Variety (Mar 1927)

■ VARIETY VAUDEVILLE REVIEWS Wednesday, March 23, 1927 PALACE (St. Vaude) Very food Attendance Monday Bight, and why not, with the names —Elsie Janls, Raymond Hitchcock, Jack Norworth and »o forth? An •xcellent ahow for a change Very clever Idea of Miss Janls' to suggest that she give Impressions of other people because most peo- ple would like to do the things that other people do. And since she In- troduces the element of humor In almost all her Imitations, they be- come almost portraitures. Be-'ore Miss Janls tied the show Into knots Harriet Hoctor and Wil- liam Hoi brook had easily made the best showing. It was Miss Hoctor who won the Individual honors for the team. Her exquisite grace and toe dance work turned that trick. She can move backwards on her toes like nobody else. Holbrook, however, Is a neat stepper, espe- cially clever at bucking. Hitchy aald that Holbrook was once the front legs of the horse Kthel In "Hitchy Koo." Hitchy first appeared Just before the third a'ct, doing the master of ceremonies stunt. In introducing Miss Janls he rang in Sophie Tuck- er, saying he knew Soph since the first five years she was 18. Carded for a specialty next to closing, he merely clowned and Introduced the last act because of the late hour. Jack Norworth with Dorothy Adelphi closed intermission with Gus Weinberg's "The Nagger," and It afforded plenty of laughter. The act looks good enough to last the couple several seasons. He men- tioned Miss Adelphi as being Mrs. Norworth, saying he Intended that for later. But It was all on the program. The added songs in "one" after the skit took, the couple off quite successfully. The Dodge Twins (New Acts), who have been abroad, made a class number three. Ray and Dot Dean, with their rustic "Alpheus Puce and Simple." provided a quarter hour of glgtles. The man, a really funny nut, pushed over a big laugh when he said, "I don't look half as stupid as I am." Cardinl (New Acts), a wonder at card manipulation, had •11 eyes upon him. The Mongadors (New Acts) opened, and Vivian and Walters, a class acrobatic couple, Ibee. laughed himself and no one could blame him. Two big hits. Corlnne Tilton and Davison's Louisville Loons (New Acts). Miss Tilton sent the house into a panic with her "drunk." They shut off the applause 6nly by tak- ing up the drop for the band, fol- lowing. Miss Tilton Is doing "Horse- back Riding," In costume, also the "Saleslady" number, and the "Drunk," now introduced through a new lyric. She recently returned to vaudeville, and has set herself with this turn. For certain audi- ences she's a certain hit of the bHl. With other audiences the "Souse" will send her over. "The Pioneer" (New Acts) did very well for Its composition for Jiu-Jitsu tricks. Sherman-Rose Revue closed the bill. It holds Ave people, two of whom are Russian dancers. When they start dancing toward the end of the turn, it is an p act, not before. Lightweight at best. Opening, were Jackie Collier and Sister in a wire walking act (New Acts). Middling of its kind, with a boy made up as a girl on the wire. Not capacity on any floor Monday evening at any time. Three full stage acts without either having an attractive setting. That eloquently spoke of how short the Broadway Is on settings itself. Bime. BROADWAY (Vaud.-Pcts.) If the scheme Is to freak the Broadway, It should be thoroughly freaked, in pictures and acts. A semi-ludicrous attempt was made Monday night In acts. No. 3 held a "contest winner," so announced with name unbilled. It was said that he had won a con- test at the Broadway some time previously, and would show the au- dience what he won It with. Looked as though a week had been prom- ised the winner. After the winner had performed his winning stunt, he told the audience the manage- ment would not permit him to do any more because of the length of the show, but he would tell them one story. He did, a blue one. That was rather sang froidy for an amateur In a contest. How he won was through a Wop recita- tion of how. he "losta my leetle Maree." It was a pip. His win must have been occasioned through the audience applauding so they couldn't hear his next. Only George Beban need worry, though George is all over his "Rosa" days. This Is the next and worst thing to It. Probably the only way to stop this guy reciting is to put him Into pic- tures. Freddie Schader should at- tend to that when reaching Holly- wood. Later on when the calamity had been forgotten, who appeared on the stage but a very healthy looking fellow, from his weight, to an- nounce that It being Monday night, and the management wishing the audience to enjoy themselves, they had secured several contest win- ners in amateur affairs on neighbor- hood stages to exhibit with what they had won each contest. That sopke well In itself for the rest of the bill. "These young people want to get along," said the announcer. "They come to the Broadway because they know the managers will be here and If you like them, applaud and loud, so the managers can hear you." Nice! Well, that applause! The house fell hard. What It really seemed like was a group of semi-profes- sionals being carried as an ama- teur act, probably playing one house or more nightly. A two-boy act, a sister team, a youngster singing a la Joe Schenck at the piano, and a colored singer. After that, the an- nouncer did a couple of songs him- self by suspicious request. Another lo wonder everybody looks up at Broadway's gallery with appre- en.sion and no Wonder the gallery la half empty. Its regulars must Bow be on the stage. In the bill proper Fred Allen acted as master of ceremonies, also doing his act with Torke. Allen did fairly with this house. Some of his ■tuff got to some of the audience, and the others gaped. A few of the Fags they all got. but those had to be broad ones. Allen must be a pa- CU-o» in a while he STATE (Vaude-Picts) A diversified show at this ace Loew house this week, even if a trifle weak on comedy. Three of the five acts speared with laugh-getting material, and succeeded more or less, but there was no real laugh wallop in the line-up. Joe Jordan's overture, "Blondes, Red Heads and Brunettes," provid- ed a comedy appetizer through comic slides and audience singing. It set the mob in a happy frame of mind for the follow-up bill. Ford and Price, mixed duo, open-'d with some clever slack-wire stunts prefaced by chatter and a dance by the girl be.'ore taking the wire. The girl's ground dance was almost a tip-off because of the well-calcu- lated seemingly slow-motion effect, probably an after-effect of continu- ous slack-wire dancing. Both give a good account on the wire, with the man doing a hurdle Jump for a good finish. Chester and De Vere, two col- ored chaps, registered neatly In follow up with their hooflug. Ches- ter's comedy stabs, lingo and song didn't mean a thing, but the dancing set the boys. Mildred Livingston and Co. of- fered "Cinderbella" in next spot, a travesty on "Cinderella," themes credited to William K. Wells. Al- though draggy in spots, intermit- tent dances by Miss Livingston and the Meryl Sisters speeded up the tempo now and then, with Miss Livingston's essence of comedy In- corporated In her solos clicking for laughs. The act Is lavishly staged, and with a little pruning could easily be speeded up to advantage. Hit here Monday night even In Its present shape. Margaret Young, accompanied by- male pianist, scored heavily In next to shut with songs, and legitimately hung up show-stopping honors for this session. Miss Young retains the pert delivery that was hers when last around, has added a few pop numbers, but retains "Cry, Cry, Cry," the gold-digger plaint, latter is her comedy wallop. Terkes' Flotilla Orchestra, outfit of 11 musicians led by Barton, was another score well-chosen lnstrumentals, some il- lustrated by backstage settings and others Incorporating vocalizing and clowning. The boys have appear- ance, know their Instruments and can't miss with the present line-up of numbers. Lillian Glsh In "The Scarlet Let- ter" (M-O-V) was the screen feat- ure, but evidently around too long to mean much at the money window here. Fair house Monday night at the getaway and gradually better as the evening progressed. Edba. possible relationship to the Ford of the dancing family. There Is an Ed Ford, dancer, but never working with an animal. The suggestion of a possible hook-up comes from an ensuing prisoner's dance double In Miss Dahl's act with Ed Ford, of the preceding act, who has been In cop uniform throughout. Joining In the dance lock-steps In a creditable trio. '■■ , Miss Dahl has a seasonable flash, although she'll never make Raquel Meller and Lenore Ulrlc Jealous be- cause of her Impressions. There Is a program notation to the effect the "Lulu Belle" take-off la by permis- sion of David Belaaco. It s Imma- terial. Miss Dahl is an energetic stepper, shapely and showing off the game advantageously. Sherry and Matti- son, male duo, and the attractive Anders Sisters, are a good foursome. Ben Ooldle's Jazz quintet In accom- paniment makes itself sound very Important for five men. They offer no solos but are impressive on the accompaniments alone. Harry Holmes (New Acts) was a laugh wow, and Albertlna Rasch's Pompadour Ballet closed smartly. Probably the greatest contortive dancer In the world Is Norree, who is featured. She all but ties herself into knots, and her front and back kicks may be eclipsed only on a step- ladder. She probably kicks higher and better, front and back, than any dancer extant. Why not cap- italize her In a production? Andy Rice, Jr., also featured, Is a pleas- ant surprise. He reminds of Patrl- cola with his hard shoe tap work and with polish will travel along. Abel. The neat Dick with 81 ST ST. (Vaude-Pcts) Aa a sample of 1927 vaudeville the show Monday night was neither Immensely satisfying nor passably entertaining. A spot or two enliv- ened the bill perceptibly, but as a whole it was a quiet affair—nothing that caused any outburst of enthu- siasm or gales of laughter—and had it not been for the laughs In the feature ("McFadden's Flats") it would have been a dismal evening. The bill was ordinary despite an apparent attempt to play up a screen-captioned "find" of the K-A "scouts" in the person of Marie Vero, the girl from Public School 1, New Tork, on "No. 2." The com- edy act was by a couple of boys who are becoming stagers in the sense of experience and efforts to bring out something new from time to time. The Three Nltos opened the show. Two men and a woman, the latter an astonishingly graceful ground tumbler for one of her rotund pro- portions. The men have a pleasing routine of team work that held at- tention. A musical "bit" halted their acrobatic progress. Miss Vero has a voice of high range, it is not very voluminous, but of a melodious quality that should Improve with age and cul- ture. Her present act does not seem best suited for the neighborhoods, with her list Street routine too short. She lacks showmanship, but this may come with experience. However, her voice is natural and she doesn't seem to strain it, In her favor for vaude houses. Arthur and Morton Havel had easy sailing as far as the first real comedy of the show was concerned. Marguerite and Frank Gill have gone In too heavily on the foreign atmosphere In their present dancing turn, the couple not doing much stepping ontll near the close. It was on dancing that they won their spurs. The wlndup gives a flash of their form. Mark. PRESENTATIONS (Extra attraction* in picture theatre*, when not raw, will be carried and de.cribed in thu d* tor the general information of the trad:) HIPPODROME _ (Vaude-Picts) The Hip evidences an enterprising directorial hand despite the general K-A decadence. Whoever is re- sponsible (probably Tom Gorman, the manager and a veteran circus ballyhooer) he knows his sawdust. That sidewalk male mannequin, for instance, earns his stipend on the crowds he attracts. It's a great ballyhoo. The new orpan Just Installed Is another excuse for a little hurrah- ing, and deservedly so. It gives Fred Kinsley a crack at some fancy console specialties. Kinsley, manip- ulating a good phonograph record- ing organ, has made himself quite a chap on the Edison records. WTiy not a lobby display of Kinsley's recordings? He whipped over an excellent specialty and may do a Crawford for the house if given the The show Is good, a bit sluggish getting started but getting away strong. Joe Rellly and Entertain- ers, and Norberto Ardelll, In ace- deuce (New Acts). Whltey and Ed Ford Is a clever canine act. Ford putting the terrier through his paces for a wealth of acknowledgment. Shirley Dahl in a dance revue, presented by Mabel Ford, suggests a AMERICAN ROOF (Vaude-Pcts) Most of the strength In the eight- act layout on the Roof the first half of the week is contained in the first half of the bill where Pat Daley and Co. (New Acts) close the first half and gallop off with the major honors. Marson and Mauley, just ahead, also deserved brackets. It's a fast man and woman crossfire and sing- ing combo, and they IJk. .1 them both. The man Is a fly cWnlc, has personality and knows values. Act is a sure-fire small timer. The hit of the second half went to Lyla Campos, opening after Inter- mission. She's a singing soubret with unctuous methods, plenty of as- surance, and afreets nut comedy. Her serious contribution was a bal- lad, well sold over a prop phone. Lyla almost did a crossfire with leader and referred to him in each number. This probably means serv- ice. At any rate, they liked her methods and her delivery and dragged her back until she ran out of music cues. 11.yarns ami Evans followed and built to fair proportions. It wasn't the softest spot In the world for the pair, following, as they did, all kinds of comedy. The act Is a likeable hodge-podge of nonsense with most of the laughs coming from Hyams' physical tricks. The turn holds a wisp of an Idea, being draped on a Quaker girl's efforts to get on the stage. Freeman and Seymour, the next to closing pair, didn't warrant the spot. It's a two-man combo of spe- cial songs, none over funny and all but on* calling for extremes of com- MI LADY'S PERFUMES'* (26). 30 Minutes. Spectacle. Paramount, New York. For pictorial beauty, scenic ex- cellence and Interesting specialty and ensemble this presentation cur- rent at the Paramount is the best thing John Murray Anderson has done for Publlx. In particular a scenic finale of novel design and treatment delivered a world of grace and striking pageantry. The string upon which a series of scenes are hung purports to be a dramatized history of perfumes and their decorative bottles. At the start Mary Bothwell comes through the parted curtains and sings "Forgotten Perfumes," a bal- lad-like number with music by Luclen Denni. She wears crinoline costume of unrelieved white. The rising curtain brings on a sextet of dancing girls, stepping in the Grecian style for a number resem- bling the familiar spring song dance. In succession there are an Orien- tal dance; old English lavender (with song number by Dorothy Ne- ville, ending in a miraculously high note) and a dance called "Spirit of the Rose." For "Night of Silver" (these are all names for exotic per- fumes) Bernardo De Pace did his mandolin specialty, dressed as a sil- ver clown. Then the finale, mag- nificent stage designing, called "Roses of Love" and programmed as "adapted from Elgar's 'Salut d'Amour.'" In the center is a decorative per- fume bottle probably fifteen feet high. Around this as a shrine the girls dance, dressed in fantastic cos- tumes of violent red, while Mary Bothwell sings. Specialty dances by MarW Yurieva and Vecheslaff Swaboda and Amelia Allen, among others, help to work up a climax and for the finish the huge central perfume vial turns about, revealing at its top the face and figure of Dorothy Neville while the rest of the fifteen feet of height is covered by her wide skirts in the old time mode. For a surprise scenic smash this was a breath catcher. To top it off Miss Neville went into another soprano number, ending again in one of those clear top notes for the curtain. Individual honors for the specialists went to De Pace. Upon his finish the usually well behaved Paramount audience made a demonstration that would have stopped the show anywhere else, but which at this house was disre- garded, while the time schedule wai held to and encores were barred, His is an out of the ordinary turn. He wears a black shiny wig, white face clown makeup and Pierrot cos- tume of silver and plays a sort of mandolin.. It is not altogether his brilliant musical arrangements, al though they count, but rather the bits of pantomime he keeps up as he plays—mere flitting changes of facial expression, but enormously effec- tive. Scenlcally the little revue was scarcely as brilliant as the stage management. Against a decorative back drop of dark embroidered ma terlals, the scenic accessories are simple. The dancing girls appear from silvered bottles which turn on their bases, and for the finish tall columns rise from floor to ceil Ing to complete the tableau. Ruth. missed, either, Dave Gould's house ballet of eight girls making up for that one some favorable individual work. A relief. » Gould octet la there. The girls are youthful, comely for the most part and line work would not be turned down at West Point. The manner In which they are cos- tumed gives a most desirable edge. Presentation of seafaring atmos- phere, as the title tips off. Set is a deck of the "S. S. Syncopation." Opening behind a scrim, with the band purring beautifully. Kahn always opens his presentations that way. It's effective and pretty. When a brace of acrobats can step Into a high class picture house show and In front of a stage band Just as high and proceed to stop the show so far as going to an en- core, they must possess a certain class to blend with surroundings. Prosper and Maret, of vaudeville until now, are neat in appearance, easy working and sensational at the same time. They are a pair for any picture house and may even rely on the novelty of an acrobatlo act in a film theatre. They are all hand-to-hand stuff, but corking. Their trick of going to a vertical hand-to-hand stand from a hori- zonal position, both lying head'-to- head on the floor, wowed. Frank Hamilton, in comic make- up, almost killed himself by com- ing out three times for intended gags with Kahn, but pulled out of the whole and went to a hit with his stuttering number. Davey White was half through his versatile dance before they found out what it was all about. He dresses like a straight in a two-man comedy act and dances something like George White used to. Lee Barton Evans, Fenton Mc- Evoy and Clem Dacey sing almost alike, and, dressing alike, could hardly be told apart in their sev- eral vocal bits. They Joined for one number to click as a smart singing trio. Dacey has a local radio rep. Music by the Kahn band in in- terloping numbers excellent, a« usual. Piano solo by Kahn was a standout. Set, a darb. Running 50 minutes, the presen- tation held its tempo throughout. It lines up with the best that have been formed to rotate weekly at the Harding, Senate and Belmont the- atres since the tri-clrcult was formed. Loop. "MID-OCEAN REVUE" (31) Art Kahn Band, Specialties 50 Mini.; Full (Special) Harding, Chicago Very fast and entertaining pres entatlon, the Art Kahn 15-piece stage band supplying the necessary punch. Most noticeable fact is the ab- sence of even one female single. The specializing shes were not edy costumes to put them across. The topical one used for a finish was expected to build but missed. The act is fashioned along the lines popularized by Gallagher and Shean Both boys have decided limitations Bebe Jung opened neatly on the trapeze. She features an, ankle catch and body balancing and shows a routine on the trapeze that com pares favorably with any opening act Morris and Coghlan (New Acts) two male harmony singers, did nicely In the deuce spot. Three Orantos, three men aero bats and hand-to-hand turn, closed and held them well for the feature, Marlon Davles In "The Red Mill.' Business healthy. ILL AMD INJURED Clifford Wuyne, of the Wayne Trio, is recovering from a sprained ankle. The accident occurred backstage while he was playing Philadelphia several weeks ago. Willie Connor, treasurer of the Blltmor", New York, who has been suffering with inflammatory rheu- matism, is still confined to his home, though able to take some ex- ercise. Wm. F. Ader, Chicago theatrical attorney, recovering from a nasal operation. George Thompson, legitimate actor, late of 'The Noose," in French hospital. New York, suffer- ing from blood poisoning. Stella and Betty Boyle, ill with grippe, are out and around again. Grace Lee ("Jazz Pirates"), who had a nervous breakdown In Helena, Mont., was compelled to cancel fur- ther work and return to Chicago for a long rest. Leo Burchlll, of Burn and Burchlll, was operated on for ap- pendicitis a week ago at Salt Lake City when suddenly stricken. The Illness necessitated canceling of further Pan time. The team sails for England July 20, opening in Liverpool Aug. 8. Paul Ellis, screen actor, was in- jured when a horse he was riding stumbled and fell during the mak- ing of "Belgrano." MARRIAGES Louis McDermott, producer. Oriental, Chicago, to Maurine Mar- seilles, picture house single turn, March 17, in Chicago. Harold Graham Carnthwalte, as- sistant picture director, to Delores Simpson (non-professional), In Santa Ana, Calif., March 18. Earl Baldwin, title writer, to Mil- dred Lamb, of the Lamb Sisters, entertainers, In Redwood City, Calif., March 2L