Variety (February 1926)

Wednesday, February 24, 1920 NEW ACTS THIS WEEK VARIETY 19 FRANK KEENAN and Co. (3) "Th* War Within" (Sketch) 18 Mint.; Full (Special) Palace (St. Vaude) Frank Keenan'a return to vaude- ville Is far more auspicious than the vehicle which brouRht him back. "The War Within," credited to Willard Mack, falls short of worthi- ness to a star like Keenan. Ills name may hold It in for awhile but nothing else. Keenan has his mo- ments In the playlet but not cnouBh to satisfy those who remember the veteran's previous contributions to vaudeville among which could be mentioned "Vengeance" and "Man to Man" some years back. The present playlet has a war getting behind the French battle front and a triangle theme. The elderly Col. Laroux has befriended a young officer, groomed him to the rank of lieutenant with the latter expressing gratitude by coveting his benefactor's young wife. A waxed disc placed purposely In a recording machine to record a piano selection by the young wife also records a clandestine conversation between the younger couple. L.aroux testing the pair out tells them ho Is going to follow the younger officer's advice to advance upon the enemy. The wife won't let him go which satisflcs him that it is he she loves and not the young- er man. The latter is unmasked In a plot to send the Col. to certain death through his having falsified the enemy's strength In the sector recommended for attack. He Is de- nounced and sent on his way at the curtain. ICeenan gives an excellent per- formance of the Colonel playing mostly with repression and handling the crucial moments with all the artistry at his command. Margaret Keenan was adequate as the young wife, while Hartley Power and Jack Bennett were also acceptable. The playlet wastes no time In getting into Its story and has cer- tain moments of real suspense. Also a surprise tag when the elder does not carry out his planted threat to kill the Intruder. Closing the first half they liked It here. The star was mainly re- sponsible for the response. Perhaps the combination can work again on the follow-ups. Regardless It l.s not the gripping typo of drama Keenan fans have been educated to expect Edba. SHANNON and COLEMAN 15 Mins.; One (Spec.) American, Chicago (Vaude.-Picts.) Ray Shannon and Ralp!. Coleman •showed" for Mr. Kahl and left no doubt In anyone's mind but what there will be a consistent demand for their wares. The act la In front of a drop representing the gates of an asylum. Shannon is a great comic with one of the funniest make-ups Chicago hai laughed at this season. He Is a cross between a nut, a wise-cracker, a .lance and a large-sized infant. Ho sucks a huge lollipop all during the act and his gestures, eje-wlggllng and gin- eral technique will wow i.ny audi- ence; the better the house the stronger the wow. The ^okea and Ipuns are taken by the large pretty good as vaudeville material goes these days. There are comedy acts on the Orpheum Circuit with less Intrinsic value to their stuff. Ralph Coleman makej a neat straight. They finish with a bit of harmonizing which reveals a nifty pair of pipes possessed by Shannon. Dandy hokum act and fairly po- lite at that. ERbllE ANDREWS and ColUgiana (11) Muse, Songa and Dane** 22 Mint.; Full Stage Broadway (Vauda. and Picta,) "Collegians" as billing seems to be working overtime. Ernie An- drews' outfit may be all of the col- legiate cla.s8 but still he has a band that will get by in vaudeville. At the Rroadway thtro were 11 men. Amlrewa rounds out an even dozen. He's th? loader and at tinicis'.show- ing vcr.satl'.lty through playing a cornet and also warbling. Its the type of band that one hears now on the radio and the rocord.s. Their routine run.s mainly to the topical numbers, given "hot" interpretation throUKh some of the men doubling Instruments. Andrews Is a modest young direc- tor in action. Ho swings Into each number riuiokly. His organization Is Messed with a ba.sa tul)a playi-r that gives first aid to the b.ind all the way. Andrews and outfit arc oaiiable of nlftin? picture houHe.s. nml in the nfk'hhorhoods would be a good •I'Ttalnlng bet. Mark. NICK LUCAS Songa 15 Mina.; On* Palace (St. Vaude.) Nick Lucas is probably best known through his recording for IJrunswlck. He played picture houses before embarking on the K-A Circuit and carries his recording billing "The Crooning Troubadour" with him into vaudeville. Lucas is a personable chap with pleasant baritone voice, also handles his own accompaniment on guitar. The repertoire consists of four pop numbers handled as vocals with a production instrumental spotted be- tween. All of the vocals are handled in the same croony manner which made him a good bet for the rocordii and should set him also as well for vaudeville. Went over to good returns In No. 4 on this bill. Can easily dupli- cate elsewhere and also in picture houses. Edba. "CAFE MADRID" (9) Dances ana Mutic 14 Mint.; Three (Special) State (Vaude-Pictt.) If one doesn't care for the Spanish stringed musical outfit with this act or any of the singing or dancing he must admit that the back fall from a table that the principal dancing woman does Is certainly a corker. If that male partner ever falls to catch her It's dollars to doughnuts that the fall will be done with a net thereafter. "Cafe Madrid" Is typical Spanish in routine, stage embellishment and musical numbers. It has a most attractive stage layout and the prin- cipals are costumed in keeping with the castlilan atmosphere typified In songs and dances. The band Itself do<»^n't go In for any musical acrobatics but does Its work effectively and accordingly. Outside the featured principals are John DuVal and Louise Elye, with the other two persons not In the band evidently John Puerta and Jean Plconl. One woman Is a prima donna and her voice fits in admirably in the routine which runs largely and mainly to dances by a man and woman. There's a tango but the big num- ber is the Apache staged at the fln- !fih and which is given typical Spanish cafe setting. To stringed music the dancers go through an effective routine, but it's that back fall by the woman that staggered the audience. The woman has .stabbed her lover and tries to escape. The door Is locked. She does a run and Jump to the table for a getaway via the window. Then her Apache lover fires. She straightens, stiffens like a rod and falls straight back, no turn or arch of the head to see if her partner was there to catch her. Ho was, although the audience gasped and wondered what might happen If . The act could work film houses advantageously. Mark. COLLINS and SHELDON Singing, Dancing 13 Mina.; One American, Chicago (Vauda.-Picta.) Two tan boys, one corked up Jet black and both attired in wide trousers and collegiate tucked-ln sweaters. Neither has a voice and one sounds as if ho were a mono- tone and could only register one note and that note not true. The dancing never threatens to become hot or difficult or impressive and the turn winds up extremely weak. . Inasmuch as the present routine of the boys at no time provides any real entertainment or gets up any speed anything like consecutive bookings for them la Impossible to visualize. The Association might spot them here and there in some of their small houses but the act is legitimately destined for the daily changes only. SMITH AND HOLDEN Talk and Musio 15 Mint.; On* State (Vaude. and Picta.) These boys seem capable of bet- ter things than their present ma- terial. The sap comic shows pos- sibilities from the start, and his partner makes a great feeder, but the act lets down ar<er the en- trance throujih tuo fre<iuent usage of too familiar gugs that are un- funny through familiarity even to a small time audience. The chatter Is inconsequential and lets down until the boys go into their mii.sical stuff, which lifts materially but not suffi- ciently to redeem previous defects. With bettor material these fellows can develop into an honest-to-good- nrss strong comedy duo. But with their present line will not cvei. panic sm.iM tini«»r«. Edba. CHARLOTTE GREENWOOD "Her Morning Bath" 18 Mint.; On* and Full (Spacial) Palace (St. Vaude.) Charlotte Greenwood is back in vaudeville after several seasons. Hassard Short Is sponsoring .Miss Greenwood's vaudeville return which consists of some of the songs she did in Short's revue, some newer ones and "Her Morning Bath," Miss Greenwood's comedy smash in the revue. It carries Us panicking qualities to vaudeville and as pre- "ented is set for as long as Ml.ss Greenwood cares to stay. An in- side has It that the lanky come- dienne Is on her last laps of the vaude route and will return to le- gitimate fields soon after in "Who Hit Hattle?" a farce by Russell Mcdcraft and Norma Mitchell. The latter wrote the bath hit for Miss Greenwood, Short has also flanked the come- dienne with Martin Broones, youth- ful composer of "Rltx Revue" who handles piano accompaniment for Miss Greenwood's numbers and also assists In the comedy skit Opening In "one" with Broones at the music box. Miss Greenwood goes right after them with "Too Tall." a breezy kid yourself number which hit the mark, holding them pretty for "At the End of Every Perfect Day the Wonderful Nights Begin," which had Charlotte up to her old tricks and side kicks. Broones bridged the gap In fol- low up with a planolog study of the average musical show. Quite clever and neatly handled. "Her Morning Bath" followed In full and was the usual riot for laughs. Miss Greenwood's futile at- tempts to take her morning dip was interrupted with a succession of phone and other interruptions, and with most menacing the turklsh towel encased lady with the tag having a burlap hop in demanding she throw up tier hands at the fade out This one panicked thenru Broones got into the pit to ac- company Miss Greenwood for an additional legmania contribution which wound up the tu^n In good returns. Easily the beat Charlotte Green- wood ^as given vaudeville. A sure click headllner. Edba. SARGENT and LEWIS Songa and Mutic 9 Mint.; One Hippodrome (St. Vaude) Charles Sargent and Hurt Tjewla, two OUeh recon'.iniT .irllsts who have gained mo.st of iheir vaudeville experience In the west, comprise this pair of harmony singers and musicians. The pair make a neat ai>pearanee in gray suits ami display passably pleasing voices whleh they u.se in a routine of four popular songs the while they aceonipuny themselves with uke and banjo. The solo at- tempt at comedy, an luiprouiptu re- hearsal on the instruments, failed to start anythlnjT. The turn qualifies as a conven- tional two-man singing and musical turn for an early spot on what is left of the big time. The recording reps may entitle them to a mon. substantial position on the inter- mediate bills. Con, CHAS. DORNBERGER and Orchettra (11) Rotaland Ballroom, Naw York Dornberger la a Victor record dance maker, hence It'a to b« only to be expected that his dance ntuslc prove adequate. And such it proves although Dornberger cornea into the ballroom after an extended tour of the picture houses which sometimes proves a handicap for atralght dance music. Dornberger aa ever saxes at the head. His band goes in for a more than ordinary amount of "arrange- ments" but the fine orchestrating does not aa often happena, make the dance music suffer. Dornberger'a la a high grade or- ganization aa ever before^ He la the guest attraction for a fortnight at Roscland with Harvey Mar- burger's bunch on the opposite stand making for aa all ligbt dance marathon at Roaeland. AbeL "PARISIAN ART" (2) Posing 8 mint.: Full (Special) Broadway (Vaude.-Pctt.) Here is the nearest thing to bare breasts the vaudeville stage has seen yet While the chances are the girls' breasts are not actually striking the atmosphere, the illusion In the balconies was perfect and the almost uniformly stag audience In the upper reaches went for it plenty. In the center of a special drape arrangement la a revolving stage with a panel across the center. Before this two girls pose, one do- ing straight white union suit stuff while the other did all the naughty Paris revue poses. While It Is probable the real bare breasted stuff would be censored, the lighting on the girl was fixed so (r->d above and blue below) the shadows de- feated any real eye-searching at- tempts at detection. This doubt put the turn over big. For vaudeville the poses were the most daring (a silly word but true here) that the intermediate time has yet seen. Possibly If one for- gets the time when the Hghtlng went wrong on Edna French one afternoon In the Palaoe and re- vealed her In lots of nothing, the big time hasn't seen anything like this. Therefore. If the Puritans will come down from their perch. It Is great for the houses where the women won't be offended. BUk, JOE CANDULLC and Orchettra (7) Evargladea, Naw York (Cabaret) Candullo is a personality violin- ist, heading this smart septet Small combinations complaining of the lack of progress might cue from a leader like Candullo who possesses the knack of "selling" his stuff. There may be better bands of equal or larger number in the cabarets who do not get anywhere for the rea- son that despite their musical pro- ficiency, they lack the showman's knowledge of properly whipping it across. The six men behind him produce satisfactory dance music but Can- dullo magnified the impression in the manner he stands out person- ally. On top of which be fiddles exceptionally welL AbeL GEORGE HALL'S ARCADIANS (12) Arcadia Ballroom, New York Thla band plays straightaway danqo music, without any frills, at Arcadia, holding up its end In con- trast to the novelty dance effusions by Mai ILallott's merry makers on the opposite stand. HaH'a is not a hokum band, producing syncopation of finer texture. .Somo of their arrangements are extraordinary. An old-time aong hit medley ia impressive as nro their waltzes. Hall himself con- ducts for the main and holps "sell" his band via the baton. Th'-y are .>iet for the s«-as'>n at Arcadia which speaks for l\s«lL AbcL THREE McLEODS Songt, Dances and Funny Sayings 15 Mint.; One Ths Vic, Chicago (Vaude.-Pcta). Family act. Father corks up and dresses like Al Herman with over- large hammerclaw and fez. Jokes, not very funny. Sister about 17 and brother, 18. Sister rather good as flancer and neat. Brother has the mechanical way characteristic of so many theatre-bred children. He does not smile and is as cool and matter-of-fact as a cucumber. He needs to take on a little more zest Kids are nice looking and ought to develop. The prospects of the pres- ent act are fair within limited fielda LEWIS and MAXINE Songa, Talk, Dance, Mutio 13 Mina.; One American Roof (Vauds-Picta.) A youthful boy and girl, probably brother and sister. In an act aimed for a smart routine but only aitc- cecded in an over-precoclouanest that detracted considerably from the considerable talents of the two. The girl la a nice looking young- ster with a badger bob and the boy makea an equally pleasing appear- ance. He aims at a sophistication which Is unfunny and uses material 100 percent released. A burlesque drama, which has been done to death, didn't get them much and followed a monolog by the boy in which ho describes tho "plot." His rendition of "Farmer Gray" to banjo accomp.anUnent held up through the sure fire reactions to two blue verses. The girl picked up the act with an excellent delivery of a pop song followed by a bit of Charleston. A double "Somebody roise" gave her a chance to nvin- ii.amlle him, another released piece of stngo property, for some l;.ughs. For a finisii he receives a phone fall and announces "they can't firilsh tiic act aa they have to go ri.'xiit home." This cue.s for thf'ir (.onrlud- ing song, a parody on a pop which fits tlio getaway. The kl'ls will never get anywhere Willi the iircsent vehi'le. After tli'-y pet material they cm st.ind plenty of st;!ge . •"(•ti -n !i!ho. Iloth lack: ri-pose and a I tDwI- ''^r; of values. J'ist a light tl<;uccr for t».». Kn^'Ilieflb Con. PATRICIA SALMON Congt 10 Mint.: Full Stage Hippodrome (St Vauda.) Miss Salmon, billed as "the singer, dancer and entertainer" dis- covered l)y I Icy wood Broun and Uiile Dudley in a tent show at yiielb.v, Mont., "i.s debuting in vaudeville at the llippodrome in an act heavily auj^mented after tha "circus" f.ishion. A short jiicture reel prolog show- ing Miss Salmon in her wostern tent llsfonliig to the sirenlsh voice of Dudley advl.^ing her to cross Ilor.ico (Jreeley and go east. Sjnie short flashes of the crowd that aa'V the Denipsey-Cibbons bout with .a bit of the champ himself, also helped. Miss Salmon's arr val In New York and » canter through the Park on her j-potted pony In west- ern attire. Miss Salmon's contribution to th« act followed. She made aa en- trance astride her pony to sing "Cinderella From the West" In x thin voice that was decisively out- pointed by the Hippodrome acous- tics. Her roxt appjar.ince wai In an ante-bellum costume for a song and yodellng number that may have stopped trtffic in S'lelby but was rated mild hire. Despite the frantic ballyhoo of the management and the presence of nearly half of the bill In the act Miss Salmon is not for vaudeville, either for the box office or enter- tainment She lacks ability and talent, despite the astigmatism of the home-sick scribes who fooled her. Con. ROSS WYSE, JR., and CO. (2) Talk and Acrobatica 11 Mint.: One Broadway (Vaude.-Pctt.) This boy, a thin and personablo youngster, works with his mother and father, who have exceptional- ly young appearance* from the stage. They open and work In "one" all the way through, the kid first doing a walk-acrosa to drop a banana peeling upon which his father slips and begins a conversa- tion with a woman (the boy's mother). The premise Is that papa is trying to "make" a gal on tho street, but the boy stands around, refuses presents and then pulls that one about "I wanna watch." All the gags and crossfire between the boy and his father are so old they're liable to topple over with senility any minute, but nonethe- leaa they were pulled to no rs* sponse. Prlmarly. the boy ' acrobatic partner for hit fathe, d though both work In regular aulta, the ef- fect of their stuff la undiminished. The father pulla the boy up from a prone position on the floor whils the lad later does some excellent headsplnn. These and other feats of a similar nature put the act away solid, playing the deuce hers. HUk. JANET WINTERS AND CO. (1) Songs 15 Mina.; Pisno, in On* Ststs (Vauda. and Piots.) Janet Winters is a personabt* prima with a pleasing soprano, de- livering a song cycle consisting o( pop numbers and getting results with all. A male accompanist offl- clates at the pjano and also glvea a good account of himself In a vocal solo while Janet la making a cos- tume change, displaying a rich bari- tone that could be neatly blended in a double with Miss Winters should occasion arise. But It don't In the present act, yet ths vocal la Indeed a welcome relief from ths inevitable planologue generally In- corporated in acts of this type, and which generally serve no other pur- pose than as time killer while ths featured vocalist Is getting second wind or making a change. The act is class and Mits Win- tcirs' numbers have been wisely cho.oen as to voice qualifications and for diversity. A neat turn for ths deuce for any of the three-a-days. Edba. GRAY and ARLI8S Talk, Songt, Dance 14 Mint.: One American Roof (Vaude.-Pctt.) Couple In cork and "high yaller* (woman) with some good crosstalk In thu forep.art and lightweight llier"arier, particularly coniorning prop <log. He al.so does a dancs' speciiiliy and she cssajs a ballad that f.irud but niiMly. Th'- M:t .sii.ipes up Hollilly for ths small time and sustains a modicuia of Iiiteri?st thi'ouKh not disriosing their color. The woman is brnwiUMl (oni-''nf'y with no caniouflT'ing ! rtii;,'in-cd, the lobby jihoto* .»»!n(,' the soln Hp-off. AbcL