Variety (April 1926)

VARIETY REVIEWS Wednesday, April 28, 1926 luiBdr«ds of ■•WW and iblUous •rfaalsatlons art farclBf abaad with startllBc rapM- Kj. Wblok brlaga Um realisation •utt pap and aMbltlon aftlmaa eom- plataly axeaaa tha abaaaoa mi «ual- ttw. And what ara tha aaaa af a tnr yaani paat goinc ta da abaat tt? Tha moral of thia rarlaw, hj tba way, la that too aMny aonpa aan nln any oook. It mait ba laM that tha boya tn fhla orchaatra ara aomewhat of a aansation Intbalr radio broadcast- hur from WEUH; that tha hanjolat nlngs quite nlftUy; that they hare he«n known to play tha boat of mn- ate. and that aU they need la a UtUe aold water la the aaomlnc hath. JIali VIVIAN and WALTERS Acrobatic 6 Mine: Two •1«t 8t. (Vaude-Piets) The novelty of this act la that a mixed team goes through a regula Hon hand-to-hand acrobatic routine of the type and calibre generally presented by a male team. The woman la comely and shapely and does her stuff with professional dis- patch and little stallinff because of her sex. Fair openers. AheU MINETTE and COOK Vocal, Accordion 9 Mins.; One Vic, Chicago (Vaude-Picts) Man playing an accordion; girl In abbreviated attire singing a couple of songs. Qirl has cabaret manner of delivery. Announcement made by man that he offers audience the "Poet and Peasant Overture" only after 16 yeara of practice. Not bad No. 2 act for small stuff, but can't go above that level. HaL PALACE (St. Vaude) The return of the cyclonic Eva Tanguay (New Acts) to 12.20 top- ville was not greeted by capacity at the PaUce Monday night But her reception aounded auspiciously in upper shelves. The cheering was all out of proportion to Eva's drawing ability. If the numerous empties on the lower floor were any criterion. EVa Sang four songs, one inserted at night after she had mistaken the Palace for the Chelsea at the matl nee, and turned loose in the after noon with the hottest coorh dance seen In the sacred portals since the specs passed It up. At night the cooch and its accom panylnf; song were out Instead Eva wrestled with "Yes, Sir. That's My Baby." Startling costumes and four special drops are about all Eva has left. Spotted next to closlnp, she was pulled back for three reclta tions. mostly from applause that sounded suspiciously local. Boh An derson and Pony, who closed, got on at 11.15, and was enjoyed prodi- giously by the ushers and some late- shtft printers. The bin developed a coupl*^ of r<v soundlnp hits in the first half In Tjeo Bill (New Acts). French ventrilo- quist. No. 4; Art Frank and Harriet Towns, fifth, and Dave ApoUon and Co., closing the first half. Apollon has added seven Filipino musicians to his cast, thereby adding about GO per eent to the turn and maUlnc: It one of the fsstest. most entertaining and colorful musical and danclnpr revues in the racket. He is reported as having played several picture houses recently. If he hasn't, he will. The act Is a natuml for the deaf and dumb parlors. Apollon when he wants to silence nDnlause to announce thi next "wow," has a habit of mining his left hand, palm outward. He raised It Monday niicht as often as a Times Square traffic cop. Apollon's playing of the stringed instruments and his danc Ing. the toe work and jazz dance bf Emily Fitzgerald and the sensitlmn contortion dance of Marjorle L<ane together with the excellent playing of the Filipinos on banjos and gui- tars, were a few of the highlights An added starter in the flrst half was Gertrude VanderblU and a per sonable juvenile. They were third subbing for Healy and Cross, who refused to trey and wnlked out be fore the mntlnee. Miss VanierbH looked like Park avenue In her four changes of costume. Her malo partner's best contribution was show-stopping eccentric dance. He also stralghtcd and sang doublen with Gertrude. The pair will be se when the material la. The cross Are misses in spots and Is far from bright. The Quaker song can stam elaboration. es?>eclally when the Quakeress lapses Into modem slang They went very well in the early position, considering the emergencv call. Paul Remofl and Mldpets opened and were ovated. The work on the perch of the smaller of the midgets clicked through cuteness and daring. A new touch was a boxing bout, in which one midget Is supposedly killed. They cover him with a sheet for the old wooden leg bit and carry off. Edwin George had the unusual distinction of running to a speech No. t, <3eorge has bright chatter that tickled them ellly hare. His remark about this la "Wonder Week" because every act on tha bill wondera where It goaa next week brought anch apontaneoua applaoae tha juggler appeared startled, prob- ably thinking tor the moment he waa playing a ''Bohemian Night** Hla other remark, *^oa should have been here thIa afternoon; there was plenty of room for you/' was simi- larly appreciated. The two appear- ancea of his girl partner, attractively costumed, added a bit of novelty. Ethel Davla opened the second half and <)cored the hit of that sec- tion. Miss Davis Is an anusuahy clever delineator of character songs. Her "waltreas." with patter about the customers, "sneesing" and 'Wife atrlke" songs, all specials, were gob- bled up. Every Inflection and bit of business was appreciated. Her work la vnlque, refreshing and not blAtant An artist to her flnger tips and a sure-flre single woman for any man's house. Helen Ware and Co. (New Acta) in "A Lady of the Law," held the second - after - intermission spot, switching places with Leo Bill from No. 4. Frank and Towne scored one of the season's hits, mainly through the dancing of the pair. Frank's old- man character and Miss Towne's cuteness proved a great combo. She was formerly with Tom Patrloola. They ran to a speech. Plenty of room all over the house Monday night. Ckm* HIPPODROME handled aa a atralght roatlaa hi- stead of laugh-gattar. Helen 0*8hea. Q ao fg a Orflflln and the Albertlna Raach permanent bal- let doaed with aa Albertlna Raach novelty. TAnd of Terpalchore.** Miss 0*8hea la a looker and a stepper, clicking both in an eceontrlo buck and toe danca. Orlffln la a tenor of pleasant Toloe who lad tha girls In two Tocal ensembles with the girls alao giving good account of them- selves, especially la tha Russian scene for closer. jedba. STATE (8T. VAUDE) It seems to be getting harder and harder to book a real bill into the Hippodrome. This week's layout should cinch this even for the lay- man. Six of the nine acts are alght features and borrowing again from the concert and ballet sUge for top- liners are Anna Case, operatlo ao- prano, representing the former divi- sion, and Vera Fokine, premiere danseuse, the latter. Both turns got over big. but neither is vaude- ville. And a house Monday night whose count-up must have told that. Much switching from the original layout Monday night. As routined on paper the flrst half would have held Ave sight featurea. but in re- arrangement Morris and Baldwin were moved up from next to shut into the No. 4 and with the original No. 4 spotters. Dare and Wahl. switching spots. Howard's Pony Spectacle routined as opener for after intermission was also sent into the first division, grubbing Toto's assignment in No. 3 and with Toto opening after Intermission. Even this ju;;Rlln»E: didn't help much, but it did break up the routine of silence. Tom Davis Trio opened with sen- sational motorcycle feats performed upon a bowl track. The girl had it all her own way, doing some mar- velous riding witli the men altcrnat- intf as rane opponents and all three circling the miniature bowl track In a racing finish. Great circus stuff and probably a novelty for vaude ville. Stan Kavanaui^h. next, clicked witli his Juggling, but mufted on the puller wisecracks through lack of intimate surroundings. In smaller houses the patter stuff hod gotten over for at least 25 per cent of re- sults, but died here beyond the first 10 rows. Howard's Ponies, circus feature, foUuwed with the animals being put through a routino of high school stuff luj.slsted by a flock of canines combining to make an excellent turn of its kind that went over with a bang. Morris and Baldwin, in follow up, wero also severely handicapped in the mammoth house. Winnie looked charming and handle<l repartee with her partner located some 75 feet away in an upper box. It's a good thing Morris resisted the usual ad Ubblng of audlonce plant comics, for it would never have carried to Win- nie. The latter sang, danced and wore costumes in befitting manner, while Morrl.i v.-Ise-cracked to the appreciation of his aide of the bal- cony. Vera Fokine and Fokine Ballet (New Acts) ck)sed tho first half with ballet divertissements that bespoke the acme of artistry am] settings that were prodigally gorgeous. Toto, the clown, and with his usual support augmented by the Hippodrome girls, was easily the comedy hit of the bill, on after In- termission. Anna Case, sopranj and topliner, did ver> Dig in a repertoire of seml- clos-slcs which gave her splendid v<K.rtIlzIng opportunities. Miss Case was accorded a hearty reception, especially by the music-loving con- tingent out front suspected through their loud tempo applauding In con- trast to others palm smacking lighter. Max Jappe was piano ac •companlst. Although an undis puted triumph here, what a better setting a high class picture house would have been for such an artiste. Dare and Wahl, travesty acrobats, were also capable comedy adjuncts In follow up. Their travosty stuff clicked heavily with the laughs be ing grabbed through supposedly awkward manipulation. After fol lowing them with clown stuff for the first 10 minutes of the act they returned to show them how easy these stunta could have ba^h dona If (Vaude.-Piota.) Attendance looked Just aa good Monday night as la the height of the aeaaon—M a matter of fact **there are no aaaaons in the pic- ture business.** Pictures ara Just aa Important aa vaudeville la the State, more so at timea. That goes for this week, with "Klki" the fea- tured fllm. The bill Itself waa quite o. k.. although there was little comedy scoring. "Keyhole Kameos" was a real flash, however .and Jack Mundy. the principal feature, got giggles with the Initiation bit which could be cut in the opening chatter. The revue was originally presented by C. B. Maddock. Henry B. Sipley now has the act which also bills Lcda Srrol. Wen Miller, Gladys Joyce and Tom Warner. The outstanding score went to Joe McQrath and Jack Deeds by a wide margin, their encore ballad bit almost stopping the show. Elarller McOrath'a dame bit waa a wow. Deeds is an excellent foil for McGrath's nonsense. He Is a good looking chap and probably would rather warble bass than anything else, yet Deeds looks a picture Juve- nile possibility. Klsie White went over well, third. She looked very nice in a pink frock. Her Wop number paased because of a kick in tha flnal linea. A Yiddish song went much better, while Miss White's ballad effort stood out. She carried on a man's silk topper after an encore but the returns at that time were not suf- flcient for another song. Nellie Amaut and Brothers closed excellently. Ck>od novelty turn. Originally billed the Three Arnauts. the change probably being made to avoid confusion with the Arnaut Brothers. The Three Orettos (New Acts) were second. France and La Pell (New Acts) opened. Joseph Jor dan's overture contribution tickled the house. It was called "How's Your Voice?" Comedy slides kidded the customers into some semblance of singing several popular choruses, also plugging a new number. I bee. FmH HOUSE REVIEWS TERMINAL (CHICAQO) Chicago, April II. Monday night the Terminal had a subatantial audience, but without capacity or stand-outs. This house, ace of the Ascher Brothers* string and only open a couple of months, seems to have gotten over pretty well ao far. It la a large, beautiful theatre, operated in the approved "rltz>'" manner of these super- cinemas under the direction of Ed- ward Li. Nikodem. The bills change three times a week, with Sunday counting for one. Harry Kogen, young violinist, is being plugged as a minor edition of Paul Aah. His orchestra, arranged on the stage in terraced order, tries for a neighborhood following- sim- ilar to the "merry mad gang's" city-wide following. In this they will probably do better If they will forget Mr. Ash. Having adopted tho form of entertainment asso- ciated as the "Paul Ash policy," concentration should be on speed, pep and variety. When a Chicago movie fan says, "Oh, he copies Paul Ash." he does not say It as a com- pliment. Keep the Paul Ash policy, but omit the Paul Ash mannerisms is a good motto for any theatre with ambitions. Kogen has improved a great deal since the spotlight first found him an uncertain, undeveloped person- ality unable to talk or preside with distinction. He talks now, and if he Isn't much of an actor as yet he is at least audible and improving. He radlatea a confldence wholly lack- ing at tha beginning. Properly guided and sticking to a natural Harry Kogen way of directing, he should build. While he remains moderately successful at wielding his rhinestone-studded baton, the Ashers will doubtless figure him a good bet. The specialty people that worked In front of the band were not so hot. A male quartet especially lacked the stuff for presentation blance of novelty in the stage strip and changing behind a scrim. AMERICAN ROOF 81tt ST. (Vaude.-Picts.) The house dressing didn't fool anybody on the off business, al though the weather was a break and the "Irene" picture (Colleen Moore) plus the alleged "Musical Comedy Favorites Bill" should have counted favorably in this rather "nice" neighborhood. The Charles- ton contest gag will be Introduced next week as a business life-saver. The .show itself la a smart playing sextet of worth-while entries. Viv- ian and Walters (New Acts) are a mixed hand-to-hand team, a mov- elty. Low Murdock and Mildred Mayo stepped their way to a nice score in the second hole, Dora Maughan has traveled fast since her American Roof debut not so long ago. Her material is well worth the royalty, "The Barry- mores and Me" opener, which is her billing, is a clever ditty, as is the spicy Inside stuff lyric routine on her boy frjends for the next-to- farewell number. When she essays published melody numbers Miss Maughan is handicapped by com- parison with her predecessors and her voice cannot stand It, hence the suggestion she connne herse4f to lyric numbers. If published ma terlal must l>e sandwiched in to pad the routine, why not a novelty song wni^ Is no strain on the high reg- isters? Miss Maughan was the flrst to pull a local sure-flre, to wit "She's a nice girl even if she does live on Riverside Drive." That's sure Arc for the 81st Street near the Riverside. , Hal Skelly following ad llbbcd another nifty at the expense of the I>i'ive. Expressing a desire for fast company, he asks operator "Give me any Riverside number." The Skelly act, "The Chump." is a corker. Peggy Ilope^ an endearing diminutive comedienne, and Eunice Sauvaln, another excellent vls-a-vls. are corking support. Skelly has been Intelligently outfitted by his many authors. Walter Brower starts off his top leal monolO(j:ue very Willrogeresquo but then gags generally. He held the rostrum to a laugh marathon for a goodly 14 minutes. Jackson's Twelve Royal English Dancers (one out, po.^'slbly through illness Monday night) are a nov elty flash that should be welcome by tho picture houses. With a Con tlncntal rep. this dozen deliver on this side. Their Idea of concerted stepping in breakaway formation dirrerlng from the Tiller idea, is a fet#xlnK>ey<a-flIlep. There la a sem* <VAUDE-PCT8) Big business was the big thing at the American Roof Monday night. Upstairs the orchestra was capacity, excepting the boxes. That seemed unusually large attend ance for the flrst night of the week, though Gene Meyers (who is Loew Circuit about 250 per cent) said that business has been almost doubling last season's at the American of re- cent months. If that is so (and Mr. Meyers didn't expect to be quoted), then plcttires must be given the credit For instance, the first Imlf, "Klon dike." with Tom Melghan. No question but there's a big shade in film service. Tying up pictures is one of the angles that picture peo )lo best know how to manipulate. In vaudeville, the American aUso had a good bill. It looked a bit like the old big time as It ran along. Some of the turns downstairs that got the worst of position for the second show did better on the roof in other spots. Chain and Bronson, a two-man straight and eccentric comedy turn, worked in two acts, the men doubling again into the Paul Ja- cobsen golf trick turn. Here Bron- son was the comedian on the stage with Chain In a box and Jacobscn performing the tricks and shots, much as occurred in the Morrison- Flanagan similar turn, also )ike Frank Tinney and the golf expert are doing it in "Vanities," with Jacobsen getting as much, In shots and In the comedy end. No copy- right, legal or moral, on golf ex- perts, but there might be another routine tried if anyone could frame it. In their two-act, Chain and Bron- son were perfect for the Loew house. Another two-act that hit the Roof Just right was Seymour and How- ard, a comedian and a sightly blonde. They work nicely and neatly, with the girl a looker, while the man is a fair two-act come- dian. Their best Is the rough handling. In which both get a share of the reward. Pipe act for the cir cult. Cartmell and Harris also had their golf turn Inning, but this did not conflict. The big-timers use their skit as a skeleton only, with tlie comedy from dialog or business, and dancing the big bet. No golf shots. Margo Perth and Co. were the flash turn, closing the flrst part up stairs and getting enough for their danre-muslcal moments. Peggy Brooks, the only single in the show (though not caught) Is sure-flre here with her songs Now that the summer is coming; on, drop over to the American now and then. Maybe, after all, I.ncw': and Jake T^ubln are right—th vaudeville. work. They carried with them an aroma of small time vaudeville in spite of their duked-up appearancS Aa no announcemenU are made an? as the program U subject to a con. fusing InterpreUUon their ntun« goes unrecorded. It can't matSr *• "»«y f~ not apt to flnd much work In the presentation field Another flop from an entertain, ment standpoint was three litua girls, too old to be cute and too young to be clever. They danced Their names likewise are unknown and the only explanation—viz a neighborhood tie-up—that would account for their presence thus seems lacking. Home talent on the stage of a big movie theatre doesn't Stack up.' Jack Fltagerald started oft with whistling and imitations of birds animals, trains, etc. Clever and went over. The back drop went uo for a singing interlude from "The Student Prince." with a background of hill and valley, the boy in Hei- delberg uniform. The winners (Howard and May) of the recent "Super-Charleston" contest at White City Ballroom appeared Young girl and boy doing more ac- robatic stuflt after the vaudeville manner than Charleston. The big hit was OrvUIe Rennie, the Albany Park parallel of McVicker's Milton Watson. He is a tenor and a per- manent flxture at the TtrminaL And popular. Reception .'\nd en- core. Rudy Valentino's "The Eagle" was the feature, with the usual short subjects and organ .solo (by Ambrose Larsen). The Kogen Interlude called "A Springtime Revue" consumed 45 minutes, ending weakly with a Jass number with the last strain in the form of a cornet solo. More bang at the flnlsh would be better show« manshlp. /^oof. STATE (8T. LOUIS) St. LK>uis. April 2S. Impossible as it may be to please everyone. It is a pretty safe bet to say that a far greater portion of the Sunday afternoon crowd thought this week's bill is great than the few who may have called it okay. Tlie charming Mme. Olga Pctrovs Is featured on the stage in a distinc- tive act. Hers Is virtually the same routine she used In her vaudeville tour of last winter. Doing :i5 min- utes Ave times a day Sunday is a dUntult assignment, working alone aa she Is. with not even a pianist. I'e- trova sings four songs; best-liked was the French flower number, in which she throws a basketful of roses to the audience. A hushed silence fell over the crowd when she sang "Carry Me Back to Ol' Vir- ginny." in tnree octaves. For an encore Petrova recites her famous "To a Child Who Inquires" reclta-' tion. The act Is cs.sentially for the better picture houses only, and there It will click. Three of the units listed in the house program were omitted at the second Sunday afternoon show: the first division of the overture, the topics and the Bobby Vernon com- edy. The orchestra works in the sec- ond part of the overture, but only as a quiet accompaniment to the playing of Samuel Laskowitz. con- cert violinist. "Chanson Bohemians" Baldl. In his number, beautifully done. A short International newa reel Is followed by a community singing medley on the organ. Not much response. The Technicolor fllm that comes next gives the orchestra an opportunity to play Mendel- ssohn's "Rondo Caprlccloso." Good music, the best music, is ever th« appeal at the State. Mme. Petrova is spotted next. The feature, "Beverly of Graustark, closes the show. Business fair Sun- day afternoon, as usual. RueM i WARFIELD (SAN FRANCISCO) San Francisco, April 17. Heavies and solemnity were the keynote of the bill at the Warfleld last week. In arrangement the pro- gram was. perhaps, as effective It could be made, but revealed a woeful lack of lightness and comedy to offset the prodigious heaviness or the feature. "The Greater Glory" Is excep- tionally long for an ordinary feature subject. It treats of war and misery and downtrodden humans, the flot- sam and Jetsam of war-torn Austria with the tenacity of purpose of » Greek tragedy. There is not a smn^ to counteract Its general f^^^^^'^, this nature it sorely needed a rjP* snorting comedy somewhere on u» program. ^ The program open<yd with a nr^ reel and this, because of the lenP" of the feature, was cut to the jwnjj Next came Walt Roesnor n" ".MUper-soloists" in several selectiori of a serious character. These over. Nell Kelly. Fanchon and hnrtim-srarum comedlrnnr. ''^JT' on in- "Give Us a Ki.w.