Variety (Jul 1926)

20 VARIETY NEW ACTS THIS WEEK r Wednesday, July 28, 1926 6ES8UE HAYAKAWA and CO. (3) "Th* 9«ndit Prino*" (Dramatic) 16 Mihs.; Full <lH»Mlal| Palaca (8t. Vauda) Inside reporta have It that this playlet adapted from the Htar'a own novel waH one of four submiUed fur his return to vaudeville. Looka as thougrh Al Lfewia, sponsoring, will Uave to shuffle scripts again. "The Bandit Prince" Is but a mild set-up for th'e star and nothing more. A support rotating like man- ikins, because of thin roles, with Hpyakawa's own 3ontrlb*itioA none too crusty. The adapter, Burnett Hershey, has dramatized the portion of the novel wherein the trap Is set for the "Manchu Eagle," notorious bandit, with trap springing a boomerang for the trappers. An oriental background in the Latin Quarter of Paris is the frame- work for the thin story. Hayakaw^a plays the bandit in one tone, with the role affording little else than an excuse for a personal appearance of the screen and legit star. Support does the beat it can. Too light for vaudeville unless its star's name can carrfy it along. Bdba. LAUQHLIN AND WEST (1) **Th9 Wiaa Craekar" (ftkit) 14 Mine.; One and Full Stage Fifth Ave. (V-P) The act opens with a peek at a country grocery store, a youth sing- ing "Wise Crackers," a number de- scriptive of boresonie life with the small townera. It ia interrupted at times for bits, one being phone calls from folks making wise cracks. The boy falls asleep and dreams he meets the girl on a calender. That sends the turn into full stage, displaying an enlarged cr.icker box on top of which a young girl Is on her toes. « From the box appears the girl of his dreams. There is a dance or two. the youth appearing in tux. Back into "one," the tot goes on her toes, permitting the 1)oy to change back to costume. lie Is awakened by a knocking on the door, enter the calender girl, who turns out very fresh. She solos with a lyric about different beaus she had had but it it curiously rambling. With the boy out in hick duda. the act ends when the kid comes on to say papa sent for mama, as the baby fell into the bath tub. The oilling says the act was pre- pared by Jimmy Conlin and Harry Anger. It is rambHng and embryo. lbe€. FRANKLIN and ROYCE Sharpahooting S Mina.; Full (Special) Sitt St. (V-P) The Franklin of this act In listed as Sergt. Franklin. No doubt he is legitimately entitled to the U. S. uniform which he wears. Miss Royce is (if memory serves) for- merly of the former Rolls and Royco dancing act. Franklin is the sharp- shooter of the turn, while Miss Royce serves as the announcer and the assistant on the stape, getting? in a short dancing spocialy. which consisted principally of hock-step- plng. Franklin does the usual trlck.s. shooting small balloons, through a olgaret held in the woman's mouth, bursting balloons held in a crown over her head, and for a finish play- inK a tunc on steel pieces hold in a <>abinet made to resemble 'a radio outfit. It is a good act in a way. From another angle it isn't especially novel. To Franklin's credit, he does .<iome nice work with a mirror and the usual trick stuff. The au- dience pave it po.rfuTictory applauso. For the intorm<Mllate time, per- haps, but not the metropolitan houses of standing. Sisk. STANTON and DELORES Novelty Turn 9 Mine.; One (Full Stage) 68th St. (V-P) Two girls, one In male garb. The latter hns her hair shingled, but no douh4 about her sex. Her double- breasted suit looked very neat but the derby, A. K. They opined in "one" with a ftong, Mis.s Stanton renialninK for a Bolo Dixie number that sounded well. Into full BtaRe, then, webbing disclosed. Delores went aloft. Miss Stanton weighing the vertical can* vas string. She sang In low tempo ivhile her partner posed on the wchblngr. The aerial stuff is of very lim- ited routine. While the act is more or less a copy of big linio atrial novelty, opening the show. In ihia cUiaa of house is about tlie right apot for it. ihcc. ARTHUR and MORTON HAVEL and Co. (2) <^ Unela" (Skit) IS Mine.; Full (Spaaial) Palace (St. Vauda) A breezy skit with plenty of Ia\igh getters and several musical numbers sandwiched between the chatter. They combine to make this sure Are. The Havel boys are at their best in it flanked by the attractive Helen Lockhart and another girl, unbilled, also attractive. The cet ia a drop showir*; the shanty in which the boys are domi- ciled adjoining the more fashion- able meiiages of two poor little rich girls next door. At the opening the boys have a holiday, nobody to spend it with or no money to spend with anybody they dig up. An idea is that they get ac- quainted with the girls. Accom- plished through both donning false whiskers, posing aa their uncles and get over a booat for their nephews. With the lea broken they fall in. But they cannot refrain from ex- po«iing the stunt overheard by the girls who give them the air. Recall- ing the chillineaa they laugh with the boya at the flniah. Much homely humor is packed in the lines and situation of the boys, remindful of the Hallroom Boys. Morton's clowning also helps lots in the laugh grabbing though at all times handled legitimately. Both couples plant duets to good returns with a reprise for a fade- out finish on the doorsteps of their respective sheba at the curtain- Went over for a bang in No. 7. Edba. LANCASTER and LEEMINQ Comedy 14 Mine.; One American (V-P) Two men working the surefire combination of "sap" character by a small knockabout comic and the burly bully straight man. This ar- rangement is well worked out through the overbearing straight man being a moving picture camera man, while the "boob" is a silly- looking shrimp anxious to get into the movies. The situation ia quickly estab- lished by the simple device of having the straight man set up a camera and the comedy knockabout starts Immediately. The "boob" la subjected to a camera test leading to his being man-handled and slammed around for an abundance of laughs. The disparity in the size of the comedian and the straight gives the fun a good point. Both men look the part, the little one being a sap to the life in appearance and get-up and a first-rate low come- dian as well. Besides, he can dance with catchy steps of the loose acro- batic style. A high-grade, low comedy knock- about turn. The pair seem to have done considerable playing with the vehicle, having all their talk and specialty points perfectly timed and smoothly delivered for the maxi- mum of laughs. SPOOR, PARSONS and CO. (1) Songs and Dances 15 Mins.; Two—Full Stage 58th St. (V-P) Impres.sed as amateurish, espe- cially during first portion. Boy and girl who aim toward tho artistic. Present presumably is her mother, whose principal contribution waa aiding the girl in a costume change, in cameo back stage. Ma took a bow, too, at the finale. The team started warbling, but both are weak vocally. Their dance efforts together didn't mean a thing but singly in specialties they were better. The boy did get something by singing "Roll 'Em. Girls" and the girl was cute as an animated doll. Hor operatic stuff didn't reach half way bark In the house. An adagio finale looked fairly good hut this te;\m has plenty to learn. Ibee. MERYL SISTERS and MIDQIE Songs and Dances 10 Mins.; One American Roof (V-P) The Slsl«'rH .sing ;»nd d;»nr»» and Midgie plays the piano, accompany- ing herself in two vo(^al solo.s dur- ing changes. Midgie has no voice, but she can t.ilk a "hot" nuin]»or and plays well. Blonde and pretty. The iSislers neither sing nor rtanro with muph cla.ss. Some high kicking by one Is good. "Cute" mannerisms by the HtnaMcr help in th<^ songs. To get over, the girls u ly on ex'jcllent appearance. This should do on the sni;»ll time. EVELYN and DAISY Cyala and Rallara Ona and Pull Staga Broadway (V*P) Right into the picture houaes. girls! They will keep you opening the show for the rest of your llv^ with this act in vaudeville. In picture hoaaea you should be a novelty turn. Readjust the act somewhat; take out the song in the "one" opening, and unleaa both of you can roller akate, cut out that akating bit, let- ting all of the act be on the bikes for iLe film amporiuma. Dresa It a little differently also. If you prefer, although present pressing acceptable. But don't overlook that many a union dult has put over many bicycle acts in this country. In picture houses likewise you will be given better lighting than at the Broadway, alao a better stage. If the Broadway haa had any paint or gilt on It anywhere within the past Ave yeara it doean't show. B. 8. Mosa haa allowed the Interior of the the- atre, including the stage and pros- cenium, to look like a shooting gal- lery in Keokuk. Evelyn and Daisy are a couple of young women, with one a better wheel performer than the other. Be- ing girls, however, anything may be covered up through fonnatl<>n work, while the single work will stand up by either. Other than above, spots should ba employed and a decorative scheme involved for the wheels. A two-girl trick-cycle act without comedy is a novelty. Thla turn can be worked In anywhere on a picture house stage bill. Bime. JOHNSON BROS, and JOHNSON Song and Danea 16 Mina.; Ona American (V-P) Three men working a comedy turn without comedy make-up, al- though It ia apparent that what they need ia some sort of comedy character medium. They give every evidence of being experienced en- tertalnera in their easy approach, but their talk material isn't therip. The shorter of the two brothers haa a first-rate comedy knack, but it doesn't get him anywhere in the present arrangement. One would imagine that he might do very much better in blackface or doing "Rube" instead of appearing prac- tically without make-up and in or- dinary street clothes. The brothers can dance more than a little and both have first- rate voices for "blues," the smaller man having one particularly catchy number of this kind. But the talk kills them olT, made up of stale gags and foolish punning, all de- livered in the labored manner of an interlocutor and end man, anxious to get it over and done with. With their present talk ma- terial and style of working, they won't get far, but with richer mat- ter and a good character medium they ought to go ahead. "MODERN REVUE" (7) Dances and Songs 17 Mins.; Full Stage American Roof (V-P) • Two girls and live men, all young appearing. The turn's kick lies in one of the rhalcs, seemingly the youngest who did "tear down the house" in this theatre with two dance.s. His step- ping is speed personified. His first attempt is somewhat of a glide number, ending which, he led the four other men In a chorus number. He was accorded a reception upon coming on for tho finale. Perfect for picture theatres. A blond girl opens the turn with a song. She is cute and can sing a pop number. Her first one, while siinj; well, was at a disadvantage through the previou.s act having used It as Its ^|ipser. Her change of costume Is nent. A VM\ lirunot is tho other girl. Her dancing is just fair, l-'oui- other men, one very short and used for com<><ly. conclude the number. WELCH and MOORE Comedy and Songs 12 Mine.; Full Stage 8l8t St. (V-P) Kntitled "The Morning Him.' of argimientative dialog at the break- fast table. Tv.t> songs, one a cur- rently pop antl the otluM- of sjx'cial \yrks sung to "Colb'^iate.'' Hoth talk, but vocal attempts failed to get a rise out of the audience. The weak material Is held up only by some clever pla>Ing in a crying bit by Miss Welch. With heavy doctoring and aided by Miss Welch, the turn could beeomn light ;ind produce laughs. In It^ present state it's not. DODGE SISTERS and PIANISTS Singinfl and Dancino 1£ Mina.; Fall SUga Caliaaum» Landon London. July 15. These girls came over early this year to appear in Turned Up" at the Oxford, where they did a few dance numbera Since then they have appeared in Charles Cochran's cabaret at the Trocadero and Prince'a cabaret. In thia new ve- hicle they have better opportunities and acquit themselves creditably. The scene opens with the two pianlsta playing a few bars aa in- troduction for the girls, who make their entry and go into a vocal number in a sitting posture on the bare stage, finishing with a neat little dance. Then one of the two whIsUea "Mighty Lak a Rose * and also ainga "Some Other Bird." with whistling effects. "Not Tet, Su- xette," a comedy number aa ren- dered by the two, reveals them aa capable of handling auch numbers. A further appearance with a change of wardrobe and doing a aeries of dance poses, with some difflcult kicks, led them off to a good hand. As an encore they gave their own conception of the Charleston, which makes the dance look new. This was their first appearance In English vaudeville. With a little more confidence they should fit In on any bill, for they have youth, beauty and talent. Their reception was moat cordial and they were held over for a second week. "WOODLAND REVUE" (7) Song, Danea Muaieal 17 Mina.; Full Staga (Special) American (V-P) "Max Woods preaenta" la the only billing Information for thia turn, a gypsy singing and dancing flash of seven people, four girls and three m n. The layout resembles closely the old standard turn of the Zin- garis, except that it haa neither its speed nor quality. The stage Is set as a woodland, with the campflre and tripod hold- ing the cooking pot back center. The four girls in gypsy costume sing only fairly, and their dancing is only so so. the beat being a toe dance solo as part of the finale. The principal woman has an agreeable voice, but the singing strength Is In the baritone. That he goes In for seml-clasaic numbers entirely does him no special good with audiences of the American order. ^ The four girls all play saxo- phones, and much more could be made of this, particularly at the fin- ish. A piano accordion, banjo and guitar complete a musical equip- ment out of which they should get more whoop-hurrah effects than they do. Will serve as a fiash in its pres- ent environment. MANUEL Palming 12 Mine.; One Fifth Ave. (V P) Manuel certainly Is no newcomer though not listed as having been caught in the New Acts index. Brunet-visaged he could have passed for a foreigner, but when he talked there was no doubt about his Americanism. Manuel is a coin manipulator, and an excellent one. He is anything but bashful about his digital dexter- ity, stating he controls every muscle in his hands. That is probably true, particularly of tho right hand, otherwise he could not accomplish the palming shown. The manipula- tion of a coin on the bafk of the hand over the knuckles is surely tho mark of an exceptional worker. There were some card tricks, one or two accompli.shed with one hand, but he is best with coins, in fact, that is his speci.ilty. Kor the final stimt he palmed 20 coins, one at a time, secreting them and showing the empty right palm, after picking each coin from a horizontal rack. ^ Manuel may not be the best of showmen but he rates with the best in his line. Ihrc. HARRY DUNCAN Blackface Comic 15 Mina.; Ona American Roof (V-P) I'nder cork and in regal attire of plush and gold with a diminutive prop crown perched on his cra- nium Harry Duncan's get-up is dirferenl at .my rate. Rut not so his routine. Tlie usual wheezes about the gals, matrimony, et^v, with some in<llgo lyrics to top it off. Y«'t Dun nn fetched a recall, so what price author's royalty? Abel MISSOURI STATE BOY SCOUT BAND (110) 2S Mina.; Full Staga State, St. Lou la (Pet) It la impossible to describe tha thrill an audience experiencea as tha curtain rose on a full stage of 100 lada in khaki, and it la hard not to give way to sentlmenL Sight truly One. This Boy Scout band is one of the largest in the world recruited from a number of Springfield. Mo., bands, whose comWned membership is over 1,000. H. Ritchie Robertson, the present leader, organised the boya in 1920, and for the last three yeara the band haa been the official one of the atate fair. Robertson deaervea great credit for the organisation he haa built. In the boya' work is no sign of am- ateurishness. The tones are modulated until the closing measures of Souaa'a march, and then the volume awella until it reachea the maximum. Accurate census could not be taken of the various inatrumenta in the band, but a rough count ahowed among others 24 trumpets. 12 clarl- neta, 10 trombones and aaven anara druma. This idea of a scout band in a picture house is one that can be successfully copied anywhere, even though it might mean recruiting one first, and although the quality prob- ably wouldn't be as good aa this one. Albeit Loew'a isn't paying sal- aries to the boya (Scout regulationa prohibit), still transportation and feed bills for such an army are likely to run into aa much or more than this house haa ever spent for a stage attraction. The railroad fare would eliminate chances of the band getting engagements farther from home. A amart fellow thought up this act for the State, 'cause it's going to have the town talking. Kuebel. "BY THE SEA" (11) Tabloid "Production." 40 Mina.; Full Staga (Special Drop) 58th St. (V-P) Strictly a flllin. The 11 people are 10 chorus girls, apparently amateurs, and Arthur Miller, doing the polite singing and dancing Juvenile. The thing itself In composition, staging, frameup and material is trifling. It is made up of dance number by the girls alternating with bits lifted from burlesque, such as money changing, flirtation and Anally the animated ventriloquist's dummy. Everybody on the bill was im- pressed Into the playing. But it waa lOuft (Kraft and Lalont) who car- ried the entire responsibility. With- out him it would have been a flop. Kraft had Just finished his own turn when he was required .to step into the afterpiece. That he waa able to carry the extra burden speaks well for his ability to sus- tain laughs. ' Somebody will pick him off for a production one of these days. The piece Isn't even well dressed. The girls appear in a miscellaneoua job lot of summer street clothes for the flrst 30 minutes, and then strip to one-piece bathing suits for the flnale, an exhibition of the daily dozen and a finish dance. All 10 of the girls arc strictly solo dancers, none paying any particular attention to the steps of the others. The real purpose and intent of the tab Isn't to entertain anyhow, except perhaps Incidentally. Its .solitary value Is the lurid billing of half-naked bathing girls in front of the hou.se to attract attention. The billing names George A. Ker- shaw as writer and stager of the piece. Only Investment Is repre- sented by a back drop showing a bathing beach and two camping tents as props. That's what they gave the rest of the performers on the bill to work with. Kraft Is to be credited with whatever Juice there was In the "l)Ook," and the rest of the matter waa no particularly credit to anybody. NEVILLE FLEESON and MARY JAYNES Songs and Piano 22 Mins.; Ona (Special) Loew's State (V-P) With Ann Cireenway In Chicago in LeMalre's "AfTalrs," Neville Flee- son, songwriter-entertainer, has & new partner In Mary Jaynes. The material In its highlights remains similar to the former combination. Miss Jaynes Is a comely soprano, handling the smart lyric gems In excellent fashion. Flecson Is as ever the deft "straight." Some of his own lyric offerings did not quite carry In the mammoth State but should fare well generally. The "Rain" number Is retainefl for the farewell punch. "Miles* Standish" may be a new entry for tho Flee.son-Jaynes alliance. This, too, is a clever conception. Thf' act if* smart and entertaining and can hold its own In anybody's vaudeville. Abvk