Variety (February 1926)

16 VARIETY NEW ACTS THIS WEEK Wednesday, February 10, 1926 (3) NATACHA RAMBOVA and Co •Th« Purple Vial" (Sketch) 18 Ming.; Full (Special) Palace (St. Vauda.) Whatever else a great setup for the vaiide lU'but of Its fi»a(ureU play- •r giving her unlimited opportuni- ties to jilant as an emotional actress despite the role being seeondary to that ensnyed by Paul McAllister, credited with having made the adap- tation from the original by Andrew De Lorde. The plot revolves about a Kussian generui noted for loitiious nieiliDil.-- in making suspects come through to his liking. A loyal chemist has concocted the purple vial, a draft of Which converts the quuffer into a dc.uinr.J Ixsli.il person. Tlie druj? has boon Inflicted upon a young Rus- ■lan. His sister attempts to balance affairs and beards the perpetrator to his lair in Paris. Said perpetra- tor has terrilied previous candidates for conquest with the terror of the Vial but meets his Waterloo In the attractive Russian girl with pick- pocket talents who pilfers the vial and drugs his champagne. The boomeiang effects send the former power helpless, withering at herifeet after being distorted gruesomely and a secret agent posing as a detective handcuffing her off to offset sus- picion of the general's butler with both making the grade above the border line and prosecution. Natacha liambova was surprlslniT- ly adequate as the girl outwitting the fiendish general. Playing with repression and running gamuts that Would have taxed some of our bet- ter known emotional actresses, she gave a performance that was a revelatiiTn for one coming out of si- lent drama for her first speaking role. Her interpretation was perfect at all times and despite the future •f the present vehicle Miss Rambova has demonstrated sparks of an emo- tional actress that may ride further tn either vaudeville or legit. Mr. McAllister, however, stole the thunder of the act through having allotted himself a trying dramatic I>art which he gave adequate inter- pretation. The remainder of the sup- port did well In minor roles. The act has suspense and other qualities that make it acceptable but It Is doubtful if itfl substance matter is patterned for vaudeville. At the Princess In days when that diminutive was trying to vio with the Grand Gulgol of Paris It would have been a greater bet than it will ever be for vaudeville. Despite this Natatha Rambova has demonstrated ability. Edba. HARRY COLEMAN CO. (3) Talk and Songs 17 MIns.; One (Special) State (V.-P.) If not a new act for Coleman, this current velilele may be an old one revived. The theme Is the prover- bial marital dlfferem ca hoked and emphasized for laugh resuUs througii Colenmn's voloe variations. Assisting are a woman and an- other man. The «!>€( ial drop Is supposedly ouCKlde a prominent Broadway cafe, the opening having Coleman In an argument with the hard boiled door attendant who grossly overplays. The latter doubles as the family friend whence the personal differ- ences between the husband and wife consume the latter portion of the act. It's Coleman all the w.ay and his handling of the script should see the act around the Intermediates, al- though, according to Variety's flies, he is capable of better things than this. Bkie. WALSH SISTERS (2) Songs 13 Mins.; One State (V.-P.) Two girls of nice appearance and voice harmonizing in tiie conven- tional manner for a semi-classical rong routine. The act Is both vaudeville and picture bouse ma- terial. It mostly being a question ot repertoire. The one currently in vogue could 8ta«d pruning. An entrancing recitation, deliv- ered simultaneously by both, failed to give the girls any the best of it while a telephone excuse for a ballad and an announced "Impres- sion" ef Galli-Curcl also seemed passe. Four songs totaled the se- lections offered. The less talking this pair does the better, for they're seemingly over their heads when not singing. A readjustment of schedule would help after which this feminine duet should And plenty of bills on which they can fill the No. 2 assignment, the spot they held here. Bklg. WOMEN'S SYMPHONY ORCHES- TRA (50) Music and Song 24 Mins.; Full Stag* Hippodrome (St. Vaude) This local symphony organisation numberint; 50 women Is an all string and br;u88 unit under the direction of Paul ilenneberg, that will com- pare favorably with any similar symphony of either sex, In the coun- try. Their program for the Hippo- drome engagement was an ideal one and was balanced. Lovers of heavy or light classical or pop music were all given consideration. Opening with tho overture "111 Guarany" they followed with "Ser- enata," then "Aragonaise Le Old" and "Divertissement," selections from "Mile. Modiste" which Included a vocal refrain by Margaret Hen- dricks, a clear sweet soprano and concluding with "March May Love" by Henneberg, dedicated to Mayor Jimmy Walker and including as Its principal motif Walker's composition "Will You Love Me In December As You Do in May?" The musicians dressed all In white and seated in tiers made a whole- some picture. The act was enthu- siastically received and will prob- ably hold over. Con. (8) ORIGINAL INDIANA FIVE Cinderella Ballroom, New York This Is one of the two or three ▼eteran Jazz quintets to survive the avalanche of symphonic syncopating organizations. That there must be an important reason for this sur- vival of the fittest becomes ap- parent following a dance session by this torrid quintet, which, for all their lack of numbers, have come back again and again to large tall- rooms of the Cinderella's type, meeting with popular acclaim on every return. Possibly the most striking tribute to this particular quintet's personal popularity Is the Indiana Thursday Night Frolic, whereon the band is the personal attraction, taking charge of all activities and person- ally falling or rising with the suc- cess of this evening, a notoriously *'off" session In ballrooms. That they draw 400 to 500 admls.«tons is •ufllclent proof of their stability. The jazz quintet Is one of the best known recording combinations, "canning" for practically every con- cern with the exceidion of the Vic- tor. Tommy Morton, at the drums, heads the five. Nick Vltalo. clar- inet; James Christie, trumpet, and Pete Pelezzl, trombone, are natur- ally the important trio in the Jazz- apation Instrumentally. il.-xrry Ford Is a corking keyboard manipulator and Rlihough an arninijer finds himself llmin^'d In scoring duties as ^tar as nn un.ndiilterated Jazz quln- ■ tet l3 concerned, tho recording con- ^ tracts finds Ford's hands full in that depariniPiu. Last week the Orlgln.il Indiana Five doubled with tho UIvoU thf- •tre as the featured Jazz presenta- tion and thus opened a new field for themselves since they are long since proven for dance engagements. Abet, MINER-DOYLE ORCHESTRA Roseland, New York This octet, a New England stand- ard (Miner's home being In I»well, Mass), is headed by Charles Miner, the pianist, and Steve Doyle, sax player. The sax section Is com- pleted by Arthur Bolduc and Wil- liam Delaney; Roy Carlson at banjo; Prank Bachelder, drums; Joe Danlele, trombpne, and Ted Gib- Un at trumpet. Lacking a bass and some more brass, the octet stacked up against the average 10 or 11 men combina- tion seems shy in volume, a nat- ural result, particularly In a spa- clous ballroom like Roseland. It more than balances, however, in rhythms, making for a satisfactory dance band. The reducing of the reeds from three to two, and In- creasing the trumpets to two Is sug- gested as a means to bolster the volume If needs be. The band when playing a special engagement at the Roseland, with Its tariir system of dancing, was also forced to regulate Its stuff to suit the limited dance periods, but on the whole the M-D combina- tion is a sure cure for fallen arches when It comes to stepping. AteU LUCILLE TALLCOTT and Col- legians (5) 20 Mins; Full (Spec) Orchestra, song and dance. Stratford, Chicago. (Pictures). This act sure makes a great pic- ture house presentation. With spe- cial set. its lighting effects and Its general character of material. Is Just the stuff that the movie patrons crave. The four boys, playing piano, sax. banjo and traps, are musicians. They execute all the popular stuff, and feature a banjo solo. L,acille Tallcott deserves lots of credit. A nifty little dancer and a hot number singer Just bubbling over with personality. If it were not that she announces that she will Imitate so and so. her dances would be great. Even at that her dances are fine, but they are not so good as Imitations. The Collegians render all the music and Miss Tallcott Is no mean sax player, playing one number with her boys. A fine act for any movie manager to watch. Loop. TAYLOR and HUSTON Dances 8 Mins.; Full (Special) Broadway (V. and P.) Two girls doing this turn and both dancers, although one also doubles at the piano. The usual drapes frame the act, which opens by an acrobatic Oriental routine by one of the duo. Excellently done, but too slowly paced to draw more than moderate returns. The pianist did a rather antique Imitation of a pianola, followed by a Spanish dance, then a corking rube dance, which brought returns, and topped by a neck swivel, which took lots of work, but which didn't have much pep. Both these girls try hard. With the whole business speeded up, they'd stand a chance of playing some of the smaller bills regularly. As now framed, the turn won't stay long in the better houses, and the probability is that Its Broadway date Is for show purposes only. 8iak. (2) RALPH WHITEHEAD and CO 18 Mins.; One Songs, Talk. Kedzie, Chicago (Vaude.-Pets.). Ralph Whitehead, with Miss Pen- nington at the piano, both from the "Big Boy" show, and only doing th's turn to fill their time until the re- opening, should stick to It. Starting with a vaudeville novelty, an illustrated comedy song called "No Gob Shall Sob Over Me," It takes the house for a hearty round A few comedy character Impres- sions In the Italian, Hebe, Cockney BngliHh and what have you; a beau- tiful piano solo by Miss Pennington, lots of plugging for the Jolson show and well worth seeing for a very enjoyable 18 minutes. Whitehead runs through a very complete repertoire of songs. "Sittin' on Top of the World" is bis forte. and It called for two legit encores on review night (Friday), BaL LESTER ALLEN (1) Comedy Songs, Dance and Mutio ' Hippodrome 12 Mins.; One Hippodrome (St. Vaude) Lester Allen, hue of productions^ assisted by Nellie Hreen, featured dancer from productions, are an ideal vaudcvlilo hook ui>. Allen handles the comedy and Miss Ureen Is a cute personable and dancing opposite. Opening with a comedy double song, "Our Little Family," Allen gets laughs through his comedy appearance, baggy clothes, big shoes, trick egg, etc. The pair follow with a neat dance. A quick change to rompers and kiddie costumes for another comedy double song and dance, "I Found a Four Leaf Clover," followed. Allen makes them laugh here with his coy manipulation of the miniature skils he wears for shoes. Miss Broen's solo eccentric baton dance next while Allen was chang> ing to another grotesque get up for his specialty, a travesty on an Italian love song followed by "Chae. K. Harris latest ballad 'Break the News to Mother,' " announced. Allen said he would sing It In Russian and did sing It in Yiddish. He followed with a ballad during which he walked out of his shoes for comedy and when muffing a top note pro- duced a throat spray which cleared bll the hurdles. Another quick change for Allen to a neat brown street suit and he ffoaled them with his solo eccentric acrobatic dance which still rales among the real hoofers of the racket. "Sweetheart Times" with Allen handling the banjo gave Miss Breen a chance to hop the buck a la Pen- nington. This pulled them back for a double Charleston that made everything copesettl. Any kind of vaudeville and any; spot is at the mercy of tliis pair. Coiw KATE SMITH Songs 11 Mins.; One Earle, Washington, D. C. (V.-P.) Give Kate Smith about six months' experience and she will blossom out as a blues singer who will grace any man's bill. The routining of her songs, with the exception of the final number, did not show to tho best advantage. Not only has this single a good voice but one of much volume. She switches from a sentimental bal- lad Into a "Madame Sophie Tucker" with ease and with a wallop be- hind It. Then, for good me;u!ure, does a dance handling about 200 pounds plus with such grace as to take her away to a great finish. Featured at the Earle, booking foHowc-d the rapid rise of Miss Sntith within but a very few weeks, she being so much In demand that local enpagfments are overlapping with her name worth money at the ROYAL WELSH FUSILIERS (16) Singing 12 Mint.; Full stage Chicago, Chicago (P) This aggregation is composed of 14 masculine members of apparent Welsh breeding. Dressed in the height of fashion but still keeping with the country they represent, the vocal selections produced In the form of a singing choir place them as a unique attraction for picture houses. The turn ojjens with a group ren- dition of "Old Black Joe," disclos- ing a volume of harmony and voices. This Is followed by "Mother Machree," introduced as a solo by one of the tenors. A laughing song, a corking novelty number. Is es- pecially suited for a combination of this calibre. For an encore a "pop" number was employed which also clicked. This Is an out and out picture house and concert turn. It Is back- ed by a house eye, furnishing a good background for their red and white uniforms. The expense involved in transporting an organization of this size would have a tendency to hin- der its appearance In some of the smaller cities through being In a position to play the attraction for one week only. In this town It Is In for four weeks. Loop. NEAL and SHERMAN Songs and Piano 3 Mins.; One Audubon (Pet and Vaude) This combination is Jack Neal and Joe Sherman, who since Joining have done considerable radio work. They are not new at singing, each hav- ing made stage appearances under other "name" formations. The present combo seems to be a good one In every way for both men, with their main forte apparently har- mony. One man plays the piano, presum- ably Neal; each go In for solo with a double harmony finish on every number. Topical selections are used, perhaps the same stripe the men offer via radio and which for pop vaude hits a responsive chord where the folks keep close tab of the popular stuff from Tin Pan al- ley. For the finishing number a ballad was used, with one man using a fal- setto tenor In harmony with the other. Effective. Neal and Sherman could work picture houso.>) and get away with it nicely, their harmony standing them In stead, with a stronger arrange- ment of routine possible for the film places. At tho Audubon uptown the men were an emphatic hit and could have stayed on for several more nvimbers. Mark. boxofficy Ueakin. GIVE US A CALL '4t M—' V <rHILADKLPniA: Skakera Trmnt RolUIJiic PMUiyyackitt MM ■HHMMMJ IMCORPORATrO AOVCRTISINQ CURTAINt-T-OROPe—«CENERY NEW YORK riTT: •IS WMt 4lr<l Htr««t rhlrkorfns tOM PAUL. LE VAN and MILLER Acrobatic B Mins.; Three American Roof (Pop Vaude) Male trio In knockabout acrobat- ics. Because they wcare "collegiate" V-neck sweaters, "collegiate" is the accompanying music theme. The acrobatics are snappy and helter- skelter. Some ground tumbling stood out, as did the table stuff. It closed the show satisfactorily. Alet NEW ACTS Gertrude Vanderbllt returns to New York and will ro-enter vaude- ville In a new two-act with Billy Adams as partner. Holly Herbert and Frank Nelson, 2-act. Rachel Grey and Co, In three- people sketch. FRED BLONDELL and Orchestra (6) Melody Club, New York (Cabaret) A right, tight, smart dance com- bination, perfect for any interior, OS for stage work, for that matter, because of their entertaining tal- ents. All double on saxes, making i\ corking reed sextet. All vocalize also with a couple of real nice volceg In the outfit. They are personable and decorative on the bandstnnd. Blondell's outfit has been In pic- ture houses, at the Hotel Alam.Tc In New York and Atlantic City; at the MIdnlto Frolic, Chicago, and other stTnds. beside being the orig- inal BIon<1>ll Sax Sextet on Colum- bia records. Earl Carpenter otherwise plays banjo and guitar, besides the fam- ily of reeds; 11. Clay Baker, piano; Ted Bafchelder baritones and han- dles sax; Herbert J. BIschoff, trum- pet and violin; Kd I<eutner, drums. Carpenter Is the Tentor mainstay of tho aggregation, which, Instrumen- tally is capable of performing In Hawaiian ensemble and In a unique harmonica fornTation. Withal, and this Is a fundamental necc^alty. they arc a corking dance organization which seems to be a common falling with entertaining bands. Versatile opgreg.'itions miss the mark through falling shy of the mark on the dance end. Not so the Blondeli band. Ahek WALTER FEHL and CO. (9) Band and Songs 24 Mins.; Full Stage State (Vaude.-Pets.) Walter Fehl alms for novelty te opening his band turn, appearing as a Yogi and admitting he Is the world's greatest magician. There Is some black magic, for which two strip lights on either side df the stage are used. The bit is too long and the talk needs revision, FchI repeating the line "I will produce" too much. 'The stage remained In darkness even when the band struck up. Instruments made white and white hats were barely vlsll'le, but the main fault seemed to be the strip lights, which hurt the eyes. They were used for 10 min- utes. However, when the band really got Into action with lights up, Fehl scored distinctly. A burlesque reci- tation of "The Village Blacksmith" was one novelty. An attractive girl counted with a peacock number and after a flirtation bit also by her, Fehl pulled his best vocal ntimber, a dramatic rendition of "Lonesom- est Girl In Town." The band worked well with him for it. There was but one straight band num^er (other than the playing In the dark) It being The second encore, following an old soldier and nance bit by Fehl. Closing th« show the Fehl act won the evening's honors. It Is an act whh h oiiKhf to be adaptable to picture h'.im'ir .i* w'll as vaude- ville berfiiiBB '.t I'e novelty. Ihte- YOUNO and OflAY Comady 16 Mine.I One Annsrican Roof (Pop Vnudo) Mlx"'1 ifiiiii. with ihn male in a "sap" rhnriic»i>r and physiognomy remindful of Jlnmiy Hiiv<», but that's all. lie ertters nhmc und sets him- self right Immediately, but lets down a few minutes thereafter, as his dialect begins to toll. It's an uncer- tain lingo, bordering on the YId at times, and hence neither here nor there. As a matter of fact, the dia- lect Isn't necessary. The girl sings well and foils bet- ter, alternating on the comedy through e.s.iaj ing a "lunatic" style of wandering and Imaginary dialog. She Is taller than he. but not plump, as are some mixed combinations where the man Is of small stature. He takes some effective falls, and withal the team fared well at the A. R. The woman might forget that Bome of the lities are funny and leave It to the audience to laugh. She seems tickled with the thought of her nifties, and Is constantly smirking In advance of the gag, or BO It secma. That, «f course, .:omes with experience. It's an okay pop hf»yfic turn. Aheh