Variety (Apr 1927)

Wednesday, April 13» 1827 VAiUDEYILLE .REVIEWS VARIETY 27 PALACE (8t. Vauda) Multiply this week's bill at the 2*alace by 40 weeks and tho bij; time would be back again. It'ti yre- «ut vaudeville, topped by two of the i^roatcst acts of their kinds. Will I'yfCo holding over for liis aecoiid •week, and the Avon Comedy Four (Smith and Dale) buck from mu- sical comedy in "The iiungarian }Uiapi}ody" their greatest turn. K thay set a yen for anuUier change they ought to go back tu the old school room act for a trial. The way the Palace audience yelled at the rhapsody ought to be the tip- off to the vaudeville authura to throw out the black outs and go back to the old^faahioned comedy •criplH. Fylfe was anotlier pay-off, doing two characters. He milked them Cor 30 minute.s. opening with the Farmer and closing with the Work- tngman. The farmer in just as keen a bit of Hatiricnl character work as tlM Others in his repertoire, but the material isn't on a par with his others. Also the old akay has been picked on so. much by American comics, the edge has been taken oflC of it. Fjrffe ran to a ypeech, in ^hlch he pulled a couple of current i0Optch gags, and proved he is a moinoloigist of parts in addition to bailiff one of the greatest character comedians from abroad seen here. The rest of the bill held plenty of color In both halves. It started briskly with the Three Whirlwinds, male roller skaters featuring spins Aiid swings. They rolled to a reci^ll In ' ciK ." something unusual for in opening act. Another dumb ttct deuced and to Just as bi^; an ovation. It was the Chevalier liros., in hand-to-hand acrobatics. The pair wol*I^ In tdit- edos and have an imusual routine. One hoppod the buck after a-11 the top mounting. His idea of a quiet workout would be a trot up to Al- bany, ^addo<!k's "Bag of Tricks" (New Acts) third, provod that the long lay-oH of the producer's hasn't 'slowed him up any. Charles Mad- dock never produced a bolter llash turn than this one. Ayer and Wilson, fourth, jumped In from the Dlversey, t'hica?;o, to pinch hit for Neville Fleeson and ^orma Terries, who didn't holdover. When Miss Terriss heuid tlie num- bers figured out for the team by the bookers, she took the next boat to Paris, after carefully signing a Shubert contract before hand. Ayer -and Wilson played the Palace last season and have since been busy in the picture houses. It's a class inlzed piano and vocal double and •afe in any company. Fyffe followed, closing the first half of the bill. lie got on the litage at 9:22 and left at 9:50. After the quaffing period Aiieen Stanley hung up a second half hit •with a fine routine of songs. "The Wanderer," inspired by the life of Jack London, proved a big number (for her, but she topped it with her delivery of "The Movie Stars Pa rade." Miss Stanley has acquired poise and averdupois, but she sure knows how to coo them, and would get attention in a boiler foundry. Mickey Daniels and I'eggy Eames (New Acts), tlie Our Gang kids, took down a juvenile hit, following play with the audience throwing hats to the comic is position proof. The rest of the layout was tepid, except fur a whale of an opener in the persons of George and Jack Dormonde, unicycle-rlding comics, with a world-beating finish—a sort of polo hockey game played on tin- unicycles and carried out with woll- designed and perfectly measuicd comedy effects. This finish seems now for the pair and as worked .si ts them to close any bill, big, small, intermediate or Super." The ear- lier stuff is first rate, with the eomo- dian working smoothly and without effort for his laughs. One of the men plays a saxoplione, but tho (omedy riding is the strength of the turn. Bernard and Weber, stilted t« nor singing a variety of straight num- bers emphasizing class, and a nice- lookiuR girl at the iti:ino. are just nr. act without distinguishing features. Man wears evening clothes and of- fers nothing that would start a riot in a parlor soiree. Moore and Powell have a laugh for a novelty surprise opening and use comedy get up, but most of the routine is straight music on the guitar or with the musical .saw.-^. The Hawaiian effects on the guitar are particularly agreeable. The fin- ish gets them off nicely with th( novelty of freak playing, one of the stunts being the trick of making a toy balloon seems to play a tune as the air escapes. This got them an exit laugh. Wayburn'S "Buds" have Improved vastly since their introduction less than two montlis ago. The act runs 35 minutes and in that time sustains an inexhaustible variety of specialty matter. This even dozen of younj? people, half a dozen principal spe elalisls and half a do7.cn flapper choristers, turn off the fastest littl*- singing and dancing routine In many a day. They shift from bit to bit with dizzy speed, no one special- ty running more than a minute or two and the rotation being kaleido- scopic. An oriental dance was rather protracted, but the feit of the layout breezes right along. Sam- my Lewis, dancing comic, appears to be the beneficiary of more ex- ploitation than at the outset. Althea Heinley made a sweet lit- tle score with her dancing, especial- ly her adagio bits, and Gertrude Lon- don was a rival with her legmania. At the Hippodrome, where you write your own program, some of the young people were not to be identified. The contortionist, with a marvelous kick front and back, ap- peared to bo Barbera La May. A black bottom finish served as a cli- max by virtue of its energetic exe- cution. The costuming Is particu- larly fetching and the whole pro- duction Is hmll marked with good taste and AH eye W graeo iM»d beauty. Sinclair and liSMarr, following on this revel of youth and animation, were in a murderous spot. In a reg- ular theatre their sophisticated give and take of worldly feminine philos- ophy about night clubs, gold diggers and sugar poppers would bO a obn- tinuous cackle. Even here, where about every third nifty reached be- yond the fifth row, the turn got a good deal on the strength of It^ novelty makeup. Both women walk on a beach set wearing one-piece Reviews Reviews of th« Hingling- Barnum Circus and the Al O. Barnes Circus appear in the Outdoor Department of this issue. and jazz Cakewalk, with the eight instrumentalists also giving an ex- cellent account of themselves. Grant and Wing rate among the elassie.st dancing duos of musical comedy, and easily carry this classification to wiudeviUe in their presetit oon- trihution. "The Fire Brigade" (M-G-M) fol- lowed, but could be figured little for good attendance Monday night, since It had a previous run at the Central, New York. Edba. PRESENTATIONS with Blanche Merrill's "A Day Off." | bathing suits and beach robes, and stretching out on steamer chairs go into an intimate exchange of Wlile old girls about men, entertainments, auto rides and the like. Song and a burlesque curtain speech made them a strong getaway after nicely sustained (for thos^B down tront) 15 minutes. JtlUh, Smith ana Dale next, almost raised the roof. They have inserted one or two new gags, but this pair don't need to worry about material In the Rhapsody. Kverything they do is a yell. The quartet finish pulled them out for several vocal encores after the laughing land- Slide. Tom and Betty Waters de.served 9l better fate and took the slap in the closing spot. Bus looked like rapacity down stairs for the first night of Holy Week iMrtth Will Fyffe and the 'Avona blamed. It's been a long time since a hold-over act could pull them In the seooiid Week at the "CHINAMANIA** (36) Stage Band Pressntation 60 Mins.; Full (Special) Granada, Chicago Despite the title, this is not a topical presentation. Strictly a costume affair, with no thought for any international trouble now brewing. Al Rome, who follows the only Chinaman on the bill, wanted to give it some topi<al flavor by coming out waving an American flag, but the management OAlMd it off. At the start the band is conceal**d while accumpaning a girl solulsi and a chorine routliii. VBt» oliorit* HIPPODROME (Vaude-Pcts) It's hard to account for a si>urt in .business at the big barn in Holy Week, except on the combination of a feature picture starring Milton Bills and the Ned Wayburn fiash girl act, "Buds of 1927." Monday night the house was capacity down- stairs and shading off to the roof, where there was probably more than half a crowd. This is better than for some weeks back, partic- ularly on the lower floor. Some eccentric spotting of mate- rial, bringing the impressivo Way- burn turn two from clo.«ing and calling upon the talking act of Sin- clair ;ind T.a Mnrr to follow it. Two women sitting motionless in the middle of the Hippodrome stage and carrying on a wise-cracking conversation is some number to crowd on the heels of the swift and varied fiash singing nnd dancing Turn of '*rhe Buda.'^ In the limit- leM expanse of the 6th avenue hangar the wise exchange of nifties went on for about 40 percent. At that the pair got to their audience on appearance and the sparkle of an occasional talk sally tl>nt reached and made a capital finish. STATE Vaudo Piets) Well-routined bill at the State this week, though a trifle light weight for comedy. Main depend ence in this division falls to Renard and West, mixed duo, in "Left- overs" (New Acts), In the trey, and Mary Haynos in a song cycle in follow up. Five acts and "The Fire Brigade" as screen feature comprise the bill, with Joe Jordan successful In put- ting the mob in good humor with an auclicnee-singing overture. A great plug for the publishers, and the outfront mob Just ate it up. The singing stunt got more laughs than the acts at the Monday night show. Three of the live carded were new around here, and probably one an importation. The latter waa the Hungaria Troupe—three men and three women—in fast balancing and acrobatic routine, which ])rovide(l a speedy opener (X« w Acts), (iohi Medal Four, male quartet, followed and registered with some gr)0(l har- monizing (New Acts), with Ilenard and West, al.so with a new act, cop- ping comedy honors. Miss llaynes, accompanied by a male pianist, was close runner-up for hit honors, but nosed out in a let-down after her encore, practical- ly forcing three bows to build up for her cufllmpary getaway si><'e(h. which should have been passed up when the palm slamming ceaaed. However, Miss Haynrs srored legiti- mately prior to the weak finish, and would have merited first place save for the let-down. CJrant and Wing, dancers from musical comedy, flanked by an eight-piece orchesfr,T. offered th^lr 81ST ST. (VaudePcts) Three out of six acts are hopping the buck here this week, so there's an epidemic of taps. Nicely spottGKl. though, for each hard shoe routuie is spaced by an act that doesn't use the wooden soles. One buck a night Is plenty lor any vaude layout, and no matter how laid out, but acts must be ji:.^t acts these days, and they book em regardless of whether there's conflict. Which makes it apijtar as though this house Is de- pciuling more and more on the screen feature to drag the upper Broadway residents inside. "See You in Jail" (F. N.) and the first of Bathe's Will Rogers series make up the celluloid tidbits. Inasmuch as it's Holy Week plus those three instances of hard shoe legmani.'i, it doesn't look as if there s much chance for the 81st St. to bet- ter Monday night's half capacity this week. No particular stage name among the acts, Lew Cantor^ "Let's Dance" being the flash u.sed to give the lirst half a finish. This act has migrated from the Loew time, with ICddie Franklin getting a break on billing. A pair of male hoofers, sis- ter team and an elongated male dancer, round out the troupe. Good looking turn with enough talent to keep It happily at work If not get- ting beyond its depth. That Franklin's Charleston Is the punch finish means this effort is a pretty neat piece of work for ap- plause returns, especially at this date when the so-styled dance car- ries a light demand. Both the girts hoof nicely, m do the boys, and the dressing make* the baokgrouad im- pressive. Among the buck contingent Lottie Atherton (New Acts), opening, drew top honors on merit. Lottie Jigged her way up and down stairs and also contributed some more taps while standing on her head. All be- fore a special set of drapes in "three." Mays, Burt and Fenn (New Acts), three men who sing, were No. S. after which Robert Reilly trotted out his Irish musical skit to returns that were substantial enough for him to push Ih a speech. That the feminine quartet of vocalists weren't overly fussy about staying on key didn't seem to bother the tax payers. They liked them, and also ai)proved of the midget doing com- edy and ReiUy's singing. A hard shoe drill by the foursome gave the final lift. Cole and Snyder are using an old Chaplin release in an act that is otherwise conventional crossfire. The new angle crops out when the part- ner doing Dutch claims to be a film director. Down comes the screen and the comic starts to tell Chaplin what to do, interspersing chatter on the other characters as well. Novel in a two-man hook-up. and Is not sounding especially intelligent that's offset by the laughs it gets. The picture thing takes up about half of the running time, 14 minutes, the duo exiting as projection oeasss. Won distinct favor for this team and a bit that evidently has sure mass appeal for VaMdevUle audi 5TH AVE. Moron and Wiser had a slow start ... . ,* •i^slac als«b j^ttt that ^nish pf by | likeable dancing, li has adagio walU Once upon a time afterpieces may have been somebody's idea. Now they are not even a variation. It Is therefore impossible to hall the after- piece, "Vaudeville in India," spon- sored by Jones and Rae and Collins and Peterson, as something special, although as afterpieces go it is good. The India part was carried out by a back drop and one of the actors in the royal rubes of a rajah. Much of the entertaining Was done by non-professionals. That's what Mr. I'eterson, of Collins and I'eterSon, who officiated as master of cere- monies, called them. Not amat» iir.^. As a matter of fact the partic- ipants are more accurately described as profe.Mslonal amateurs. Tluy worked as if veterans of amateur nights. Al Snyder did a song and dance. His self-confidence was overwhelming. Jean Redmond is one of several credited to Brookljm. Sh^danced terribly and didn't care. Grace Uossie had the real thing In a well-trained soprano and earned the encore she had prepared for. A boy and girl. Introduced as Riley and Prescott, also hit with the audif^nre y.ut, like many professlonali^. didn't know when to quit. The afterpiece ran to 10.30 and was mercifully (loped bv Peterson, prr.bably tipped I off by the manager. U theo looked a« if there were more "acts^ from Brooklyn. A couple of lads were in the background. They wore cut- aways and silk hats. The professional tabnt opened with Carr Bros, and Betty (New Acts), neat hand balancers. A single, Madeline I'atricla (New Acts) fol- lowed. Tlie audience liked Madeline when she sang "Lonely," but up to that point the show wasn't getting anywhere while she was on. So long as they don't ^et too nume-rous there's room in vaudeville for Mad- eline's type of act. She's a bit exOtIc in appearance. Kxposes one ear but hides the other. Nice personality! too. • ■ ■ ■ -■• v^ .'"-^ Jones and Rae. two men. get their comedy out of delivery. One sput- ters and the other wheezes and no- body notl«H's there isn't a cag in the act. The comic who S's through his teeth works With Collins, of COIIIlis and Peterson. In the afterpiece. The t?haw and Carroll Hevue hit mostly because of Shaw's leg work. The King Bros, assisted plwislngly but are weak vocally. Miss Carroll, pretty, belonged. In their own act Collins and Peter- son, next before the afterpiece, had •em well in hand. Collins brings in a cornet. He has the buglQ stuff down Impressing as a reelHittstelan, the more surprising a* .h#*» tially a nut comic. The feature picture, Gary COopor in "Arizona Bounds" stood oft the six bits. A ctistomer seated liililnd ^lvt Va- riety reviewer was heard to remark: "Is thU N. V. A. Week femi-annual?" AMERICAN ROOF (Vaude-Pct) The first-half show atop the American had several acts which made the audience sit up. The hap- py spots came III tiM ast^oiiM piit. of the kind the AsssHoaBsira ap- plaud for more. The first half was almost devoid of comedy, despite an apparent try for lauglis by the two acts before intermission. Business was surprising when one recalls that this American audi- ence is regarded as one of the last of the vanishing downtown neigh- borhoods; siu-prlslng also in Holy Week. Almost a eomplete "oUout upstairs. Don Austin opened the show. He uses an easel and draws pictures right before the crowd, and, as ex- pected, wound up with a quick .sketch of one of America's great Americans. There's a girl with the artist. Ardelle Cleaves first appeared In a wig and old-fashioned dress, Ad- dled and sang and then changed to a gypsy attire for another number, which .she announced as an impres- sion of one of the stars In a Broad- way show. Miss Cleaves is an at- tractive girl, and pleasid. Hof aot, however, is along thO Ittlia Of OtMrs of yesteryear. Kennedy and Francis endeavored to inject the first comedy, and suc- ceeded to a certain extent, with the man's souse ''bit.** The act worked hard to please, with the woman's acrobatic dancing proving an asset. The Bachelor Jamieson revue closed the first part. Act rather slipshod in toto, although having a girl that could do some back bend- ing and splits, only faded by the yotjng man in doing some lively ground acrobatics. Corking good tumbler, this l>oy. Act otherwise dl.sapr>ointing in trying to create luughs Then intermission. Will J. Ward opened the second half, first with songs and piano playing, throwing in some Irish stories, laughingly recelve<l. Ward knows the American crowd, and he Invit.Ml them to whistle anrl to sing as he played. Never any doubt as to his returns. Thf T.i Oste and Bonowe sketch hccame rather hilarious toward the finish, when the two dogs that foVinoil the basis of a little domestlr squabble were used for laughing purposes. .Some funny businc.ss, surefire in the ncijjhborhoods. The blond in the turn resembled Mabel Kstello, slock actress, and displayed traits of such training to prove a most wcce p tabl e fo il t o t he m a n . — Calvin and Wood (N'cw Acts) were amusing. Helen Bach Trio closed, the woman showing pro- digious strength as an unib-rstander and also with her teeth; a balancing act that is still In popularity in some sections. Feature, "Evening Cloth's" JfarAt ters wore hidden behind large vases] and popped out at the end of (h4 song. The real surprise would have been if they didn't pop out, the vases being seen here quite often. Ned Miller, the first specialty, was In a tux for a maudlin baPad with a voice that Jumped from register to register like a yodeler's. Ned might try yodolUngi he can't ballad. The Caprice Sisters, doing their Raggedy Ana vaudevilSe routine, brought some class into the lineu|>. The girls are compb tely hidden In the doll costumes and put on as neat a limp dance as any picture house could want. Qood material for a unit. Tak Wha Chan, apparently brought in to carry the title, was last seen at the Academy where he announced in perfect English that he likes our country. He plays a banjo well, sings hot so hot, and his numbers are a little mellow. Al Rome followed dancing fast and trickily with a comedy eccentric bag of nifties that are among the best seen here. Funny clothes prevaiL Rome Is great material for presentations where some life is needed toward oloslng. His exit hand was pretty here. The last specialty. Master Gil- bert, was brought in suddenly and without' btUlng. This is the out- standing youngster among the mob now playing around, having actual song and dance talent of no mean calibre. Always working, which Is enough. Ben Meroff did little besides dl- recting his band of 20 men, evi- dently resting his dance and musi- cal abilities. As has l>ecn said re- peatedly, this boy Is the lue of the theatrSt holding up many a weak presentation with his own ability and a good lumd. Oriental settings, drops, and cos- tumes looked pretty. Several draggy spots lA the pMisatatloD. l<oe». *'WAY DOWN SOUTH* (It) Frank Cambria-Publix Prsssntatiea Special Set; 20 mins. Piramsyatf New YoHc ii>iboi||i functioning stage a<?t No high llfiltSb but sum total eCfeotiva. Two scenes, first on a plantation, second on water front with a big river boat. Kight Southern Belles are leaving for the seminary ae- companisd by their colored mammy. The songs and dances culminate with the girls departing on the steamboat, prop and movable. Maaar Jimy M Uie mammy, knocking off a couple of ballads. Topsy played by Elsa QreenwoU, contortionistic tumbler. Kdmund Fitspatrick as Uncle Tom in red velvet livery sang **Moon Am Shin- in*." Specialties Included Jack Russell dancing to "Oh, Didn't It Rain " and some blues blowing by Uke Lew and ''Chic,** especially pd0iilar 3v|tl| the atfdienee. 141^ aft thtt Param "BALLET DRIGO" (28) 10 Mint.; Full (Speeial) Capitol, New York. Costumes and stage settings do more than anything else to put this number over. Capitol presentations are running more to simplicity and away from elaborate color schemes. Tha costumes give a pleasing white and black effect through ex- pert shadings of silver gray, cream white and grayish black. Agathst a background of drab dawa are outlined several tall trees. The ballet cwps begUy^ogna- tions here t n- PliiPf al^^^^^^W^^^^^ ballerina dances around each suitor and finally surrenders, allowing each of the little clowns to kiss her In turn. The Pierrots then break Into a waits, swinging stringed in- struments with motions as If play- ing. The Coquette feigns displeas- use as they all stretch out their arms to her. She raises one foot in a kick and the clowns tumble over. Customers fell hard for this stufi, the female contingent more so than the men. "THE CAT AND THE CANARV* Interpretive Dsnee Special Set; 5 mint. Papsmount, New York Kaster and llav.elton In an ar- restlngly novel dance Interpreta- tion, one as a cat who steals into the room, coaxes the dainty canaiy from its cage and finally makes ofC with the bird;; ' ' A big gilded osgs on one side of the stage. Huge French windows center with an over-built chair op- l)oslte. Dainty, well done, brief, it has everything to Indonm it for any pic- ture bouse.