Variety (Nov 1926)

14 VABIBTY REVIEWS Wednesday, November IMg VAUDEVILLE REVIEWS ■ft,: PALACE (St. VmiM It wi»n't be lonp now. Monday night even the ushers looked lunely at the "acc" house, now being re- tltled the "ace deuce." A buck's worth of vaudeville at $2.20 was on tap, with customorn blastinir for the exist during th« ifttt«r part of the bill. Tliaediira ]l»b«rt«. playing a re- turn engagement after a three-year absence, during which time he has been very ill^ made a curtain speech at the conclusion of his skotch, "The Man Higher Up." He related his hospital experiences and .stated he intended to return to picture.s as soon as his current tour ended. Mr. Roberts is using a cane and a crutch in his act. and still favors his in- jured leg. but he played with hie usual effectiveness. His sketch wns spotted second after intermisison, aad was one of the high llgths. For a change the hill held two wow comedy turns, one in each half. T^e first one to wham was Roger Uihol^ Ifarcelle Coreene and Co. in the old reliable "Pest House." The act holds a couple of new comedy bits, one a revolving belt bed which projects the occupant out like a kiddy slide, and another a trick wash basin. But in the main it is the same old "Pest House'^ and Imhoff the aame old loveable tad. The. laughs came fast and furious, and the actt, siMUed third, gave the first half ah inpi^ that Adler. Weil and Wurman, |9l|i!|^ing, instantly oUpl- talized wilH their excellenit piano and song routliMK Trinl, holding over, closed the first half in her Spanish dancing turn. Just why the beautiful Spanish girl was held over Is a mystery, although one wit guessed it might be because "They wanted-to give her seven week.s of two-a-day booking.** She introduced a new number In this week's turn, but the act doesn't warrant a holdover by any stretch of a booker's imagination. Th9 second half or the bill devel- oped plenty of strength, opening with Marion Sunshine (New Acts), followed by the sketch and come- died up by Kramer and Boyle. The comics, who work in "one." opened In Roberts' full-stage set with the lights out Mr. Roberts repeated a dramatic speech from his own turn In tba dark, ind when the lights went on Kramer and Boyle were seated In the doctor's office. It was a laugh, and probably an uncon- scious infringement upon the old dark-stage opening of Bennet and Itlchards. The pair stepped down into "one" following, and nad no trouble selling old and new kuks. Kramer has de- veloped into a pip of a blackface comic and Boyle is as always, one of the .sweetest of straights. They could have nursed the customers for a couple of eneorea, hut were on late and didn't try. However, their sportsmanship was more or less wasted on the Donals Sisters act, closing, for they opened to a rear view panoramic of what the ladies and gentlemen will wear when going away from any- where. The girls hever had a chance with their fine hand-to-hand routine, and closed to the ushers and Benny Roberts* gang. Rose Irene Kress, assisted by Leo Doyle. Elinore Bunting and Joseph Miller, opened the show In a pip of a roller-skating novelty. It la beau- tifully produced in addition to the talents of the four skaters. Frakson (New Acts), an imported magician, scored an unusual Impres* sion No. 2. Plenty of room all over the house Monday night and fine theatre weather. The new Paramount, down the street, has helped put another crimn in the $2.20 emporium. What Will happeh when the new Roxy opens? Jvst one thing after another. Con* RIVERSIDE (St. Vaude) With two exceptions, on either end, the bill IS a surefire lineup of familiars, the opener and closer qualifying also on the favorable im- pression, but not as standard as the others. It's no wonder they did business with that lineup of famil- iars. Faye, Elliott and King were the weakest entry, opening. They give themselves away with the billing "Who's Who" and the tip-off catch- Tine "watch for the double surprise at the flnieh.** With one of them obviously doing a mjilc perHonation it isn't so hard to detect the female impersonator as well, although very well done, oompletiAjr foolMif the PRESENTATiOIiS (Continiift jfiMi: are good looking and work well throughout the show, two doing a * **sister afif ' gpeelalt^ m tla^ Upade Sisters. Not so strong, but cute. Clem Dacy, fairly well known on radio, sang to plenty of appre- elatlon. Rome and Dunn. In the last of the specialties, went through their song routine in their usual classy manner aeorlnv-lMltvlly. The work of the orchestra, under Wiley, was good thrcughout. Wiley war Paley's assistant, whom he c placed. A stahr pfMtnade .et looked like money. I^tfi^ COAST STUNOS (Continued from page 20) Gibson's next for U. Beevea Kason will direct Marion Constance Blackton. daughter of J. Stuart Blackton, signed by M.G.M. dO •di|^ti0n8 and continuities. Pat O'Malley is playing the featured role in "Basy Money," be- ing made for Tiffany by Osear Apfel. Cast includes Helen and George Ilackathorne. Kenneth McDonald, recent screen addition, has been signed for juvenile lead tai *'Over Seas." Sov- ereign ProdiMiMoM Surry M«ody will direct. ••GOBS' 23!/i MINUTir LEAVE" (20). Singing, Dsncing* Musical. 23 Min.; Full (Special). Million Dollar, Los An^sles. Managing Dire* tor Frank L. New- man turned production manager for the FaefHe Geist premiere of "We're in the Navy Now" and staged un atmoHpherio prolog at the Mil- lion Dollar. While not in any way startling, the entertainment is siC- Isfylng. For a setting there Is a full stage replica of a wharf warehouse open- ing onto the sea. At curtain a ship's launch appears in thet)ffing loaded down with goba M'ho, on laiidinp, go into a routine of stunts in which a deaen df the 20 youths participate rjeorge O'Hara i^tartcd them off , With a snappy song number an( "uke*' accompaniment, followed by McDowell and Montgomery, nifty "hoofers." Jimmy Conlon had the audience laughing at his balancing' of a paper cone atop his nose or cheeks. Some nice harmony singing wa.s put across by the Bilbrcw quartet, colored hoys, and then Denny StuU man favared with a couple of In- strumentiil numbers, using a one stringed violin, and home-made at that. Dick Meagh did a soft shoe dance which he turned into a '*wow** . finish by speed, nnd t hen Dick Olbly scored with a ballad. Cervo, with his piano-accordion, was fawardeid with merited ap- ViaMik with the colored quartet closing the show with an imitation cat fight, all In harmony. For a filiate dia a—emhie sang a chorus from *^a>t te the Navy Now** and sall«d away in a tableaux, reveal- an illuminated replica of the Lorraine Tason has been placed under a five-year contract by F.B.O. Her first will be as feminine lead in "The Wise Crackers." H. C. Witwer story, with Caryl IiMeming directing. In the cast are Al Cooke, Kit Guard. Danny O'Shea and ThfliM Mttl. Pola Negri's next for Famous IMayors-LasUy will be "Confession," an Ernest Vajda screen story. JBrlc Pommer win supervise. - Those supporting Col. Tim McCoy in his second M.O.M. IH^ttfttfon. "Uraddock's Defeat," a story l.a.^^ed on the American revolution, include •loan Crawford, Edward Neam. Will U. Wnllis, Tom O'Brien. .Tack Pratt. Hen l^ewia. t<ionel Belmore and Chief Big Tree. * - Mathilde Comont added to "The Kough Hlders," P.P..t.. Scott Ches...tt. former southern league umpire, and more recently Paramount film sali sman and Jack- ■'onville exchangt manager, will por- tray the role of umpire in "Casey at the Bat," F.l».-L. Eleanor Pried signed by M.O.M. for scenario department. Vera Heynolds' next for DeMille will be The Little Adventuress." William DoMllle will dir»*<t. U. will produee a feature b.ts.'d on Carl T^emmle's slogan. "It Can Be Done." An original 8l«.ry was written by Scott Darling around the subject. Statue of Liberty and an ocean liner. Prolog might not stand up if given with a weak picture, but tiM film fen tu 10 more than made itp for any deficits late comers and those others who didn't consult the printed program But for the personations the act is blah. The ballad try is particularly negative, a wishy-washy maudlin affliction that is steeped with sick- ening sentiment, and were it not so "seriously" done and on the level it would maka a great hokom num* ber. The Gaudsmith Brothers have dis- carded their buffoons' makeup, work- inging more or less "straight" I at for costuming and a light rouge the understander affects. Torcom Bezazian and Edna Whitt with their trumpet trio in support (it's misbilled a quartet, becoming four only when Miss White is part of it) belong in the picture houses. Theirs is a quality musical olTering that qualiflea handily for the cin- emas. Mr. and Mrs. Jimmy Barry's standard did as ever and Ida May Chad wick closed the first section The act is hitting on its twin six without a miss, the general impres- sion exceeding the act*s Palace debut when there was something lacking in the general proceedings. Miss Chadwick leaves littie doubt as to her claim anent "America's champion tap dancer," and her pre- ferred sextet of blondes chalk up a sizable score all their own. After it's all over, if Miss Chadwick cares to. she can route that stepping sex- tet on their ownsome and they will register decisively, even If they re- lied only on thi^t concerted staircase dance number. It's a compliment to the dancing star of the act for the staging alone. Miss Chadwick tope everything with an advanced dance- ology, the "Messin' Around." Reopening are the Three SwiftF (Ne^ Acts). Daphne Pollard's im- pression was unquestionable, al- though her stuff is limited to the same eccentric characterizations. Will Mahoney could have stayed indef. He begged off. refusing' "Mammy" on the plea of a late show. The knockout tap stepping and falling clinched everything. Van Horn and Inez, roller skaters featuring neck splns^ closed. AM. STATE (Vaude—Picts) A good deal of flash and produc- tion display is getting into the met- ropolitan small timers. This show at the State involves 30 or so peo- ple, counting the dosen in the Cyclone Revue and the six in tlie sketch of . Nat C. Uaines and com- pany. Values are nicely distributed, with plenty of comedy, enough singing and dancing and fair average of purely specialty material. The production display also helps to build up effects for this class of entertainment, particularly in the suiToundings of t||a impressive State theatre. After all it is the feature film that puts the value in the offering. It is ••The Quarter Back" with Rich- ard Dix this week that apparently drew. Attendance Monday night Just short of capacity, with only a few rows vacant on right and left wing at the back. Solid punch in the flnale of football story brought spontaneous applause. Randow Trio, comedy acrobatic, opened. Two men and a woman do an old fashioned routine, the nov- ♦'Ity depending upon the feats using the heavy woman in evening dress as the understander for simple head-to-head feats. Clown is fair knockabout, but has knack of pan- tomimic business. Shedding of a score of waistcoats through act is old stuff. Mays, Burt and Fenn are Tuxedo trio of straight singers who stick to their warbling and hoofing which gets them through neatly if not with any particular hurrah. Good bit is a minstrel first part in all its e.s.sentials put over in two minutes. Dancing finish takes them off to applause. Alice Morley is using one of those dramatic recitaUons for her finish, a scheme that does her breezy rou- tine no special good. She starts olt with two or three brief bits of current Jazzy numbers nnd then goes into a semi-ballad for chaii^o of pace, which is as it should l)e. Then Into comedy number and the dramatic for the getaway, using the number "Old PaK' as tlie basis of the elocution. Makes a dull finale in an otherwise lively turn, Nat C. Ilaines' sketch (New Acts) is called "Hello. Mama." which doesn't matter. It is one of those things with a burlesque bit flavor and that serves the purpose well enough. Wilkens and Wilkens^ next to closing were not Ci^pecially heavy. It was tough for an unpre- tentious mixed pair to follow the Ilaines flash and hokum comedy, but their tango ie.'^son with its knockabout did the trick. The talk early got only fair returns. Cyclone Revue, dance production with much costuming and faxt step- ping (New Acts) closed. JiUMh, - ■ AMERICAN ROOF (Vaude Picts) Ad lil)biiig and fly remarks s»m ni about as harmless as nitroglycerine on the American Hoof these nights. The sooner incoming nets take the tip the better for them. The latest candidate for "the bird" barely es- caping waa Jack Joyce, monopcde dancer and jester, who miscalculat- ed Monday night by aiming his wisecracks to the boya IB btoe (shirts) in the upper tier. Despite a picture trailer strong enough to slant anybody, and at least planted Jack for a great en- trance band, he was going great with his chatter and opening num- ber until starting clowning with some o: the neighbors' children from 10th avenue, squatted la the upper left box. The result must have proved a boomerang for Jack since the box occupants sent back as good as he save and seemed to forget that everything was in fun. Jack han- dled the situation with good Judg- ment and went Into his dance. Later on he tried to laugh off the preceding faux pas and got it again, with some of the balcony boys even going stronger than the box occu- pants, which prompted Jack to an- nounce that he was not a male Im- personator. That got them awhile, with Jack countering with Black Bottom and Charleston, whleh for even this mob was something new when contributed by a monopede. Before leaving the sUge in next to closing he had registered the un- disputed hit of the show. Many re- calls^ but Jaok was evidently glad to bo through, and failed to respond. As to the bill in general it was little above average, with about three out of the .seven acts raising any dust. Just a routine show but packed house, with the real draw dependent upon the feature picture, "The Black Pirate." Two of the seven acts new around here—Merely and Leeder, harmony duo. No. 2. and ir^tanley and Quinct, mixed team. No. 5. with a mixture of chatter, singing and dancing. Johnston opened with a combina- tion of contortion stunts and trapeze work, with the contortion feats the main standout of the contribution. Morely and Leeder, fern harmony duo, followed on with a likeable routine o: songs (New Acts). Coul- ter and Rose, two men "in cork," set the comedy ball a-rolling wtih ar- gumentativer chatter appertaining to a dice game and graduating into a routine of small talk that even in- corporated a revised edition of Mo- ran and Macks' "white and black horses" gag, with the. principals switched to DovlaM In this Instance. Some instrumeiBtatlon at the fin- ish, with one manipulating harmoni- ca and other whipping a Jew's-harp, with a snatch of dancing by both, got them over for the best results of the first divlsioners. Gilbert and Avery Revue in fol- low on was the routine dancing flash, utilizing a mixed sextet, vfith the featured members a mixed danc- ing team. An acrobatic and adagio by the "names" waa their best con- tribution, while Rodney and Gold, male dancing team, put forth some eccentric comedy stepping that was equally good. A prima .spotted a solo hatf-way down and got over nicely, while another boy registered heavier on personality than talent, perhaps because given little to do in this flash. While well costumed and mounted, it held little other than the routine flash, of which there are many in vaudeville. Stanley and Quinet. miyed team, opened the second section, getting over good with chatter, songs and dancing (New Acts). Joyce held next to closer with hU routine of stepping, aided by blick crutch and following on after a trailer show- ing some film work he had done In thj screen feature^ VQid -Uvea lor New.** ' ' ' Togan and Geneva, mixed team, closed with some clever feats on the slack wire, which incorponited bal- ancing and dancing, and which netted better results than Is usnallv the good fortune of this type of act here, and especially In doser^ JN^w* HIPPODROME (Vaude-Pets) ^ The boy^ weren't overboard on vaudeville or business at the 6th avenue grind stadium Monday night. The picture. "Pals in I'aradiMr C^- D. C), wasn't so hot e.thtr. And the result must have sliown right inside the boxofflce. Very .u:ood downstairs, nothing in the side boxes or top gallery and a one- <ju;irt(r filled llrst balcony,. That MK ons a lot of empty seats. One cause as to why 'the vaude- ville didn't Impress may have been this: Grace Blder opened the show and after doing her hard shoe buck was followed No. 8 by the girl In th^ Four Cameron act, who also hopped to the stiff soles. It didn't do the latter any good. In fact, she never did get n rise until going Into hor furious cartwheels. Young Cam- eron also had a tough time of it de- spite all the room In the world in whi(!h to fall. But tliat is what was probably the matter, too much rOom. Von can't see faces from the barl rows over here. The acoustics are okey, but many a line needs facial expression, nnd they miss that angle by a mile in this house. Miss Elder did pretty well with her four girls. (*ood enough to come »)ack and do a short tap black bot- tom. A neat routine, too, minus the wlgglln^r. and it .s neat headWork to FViKs np th«- rrvolving hips. Another dancing act was "In Sun- ny Spain" (New Acts) next to clos- ing, although this .idl.ered to tho native tambourine and heel maneu- vers. Ksrlier oame 0argent and Lewla, two singing boys in the deuce spot who seemed entirely lost atrum- ming oversisad vkes this duo offered four songs, none of which meant very much. The size of the house could easily be the alibi, the same going for Cameron, who made 'em laugh with his terridc falls, but got litUe throttsh Irifc er oaa. ehatter with "Papa." Just what this theatre can do to a comedy act was revealed by the Bert Gordon turn. A standard vaude laugh act for years, Gordon had to watch his feminine partner run away with the applause Monday eve. That was because of this girl's voice. Vera Kingston by name. If you can't see Gordon's face the dia- log Isn't so funny—so that explains that and may be a tipoft to acts who are sentenced to the Ilip. "Big Rosie," a lone elephant tNew Acts) closed none too easily. Tha pachyderm wasn't in the mood to do tricks and might be said to have given a careless performance. BROADWAY (Vaude-Pets) About the best 75 cents worth of entertainment on Broadway this week. "Syncopating Suew" the fea- tured film, pulls the laughs with the original comic titles while Sig- ner Frisco and his orchestra, a gang of eight Guatemalan xylophone players, unexpectedly tie up the customers in uncontrollable out- bursts of ribaldry. The Signor starts off convention- ally enough with a few numbers on his xylophone. These are well done but begin to pall after a while. As the act seems on the verge of get- ting the yawn, the "plants" start to work. "What would you like to have me play?" asks the Signor. A score of numbers are mentioned. "But what does the majority want?'* persists Frisco. "Liquor!" is the loud answer from the gallery. Thfs starts the mob laughing. Then the Sfcrnor asks for a classical selection. "Humoresque." howls a squeaky feminine voice from some- where in the rear, "you know how it "nic*. d-'^-f"?''* ('♦'-'-rTle-^"'''' */^'» This one scored heavily. The two plants work well right throutrh and were fitted In very nicely at the ap- propriate moment—just as the act seemed to be In danger of falling flat. The curtain rose and fell for a long time but the crowd had come out of its convulsions long enou'rh to applaud loud and strenuously. Stonped the show. Glenn and Jenkins must be quite at home at the Broadway. The boys received the warm welcome before they even started. TTiey swept ri«?ht Into It with a snappy song and dance and some intricate broom swinging and soon shipned their admirers into gales of giggles. Dixie Hamilton a!so seemed to be acquainted with some of the cus- tomer8.> Whatever It is that it takes to put a number over Dixie has. "So Is Your Old Lady" went over big. She took a few bows but the crowd couldn't bear to have her leave so she came l>ack with a monotonous, Tlddlshe Charleston number that'' can be used as a sure-fire damper on any act. It was for Dixie. The lucky holders of the deuce spot. Herman Berren and Mllo. Fifl, fared rather well than over wise. Herman is supoosed to be a piano professor. He explains it with some sad talk. The act brightens up when Fifl walks on in a red dress. The girl looks Frenchy and spenks eflfusively fluent French, but her bad English Is very poor and sounds fictitious. On aocount of the audience's i°rnorance of the FYench language Fifl gets away with a "Hotsy-Totsy" song in French which would have raised a number of querulous eye- brows had it been explained. "I love ypu like some mad fool." says the young lady with the expressive eyes. "Won't you please take me In your arms, dear professor, before I perish of anticipated ecstnsy? Take me! You may do anything you wish with mo, for how uould I resist you!" No English translation could do. justice to the signirtcance of the words in the ^Yench language. The crowd doesn't get the language but they couldn't help understanding her motions. Following a time-killer on the piano by Berren. the girl comes on again In a pearl gown, her Hair slicked back nicely. This act will get along better if Berren devises some means of gettim? into the swing faster. Joe Browning, in black hat and coat, reels off a humorous dialog on his own peculiar philosophy <>f lifo and gets away with it.. Joe says it's a shame the way the censors have cut out the best in pictures, "l<av- ing only the actors," but adds that the movies are worth the price of admission as "it costs more thnn twice as much if you want to slet'P In a hotel." The Meyakos. a .Ini).inese boy and il ls two s isters, clo.sed nicely with a. fT aih WUlit ' UI, dauiiliiB. singi ng nnt , easily up to the high Rtandnrd st t by the preceding acts. The L'ill opens with Gautter's dogs, one of the cl*»verest acts of its kind. TwO pups do a series of walks, somer* saults and other stunts all by them- selves without anybody to iir^o them along. The woman trainer does not appear the flrst few min- utes.