Variety (Jun 1926)

18 VARIL WediiMday, June aO, 198e VAIMVHIE REVIEWS PALACE (St. Vaud«) The clan Rooney, back at the Pal- ace for a repeat within Ave weekn. flanked by a icoterie of aAslstantn In • tabloid version of Pat and Ma- *ir>t»'o r/iflii miialrfil, "Pftll^ht<>rof^ Roflie O'Qrady," copped everything and wallced away with the ahow Monday night. No set-up, either. Klansmen attendance was in a minority. Judging from the extent of hnndHlnmmlnK, which gained im- petus when Pat walked on flr.st. It continued more or less throughout ♦he 85 minutes consumed by the offering. With Harry Fox (New Acts) close runner-up and Frank Fay also a contender. In the sixth week of his double assignment as master of ceremonies* and contributor of the closing single, It was an Ideal warm- weather entertainment and one of the best routined bills At the Palace In some time. Fred and Hazel Gardner's Maniacs (New Acts) opened and projected pedigreed dogs In new stunts, handled in a new and unusual way for this class of act and getting over neatly. Paul Kirkland and Co., next, •hould also be remembered when the comedy medals are passed out. Paul, although featuring his ladder dancing, handic<I legitimately, got his laughs through his tissue Jug- gling and clowning with his fern assistant In the chair-balancing bit. Another likable turn that went over big. Ekigar Bergen, assisted by Chris- tine Chadwell (New Acts), held the trey with a ventriloquial novelty, "The Operation," also sold for good returns. Spotted next was Adel« Yeme, concert pianist, for a selection of numbers, in which "The Wind" and Beethoven's "Turkish Patrol" . stood out particularly from a popularity angle with outfronters. although each selection practically brought an ovation for the pianist. Chat Chase, pantomimic comic and stepper, proved another wel- come rib-tickler with his grotesque get-up, freak stepping and fire- eating stunts. Harry Fox (New Acts) and Beat- rice Curtis got over to runner-up honors. ck>8ing the first half with as nifty songs, chatter and foolery as Fox has had in a long time, ai d^ which the Palace mob ate up. Fox played his routine legitimately, never once ^'cracking" for the "wise mob,** which proves the worth of the turn. Pbllowlng Fox, Fay (who had an- nounced Fox and his two preceders packing the usual essence of non chalant comedy) and Harry JoincrO forces for some more buffoonery, climaxed when Harry volunteered a . dramatic sensation, which panicked Frank into announcing intermission. The real smash came after, when the Rooney—Pat, Sr., Jr. and Ma- rlon Bent - Rooney — Hcintillated throughout the tabloid, "Rosie OUrody,** with none of the trio at- tempting to come on or remain on longer than necessary, but giving way to their corps of dancers and specialists and seemingly bridging the latter's rest spots, but nevcrthe. loss the walkaway hit of the night. Coming Into vaudeville, Pat 1ms retained most of those who stood out in his road munical, including Muriel Stryker, whose Oriental dance was a treat; L«ayman and Klkng, whose whirlwind dancing stuff was in tempo creditably; Anita Nieto, contributing a likeable Spanish; MHdred Burns, too and taps, and Pat ■ "R ooney's Club Or- chestra, a lively combination chape- roned by Andy Byrne. Pat, Sr., worked as enunclator for the specialists, did several styles of booflng and led several of the 14 numbers constituting the tabloid musical. A hoopsklrt number. "When Mother Was a Olrl," led by Pat, brought on Miss Bent and the ensemble. A great entrance that brought big results. Toung Pat was later Introduced, and proved a chip off the old block as to footwork ma- nipulation. The kid wowed 'em with a song and tap dance. Pat, Sr., toward the close went Into his "Daughter of Rosle O'Grady" and tho eccentric waltz clog that sold him to vaudeville as a headline attraction yearn ago. and which will seemingly never die out. When Pat, Sr., packs away the dancing shoes, Pat, Jr., can perpet- uate it, as demonstrated Monday night, when the youth followed his dad on through the same routine. The stunt proved a panic, and brought Mnrlon on for a thrreRomo with Pat and tho bov. With all on for "KoHio OTSrady'H a CharleHton I.rfidy," the art wa« brought to n finale with Uio Hiiai)- ple.st danolnf? en.scniblc that ban over bit vaudiivllle. The R(»onoy.s in "Roslo O'Clrady" Is a certain nmaHb for nnybody'« theatre, vaudeville or pictures. Frank Fay rlosed with his slnRle, With both Pat HooneyH wot king in at intervulH. After Kay*H opening •on^,* young Pat came on to tell STH AVE. (Vauda—Pets) Busiiiess la claimed to have been good bere. Monday nisbt the last show opened to Ilgbt attondaaee. with stracrsl^rs eontinaing some- time after the vaudeville section Frank that bis father sent him to help with a recitation. Frank, re- membering Harry Fox's previous. ^ . ^ attempt, was cautious, but couldn't »^«*' but not In sufflclent number silence the kid. After bearing Fay to mipply In total, but ordinary query why his father bad not al- I ■"?}'"*r,.t™^**. lowed him to use It In their act. It .^J^®.***" T*" .^'^^w"!*!! ""^^^^^.liiS brought a reply that "Dad didn't <>' better class acts but the routine think It was r n n d unnn ah^ior. ojir I was l^unzhn g Mojrt on ^^ICT^to clcwlJis ffltli songs.— In the act." which precipitated prolong^ howls. Liszt, the other aa Irvine Berlin. Two girls argue In cruda varse fos one side and the other with the effigies in the cabinets taking part. The musician—he Is Alex. Hyde— gives it up, calls upon the audience to decide by its applause and then goes into a cycle of both kinds of music. For a finish the two girls sing, one straight song and the other a Jazzed version of the same composi- tion, with the violinist playing a "classical Jaxz" rendition. The planting of the Idea, before Hyde went into his playi ng, occ upied six shut spot came Pressler and Klaiss Pat. Sr., then came on to annoy |y>d «a Miss lOa^M opens^^^ Fay further. Bill Robinson, colored dancer, among the spectators, also came up to help Frank out, and after tell- ing all Frank's answers, went Into some legitimate hoofing. Fay held the fort for another song, and called or seven minutes, and more time was wasted In talk at Intervals up to the finish. Acrobats are not the re- !?^* Ji^SJ^«'?t*i*« performers who can be at a ^*»a<>va;t*Kf • . t^^^^^ from talking only by force, not one for the closing position and • - a ^ ^ the likely explanation Is one of the other acts declined the late position. Toto should have gotten the assign- ment instead of going on third or it an evening. All of Fay's stuff «ven Miss Morton was enjoyable, and went over blv* Business good Monday night. STATE (Vaude-PcU) A pleasant enough show for any reasonable price and a bargain at the Iioew sc£ile. This circuit still retains the strlct- Mlaa Morton annexed the eve- ning's high aoora. 8h« is one of the | peppleet warbler* extant and a, eerldnc elnffle. There la nothing quite like her TMdlsh number, and she sure ean handle it. This clever it seems. Jans and Whalen whammed them, with their vociferous sidewalk con- versation at the start and from theii- entrance to the finish, they never for a moment lost touch. This pair have real comedy method. They get results from their speed and swift change oi approach from side- walk exchange that Is fanny, to nut stuff, to an absurd song with uke accomi^nlment by one while the girl seems Jnst as good with dra- 1 other does a snappy series of step- matlo song bits. For Instance, | ping, they keep the top spinning coupling up "Ixmesomest Girl in | and get away promptly while they're Town" with Slim, a hero of "The I going at their best A simple bit for Big Parade." Is an excellent Idea. | a curtain had them sitting chatting Toto has inserted considerable ly orthodox spirit and atmosphere new matter in his "revue." It looked of that disappearing manifestation somewhat disconnected, but clown so long and famously .known as stuff always does. There are three vaudeville." Though the shows I men and one woman in support, combine acts and. pictures, there Is I They count principally In "the baby more of the flavor of true vaudeville band," used at the finale. The "mu- in a Loew theatre' than anywhere slciantf" are supposed to be In high else. In the opinion of this occasional | chairs, the bit being well worked up for comedy by Toto. The clown will leave for Berlin next month. at ease while tile orchestra played a popular number, at their request, while the audience wondered what they would do next. They'^teercly said "Thanks" to the conductor and departed. Parker and Babb (New Acts). Ray and Harrison out of this show. visitor at theatres of this branch. Unlike the tactics of the more snobbish line of houses, where stall- ing and clowning obtain, where names" are sold too often, irre- spective of entertainment values, where the performers seem more intent on making the audience work than on making the audience like It, a show at the State is a refreshing evening. The actk seem to know what Mr. and Mrs. Norman Phillips and Norman, Jr.. are using thoir former "family revue." The youngster Is cute In a tux, with wise stuff at the start. The elders have their prin- cipal inning with a skit In between called "Careers." The last skit features the kid with rags and white poodle, "Pal." The dog whines when Junior plays the ac- they're to do and they go right at It I cordlon. and it Is a Uugh. and do it. And when they finish doing it, another act comes on and does something—no sympathetic, sentimental buncombe; laughs where things are funny, only; ap- plause when the seatholders are tickled or roused Into enthusiasm, and not because of afllllatlons, asso- ciations, memories or hero-worship. ThU week's bill runs on ball bear- ings, with variety, skill, talent, speed, and—^yes—<:lass. Ritz Brothers, who iM-lng with them something of a rep, came in on a welooQfie that was genuine. The nifty trio lashed into the original collegiate rah rah number for an opener, then ran a breathless pot- pourri of mad dancing and boyish burlesque. The whlte-and-r«d rose bit, which has served Its several re- enlistments In the Tanks of several theatrical armies, still yielded laughs. Followlilg a furious danc- ing finish, an encore bit (by demand rather than by request) was a trifie stretched and petered into an anti- climax. But this outfit, next to clos- ing, scored hard In all. Hubert Kinney and Olrls (B) with Tom iKicker, an active and hard- trylng If occasionally affected and ovcr-consplcuous pianist, seemed considerable over little when stripped down to actual stage Im- portance, which left Kinney, him- self, in his brief dancing specialty. He has a two-limb overhead kick that is a sweetie. The rest was neat and had tho virtue of being swift, with five chorus, girls around Kinney and attempting individual specialties. The costuming Is a bit elaborate and the scenic surround- ing aoniowhat extravagant. Crafts and Sheehan. couple of well-dressed youths, with hokum sikewalk dialog and a song or two, worked easily and got howls. A trifle shy on consecutively interest- ing material, even for this audience with its established liking for gags and puns, this pair Is probably not attaining the standard possible, but doing very well at that. Mary and Ann Clark, a straight and eccentric, reminding somewhat of the Elinore Sisters of the pre- Sam Williams days, clicked on talk tuned to tastes not subtle. The finish was weak, with an abrupt split by the comic to bring on two stage hands who carry her off In that position. No foun- dation being laid for the bit. It didn't register to half Its possibil- ities. H Abbey Sisters, three attractive brunettes who sing together, though their voices are too nearly alike for strong close harmony, showed three becoming costi^me sets and warbled a number uf familiar ditties engag- inprly. Being spotted deuce here is no hardship, as at this show they went on after nwiv. But this com- bination is easily worth a stronger location on this circuit if position is a niea.suro of merit. Three T.<ondons opened,- two men and a girl drcnsed as a tramp on a trainpolino, She drew some lauehs on comedy bouncing and ludicrous noises. The blowoff is rather sen- Hat ional, with the strong man sus- pciuled head down from a tall perch and the agile one going from tho rublfor to a pedestal to a somersault to a feot-in-bands hold and wide swing that stopped the 9how, Ldit. Rublni and Rosa did well enough, second. The combination of violin and accordloa has been successfully used by them for several seasons. The girl's vocal ballad duet is away too slow. "All Wrong" (New AcU) opened. Pressler and Klaiss could do little In the finale spot. /bee. BROADWAY (Vaude-Pcts) Have they moved the old Twenty- third Street audience up to the Broadway? Monday night's cus AMERICAN (VauderPcU) ' Another big time bill and feature picture at small time prices on top the American Roof the first half of the current week. The bill, an 8-act blend, is one of the happiest combinations dished up to the roof patrons thie season and could move intact into the ritziest of the straight vaudeville houses. Nothing tricky about it, only all of the eight acts, except a couple of new ones, have played big time. Now they are off the diet Chandon Trio, one of the' prettiest and artistic of the aerial acts, two I men and a woman, opened breezily, followed by Joe and Art Uumby. a I couple of show stopping deuce I hoofers. The boys make a neat and prepossessing appearance. They hoofed to heavy applause. Morton and Brower (New Acts), a two-man comedy pair, xowied them, third. The Pour Madcaps, three girls and a man in a dancing act, closed the first half. All four For a wind-ap the children and male singer participate In a Charleston wedding Bong and dance. After the revue came the feature photoplay, "Rolling Home," which seemed to please, and then, to get the turnover, the revue was put on again. If you wanted to catch the balance of the show, providing you came in at the start of the revue you had to sit through the revue again. The overture, news weexiy and comedy completed the program. ' The revue will tour 20 of the lead- ing P. ft R. bouses throughout the North went -for^JJia balance of th e summer. Director Murphy of the State, who has staged all six of the kiddle revues, selects his perform- ers from the pick of local talent. That he Is a good picker is evi- denced by the fact that more than 30 of the youngsters have gradu- ated from the revues into Broadway shows, vaudeville and pictures. Marlon Nixon, who played the femi- nine lead opposite Reginald Denny In "Rolling Home." the feature pho- toplay, was one of Mr. Murphy's discoveries. RIALTO (NEW YORK) New York, June 27. With a long running featvire, "Variety," this week starting on a six weeks' tiip at the house, the Rialto appeared to have cut down the running time of the perform- ance, getting it well under two hours. Of this "Variety" used up 9t minutes. The show started with a "Martha** overture, well played. It ran into the News Weekly, with Fox repre- sented by four and Pathe two, then going direct into the brief prolog for "Variety." The prison scene was the pro- log's setting upon a dimly lighted stage, with Caesar Nesl as a pris- oner with soliloquy and song, into which was woven a shadowy dance by Qlenn Ellyn behind a scrim, the girl dancing nicely as she came into the light. Show seemed sufficient and well handled, considering the minute stage space here. "Variety" as a picture received the unusual-applause at its finale. Ca]»aclty at 8.30 Sunday afternoon, a fine day. Rialto utilises its entire front for a large "Variety" banner strung across the theatre, above the en- trance almost to the roof. Very ef- fectlve for the comer of Seventh aVenue and 42nd street which means the 42nd street comer of Broadway* tomers were of the old Chelsea kind They like their comedy loud, robust (can buck and execute real wings, and then some. They have a 8llp-|al«> triple time taps. In addition. on-a-banana-peel sense of humor and they don't care how the fun- makers get results as long as they have horseplay to haw-haw at. Monday night the big laughs went to Herbert Faye and Co. of three one girl turns in an acrobatic toe dance that Is not to be dismissed lightly. The man is an excellent all-around dancer. The costumes are bright and pretty and the turn holds real merit with little or no who used burlesque talk bits for | attempt at ''selling." Even the name material (New Acts), and Jans and Whalen, who go out after laughs with hammer and tongs and bring them home. The difference Is that the latter team use legitimate methods and aro Ideal for this kind of an audi- ence, while the former have noth- ing but raucous noise without any genuine knack of entertainment! Moran and Wiser were another big laugh, while Flo Lewis and hor pianist slipped by. but not much more. Misii Lewis was probably not rough enough in her approach, while the otherjaugh makers were. Any- how, It was a comedy bill and that's what the customers came in for. El Rey Sisters, roller skaters, opened neatly. These two girls- have worked a bit of novelty into their specialty. Between numbers, they retire to a cabinet dressing room, open to the view of the audience, and make their quick costume changes with the aid of a maid. For a team of the kind, they dress remarkably Well with fairly elab- orate changes considering the speed, all of th^m^—four in number—at- tractive ^aifOl in good taste. The work on the rollers Is Interesting, with a good flnisl) in a Charleston exacting or | dance. Miss Lewis had partly herself to blame for the cool attitude of the Is misleading and builds up expec tations of an English ballet rou- tine. After intermission Helen Eley (New Acts), a real big league sing- ing comedienne with unusually good bright material, whammed them, assisted by a male pianist who cops the pale blue pajamas for falling to do a piano solo. That alone stamps Miss Eley as knowing her onions. She is a tlaming flamboy- ant blondo with oceans of stuff. Faber nnd Wales next bowled them with a moritorius crosaflre turn founded on tl>e old, but always welcome, flirtation idea. The girl is a looker with an armful of s. a. and tho male a competent wise- cracking comio. They didn't miss a point and closed with a likeable bit. in which he turns in some very funny mugging when his lips work longingly as she coos a pop song right under his beezer. They could have stayed on all night. She made a change from fetching street at- tire to a French abbreviated dress which was used for more funny crossfire. Both are clever. Fields and Fink moved in to a homer in tho next to closing spot. Max Fields is a veteran Hebe comic and Just right for vaudeville. The material, while familiar, Is sold for crowd. She used up 26 minutes, too 100 per cent. Thoy cross-fired, sani? much for her sort of clowning. It runs talk and number, piano solo by accompanist while she changes and then more talk and a number. The routine is short on speed, doesn't knit and on this occasion didn't get over, although there are neat bits of Sis Hopkins-like comedy that should score if they got the right degree of emphasis. Her final, number. "Why Did I Leave Wis- consin," must hove taken eight min- utes with IncideTital business and biiikling up, and it dragged as so lonK a session will. "Berlin vs. Liszt" is short on sub- stance. When you strip it of its unnecessary busine.s.s it comep out as a violinist's specialty mingling classic music and Jazz. To get this kernel of meat they have to use five peopio, to work up an idea that Ia light. In substance it consists of a young musician trying to choose between a career among the mastetv and a prafitablo engagement with a laz^ orchestra. In opposite e^b- m'ets are two men made up, one as and gagged to an inipressive total Balassis Trio, two male hand-to- hand balancers with a girl assist- ant, closed. This act played the Palace not so Ion*? ago, and has loHt nothing in the transition. The males feature springboard stunts to iiead- to-head and a ten-finger lift and hand stand from an apparatus, by the tali top mounter. A corking bill. Com. FILM HOUSE REVIEWS (Continued from page 17) dancer; a pretty, pcreonablo little miss, perh.Tps 12 years old, who came down into the audience and sang "Gimme a Kiss" to embar- rassed male patrons on the front row aisles (yes, this was typical of tho ofTerln.q'fl ingenuity and oripl- nallty); a pair of sister dancers, and a tiny young man of Irfwh extrac- tion, who fnng Jaz^ cpon diUies »1th ^(fhimendable aiV&mef Abtliiy. RIVOLI (NEW YORK) New York, June 21. "Circus Week" at the Rlvoll. Judging from the audience reaction the first three days of this week it la a flop as far as New York is concerned. Too late In the year for circus stuff on the Main Stem. The time for that sort of entertainment is in March when the big circus coniea In. Then it wOuld have ba<;i a chance, Possibly for the smaller cities along the circuit it will do better than on Broadway. The opening for this house >^as changed to Saturday last week, and on that day there was around $5,000 for the program offered, Sundnj't however, dropped to $3.S90. about 11.500 %nder the, average Sunday it tho Rlvoll. Monday night the bal- cony failed to hold more than 200 people, while downstairs wa.^j not capacity. The "Circus Week" presentation runs 59 minutes, and is the only thing on the bill in addition to the feature. It was staged by Frank Cambria. Listed among the per- formers are Franklyn D'Amore, Six Hassans. Carlos Dog and Pony Cir- cus, Alfred Latcll. Dan Holt, Fos- ter and Peggy, Spencer and Beach, Tom Campbell, Allan Raymond and a pony ballet of six. This totals 23 l>eople. four ponies, two mules and ■J couple of dogs. The show as laid out failed to show speed Monday night after it had been running for three days. The opening is in "one," the exterior of the Big Top, with a barker mak- ing a spiel. A burlesque strong-man act opens after the typical circus band has been blaring away for a few min- utes. The opening act Is Foster and his dog Peggy. Clever for the kid- dies and quite Interesting, but too long. Going to full stage for the Interior of tho tent there is a ballet numl>er, ^'ith the six girl.s repre- senting two teams of ponies, each handled by a driver. Then a bur- lesque adagio, followed by a song by the singing ringmaster, Allan Ilaymond. A comedy acrobatic turn follows, and then Carlos' ClrciiB, with the UHual stUKes trying to ride tbe mules for comedy. This closes tbe first full-sta^'e period. Pack In "one," Alfred l.;\- tell does his usual "Tipo," the l^o^^ and was the first real laugh of the show. Latcll walked away with the applause honors up. to thl^ point. A hand-to-hand balancing and acro- batic turn followed and then pave way to a full-stage effect of six ele- phants, the best bit of scenic work in' tho presentation. This brought (Qontlnued on page-t?)"