Variety (March 1926)

VARIETY VAUDEVILLE REVIEWS Wednesday, March 24, 1026 AN ORPHEUM BILL ON THE ROAD; AT OMAHA ON SATURDAY NIGHT Displays Utter Disregard for Paying Patrons—Head- liner Opened Show at 8:15 Before Audience Seated—Bill Proper Closed at 9:55 By WILL R. HUGHES (Mr. Hughes is Variety'* correspondent at Kansas City and has been far savaral yaars. Hs is thoroughly vsrssd in vaudsvilla, as wall as other branohee of tha show businsss. Mr. Hughes was in Omaha and watched the Orpheum's show without making himsalf known to tha management.) Kansas City, Feb. 17. If tha powers that be of the Or- pheum Circuit had seen the bill handed out to their patrons at the Orpheura, Omaha, Saturday evening they might understand why Omaha hi a bad town for "refined vaude- ville." The bill, at $1.10 for downstairs •eats, was composed, of six standard acts, but the way It was dished up was a new one to this reporter, who haa seen "vaudeville" of all kinds In all kinds of theatres. Frankle Heath was the topllner and programmed In fourth position, but the late-comers Saturday night were cheated and had a real kick, as she opened the show at 8:15 and was over and out before the house waa In. Next came the EquillJ Brothers with several neat tricks in balancing, but they, too, must have been in a hurry, as their act did not run five minutes. Then the Kellar Sisters and Lynch, a hard-working trio, who sang, danced and played the saxophones. The three worked in the afterpiece and are entitled to all the aalary they get. The audience was about all In by this time, and down came the pic- ture screen for a few minutes of -Topics." followed by Ruth Chatter ton in the "Conflict." which got the first laughs of the evening. Next to closing were the Stantons, Val and Ernie. These two boys had 'em eating out of their hands with their "nifties." The boys clowned, gagged and cut up until nearly ex hausted, and certainly did their •hare to make up for the first half •f the bill. Ensign Al Moore and his Jack Tars closed the regular bill, the only act that gave the customers a change from the house scenery. This band is composed of a bunch of hard-working boys, several con tributlng Individual bits and num hers. They helped to lengthen the btn out until 1:65, which would have "»been the finish had not the Stantons, Kellar Sisters and some of the band put on an afterpiece which dragged the affair out u.;tll 10:25. Val Stanton was about the whole show in this afterpiece thing, acting as the announcer, director and play- ing the leading parts In the skits There were four of the latter; the first was the old reliable about the traveler who had had another man's leg grafted on and which led up to the "Can't fool the leg" gag. Next waa the one so well known, "I'm the baby," and then came the old bur lesque standby of the father of the three babies in the different flats who dropped dead when the nurse announced "It's a boy." A boarding house hit followed. After the Stan tons and the Kellar Sisters and Lynch trio sang and played a little and the show was over. The Kellar Sisters work with the Stantons in the afterpiece doing nurses and feeding the two comics. Every act with the exception of the band appeared before house scenery, some of which had seen better days. The entire bill seemed •loppy and undressed. All of which may be one of the reasons why Omaha amusemen seekers do not care to give up their dollars for Orpheum vaudeville especially on Saturday night. the younger members, fixed up the fortnight at the new popular vaude- ville house on the Avenue Wagram. The trial proved a success, with the aged actor appearing aa "Tartuffe" n the third and fourth acts in Mo- lere's famous comedy of that name. No comment Is necessary here, ex- cept to record the enthusiastic re- ception given the former doyen by a music hall audience. The surrounding program Is of high standard. Peters and Billy, proficient Jumpers, very good; Al- >ert Carre's horses remain for an- other fortnight after being here the entire winter; 6tanley Brothers, ex- traordinary acrobats; Charton's pigeons pleased, and Vincy (vlolin- «t) and his charming partner, Cle- den (danseuse), made good. Pelissler, local comedian, was not so happy with some patter and ex- ception was taken to certain re- marks relative to the Cornedle Fran- calse. The lines have been cut. The Five Nicoletos, sensational "aeroplane" turn, attracted many fans; O'Hanlon and Zambunl, Cuban cabaret scene, with an Argentine band and Senorlta Palomlta, dancer, are held over. The present Empire bill Is a fine and representative variety show, worthy of the veteran actor now entering vaudeville ranks. During Intermission Joe Boyd's "original" Dixie Band, advertised aa being from the Century Roof. New York, entertained the promenaders In the entrance lobby. Kendrtw. EMPIRE Paris, March 9. Oscar Dufrenne and Henri Varna were lucky to get the doyen of the Cornedie Fr*ancalse, M. Silvain, to pick the Empire in which to show he Is still green despite the com- mittee of the House of Mollere de aiding he had reached the age limit and was worthy of a forced retire ment. Silvain, anxious to prove he oould still hold roles with any o PALACE The bill on view this week at the Palace makes the $2.20 admission look like plunder. And make be- llve those Palace regulars aren't hep, for all their well-known sus- ceptibility to "come through" and be kindly disposed to everything offered. The Monday nights gross waa a bad start for the week's business, which should be no reflection on the headlining "names" — Sam Bernard and Louis Mann—because of the stupidly aligned supporting layout. The box-office boys didnU. help matters much, despite their obvious house "dressing," the yawning end- seat vacancies being the tip-off. while an entire row (P) behind this reviewer remained unoccupied with a couple of exceptions. Bernard and Mann (New Acts) scored but tepidly considering their $3,500 recompense, their favorable impression being direct tribute to their talents, which carried along the now-antiquated Shlpman-Hoff- man material. For their curtain speech they hinted at a possible full-length revival of "Friendly En- emies," reported off and on. A wheeze from Bernard to the effect "that after all these years we arc proud to be with this organization" startled the wise mob, and listened like a raspberry until qualified by Sam that 40 years ago he started with Keith's and Is glad to be back. Quantity but no quality is in- cluded in the 10 acts on v.iew this week, seven of which go. in for the warbling business and five being out-and-out sinking turns. This made for one of the singlngest bills ever assembled and contradicted the theory that vaudeville is variety. The Four Chocolate Dandles In the deuce were the first singing act. following the Three NItos, comedy acrobats. The dusky male quartet, in gaudy and bizarre costumes, show a new idea in harmony warbling. Their spirituals are corking and the zippy Charleston for the kicker U a punchy getaway. Olga Steck, prima donna, with her Moscow Art instrumental trio, fol- lowed and made the second straight singing act. Miss Steck wore out her welcome and was critically dis- appointing, although her vocal eal- tethenlca, larynx gargllngs and ex- aggerated prima donna gesticula- tions sfiamsd to go with the custom- ers, which, of course, makes a crit- ic's oaptlousness become apple sauae. Still, IS minutes was much too much for a singing single. Jay C. FUppca made It three In a row with songs. Fllppen, under cork and out of a production, gave him- self a fast start with some blng- bing pop song salesmanship, and than sagged with his gagging. He picked up for the getaway and cinched it with a Berlin-Mackay version of "Sitting on Top of the World," singing that Feist pop num- ber in the third person and refer- ring to the newlyweds as being at ease with the universe. Coming from a rival publisher's catalog, this tlnpan alley tribute to Irving and Ellin la mighty fine sentiment, L e., assuming that this version was con. cocted by the Feist special material writers to insure themselves a plug, a plausible enough supposition. Fearing that the audience was not impressed by her predecessors, Aileen Stanley was brought up from next-to-closlng to make the fourth straight singing act. The Victrola girl, whose Immediate Impression is favorable with her wholesome ap- pearance and unaffected charm, was not feazed by the avalanche of prima donnas and blackface come- dians. She chalked up a heavy total on her own. Miss Stanley Is heralded as "home from her London triumph," although she has since been In a Broadway night club, her return dating back several months ago. Regardless, in vaudeville, she evidences a most welcome talent In featuring her comedy penchant In connection with her songs. She even essayed a dusky bride number that was a laugh marathon. In addition she warbled Kentucky's Way of Saying Good Morning" and other pops like no- body's business. George Welst and Ray Stanton In A Little Rhyme and Less Reason," with "Rhyme & Reason" employed as the act title, topped it off with some more singing, although theirs was not wholly a singing turn. It's a novelty comedy act, a Billy K. Wells' typewriter product, and sure fire for anybody's vaudeville. The Charleston Stock Co. is a retainer from last year's "Scandals," which Wells authored, but otherwise their stuff Is crisp and bright. Reopening were the Harrington Sisters, cute kidleta who look adol- escent and sisterly. Their change has been decidedly for the better, with their songs the answer for the Improvement The restricted stuff is happily spotted and snappily sold, with the spicy line offset by their naive childish affectations. Some- body, or experience, haa been a sat- isfactory taskmaster. Came Sam Bernard and Louis Mann (New Acts), followed by the hick handsaw musicians. Weaver Bros., vaudeville standards, who pleased In an Important spot. The Equillbristlc Jahnh closed the show. On retrospect, of the 10 acts, six would fit In nicely in the picture houses and with routines of less running time. Miss Stanley, a recording "name, would be welcomed in pictures, and should welcome that field to build her record following In view of the larger capacities. The Four Choco late Dandles, with their spirituals and the dash of legmanla and banjo, would stand up nicely In the film emporiums, as would Miss Steck with her string trio The Harrington Sisters, kiddle songsters, and the Weaver Bros, are others very Ukcly for the flicker houses. At the rate of progress by the picture theatres in playing acts a la vaudeville there are no limitations as to desirable material. AbcU HIPPODROME Here's the latest wrinkle to kill time In a vaudeville house—get In tercstcd in a flock of civic societies barrels being utilised. Nice act, but failed to create a stir. Ia the deuce, Wallace and Cappo war* augmented by a brother of Cappo and a man named Pastor, who did practically the Cappo and Wallace dance routine as a quartet Instead of a duet. Worked in "one" and created no excitement. Then the Gautier's Toy Shop animal act, with the trained ponies and dogs. This turn, using two people, was well received, but reached no high spots, as It was rushed through and blacked out to conserve time for the guests of the evening. Robey and Gould, two man com- edy turn, followed in "one," and went big In the first 16 rows. After an introductory nut song, their turn was exclusively cross-fire. Good comedy act, this one, for the smaller houses, but an insane booking for the Hip. Then Tom Brown and his Min- strel Orchestra, booked to replace Anna Case, out of the current bill. Brown's aggregation did well until the finale, which lost most of the well-won gains by a hastily put on finale with the Hip girls. Then the special speeches. And before all mention of the speeches stops. Here's one choice sample of good cheer handed out A speaker, get- ting around to a Joke, said: "Things are topsy-turvy now- adays. We put our living under- ground In subways and our dead are wafted through the air as smoke from the crematory." There, gentlemen, Is a sweely sol- emn thought that fits well in any vaudeville program where humor is lacking at $2.20 down. Aesop Fable* reel omitted as opening second half, and the first of the "Charleston in Six Lessons" reel (reviewed under Presentations) was projected and failed to stir the audience, although many shots of a man doing the steps in a chair were shown. Following, were the Two Harle- quins, excellent contortionistic acro- bats who worked In "two." A slow, but meritorious, turn, which will go much better when speeded. Miss Janis, with an accompanist, opened; was any French singer do- ing her stuff here; followed by Le- nore Ulrlc impressing, with Janis singing "Yes, Sir. I'm Back With Davy" for great effect Then a Fannie Brice impression, with Fan- nie as Peter Pan, a bit which flopped because there were but few in the audience who had heard of Tinker Bell and who, therefore, did not recognize the burlesque of the scene wherein Tinker Bell (Peter's guard- Ian fairy) drank poison and started to die. In the play, Peter ran to the footlights and proclaimed that Tin- ker Bell was dying because the world didn't believe in fairies, and then added the admonition: "Clap, oh, clap your hands to show her that we do." This was always met with a gust of applause wherever "Peter Pan" has been played, but Miss Janis used the Broadway meaning of "fairies," and didn't get a single response on the famous appeal. Then a Beatrice Lillie. John Barrymore and Will Rogers Impres- sion, all doing well and aendlng her off to a speech and the hand of the evening. Flowers for Elsie and lots of appreciation from *n audience pleased to be relieved of the tedium Johnny Burke, In his holdover week here, followed with the soldier monolog and went well where he could be heard, but his voice, un- fortunately, didn't extend as far as the second row of the balcony, so the customers up there Just had to chew on their cigars and wait for the Llna Basquette act (New Acts), which followed and closed the bill. Business upstairs Monday night was so deplorable the Little The atre could probably have held all those above the orchestra. Down stairs, tho boxes were filled with representatives of the various asso- ciations, who had their own ecle bratlon, but. at that, several rows of seats were out in back. An idea of the balcony business Is gained when one realizes that the loges were far from filled, and even the flrst two rows back didn't hold a solid front 8Uk. CONSISTENTLY SUPERIOR asBsms^Bjammsmsj incorporated MMgB^g^BgB^ PHILADELPHIA: ^^Cjjfi!Eiy^ NKW YORK CITY t aken Treat Balldln* SSf Went 4trd Htr—t Peaarpmek* MM Chlrkerln* tOM ADVERTISING CURTAIN*— DROPS—SCENERY and then Invite them over to Oliver bafllquet boosting speeches to the $2.20 and down customers. That was in the cards Monday night and for 25 minutes speakers representing the Fifth Avenue Asso elation, the Broadway Association, the 42d Street Property Owners' and Merchants' Association and the Chamber of Commerce told the folks how glad they were that the Qucens- boro subway had been opened; that the present city administration was tho greatest ever; and that the Hip was a great theatre. The men them- selves probably didn't know what u grave error they were committing by saying the Hip was, or to make an attempt to fill those prairie spaces of seats which prevail now adays. They had a good time, and from their own pang got lots of ap- plause. Tho audience proper, how ever, squirmed and began walking out for the intermission. The show itself didn't begin until about 10 p. m., when Elsie Janis went on and mopped—the only real mop of the evening. A Hal Roach comedy programmed wasn't shown, and tho bill went directly into the Taketas. Jap turn doing perch work with two men. wire work with a woman, and finishing with KisJcy, RIVERSIDE One mlsspotted act in the first half of the Riverside bill this week was Johnny Murphy (New Acts) Murphy was given an amiost impos- sible assignment for a monologlst of quiet methods, asked to follow the Kriants, No. 3, a dumb comedy acrobatic turn. As a result, the second half of the layout galloped off with the playing honors. The bill held plenty of meat, with Brooke Johns closing the first half, Ethel Davis o"en«~r- after intermls sion and the Avon Comedy Four next to closing. All three clanged. Johns has developed into quite a showman, and as a result the aver age vaudeville audience is now duck soup for the banjo player who can't sing but does. He has whipped th< Oklahoma Collegians into great shape. Cioodee Montgomery, intro- duced In a curtain speech by Johnr as a niece of Dave Montgomery, opens in boy togs for a fast jazz dance and does an Ann Pennington with the pork chop strummer In "one" brfore the flnn'p. They liloed everything Johns did, and he got n hr#»ak in it being the first time he has played the house. The K-A au- diences are so fed on wlt u repeats they almost devour anything new Miss Davis, an artist from tier tltlan locks to her Millers, sold sev- eral special songs, opening after in- termission In big league style. She pattered and characterized a wait- ress in a Broadway restaurant, • breaking up the song with some snappy chatter. Her delivery of a sneezing song was realistic enough to start a flu epidemic and her others were on a par. Miss Davis has-been goaling them for several seasons. She was one of the lumi- naries of the Shubert unit circuit, but the big time didn't become ac- quainted with her until her moniker found itself In the list of every pro- duction agent in town. Smith and Dale followed and opened to a reception. The new act is now hitting on all six. The only visible change lately is a sub- stitution of a male for a bit in the flrehouse scene Instead of a female. Judging by laughs "nplause, the customers like the new turn as well as they did the schoolroom and res- taurant acts. They even laughed at the burlesque onera finish as eld as money changing. This pulled them back for a corking sextet ar- rangement of a popular song that gave them all an opportunity for vocal pyrotechnics. Paul Gordon, the wire walker, opened flashily. Gordon runs, sways and does a drunk on the tight wire and some dangerous looking swing- ing on the slack. He features tha latter, topped off by a back somer- sault to the stage. Patrice and Sullivan, a wholesome refined singing and. musical mixed duo, subbed and seconded for Violet and Charlotte Singer, who were off the bill although programed. The Brlants, third In "The Dream of a Moving Man," were also ac- claimed. The corkscrew fall of the boneless member never failed to pull laughs. The opening with the han- dling of the dummy head fooled them here. The Youngers, an Interesting vet- eran posing turn, failed to stem the walkouts, holding about half of the three-quarter house. "Topics of the Day" killed off several gags now being used by standard comedians, among them the one about the con- . ductor who doesn't believe the kid Is four years old and Is told by the Jewish woman, "Can I help it if he worries?" The alibi of blaming the gags on some obscure newspaper is becoming ridiculous. With vaudeville people copping material from one another the life of the average gag Is about 20 min- utes. "Topics" appearing weekly in every K-A-booked house is prob- ably the answer to the strained silence that greets the .best wheezes from some of the lads and girls. 5TH AVE. Quite an interesting event at the 6th Avenue Monday, about the only Interesting thing around the show the first half in this Proctor house. Monday morning six acts were listed, hut only five appeared at the matinee and thereafter. Kramer and Boyle or one of them ran into the flu or some ailment and they were not replaced. That probably saved the pay roll $62.50, the cus- tomary two-act scale in the Kelth- Albee split weeks around New York. There's an Idea in that for the twice daily bookers and managers. None of the 6th Avenue audience Monday night asked for their money back because the show was not as advertised. For straight vaudeville the scheme might prove better than cutting salaries In front of the house. A twice daily vaudeville the- atre could start with tho news weekly, run In another film on the History of Vaudeville, always con- suming not less than 90 minutes aa a routine, then skip to the "Fables." into intermission, opening with the "Topics" and another film lecture on "What I Have Done for the Actors," 55 minutes more, then a dumb act for the finish. It's necessary to have a dumb act for the finish in order not to disturb the sleeping audience. In this way any straight vaude- ville theatre could give a night's en- tertainment and lodging for on* price. It may prove to be the saver. It doesn't look as though they had commenced to cut salaries in front of the house at the 6th Avenue, yet. No one of the staff had a grouch and even the audience smiled now and then. Five acts are not a big show, but they had "Tumbleweeds" for the picture. That seemed to say the management felt pretty certain Bill Hart on the screen could fill in for anything missing on the stage. A two-reel comic inserted carried the vaudeville finale to 9:55, only 30 minutes ahead of its usual time. Frances Arms easily ran away with tho show, next to closing, the position Kramer and Boyle would have had had they been there. (No trouble with K. & B, their illness was on the level.) But If K. & B. had been near the shut, where would Frances have been? But as Jimmy Durante says. "Every problem can be solved." Since Jimmy commenced to get dough he has become a philosopher, so It might not be in error t.» ask James what to do for straight vaudeville? The chart t« are .Vmtnv woiiM reply to stit k in a .< band and a covuer charge. That $1 ^