Variety (Jan 1927)

Wednesday, January 26, 1827 WOMEN^SPAGE VARIBTY 37 AMONG THE WOMEN BY THE SKIRT Tht BMt DresMd Maid of Any Wt«k VIRGINIA SMITH The VirflIn Men* (PHneeee Theetrt) The silliMt lot of rot was dished up at the Princess theatr* under the name of "The Virgin Man"—«nd that man from Yale. Oh, boy! If they had eatd Syracuse University! There was, however, one outstanding feature in the main piece, the eleverness of Virginia Smith. Miss Smith is destined for better things, ▲s a wise cracking maid Miss Smith's uniforms were black satin and Mfe BAtIn with the trieklest of capa and aprone. For a eosteme ball a red ballet dress was edged with silver. Dorothy Hall is so pretty a blonde it's a wonder the role of Lorelei X«ee in "Gentleman Prefer Blondes" wasn't handed her. Miss Hall ap- peared 'flret in a green ceat having a gold motif at the hem. A hat with chiffon ends was most becoming. A blue dress of chiffon had laoe Inserted in a V pattern. Roses garlanded the skirt at one side. An evening frock was of silvec with a fringe trimming. A fancy dress wae earrled out in aa irregular skirt of black net ruflnes. There was a whli&i iatte Juniptr flroek and a blue negligee. Betty Alden, a flaming red head with an aggressive personality, was In blonde chiffon trimmed with lace dyed the same color. A dress of the popular shade of blue that has become so popular suddenly was tr immed with three tiers of fringe with the sleeves edged with the same. Young Mr. Bernard; Old Mr. Hoggenheimer What a pity Mr. Hoggenheimer couldn't remain as young as Sam Bernard. The newest theatre, the Royale, another of the Chaain ehain, is housing this miisieal version oC flam Bernard's early kit. The costuming held yards and yards of taffeta in the dressing for the eh<Hrue. Colors ran mostly to yellow and orange. The opening dresses were of three shades of rose, made with open petticoats showing lace and chiffon underskirts. Designs in hand paint- ing were profusely shown in several dresses. One group of girls were In yellow and orange with feathers at the hem. Very effective were coats made of large black and white checks. The girls in one number wore white and yellow and white and rose, While all wore long wistaria colored silk gloves, making a striking color •cheme. Lotta Iilnthicum was in gold spangles and lace. Another gown was •f rose, embellished with much embroidery and sequins. Wanda Lyon was nicelsr gowned in the two acts. Her first was white with a crystal design. An oval back had a cape effect. Two sports costumes were a chartreuse dress worn under a three-quarter coat of red that was belted ©nly across the back. A pale rose dress and coat served as a traveling oostume. There was also a yellow chiffon made with bands of crystal. Goodee Montgomery, grown so thin. Wore a blue metallie material made ' with a full skirt having a crush belt of blue velvet. Marlon Marchonte, very blonde and petite, was in rose made WiU|. A |ea tl >er trimming* A rose sport jumper dress also was worn. . Gladys Barker, with the thimMet of volees. heii tfiit m/iwo-toned Un •port dress* followed by a gown of silver. Lovely Girl Dancers If you like your pictures in ease and comfort Imd luxury, travel down to 14th street, at the new Academy theatre, one of Fox*s latest. Incidently there Is a little vaudeville for the way of a change. Last week Edwin and Lottie Foi;d offered a nice dancing act. Edwin brought back memories of the dancing that was in the olden days. Two couples pressed in an early period costume of shades of purple and mauve evened the act. Then two of the loveliest girls imaginable do a dance In sort of close formation. They wore white skirts with square Jackets of a silver cloth and blue hate. They were stUl levetlei^ In Yhe dainUeit •f hoopskirts fashioned out of the shirrest of ruffles. To the strains of a Sousa march Edwin and Lottie Ford and another boy did the tap dance. Lottie was in a short dress made entirely of black sequins while the men were in grey army uniforms. The red •ashes worn by the dancers added to the sight. A high kicking girl was in a peach colored dress with feathers. In an act called "A Night in Algiers," The dancer wore the regulation skirts and brassiers expected In those kind of acts. The feature picture wae 'I PeH e rt Valley" with Buck Jones. Still Curious Over Paranieiint lASt Thursday with the*weather to the bad the Paramount theatre At 7:10 was pacdced to the roof. Even the loges were full and the press would have been out of luck had a few seats not been held out. There always seems to be as many people looking over the house as watching the program. This is one theatfe that seems not a nine-day wonder. The prsaentatlon was ehert and sweet. Not excepting the taste of grand opera. W. C. Fields drew many laughs with his newest picture "The Potters." Ivy Harris as a daughter of a family not endowed with world riches were the clothes of a smart shop girl. A plaid skirt had a plain Jumper top. A plain coat had krlmmer collar and cuffs. There was a dress of cloth with yoke and cuffs of chiffon, and a two pieee.ifuit, having a box eoat. _ Mable Htollis in the Jass part of the entertainnhlitit wore a tricky dress of wlitte having net ruffles of hlue and g r e e n«v;^ -' "Music Master" Program The program preceding the picture "The Music Master" at the Strand last week was something to talk about. The ballet with Mile. Klemova and 12 girls was doTlghtful. Mile. Klemova wore a white ballet dress that bad a glint of silver to it, while the girls were divided into three groupes. Four were in white with blue overdress, four with pink and four with green. Two men were in brocade. The girls* dresses were fashioned after a design carrying fluffy overskirts. The stage was hung in black velvet. At the finish of the ballet the bark unfolded itself revealing a huge diamond fan. Effect unusual and beautiful. An impression of by-gone days must have brought memories to many. The stage represented a huge old fashioned parlor with all the trton- mings even to wax flowers under glass. The women were in long sklrt.«i with trains with hair piled high on the head. A polka was laughably funny as done by Mile. Klemova and M. Daks. The long skirts were just a forerunner for "The Music Master" pic- ture. Lois Moran, Helen Chandler, Marcia Harris, Kathleen KerrlRan and Carrie Scott true to the 90's were all in the long skirts of nearly SO years ago. The wedding scene, however the period, was most beau- tiful. Another "Magnificent" for Gilbert Onrp again ili&_John (Jilbert. the Magninoen t. 'TIesh and the Devil" carries an interesting story. It will delight any movie fan. Some of the sliots were be.nitiful, surli as a blinding snow- storm, a wator scene with several Islands In the distance and a duel silhouette, nicely conceived. All the interiors were well done. Mr. Gilbert as a young soldier in the German army Is handsome In his eniform, but It is in civilian dress that he is at his best. Greta Garbo. supporting him, was wisely chosen. No American girl (Continued on pag" 3S) • ' • A eenteet That Oidn*t Tuesday. Dear Maze: l^ASt evening I wont to the Broadway where they had plenty of show, in feet much too much. Had what they call an Opportunity Contest, supposed to be for ama- teurs. The acts that performed last night were five eOme-ons to bring in the kids from the neighborhood. When that happens it will be funny The ehow opened with Dies and Powers, young wire walkers. The girl looked very nice in her white costume, the skirt edged with fur and a dkunond brassiere. Next was Bobby Adams, the classiest looking Jane you would want to gaze at What material she haa. It's too bad. Her gown of black taffetta, lion, was a dream, with a draped skirt held in place with three gardenias. Tried hard to give the back of it the once over but she gave only one peek, and then I noticed that it was cut real low and fits her pretty figure to perfection. Bert Gordon has a new act. He has three girls and three men. They howled at his antics. He sure has a homely pan'but he fits In Lon Chaney's class now. What a make- up—but he should worry, it makes them laugh. Louise is back to her 8i» Hopkins make-up and I hope she stays put now, and goes a few more like this one. GRAY MATTER By MOLLIE GRAY (TOMMY GRAY'S SISTER) One of the girls in his act, Florenee Kern, le an old Winter Garden chorus girl. She was in the first show that opened that house. You must remember her, a tall blende^ very pretty bat not so slender now as In the olden days. What wild applause Ruiz and Bonita received, especially when they danced the tango. They sure have Improved, Hon, since I last saw them and how. She looked her prettiest in her orchid color gown with a tight flttlnf bodice Ithe skirt trimmed with tuUe end ostrich. Denoee But No B ■ The Miller Sisters Revue, on the Loew time. Is a pleasant change b7 combining the dantvs of the past with those of the present, and omitting the black bottom. The opening dancer wore a brief but pretty costume of gold spangled bodice and silk skirt trinunod with cerise, topped by a Jaunty little bonnet using the same colors. The Sisters' tlrst appearance didn't mean much in costumes but their music was fair enough. The full skirts of rose patterned white taffeta were spoiled by a straight hem of narrow silk fringe, one green and one pink. However, the short satin frocks shown next were pretty with only a single cluster of flowers in beads and spangles on the front of the bodice and tiny rosobuds catching the lace at the hem. Their black lace skirts opening in front to .show the continuation of the silver spangled bodices were the best looking of the modern costumes. The old fashioned ones deserved and received the laughs. i 12 Blocks To Go Marie Vero at the Fifth Avenue was introduced as "on her way to the Metropollton Opera" and if a year for each of the It blocks between the two houses is the time figured for hor arrival, she may make It. Tha girl has a few beautiful notes reached without effort but most of them she doesn't yet know how to handle. She did look very young in a simple pink georgette trimmed With ostrich. It had a narrow girdle of silver ribbon. She never changed the position of her hands. Her pianO ae* companist wore a frock of blue georgette that had a yoke and band through the center of the skirt of the same material In pink. The yoke and the band and the hem of the skirt were outlined by a single row of rhinestones. Laughino At Mystery Film How I laughed at the picture "Finger Frfnte** with Louies Fasen- da etarred. Read many a story like this in those Detective Maga- zines. From now on I won't read them* ni eee them In the films and watch them suffer and laugh. Helene Costello has but a small part. You don't see much of her as the "ghost" grab1>ed her and she didn't re-appear until the end. I don't know whether the ghost is a good critic or not. #alaee Shew Ne Rave Monday. Dear Maxle: Went to the Palace this mat. Saw a pretty good show but noth- ing to rave over. The opening act. The Sarattos, has the greatest bunch of kid acro- batics that I have seen in a long time. They looked nifty in their white miion euits with eatin trunks trimmed with silver fringe and jewels. Sat back in my seat awaiting Helen Morgan, expecting she would startle with a marvelous wardrobe. A disappointment. Her first gown was a street frock of three tone blue with a narrow black leather belt. Her other was a black velvet semi- fitting with a large bow at the side. Didn't help her looks any. Saw her in a gown Just like this one at the Back Stage when ehe sang there. As for her singing Hon, she better take care or It won't be long before she won't be warbling. It sounded Fo tired, not like the cooing voice I heard a few years, ago. That English johnny, Brice (Continued on page 38) GIRLS PREFER BALLET Legitimate show prodnmrs are bumping into an unexpected ob- stacle that is not making it so easy to induce ehonis girls to go to the road with their productions. This outside phase In th*» pletiire house ballet, fast getting a hold on New York, with the Roxy theatre expected to have the largest as a permanent feature. The girls being engiJirrd for thf local film house ball* ts ;ind cnsr-m- bles are to receive 135 weekly, far nwtc alluring than |40 on the road. Women and Men "You Never Know Women" and it could have included "Men." Thie story of a Russian troupe In New York makes the regular vaddeviUe stunts look a little different because of the eostumee and make-up, but otherwise they are all old frlf-nds. Florence Vidor and Clyde Brook are a well matched pair, seeming to have some elmihir quality in their work. Poor Ivan loved Vera and even though her heart almost stopped every time he did his under water stunt she didn't know she loved him—until he failed tO COme up* The clown was a really fine bit of acting. Dancers et Breedway Raiz and Bonita at the Broadway dance delightfully between num* bers by their orchestra. Miss Bonlta s first frock was a dainty pink georgette with tufts of ostrich on the skirt and a plume falling from the shoulder. The bodice was studded with rhinestones which also formed the girdle. For a tango she wore long silk ftringe In two shades of green with the hip length bodice of r^ d and green spangles In a smtUl' flower design. Miss Bonita s costume of white spangles cut open at the sides in a large diamond pattern held together by small black diamonds of spangles wae very eH^ectlve. Maybe Too Clean "This Woman Business," at Wallack's, tells the world nothing H doesn't already know on the subject but it has a good time doing it Like all Women Haters clubs thsy start out ecientlfleeily and end up sentimentally. Genevieve Tobin, pretty and capable, handles her assortment of all sizes and ages of men perfectly and of course captures the one who made the most Boiae trying to convince hhneelf he meant what he eaid. The flnleh was unusual and the women at any mte would like te have seen a little more of the gentleman's surrender—he had said SQ much the other way—but the author probably wanted to epare ths men's feelings. - , Ths show Is really amusing and entertaining and olean whieh slay be the reaeon there wee room for more cuetomera. Film Houses Escsps Stags-Door Johns Oreta Garbo has less luck crossing the Ice than Little Eva. She surely was all wet for the finish of her latest picture named after two-thirds of the well-known trio of the world, "The Flesh and the Devil." Misa Garbo retained the best features of both In it. Mona Lisa's smile is childishly frank compered with Orete*e. While she may have been this world and the next to John, the audience didnt take her so seriously. But it is Jnst as well there are no stage-door Johns at picture houses—the congestion on Broadway is bad enough now. The Black Bottom may be hot, but John Gilbert's watts Isn't so coidf either, and in the same picture. Weerinf Sheuldeflees Qewne The ballet of the Strand I>olic was less pretentloue but just as charm* ing as usual last week, with the girls * In groups of four In rich shades of green, blue and pink silk over white lace. With white wigs they made an agreeable picture. Mile. Klemova wore all white with a eparkling tiara adding to the gaiety of the dance. Allan Pryor seemed to be bearing up bravely under the "popular da* mand" which held him a second week. "Bygone Days" staged completely even to the red plush ottomans, gave Pauline Miller a chance to sing "Sweetest Story Bhrer Told" and the mala quartet, "Sweet Adeline," and altogether prepared the audience so per- fectly for the picture that the "Music Master" seemed almost a cop* tinuation of that scene. , The picture was delightfully played by an unusual east. After, 'TThe Music Master" himself, William R. Tilden created the most Inlereei* Lois Moran can wear the shouIdorlosM gowns of that period and managed her various trains without awkwardness. Jobyns Ralston's Single Dress Asidf from n sliorf film on tlie oiigin of M«'ndelssohn's f;ijn(Mis march Harold Lloyd is the whole show at the Ulalto. "The Kid Brother" will probably use that for his Voting address, judging by ths battle It was to get in and out of tli< re. It Is (rertainly a scream most of the time with a few pauses to I< t the aiidl« nre rritfh its hroath. As usual Jobyna Halston is the inspiration for Harold's brave deeds and also as usual weaiing the same dress for practically the whole pic- ture. It's time She got a chance to change. v ^ , "Finger Prints" Funny and Mysterious "Finger Prints" is extremely funny but the moral is "You can t win— the eyes of the U. S. Secret Service are on you, from pictures on the wall, from rlof-k.s. from sliding panels, otc." All the things that happen in a mysterious house finally trap ihr»v innor» nt crooks who believed the maid was as dumb as slic looked—as if anyone could be. The same gag with the sherifTs badge In used In this and in "Kid Brother." Louise KHKen da is the nmU\. If Hlfo- ^f>v^ |*Ut-y<{d vUth Buatsr Keaton it would .stir«- »)0 a stu«ly In blank \':\rffi. Ifflcn*' t^>st^•llo is the pretty sister of the hnder of the gang but wonder of wonders—no heart Interest I Live and Wax The .\f \v.«ir elh h.'ne tbf hit* .st wax rnotlela tl.nt act like humans. If (hry con «iitly nnike soux* of tbe live models set like humaaj thcy ll be ucconil»!i.-JiI.ii; .^'-mclh.iii;.