Variety (April 1926)

NEW ACTS THIS WEEK Wednesday, April 14. 1026 JOSEPH 8ANTLEY and IVY 8AW- Yfe^R and Co. (8) ''Thus and So" (rievue) 23 Mint.; One» Two, Three, Four (All Gpecialt) Paiace (6t. Vaude) TlilH marks Joseph Santlcy and Ivy Sawyer's fiftli annudl pruduc- llun, presented by L«wls & Cordon, and staged by Saniley. The stars, just out of Chariot's Rendezvous, the West 45th Street nli^ht club, were before thai tne stars of the ill- fated "Mayflowers." a Shubert niu- aical which marked Santley and Sawyer's Broadway debut as fuU- flcJ^cd stars. In their vaadcviUe try they are supported by Norman Swectser. a singer, and rive special- ty girls: Ethel Allis, Tbeo. Loper, Jola Mendes (sister of Lucille), Georgette Ettlnger and Frances Mil- tern. "Thus and So." which Is in seven Bcenes. is the last word in vaude- ville revuets, running only 23 min- utes and shaping up as a fast, funny, classy and clever Hash, with Santley's staging solely responsible and in no small measure account- able for the creative talents in- volved. Santley is author or co- author of every skit but one. and if he can fashion himself such tip-top vaudeville production, there is no reason why the next Santley and Sawyer legit try. if entrusted to the star's hands for creative purposes, should not shape up more happily than "Mayflowers." The opening number, "What'll We Do?" is a conversation between Joe and Ivy and the theatre doorman (Xorman Sweetser) as to the type of opening number. The doorman suprgests they omit an opening idea and "bring on the girls' 'in regu- lation fashion. That comprises the second offering with Miss Sawyer, looking modish and fresh, going through a dnnce routine with the quartet of girls. "A Sailor's Yarn," by Santley and Silvio Hein, Is a clever lyric song, and sugfrests unlimited possibilities for Santley's lyric talents if this is a sample. The number introduces the girls he met In Spain (Theo. Loper), South Sea (Jola Mendez), Holland (Georgette Ettlnger) and China (Prances*Mlltem), with Mr. Sweetser filling In as a sercnader. This Is a class number and smartly sold, with a massive ball of yam, designed as a hut from which the girls emerge, serving as an appro- priate background for *'A Sailor's Tarn." AI Boasberg's **The Wedding Ring".(the only skit In which Sant- ley had no hand in creating) is a clever matrimonial set-to. with a prop "squared circle" surrounding a breakfast table and the man ser- vant ofllclatingr as referee. It was a corking laugh scene. Santley's "One Word" sketch was not altogether a new idea in a one- word converaation, the Wea being carried out In a triangle playlet, with a domestic background, all the five choracters never using more than one word in a "speech," making for a brisk routine with considerable comedy entailed. Its unusual development more than off- sets the otherwise familiarity of idea. An 1876 ballet (Miss Ettlnger) topped by a 1926 ballet number (by Ethel Allls. making her flrst ap- pearance In the act) developed into a ehow-stopper with Miss Allis' toe Charleston. "Book Lovers." credited to Sant- ley, John Steel and Frank E. Tours for authorship, was a quaint crea- tion, arti.stically. mounted and fctchingly done. "So Near and Yet So Far" was the theme, with Sant- ley and Sawyer as book-end charnc- tors In Colonial costumo, with four volumes separntlnj.- thrm. From the respectively titled volumes then emerge Peter Pan, Alice In Wonder- land. Cinderella nnd Little r!ed Rid- ing Tlood. the first giving life to the *'book lovers" for a few moments, with the waving of n magic wand, and then again restored to their in- animate p<^se8 as book-end.s. Santley and Fawyer have an ultra producti<»n nnd merit most lmp;>r- tant attention on the best blllf. The Lewis A Cor^lon connection should insure on elimination of "stalllnrr." but should any of this orlse. the act can look to the film houses for rendy welcome. Ahcl. OUD 8NY0ER and Co. (2) Cycle Tricks and Comedy 14 Mins.; Full (Special) Broadway (Vaude.-Pcta.) LJud Snyder formerly worked with Joe Melino. a funny little panto clown comic now in Jack lieid ■ burlesque show. Since 1907 he has been doing his cycle work with a drop from a high platform to a spring mattress as the big thrill. At various times be has worked with various partners, but the pres- ent turn, which nobody around the vaudeville world seems to know anything about, employs two comics and Snyder, doing Ms bicycle stuff. It's a whalo of an act, smooth- running and packed with both comedy and a kick. The two comics both dress in loose clothes, wear wigs with high tufts of hair sticking up, and use a dirty beard makeup. For the greater part of the time they clown around with expert pan- tomime comedy, all of which Is done while Snyder is doing his wheel stuff. But It never Interferes with his work, everything blending to make the act as a whole, instead of an Integral part, stand out. Toward the flnish, after Snyder has slowly worked his machine up a long flight of steps, the comics clown incessantly and successfully. And after he makes the leap from the platform to the mattress, one of the comics begins monkeying with a piano, while the other breaks out into song, selecting (of all things in this turn) the "Fors e lui" from "Travlata." Instead the comic be- gins singing those coloratura nctes, it is evident that a woman has been doing tMs man's sized Job all the time. The audience liked it and spotted third here. It scored next in ap- plause to Will Mahoney, who led the bill. But this act, almost a dumb turn, was getting the beneflt of loud palm pounding long after the lights were down. The setting used for it Is special, consisting of a staircase placed sideways to the audience, with the poles and sup- ports masked by painted scenery. Embellished a bit sce>ttcally, this is a big time turn for the same spot In the best of houses. Not only is it a novelty in this day when vaudeville is crying for nov- cltlesi but it is the kind of a nov- elty any audience will take to Its heart Bisk. THE ROYAL GUARD Head Balancer One (Sentry Box) 5th Ave. (Vaude-Pet.) Alberta Lee presents The Royal Guard, who la about the most ex- pert bead balancer seen about. Miss Lee la bis assisUnt. The guard standing motionless before a sentry box in "one." a girl comes through a drop, fives blm a sly glance and exits. The guard about faces, salutes, removes his coat and helmet, climbing to the top of the box where he does some remark- able head balancing. Thti guard is a well set up fel- low, a bit stocky. After doing a tremendous quantity of balancing he appeared to take his bows with- out a whit of perspiration, denoting his flne physical condition. While balancing with his feet head over or straight upright, he does much that a Juggler does on his feet. He alao plays musical In- struments while balancing with the instruments attached near his hands. But his best trick is in the center of the turn. It should be reserved for the flnal flnish through rearrangement of the routine. It is where, also balancing, he twirls hoops on both feet and both hands, with Jap whirling plates held upon points of sticks caught In his mouth. There are three of these. Very Interesting turn Inasmuch as the continuous and perfect bal- ancing musrt attract attention as well as applause. Opened show here. Could be boomed a bit and given a spot. Suit- able nicely for the picture houses as well where medium vaudeville is employed. Sime, EDNA LEEDOM and DAVE STAM- PER 16 Mint.| Piano and Talk Chicago, Chicago (Picts) Because Chicago would Act be satisfled with the syncopation show aent from New York by the Publlx unit, Edna Leedom and Dave Stam- per were brought here to headline. There is no need to discuss Miss Leedom's ability. She has proven herself topnotch. The thing to do is to consider her from the angles which present themselves in her new environment. Her voice car- ries perfectly in the massive pic- ture house and her personality nuin- ages to exert itself even if her fea- tures are indistinguishable from the roost As a drawing card, she Is a cinch, if those who haven't heard of her are Informed suitably by paper as to Just what she has ac- complished. Her presentation routine is okay, consisting of numbers written espe- cially for her by Stamper, another "name." Dialog strengthens the comedy considerably. Miss Leedom took like wlldflre with the Chicago customers and will do the same anywhere east of the Paciflc. A big fllm house box office bet. Loop. KEN MURRAY and CHARLOTTE Comedy 17 Mins.; One Broadway (Vaude.-Pet.) Ken Murray, a young man, is one of those swift talking nut comics who runs from one gag into another with lightning-like rapid- ity. The Charlotte is a girl who uings at odd times, but aside from that, means nothing to the turn. Murray is a promising monologist. If he throws out some of his old gags, ho'U step right along. His working outfit consists of a busi ncss suit plus an opera"hat, a clari- net coming into action later In the turn. Some of his Jokes are in question- able taste, especially when anyone considers the million and one proc lamations from the Head of the House concerning cleanliness in vaudeville. And one or two that aren't in bad taste are so old that to use them around New York, not to speak Of the well known stone's throw of Times Square, is silly. But most of the time Murray clicked and clicked heavily, his delivery be- ing confident but not fresh. He has a good sense of pacing th# act "and when ho comes to the end, he gives a climax and gets off—commend- able. New material he needs more than anything else. Right now he has the natural ability of a flrst rate single turn. Bisk, NEIL O'BREIN AND CO. (2) "Back From the Front" 15 Mins.; One Palace, New Orleans (Vaude>Picts.) The name of Neil O'Brien is fa- mous in the annals of American minstrels. His slow, shambling, hesi- tant Negro stands out cameo-like. His is the Negro the South knows and reveres. In "Back From the Front" O'Brien it a black buddy who has Just re- turned from overseas. His new sol- dier uniform glistens with medals with which he is prepared to dazzle his dark life companion and the townspeople. Standing along the main stem of his native village he chances upon two colored companions who are not Impressed with his untruthful tales of heroism and later he weeps copiously when his dusky helpmeet, too. falls to "swallow" the weird tales. What tales they are! A quirk and smirk in each line, with every minute or so a huge guffaw to make it unanimous. O'Brien sells all of the stuff like the black- face genius he is, building his points for so many sure-flrea. Mr. O Brie'. has been for a quar- ter of a century an original with a thousand imitators, but the thous- ands who have adopted his stylo and stolon his material could not possi- bly appreciate the art that lies with him alone. ^ Vaudeville is mighty lucky to get Neil O'Brien, a real creative comedian, at a time wlien most of his type are extinct. Bamnel. McCarthy and DEEDS Songs and Comedy 20 Mint.; One American (Vaude-Pcts). Joe McCarthy and Jack Deeds have been around for some time, though not reviewed in this depart- ment. The men are top-notch vaudevil- llans. equipped with voices and with a good comedy idea worked into most of their song numbers. Mc- Carthy, a little chap, is tenor and Deeds a bass. They opened with a Dixie duet, lightened with Mc- Carthy's flights into high register warbling. Right there the act is tabbed. On a bench they worked up "Sweet Adeline" cleverly, Mc- Carthy then doing a stew. McCarthy was a "dame" for the next number, a squawking wife who complained "you went out last night and left me alone with the song pluggers," but the roof crowd did not get that. They won an en- core, coming on for a somewhat dramatic version of "Dream of the Big Parade," and it landed with a bang. Deeds is both a good straight for McCarthy and he soloed splen- didly. The turn ran 20 minutes and was the hit of the bill next to closing. It is good, enough for any type of house. I bee. pro- NEW ACTS Nine people musical flash tfured by Arthur Hcllinger. Grady and O'Rourke. 2-act. Kuoert and Adnir, 2-art. 6 people musical flash, produced t)y IJert Levin. Hcnimlnps and Carraway, 2-act. Morton and Le Roy, 2-ur.t. 6 ppfjple nmsical fla.sh fc.iturlng Doiolhy Collins. DALLAS TRIO Comedy Acrobats 12 Mint.; Three (Exterior) State (Vaude-Pcts). Three men. Have gone In for the "something different" thing by having a now street drop, showing a Third Avenue nel;rhborhood. Two are newsies while the third man is the cop. The boys are shooting craps when Interrupted by the po- liceman. Then follows a series of acrob.'itlcs, with a little comedy by- play worked In between tricks. Routine effective in the main. One of (he men is a corking acro- bat, and his niitUiir Arabics and half-twisters were flashily done. The cop does the understanding; the other tuo the topmounting. Not the best -acrobatic act in the bnsii'.rs'^, but a .i?ood one and will fit in nicely in the pop house hills. Mark. GIFFORD and HOLMES Xylophone and Comedy 16 Mins.; One American (Vaude-Pcts). Man and woman who worked as though teamed previous to this sea- son and may. have come !n from other territory. There is a bold pun used to bring out the xylophone which is Miss Holmey^ racket. She singled quite well vnfiflla it. There followed some comedy matter, flrst monologcd by Gifford nnd then some cross flre. The gugs sounded oldish, but they got laughs. The latter section of the routine got it across, the girl playing xylo- phone, while Gifford exhibited va- rious types of soft shoe dan'^es, all with a comedy intent. Opening in- termission that bit earned them an encore and proved them quite capa- ble of Ailing the spot. Ibee. EUGENE WILSON Gongs One 5th Ave. (Vaude-Pet.) Eugeno Wilson, baritone, sings well enough but not beyond the time he is now on for vaudeville. Mr. Wilson would be a better at- traeilon for the better picture houses that use a male singer. His present turn is senii-claspioal in pops and ballads. Ho could prob- ably ad.ipt It as required. Angar D.xhul is at the piano. Simr. VAN and CARRIE AVERY (1) "Pinkerton Jones'* (Farce) 20 Mins.; Full Stage American (Vaude-Pcts). In "Plnkerton Jones." Van and Carrie Avery have a farcical play- let that will carry them along for some time. Plenty of laugh-making hokus- pokus. nmid all of which Van Avery scores as a scared darky supposed to be assistant to a detective who has been called in to And the nian who killed her uncle. The plot is thrown out the window. Off stage shots, sounds of struggles, changing lights, all tend to heighten the character of Avery's "Rastus." Added Is a dash of radio with t^e loud speaker used for a flnale, as the three are supposed to have been shot and are lying about. The voice announces that Van and Carrie Avery havo completed "Pln- kerton Jones on Loew's American Roof." etc. While the Averys' new turn is running a bit overtime for three a day, it is capitally suited for this class of house. On sixth, it counted all the way. Ihce. NAUGHTON and GOLD Talk and Dancing 15 Mine.; One Hippodrome (St. Vaude.) A male duo billed as "London's Funsters" living up to the \;aption and provoking comedy both In their stepping endeavors and a scaffold bit. The boys, one straight and the other eccentric comedy, have an as- surance that is refreshing and a nonchalant delivery that can t miss. Nothing theatric about their stuff. They sell it to you with the same degree of ease employed by the town cTown of Hensfoot Corners and make you like It. The substance matter of the re- partee counts for about 25 per cent, of the returns v.ith sliowiniinsh.p and manipulation countlnj,' the re- mainder. Spotted No. 4 they pr.">- • tked the n»s{ gales of Viupl^ior In the first stanza here Monday niKht and look set as a formidable comedy duo that can click just as hrav> on repeats. Edba, ROSEMONT TROUBADOURS (7) Singing and Dancing 18 Mins.; Full (Special) Hippodrome (St. Vaude) ThIa one's a regulation Spanish flash concocted and staged by Wal- ter Rosemont It is given a prol ductlon built up at this house through the induction of the Hip girls, although its regulation cast calls for seven, with the dancing team of De Carlos and Granada sounding the dominant note. The vocalizing, although handled as adequately as could be expected merely served to bridge the wa.'ts of the dance routines. They were the outstanding clickers of the act. • no d."'.ii . I t'; i''.ut5 ( ^, ada, could hold their own either as a team or spotted in production. Their tango was superb and their Apache Espenol even better. Between dance team contribu» tlons La Nena contributed an ac- ceptable gypsy dance that got over an J Dori and Cotez held up the vocalizing end with a duet The combination made for a fast sing- ing and dancing flash with the lat- ter department predominating. Got over to good returns on this bill in closer. Can stand on its own and without the ensemble build up accorded here for either vaudeville or picture houses and especially with a tie-up on a Span- ish theme feature picture. i;<i6<i. CHANTAL SISTERS, Pianlstet 10 Mins.; Full (Special) Rivoli, N. Y. (Pets) It is quite possible that the noT- elty in this offering was built up by the Publlx people, the chances be- ing that Frank Cambria may be responsible for the dan?e touches that were added to enhance the value' of these two charming and accomplished pianlstes. The added attractions come as a complete surprise as there is no program hint At the opening the two girls, seated before two baby grands placed against each *other, run through a classical selection and win. At the conclusion of the flrst number they begin on a double arrangement of "Tea for Two" whereupon the drapes at the back of the stage part and a pretty pic- ture frame Is disclosed with a gir\ in old fashioned costume standing in the center. She steps down to the stage and runs through a dance routine to the number. As she fln- ishes the stage is darkened, the drapes are again parted and a mo- tion picture of a girl dancing a Charleston is thrown on the frame which has been covered with pa- per. In the meantime "Tea for Two," at a rag tempo, is being played and as the picture stop.": the girl in person breaks through the paper which has served as the screen. She comes on the stage and both dancers start their rcspoc- tive styles of stepping to the same melody. One goes through the slow and stately stepping while the other swings to the Jazzy rhythm. It makes for a sureflre applause flnish. For either vaudeville of the big time calibre or picture houses this arrangement of the classical and the modem is sure to hit with the audiences. Fred, LYDIA HARRIS (2) Songs 12 Mint.; One Majestic, Chicago (St. Vaude.) Lydla Harris is a blues singer who has worked herself into local fame through featured picture house and cafe billing. During her 35 weeks at the Frolics cafe she be- come such a sensation that Paul Ash secured her and thus made her known to practically the entire population of Chicago. Miss Harris has taken unto her- self a male pianist and launched into vaudeville for the first time this week. A review of her opening engagement leaves no doubt as to ihe ability she has. Dlues are her specialty and blues she does, with some of the most Impressive ges- tures ever witness on these old four-a-day boards. Her voi^^e Is Just suited for this type of song. The routine at present is not quite in line with vaud' villo re- quirements, but that requir^'s n lit- tle time. She opens in a MJif*^' evening dress and makes no changes, except to don a hat for « comic number. The tuxo<?ce(l I'l^"" ist at present has no fill-inM, Miss Harris is not required to WA^e the stage. An altered routine with m'^t the w.^lHirT num>-^r^ .tvI a i "''*' discrlm:- irii; sol.' ..n otliors V i:i make a tig Liin«^ .•<^' Lydla Harris. o of