Variety (March 1926)

16 VARIETY PAT ROONEY and Co. (28) Revue 40 Mint.1 Full Stag* (8pl. Set) Palace (St. Vaude.) Pat Rooney la laying oft his •how. The Daughter of Roaie O'Grady." ovar Holy Week, and un- derfed vaudeville has drafted one of it* favorite sons to do front-line trench duty on lta moat exposed aector, the Palace. Rooney always was Ideal la this Institution, and now, having a whole evening's en tertainment to pick and draw from, a company all seasoned and up, no wonder he bangs one ovar. On this lean bill, the Rooney re vue looks like the Rockies over the vista of prairies and foothills. He has bis Jasa band, his Marion Bent, his young Pat, 12 chorines, five specialty girls, himself and his tried material; all this In addition to the spontaneous spirit of welcome accorded him after a considerable vaudeville leave of absence. Pat opened with the band In a little introductory aovelty dance, and after that Introduced his gals and a team, mostly dancing, until he came to his "Daughter of Roaie O'Grady" number, which he slam- med home. Young Pat (probably the grandson of Roaie O'Grady), imitated him. Marion (looking 18) joined and the three did his encore bJt. It was a sentimental wow. Thence Into the crashing Charles- ton which la the finale of the first act of his show, an O'Grady number peppered up with modern mustard and going to a general Charleston fox a bio won!, with all the solo girls In the chorus and coming out of Jt for individual variations of the erase. It pyramided to a riot and brought on recalls, bows, speeches *nd a heart-warming demonstra- tion of the sort which was sensa- tional In view of the lackadaisical attitude toward tho rest of the bllL Muriel Stryker, of Zlegfeld memories, danced prettily in the single numbers. Layman and Kling, a trifle out of date, showed whias speed, at least Marcelle Ilardle would have done better if she hadn't been handicapped with a "Pennington Imitation," for she is a cute kid but no more like Penny than Pat Is like John Mc- Cormack. Mildred Burns hoofed neatly. Anita Nelto was ballyhooed as the "wonder girl." which left much to the imagination. But, in all, it wasn't the outsiders who counted. They helped to make up the forty minutes and save an act, but the Rooneys did the trick. Stars are stars. If Pat makes a lot of money with his show, he can keep out of vaudeville if he wants to. If he doesn't, he can sell what he showed here to picture houses for a fortune. Or, if he wants to return to his old love, he can play two years in vaudeville, with as few full pay weeks as It has, and never need to change his act. For It can repeat and it can hold over. It Is wholesome, knockout flash stuff, with names and fun and pep and tunes and quality. An established old-timer, up to the minute, is a refreshing novelty and a Joy. And that's Pat. hait. EDMUND BREE8E and Co. (S) "Happy New Year" (Skotsh) 20 Mins.t Two Palace (St Vaude.) Edmund Breeae is regarded as a "name" in acting and surely Irvln S. Cobb is a celebrity In writing. Between them, these two stars de- liver as futile, puerile and amateur- ish a sketch as has ever reached Broadway. Breese plays a red-nosed waiter with a gray wig. His make-up is as realistic as a papier mache dragon, and his wig Is as convincing as his make-up. In these factors, if none other, one might expect a veteran player to come clean. And, as for his playing, Corse Payton should get out an injunction for Infringe ment The "plot" is ten-twenty from the ground up. It is New Tear's eve (Isn't that too splendid?) and a villain who has stolen his best pal's wife comes Into a private dining room to ~ drink cocktails and champagne. They discuss before the waiter their woe—the world cuts them, they are bitter, they drop It all and slink out Well, who does the waiter turn out to be but the injured husband? His nose has turned red and his wig has been dyed gray in slv years. He opens the wins to guxxle It when they come back— no one explains why—and he goes into a melodramatic peroration wishing them a happy New Year. It hasn't been equaled since "The Curse of an Aching Heart Cobb has written ft with a low opinion of vaudeville and Breese plays it with a hot hatred or a cold contempt for that branch of the arts. He has done so many worthy things on the stage and Cobb has done so many worthy things for the stage that there can bo no other fair deduction. Closing the first part, the sketch died standing up, which Is the only rhetorical expression to fit that is charitable enough to admit that It stood up at all. Lait. PERCY GRAINGER Piano 14 Mins.; Full Stage (Special) Hippodrome (St Vaude.) Percy Grainger is tho Australian concert pianist and composer. He ie playing one week of vaudeville and has a novelty Inasmuch as he plays against his own concert rolls on a Duo-Art piano. His actual playing and the play- ing of the rolls Is so perfectly syn- chronised It would be interesting If not accompanied by his unusual technique and mastery of the in- strument The Hippodrome presents the act to beat advantage by spotting th9 piano In an alcove set which moves down toward the apron after the musician takes his entrance and is seated on the stool. His opening number, "Hungarian Phantasy" (Lisst), was well re- ceived. This was followed by "Juba Dance** (R. Nathaniel Dett), and "Country Gardens," his own com- position, and "Turkey in the Straw." The pianist was heavily acclaimed at the end of each number and could easily have encored but he proved bis showmanship by con- tenting with several healthy bows. A class act and an entertaining one and similarly presented, a pic- ture house feature. Con. COLLINS and PETERSON Comedy, Singing and Dancing 15 Mine.; One 81st St (Vaude-Plots) New combination of Marty Col- lins (Collins and Plllard) and Harry Peterson supplanting Jack Plllard as straight. Marty handles the comedy effecting "nut" and retain- ing most of the tricks of the former Collins and Plllard turn. Peterson makes a corking straight through Kood appearance and splen- did team work with the comic. Nif- ty nonsense incorporating a hokum travesty on Othello, with Collins as Desdemona without a "dame" get- up. This and preceding crossfire are well worked up. Collins effects his familiar red- nosed saplst makeup. It draws howls after entrance and tho team holds them from then on. Collins sandwiches in his cornet sjolo and Peterson handles two vocalg spotted to break up the chatter rou- tine, and with the mother ballad clicking best at the getaway. Good hokey team with class that copped In next to shut Monday night. Looks like surefire In this •pot on any of them. Bdba. -SLEEPY" HALL and Orchestra (10) Castillian Gardens, Pel ham, N. Y. "Sleepy** Hall, Tale '24, first be- came interested In the jazs band thing during his undergraduate days at New Haven. Playing at college prom and frat dances, his strictly collegiate band became quite a fac- tor locally, resulting in their mi- grating to Paris, at the Club Danou, tho French capital's high-hat sup- per club, for a summer's engage- ment. On their return, some of the boys had to return to college; others were forbidden to continue playing pro- fessionally and went into the usual bond salesman racket like all good college graduates are wont to do. Hall Is now almost two years out of Tale and with Bud Webber, his college chum, the sole Tale survi- vors, with the rest of the personnel generally recruited. As a dance unit it shapes up moat flatteringly. It has class and dis tlnction In every department from personality to musical ideas. Such thing as having a 10-piece band at tempt playing a fox-trot version of Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue," which Paul Whlteman with an aug men ted concert orchestra first In troduced. Is one Instance of ambi- tious progress. "Kitten on the Keys," Zez Confrey'a difficult trick piano solo, played for dance with Hall soloing on the banjo, is another highlight of mi:siclan'v initiative. Bud Webber, the saxophonist arranger of the band, Is the tech- nical director. Hall himself knows nothing about music, can't read a note and plays his banjo solely by ear. Bobby Jones and Nick Dls pensa complete the sax section. Ed Pinder, trumpet; Mickey Caffrey, trombone; Keith Beecher, piano; Bill Marcipan, drummer; Don Ken- nedy, bass, and Hal Hoyt, banjolst, who sings and entertains mostly, complete the personnel. They're a nice looking bunch and great In an Intimate place like a road house or cafe. Hall himself Is a personality at the head of the organisation. Instrumentally they are proficient, producing inspiring dance music and sufficiently versa tile to recommend them for any sort of stage work, picture houses, vaudeville or revue. Abel. JOHNNY MURPHY Monologist 14 Mine; One Riverside (St Vaude) Johnny Murphy, a clean cut chajp, has a corking good idea back of bis monolog, but as It is predicated upon tho assumption the average vaudeville audience Is intelligent enough to get fly and subtle cracks, his success will always be dependent upon the erudition of the customers. Opening with an ordinary pop song he Is interrupted by a phone which stands on a table in "one". He answers the call from a woman who says her husband is in the audience with someone not his wife. Murphy tells her he has relayed the message and four men have fainted. A line of sophisticated chatter anent the questions sent to the male editor of a woman's publication which ho holds In his hand, follows. The cracks are bright, witty and wMle not all new have more than the average percentage of origi- nality. Another interruption from the phone cues him into a corking monolog about his girl, her family, etc. Murphy Is telling a couple of gags which have been heard around but he is still a couple of hundred behind "Topics of the Day." A sneezing song worked Into the rou- tine was mildly received and a clos- ing, pop song likewise. If there remains any demand m straight vaudeville for a monologist with an assured natural delivery, Murphy should And consecutive bookings on what Is left of the big time. He was spotted fourth here, following a dumb act and went fairly well. Con, AN ORGANIZATION BEHIND OUR CURTAINS Btker & Wbuu NEW YORK CITT: Stt WmC 43rd StrMl ADVERTISING CURTAINS—DROPS—SCENERY CHUCK WHITEHEAD'S ORCHESTRA Jazz Band 20 Mins.f One People's, Portland, Ore. Chuck Whitehead certainly is the jazz mustard In this burg, with his novelty musical bunch of eight. Formerly on the Pantages time, he is now proving his local worth by bringing the bulk of the kale to this picture house. Each week finds the boys pulling original stunts and comedy with their brand of syncopation also going for a solid / %ash. Whitehead has been here over a year and has created a following. The program opens with the intro- duction of "Pagllaccl" reeled In Byncho rhythm, giving the violinist an opportunity for some clever solo work. "A Cup of Coffee-" Is next plugged off, to which the boys vo- calize a snappy chorus, while a rural selection followed. It pan- icked 'em. They responded with a few en cores of published numbers that added considerable popularity. The boys are there when it conies to putting over the goods, with Chuck's vaudeville tricks in evl dence considerably. He performs and directs the band from the drums. However, there is one handicap the boys work under. That in the Inadequate stage to offer any as Bistance In the way of scenery and lighting effects. They do their stuff in the trench, but In spite of these disadvantages are the talk of tho local theatregoers. Cohen, VESTA VICTORIA Character Songs 21 Mine.; One (special drop) Victoria Palace, London London. March 16. After an absence of 10 years from tho London variety stage, Vesta Victoria staged a comeback with three new songs and a couple of special drops. Her new ditties are fashioned along the lines of her for- mer successes, simple story rhym- ing. Everything was done by manager Jack Hay man to put the act over. Miss Victoria was surrounded by a bill that would not conflict, a med- ley of her former popular songs was played by the orchestra during the interval and her time was spotted for 10 p. m. The first number is 'I'm a Slop— I'm a Cop." as* a London police- woman, in which she employs pret- ty much the same gait as when she did "While the Stormy Winds Do Blow," with two "punch" points— the police surgeon wanting to •ex- amine her legs for varicose veins and a souse applying for a place to sleep while she Is In charge of the station house, saying: "Haven't you a place to squeeze me in?" and the response: "I've got the place but not the time." It is altogether unfit for America from all angles. Probably the best of the trio of new numbers is the second, "John and Me Stood by the Wishing Well," describing a pair of youthful, mod- est but hectic lovers (she In crino- line) with a tag "I found John had wished the same as me," with a catchy refrain "By the Wishing Well Waiting for the Magic Spell." This bids fair to make a strong pop- ular appeal and develop into a "best seller." The»third song is an effort to- ward the more or less imitation of poor "John" In somewhat similar costume. The comedienne emerges with a perambulator contlnlng trip- lets. The first line she utters is a riot: "These kids are not mine; they belong to a man that I met." The song reveals she has been walking about with the kids for a couple of days trying to find the man who told her to "mind the kids while I get a drink"—"but the blighter never returned," with the catch line "Never, never, never no more." her friends on seeing the kids, charg- ing her with "leading a double life." In some respects *thls resembles Blanche Merrill's ''pram" song done in America by Lillian Shaw. At both performances Monday Miss Victoria was palpably ner- vous and overcome by the warmth of her reception. As a consequence, she was not at her best. This was most manifest whan, In response to Insistent calls for the old successes, she gave them "Waiting at the Church" at a tempo too rapid for registering the comedy points at their full value. Times have changed. It will be Interesting to watch the progress of the act after the first flash of ex- citer ent over the return subsides. This artiste, when her material has been properly set, will be probably entitled to another New Act re- view. Jolo, "SPANISH DREAMS" (10) Songs, Music, Dancing 12 Mine.; Full Stsge (Special) Hippodrome (St. Vaudeville) Billed as a Hlspano-American Revue, this music and dance turn features the Hurtado Brothers' Marimba Orchestra of six marimbas and violin, and the dance team of Alberto Galo and Jlta, with War- ren Jackson a natty singing Intro- ductions. The dancers offer two doubles, one a tango, that average well with any of the tamale steppers, to the accompaniment of the marimba or- chestra. The musicians also solo while the pair make a change. The costuming is high class and the special set in excellent taste. At this house the turn was given much impetus by the ballet work of the Alan Foster Girls, beautifully costumed. Good act of its kind but striking no new note. Con. FLANDERS and BUTLER Songs and Piano 12 Mins.; One American Roof (Vaude-Pets.) Miss Butler, blonde, sings well, featuring high notes. Her smile is catchy. Flanders accompanies on the piano, doing a short solo in allow- ing his partner to change. Flanders' arrangement of "Swanee River" was aung well by Miss Butler. The pair might do well in aiming for picture houses. Miss Butler's voice is powerful and far reaching. MARGARET SEVERN and Co. <19> Thai Vain Princess* (Ballot) 1S Mins.; Ons and Full (Special) 81st St. (Vaude-Piets) Margaret Severn has retained her dance routines of former offerings incorporated them Into this ballet which has been built to production proportions through the induction of 16 Foster girls and several other principals. The offering ia de- scribed as a "Benda Mask Ballet" It Is with the masks employed by the star and support practically throughout which provides addi- tional novelty for vaudeville al- though the mask thing had been previously done in a less preten- tious way in a previous "Greenwich Village Follies" in which Miss Severn also appeared. "The Vain Princess" is credited with having been evolved by Miss Severn and staged by Ota Gygi. The ballet unravels the romance of a haughty princess so enamored of her own beauty that she shuns the Prince Charming who would make her his bride. Her vanity di- rects her to a woodland pool where- in her constant gazing arouses the ire of the wicked nymphs. They transform her Into an ugly mon- strosity. The prince returns and counteracts the evil spirits with tho princess drop even her previous metallic mask and more beautiful than ever as her real self. The ballet Is well executed giv« lng Miss Severn corking opportun- ity for her sole work and with her toe stuff excelling as usual Tho group numbers are also dellghtfuL The mask expressions are remark* able likenesses, especially the li- quid-eyed sextet which provides a comedy touch. The act starts in a prolog behind a scrim with Miss Severn telling a youngster the bedtime story that eventuates as the motif of tho ballet. It follows to an unpreten- tious woodland set in full. An interesting and novel interlude for either vaudeville or picture houses. It clicked in closer on this bill and can do as well on repeats. Edba. DOLLY KRAMER AND MIDGET BAND (10) 14 Mins.; Full Stage American Roof (Vaude-Pict) At best a novelty through the lil« llputlan musicians. While the mid- get band boys will never win any medals for quality they play well enough to make good the midget band billing. Dolly Kramer is featured. She's a plump little lady who carries the headline prominence through the way she handles herself, both in her opening announcement wherein she introduces most of the boys and in her character songs and finishing dance, a "hot" number that topped the entire turn off satisfactorily. Miss Kramer goes in for simple numbers and dresses for each. Her Charleston finale got the biggest results. The band has several midgets who seem out of the lilllputlan class through else yet they are over- shadowed by the others who are unquestionaly from the land of midgets. Miss Kramer in her introduction said the youngest bandsman was 18 and the oldest 31. She introduced the cornetists as Joe and Frank, trombonist as Mike and the tuba player as Joseph. The others she said she would not introduce because they had given her nothing for Chrlstmaa Then the leader was given a hur- rah entry and announced as the sheik director, Steve Taylor. In addition to directing Steve also played the clarinet. The musicians were in Pierrot costumes while Steve was dressed in modern at- tire. The routine depends greatly upon Miss Kramer's numbers with band accompaniment of course. The mid- gets only tackle a few numbers as a band proposition; nothing fine, fancy or tricky, Just a brassy out- fit that can blow some sour notes yet finally wind up for a noisy finish. It's a novelty and certain to reg- ister where the audiences run large- ly to the Juvenile contingents. Could be used as a picture house turn. There is Quite a chance for the film houses getting ballyhoo re- sults that the vaudeville houses might not regard as part and par- cel of their operation. The midgets could lay out • stronger musical routine, but a stronger routine might be a little too difficult to handle. Mark, If you don't advertise in VARIETY don't advertise