Variety (August 1925)

W*'^ Wednesday, August 19, 1989 CABARETS VARIETY 43 ■^►.•« CABARET REVIEWS it TAN TOWN TOPICS A sprightly floor show at the puntatlon. New York cabaret. It baa been runnine for some time, with the beat of U Will Vodcry's colored orchestra. The band seem- iDKly never tires of playing. Two shows nlRhtly, one at mid- night and ajiother at 2.15 a. m. It to promised at the latter perform- ance different, numbers are given, and "those who like 'White Cargo* will enjoy 'The Black Cargo' of the next show."" That may refer to the oooch dance as done by the eight Creoles in one of the songs. Dem gals can do cooch. One of the damsels, slightly darker than her sister coochers. Just lets out and tots 'er go, although all of the girls cooch well enough to have had schooling in some burlesque show where the ceiling was the limit. Staged by Leonard Harper (col- ored) and William Seabury (white) the floor show runs along in the customary way of these things. It'3 a personality here or there that may burst out, but the attraction of the colored shows is the chorus girls Just why, who can tell? Because it's Times square, probably—and likely. That's a pretty mlxed-up place all of the time. Ethel Waters is featured but Is outdistanced by Josephine Baker and Miss Baker's name isn't even spelled in capitals. A couple of youths from Chicago said that Ethel has absorbed "too much class" since playing around the middle west. Whatever it is the girl does not live up to the inside boosting of the col- ored show folk who think highly of her as a performer. Besides her songs run to off side stuff, and there is considerable of that throughout the performance, deliv- ered or uttered without hesitancy. Mies Waters has two good numbers, one a dandy and of which she might make more. Miss Baker does what Is called an Imitation of Johnny Hudgins but does better when dancing with Jimmy Pergruson. Ferguson Is there all of the while, the leading man, in fact, although Mr. Harper, the stager, gets in for a dance with Bessie Allison. Miss Allison, full of ginger, also dances with Ferguson. From the side lines It looked as if the Misses Baker and Allison were more pally than any of the other principals. At the finale the company comes on for final applause, entering singly, with a step or so or a bar or two, to Indicate their previous work. It's a line on the most popular. A couple of step dancers are Wil- liam Covan and Leonard Ruftln. While the boys buck very wejl In their specialty, they find It hard to hold to that and to clinch the ap- plause go In for hock stepping. Ferguson and the two boys did a neat little bit for a cabaret floor as "I'rir Deacon and Huckleberry Finns," with Ferguson the Deacon Another that should have stood up better was the Waters-Ferguson duo. If that didn't come out of a show it should go into one. Miss Waters' big single chance was as the "Wandering Dixie Minstrel." Chorus girls are Alice Allison, Therese Gentry, Clara Titus, Dor- othy Bellls, Lorraine Harris, Violet Speady, Billle Rlckan and Dorothy Thodes. All sound regular aa of Lenox avenue excepting the "Lor- raine" of Miss Harris and that "Violet Speady.' Looking at some of the girls it is with difficulty they may be accepted at first sight as Negroes under their make-ups, excepting those who are not so strong for powder. Good enough In a town nearly barren of floor shows, which is why Plantation can sock on $2 for cover and get it. Blme. her with feet hitched to his neck, and the Lorraine Hinters' simulta- neous whirls amid white feathers, frills and fans move the spectators to think of a summer sky full of flying snowball clouds. THE OWL Jack Lenigan's Owl Cabaret on West 45th street. New York, Is stressing two features. One is the impromptu Idea in entertainment by the colored help, which doubles as the talent; the other Is the kitchen of Bouthern, Chinese, Ital- ian, Mexican and several other In- ternational dishes, presided over re- spectively by native chefs In full view of the patrons. The colored entertaining idea transplants Hirlem to midtown. The colored performers wait on the tables in between their sesBione, with the exception of the hot Jazz band, in Itself an attraction. There Is always something doing. The pace is xippy. The couvert is |1, and a* flock of quarters for loose change affords .an extra kick in encouraging the talent, which exceeds Itself with the aid of a few kopecks. Aieh ONE NIGHT CABARET AS itARK" IN A. C. That Collegiate Touch The collegiate vogue of omitting garters from the male's wearing apparel, featur- ing the rolled down Bocks over oxfords, is having its effect on the cabarets. A number of the yuiithful cafe performers are going In for the studied carelessness, showing off plenty of bare shank In the course of dance numbers. TEX MOVES IHREE BLOCKS :««a CABARETS Guinan Outfit Moves Back Into EI Fey Club Colored Cop Guarding Em- bassy Club at 2 o'clock Closing Time Atlantic City. Aug. 18. A colored policeman stationed In front of the recently opened Exn- bassy Club on the Boardwalk near the Hotel Rltz-Carlton Is there for the purpose of enforcing a two o'clock closing of the cafe. . The reason for this restriction Is mys- terious In view of the other nigbt places running full blast until after dawn. One surmise is advanced that a political power also controls three other cafes In town—Silver Slipper, Palais Royal and Beaux Arts—and the Embassy's corking business since its opening has had its effect. Frisco has been forced to leave the Embassy, going over to the Sliver Slipper, with Benny Davis remaining as the stellar attraction. PICCADILLY, LONDON London, Aug. 7. As a rule cabaret entertainments are more a matter of high spirits than talent. The Piccadilly Hotel's mislplght fihows, however, reveal desire on the part of the directors, Harry Foster and E. O. Lendley, to discover performers with a dislinct- Ive gift. Of the present "Playtime at the Pi';"adilly" company the most no- table number Is I-.mlle Boreo. For- merly he belonged to the "Chauvo Scuris," and he brings with him the atmosphere of that joyous venture. Curious noises are his speciaUy. Not only do««; he rn.ako them him- self, but he makes the people at the 8upper tables make them. While "iiKing wh.'it ho declares ip a Nor- wegian Ronc: he per.su.ide."' one sec- tion to imit.ite e.inariea. another to Rnort like pips and a third to cackle like geese. Perhaps hl.s tragic rep- "■Kentation of a dvinp .soldier at Waterloo in not alfopether Justi- led, but the audience likes him ho •huch he can do no wrong. "Music Hall Rcniiniseence.s" is an- other h.ipjiy idea. In this the chorus glrl.9 pive imitations of Vesta Til- ley, Harry Champion, Gertie Mil- lar. Eupene St ration and other fa- vorites, besides a burlesque of sironp men. Nattova and Myrie 2*"^ nn excellent pair of acrobatic oanrers. Rhe takes a leap that lands Monte Carlo's New Show The Monte C-irlo restaurant opened officially last night (Aug. 17) for the fall with a new revue staged by William Arnold, "Roulette Girls." The featured principals are the Three Whirlwinds from the "Vani- ties," Thelma Carlton, Mildred En- rlght, Marjorle and Robert Alton, Field Sisters and Ace Brlgode and his 14 Virginians. Betty Reid is hostess and Paul A. Geottner manager; William J. Gal- lagher, proprietor. Palais De Danse, L. A., Opening Los Angeles, Aug. 18. The Palais de Danse will open Aug. 27 on the site of the old Ren- dezvous cafe on Hill street. It will be operated by Mike Lyman, Wil- liam Simon, Joe Zcuiunnky and Barney Morri.i. Chris Schocnberg's orchestra will provide the music. Check Juggling Cafe Man A cafe manager whose cabaret activities have generally prospered is notorious as a check juagler. He trades with a bank which seemingly Is partner to hi.<; business methods. The cabaret entrepeneur may Issue a check and although his bank bal- ance is sufficient to cover it, the bank honors no check unless the cafe man has previously called up to give his telephonic okay thereon. Advertising agercles have refused to do business with the cafe man for this rea.son and checks have been booted around indiscriminately on that account, coming back for one reason or another. Kidding prohibition may be the subject of a lecture tour yet. If so the matter of Texas Guinan should not be omitted. Monday night Texas Gnlnan and her outfit from the Texas Guinan Club on 48th street moved back to the El Fey Club on 45 th street. It was a move of three blocks on an air line. Last week the padlocking Injunc- tion against the Texas Guinan Club was made permanent by consent be- tween the attorneys for Larry Fay and Federal District Attorney Buck- ner. Previously the padlock limit on Larry Fay's El Fey Club had ex- pired, but the place was closed for the summer upon Eva Tanguay making a disastrous and brief ap- pearance there at the reopening. When the 48th street resort was padlocked, with Idlss Guinan and Mr. Fay escaping the penalty of a life injunction being iasued against her forbidding the hostess to sell liq- uor, someone thought of the El Fey Club waiting for another start. Miss Guinan testified before the district attorney she had no part.of the Gnlnan Club other than a (1,000 weekly salary and 25 per cent of the profits. It Is a known fact that Miss Guinan does not drink liquor, which made It easier* to believe she never did sell any herself. Hotel 8hclburn« Sold An announcement was sent out by the press department of the Hotel Shelburne, Brighton Beach (Coney Island), that the hotel and property had been sold by Lois Fischer to New Yorkers, represented by Louis H. Solomon! The announcement de- nied prohibition had aught to do with the sale, and stated the hotel will be continued under the direction of Henry Girard, the present man- ager, with a cabaret floor show again to be produced there iBr next sea- son. The change in c /nership Is slated for October, next, the an- nouncement also said. sm. »' BAN LIFTED Dancing Resume* After M>lwauK«i§ Police Action New Columbus, O^ Ballroom Columbus, Aug. 18. The Stadium Ovals ballroom is slated to open In September with dance attractions booked by Na- tional Attractions of N. Y., Inc. The Stadium Ovals, Inc., is building a chain of ballrooms on the '"Jlller dome principle," the ballroom audi- toriums being 150 by 300 feet. L A. BOOZE PRICES Los Angeles, Aug. 18. With the sheriff and the police declaring ■War on bootleggers of this city, liqu<^has teen at a premium. The price of Scotch is now being offered in a cautious manner from $85 to $110 a case. For Bourbon $110 Is being asked. Gin is hard to get now at $35 to $50 per case. Champagne Is bringing $125 per case. The booze boys are' only doing business with old customers and are not taking on new trade for fear of being framed. All—but Sawdust Back to the old days, good or bad. Is indicated by a re- cently opened i'pht club in the centre of the tewn. This club, organized by a well linown night clubber, it- an adjunct to his other cabaret enterprises, with the newest club permu- ting only close friends of the proprietor with their guests to enter. The approach to the good or bad old days is a regulation b.ar. No attempt .at secrecy. A1.40 a roving piano in the main room, where the pi.ayer nirvcs from table tt) tal)l(\ The place has no coat room tip and the paff i.s never put on, with the cover cliarKC alno ab- sent. Inexpensively lurnished the boss is unlikely to be seriously hurt financially no matter wh.it happens. An a new place with a bar and everything but Kawdufit in the«<c <l.iys of prchibifed booze, the new plac* Is Ihe mo«<t unique of all N»w York's many. Lost Eyesight; Bad Booze Washington, Aug. 18. Prohibition liquor has caused ap- proximately 7,300 persons to lose their eyesight since the Volstead law became effective, according to G. C. Hinckley, national secret.ar^ of the Association Again.st the Pro- hibition Amendment. This estimate is declared to be conservative. CIDER'S "KICK" Washington, Aug. 18. The local courts have ruled soft drink proprietors arc responsible If elder they have for sale ferments and develops a "kick." Judge McMahon, in making this ruling staled it is up to prohibition agents to see tho elder has de- veloped the aforementioned "kick" before bringing the soft drink pro- prietors Into court. If the "kick" Isn't there the Judge Is going to throw the charges out of court. CIRO'S CHANGES HANDS Ciro's, west 56lh street, h.iB Felix Young remaining in charge in aKSO- ei.ation with a new partner, Al Shaw, brother-in-law of Charlie Allen, tb< vaudeville apcnt. Ben Eernie has sold out his In- teie.vt, althouph a F.ernic band unit will remain the dance feature. Ginger Ala-Water Combine According to report there will be a consolidation shortly of the White Rock and Canada Dry Ginger Ale Interests. Milwaukee, Aug. 18. After 24 hours of no dancing iif Milwaukee, members of tho comn mon council force<l police depart* ment moral squad directors to with* draw their blanket closing of the abarets, dance halls and back rooms' of saloons, and permit these places to run without licenses until thai council reconvenes next month. Action by the police closing all Milwaukee dance halls, which dark* ened not only the cabarets, but thd ball rooms In the larger hotels as well, came on the heels of the snm* mer recess of the council. The al- ^^ dermen failed to act on license and laid the matter over until th« fall. Police seized upon this opportunity to "even matters" with the council and a blanket order was issued by Lleof. Peter Dineen closing every hall. That the act by the police was j one of malice, was revealed by the fact that in former years the coun* ~ cil laid over license matters for thii summer, the halls running without permits until the fall sessloni opened. Failure of the council to recognize a blacklist presented by ''. the police moral squad in issuing saloon licenses angered the officers • ' to the defrree that they "back bit*^ on the alderman. When the dance .; hall owners protested, aldermeni were called together and after ai > conference with police heads, had f the ban lifted permitting the dancS halls to operate without permits until September. During the conference betweeflj ; police and aldermen, it was <Us* - closed that the moral squad haj placed 86 of the 104 Milwaukee dance halls on the ineligible list and ' ' will ask that no licenses be Issued these places. The owners are all V persons having been ^ convicted onl v. dry law chargen or for runnlnif "tough" dances. Arthur Bryton, who went to Ger- many with "The Chocolate Kid- dies" has returned to New York and framed up aa a team with Strappy Jones. The new combina- tion has replaced Covan and Ruffin in the "Plantation Revue." Frank CornweH's Junior Com- manders, an Irving Aaronson unit, returns to Janssen's Hofbrau Sept. 12 after a run at the Rialto theatre. New York, as the 'classical Jazz" feature. Marie Willard Mack opened at the Ilofbrau August 17 as the solo dancer. The Rainbow Gardens ball room, Miami. Fla., has changed hands from Phil B. Berst to J. Tom Kelly, well known Ohio dance ball man- ager. The latter Is known In Miami as managing director of the Muni- cipal dance pier. . Loew, Inc., placing a mortgage of $2,400,00 upon Loew's 83rd Street, New York, and Loew's Newark, N. J., amounts to no more than a movement of economy. War time mortgages on the properties to an equal amount ran at 8 per cent with the new mortgage at 6 per cent, effecting an annual sav- ing of $48,000. Changing Booze Cars On Way from Border Plaftsburgh, N. Y., Aug. 18. Rum runners coming down from the Canadian border be- lieve they have found a new w.i^y to trick the double crossers en route. Cars and loads are ch.anped on the w?iy down. Kt.irting out with a car th.it is known and prob.ably okayed arounil the border, the booze men won't t.'ike a chance on the aeromiillres farther down the ro;i(l. At certain points there .ire Htal'lf"? converted into gar- ages. These parupes cont.'tin other ears and usually have three exits, leading by paths to ;i« rii.iTiy different roads. fJoinp into ono of the gar- api !■, Ci.vten.'fil.^y laying up for the night, the driver or crew p(i»'>f to bed, whereufjfin the booze Ih lo.'idrd upf)n atiothcr car and lake.^ another ro.id southwnrd Any watetier or trailer at the front of the stable If n<. wif<r. Lew Leslie Out Lew Leslie has been declared ou^ of the Rue de la Palx, New Yorl^ the cabaret which he helped to inro* mote. It has been closed over thd smnrner, but will reopen next montlj onder Its former management, ex* eepting Leslie. DIs.ngreements start* InfT through Leslie's dominion an4 his maneuvering of the cabaret dnr* Inr the time Isham Jones and hlij band were there, ended daring thi4 summer when Leslie retired. HERE .AND THERE ^^ Joseph Nussbaum, formerly wltK Vincent Lopez as arranger. Is nowj on tho Arthur Lange, Inc., arrang* ing staff. Mai Siegle Is the new managed! for Jack Mills In Cleveland. Mill* will publish a new campaign mong .~, dedicated to Senator Jimmy Walke^ ,,.'1 written by Gus Edwards. . . . How* . ;;? ard Relchenbach is the new advert . ij tising manager for l^ills. Inc. ^ '^ Hermin Kenin and bis orchestrl| . > of the Multnomah Hotel, Portland,'. ';;,, Ore., will leave for a five-week tou* ,„ :T| of the California Orpheum housesu Kcnin's Orchestra Is compose^ i '| mainly of local boys. * ?|i Irving Aaronson and his Com* mandcrs started rehearsals this week for Elsie Jan is" "Puzzles." This Is their second season with th«j rovue, slated to open In Chicago nexl month. BAND ROUTES / (Contlni.od from page 41) "^ William*. Arthur, Pow«n Inn, WstcrrIl«Ci N. Y. Wllllami, B*rt B., Strand Th.. Hartford* Conn. Wllllama. David O., 2B0 W. tTth St. K« T. C. Wllllama, Rnlph, Ralnlw Oardena^ ClarM a iJiwrenra, Chlr.ngo. WMIlnma. Willie, Atlantlo II., Long Brnnrh, N. 3. WIlKon. rtllty. Da Pont H.. WIImlnKtoa. Wllaon, Chnrlft, Caatle Inn, N. Y. C. WItfion, Frank. Marc«n Country Clubv Piiin<1ena. WIlHon, Sam, H9 W. 4Sth St., N. T. C. Wirh. Art. IVnroon If., Cliic.-iKo. WITTHTKIN, KOWAIII*. Olympic 1k« Nfw lliivrn, f'onn. WOf.rR. K<HJFR (KAIIN). BlltnorS U., N. ¥. V. Wyin, Austin, Oolden rtieanant Vkt OtMv^lrtnd, C>. Wrlnhl. 'TrO.. N^wburypflrf, Maaa. Wynn«. Hlllv. liruonwlcb Villac* laOf Khirlil.-.n .H.) , N. V. r. T.n\rt, Se 1. Hojid Trro C, T'hltnderrhl*i /.Miliar, l.vn. H400 Franklin Ave.. Ilallr* W'uhI, (al Zallar. Otto. BM0 California ATa., Sti Ix>i)la, Mo , Zavalla, Sol. tflfl Cunlral Park W*al. Ni< T. C. nia. Arthur. I«T Baaallloa St.. AlMayw