Variety (May 1926)

Wt&»etd*y, May It, 192d PLAYS ON BROADWAY LEGITIMATE VARIETY 45 GARRICK GAIETIES flMond edition of tb* »»rl*s. pnasnUd •-TnwTTb**tr* Guild and produced by the iLitrt Guild Studio. Music by Rlohard iT^i— jyrloe by Lorsns Hart, produc- fi^dlrscted by PhlHp Loob. musical KbarssUsed by Herbert Fields. Bet- zEmmmnd coitumes by Carolyn Hancork. Swtra directed by Mr. Rodcers. Prtn- SSSslIclodo PhUlp Loeb. EdKh Melser. SKlay Brent, Blanche Fleming Jack Ed- ££*ria7 Ruth Mortis. Eleanor Bhaler. zT^IIbc Hollo way. Bobby Perkins and Chorus of 20. Ths theme song of the Introduc- tion and the final* to the second is- ms* of "Gaxrick Gaieties" has a line that runs "We can't be as good as the first year—for last year was great." That sums up the show. Nor does the second "Gaieties" measure up to the first, especially where Rodger* and Hart arc con- cerned. With no reflections on their proven ability they have turned out auite a few mediocre numbers, both musically and lyrically. Particu- larly banal was a tune "Sleepy Bead" in which Sterling: Holloway . caressed a dog and overstayed his " time by seven minutes on the stage ta-just as he did in several other numbers. In another plug tune called "Mountain Greenery." Hol- loway also clowns all over the stage, displaying need of a haircut and stage direction. The tune itself it) fair but not possessed of much com- mercial possibility. There was a little tune called "Keys to Heaven" that sounded nicely; another called "What's the Use of Talking*' well handled mu- sically whllo a bright patter song called "Tennis Champs" is the near- est approach to last year's show, unless one includes the corking in- troductory number, which shows a mortician kidding the Guild's "fix flop shows of this season. The people are in the main, good. Holloway, a good clown at times, wears out his welcome by simply getting too freah on the stage— waving goodbye to. early deportees. Bobby Perkins, who does the prlm;» work In place of June Cochran (now in "The Girl Friend), is cute and able to sing, which makes her okeh, *»hile Edith Melser, Romney Brent and Philip Loeb, 'three re liable, talented and excellent play era, carry off the really high honors by their work in various pieces. If Broadway talents come from this show, this trio will furnish them, and although they may not get the first crack at the bught lights, peo- ple o< their ability can't stay burled long. Then there was Eleanor Shalcr with another of her corking phoney ballet dances—and she scored twice, while Ruth Morris (daughter of William Morris, the manager, does mighty well in several skit num bers. Loeb and Brent, working scv era! difficult character parts, where a creation of illusion was neces- sary, always smacked the audience for a goal. Miss Meiser. doing a solo about "Queen Elizabeth" and pulling In the dirt about that Vir- gin Queen, also had her moment and seized it. One sketch was fine—called "Dc Bock," combination satire on "Goat Song" and "The Dybbuk." Ben Kaye is credited and to those who saw or heard of either piece it is u howl, and to those who didn't, its also good. A skit by Newman Levy (and maybe he's not a fancy sa- tirist) deals with burglary problem among our best families. It clicks like a turnstile early in the show. One by Marian Page Johnson, called "Home, Sweet Home" takes a gleeful whack at tho sombre Car- oJina folk plays. Miss Morris has » neat part hero and Hlldegarde Halliday makes the most of a big opportunity. The best thing Is the first act finale, which kids musical comedy books In general. Herbert Fields wrote It Credit must be given him here for delivering a neat idea. And Hart and Rodgers. for their jnare j n nave <j e f t i y _ and wlt hout J*"Ing a soul brought In the ru- mors of quarrels between Charles i*urcell and Helen Ford in "Doar- •st Enemy," for which Hart and godgers did the music and lyrics. The stories on the leading man and Prima were that they didn't pet *'ong, even on the stage. Brought 15 a, flnalG number, called "Rose or Arizona," it even goes so far as i« 8ett,n *s in imitation of those nv. rest Enemy" sets. This version of "Gaieties" cost Jjer |8,000 to put on. It is well cos- ™ med - well staged by young Fields *L tted w,th n,ce scenery. rne opening night could have r*5 n * wll-out many times over •nd a $16,000 advance sale is al- JJJdy recorded. That the show will set over is almost certain, for with n»r^r u,ld Ascription "at and the "WU of the show (and it has merit even though It doesn't touch Its Predecessor) It can run into the B «*t spell with ease. Sisk. H you don't advertise in VARIETY don't advertise THE SPORT OF KINGS r C * 1 £?*5 nt * a »»ocl«m©n W | th E. EJ. CHve. Ihla farce, which was aurcedu- ful In Encland. O. P. H*arl* I* featured T*«**>k is by Major Iid Hay Beiui also credited with the atatf n*. Livingston Piatt aesis/ned the American production. Op*n«d Lyceum Ulwltr * Tuesday, May 4. ffl^o 1 *". Mab « l Cochrane Airy Bprls/re A i an Mowbray K«Kffy ToothlU 4 Terence Nell Newsboy ..Lester Nellson Dulcle..^. Relty Li n | ey a 27' » „ Mar y Forbes Amos PurJie o. P. Hegyle V* k *« * "V. Walter K!r>er*for«l J ' J * , Pur > d,e I . Howard l ull Katie Purdie Alison Hrudshaw y lB,le Ruth Vivian i an ? Elena Aldcroft Y?°*\; Katherlne Stewart Albert..... Clifford Warner laiiama Peto Barry Whltcomb Sergeant j ack Murtugb A smart producer like Carl Reed, who Is in the racket on a business basis and should nurse no expen- sive illusions about artistic suc- cesses, imported trade-marks or presentations for the excitement of the thing, shouldn't have been fooled by anything like this one. A red-nosed, wheelbarrow farce with an incredible story and a grumpy central character of unsym- pathetic attributes, it hasn't a Chinaman's chance here, least of all within the dignified and austere atmosphere of the staid Lyceum. It Is easy to see how it might have been a howling, roaring knock- out in England, especially in the provinces, or in Australia. There was one here several times, called "The Rotters." of the same ilk. and one manager after another got mad and wouldn't believe that this per- ennlnl over there had to be a tomato over here. "The Sport of Kings" is so British —and low-British, at that—that it creaks with the salt-water rust of transplantation. It's all about a musty J. P. (justice of the peace), who has a Scotch disposition to the longest stretch of a comedy writer's extravaprant imagination. The old skinflint gets hooked In on the races when a couple of live ones come to board at his house be- cause some steeds are going to do their stuff in that locality. There- after every sort of impossible knock- down-and-drag-around complica- tions follow, too thick and implaus- ible to be worth re-relating. There Is a poverty-stricken at- tempt at a love story—two of them, in truth, and one of them a pro- posal by a supposedly honorable gentleman to a girl about fourteen, whom he tells he'll come back and make love to when she's old enough to understand. She seems old enough to understand more about it than he does then. The flapper, played by a very cute girl named Alison Bradshaw, is like nothing ever seen before anywhere. If she's a flapper, then "The Sport of Kings" Is a good piece, which Is the last gasp in Improbability. The rest of the acting, wHh the excep- tion of Walter Klngsford's broad but effective farcing. Is of the same 8 tarn p. Even Heggle, who always plays himself in any role, here over- plays himself, and makes the J. P. something fierce. The production Is pretty, costly and artistic. And that's about all this reviewer can honestly record with even faint praise about the pad episode at the dearly beloved Lyceum. About two weeks will probably suffice to make a deuce out of "The Sport of Kings" for Broadway. Lait. semble. There are * couple of vaudevilllana who landed in that respect, also in a comedy way, and there Is also some exceptional spe- cialty work. The novelty of the ensembles, however, it distinctive, credit for which goes to Bobby Con- nolly it |sj Connolly^ first show direction. Nick Long, Jr., copped first night honors when, late In the show, he high-Jumped his way to whirlwind results. Slender Mr. Long Is both athlete and dancer extraordinary. He performs some "steps" that arc eye-openers, a back buck, for in- stance. Not only fast and agile his work is far away from the usual. He leaps over standing girls as though flung from wire springs. As a college athlete he might have been a champion high jumper. As an acrobatic dancer he will clean up in any show. * The cast has two life-savers from vaudeville—Ruth Warren and William (Billy) Wayne. They haven't been around the legitimate very much and they were prono to smile too often, but they certainly added comedy. Miss Warren played a fresh phone operator, Wayne a very new hotel clerk, also house de- tective. With "Thinking of You." one of the score's best, the vaudevilllons Just about made the first act an act. The house was tickled foolish over their nut dance antics. Some of it Is about the same as used by thorn in vaudeville, but there is also new material. Miss Warren led the lively choristers In "Needles" in the second act. It is a comedy lyric from which she probably will get more than on the first night. Right after it Wayne and Warren did their stuff again, this'time a bur- lesque ballet number that convulsed the house. Dorothy Dllley was Kitty. She was demure, as called for, and an excellent dancer. It Is probably the first lead assignment for MIhs Dllley, a graceful girl, who, if en dowed with more facial charm, would rate with the best of In genues. Mildred Keats, a shapely lass, also figured in the dancing sections. She essayed a song or two, but vocalizing is not her racket. John Boles as a young lawyer who fell In love with Kitty on the train Is a well-appearing chap, counting In some of the song num- bers, particularly the theme song, "Kitty's Kisses," with Miss DiHey. An all-male number, "I'm In Love." was led by him, with the assistance of a quartet (Mortimer Chadbourne. Kenneth Shutte, Leonard Scott and Arthur Lang). It seemed the weak- est number in the score and could go out "Kitty's Kisses" is geared with numbers most of which are of fast tempo [although there was no Charleston in the show]. It will probably note rate a real hit. Yet there is enough entertainment to keep it going for a time to fairly good money. No production splurge, but the costumes are high-class in design and color schemes. An attraction of this kind is of the Intimate mu- sical comedy type, not calling for exceptional operating cost, and that gives it a good* chance. J bee. PLAYS OUT OF TOWN KITTY'S KISSES Musical roniodv In two acts pr*»«ented at »ie .riavbonn« Miv 0 t>y William A rnfly; book by I-hillp Harth.nlomaa a,n<J otto Harbsrh: K^-ore by Con Oonra<1: IvHrs by Ons Kahn: dances staa;e<l by Hobby Connolly: book by John Cromwell. Mr*. TVirhe Jane Corronn Mr. Hurfce Frank Fflfh A Country Girl Oeorsrlna Tild^n T,nlti Mleen M^ehnn Klttv P'nwn Poro'hv nniev Robert Ma-«on John Hole* rtrakemnn M.»rllro*r Chadtmurne rv»ni1iio1or Kenneth flhutt* Pullman Condurtor Leonard Srotf r Mnln«r Car Steward Arthur T.ansr The Dav Clerk William Wayne The Telephone Clrl Ruth WArren The TW1 Doy Walter Prnrthury The Mild Ellmbeth Dunn j Tho Virht C1<Tk William T,*»»h " Wlrhnrd Pennlson Mark Smith Mm. Dennlsnn Fan Mourke rhllln TVnni.H.n Nl'k Txmir. Jr. Mlas Wendol Mildred Ke»fH MORRISSEY REVUE Ralph Spence presents revue In two acta and 90 ncenea. Sketches by Spence and Howard E. Rogers; songs by Lynn Cowan, Whiting and Kgan. Staged by Will Mor- rissey, Spence and Arthur Freed. Dances staged by Mldgle Miller. Presented at Orange Grove, Los Angeles. April 30. In the cast are Will lforrtssey. Mldgls Miller. Lynn Cowan, Hal Van Rensselaer. Cronby and Rlnker, Lester Cole. Eddie Bordon, Eddie Lambert, Lorn* Dunn, FsteUe Davis. Arthur Van, Duke Martin, Fay re Bisters, Bee Jackson, Les Kent. Jack Eddy, Do- lores, Craig Herbert and chorus of 20. W. A. Brady used "Little Miss Brown," a farce that served quite some vears ago as the basis for the book of "Kitty's Kisses." The story as grown a benrd. and It slowed own the pnee of what Is otherwise fast dancing musical comedy. In Newark for the try-out the pro- ucer and his authors were in a uandnry over changes. At the . remiere Thursday It was apparent thrv had not completed the Job. The strength of "Kitty's Kisses 3 In its numbers. There are s"V- ral melodious tunes, and though smash song was not Indicated. (Ton Conrad has done well. It^ is the second production for dus ahn. whosp lyrles counted, too, ere and there. Hut the real kick to the numbers j ■ the dancing, individually and en- r is K Los Angeles, May 4. Will Morrlssey has a faculty of staging shows when he wants and as he wants. Finances are a very small consideration. All that Mor- rissey needs Is a lot of actors, a the atre and an armful of drapes and eyes. That Is enough to give him a show. Morrissey started promoting and rehearsing this one about six weeks ago. He found plenty of local tal ent and coast guards loose who were ready to come in with him and struggle along for the cause of art. After a few weeks of rehearsal he ran Into Ralph Spence, author of "The Gorilla." Spence, having a liking for Bill said. "Go ahead; I havo a little loose change." Then along came Arthur Freed, who is lessee of the playhouse where the show is produced. He agreed to supply that, and it was decided on a three-way split, wltb a premiere set for April 29. However, the cos- tumer failed to come along in time with the ornamental garbs for the ladles of the ensemble, and so at seven that night it was decided to call off the show and rehearse a bit more. On the following night Mr. Morrlssey allowed his audience to come Into the house at $5.60 a copy and see a dress rehearsal. As dress rehearsals go, this was a fairly good one and clicked with the cash buy- ers. It was a different idea of en- tertainment than they have been accustomed to. Morrlssey had borrowed the Earl Carroll Idea of using a few rows of tables In the front and having danc- ing on the stage during intermis- sion and after the show. He was frank enough to tell the cash buy- ers that the place was a night club, and naturally there should be no restraint or chM'tness between per- formers and audience. There was not, as Bill knew half of the folks who came In, and strutted up and down the aisles greeting them. When the show got under way Lynn Cowan stepped to the front and, after a bit of gagging with Morrlssey, accentuated the fact that the place was a night club by warbling off lyrics to that effect. Then trotted out the chorus of 20, a good-looking lot of young fil- lies who can hoof. Several scenes in "one" followed, with Morrlssey doing his stuff in front of the sL'Jg*- .Seems as though Will was sort of stage-shy, as he kept off of it most of the time. It really would have been a good Idea If he had stepped on the rostrum once In a while to thread the loose ends together. A travesty on "Desire T'nder the Kims" wss a good Idea. Eddie Bor- den crime down the aisle and as- serted he was from the district at- torn* y's offlre and had orders to stop the sketch. Morrissey told him Im- would have It played. It was • lone in rather tame and nmoii- fl.nged manner. Then, when the okay was given, of course, the smut angle was presented. As revues are allowed license nowadays, no harm seemed to have been done. Lester Cole, a rather good-looking ballad singer with a nice pair of pipes, has an overconfident manner. He just wanted folks to know that at one time he worked for George M. Cohan. That made no impres- sion, as they did not enthuse over his personality. Several other sketches during the first period all smacked of double entendre and most of them could trace their antecedents elsewhere. "Cinderella Dreams" was put over nicely by Lorna Dunn, the prima, and Van Rensselaer. The accom- panying chorus showed how they could use their toes In ballet style and sold the number nicely. Eddie Lambert then trotted forth with a pair of shoes for a travesty, done in the usual Lambert dialect and sold easily. "What Price Glory" was bur- lesqued by Cowan, Borden, Van and Crosby. Bordon did the tough Ser- geant role and, of course, used tife words which are so dear to the fighting marine. A number called "Fine Feathers" perm, it ted the girls to show the latest In fur garments, then their undies and finally a few unadorned breasts. Lambert and Van Ransselaer's burlesque on Carl Laemmle and Conway Tearle got over In great shape. It was a scene with Lam- bert trying to hire Tearle for a pic- ture, describing Just what the actor would do, wear and have in it. Tearlo asks for a guarantee and fabulous salary, with the tag for the scene being Lambert's exclama- tion, "That's a rotten buttonhole!" The Bee Ballet was executed in artistic fashion by Eddy and Do- lores, adagio dancers, and a bal'et. Dolores is a cute stepper and pro- ficient. A burlesque on it was exe- cuted by Miss Miller, and Bordon proved exceedingly funny. The first-act finale was in the Interior of a night club. Leo Kent, local radio performer, crooned a number of tunes, strumming a uke. and had the folks liking her stuff. This red-head is not a bad bet at any time, and might have stepped forth sgaln in this revue to good returns. Then there was a lot of the Charleston stuff, with Bee Jack- son having things set for her hot strutting. Miss Jackson showed everything she had and they loved it to the extent of three encores, after which the 20 little steppers strutted to the curtain. The second part started off draggy. There were a number of famlliur «kiu* uaed. Cowan's Indian number, "Wanda,'' that used up a greater part of the cast to Interpret, while Eddy and Dolores did another adagio, was a "lift" of Indian Love Call," as to melody. Miss Miller topped It with a smattering of tho Totem Pole number. Being that Dove Bennett "lifted" it more brazenly for "Patsy." no harm was done. A number of other skits and en- sembles followed and slowed the proceedings a bit until Eddie Lam- bert's travesty Apache to "My Mfin." Lambert called it "My Gen- tleman Friend." In his garbled way, he told the story of abuse by the man and finished up with a bit with Duke Martin. It was a wow and started tho show going again. Mor- rissey stepped into the gap then and got off a song, and then a few more, after which the hit ensemble and song number of the show was flashed. It was called "Shasta Daisies," and was a corking good tune and had pleasing lyrics. Tho ensemble then came forth and ac- centuated Its value by doing somo of the Tiller routine, which they executed in magnificent style. Plenty of credit goes to Mlas Miller for this number alone. The finale had the orchestra leader stop playing and announce that union regulations prevented them going any further. So every- one came on stage, the chorus girls marched down, a few of tho actors stepped off the stage and shook hands with the audience and asked them to come up and dance on the stage. That waa all, and around midnight, too. Morrissey is well liked here, has done a good Job In turning out en- tertainment with a short bankroll, and when he gets things straight- ened out, cuts down a few of the unnecessarles In the list of prlncl- na»a, as well as shapes up the weak links In the entertainment, will And that he will have a show that they take a liking to In this neck of the world. The hookup Is not heavy'' for this small house, with house nnd show operating expenses around $1,500 a week. Ung. THE ARABIAN Chicago, May 11. Melodruma by Oor.lon Kean. slurring Walker Whiteside. Fr^dwed and pro- rented by the star at the Ptndebokor May 0. Walter A . Duv.-.l Colonel Oonlon lUroM Vochiinrh Captain Fenway Dnurln* Pen mi m Mnjor Cromwell Mr<lr..th Diane Sydney HhU'M* And Kl Hey Walker WhH"-l<ln Hamffenen J. Irvine; While Kn«Hk John J. B'»rn«. .»r. Ta llrt Mnrehsl D« Sllva T *zl'l Mlchftel Rile Jarrl'Vi Genevieve Ilertobf < 1 Anirah Alma r?hf«i»-r r<7ILah.........................1 <on Don.-iMu Bscca Cnrl \'<»se Arabs. Soldiers, Servant*. Ktr. Walker Whiteside's latest durk- sklnned characterization, "The Ara- bian," was first tried out in Wichita. Kans., last March after having been rehearsed In Mr. Whiteuide's pri- vate ear while the company was one-nighting in the open spaces with another piece. It's melodrama wiih modern trimmings. The central figure is Abd-101-Kcy, an Arab who rlden the desert In an aeroplane, u famous bandit on the Hide, big flnuncler In Cairo, poeMzer, rjomantic. swash- buckling idealist, dryly humorous, suave, cunning, powerful and about anything else for this popular type of hokum. Mr. Whiteside revels in the sv^eet Juiciness of a great gravy role. lf*» Is ono of the few remaining stars who regularly hits the sticks, mak- ing New York and Chicago every now and then. Whiteside is a great one-night star and "The Arabian" is a great one-night attraction. It's continu- ance In Chicago is subject to tho dimensions of the Whiteside follow- ing, the weather and the stop clause. (Continued on psge 58) PLAYERS IN THE LEGITIMATE JOHN BYAM t LTLB ANDBKWS LEON ERROL in ' LOUIE THE 14TH" ILLINOIS, CHICAGO BERNARD GRANVILLE COMEDIAN "CABTLKH IN THK AIR" CO. Olympic, f'hlr*s;o JOHN QUINLAN it Adair***! 14ft West ?«h 84. New York EDNA COVEY With Leon Errol in "LOUIE THE 14TH ILLINOIS, CHICAGO it -.7 FLORENCE MOORE "Gresnwich Village Follies" SHUBERT. NEW YORK "MERRY MERRY" WITH MARIE SAXON This Wick, Plymouth, Boston