Variety (April 1926)

VARIETY BURLESQUE Wcdnetday, April 7, 1929 COLUMBIA TAKE BACK VETS FOR NEXTSEASAN Cooper, Joseph K, Wat- son and Marion Receive Franckitet KUDDLING KUTIES (MUTUAL) Soubr^t Jmn« Rh<»«de« Com. .llonne Anna Fink I ngfu ue Friixle hllv Strsirrht Hu«W* Mack Come'I Ian Otorje Wallace fuvenlle Harry I'lexx Frtncli*! Billy Hiiml^i Principal ■. Harry West Featun-tl c''>in«-'iiaj) Max FicMs* At a mietlng of the board of dl- rcitors of the Columbia Amuse- Dient (\.riij)any last week, it ia re- ported I hat francliisea were ap- proved for next season for Jimmy I'oonor, .lost ph K. Wntson a:.J '^ "e Marion. Act oriling to information, Cooper 9,ho left the circuit before the DpeniuK of the current season be- caus? of the epidemic of black and white .siiows, will operate two fran- chisee next season* one in ajsitocia- lion with Rud K. Hynicka, a Co- liiinbiH official. One of the shows will be the "Powder Puff Revue," produced by tiie late Arthur Pear- eon on Hynicka'8 franchise. The otlier will be a brand new black and white, similar to Cooper's oric^i- nal two-tone attraction, which led the cir<"uit in gross receipts for sev- eral se4u;ons and was responsible for the number of black and white's produced this season. The decision to re-«nfranchise fo;r.e of the veterans la said to have followed the desertion from bur- lesque of several of the newer and yuuiiRer producers, Ullly K. Wells, Clark and McCullough, Seymour Kelix, William Brandel and Lew Cantor .Tro a few of the newcomers wIjo turned in their franchises dur- ing the Kibt couple of seasons. Several Will Walk The return of those mentioned will menn that several of the pro- durers of "weak" shows last season will WHik the plank before next sea- Fon opens. The report is current thc't not over 10 shows turned a prutit and that the black and whites, owned mostly or operated for offl- ci:^lF <if the Columbia, were the big- tcy-t-i and nio.st consistent money getter.". A* cordJny to sources close to all co!icorned, many of tho producers cheated on production and person nel in an efTort to get by as cheaply ft.** possible, thereby leaving the bur- den to be l»orne by the oiKTutons of j;<)i'd siiows. This type of show, whi n following one of the weak -LMicji^.&uSl^sjdiL as re^iuil.. The good, shows Kot the money as usual, re- gardless of conditions. Margie Pinetti Missing Margie Pinetti, burlesque soubret, wiio.se disappearances have been siilllciently frequent lately to qual- ify' her for a conjuring act, has l.ijlled another fadeaway. I'ntil her latest di.sappearance, Miss PInetti had b«H»n soubret with M!Msl\\ fl Apollo burlo.s<iuc stock at the Apollo, llarlem. She had ap- peariMi with the stwlc several weeks, but failed to report two weeks ago and none of iier friends Il ls seen or heard from her. .^oTne months ago, when It Lilured 5»)ulMet with "Stolen Sweets" (Mu- tual shoA), Ml.ss Pinettl is reported ;is liaving bolted the i»roduction in 'l^rf><»myn wb«»n the wife of an ad- mirer had traced her to the thea- tre and adniinister»Hl a laclr . in addition to nn adinonillun to keep n'Aay IKmi li( r husband. The lat- ter was subsequently haled to court in separation proceedings and nicked for alimonj', which he is raid to have escaped paying by re- maining beyond the Jurisdiction of the New York courts. Miss Finelti was divorced from her former husband, a non-profes- .sional. several months ago In Chi- cago. "Kuddling Kutles" Is a hot Mu- tual, full of punchy comedy, sure bits and dominated always by the broad comedy methods of Max Fields, a Hebrew comedian, with few equals on the circuit. The show Is particularly fortu- nate in Its feminine department, having one of the best formed and magnetic soubreis on the wheel in June Rhoades; another looker in tYitzie White, the inirenue, and a loud and blatant comodlenne-prima donna In Anna Fink, who for some reason or other is given feature billing with Fields. Miss Fink prob- ably can show more hash marks than any of the principals, but, despite her determined efforts, suc- ceeds rarely in being genuinely funny. Fields misses no opportunities when going after comedy, and Is an all-around capable comedian. De- spite a leaning toward broad tech- nique, he can be equally funny when giving the ' No. 1 show" verson of the book, as he proved In his work in the 'Brazilian Nuts," "Lemon Came" and other bits. The "Lemon C.ame," originally in a Mutual pro- 'luction sponsored by I. H. Herk, Is having a busy season. It is on view at the Olympic and also on the Century Roof, where Harry O'Neal, Steppe's former partner, and Jack Pearl are making them like it at $5.50 a copy. Steppe also uses It In his Columbia opera. The production of "Kutles" Is up to snuff, and either newly pajnted or recently cleaned. It was Im- pressive throughout, and aided the general good impression which this show left all the way. George Wallace, a long-nosed ec- centric-dressed comic of the old scho(»l. remlni.Hcent of Bob Van Aus- ten, iitted in nicely in the show and halved the comedy with Fields. Hughie Mack, a husky, cican-cut straight, and either Harry West or Billy Hamlet an acceptable dancing Juvenile, rounded out the males. The show has one or two touches In revue taste, one beins a sterilised version of a stag ga«. In this bit Fields and MLss Rhoades register as man and wife,, and retire. "Fields returns and says the plaster from the celling above the bed fell down :md hit him on the back. Some of the dialogue was a trifle broad, but in the main stuck to time- worn burles(iue styles. The old-style method of the straight repeating all of the comedian's lines when p.n- swering the cue questions is adhered to throughout, and unless absolutely ncces.sary should receive attention. It draws the talk out and kills the gmrT" In flome si>ois. Miss Rhondes In very much abbre- viated costumei^ pulled encores on her every api>earance. The girl. In addition to good looks and a likable per.>4onality. has a figure that would give her a chance In any physical < ulture content anywhere. She does a cooch in a bit formerly done by .Margie Pennetl, In which the come- dians give up part of their money or Jewelrj' ever>' time she turns on a new wiggle for their benefit. On other occasions she is out on the runway leading numbers, and on still another she did a "peek" num- l>er In which she is wrapped In a newspaper which she coyly threat ens to open. All were pulling for the Lull dog. but after a dozen bows she still held out, so the number died. Taking it all in all. "Kuddling Kutles" is a good Mutual burlesque hitting on six cylinders in all de- partments, n<jt forgetting a likable and hard-working chorus. Con. NELLIE WATSON KILLED BY DISCHARGED WAITER Killed in Her Roadhouse at Freeport—Husband Is "Slid- ing Billy" Watson Nellie Watson, former burlesque leading woman and wife of "Sliding Billy" Wattfon (Columbia Bur- lesque comadlan and show oper- ator). WM Shot and killed yester- day (Tuesday) at her road house, the Thre* Rondred Club, at Free- port, Ik L BATHING BEAUTUIS (COLUMBIA) This 1926 version of Rube Bern- stein's annual opera is there from all angles as bright, snappy enter* tainment. The costumes and pro- duction also look new and arc also In good taste. Other assets are two corking comedians in Jack Hunt and Clyde Bates working practically as a two- some throughout as genteel hobos in a manner that recall# Aahley and Bulger in the latter's heyday. As for the fern principal depart- trlfle weak 10 I£ADERS ON' COLUMBIA 2 All-Colored and 2 Black and Whites ment, the show is a through lack of vocalista, although. _ icadinc Ehow« on ih^ the girls know the tricks of putting , Vjf i« »<»ding uiowa on ihe Oo- a long over. Dorsey Biron handles lumbia Circuit this season are re- Ibe soubret u.MSlgnment acceptably, Ported as "Seven-Klevcn." ' Rarin* both as to numbers and her oontrl- I to Go," "Bringing Up Fitther.* butlons to the comedy scenes with | "Follies of the Day," "Lucky Henry Ko«tb«, aosociated with I Bates and Hunt. Vinnie Philips Is Sambo,'* Jack Reid's "Black and %M also killed by a cute Ingenue who also knows her white Rovue," "Sliding Billy Wat' A few minutes stuff when It comes to selling num- ,. Woman and bers, while Bessie Brooks is a so-so ^ Song.- prima with better quality singing Stone and Pillaxds Show, and MollU voice than the others. Williams. What was lacking in the fem Of tho 10 "Seven-Eleven" and vocalising division was partly rem- "Lucky Sambo" aro all colored at- edied by the males in general and tracttons; "Rarin* to Go," and Jack A telephone lineman who had by Billy Elliott In particular,' who I Keld's Revuo are black and whites* her In tho dub, the after tho nhootlng Karl KIcferie, waiter, wlM> had been discharged Monday night, walked Into police headquartors and confessed to the double murder. I:>een working outside of the road house notified the police he had heard shooting Inside. The police found the two bodies on the dining room floor. Mrs. Watson, a woman of 50, re- handled several of the most tune- . . j^^i^^ ^ Father" Is a cartoon ful numbers In a pleasant baritone.! Ji^^i, k i Eddie Anken was an acceptable comedy or freak, and the balance juvenile, while King Nepple, col- I regular burlesque shows. SHUBERT NOTIFICATION PANICKED BURLESQUERS ored dancer, spotted some hot step ping at intervals throughout. The chorus gals had the cinch tired from burlesque about eight | assignment of their lives. Only two years. She appeared with her bus- I real dancing nnmbers in the two band aa leading woman In Hurtig sections, with Bernstein going In & Seamen's -Glrto From Happy- raon for stage pictures and group- 1 . i>* 1^ iaiA m^A laii I InPTfl rather than the more arduous .^i.J. V i; ^« hoaflng seemingly a welcome relief, w%tx 9 w% t j •SUdkng BlUy" and his wife sep- j^^t undoubtedly disputed 'LCmOn Bit/ BUPleSqUC Stand- arated June 1«. 1924. He was to ^y the dyed-ln-the-wool burlesque t^.^Us^A n»UA/«i f*^^\s^ pay her |75 a week and she was to fans who are never content unless | Dj, inYOIYCu—U fieai X^BTTlvQ keep their home at 80 New York the merry-merries are worked over- avenue, FreeporL time. Last year she alleges Watson was Hunt and Bates dominate the in arrears In hU alimony payments show but never permit you to tire ' of them. Most of their material is better grade than the usual bur leeque routine, although several familiar touches remain in the lay It from Steppe Show <and obtained a Judgment for 15.176. The judgment also covered a loan of $2,000 which Mrs. Watson al- leges she made to her husband May L'l, 1924. 'Sliding BlUy" Watson's Colum- bia Burlesque show is currently playing at Cotumbua, O. ^BURiiSQOE ROUTES oou II 1:4 A CIRCniT APRIL 12 Bathing aeauties-Orpheum. Pat- ] ,amulkrlty Up Father — Empire. 14th St. Stock Burlesque Arthur Sampson Is negotiating to litko over tho (West) 14th :5tre<'t theatre. New Tork, for a sunnncr sea.^on of burlesque stock. The house is currently held by an Italian opera company. Sampson's present proposition Is to take over the house from May to T^abor Day, closing It two we< ks for renovations. Including a runway, and reopening with the burlesque shows. Wilhelm, Mfpr., Returned To Sioux City for $131 Bill Sioux City, Iowa, April 6. Maurice Wilhelm, whose "Glrl-o'- Mine" girlies ate up flSl worth of tho vlttles from Meln Hoflt Alex Kazos* t^Mo. after Wilhelm bad ar- langed a "cufT* settlement, and then ble^' just in time to avoid service on a suit Ka/os started In the civil courts, has been captured In Jeffer- son, Iowa. Wilhelm Is now here, charged with defrauding an lim keeper. ersoii Bringing Brookllya. Burlesque Carnival—Empire, To- ledo. Fashion Parade—Gbiyety. Roches- ter. V Flappers of 192S—L. O. Follies of Day—Casino. Philadel- phia. Golden Croole—It, Geneva; *18. Auburn; 14, Oswego; 16-17, Colo- nial. Utlca. Happy Hooligan—Empire. To- ronto. Happy Moments — Gayety. De- troit Let's 0O--12-14, Lyric, Dayton. Lucky Sambo—Star and Garter, Chicago. Miss Tobaeoo — Gayety. PitU- burgh. Models and Thrills—Columbia. New York. Mutt and Jeff—Gayety. Buffalo. Powder Puff Revue—12-14. Van Curler. Schenectady; 15-17. Capitol, Albany. Rarin* to Qe—Gayety, Washing- ton. Reynolds, Abe, Rounders—Empire. Newark. Seven-Eleven—Casino. Boston. Step On It—Casino, Brooklyn. Steppe, Harry—Empire, Provi- dence. Talk of the Town—Hurtig & Sea- mon's. New York. Watson, Sliding Billy—Olympic, Cincinnati. White and Black Revue—Gayety, Boston. Williams, Moilie — Guyety. St. One oi the best laughs of the season for insiders is the Shubert'a notification to Cain A Davenport that the lemon bit in th« Harry out. probably tlirough allegiance to I Steppe Show, Columbia burlesque, burlesque. The comics plant a is an Infringement on the Jiame bit corking comedy number on en- ^s done by Harry O'Neal and Jack trance, "The King Isn't King Any ..^ j^j^j,^ j„ pj^^s' at the More.- with plenty of snappy cho- ^ p-ris. ruses, getting warmer and warmer r—'"" 7* Mr^^m. at each subsequent recall. <> ^eal. a former partner of The "Butcher. Baker and Can- Steppe, placed the bit in the Shu- dlestlck Maker" niunber. handlel bert musical after leaving Sieppe by Elliott, with the comics also 1 uuit season following a dispute with incorporated to Illustrate the afore- caln and Davenport over billing, mentioned tradesmen was the punch quesUon has been a number of the first section. Spotted ^ burlesque comedy scene later down, the drugged wine epi- ,,1™ „ i.ZZ sode. handled by Hunt. Bates and Max Fields, a Hebrew Miss Blron, clicked for yells de-| comedian now oa the Mutual Cir- cuit, did the bit several years ago The seaside cabaret opening the | and was succeeded by Steppe who second stanza was effective in em- ploying a stage upon the stage ele vated and utilized for several chorus ensembles. Hunt and Bates . . . continued their delicious clowning | circuii, throughout this stanza, also with a bathing beauty parade serving as excuse to plant the union suit num- ber. A cyclorama effect fade-out, with the "Huln ' number at tho fin- ish contrasted the usual blatant assemblage customary for a bur- lesque wlndup. Spotted In the flrst half was Lit- tle Jim, wrestling bear, booked in as the week's special attraction. The bear's stunts aro preceded by hoke comedy, involving two plants In the audience who come up to wrestle the bear. Some of It got over and some didn't. Sixteen attractive costume changes for tho 18 choristers throughout, and with the rapid changes really Tne only heavy work allotted the group. From all nngles a corking bur- lesque attraction that has figured In the money section all season. A glimpse of it is the answer. E^hn. also did it In L H. Herk s Ameri- can Burlesque attraction during the life of the Columbia number two Stock in Irving Place Charles Burns will again operate the Irving place. New York, with a Htock burlesque policy when the cur- rent Riason of German operettss termlnnte this month. Burns will secure his company from several Mutual shows. These Mutunl shows will also have closed for tne season by the time Burrr opens. 'HI?. liilton, Joe Club—Palace, Haiti more. Wine, Women and Song -Colum- bia, Cleveland. Columbia's Added Haveinan s 'Kings of the Jungle' has been booked as the ndded at- traction at the Columbln, New York, next week. The Columbia burlesque attraction will be "Models and Thrills." MUTUAL CIBCUIT All Set To Oo—Miles-Royal, Akron. Sand BoK Revue—Cadillac. De- troit. Bashful Babies—Gayety. Louis- ville. Chick-Chick—Gayety, nri>oklyn. Cunningham, E., and Girls—Troc- adero, Philadelphia. French Models—Empire, Cleve- Innd. Giggles—Mutual-Empress, Kansn.s City. Girlis Qirle—L. O. Happy Hours — Pla>-hou.ie. Pas- saic. Hey Ho—Corinthian. Rochester. Hollywood Scandals — State. Sprin Tfleld. Hotiy-Tot«y—Garden. Buffylo. Jazs Time Revue — Academy. I'Utsburgh. Kandy Kids—Broadway Indinn- u polls. Kuddlin' Kutiea—L. O. Laffin' Thru—Gayety, Mllwnrikee. Scribner Back Sam Scribner. president of the Columbia Amusemeiit Company, re- turned to New Y^ork labt Saturday, after an extended vacation ui norida. Scribner j>ro^sided at a meeting of the Columbia directors Monday of this week. The Shuberts delivered a .similar ultimatum to Fred Clarke tills sea- son regarding a piece of business equally ancient. Burlesque pro- ducers are thinking seriously of <^pyrighting aH of their old bits as protection against the ridiculous claims of musical comedy pro- d'lcers. According to tlie producers, au- thors have been g>'pplng musical comedy proilucers for years with scenes that have a burlesque ge- nesis. "Irish Justice" which was thinly disguised in Ziegfeld's Fol- lies one season Is an illustration. Most of the controversial scenef are so old the producers themselves have forgotten who originated them. The musical comedy stunt of lifting such an old soene and thev copyrighting it with dialogue win force the burlesque producers ta similar action If continued. Art Smith Managing Chalsea Art Smith, formerly manager of the Willis. New York, has been ap- pointed house manager at the Chcl- Roa (formerly Miners Eighth Ave.) playing stock burlesque. 125TH ST. STOCK'S CHAH0E8 Make It Peppy—Garrlck, St. Louis. Moonlight Maida—12-14, Grand O, H., Hamilton: 15-17. Grand O. H., London. Naughty Nifties- Mulual. Wash- ington. Night Hawks—Star, Brooklyln. Pleasure— Jj. O. Red Hot—(iayety. Minneapolis. Round the Town—L. O. Smiles and Kiatea—Gayety. Bal- timore. Spaed Girls—Knipresfi. St. Paul. Sptedy Steppers—Lyric. Newark. Sttp Along—Howard. Boston. Step LivHy Oirlt—Olympic, Now Tork. Stolen Sweets—Bmpress, Cincin- nati. Tempters—12, Allentown; 13, Co- lumbia; 14, Williamsport; 15. Sun- bury: IP-J7. Reading. Pa. Whit Bang Revue ~L. O. Whirl of Oirlt—Stfit**. Pawtnoket Wholesale changes have made in tha lineup of the burlcsqva stock at the 126th Street, New York. The new roster Includes Cross Hillary, featured comic and pre* ducr; George Bartlelt and Ai M«rtin, comedians; Jack Altoiw straight; Millie Loveridge, prima donna; Mary Lane, ingenue, and Pep Bradford, soubret; The stock Is playing two bllli weekly. OOCHBAH RETUENS TO MIHSn Billy Cochran, straifiht. rejoined Minsky's Apollo stock. New York, last week and win rein.iin through- out the summer. Cochran bolted the stock several months ago to join "Peek-a-Boo (Columbia). Billy Tanner, with "Sugar Ba- bies" (Mutual) Is principal comW with the burlesque Btock at tl»« Gayety, Philadelphia. Columbia Out for 'Name* The Columbia. New Y»»rk. i? ding for "nemea" as added attrac- tions for the Columbli r.iirl^'fnO' shows. Sophie Tucker w:»r orrr-*^ ' » for a week at tho hoMse.