Variety (Feb 1927)

Wednesday, Febnury 9, 1927 NEW ACTS THIS WEEK VARIETY 19 L8A ER9I, iOI FBJKR and Or- chestra i«naa» Oanoinf, Mutlt m MW^^ (ftpMlal) ralsM (8t V) BERT LYTELL and Co (5) **Th% Valiant" (Dramatic) m MiiM.| Pull (tpMial) Rivmidto (91. V4 This playlet bj Holsworthy Hall Jo« Fejer and his six musicians I and Robert Middlemasa la a sur- now augmented by SUsa Ersi miMleal eomadsTt and John Walah* barytona. Miaa Ersi la co- featured with the maestro. She is a beautiful Hungarian blonde, with a Yivor of a previous LAmbs Qaiubol. It la br all odda an adequata sketeh for Bert Lytell's sojourn In vaude- ville. Lytell has been playlngr It on the Orpheum Circuit before perfect flguraw flha Baa juat anaugh I coming into tha aaatani hooaea. It ' is a gripping story and gives the picture star better thaa thf uauai set-up for vaudeville. "Sllenca** may cr may not have inspired *The Valiant" but slight similarity in theme is there. It Ersl'maki^'her flrstTntrlTce I «Pln5 dramaticaUy. a yarn about a Pot Pourrl of Hungarian rtjdow of the gallow^^^^ 'refuses to disclose his real identity lest his family might suffer the disgrace of his act. He openly con- f sa a e a to the murder which it to make tha outa grada and her singing voice suffices when aonsidered with her charms. The act is prologed in "one" by firalah. Ha la ovardramatio but In- troduces the musicians, full atage Hi for a Operettaa.** TlM OfTchaatra nazt la numbers "Countess Maritxa," followed by Miss Ersi's Hungarian folk songs placed him in the death cell and and dance in an attractive native without regret. He confronts his younger sister, who comes as an anvoj for an iBvaild mother and convinces her that ba la nal bar long lost brother. Moreover he spins a yarn of the brothar'a gloriou* death In the Blaa, after a chaaga ta fetching | world war. stakes her to $2,60« In Walah aoloa ^Xlsrpar Rose*' follow- hig, registering fahrly. '31ua Dan- vba^ is the musicians' next con- tribution, followed by Fejer's violin blue costume, was back for a popu- lar song ftnishing with a Hungarian Torsion of the black bottom. Miss Ersl Just about sets the act ior TaudeviUe or picture houses. 6he removes it from a straight mu. alcal classiflcation and does a big league Job at glorifying. A natural blonda of high coloHnff and quite a diah. Might ba a proapeet for acreen test. If this Vienesse prima registers aa wall with tha ona-ajrad monster as she dors on the optics, she's a ptpe for tha deaf and dumb fac- toriea. Ctood entertaining act aU the way. Cea^ CLOWN RKVUt (t) Acrobatic 11 Mine.; One and Full 8tage Amariaan (V-P) Two men, apparently veteran iWPabata^-and big woman, working out a pantomimic comedy and acro- batic routine. Amason, in tights, apens with trumpai fanfare, intro- ducing clown waaring elaborate feminine costume and not disclosed tmtil he faces audience. Takes oft '0Mlk, atripping to minstrel get-up, which he discards by unwinding hhnself until the whole costume is atretched on a rope across ^he stage. Ooes into toe dance and comic yaatomlma wtth other atomi. Act goea to full' stage, where woman mounts high pedestal and does back Calls from the height of seven or alght feat ta tha mat, remarkable performance considering her size and weight. For the finish all three Join In an upside-down toe dance, iwalrlng the taps with leather gloves an^ their hands as they maintain the hand-stand position. Once more the size of the woman makes her hand-stand -daaea Impraasive, Act is prettily costumed for good flash, besides ita appeal aa a freak parformance. Rush, Liberty Bonds, his rakeoff for his life story from a tabloid, and marohea ta the gaUowa unlllnOh- ingly happy in the thought that he has kept his secret. Lytell is admirable aa the valiant one. With a haritaga of more talent than the average picture actor brings to vaudeville, he was convincing and scored squarely. Pumen Pratt deaervad next honors as the warden. Miriam Stuart as the sister also deserves favorable mention. Clarence Qeldert and Htigh Millar rounded out the sup- port. The playlet is strikingly dra- matic, well played and sufficiently auatalnlag ta guarantee Ita aeoring heavily on any bill. Lytell's perfect performance and screen popularity give It even a better break. From all alanta one of tha most while Bkalflhaa. In vtitdavilla. SINCLAIR and LA MARR Talk and Song 11. Mine.; One (Spaaial) Palace (St V) Btfael Sinclair, formerly partnered With Maria (Hmpw, baa taken unto heraM a new partner in Marge La Marr, pretty brunet. Their new talking opus U titled "At the Sea- shoreb** by aa unknown author. It haa a vary Paul Qerard Smlthish tinge, a smart, sophisticated con versatloa between two gold excava- tear who ara lolling on beach chalra SARNOFF REVUE Songs and Dancee 31 Mine.! One and PuN 9ta«a (Special) City (V P) The Sarnoflf revue is unlike many of the so-called revues that run to dancea and a few aonga and travala on the "revue** bllUng. It la really "revuey" in routine and carries special scenery to make eome of the numbers stand up Uka genuine production stuff. The revue as it stands is a little long but this could be quickly cut down to a faater running, wtth even the comady Idea ait lltaiiMt one whit. The act opeaa In "oaa* with a man in Ruaalan garb and a aort of semi-comic makeup, evidently Sar- noff, as he ftddlea a la SarnofC later, wha aiakaa aaaouncemanta In choppy atyle^ talltaff trhat tha andl- ence may wpm ta paag hi re- view. With the revue Is a younjr tenor, James Orady, and a team of glrla, Moore Sisters, who withal made a nice impression. There is also a supple, contortlonistlc woman and a Ruaalan dancer, with BaraoS, If It Is Sarnoff. having aa iMlllIf Mh the violin. In staging and number arrange- ment the act is adapted for vaude- ville and could strike the film house grade with a little changing. There la a aong nH the American plains, done in western style, with Grady doing a ballad and display- ing a splendid voice of high range. Later ha cauaea a laugh when la Russian attire and announced as a Russian singer he bursts forth into an Irish song. He also sang "Man- dalay^ Juat prior ta an aarobatic dance done by the other mala mem ber of the revue and tlia MMHTSat- ly double-Jointed girt. ' The Moore glria daring in their first garb, their bare legs causing some of the audience to gasp a little but their costume aa^ whole waa aat faaily vulgar in its conception. They have rather wistful voices, get harmony though and reel off topical aongs that the audience I Quite an elaborate finale with each of the revue people showing for a speciality with announoe manta by tha '^aaliir,* . The revue as a whole Is enter talning; haa novelty In the etage presentment'' and ahould have no traubla in FLO MAYO and Her 10 Good Reasons (5) Aerial Full Stage 5th Avenue (V. P.) An act without a duplicate on the stage. It's an aerial turn, aomething along the llnea of the present ath- letic chorus combinations, but hero each of the five girls la ^ trained aerlallst in a way, though but the leader, Flo Mayo, is an all around trapeze and perch performer. In union suits is the explanation of Oia bming, *'10 good reasons" and they are that. No better formed young women have been seen in any act or chorus. It's al- most a Joy to >note what athletic training will do for pretty younp girls when they can develop such form and figures as these girls own. This is a sure fire novelty turn, for vaude or pictures. Can't miss anywhere. Mlsa Mayo does a bit of gagviac that doean't harm, but useless and unfieoaasary In a pic- ture theatre. In the all-girl bUl tha act Is now with (Bl Ks Kadera). It*a a aUnd- ouL In performance the young women, all of the five with Miss Mayo In center perform on five trapeses or bars, held together, making a form- ation that works in unison. Only individual effort Is Mlaa Mayo on a single bar. drawn high, doing the paroh w^k of ai^^y arm swings. WILSON SISTERS REVUK (9| Songsv Talk and Dancing IS Mtna^f 1\iNi and Full (Special) State (V-P) Reported as another Lew Cantor ..Kw ..^ - " ■■ " i^I act and much along tha llnee at Atlantle dty and «)a# flMny of iMa vavda httpraaa^ «*0OLORESQUE** (8) Ravua 18 Mins.; One and Full (Sepcial) Sth Ave. (V-P) The Chameleon Producing Co aponsors this revue, which features aareral noveltlea In ataga lighting and effects. Almost a straight dancing turn, It's composed of four ballet girls, adagio double, dancing aoubret and ecoentrlo male dancer The effects are obtained through overhead and apron lights, unus lially powerful. The lights change tha costumes to varloui colors, also the scenery and pick out designs throufirh color blending. The dancing clicks, but the act needs a touch of variety to break up BO much of II* A strong yocallst Would help. The r^M.-^ning is an aong In one between and Burt Deith in •'colors" are utilized, the four girls in which four ap parently blank panels, through the lighting effect, suddenly turn into males on the pan. The gags are all pips and will probably help to refurbish the rou- tines of many of the layoffs during the coming weeks. After exhaust- ing the possibilities in this direction and registering healthy aquawks and beefs about what t^ey had gra'bbed in the way of bill paying escorts during vacations, the girls are given the nod by a young man who probably waara his spats in bed. They rise to the office, but after he cracks and invites them to Join him on a party, Mlaa Blnelalr "Certainly, but uiMNr bra you going to use for men." Their finish is a comedy song based on travel and is as sure fire aa tha rest' of tha rautlaak Only a few familiars are present in the crossflr*^ and they fit. One of the panics was a remark. "This bathing suit haa only bean wet on one place since I got it.'* After the roars had died down, she addod, **At Coaay island." " , >^■;■^^■ Tha act ta a noHlkf and a worthy successor to the Sinclair and Gasper turn, which was rated as the smart- est talking sister act of its kind. THE ROLLICKERS (6) Male Quartet and Piano 5 Mine.; Three Paramount (P) This is a new sort of a lineup fOr a male quartet. The addition of the piano player makes it look like a novelty. The ^piano Is set up stage and back of tha four singers the Queens of Hearts, Clubs, Spades! who come down in one at the rise previous efforts. No rhyme or rea- son. Just of the flash type with everyone dolnf an **lmpresaion'' and not getting within a mffa aC ttie "namesT announced. Two boys and four girls are in the lineup, the Wilaon pair eololng and doubling together and ap- parently at their beat as Individ- uals. Each of the men are capable, one neatly ridding himself of a part of Joa Browbihi^^Mnolog and the other doing Eddie Cantor. The heralded mlmlfiklny la ontlraly out of order. The spectalUea for aa aat of this type are strong enough to stand by MANKIK CRAMER and Her Mel ody Bandits (8) Girl Orchestra Full Stage 9th Avomia (V,-P.) Frankle Cramer's all-airt orches- tra of eight. Including nerself, do well in an all-girl bill. They might not do so well thrown Into other company. As musicians In aonoert they do nothing, little more with Jazs or Jazs playing than might be expected, since there is no comedy. Whate(Uir> of specialty Is In the routine passes fairly. As part of the all-girl bill the act is with the girls show up nice- ly, in appearance and for the novelty of a girl orchestra along now and then. Dressed in skirted smocks, they look well, and there seems to be individual talent In the band that Is now centered on the after-piecew If that is so and the Bella Baker Imitator or the Marilyn Miller imperaonator or both are of the act proper, and could do their stuff there Instead of in the after- piece It would Immeasurably raise the turn's rating. Otherwise this troupe needs placement, either in a bill of this natn^ part of a production turti or In a show, road show preferred. Might suffice as a novelty in the smaller picture presentation houses. Blme* BARBETTE Wirs Walker ia Mtaa^ roll Stage (Cyc) Maea (St. V) Variety's files show a review of Barhotte at the Harlem opera house in 1919. The reviewer {Abel) said, "The act is worthy of the big time.** It opened the show at the H. O. H* which was then playing pop vauda* ville. This week the same act, backed by a velvet cyclorama and given a hif^ league production by K. Ray Uoetx, Is holding a spot at the Palace and causing more bussing round Times Square than any act In months. The answer Is probably the rea- son straight vaudeville is now out on a limb and holding "namee** over for second weeks, also playing re- peats. The same bookers who saw the act at the II. O. H. and of- fered him (Ish cakes are now scrambling to book it at plenty. So he had to go to Europe to gala recognition over here. Barbette opens, posed at the top of a grand staircase In feminine attire as a "girl." He wears a long ostrich feather train and parades. Discarding the train he mounts tha wire for some fast work Includlns a toe routine which drawa rounda of applause. His work on the flying trapese and rings follows. It includes all of the standard stuff as well as thrilling ankle catches and one leg holds and swings. After taking several bows the ln|- personator removea hia blopda bobbed wig. The surprlaa la goad for more bows. As an Impersonator Barbette will fool anybody; aa an MMrfal artlat, ha. is superb. A^ tendency to over* accentuate the fominine geaturea hi spots should be watched. It's a great act for any bill and could be ballyhooed Into a feature n attraction, which it is. Con. •ARGENTINE FANTASIES" (•) Song and Dance Revue 11 Mine.; Four (Special) HI > » g i i ii B i b (V-P) thia Wr ea l Jihqrer Golden flash is a pop house surety, carrying one fetching set but otherwise not elabo- ratew The motif is Spanish and the mtead iiuartet earrles that through on the vocal end. The dance team themselves and the present mistaken I is the real feature, the womMl hold" idea of adding weight weakens rather than atrengthena. One of{ the girls sings and another offers an acrobatio dance. The finish, of course, is a black bottom as all again take a shot at tha audience urged on by the idle members. A fair set and clothes shows the act off to advantage although a bit more Mght Oh thb ataga might help. Closed the show here and did all rlghL At the least, the sextet will never flop from lack of eftort. They worked thalf hMlis oit UMair nli^t. ing it up throughout. A Caatlllian Apache number finds her tha reatpient of soma aharp smacks on the back and arms, the corporal punishment, if not a phys- ical strain sounding such, and thor- oughly Impressive accordingly. To top this, she takes a mean fiop on the pit of her stomach, fluHh on the floor, with a full-force aerial dive. If there's any padding camouflaged to dull the sfiiii;.lt*s a secret from the front. Abet THREE SAILORS Comedyi Aerobatia 14 Mina.| One (Special Drop) Palace St. V) Three comedy acrobats and danc- ers garbed as sailors and backed by a special drop. They open with a . slow dance, including several new ideas In falls, taking the slap, etc. Their next routine is a pip and shows brand-new comedy holds In the "camel walk." One boy wraps his logs around the waist of the second, with the third perched out front They walk In this fashion, giving a perfect imltatla* of tho da- liberate hIp-quiverIng gait of Ik camel. The act resembles the Runaway Four only In make-up. 'Vheffo la no other infringement, for thia trio make no attempt at legitimate ground tumbling, going in for broad burlesaue. Their comedy slapping of each other is also new. One takes the slnp, and the third, who has been unmolested, suddenly dropa. They have worked noVeltlea throughout the turn and are away from any act of its kind seen la the east. Just how long they can proteot their material is a quetsion. They went big on this bill, opening after intermission. They would be equal- ly effectlvo In any apot Con, introductory Irving Rose which the A ballet by and Diamonds and are similarly discernible on the costumes of the drla, is one of the high lights. An- other pretty effect was a Spanish dance by La Mae and Josino, with a Castle in Spain backdrop. Tha four girls In lupport Art Mffi- dred Hatfield, Phyllis Winton, Tat Doyle and Lottie Hentschel. The act is a diverting flash and a real novelty fn addition to com- paring favorably with any of the flash dancing acts on stepping. A touch of variety and It would do for anywhere. Pine picture bet ba la. Cea. liiiiliiiiiirii^^ and shoot right into popular stuff. One verse and a Chorus and then into another number without any stalling. The result Is that the boys manage to pack four numbers into the five minutes they are on. The Id ea la corking and for vaudeville It could be elaborated with a solo or two to take up the required time. There's no comedy and no kidding. Just straight sing- ing of popular stuff of the "Mary Lou * variety. While this combina- tion Is not particularly hot, they were a flash In this big house. IMiffetRliiijiHHM^^ BIG GEORGE Bear 10 llfna,! Full Stsga Americsn (V P) Novelty number, placed two from closing here, which to not the best spotting. Trainer to a foreigner with a quaint comedy method of announcing. Animal is a huge crea ture. Trainer says it weighs 700 I>ound8. but it looks like a ton and a half, standing more than a foot over its tall master's head. Brute does funny step abaurdly like a Black Bottom, also a bur- lesque of a hula dance with shred- ded wheat garnishments. For the finish plants are lured from the au- dience With muah aomto buslnaaB, and wrestle with brutn, the last of the men, after comedy business, los ing his pants for a panlo exit Laughable, simpto turn. BLOSSOM SISTERS (2) Songs One Sth Ave. (V P) A nice little sister team that may develop. The girls, bo til nerhonable, have animation with some Ideas and should pot aloncr, although atrree- able to all of the coacliing they may get As part of an all-pirl show trav- eling over the Keith-Albee split cir- cuit, the experience with that should be of considerable Value. Mim§. MILLS and HUNTER Song Revue 10 Mlas.| One Hippodrome (V-P) Polite singing act, doin- the 'CI, '98 and 1927 cycle idea, i'aniiliar stuff, but pleasant voice and accord- Good anywhere, especially for the I ingly qualified for picture houses. youngstera. DANNY MURPHY AND CO. (§> Skits and Specialties 27 Mine.; Full (Special) American, Chlcsgo Burlesque blta and song dance specialties make up this typically Association act. It should get all the limited time that cut- rate agoncy has to offer. Danny Murphy, playing Hebe comic, recently was a member of a flop legit show, where he played the same character. Only not so nancy. Opens in "one,** with a special drop of depicting a musical comedy house next to a vaudeville theatre. Says Miss Musical Comedy to Miss Vaudeville: "£verybody*a golag to vaudeville shows instead of coming to see me." Replies Miss Vaude- ville: "Why not? You're ten bucks a pair and I'm popular prices." Or omcthlng like that Then M. V. Invites the otiHtomers inside the "theatre" after introducing the characters. "^"^^ Closing Is with a special winter drop, with the cast doing an ea- Ki'mble dance. ——————— Best thing In tbia act la tha scenery. Murphy is passably good as {hr rofnin, his straight can sing and danrr*, and tho sister to.am hep on looks and build. The other girl does the talklnir. MatTlal lilts low enough for any* body and should please. i^oof^