe remained on for, a fan- '. taay and a cycle t^eatreded to- ' Igethef-^wlth arias from favorite V operas. Jarnlgan soloed to bridge ''a costume change with Miss Jardon t returning for Romance from "Rus- .' tlcana" and closing with a pop ballad. A strong reception and a .J stronger appreciation at the finish, ' also many floral tributes prompted \; ft speech of thanks. "ty. Jjavt Boltz clowned his way K through a number of fonga and Vttorlea. with Qroh and Adonla, the I' latter a trained dog, closing with .t^ a neat line of hand and head bal- •; anclng. ', ' Bdba. HIPPODROME houae. Hto clowning and novelty uualcal work pleaaed. Ota OygU Margaret Severn land eompany, closed the first half, the act balng programmed under the Old team aama of Maryon Vadte and Ota Qygl. The company'a bal- let work waa augmented by the Hip's own ballet corpa In atriking enaembles. Miss Sevem'a terplcho- rean efforts were consistently fetching and Gygl'a Tlolln work tmpreased. Oygl novelly called Frederick Klnaley, the house organ- lat, to attention when Kinsley ac- companied the vlolhils^ In a ICrels-. ler arrangement of Logan'a "Pale Moon." Klnaleya naual Intermission or- gan aolo, "Klisa," in this wise com- manded' more attention than ordi- narily, although this organist ha« been making his efforts as pains- taking and elaborate as possible, certainly parring thotee of the picture house organists who are usually featured in their theatres as special "presentations." Ifins- ley's chief obstacle is the fact most of them, are giving Toytown in the basement the o.o. while he la doing his stuff. Following Julius Lenaberg's frolic and the "Fables" reel, Herberta Besson, tight wire dancer, - cnrigl- nally slated for the trey, reopened Besson,in a wire worker who caps his neat work by unwigging, dis- closing hip female impersonation. Fortunello and Cirrtllino, the sec- ond clown act on the bill', like Coir- wey, are also Hip familiars. This team, because of its ideal suitability for the spacious amphitheatre, owing to the ready registering of ilie combined clown and comedy efforts, is a favorite repeater here. None the less, everything clicked as before. Doubtlessly also what may seem quite familiar to an assigned reviewer Is not so well known to the regular cash customers. Clau- dia Alba and company (New Acts)- followed, although orlKinally pro- grammed to reopen after the siesta. W. C. Fields; with hla goU llnk« hit, was a bullseye and the, jug- gling for the encore was even nwre effective because of the contrast of a comedian proving adept at ma- nipulating the balls and cigar boxes. Florence Walton and Leon Lel- trlm, with the California Ram- blers' Orchestra (New Acts) closed. vandeviUe a«t, snappy and up to the mlnutea Arthur and Morton Havel closed the flrat half In their pleasing mu- alcal comedy, "Lovera' Lane." The story isn't new, hut the treatment and peraoaalltles of the principals wham 1% across. "Ifary. I Love Tou," ths theme song la a tuhetul, whla- tleabla melbdy. Barto and MelVln, ons of the best «f ths haad-to-hand combos, closed the show and held most In. Con. J"ii STATE alhambra: Good variety entertainment at the Hip thla week, interspersed with at least three "name" acts to make it interesting. And smartly seasoned with opportune Introduc- tions of the well-trained, fresh- 'looking ensemble steppers. Business was excellent, the brisk weather helping it not a little and one or two audible commeiUs on existing -about "good show" seemed to be the consensus. " The rihow was switched around tiulte a bit, the shifting proving for the better os to the desired dlver- ■ sity. Walter Stanton's giant rooster turn waa nicely embeHlshed by the Foster chicks for the opener. Lew Castleton and Mijjt Mack (New Acts) twlced with their stepping. May Wlrth was changed from closing to No. 3. Her equestrian act still remains the class, Noko's <?omeay and the rest of the new company combining for a highly in- teresting Interlude. - Frances White, with BUly Joyce at the piano, was the firpt "name." Miss White's song cycle clicked consistently nrd included a few of the old familiars. Ferry Corwey, the musical clown who seems to be more^ or less of a fixture at the Hip. Judging from his frequent returns and holdovers, is _. kn Meal turn for tliS ntammoth>>tke principals Madame ' Sophie Tuckeir' is- 4h0 entire last half of the< bill at *the Alhambra this week and; Judging by the . reception .given . to the Tuckjer act and the aftjerplece «he staged t^lth .the assistance ot her two plaiffsts, Tfed Shapiro and Jack Carroll and her two Orpheum Cir- cuit oompknlon acts, Alexander and Olsen and Z«ck and ■ ]^m^ oln h. tba customers with _ ' The show needed <. thfi aftesF hokum, for their isn't a low com- edy entry oh the UU. The first half held three comedy talking Vutn$ in Deagon and Mack, Nti. S; Sinclair and Oaspar, No.i 6, with' Arthur and Morton Havel closing the first half. Despite their. proxtmityk the first half played satisfactorily, with' the Sinclair apd Caspar turn taking the toughest assignment following the Tong Wong Brothers, ihe Chi- nese Jugglers and acrobats. Bophle and her afterpiece cut- upa opened after Intermission. The Madame rang up. an individual bullseye with her song cycle ana then announced that the mt^nage- ment had allowed her to assemble an afterpiece. Alexander and Olecn then proceeded to hoke up their xylophone stunt, the playing being "interrupted" by Miss Tucker . do- ing the "room and board" gag. Ted Shapiro as "the hunchback who knew some dames," with a bladder under hie coal' for the hump,'Alex- ander as a 'Vlame," etc. A burlesque mind reading stunt followed. Miss Tucker and one of the comics Ih one stage box, with Alexan.'ier and Shapiro in the opposite one cross,- fired and crabbed all of the gag*. For a finish a clown band with Sophie playing the bass drum, etc. The rough housing was a bit rough, but pulled consistent laughs. The show needed it, ilie entire works' running until 11:07. Hazel Moran opened instead of the programmed Orpheus and Neville. Her rope spinning and chatter started things nicely. Rus- sell and Marconi, second In their comedy musical skit, were a strong deuce, starting things nicely for Deagon and Mack. Miss Deagon is probably the cleverest kid imper- sonator In the racket. They had them eating out of their hands all the way. Mack Is the Ideal straight feeling at Just the proper tempo and never overplaying. They went heavy. . Tong Wong Brothers next Jug- gled and contorted Into Instant fa- vor. The two boy top mounters are marvels with the boneless stuff. The turn is beautifully mounted and a real noveltj'. ■ It was spotted nicely No. 4. i , Sinclair and Caspar followed and Respite the spot delivered decidedly. The act IS a» modem as bobbed hair and based Upon a popular theme. The two girls who rteet nften being glven^ th*^ rair' from a "ouplc of -automobiles- are- dlstlnot types. The dialogue Is clever, with ' ~ ditto. It's an Ideal Another In and out show at the Loew ace for the. current seven daya The bill, which gets started Well, la allowed to a\ow up for a While but which, having once re- gained Its pace, neVer maintains It Jordan's orchestra in the pit led off with a nifty proposition, "My Cross Word Puzzle Overture,'' which used slides and various songs fbr its basis. Comedy was written into the slides and a synonym tor P61i- i^c/an called for "Honest and Truly"; a synonym for Expensive' called for "D«ar Ohe"; UkewisCi a synonym tot Champion Tee Skater called for "Bliza." The results of the puzzle were flashed from time to time and the songs Plugged, so that the whole thing looked like. some piugger's stunt. Even if so, the idea is good enough' to stand Up ih Any middle house and with better songs used and a real puzzle worked out, it might develop into something of proportions. For certain 'houses this idea coufd be copied'to'Ir^eat ad- vantage. Lieach Quinlan Trio opened the show proper, and .their iron J^w and slack wire work brought commen- dation, audibly expressed. Lady Tsen Mel, No. 2, opened be- fore a blue velvet curtain singing the Chinese Lullaby .used in "l^st Is West," and 'followed this With two pOp/ sonffs that meant less than the Kaiser'in Holland. Then came her bird and - animal Imitations, which carried Just well enough to ease her off to slight applause. The Tsen Mel act doesn't mean a great deal now to a pop house, even at Its price, for all the . novelty 'which an Oriental singer Would natu'rally possess being wiped out by her frank invasion ot what is typically Atfierican aatwlc. ' " "" ■ "VVarrert and 6'Brien, on next, and although a'riot ftl sOmeof the neigh- borhood houses, made a slow fade- out here." In acrot>atlc and comedy faH-'stuff they are there, hut t|ie talk Was too long and .too jnu<^ stall- ing stuck, out. ..>:. t , Robert Aellly' and Co., consisting of Molly Kennedy and X4ttle I^irfy, next Wit'b. an Irish song sketch in tW9 scenes, both set In "three," th«f first a cottage Interior and the sec- * a rural exterior.' The jdea of i'th{|t the'Irlsh'md[ti lovea *■*•• and the' lady's kid d -to be kept tumblers and equilibrists, opened. The routin; is. a bit rough but all right here. The McDonald trio, a family hicycle act, closed. Ibcc BROADWAY It was a typical vaudeville show In the way it ran and entertained. A show that gave immense satis- faction, with the spice of variety that the Broadway audiences ap- preciate. Clifford and Gray speeded things oft with their fast, clever, hoop Juggling. They have accuracy, dash and a routine that had 'em applaud- ing. This plus personality enabled the act to score all the way. Cd. E. Ford twisted his face this way and that and amazed the natives with the elasticity of his face when he put four golf balls in his mouth. Ford's songs slow him up a bit, but when he is doing the facial contor- tions he holds attention. Elizabeth Brice and Band were a sol^d. hit ^11 the way. That Kcasler band is strong q^ brasses, but there's a reason, and they Jazz the accompaniment when Miss Brice calls for it. Miss Brice seemed Just as lively, vlvaciouB, graceful and "at home" on the stage as ever. She has a corking musical back- ground, a support that will add to her vaudeville lustre. Robinson and Pierce appeared to good advantage. This breezy pair has its act work- ing like clock regulation, causes no end of amusement and laughter that strikes a responsive chord out front. A bully act of Its kind. Adelaide and Hughes danced ac- ceptably and in their closing num- ber elicited applause that was gen- erous from all parts of the house. That mechanical figure Imitation and dance is a classic that shows skill and practice,. Next to closing, Bert Fltzglbbon's clowning and "nut cracking" hit a soft spot that brought Bert laughs and applause. When Jimmy Flynn appeared there was applause as the folks remembered his sweet voice, and Jimmy shared in the applause honors. Th^ Sarottas. gymnasts (New Acts), closed. Hark. as ' old as almost as ktuff »,eet, that ■ange of iells" and Chal quaint, has a: naivi clinging, sac'civafii makes for. a rc^resl pace after a fev "damns." The kid In the tUrn was good and so were his elders. Jimmy l^ott» next with his sol- dier monolog to good results, but the Pattl Moore turn (New Acts) proved a letdown fcr the shtlt. The bin held. "Married Flirts" as the film feature; and several short subjects—niore than usual. House filled and the .loges holding a pair of pettinir kids way past the. spring- time of yduth but who knew their stuff, heTertheless. ~ 8Uk. AMERICAN If there, were any sqouts from other circuits In to look the first half show- ever they found nothing new and llttte to grab for. Matinee trade Monday was quits Satisfac- tory, imt nlkht attendknce was off both doWnmairs and on the' roof, the descSndlMg thermometer prob- ably being a deterrent ' Elsie White -was the-stand-out turn. Next'.to closing her dlalec^ song routlXM^roused the-roof hoonds to whlstlbig plaudits, ai>d there were no contenders for the 'score. Sev- eral dIttleS soudided new. Mls)s White looked welh She Is carrying a clever girl piano accompanist. Charles Aheam and Co. were the headline, closing intermission wit^ his travesty hodge-podge. The "Millionaire Jazt Band" of hobo players worked upstairs without the box car drop, which made little dif- ference. Preluding the nut dancing bits, a lithe and gqod-looking damsel appeared in bare feet. Also sport- ing bare shanks. Aheom squawked a bit about it being cold. James K*nnfedy and Co. In "The Squire" made an amusing' No. 6. It is a pleasant little comedy, and the two players in support were w«l> chosen, the girl particularly so. Bhc looked nice and had an amusing way of spying to her stage husband: "Shut up, FrMdie Lamb." George ahd Lily Garden opened after intermlssloh with fair results from their xyIo.,h«nlrtg. ' Danny Duncan showed his kilts with about equal 'purpose on thirdi Hls' crying number, was liked but. seemed too long.. Hawas.^est as a wheezy Delbrldge and Gremmer GRAND OPERA HOUSE An Independent vaudeville house, ranking of the small time grade and with a 40c. top. It's at 8th avenue and 23rd street, built '■ by Jay Gould and when' llTiished, what Its name Implies, an opera honse. That was long before Independent vaudeville got Its head over the opposition fences, long before Times Squ^rf. .Siuc^ then the Grand has had everything, winding up with Its week, though business for Thanks-, present vaudeville policy. According to the Monday niglit audience that came pretty- clcse to capacity #lfh the boxes at (pc filled,, the Grand wjll go along for some time as It has been, doing a very profltaMe business. Some Of the small time theatres on circuits in the East could well take a look inside-of thla well kept theatre, that Is altogether different in appearance and atmosphere, on the Interior than what might be suKpecteU m that neighborhood. Tho theatre looks splo and span. Inside and out. This is said, to have been a recent change. While it might cost many a small timer its profits for three years to properly reno- vate, the Grand doesn't need one thing attended to as far as obser- vation . told. That takes la the stage, too, and lighting. Anyone familiar with small time vaudeville houses as they may be seen In the metropolitan district and elsewhere will appreciate what the above statements take In. It Isn't %nown what the name of the Grand management Is. They are supposed to be brothers, from memory, and also ths same ones Who had or have the Olympic in Brooklyn. Nor is the name of the booking agent readily recalled, though It has been heard. He Is an Independent, naturally. Monday night the Grand's bill had five acts seen, with six billed, be- sides a Hoot Gibson feature -and the Jack Dempsey serial for the picture end. The films appeared to hold the crowd almost solid so could, be accounted as the draw. There' was nothing in the vaudeville to at- tract outside. It was a well balanced show of five turns for this caliber of house; what might be called a typical in- dependent bill for the larger towns. It was not expensive and neither was It cheap, with a rather nice selection of blending turns, though the manner of their running order had not been given much considera- tion. Hitherto ■Variety's vaudeville re- viewers have been under Instruc- tions to reveal the proper name of any act playing, under cover or a nom de plume, on the small time. That was originally ordered some years ago When it was believed the be*t thing that could happen to the small time was to oblige It to de- clare Itself—stand upon Its own footing and stop trying to be a hideaway. Some of the small timers are still trying to hide away and dying away simultaneously. Others have becOmo regular circuits and will work acts under their own names or not at alK However, since then the Indepen- dents have worked up somewhat and need protection. With all of tHe clreult<( lilat;klistlng opposition pendent managements, also agenta and acts, may logically find It mure advisable to play knowa turns un- der assumed titles. While the previous order on Va- riety never has been rescinded, It is rescinded now. No Variety re- viewer hereafter will disclose any name but those he sees upon the cards or upon the billing. In any vaudeville theatre. If the reviewer knows or believes the act is work- ing under a phoney title. It's up to the reviewer to decide as to how much space may be accorded in the review, but he Is not to give such an act a New Act review. If acta previously have side- stepped an engagement through be- lieving Variety might reveal their identity, they may hereafter rest secure. These Instructions will go to all cities where Variety reviewers cov^r vaudeville bills. Of the five turns at the Grand (with Earl Rogers the billed nams that did hoi' appear), Renard and West ran away with the hit*, as a comedy act, and for applause. The audience liked the - Iflddish come- dian, though it did not understand Yiddish. It would have broken tho heart of some of the comedy acts playing the Palace who seem to think that th.eir best laughs He In Yiddish phrases tO have heard how "Schicksa" parsed over and out without a ripple. That's the down- town West Side community where the Grand is located. A somewhat neat and fast danc- ing flash of flv6 people (girl and four boys) look good on this time, both as to the flash and the work. The turn runs in doubles and sin- gle, the four boys dividing Into twos (or their work and the girl leader dolpg the solos. II' is called "The Dance Wonders," singing and danc- ing, some of the latter eoce'ntrlo and some With a little comedy, all fairly nice. •■ ■ Dale and Orey are a two-act, man and woman, with mostly talk, that won light laughs: until inward tha finish, when the turn grew rough through kicking exchanges during a song. That was the stuff they wanted here and that's whflt' they got, through the man evidently knowing his audience. He stuck la a couple of falls to clinch It Opening were Wheeler and Wheeler on the rollers, with theli own floor, finishing very well tat applause, but. stealing two out of the four boys they -grabbed. There are no ground rules for bows at this resorfi No. Z held Stevens and Brunei], not a bad No. 2 for here, but they could be- a better turn altogether with a little more atten- tloq by someone who coul4 pro- vide them with a skll to. ckrry them through. Tetl, it's a' well-known fact that writers charge for skits. The Helen Bath Trio, two men and a woman, closed.' . . ' '. I Now, back to that Renard and West turn. Tliepe two, man and woman, have the makings of a big Ume comedy skit of ths real laughing kind; but It is doubtful If that may be accoiitit>Hshed by bat two peoole. The groundwork has been laid for a small company, to stick closely to the travesty this couple start by themselves. Vaudeville hasn't had a rsal travesty act In years, not since the days of those "A King for a Knight" sort of stuff; that wasnt refined travesty. The present couple sug- gest there is a company lo at^pear and have a back drop with a center door as though going Into a full set, but nothing in expansion oe- cura. Its Inadvisable to suggest those fhlngs uhder the circum- stance. Much better to let 'er rids as what they are for the audience may be calculating disappointment while they are waiting for ths ap- plause. Tha man Is an excellent Ttd comic, and they have a dandy bal- lad aitd parody along the Herbsrt Asgley style, with the man sending it along through a timely introduc- tion for an encore. But If the man can't round out this material Into a skit h« sjioold procure someone who would, then iMth the building up it should develdp Into a big time laugh-maker, for it looks to b* ther^ as such. It's wprth a try. If not this season, then (or next se4- •'on. Blf»e, old man were second. Louise and MltcheU 1 whenever It Is located, some inda- 5TH AVE. The first half show at the Fifth Avenue this week lacks nothing In the way of variety, but for all of that measures up as snail-paced en- tertainment Three dumb acts out of seven doesn't make for speed, and, for some reason, the other four turns all seemed small-tlmey. The at- tendance was also below average. The Royal Siamese Troupe topped the bill, but were not three-sheeted very heavily outside the theatre. Of the act's novelty and curious interest there can be no doubt, but strictly ns entertainment it leaves much to be desired for an intermediate audi- ence. The game of takrnw aa played by the men, and particularly the one champion, Is outstanding from the male point of view. The skill, iMth in athletics and Juggling, Is com- parable with any displayed In our American sports. The dsnces of tho Rlrls leads to restlessness. Perhaps the most tiring feature la the native music. However, the turn runs only 15 minutes, and tlie unique Impres- sion created guarantees it a welcome almost nnywhore. The Shimi'se olosod tho show, pre* (ConUnued oa pagi^m,. ■4 -1 -i ^i