Variety (Jan 1927)

t4 VASIBTY VAUDEVILLE REVIEWS Wtdti«t^y» January 26, 1927 PALACE (8t Vaud«) PalAee layout this week at thrill- Ing as a slow-motion picture of a chess tournament. If it were not for the presenca of Helen Morf;un (New Acts), fourth, the first half would have heen colorless. Miss Morgan; who keeps the peasants up late at her ni^ht club, is doubling into the Palace this week. Helen is probably the answer for the nrst flock of open-face suits seen around the house in some time. With Joe Saatley assisting at the box, she demonstrated that an alarm flook is excess. Both halves of the nine-act layout needed comedF. Daphne Pollard closed the first half—a tough spot for a comedy act as this bill was laid out. Miss Pollard got them a iter a bit. but her opening number was dracgy; that Is, the crossfire with the customs Inspector. Pointed for gags and written by Paul Gerard Sntth, It was not In iteitb's. umial surefire vein. Miss Pollard palled more laughs with her funny walk and physical .^aooentricities. Her second number cot over nicely for the same reason. A funny dance clicked. Her last, aad aasily her beat, landed when she Indulged In some funny love- making with a tall English bobby. (Hazel or BobMe) if she can throw away the xyio or bring it on leter for a surprise entry, and present ht rsclf in some other routine, the personality alone will overcome other ahortoomings and carry her further. As a straight musical act it is quite above par. It packs a world of class and ean ehroult the filmles nicely. Jack Joyce, monopedlc dancer, Is now introdiicing himself with four minutes, of film from "New Wives for Old." As ever Joyce la a per- sonality entertainer, more thsm oi,vercomlng his legless handicap. With the gentlemanly personality Joyce does not need some of that obvious tart humor. It la not par- ticularly "bhler but ■raaeka' of the indigo and any approach to that does not Jibe with his routine, Joyce does an excellent B. B. tof wm finale, making his crutch serve him well in the routlna. Qertruda Moody (New Acts). •■ ■■ Business was as near capacity as offered his skit in follow-up. aastat- found it «asy going In «»• *^ ed by a support east of tlireo t wo apot. The comedy work .JJ® men and glV? Good returns. men and their danc ng got the b^^- Holiner and NichoUi spotted their gest results. As a "revue" propoal- "plano act" In ii«rt plao#i doing equally well. Seed and Austin were the comedy clean up, next tO rtivt. "Dance Vogues." spectacular danc- ing flaah, featuring four dancing girls and boy, doaed. Altogether a good show for the tlon, it is shy on feminine back- ground, but two of the "girls" do nicely with harmony. Next came Florrle LeVere, with Lou Handman at the piano. Miss L.eVere flashed skill, clothes and an act that gamed strength as It went along. The act was an unQuallfled hit. Handman, money, with the dance section over- and an unprogrammed woman, held balancing comedy, IMII » well laid up creditably. , - „ , out #l»w at that. Crafts and Douglas foHowed, the w- I wise cracking and ballad singing MIPPODROME duo rsctotering solidly. A typical nirr\JUt^\ja^K» vaude combo of Us kind; the men (Vaude-Pcts) . . I did not overstay and what they His neta, though none Is named In atrock 12 with this uptown the lights, and Tom Mix's latest plc- crowd. Crafts formerly teamed with ture, entitled "The Last Trail," with Haley, but in Douglas has a part- Tom MlZ featured outside. The pic- that la helpful, ture Is one of the thrillingest thrill- Closing were Grant and Wing, era this western star has turned out a neat musical background. In a long while. At that, if the ^tHj^ team no longer has the Holda- a ahlftlng attendance would permit, purpose to lead some to o«"*y* ^fj^^ | more of a stringed outfit For a .-^^ «hould be okav Ha with tho orchestra Including Tom Mix Is there. It Is good busl- pi^ty^ qit vaude or any old house oxperience, ne anouia oe oxay. no ISmdJ«iw«Sttagl^^^ ness. for those who might go }» to gS'^Jeaent Grant and Wing turn la a capable organist, as demon- ^■^^ ' look him over won't be disappointed i„ ^nd acore. Flashy, pleas- strated by hla Mslatently gooa in his picture, at any rate. 11^ ^ s^e*, orlstaalUy and | work on tilo fogulatloa atuff.,^ PRESENTATIONS FLOYD WRIQHT Organist Qranadg, tan Franaiaoo Floyd Wright is a newcomer to the fraternity of featured organists. He received his first screen credit and handtod his firat major aasisn» ment as Ik soloist last weeki Pre- viously he put in his apprenticeship aa second organist and with the resignation of Iris Vlnlng was ele« vatad to Ibt premier Job, holding the latter for several months with^ out screen credit. Wright, of course, shows evi* deaees of his nowMSS. His syn- chronising with the slides on the screen was faulty in spots. His selection, too, was not a happy one. aivon a ooui^o of weeks to get tho solo sense and the composure of BROADWAY Monday night the business wa8 K.£r:. . _ . . , big in both the orchestra and the *Yhe second half of the bill (Vaude-PoU) balcony, although the gallery didn t devoted to plotmia. Show has a wealth of material, look any too strong. Incidentally tt * ' w v especially strong on sight acts and looks as though someone will have „ .comedy, but value is lost through Uq keep an eye on that gallery. A Had the first built up to her she lY^^ layout Two sight dancing re- couple of wise bhrds In the loft wooM have gleaned more. As It K^^^, placed together, next to started to give Jim MoWllUama a was she was the only speoch-maksr | closing and closing. In like manner little raaslng, but he'a a smart of the evening. AMERICAN ROOF Four out of eight acts of a meaty At preaent San Francisco is with* out a featured organist Tlio Granada ahowa perspicacity In seeking to dovolop ono. ''NIQHT OF LOVE'* (44) Prolog to Picture _ , . ^, .there are two male comedy pairs showman and passed them up en- program offered comedy. Monday I •trend, New^ » » carr Idrnn, second. Imitating g^pc^rated by only one number, sash tirely, going right ahead with his* night tbo onstdiasrs dldat start to| '*Th9 Night of Love" fu. A.) i>«« rard animals, radio, etc., pulled discounting the other and making work and, incldentaBFt^ StiilM tbs | laugh - laachs with his hnltatlona. which tough fbr the hiter turn. Value aooountod fbr all df «h« eomsdy on i^f the bin la injured by a weak pic- the first half of the bllL | ture, as usual: «» IMS Ihlia (Msss- "lihM Haatoura** in ''High Art/'i^.A). QOorgSr OhooS* lateat flaah dancing pi^, ^^d Powers opened In slm- l ovue, spotted third. Walter and lpiQ^ ^g^t and snappy wire act. Man hard until the beglnnhirf of I ing a costume picture which harks hit of the evening. | the second half. back to the castles in the air era. That Is something of a feat for a- One of the fleott Brothers and strand has duplicated a sceno single man to do in a house as big | Vernon appeared Inasplclousiy in m-^^ tbs flim aS cJoaoly as DOSstblak jtr the Hip. Aft«r havl,« ctowBJ. wtat tooled ^S£^'S»^ 2* ««Sklea It wlft IJWpl. his way through 20 minutes he re- I old-fashlonod "dnma somm a«vne o*t-««*i«« mgrr^^ „ ^ , , , , , .turned for hla political speech en- start. Given a new turn here, with f^J^T! . Agnes Reddick. two clever dancing ^ flrst-rate stylist with striking core of six mUiuteg. lUid then had a apeakeaay background, and a A dining hall la the set with a yomigsters,; Agnes liSonard and o^ dancing on the strand. Girl to come on for another couplo of flght-fan bartender who forgeU to banquet taWO bsapSd high. An tank* Gordone Bennett, singers; Six Ade- |g nice-looking kid with long hair minutes of kidding. In all, McWO- charge for drinks once inveigled posing staircase Ig at the back up ^Ide and Hughes Girls of more than ^orld of Uvellness. Nlos, Uams waa on for 2f minutes. Into a fight argument stopped the ^ mixed chorus of 27 exit f^T!?*^, traTning. Mid Hgj^t opener. Following a bHef overture, the show and had to encore with * previously Mile. Klemova, M. r>aks "Miss Hasoutra" herself, a sinuous Bobby Adams, single woman char- Pathe News filled in, and then the stringed instrument and vocal num- |'^^^^^'""■•y -^^w" •» «. • muscle and snakedancer, completed acter a|nger with a male piano 8ix Galenos (CoUeanoa?). with a her, which stopped It aU over again, the personnel. The hitter has an piayer. Not so heavy for the Broad- comblnatton tumbling and rhiley Comedy skit with Chase and Col- slw and the house ballet routines^ *>flfectlve entrance In a splendid ^^y. Needs a crowd of quicker offering, opened the vaudevIUe sec- lins followed. As a collector for a The Ulusion is of a massive set Oriental setting. She poses mo- p^rc^p^l^ns to get her best effects, tlon with the **Orlginal triple som- power company Chase is welcomed but It* has been explained that a tIsBlsss, under gold paint, while the They weren't quick enough to get Ursault" reserved -for the finisher, by the singer because she flfures gp^i^^ grl^^y^Q 1^ limi^ tho chorus do a fan number. Her j^er fast patter in a gossipy woman, getting over with a terrific punch he has come with a contract for ^^^h, the castle room on such an llrst move Is a snaky intertwining ^hlch Is her best. A class enter- to the audience. Prior to that there disc recording. Comedy njatter la , ^ eeneral effect. fully mounted and pretUly costumed. \^ neckfalla and knockabout. It ladw any outstanding punch, however, but strikes a nice average. Bruce Bairnsfather (New Acts) fn *Vew OM Billlsms" opened after Intermission without starting any- thing. The artist was followed by lbs BUvertown Cord Orchestra (New Aets), which the Keith people pulled -out o7 the Bert Gordon Is happily sst ta bis new act, a singing and talking ar- rangement with novelty anglea. It fomlsbss a medium for bis quiat style of Hebe comedy. He appears In four spectacular tH8k» tba^-Mie I ation created. Pinal Ic^e song | Nice piece of work. dlsUnctly ap- earlier In toe act. number Is unsuitable because Miss proprlate and as pretty a prolog Lievan and Davla. with a song and CoUlns Is of the matronly type and setting* as nhe street" has sesn dance specialty, subbed for Eddie looks much s|t s r t>api,|ilS youth- in some time. The mixed chorus Weber and Marion Rldnor, origi- ful coUector. . ^ . - v« (voices) lines the table and aft^r nally scheduled fUr tho deuce spot. Next to closing waa held by Zuhn exlUng Bdna Burhana Ukes tho The boys, relying principally on I and Dries, hobo comedians. Durtaw this Jkr IndIci?h!^\*7rmTnartype'*^f"t2am|* Gw1!^?*'cbo^'^•Pet7t5"'Revue." P"^^ feature at iMiiig assignment, and wisely de- toM. aU la a ▼•!■ of qutal fWk, and looks of things, all must 'bavu con- from tho start. Business rswardod t of the talent concerned, tho Ided not to press it. Browning got they go back to the street drop. The tracted for individual billing, so they with uproarious aughter. Zwo ^^ira CMai^^ mSZ - ^1— —..1^-^ ^t*u^,,*\ ' • - I ^ staged by J» J.I Eugene Costello and Co. <New|"Jw pwrore ow^ were 5^* "t. He tella of his experience in a with Carrie and Bddy starred. SUleen the other comedy act. spotted third, the end of the refrain, and provs««l MpsOSBt Urild wost town, and tte drop rjses, Dee Cee and Bascha Bragowa fteat- Fabor bad apparently met the cue- I WsB devised and osseutsd, this , . ^. {revealing the scene In the manner ured and Webster Taylor "exploit-Itomers at the Roof before and sue-| program item closely approached clSlng ——I Of a movio fade in, A lltUe story la | ed.*; Flve_ In the act a^,, from the | ceeded In getting himself in^ soiid [ the Bpeciflcation of being inde* c , _ on close to 11 and cloaed without any attempt to encore. His act re- malna about the same, with a new opening song, 'The Reformer.** get- tings laughs on topicals. The sanc- timonious delivery, punctuated by the slow, sappy, toothless smile, proved Irresistible to the laugh- starved hunch out front. What -a couple of big-shoe, low-comedy romlcs would have done to that mob western scene oonies i^ afain to I got It. show the asilsai aa ssm tm tiMliAMss, with spssltf miMle by Oomi' eyes of another actor, all leading to I Lucas, although "Birth of the Blues' a neat Ught finish with a line. 1 Is used to a great egtent. and in the dordon was aivsr Ibilfsr taSi 1^1 aet 'prior. nCy Lucky Day." was material. The act went well, too, used, so Georgle White was well proving that It has appeal to any represented. However, It waa prln- type of audience. | clpally damrfng, and It followed an- Reed and Le Vere, couple of ec centrlcs, one playing guitar and other violin, have worked their other dancing act, so there you are! Bennlo Ryan an<^ Harriet Liee .™ . .1.^.. ™ I ' , slipped over a laugh bit wltti their ZfJ it-£l5^ ™ you|gicai routine skillfully Into a rou-| dialog, something of a stiff Job at . , this house, but tho diminutive pair ping by the Violinist and comedy [put their voleSS avor so that w»y business between the pair. find tbemt 2^11Ia8 Sisters, two pretty trapese performers, closed to a thing stream ol wa^iouts. Tbs act d ss sr ved a Aets), man and four girls, put on assorted routine dance numbers. Neatly done but haven't anything new In that department. Dennd Sisters and Thibault reghiter much better at the finish with plate but shortcomin g s w bkdi drastic not Bid, STATE (Vsudo-Psts) "Tin Hats" (M-G-ll> and Morris and Campbell in a new act insures two huge laugha, in dicker and in I he flesh, at tbs State this week; this among other good pop house divertissement playing fast and smooth. That's wh^re Loow's Is .smart; one by each they're copping off the Palace's best, Morris and Campbell being among them. Nora ^Bayes next week; Herb Wolf us last week, and before than, and here- after many another promlnsnt "straight" vaudeville sUple. Joe-and Flo made merry a-plenty, with Katherlne Mallory and the precocioua Phil Silvers rounding out the "family." Closing was a fast dance flash, the Speak E. Z. Revue, derived from iU | earlier dance revue taking the ed*?e introductory drops heralding the as- off their neat novelty, in which the between the pair. They clicked right to,the back of the bal- work easily, making a captlal ex-1 cony and the laugha came freely, ample of smooth sto o afa g that They eassi tbo wuir fbr Jtm MeWll- never. has to be pumped up. They Hams to come on and dean up. don't have to gag or roughhouse to The Russian Art Choir (New get their points ovor, aai ttie music AcU). lata at Arthur H bm msr sto ih^ gives them change of pace and va- "The Song of the Flame.** proved riety. Also they go easy on talk. an Impoaing closer, Uio first scene Lord and Wlllia get loudST iMIgbs. not getting aa flMieb ds H shoald. but they get them nt the expense of The flnal scene, which Is from the rougher devices. This pair depend operetta, scored with the audience upon muggtag; tagflatf and a mis* on the flash and the voe bllUng. cession of prop comics. They keep Aesop's Film Fable, entitled "Tho the top spinning by these ingenious Cowboy's Revenge," was programed trickaand make a first-rata getaway to be shown aheaA of the feature, with a duet Of bassdon sad tin h>"t was dropped, with the Tom Mix whistle. picture getting under way at 10.0C Two of the best sight turns of the and tho show flnlfchlhg at Ignite bill were spoiled by being jammed That means that the operator rushed topTcther nt the finish—Ruiz and Bo- tho feature thprough In 6t minutes, nita and Orchestra (New Acts) and ang thg IPS fg Hiihsg Is fight. Richard VIntour Revue, with Irene Andre and George Winston. 7hey were next ta S l ss la g, ahg sloslag ta that order. The Vintour turn showed its class by holding them in, even with the 'tNS LITtLE WHITK HOUSE** (2) ^ Eastmsn Presentation Sp^ drilTVp da^^^^ 'Thibault I» J«ins.; Special Setting draws heavy applause with bif solo Eastman, Rochester, N. Y. effort but the act as a whole lacks f^i^^ Elastman theatre is partic- the variety which would pat Ig aver ^Uaiy dffooUvo In Its method of %s£^H5be?%^'^d with h^^^ O-fin^ sonks. while Hama and Toma. Jap them In an atmospheric garb that acrobats, opened. Feature screeal lifts them away from the straight flicker was *^ho Wtanlivr M Bar- presentation. It Is fortunate In hav/«3 bara Worth.'* ing available, through the Eaatman^ Ground floor well filled but the Horted Inns, such as Fall Inn, Stagger Inn. Tumble Inn. etc. It's Davis * NewhofTs first production act. feeturin*; the SIdell Sisters, Sunny Hines, Deliy an<l Judge, Helen Carroll, lilllan Martin and Ed Merer. Some of the dance steps are familiar, auch aa the lifeless Apache number and tho neck hold that Natacha Nattova at the Club Rlch- man features. Chances are that most of It Is In the common dance domain, however. Dancers these daya are distinguished by their toehnlque rather than the mechan- ical variations. Opening was Welby Cooke's Nov- elty Act (New Acts), doinK' nicely for the starter. Hnxol GofT and Bobble are the feminine pair of **lookers*' In a xylo-trumpet musical offering. Ono (to the aiidlenco's picture and if of screcnable timbre left) makes an unusually pretty stapo picture, and if of screcnaMo timbre is a very likely possibility, possessing expression and person- ality besides the mere pulchitude Whoever ahe is adagio work Is ogceptlsiisl and the novelty of an acrobatic specialty be- ing surrounded with a pretty revue prodaetlott has a ggta ggpeai. Hath. ^ 5TH AVE ^ (Vaude-Picts) Best Monday night attendance at this house In some time. A better show than usual, also the six-act hill holding three famillnrs and three new ones, the latter William Dosmond and Co. in "The Dude Handit," satire on tlie movies; Mann Holiner and Alberta Nichols, lyri- cist and composer In an entertain- ing song cycle, and "Dance Vogues," Ave-people dancing flaah. <New Acts). The Rath Hrothers opened, pro- viding a speedy pacemaker to Chil- ton and Thomas, colored mixed team, for a routine of singing and danr(n>r. ^ith the latter division the standout. William DesmoQd, from pictures, AUDUBON (Vaude-PcU) Apparently this uptown Fox house is spending more money on its vaude section. Monday night the show not only maAa tulte flash in quality, but pumerlcally ran into money on a haaty summarisa- tion of Individual salarlSs. The Audubon runs along quietly and la doing buaineas. Its capac- ity Is over S.lgO with the night scale toppint? 75c. The house gets first play on new Fox productions and "Tho Auctioneer" IS current. No programs and no splurge in the lobby as to who's who in the vaude section. The show started with the Ros sow Midgets. This pair of LlUputs has been In and around for a long time. They rely upon their travesty boxing bout to make the turn stand out. No novelty but stilt productive of laughter. Fid Gordon No. 2 was an apparent hit aa far as applause was concerned. However, his talk lacks punch, while his routine of fiddling gets its best kick when he's doing the saw or mechanical move- ment stuff with tbo fiddle and the bow. gallery sssined to bo bulfsriiig; UST StTs (VgMto*N(ts) School of Music, a wealth of flno. vocal material, but the producing' staff supplementa thia with clever' work at staging that makes tho^ vocal presentations stand out. More pictures than vaudeville at I, "The LitUe White House" is in this upper Broadway house for the nimnbers. It opens against a curreiit week. With f^^. Kennedy's back drop with Martha Atweil sing-ft "Gorilla Hunt" and F. P.-L.'s ing a verse of "The Two of Us,*'*' 'Blonde or Brunette," starring Men- foUowed by the chorus of "All Alone Jou, on the program and heavily Monday." Miss AtwelL & "rpiruiar billed outside, the result waa ap- • ^^^^y- Aiweu, a regular parent inside. Three-quarters of a house—nothing ttf bs here this winter. The hunt picture closed the firat half. Due to the added footage the variety portion was held to four acta. Of this curtaailed consign- ment of talent Ken Murray easily clowned his way Into the good graces of thooe present by acting as announcer and than fopptog olE Witb hia own turn. This announcing and master of ceremony thing has evidently be- come a custom. And indications are that some of the moys like it. In- stead of stealing bows and over- staying they can now get It all In, and don't bavs to make It so raw If the applause sn't all they think it should be. But that doean't nea- essarlly mean Murray. Tbis par- ticular youth was at ease, made 'em laugh on his gag lines and gave the impression he was having a pretty fair time. Not all of these as signed ad libbers can "get funny" Just on order. That being true, Murray Is of the exceptions. Glena and Richards uncorked their change of pafSi by npanlng as a mysterious meller and then danc- ing before an eiRht-piece band. Jack Richards was the punch through bte acrobatic dancing and got some comedy Into the routine through making the musicians double under red wings and as a chorus for a short hoke ballet number. Aa an orchestra the combination is far with tbo Ulii^tman company, regis- fii4Mii^*«0tfvolr la this number. Atr ^ICiatlnuod on page SB) ^ from vulnerable. Either from en- The Lyoas and Wakofield rsyiis thuaUsm or bagts the trombonist Is prone to aldeSlIp from the prevail Ing key, very detrimental. Tho Worden Brothers opened, do* Ing their novelty rialey work on par-^ alleled platforms which has the men- •mbanging four balls for a finish*' As good aa. act df Its typec,as haa been around, boliig about tbo only one. Oresn and liafetl were In tbo deuce. Miss Lafell delivers pop numbers while her male partner makes a balf-bearted attempt at comedy on a piano. The routine is elastic, aa a change of songs can take place any time. Maybe that's what was the matter Monday night. A wooden whistle lyric, done as an encore, was far too weak for tho spot and more power earlier in tho layout would also rate as beneficial. Four songs in all, plus a comedy keyboard episode, took this pair away in 12 minutes. The gorilla pursuit held attention albeit the booth operators must have been giving the projection machines all the speed they could handle. An easy way to kill off tlio value of a picture. As long a.s the 81st Street Is going to show double f'nturo.s to get them In the policy might as well be to let those present see the reels right. If not. that's liable to develop into another reason for ksffiing customers awa]