Variety (June 1925)

Wedoewlay, June 10. 19M "V/"^f. ■ -F''mr-v3'V^W^ ';i-^^^ LEGITIMATE VARIETY '■•*ir NEW f LAYS PRODUCED FT - .,<>■ O THE BIG TOP Lofl Aovelert, June C. «.»* CAuHWd prMMBU Iteod* Fllltoa In SCS^ irJ^iu. .- '^•S'J'^siSSi ,,,»Tnhe Blgr Top." «utbough adver- M^wsa presented In San Francisco T mjf a year *«<> »■ "Punchinello." At that time it did not fare ao weU ^ since has been rewritten. ^^ Its revised form the piece fails to carry conviction. Fo^^ the most irt it wanders through a njase of d^ and uninteresting episodes. The most refreshing role Is the hard- balled wardrobe mistress by Grace Travera. Billy Burrtas endeavors to do something as the old circus elswn. but with lltUe success. Rob- ert Ober and Mauda FuUon as the f«ung lovers arouse little Interest fiTunconvinclng parts. Lionel Pel- store and the remainder ^pf the cast luive little to do. "•The Big Top" Is the story of Joe Bailey, an old circus clown who has adepted and raised two children- boy and girl. Joe marries the young rlrl on the day he retires. Moving the trio to a Long Island cottage, tke story then Involves much bore- aeme dialog, finally claxifying long enough for one to distinguish the two young folks madly in love. Then, after seemingly eons of time, the old circus clown is conveniently removed for the lovers to make the final clinch. ^ ™ „ In its present form "The Big Top will perhaps struggle through a very brief stay at the Majestic. Much work is necessary on the play before It could create even passable inter- est in cash customers. P WHEN YOU SMILE -' PbtUdcIphia, June 9. ■' "When You Smile," James P. Beury's new ntuslcal comedy, which opened a week ago at the Walnut Street theatre, where it is being greeted for a summer run, emulat- ing the example a couple of seasons ago of "I'll Say She Is," needed, on Its opening, a great deal of "flxlng." That's Just what it's been getting, with the result that it U being whipped slowly but surely into shape, whether this process can be carried far enough to make it a real hit still remains doubtful. What "When Tou Smile" needs, nost of all, is good comedy. It re- quires a really funny comedy char- acter, one in which some clever fun- maker can be cast, and exert his 'personality on the show as a whole. "When You Smile" Is based on the comedy (unsuccessful) "Extra, Bxtra," by Jack Allcoat. It Is the story of a rich young waster wlio is placed by his father In charge Of a newspaper (film trade sheet) Irltb the expectation that the lad will wreck the paper (what the father wants). But, Instead, by means of a sensational "popularity contest," in which he backs an un- known girl, instead of the beauty of his father's picking, the son makes ■ big success of the paper, marries the girl and finally wins his father's blessing. ',]. The first act is laid in the home it the millionaire father, and the second and third in the office of the "Movie News." The chief roles are the young waster (Ray Raymond), the grirl he backs in the contest (Mary Carroll), a reporter on the paper (Dorothy Appleby), and the rich young man's buddy, generally hootched, played by Charlie Lawrence. Others in- clude the father (Dodson Mitchell), two assaflates of his (both vlilalns), played by William Balfour and ?hlllp Lord, a servant played by that old veteran, Harold Visard, and a movie queen played by Mildred Richardson. AH of these parts are well taken, but in the whole caboodle there is not a real funny part. Raymond gftts some comedy and Miss Ap- P'eby i8 the most amusing and re- freshlnR personage in the play, *hll^ Lawrence, with his famous Stutter, extracts a few laughs. But the rest for the most part are se- rious dramatic actors, dropped down in thS middle of a musical wmedy mlx-up. Mitchell, espe- cially, seems wasted on his part. He •■ a sterlloB actor .and almost too good 'heavy'' for a merry bit of •froth like this. Miss Ulchiirdson is attractive i)iii nced.i more life, and Miss Carroll is altOBether too se- rious for her role. Up until the last ant she doesn't atujie, but acts as if the role hurt her inten.sely. Many Still predict great thinRs for this Jounp Krartus-te from straight com- ''ly. uiul there's no gain-saying she '*«« charm, and Toice proved more robust than ex- pected. Raymond is an excellent Juvenile in thia play. But Ray- mond's voice is very light, and he has a couple of song numbers that floor him. " The outstanding personality is Dorothy Appleby. On the opening she had a bad case of laryngitis, but despite It, put herself across with a t>ang. Ab the tough, inquis- itive, lovable little "reporterette," Miss Appleby la Inunensely amus- ing and always entertaining. The score, written by Tom John- stone, is pretty without being in- spired. The "Motif' number. "When You Smile," proved a little disap- pointing, and another, "June," was substituted for the "reprise" effects of the opening night. A quartet called "Coo Coo" had some lively moments, and a couple of Miss Ap- pleby's nunibers (good despite her husky voice) were also notable. Phil Cook wrote some agreeable, if not remarkable, lyrics. los. The settings were attractive without belnx revolutionary or awe- inspiring, and the costuming fresh and pretty. It Lb left until last to aay one of the best words for tho show. "When You Smile" baa a hard-working and fairly attraotive chorus. It has been compared to the ensemble of "Top Hole," but hardly measures up. In the last act the girls rush down the aisles, selling "Extras," and then group on the stage for a series of specialties, each girl having one to offer* Some were excellent, but there were too many, and some of the girls had really no license to show anything singly. Two or three were real knockouts. As a whole the number was good, but not re- markable. A chorus number with Spanish stufE was even worse. "When You Smile" has plenty of "story interest." perhaps too much. At any rate, there are some very long stretches of dialogue, and a definite lack of crackling humor. It is fortunate that, like Oscar Shaw, Ray Raymond has better sense of hdmor than moat Juveniles; other- wise there would be even fewer laughs. This weakness remedied, the "book" cut a bit, and one real song hit interpolated, and "When You Smile" has a chance, but this looks like a big order for any show. At any rate, it is hardly the summer type of entertainment; even with the The production was staged by ^,^. .. Oscar S^agie. and the dances and group of clever jprincipals: ensembles put on by Larry Cebal- • Waters NEW PLAYS PRODUCED ; WniNWEEKiffWAY LUCKY SAMBO Produced at tlie Colonial br UarlMn Pro- ductlona. Inc., June 6: book, lyrics and music by Porter Qralnger and Freddie JotuMon; "ktaced by IjM Wblpper. numbers bjr Johnson. JoliB Whitby Weatley Hill Mr*. Whltky Oertle Moore June Moeett* Moor* "Doc" A«s«at .....Arthur Porter Rufus Johnaan Joe Byrd Sambo JenKlns Tim Moore Jack Stafford Freddie Johnson L«iia rarcta L«na WUaon B4Uh Simpson ,."Hai>py" Wltltems John lAW Blllr Ewlng; Jim NifhttMale Clarence RoMnson HItt KerS....' Porter Oralncer Vera lues Jean Starr Nimble Foot* , Amelia tioomia Minnie Tree Mildred-Brown TwlUtht OadMa Anna White Sho Nuft i Johnny Hudfflna Since "Shuffle Alon«" brought colored slMws nearly or onto Broad- way there have been any number of soeh attractions. Elach summer in recent seasons has had one or more. "Lucky Sambo" is the first colored bid for regular patronage since "Dixie to Broadway" last fall. During the season "Sambo" Is un- derstood to have played the T—O— B—A, a colored circuit, possibly un- der another title ("Acei and Queens"). With no other colored shows in sight, its management de- cided on revamping and bringing it downtown. The Colonial having no bookings in sight and having played "Running* Wild" and "Choco- late Dandles" in the past two sea- sons, couldn't lose anything by ac- cepting "Sambo." Jack Singer controls "Lucky Sam- bo.' There were some cast changes and additions recently. Johnny Hud- glns, formerly of burlesque, who at- tracted attention last season in "Chocolate Dandies," was taken on and featured, although he has but a single appearance. Singer could not very well dispense with the two comics already in the cast. Hudgins walked on at 11:10 Mon- day night and easily scored the hit of the show. He wa»~aided by the coiiieUst. Who worked with him in the "Dandles" outfit, and Is of con- siderable Importance to the dancing clown. , , . "Sambo" opened Saturday night, heat wave and all. Perhaps half a house attended then, patrons remov- ing coats and collars. The first night was counted as a sort of re- hearsal. Monday evening saw about the same audience allotment, the performance going quite overtime, the curtain dropping 22 minutes past eleven. That was partly the fault of Freddie Johnson who composed the score, he conducting the orches- tra in a lO-minute overture th : did not begin until 8:40. The music rambled on while the lights wtnt up and down before a flimsy rainbow curtain. Anything but a good start. This colored show is of moderate merit, compared to its predecessors. Its score Is tuneful enough ind has the grace of beln» original—at least the tunes did not recall other melo- ,jles_j,ut there seemed no really out- staiKling numbers. Al«o the com- poser appeared to have ■■as.sed up violent blues stuff by design. The book i.s like that in other attractions of the kind. There are Ihi InevMnlde old men with white whittkers and though the grave yard was misse.d, the jail house is there. Tlie story is locfiled in tha oil country and a a gusher, with the low down pair (comics) becoming wealthy. Saml>o, as played by Tim Moore, is one of the lucky ones, but his . art- ner In crime, Joe Byrd. is the show's funny man. In an argument with John Law one of his funny remarks is: "All I got to do Is to stay dark and die." Byrd scored strongly ly ad libbing while Lena Wilson, the prima donna, warbled "If You Can't Bring it You've Got to Send it." Byrd and Moore verged on scoring suc- cess several times. Moore had said he must have "more grub or less liberty." When asked what kept his teeth so white he answered: "Boy, they been laying off a long time." Miss Wilson scored first with "Anybody's Man Will Be "My Man." The beet of the ensemble numbers was "Aunt Jemima." led by Monette Moore. Arthur Porter, one of the old boys, made several numbers stand out, too. He handled "Keep a-Dlgglng," perhaps the best tune In the show. The "Runnln' Wild Four" a female quartet, formerly In "Run- nln'-Wild." went on as a specialty early In the second act and landed. "Sambo" produced rattlinfr good dancing Ih spots. The choristers seemed to be better vocalists than hoofers, but the half doxen boy step- pers were there at all times. The girls came through with a "Charles- ton" niunber led by Mae Barnes, out of tl'.e quartet. It was hot all right, one of the dancing boys helping. Louis Keene. an agile acrobatic stepper, ruined the knees of his trousers late in the first act, but scored. Porter Orainger an(| Johnson are apt to turn out a real winner, for they are young and well rated. Orainger Is a juvenile in addition to a lyricist, in fact was the neatest in- dividual In the show with hot a great deal to do. "lAicky Sambo" may gro along for a fair engagement at the Colonial, but won't start anything In the way of attracting grosses. Looks like Just a matter of what the show needs to get by on. The break In Its favor Is the shrinking Broadway list. Ibee. used to be the one-night stands, save that a number of miscast pseudo-producers seem to have set out to nuike New York a week- stand, and some of them will yet make it a one-alghter for such sweepings as "The Right to Love." The author, Sheldon White> is likewise a hinterlands artist, and it must be recorded to his credit that he wrote "The Right to Love" for the sticks and not for New York. It was Lindsey who got the inspiration to transplant it White did not show up at a rehearsal until Sunday night, 24 hours before this opus opened cold after 10 days' prepara- tion. . The leading man did not read his role until Saturday. These are only some of tiie indications of how peo- ple "get up" shows for the most flnnlcky market on the globe these days—and why they fail. The Zleg- felda, the Belascos and the other established ones give montlis and years, fortunes, the best brains and the most rarefied talents buyable or stealabie—and then tremble. But the open-handed old-timers who be- come newcomers hereabouts dash in with somebody's penciled script, the first bunch of actors an agency sends over to fill the "types," a few rehearsai.s and a raw opening; t^en they .ire quickly cooked. i Here is a standard type of neper- toire tent bill, wl^h a creaky old plot, every bromide in the quotation books, no theme, no Interest, no comedy, no drama, no story, no any- thing. Good enough for eommonl- tles where shows conr>e seldom and whcse they are enjoyed because they are shows; out of the running before the curtain Vises in a city where there are attractions. The plot needr not be told, except that -it has no relation to the title, which is a catch-penny blind of the kind designed to intrigue rubes. The acting is villainous without one ex- cptlon—probably the worst Broad- way has seen since "The Talking Parrot" or the time Wllde'e "Sa- lome" was desecrated by a cabaret producer with a dance-floor wiggler plnylng the Immortal girl. The entire presentation is an al- most unparalleled instance oX either inexpressible impertinence or inde- scribable stupidity — this bringing such a thing in such shape into the heat of the summer and into the murderous fire of the fiercest com- petition against the foremost that is produced for America's theatres. The piece hasn't a living chance, and this reviewer will be surprised if it lives two weeks. As a picture- rights property it may attract a buyer on the title. Lait. RIGHT TO LOVE Walter O. Undsey presents a three-act play by Sheldon White, etageil by Roland Rushton, at Wallack'a theatre. Bessie Barton Nellie Burt Robert Blair .Robert T^ynn Belinda Perkins Bdlth Klnc Tom Carroll Owen Cunnlncham Marton Ofeay Herbert DobMns Frank Proiiton Allen Connor Mary Barton L.eBh Wlnslow Alice Leich Mary Daniel Warren King William Melville Jerry Henry Rowland Jackson Strong Eugene I^rue poi.se, ,A}s9i her supposed phonoy well turn.s out to be nothing mu A very, very sad affair, without a hope or a redeeming element. Just why it was brought to Broadway, in mid-Juno or at any other time, will forever be one of those inexplicable mysteries of the mental workings among the one-timers who keep coming up, sans any equipment for the intensive business of purveying rimu.sement to the wl.sost community on earth. Walter O. Lindsey is an old-time theatrical agent, whose life has in- oculated him with the ideals of what used to be called ''the road." There is no road left now. except the big, wide, broad way. And that lane has nothing much in common with what A. W. O. L. Three-art comedy by Salinbury Field and Feltoa BIklna. Produced (or apeclal mat- inees at the Qroenwtah Village theatre by the aathora. Directed by Stanley Uowleti. Friday, June S. Marian Hunnewell... ..Helen Freeman Richmond, the maid Alya Rres Mrs. Kelly, the oook L,ucy Shrev«. Mlaa Nailer, governess... .Elotse Pendletun Charles Hunnewell USdgar Stehii I.ydia CBrsun Rosalind Fuller Joe Carson LAurenre Cectl Capt. Sir Lionel Savage Reginald Uwon Tyee, a butler Robert Wallace Before his play opened, someone stepped before the curtain and said that the gentlemen might remove their coats. Nice of the house. "A. W. O. L." ('Absent Without OITlclal Ijcave") was produced here by its authors as an in-town break- in with the idea of interesting the commercial managers who were in- vited to the two performances. This Idea of presenting the play by a competent cast at an expendi- ture of possibly $1,000 or less marks a departure in the selling of plays to the commercial managers. In this instance, however, the trouble seemed hardly worth while, for "A. W. O. L." is a trivial smart comedy of no particular interest. The scene is Amerloa. yet all the characters have the British Accent and sayings, while the one Britisher of the cast lacked them. There were such things as "Toddle-oo" by the flapper; "Oh, I say now," by the husband, and itrorse phrttses by s^me of the others. In other words, it was written as a high comedy of high society, but in Its present shape the repetitive and not especially well conti^ived script fell far short of Ita mark in that much talk preceded little action. The etory concerns a wife whose husband Is always about, a good fellow but sort of a bore. Result, she wants t. take a trip without him and goes to California.' Here she meets her hero, an BngUshman who saves her from a runaway. He forces himself on her, and the sec- ond act blow-off Is that her brother finds her klsSlng the ao-Oalled "bounder." The rest of ft Is con-- ventional and happy. The cast here did well enough but they were not meant to be the im- portant thing. The effort here waa to sell the play. It wsui put on be- fore the sets used for "Love for Love," but that didn't matter much. There was no skimping in clothing, props, etc.. but the things lacking were humor and sparkle. Salisbury Field has written "Wedding Bells' and "Zander the Qreat," two very fine comedies of high rank in the American theatre. This one seems trivial and unworthy by comparison. Bitk. INSMSHIFF ' S!-' - ;•»• •■.■>. ON LEGIT 'mv*..- ■■.•"..•;.■•••'♦»,'•.:^ (Continued from page#ff) "' $400,000, originally liking the proposition as a Democratic organ durini; the Presidential campaign, as Doheny had no love for the O. O. P. administration after Secretary Fall, of the Interior, and Attorney General Daugherty were ousted. The paper proved a bloomer as both a nomi- nation and election swinger. It showed doubly ae as a money proposition. Doheny shut off and Knwrlght blew. The oil millionaire was tb?n persuaded to start the pressep again with a. new staff and put eomo more good dough after the bad In an effort to either get It out of the red or good enough to attract a buyer. During the Enwright regime the "Bulletin" at one time had fS.OSO weekly in theatre advertising. At present it has three ads in that de- partment and a staff soliciting along Broadway which has never dealt with show business before. * - . ' '' , Many Insiders douM that there Is any arrangement between David Belascp and Jackie Coogan, regarding It as a press etunt; the more so since it is whispered that Belasco Is training the movie child-wonder to do nothing less than play Hamlet. It is. nevertheless, bona fide. Bclasco says Jackie will open as Hamlet as soon as he Is 14. which Is three year Crom now, at which time the Oerry Society will permit ^Im to do leglt. Incidentally, "^ackfe has already memorized the entire role, one of the longest and most intricate, and 9pouts the speeches of the melancholy Dane by the hour. He has a Hamlet costunie and It Is bis favorite play-sult at home, in the Ambas- sador Hotel, where he doea Hamlet not as a task but as his favorito recreation. . A reporter for Varley was amaxed to hear hlik^ recite the part, as well as all the other parts, the cues, entrances and exits. Telegraphic advice from San Francisco last week mentioned In error the presence In the cast of "The Grand Dutchess" of Henry Miller. The actor-manager was visiting New York at the time, having left'for the coast again last Thursday. Basil Rath bone is the lead opposite Kisie Ferguson in "The Grand Dutchess." • -i- h- ■•*■,. tU... This column, which published a paragraph to the effect that Jack 4sait rewrote Ralph Spence's "The Gorilla," has been asked by Lalt to amend that statement, in Justice to Spence, who made no protect against the publication In the first Instance. Lalt says that he wa* called in. before the New York opening, saw the comedy at-Gaston. Pa., and made some suggestions as a friend of the management. These were Intro- duced, but they were In direction and not In lines except at the tag-end of the last turt. which Lait regards as having little bearing on tlM succeae of the show. Lalt's compensation is not part of Spence'a royalty, but is by an added arrangement with the management, and includes serv« ices other than rearranging the script or staging. ".Mlsmates," written and produced by Myron C. Fagan, closed at the Times Square Saturday, but the production was turned Into a profit by the sale of the picture rights to First National for t27,&00. It is reported that immediately after the deal waa ma4e Dorothy Gish offered $35,000 <or "Mismates" rights. The new managing editor U Neil Moynahan, aad Feter Desmond, recently of Boston, is the ostensible publisher. Desmond has paid up all immediate claims, and thb policy of the Daper noW aeems politically Independent, with a strong leaning toward sports. The theatrical repre- sentative is Rdgar Pearson, formerly of an advertiatn|r •|r•BO)^ . . t I ri.. . » ..... J -I I M»»f -'<(»