Variety (Jan 1927)

BURLES^b^ 36 VARIETY WedneidAjr, January 96» 199f BURLESQUE REVIEWS v. I, v YQBKVILLE Character Walter Wiljber Comedian Paddy CiXtt Primlpal Mabel White Principal Cecil McCann Character Mile. Babette etralfrht Herbert Harris Comedian Scotty Priodel Comedian...,.«.• •••• .Sam MlcbeU Hiittlt A taMa pirftytes old-fashloned buritataf an al tli« YorkviUe. 86th street and Lexington Avenue, and evidently the nei^^hbor- hood has taken stock to Its heart. They have a runway, quite a flock of principals and 20 choristers, •howing plenty of Fleetwood out on Varicose avenue. The girls could pack their combined wardrobes In an overnight bag. Tbe stacs go for the quivering torsos, and aeemlngly never get •nough. Betty Silver, good-looking, youthful soubret out of the line, was encored at leait a doaen times on her only appearance in the first half leading the chorines in "Sweet Oeergia Brown.** «1ie giria UNMlied out on the runway solo and ensem- ble, doing some artistic grinding to Jtumultuous retuma. A neighborly spirit pervades the house, with the customers chatting aoclably with the fair ones. One wag offered one of the girls a hot dog on a roll.- He was mildly and good-naturedly admonished Iqr the bounper, an ex-hitter who used to dust them off at the old Olympic C. in Harlem. The comedy is of western wheel Tlntage, but the players are such prime favorites with this mob averything clicks. Even a tiresome nonoloa based on the oM "a iwn e n 'a rights" chatter, and delivered by Paddr Ciyi^ aa old-aehoal Irlah "When the Mush Runs Down Father's Vest," aung in diiterent ways by dMTerent principals, and with the audience Invited to join in. was another remtaUacent gag. The [ *k#as painted la targe letteva oa a ' aign towered from the fUea. with conmients ad libbed by aam Ifleiiela, tha Hebrew ooiaeJIen, got ^rrer strongly, for no apparent reason be- yond the good nature of the assem- blage. They even get away with a sertoos dramatic sketch oflecing, 'Ven- geance Is Sweet," in which Walter Webber plays Felix, an executioner of Paris; Hattie Beall. his wife, and Clare S^rans. M. La Compte, an Apache whom Felix has a necking party appointment with at S that a. m. La Compte appears, represents himself ns a messenger from the Minister of Justice, and finally dis- closes his IdenUty. He Is about to JNuap Feilz off. to the accbmpani- ■leat of his wife's prayers and hia awa aneerlng reiteration that rrhere la ae Oad.** Before the fhtol hnllet }• fired La Compte is struck by lightnlaa and diee to a slow curtain with aMasM aoraanlng *There Is a Qod," or something like It. Not < snicker through the emotional pyro technics, whin Is the tfp*o|i aa how this bunc^fc mm^ wtth tha aalg|ihan* children. ■ , Beetty Frledel, an eccentrlo come- dian of quiet methods. seMns to be the favorite of the four comedians, hut aU are weU received aad wel- ooBMd whea they haya wash oi the rostrum. The book is probably p«t on at rehearsals by the comedians, and is ataged by Sam MIchels. Dan Dody Is credited with the "dances.** The ladles of the ensemble are the real attraction, and Hurtig A Seamon are wise enough to realise It The gtarls never miss» and are above the average In appearance. It's easier to recruit lookers for stock burlesque than for the troop- ing variety, and this opera proves it. Kitty Olasoo probably rates as the prima donna. She has a specialty of classical and seml-^asslcal sonjgs which dick. Herbert Barris also lands in a singing specialty* featur- ing a teaer voice aad a yMHat aol6. The runway gets a heavy play and means more here than In the Mutual houses, where they view the grinding with a fishy and apathetic J' ©ye. These girls work as though ^ they enjoy It, and have a coy little r laugh-getter of snapping the rubber Iwnds on the backs of each other's brassieres. Business was good Tharsday night an the lower floor* Con. Syracuse Off Mutual ^ I Syracuse, Jan. 25. P' By mutual agreement between r Morris FItaer, owner of the Savoy and the Mutual Burlesque Associa- tion, the franchise held for Syracuse by Fitser has been revoked. "Uol- lywoad SoaaialB* la IIm flaal Mutual -show hero. £mmett Callahan, general repre- hentative for Mutual, who has been In charge of tha local hoase for the hwaer for the past 10 wsslii, says that the decision to withdraw Is solely duo to lack of profits fbr The Savoy returns ta platures, HouMe featora. ^ FoUiet of Pleaiwa (Mutual) Comedies. ...Clyde Bates Btraifht. .••••••,,*•••••••■. .Osers* Martin Soubret••..••*«.••.••«••»..i......VI Pwtnjr Comedian. Murrajr Welch l>lma Dossa*«»** Kathemi Horter Inffenue;• ..^v.. • . • .WaMS Oevon Juvaolle. • • •«• «!• i 4 y , mMSS lisck This show's not so forte, even when judged from Mutual stand- ards. It is particularly weak on comedy, worse on perpetrators, and depends, if anything, upon the femme contingent—principals and chorus. Vi Penny, soubret. practically carries the show, doing as well as expected with the present working material. Two "teasers"—"Take Off a Little Bit,** with the usual strip down to abbreviated union suit, and "Turkish Towel"—were both han- dled neatly by VI, and ^steamed" for many encores. A revue formula obtains, with the comedy scene division resembling an old-home week reunion of Joe Mil- ler's favorites. This. too. despite the opera being credited with book. Clyde Bates, comic, doing his usual tramp, labored through the two stanass indifferently, gmhWag laughs occasionally. Murray Welch, second comic, did a programed Dutch with "Hebe" dialect, but It didn't matter. He had very little to do, even though supposedly the foil of Bates. Katheryn Horter made a passable prima. Wanda Devon an attractive ingenue, George Martin, corking straight, with additional hoofing prowess, and Jeag Mack, clean-cut Juvenile. Neither of the two sections was a rave on comedy, with but two at- tempts In each and all of ancient variety. The numbers, mostly Miss Pen- af*a, aad runway "grinding^ of both the soub and chorus, were about the only thing the show had. If the Mea had haen to stage a girly pa- rade lastead of a routine perfona- ance, this one succeeds there. But If s doubthil if Mutual houses along the line will buy Just that *'2!iJ?«'Sl* * '•^ atolee between wigiM, mm ymteCiR h with this At a meeting of the Columbia Amusement Company's board of directors held last week it was de- cided the future poUcy of tha air* cult would remala burlesqao and legit attractions. The directors voted not to drop the word hurlesqucb which had been proposed. The return of Lawrence Weber to the Columbia Circuit will prob- ably mean that several legit attrac- tions with which Weber has been connected, will be seen on the Col- umbia Wheel next season. IMPERSONATOR, 3 DAYS ilaha J* l^prvy aasr l^iata^a ahawi ' ae W( Sawojr Still Mutual The Savoy, Atlantic City, remains a Matual Circuit atand despite an- nouncement that the shows would be dropped and a burleeque stock policy substituted. Max Levlne, manager of the house, had tentatively assembled a stock troupe but called it oft. LOLA. HIBOS'S OIS WHK Lola Pierce, soubret of "Mutt and Jeff," left tha Columhia show last week. She joined "Mutt and Jeff.' at Washington the week hefere. John J. Perry* Senegambian chrous BM, H, who haa a *^n for dressing in female attire was fined three dollars in West Side Court by Magistrate Louis Brodsky. Ferry laeksd th4 three ahaolaons and started to "do" three days In the West Side jail. He gave the address as lOi West 47th street. PatroUnan Joha O'Nein of the Police Academy and a rookie, saw Perry sporting the female attire. O'Neill thought he should Inquire. Aa he started for Perry tha latter lifted up '%ia" skirts and fled into a hallway with O'Neill after him. In the hallway a lively battle took pkMc. Of coarse Mr. O'Neill woa. Perry with his largo picture hat, fur coat and goloshes was taken to the West 47th street station. In West Side Court, Perry said he bad attended a movie. "I work as a chorus man for the Bamboo Inn in Harlem and I just ^ef t the tnovto to go to n&y home and get some laore . clothos. your ionor." said Perry. The court told i^erry the next time he went to the movies to wear male garments. He •eld he would. ^ Tai^^uay Off Burletqua Bva Tanguay has passed up the two week offer of $2,600 weekly from the Colqmbia Burlesque Wheel to tour aa aa added attraction with Jack Singer's "Merry WhlrL- She will stick to independent vaadevUle and picture houses. « Vha ayiioaia aae also grabbed some publicity through a report she was about to marry her young Hungarian pianist, Allan Parade. Tha aaaoaasesMBt la alleaad to be a publicity stunt Miss Taaguay's last matrimonial venture was her marriage to Johnny Ford, the dancer, several years ago. The announcement that Miss Tanguay was to join "Merry Whirl" was sent out by Jack Singer last I week. It Is alleged she had wit- nessed a performance of the show at Buffalo and expressed herself as ready to join to play the Casino. Bsstaa aai Oohaahla, Mew Toric ''Glory*' aos^ aad Lay Off Week Stopped Hurtig A Seamon's "What Price Glory" closed on tho Columbia CIroalt In ChicinnaU Saturday. The withdrawal eliminates the lay off week between CinclnnaU and St. Louis, with the shows now jump- ing diraiti/ '-'--^-/----" "Olory** had a rocky Uma firom Ita start aa a Columbia show. Stock at Met, Febe 1 Stock burlesque opens at the Metropolis, New York, Feb. 1, pro viding extensive alterations on the house are completed In time. The house has been taken over by the Delancey-Cllnton Corpora tlon. also operating stock burlesque at the Grand street and lMth stiaet theatres. New York. Mickey Markwood will be featured comic and also director at the Met BUBLBNin COUIOB Howardo has joined the Eric Karle musical tab In.Milwaukee. Paul Workman, juvenile. Empress (Milwaukee) stock, has gone Into comedy at the same houses Karl Michel taking over *}tc> Juvenile. Bud Purcell, Betty Rhodes. Buddy hasnman. Rose Bums. Mary Kerres and Ous Arnold are all with the Fox A Krause stock, Gary. Ind. Louis Rlgo has supplanted Ted Groh with "Land of Joy.** mioxMEiraB Walter and Archie Jimos, colored, with "Rarin' to Go" (Columbia). X H. lilBIN IHNED (Continued from page 26) the Friday night date looked too big for last a little dlaaer party; he might have to make It a beef- steak at Cavanagh's. At that Jake commenced to ask questions but Irving soothed hlin. The following day Irving again approached Jake, said the idea ap- peared to have been spread around and there would he auuiy angry friends if some arrangements were not made to take care of all of them, perhaps at the Friars. Then Jake got It aad walked oait aa the party. It required two solid days before J. H. ooald he brought around to see that the aftair had progressed too far to be abandoned. Jake seemed to still have the same feel- ing after his brief sitoech of appre- ciation at the banquet. Still he pri- vately admitted afterward that It would have been all right "if It wereat ior tha preseats.** Dsputy Shsrifff The only presents Jake received were a gold watch from the boys and a deputy sherUirh badge f^om Sheriff Culkin, who was on Uio dais. The sheriff said he had known Jake for over SO years and felt it an honor to hdvie htas ea hlo staff, especially said the sheriff as his deputies were subject to his call at all times. The sheriff also told Jake some laeide statf how ta keep the badge working for him mentioning Madison Square Garden aaioag the other places. Lew Cantoris Hit One of the surprises of the eve ning was the witty address made by Lew Cantor. Mr. Cantor feel- ingly spoke of Jake, bitt tacked on some gags. One Included a state ment that he knew Jake closely, at home aad la the offlce^ '*but in the office, not so good,** added Lew. The surprise of the Cantor busi ness was that a quiet tip had gone around oa the Inside that Lew in tended, to give a comedy talk, with everyone waiting for tho thad. It broke just the other way. Other witty speakers were Intro duced by the toastmaster, Henry Chesterfield, with Bugs Baer tell- ing .one rattler, mentioning Irving Berila aad elUa« hiaiaeic aa op position to the new pop. Pat Casey was another speaker, eulogizing Jake as a square shooter and among tho fahrist assa la tha ahow hasl ness. Heartfelt wires were read from Marcus Loew in Hollywood and Nick floheack. detahMd at home through illness In his family. Al others of the prominent executives of the Loew organisation were in the hall, most of them on the dais Mr. and Mrs. Lubln left Sunday for a vacation in Havana. lUsie" Did $10^ "Kongo," the latest legit on the Columbia wheel, grossed 110,000 last week at the Columbia, New Toik. ICongo" la ^aaaled for a return engagement at the (3ayety, Boston, where It also hit a hl^ Stress. The Oolambia apoat aa extra $1,000 in advertising the attrmctlon In newspaper and paper advertis- ing. Phil De Angelis and Morris <3aia aia tha prodacara. SIR JOSEPH ALUGES (Coatlaaed flrom paga M) Francisco that they^ take It out" Sir Joseph refused to explain why he wanted his Frisco period omit- ted, hut said that Variety ptlated something about It caee aad hajde- nounced that also. ^ Back in Frieco ta tha «les oC Variety brought out a story of some months ago insinuating that Sir Joseph had been seen in San Francisco danc- la a aawduat dump with his wife. The week following, also In VaHety. wcui a denial from Sir Joe hisself, statlnir he never had a wife aad aoaidat daacob The same ar- ticle quoted WilUo Howard as hav- ing informed Sir Joseph that Va- riety had Uheled him aad he should JUDGMENTS Michael B. Mindlin; Whitney Dodson, Inc.; $90.54. Chas. M. Drinkwoter* etc.; Gen Amus. Corp.; $3,260. George F. Sultxbaclv; A. SInsser llT^sVl.ff."""* rtydOiol^eqLJlc. feo Art Studies^ Incf Craaa & Clnrk; $205.45. Bronx Plata Theatre Corp.} Blue Ridge Coal Corp.: $169.03. Diet, of Columbia Sporta ft Amus Club; O. Sherman; $<,8t4.Sl. W. w. Hodkinasa Ceiiki Olty o N. Y.; $709.92. Kitty Oerdsni French Model Im portinir Co., lac; |l.tll.4T. The Chelsea has changed from dramatic stock to burlesque. It has eaooantered ao ofltelal laterfer* enoe so far from either airtliarltlea or local reform element The house got a fair start on pa- tronage, but It la probleawtlcal whether "dean burlesque" can last in that spot after the "raw" shows by predecessors. The preaeat lossss nader sua* piclon that the dramatic stock pdlcy was merely a stall by which to re- gain •suspended license of the houses qalekly elearad up that isaaa. Tha leasing group headed by Jules Lev* enthal showed those Interested that his firm had financed dramatio slock axelaslytfly, sad that tha Chelsea is the only one ot four stock houses operated by the groap playing burlesque. The group tried draa|atia stock for three weeks prior ta awttelllair over to httrlesquo. H^S. Switchinff to Stodc Boriesqiae on 125th St Hurtig ft Seamon's on 125th street will dlscontlnna playiag tha Columbia burlesque attractions within a few weeks and will install a stock burlesque policy, similar to their policy at tha Torkville. The Arm announces it will build a new house at 181st street and St. KIchelaB avenaeb to be ready to h^Qse tho OotamMa ihowa aast Taa must stop that friago on me or ril tell Mr. WllUe about you," remarked Sir Joe as hs picked up a medal that had slipped off. Agked where his Variety med- al was. Sir Joseph said he had not thought he would call at Variety's ofRce that day, so had not worn it Infonned that tha show. Tags Mr. Oinsburg," might charge him for publicity if it were made known that he asserted a claim of In- fdngoBMat, Mr Joseph saM he had no claim fbr infringement and cared nothing about that. His only worry was over what Mr. WiUie had tsM htan, that tho show was a fringe on him. Mrs. Willie Improving Sir Joseph said, replying to a conuaeat that ho was looklag well and as though he had been eating more regularly, that he is now eat- ing aU right, Mrs. WiUie having improved la her oooking. He seemed anxious to learn if anyone In Va- rlety'a ofDoe had heard where the Howards are going to oipead the summer. "I would Mke to know that now," said Sir Joe. you don't know, just call up Mr. Willie and ask^ hut don't teU hhn it's for me." Sir Joa saM the Bowards aeaaliy select a summer place that suita him, but still it would do no harm for him to know in January that he's all set for Juaa. Asked if he paid tha Howards board during the summer. Sir Jo- seph grew indignant shouting: *Doa't I let Mrs. Willie dye and undye my hsirr* He wouldn't state whether he thought Mrs. Willie was a better dyer than a cook, but did mention that ehe dyed his hair oaly now and then. Asked if he liked the Howards' way of living and food. Sir Joseph eagely answered: I *X}uesta shauMa't tell tales," Tho announcement of tho w|th« drawal of the Columhia shows from the Harlem house Is sigalllcant. Until two seasons ago, when the Minskys opened tho Apollo on 125th street with stock burlesque^ Hurtle ft Seamon had no opposition aa ttta west side of the street After the opening of tho Apollo the HM ifeaaa Installed a runway and hired a permanent house chorus tq work on the Illuminated walk. The success of the Apollo Is be- lievad to aMttvailed BftB hi awltch* ing to stock burlesque, in vieW of the current Columbia policy of playing legit attractions with their burlesque ahawa Stock palter would provide a permanent tmr* lepqua oppoaHloa to the Apolki. Burleaquo Chwgo* Anita Rose. Svelyn Fields and Maybelle Lamonia joined the bur- leeque stock at the 125th Street, New York, Met week. Several additions have been made to the roster of the burlseque stock at the Falace, Buffalo: Irene Cas- ainl, Frank Naldl. Jhaatfo May, Irene Finely, Helene Oavlg, T^m Phillips, Sid Rogers. Clalro Mvans and Babette hava ck>sed with the Hurtig ft BeaaMB stock at the Yorkvllle. New York, going to Jacksonville. Fla., to johi Frank Wakefield. The Utter is op- erating tab musical alpek at tha Tempio^^ ,jM».^ee a| aaa tii ilitth pla« tures. ■aONCHAPUNS (Continued from page 2) celver-proof gatcw I can shut my place so that no court-appointed bird aaa gat la aader en hour and then he*d have ta taw a caa oC blastin* powder. The principal thing that worries me about this Chaplin affair is that I hope the receivers and their watchmen over at Charlie'^ house don't start no fight over his cellar and e e a i a i iaee shootia' around tho place, or If they do. fba la aoma other direction than my housOb I've managed to stand the Aimea McPharsoa trouble to the end, an' now I'd like to live long enough to see the finish of the Chaplin case, Dsnoereus Complsint rd send Variety a copy of tho complaint Mrs. Chaplin fUod against Charlie but it would be un« lawful to mail It en' I doubt if evea the express compaalte would carry it. knowln' what It Was. There are 29 different charges a woman can make in California that'll win her a divorce, yet It took Mra Chaplin 43 paaaa ta oieattoa the few sha had. I caa*t see any more reason why Mrs. Chaplin shouM object to Edna Purviance bein* on Charlie's pay* roll for $250 a week than she would object to the government payin' off tho pensions of the old veterans out at the Soldiers' Home at Sawtelle. Certainly, years of service should count for somethin' an* be recog- .... . Tom Mim