Variety (May 1927)

VARIETY VARIETY'S CHICAGO OFFICE KAL HALPERIN in Charge Woods Bldg^ Suite 604 Phonets Central 0644-4401 CHICAGO ProfMtionala have tha frea UM of Variety'a Chicago Offica for information. Mail may ba midrm—4 ca^a Variety, Woods BTdO., Chicago. It wilt be held aubject to call, forwarded or advertiaed in Vsriaty'a Let|t«r List. One of the sUmm<Ssi audiences ytii iicvii at Orphcum'3 Palace saw an extremely weak show Sunday matinee. Just how blah the bill is may be seen in the fact that its one point of strengtli, ChariottQ Green- wood. was forced to attend ts :tw^ spots that proviiied the only bits of genuine entertainment in the Show. MIhs Greenwood, a favorite here, first appeared in fifth position in a short satirical skit, "Why Gentle- men Prefer Blondes," written for ••Le Maire'a Aflfaira" by Jack Lalt. tnttislly used in that revue by Sophto Tucker, and then by Miss When in Chicago Vint The$€ HU9 ERLANGER Matinee SATrunAY onIjT LOI IS F. WKUUA Pr«M»nto The Muiilcal Comeily Succes* ^TWINKLE TW W with JOE E. BROWN ONA MUNSON AI.AM BDWAmOS and • TiNtiii twiiikllni b—uttoi SELWYN Unanimously Acclaimed The Reigning Hit of the Yesr Who Uaa Set^ 11 BLACKSrONB wV^'Ts"... CHARLBl X.. WAP.NER la association with EDGAR SEI-WYN Presents RICHARD BENNETT the Oreateet Bhow Under Canvaa ;> la tate Theatre "THE BARKER" Br K«ayea MlcholMB Wed. aad tal. mm AVENUE' Sensational Drama oC N. T. Underworld WUIiaai Edna Louis •Q¥0 HIBBARD CALHBIIN fMPMaoont's Thrllllnir liaW Huper-ficiore rough'riders A BOMANCB OF HAN Jl AN HIIX WOODS JOTTN a. WOOPY Pro-wnts FRANK KEENAN In Ruir^ne Walter's New Play •DIFFERENT WOMEN*^ Sta^;•'<^ by H^rfrnm tiarrinoa With HELEN WARE Donald Gnllaf?hpr, Kr-ilorlf' I?urf. Minna CSombell. Hone Ilnbart and ()ih»>rs Greenwood, who replaced. Andy Rice, not Laft, is now credited with the skits authorship. Rice's gag- doctoring is in evidence on some oro.ss-tlre in "one," but the slcit is tlie same one that featured "Af- fairs." A sudden drop of at- mosphere In switching from legit to vaudo might even change an author's name, it seemS* ^ „ Having' clicked with "Blondes, closing the fir.Mt half. Mlss Green- wood reappeared next to closing with songs. She gagged intermit- tently, did her funny comedy dance and wowed all around. Martin Broones at the piano. Omit Miss Greenwood and you have an ordinary vaude layout. Just a mite above Intermediate classifi- cation, opened by Gordon's Goihedy Canines. Sotncwhat bettor than most dog acts around and a corn- potent opener. It was Hked here. Clrnidia Colfman deueed to fair re- turns. Three numbers, "type" mimicry, ai^e cleverly based and very woU executed by Miss Cole- man, but lack that necessary Punch. Hasoutra, «tlrrottnd*d by* "freaked up rjeorpre Choos production, pro- vided class to number thre«. Hasouti^; a girl, programmed as the "Golden Idol of Paris." offered two numbers, the first a semi-nude pea- cock daneS and the second a gilt number, the latter serving as the turn's finale. In that she Is a gilt Burmese fmaybe Chinese) Idol. Coming out of a five or six-minute contortionlstic still pose, seemingly dlffleult. shs Sttalras and shakes it. A slight grind seemed always on the V^rjl^e of developing into a legit COOOQ. Miss Hnsoutra Is an admirable dancer, and, amplified by the gilt- edged tier^lty. scored. Altes Hay- ward and Cordon Kennett .'^ing. and Walter and Bliaabeth Reddick dance In support. The six Adeliild* and Hughes Girls (sole Intact remains of the former dance act) do three nSat mi^bers and ilrov» themselves the most competent part of the turn. A wooden soldier bit was un- usual and the most singular of its tyi>e. The turn Is beautifully set. costumsd the same, and good for a ottc#>areund. Winnie TJghtner. held over, would have fared better had It been her first wSSk. Of tha live numbers three were held over with the girl. Miss Llghtner can sing, is a darb of an entertainer, but isn't among the few who can reload with the same line. Picture houses are her field. "Blondes" fcnowed. .lark Haley, as-^isted by Flo Mc- Fadden, opened the second part. ComlO, songster and dancer, he is a gngster primarily. Talk flip and pretty funny, two songs were oTtay and a tap b. b. finished nicely, but Haley didn't quite come up to his spot. Miss McFadden. a shapely blonds, adds strength to the look dopartment. but that's nil. Miss Greenwood next, and Ora, bar gym- nast, tilosed. enough rough stuff to satisfy any one. A class act would be a com- plete flop in this house. Jerry Sul- livan, local radio favorite, is the headliner. Sullivan's piano playing is average, but hla singing less than that He did three numbers and walked oft without being encored. Kam Tal Troupe, a small time Jap act. opened with some Oriental tricks. Barlow and Dunne, two fe- male accordionists, followed; good musieians. did nothing special. This act lucks punch. Then came O'Brien and Josephine, mixed team, with the everlasting traveling salesman gag. This team did sing- ing, dancing and instrumental play- ing via the mandolin route. They worked hard, but did not score. F'ulgora. with hi.s quick changes and Impersonations, waa a triumph for the "old school.'* Fauntleroy and Vin in a "hick" sketch, with- out the usual "sob ballad" included In acts of this kind. Th^ Were well received. Billy Purl and Co. for an excellent finale. A man pian- ist in support does straight for the talk and holds his piano spot. .loe liiKy and k4» girl band (9) did not do so well In No. 3. The music is lacking In popular quality and serves more to demonstrate itiiey'a ability than anything else A young boy dancer was liked for his pair of dances, and more so when he slipped to the floor at the finish of the second. Ketch and Wiima. the standard ventriloquial team, duplicated Miss Saxon's succes.s, making two worth- whiles in a five-act bill. .400 is a good average in baseball but not in vaudeville. The Yelleros, two men and two wom^n, globe rollers, closed. "Quarantined Rivals" (Gotham) the picture. Bufiiness good Thurs- day night. Johnny Jones, manager of the Lbew western Olllce, la the recipient of a beautiful desk lamp, a moving CORRESPONDENCE All matter In CORRBBPONDENCB rsfsrs to sintsIiI wask iiiilMS otherwise indicated. The cities under Correspondence in this isaus of Variety ars as follows and en paaess AtsBANY •'•'''S3 MONTREAL* •'•M*»k'*>.*«.#'»'*'..*»f 'IB BALTIMORE 53 NEWARK 83 ^ I NEW ENGLAND •..4,^;..• 63 PORTLAND, ME. .•,,.;.v*V.i 53 PORTLAND, ORB^ ••.••^••... 52 •■•••••••••»*..•« BUFFALO CHICAGO 50 CINCINNATI ,«,»..«M*M»f .. 52 DENVER • • 52 LOS ANGELES V^^^^ja»» 52 MILWAUKEE 52 MINNEAPOLIS 52 PITTSBURGH ^.r.^......*... 53 ST. LOUIS f•.'••••••• ••• 52 SEATTLE ..••'(■%• f.aia••••••• • 52 SYRACUSE 65 WASHINGTON ...••..•53 BUFFALO By SIDNEY BURTON Bhes's Court Street—"lifercenary Mary" (McGarry Players). Buffalo—"Whirlwind of .4?outh.** "Shoulder Arms. ' "Blrthstdnes. " Hipp—"See You in Jail"—Vaude. Loaw'a—"Demi-Bride"—Vaude. Lafayette — "Variety,- Vita -4 Vaude. Garden—Burlesque stptk. Fox's Great Lakes Theatre opens with an evening performance May 30. Mollie Picon in "Mamale" (Yifl- dish) gave one performance at the Shubert Teck Friday night to a capacity audience. Leon Blanc ia scheduled night May 29 at Shea'a Court Street. The battle between WKBVV. the Churchill Evangelistic Tabernacle broadcasting station, and the other local stations continues. The out- standing development last week was a letter to the Federal Radio Com- mission, signed by 100 local bank* ers, lawyers, clergymen, doctora and business men, urging that the power of WKBW be reduced. Peggy O'Neil will do her London success, "Paddy, the Next Best Thing," with the McGarry IMayers next week. Jeanette Fox-Lee haa been added to the company. Clyde Grimth, of the National Vaudeville Exchange, has acquired the lease of the former Hotel M(jn- roe and will operate the house aa a theatrical hostelry under the name of Hotel Griffiths. did a satire on Hades—big. Purl is a fair comedian, haa a nonchalant air that keeps his stuff "fresh." The act carries a chorus of five girls In abbreviated costumea Joe Freed and Co., with material distinctly rough burlesque, clicked. bYeed at times is funny, but the act should be toned down. Gus Thalero and animals closed. His trained skunk (without the usual odor) was the feature. Mike Strelld and his fflleient pit orchestra,Mat* Umi MB.-. Business pood at the Majestic Sund.ay. This house books in ten acts for Punday. each act working four of the five shows. On Monday two of the acts are cut, leaving eight acts to work four a day for the balance of the week. There Is only an eight-minute intermission Sundays, during which a news reel Is shown. Some grind! This week's show Is replete with hiirh^^-MMc sl.'i pstl'-k, with AN INNOVATION IN 8H0W BUSINESS wmnr platino cmeAoo —m nm ^ HOTEL LAUREL - 175 Rooms with Bath and Shower WEEKLY RATES: SINGLE, $12.50; DOUBLE* |1>.0Q Ten minutes by trolley to all Loop theatres. One block from Lincoln Park and Golf Links. BBAND NKW — Ll Xt KlOUSLY Fl KNI.SIIKD — t'l.RAN Coffee Shop in Connection ^ No Charge for Room Service 1512-18 North La Salle Street THrphonc mouawk isoe Management BERNARD GLATT FASHION DECREES FOR ARTISTS CuHmont & Peters Permanent Wave **Herbo*' Oil Steam Procesa Complete Artistic ISraiity Servicfl GUILMONT & PETERS 706 MARSHALL FIELD ANNEX BLDG., CHICAGO rhonesi DEAKUUKN 6011 —CENTRAL 7975 This house was formerly a split- week vaude grind, but is pow giving its patrons vaude the first iMUf ll^d a musical tab last half. Lewis (Red) Maek and his play- ers are the much-advertised attrac- tion. It is still too early to tell whether the good attendanos Thurs- day night was due to heavy adver- tising or genuine draw. At any rate "a goodly crowd was there.** They like it a llttla, but did not get over enthusiastic. The acoustics of this theatre are bad. The Congress Is an exception ally large house, with the balcony shallow at the rear center, but com ing all the way down along the sides. To the patrons up there hardly a word was distinguishable Kven In the first few rows the laughs were occasioned by Red's funny an- tl( s and not by the gags. Mack is refreshing. He works with an abandon that gives one the impression everything he says and does Is impromptu. He insinuates himself Into the good graces of the audience at the very outset, and ia the mainstay of the show. His sup- porting players are pretty good, with an exceptional characterization here and there, but they work with too mechanloU precision* The chorus of 11 damsels Is an absolute bust, and does not add the desired relief. A quartet, billed as the Capital City Four, haa unusu- ally good tonal balance as a unit, but the singing of the individuals, with the exception of the tenor. Is nothing to write home abouL Scen- ery good. The tab requires three sets. Costumes are o. k. The feature picture waa "Outlaws of Red River,'* with Tom Mix. This accounts for the great number of "kids" in the audience, and may have been the Tsasoa fPr tht good attendance. Mack and his players are rotating between the Belmont theatre (first half) and the Congress the laet half. A vauda bill altematea with the playersh present from the local independent agents. A group of theatrical men and Loop hounds met last Week to form a social organization, or club like the Friars. Wilton Weil headed the commlttaa. . Phil La Marr Anderson Is press agent for the BlaiskstoBa tboatre. South Bend. MORRISON HOTEL CHICAGO Werld'a UUaaC 1144 reeaaa aad Saiha Oak has dUsdantlnaed vatidavttla for the I'irst show of last week marked liennie Kruger's 2,000th appearance as stage band conductor at the Tivoll theatre. ' Ija Porte theatre, LaPorte, Ind., has been «ddad' to the Loew WBStsm boolc Silver Fox, new cafe at 121 Blast Chestnut street, opened last Week. Joe Sherman is manager. EUGENE COX SCENERY 1734 Ogden Aremom CHICAGO DSWR aad ROOKlUI SCENERY D¥E 8CEI4EBT. TEI.OUB CURTAINS R. WESTCOTT KING STUDIOS tSU W. Vaa Baraa ■«.. Ofclrage HOTEL BENTIVIERE 601 DIVERSEY PARKWAY, CORNER LEHMAN COURT mvarsaj ttlt-ll«lS, dUeage ThS Hoim ef the ProfaaAm Room Wits bath, |14 te 111 per week. Room, runnlag bet and SeM water, tpifphoae^ $10.44 per w«ok. 9 Feople Smds Bate aa One ItABBT DOWD. BealdMit Manager The Association boys put on the rltz last week. They slipped the Knglewootl a semi-flash as an open- ing act instead of the usual acro- bats. They might Just as well have conformed to the familiar, though, for Dawn Sisters a nd McGarry (3) Tailed to make it a show. The girls are fair dancers and so Is Mcdarry, but they need more than tbaL The songs are talky and the gaga weak. Pauline Saxon and Co. dispelled most of the preceding atmosphere and redeemed the show. Miss Saxon, a good-looking blonde, sings in an enticingly ''cute" manner and sella thereby. Three numbers, two of them character, are niftlea The girl topped off with some hooliog Hqtel Eastgate M rkt Service of (he Best HoteU at a Lojper Coii** ONTARIO STREET, EAST OF MICHIGAN tittle North of ths Tribune Tower 225 ROOMS —225 BATHS Only a 9-minute walk to any Loop theatrs* Overlooking the Lake and Chicago's Greenwich Village. Special Weekly and Monthly Rates ts the Profession POPVLAJl-PRICSD CAra IN CONMBCTIOH JIMMY HART, Manager Formerly As«t. Manager, Uotol hbemuui MAHON and SCOTT ''DANCERS OF EVtRV STYLE* KIT CAT CLUB CHICAGO ng Juns 18, Cafe Madrid, Houston, Texsa) FOR RENT DFSIKXni.K OFFirK srA( K IN WOODS BUILDING, 54 W. Randolph St., Chicago fliffhiy Dealrable for Any THEATRICAL or OOltMBRCtAL BNTBBPBISB Apply ROOM 604, WOODS BLDG., Office of Building BEMODBLBD The FROLICS aSPBCOBATED MOflV BBAUmVL OAFS Df THB WORIA aI Baet n<1 street (oppoalt* "L" station), Chfcafa, ItL Th» Rendoivou* of th» Thaatrtcal Stara CIVIC AND rOT,ITI("AT^ CEI.EBRITIBS n M rH OAl,I,KT, Mnnngrr