Variety (Jul 1927)

Wednesday, July 13. 1927 ME VIE W S VARIETY 27 tion danoe without of any ap«* Cinl Il|?htirt».'. It -;imi>ly kill.-.J "'Mn. lloaly and Clift<n«l. tlaii. in^' 'h< il- lh<.ps. " did a spicy turn, while Bain- Khtrman slipped in a coup!" of (bluoa songs. Al KeynoMs. ha 11a.1 Hinp«^r. opened th*? Hhow, ai l^d by a chorub oi six. tJelano Dell »up|iliea ***Senter himself chimod In with his fav()rit(» s;ix aii«l clairn<»t on "SonMT Ot the WandortT." a.-comp iiiied hy the orchestra, artd a vo. il f-horus ■was tak<*n by \\'alla<'t> VVht'«'i»T, Kiviera pianist, who piovod da ac- c<>ptable baritone. Finale w is "Sam the Afconlion Man," with the yiiii^ coniinj? out from behind a keyboard behind the orchestra and the entti^ cast join- ing in. Then wa.s rhore punch and satis- faction to this show than there has l)een to the Publix units, if the af- fair can be kept to the standard of the ftrst on» it is bound to be an improvement. Good staRe presen- tations havinMT been holding up ex- tremely mediocre pictures here. Boyd Senter himself is not a dom- inating: personality liut Mends nicely "With all the rest and is. of course, capable of a good turn every week. UPTOWN (CHICAGO) Chicajio, July 6. Evidently the Uptown has found the happy medium to better busi- HeM at the matinees. A few months . Hf^o, y>cf()ro the n-lvent of P.ennie Kruc^er, the houso was foundering on the rocks, ii. & K. (Tublix) had •pent a barrel of money to put over niftiest theatres, but the afternoon returns were nil. Somoone con«^eiv'Ml th«^ notion of griving afternoon teas for the femmes. The teas, in the lobby, were a total tlop. A gang of Span- ish Troubadours was next •'im- ported (from Hot Springs), but they nelped not About this time came Bennie Kriw^er. jazz baby, and tTlderico Marcelll, symphonist. to better at- tendance. Now, without special ef- fort, the house holds a go o d af t«» i *- noon crowd. Of rouise, giving the iBhows that they do at a 30 cent top is giving thing.s away. This particular slioW, "Jazz Uingles" (Presentations), was made ;^ Xip Of Billy Glason and George ^Washington Dewey as extra book llQgm and the talent of the X'ublix ! **Pitche«*' unit. Only the opeiilng '•*5n one" with the Markus Dancers, '' resembled the routine of the unit. The balance of the show was worked a la "Ash po1i<y." P.ennie an nounced the dilTereut members of the unit as they did their stuiff witli Ihe band, glviiif ^»m a bet^r br^ak thereby. ' , . . •■■■i These Publlit units don't mean Inuch in the way of publicity for the talent. It is und«'rstood that whenever a Publix unit can be Worked into one stunt with the • btage band this will be done. Shortly" every Publix house will have its own perman-Mit jazz l)and and the talent, made up in road shows, will travel the Publix circuit Feature was "Naughty But Nice' XF. N.). STRAND (NEW YORK) New York, July 9. Strand has no screen program 'aside from the featuie and the news reel. The feature, "Prince of llead- waiters," runs close to an hour and a half, with the presentation offt'r- Ing longer than usual, divided into two parts, one devoted to "Post Card Frolics." novelty dance ar- rangement in four parts, and the •Jan Oarber Victor Recoihainjif Or- chestra, latter takim,' up iT) minute.q. £von the usual overture is bmitted to keep the show down to a little over two hours. The Strand orchestra gets its innings by play- ing a medley of .standard and clos- Rival bits as a'^ronitianinv^nt to th*^ Frolic. The news reel is confin<'<l <»ntlroly to Pathe and International clips. Kinograms an I Fox being un- represented. The International clip had President roolldge's bitrhday 'celebration with the Pi "siflont wearing cowboy costume prt^sont^'d by Boy Scouts. Path** hnd good viowH of Kyrd nn-l t!if Honolulu filrmen and bits of the London r<^- coptlon to the returning British prinro and pritif^'^ss The show restel. and safely Judged by ni>platKse. upon the fist 1)r<'3<'ntation if-'ms and an f - ing feature film. Rush. NEW ACTS Mauk and Auhr<'y t2). Wdney Marlon and Otille Corday. S-art. Alf. Wilson and Horace CJeorge. t-act. Felix Martin and William How- laiid (Liynn and lio^rl md) in ikit — I^nndry rin<l.:'heM. who r n'ly formed a producing jKirtner.^hip. ir * readying five musi al fla.shcs which they intend giving a late 9«immer showing. Jack FIne'.H "lA,iho.s" (12). Betty Marvin and Jack White. I>act PRESENTATIONS POST CARD FROLIC Song and Dance 14' Mint.; Full Stags Strand, New York Neat idea for introducing five brief, crisp danee numbers. At rise of curtain a mammoth post card from llolland is disclosed, with the uhiit'Ms-.sido out. It turns, siiow- ing a scene with lour girls po.sed They come down tor fii wooden- slio.' danee, being Joined by group of boys. In like manner are introtiuced daiK^ets from Vienna, London (four men as "bobbies"), Spain ami liiuil- ly London. I«'or the la.st-named tlie post-card protile becomes a letter envelope, the llap.s of whieh oi)cn, showing a .shining gold, box-like interior, with girls posed un i>li»p- ing sides of pedestal. Atop the pedestal stands Fay Adler. She remains posed as girl.s come down and do an ensemble danoe Then Ted Bradford enters as girls exit. Mis.s Adler does a flying leap from the pedestal top to a catch by her partner, and they go into a spirited adagio. The dance works up to .some tine catches and holds, with the little dancer pulling (juick applause by spme of her con- tortion feats. For thS finish she does a series of poses involving splits f(»r .1 walk-off Pig api>Iause returns which brought an encore, the girls doing simple formations :xs a background for more leaps and a f\nal pose. All works out into neat d.ince production, with a high-powered kick in the adagio finale. Rush,, start. He's a go-gettor for this type house. Cait'vs !'i"os d »n.'<>d '.lii ir way to an applaus.' hit. fh \t lo iosing. Their «log tl.mce in go.M, fast and pleas- Ing to the eye, as well an the ear. ("i stMrni'M W 'll ad ipf«>d to Mio lance. The lu ' s.'i.t it ion cK)sc*i with the en- tire cotnp iny. ''LEGEND OF KILLARNEV* 18 Mins. Capitol, New York Current dance production at the Capitol is a ballH fantasy sug- gested by the week's screen feature, The Callahan.s and the Murpliys." a sympathetic comedy treatment of the Irish-American family. The production is an elaborate pictorial staging of Irish fairy-lore, done with co!isidv>iMble beauty and >^raco. A story is told in pantomime of a child lost in the forests of Kil- larney. lured into the fairy realm and rescued by hunters. The legend is hero worked out v»My pri>ftily in a sc(Miic and spectacular way witli attraotivo ballet ensembles and a showy finale, with Sylvia Miller, the center of the posed ensemble, sing- ing "Killarney." One of the incidents is a striking bit of adagio by Joyce ColcS and 'Sertje Leslie, ba'cked by the Chester lials girls as star fairies^ The pro- duction iile.i i.s ratlu-r a pocti'i one, titting neatly into the picture to which it is the prelude. The fantasy is the feature of a musical interlude, with ICdgar I'\iir- child and llalph Grainger at twin pianos, their musical offering being •Si off by a song number, "Minne- tonka," by Marjorie Tlareum posed in a transparency back, and again by.4^^a solo dance done down front before the pianists by Jane Over- ton, a particularly gainly tail L,'irl. Hush, "YEAR OF 1917" (34) Orchestral Production 10 Mint.; Pit and Two (Serssn) Chicago, Chicago In the few wei'ka since H. Leo- pold Spit<^lny inaugurated his or- chestral productions at the Chi- cago, these hi tie n\uslcal gems h,i.ye become a customary and vital part of ths high-toned theatre's bills. To say that they are vv<dl directed and well produced is a non-sullicient coverage. They are n\ostly rare treats, for music lovers and_ those who know nothing about music. The latter cla.s.s cannot h<dp but be appreciative as the music and staging combine to tell a UtOry, and beauifully. In lleti of patriotism, .'^pltiiiny discarded the us al vocal accom- paniment, preferring the more ex- pressive dumb screen. As the title indicates, the rnusi«'al tale was of the war, showing the entrance of the Allies into the conflict, the blowoff, of course, being the com- ing of the Yanks. Adde<l to the stirring music were some hackst.age fireworks and . ar- ti.stic slides tla.shed on a scrim in front of (he battle effects. Clo.ser and clincher was tho lowering of a streamer apron, flashing several hundred red. white and blue lights. Tho score is an orii::inal arrange- ment and, in some si)ots, a conuK)- .sition of Spltalny. Very flag-wav- uig and ultra-patriotic. It was.an cx(M'IIent overture, nevertheless, ;ind moved its audience to applaud all through without a letiip. fn cel(M)rating the 4th, a Runkcr Hill or American lt(?volution locale and theme would have been more appropriate, but H. JLeppold ootild never have attained more and b^i- ter results than ho did. It is just that tho Wo^rld War idea might have beeCsaved for Armistice Day week. But it can and should be rt^vived for that holi- day. "Year of 1917" is good enough for rehash and too good to livo but u week. Looft, STATE \Continut*i frv'Ui page 2I») vl'.ed by '.^^o tni'.c .singu'S. llMry |->uN'ii and Joe Teimmi. Urccn. m Tjext-to-!ast. with some umJilu'etl \\<>\< \ fl; it to..k i^reat as f.ir is it could be heard The b;ick part of the h >tisr» missed his talk, btit ebuclil.'d mildly over his clowning. rermiui, third, had (he advania^'e of being heard all over and t»)ok a Iei;itimate encore ovit >f It. lie plays a fiddle ami a banjo, both with the comedy idea and realizes much on his viforfs. While good as v\ude, this same routine could be w«>rked before a i>icture house stage band with e-iuai results and probably bet- ter money. Pour Girton Oirla. looking quite young and working >.peedily through varioiLs; acrobatic routines, closed the show. The girls are noisy and go after laughs a trltle too clumsily, but impress as big time stuff on the calibre of their fri. ks. Two of the girls are ex- cellent bike riders. r.eorgo Sheltort and Co. (New Acts) got fair returns as a musical revue. 81 ST ST. (Vaude-Pcts) What a "JAZZ JINGLES" (34) Band and Specialties 46 Mins;; Full (SDseial) Uptown, Chicago Opening of tiio "l*at. In-.s" presen- tation, in one, opened IJennie Kreu- ger's show at the Uptown last week. A colorful opening with the eje-ht Markus daivi-rs, followd by a snappy band number. Tlx' Publix and regular shows were con.4olidated as a time-saving medium. Bonnie's Syncop.ating ratriots were sur- rounded with pl'Tity of sim;m^. hooting and comedy talent. T)ic -n- tiro company worked well and pro- vided til.. roMijiro<l .punch, liennie's l),ind, wh I'll wow.s, ; and himself gave the .-,how its 'J.izz Jingle.s" arxi made it all Krueger Heth Talben, of the Publix unit, followed th'' !>ind number with i mediocre daneo. tN'or^o Dewey W isliingt(Ui. < olored, clicke<l with three .songs. Washington is Chicago talent, and has »bo voice ,i,nd siiowm inshii* whieh m ilie.s bun a picture house number, His sor»gs aro well chosen. Mills and Shea, tWo-niin - otu'-dy .aerobitii' •••im, chalked up a s(did hit. Tills tyjK- of act, lias its .noft hnurM ' St and is JAN GARBER'S Victor Recording Orchestra 25 Mins. Strand, New York This eilgagt'ment is billed as "l''irst Stage Appearance in New York." Orchestra numbers 18 with the leader. At opening boys are ranged in half-circle on dlas up- stage, Jan <;uber leading and playing violin out front. All wear flannel trousers and maroon coats, making nice appearance. Open (piietiy with modified Jazz, and after brief number Garber in- troduces separate bandsmen for bit of specialty, all with comedy angles. Rotund trombone player is a Rifted elown. Ho sang a "wop" number to a laughing riot, with several of the other boys feeding him low cortieily. .Several of the other boys sing numbers and get laughs, and then they go Into hot ]azs routine for a smashing finale, the bra.'^se.q com- ing in for emphasis anii the drum- mer working hard and fast. Cur- tain after 20 minutes, and the en- core five minutes was entirely legit- imate. Orch«istra WAS a riot on its rneritil|#iipMiHMy and in cx- iiilaratlng mu.slc. Us pull on the .strength of reputation in recording, winch must be considerable, is in lot Mosher, Hayes and M«>sher must have mi.ssed. They are billcMl IS making their first Ameri- c.in ai)pear.inco in eight years. In lOngkind, or Austmlia, or Africa, or wh<«rever they were during those eight years they may have been overtaken i>y "Yes, We Have No r.ana!ias." the Charhvston, the red n<M kt:e gag, the afterpiece, and any number of glorious American insti- tutions. Good bike comedy act. Mosher. Jlayes and Mosher. Can oiK'n any bill. Too bad there isn't any more big time. M.iybe they were prom- ised a route. Probably at their 1919 salary. Dixie Hamilton, No. 2. One of thoHe reported signed a year or more ago to I long-term blanket contract by the Orph an<i K-A. A singing comedienne. In the billing tho ad- jective is "personality." In her |>cr- form.xnce Monday night was not a .sonf?, a l.viie or a bona fide t;ii,'i;le, and all the bra.ss and drjiD\» in the bii?g< st »)rchestra pit Th vaudeville can t make a nice set of t -- th and a good smile look like an act tliat is getting across. As a spec imen of the lyrics and the mentality of Miss Hamilton's .songs mny be cited a "tough" num- ber sb<' w irl)les. the ptinch line be- ing that the neighborhood is so tough that at wak^A they All the bathtub with gin and throw the corpse in. Joseph Wilson and Co. was pro- gram.Ml for the trey but the Meyakos answered the roll in their stead. This act has played around Chicago both in v.vude and presentations. It consists of two Japanese nirls and I Japane.s^ boy. Variety's liles con- tain a lecord of a Meyakos .Sist'TS back in lin.'i. The.so girls seem too young to b'» the same team. The Orientals w'tc on the boards 18 minutes building to the hit of the l)ill. They aro noat, cl.assy, hard- working success-deserving troupi*rs. Sully and Thomas suff'ied the psyehological penalty of following; an a<^t that has just done a mop up. Tliey conclude with a blackbottom and P,!on<lay night, on account of be- ing the second act to use tho B. li., wero aiHjlogetic about It. Anyone would be. Cood sure-fire hokum, however, did not fail to earn them plenty of laughs and a good hand. ' Tr< asiir' land" Is a M«'yer C.olderi act that has done service for Mr. I*antage.s. It may be described as a |KMTer-t pi-olog for a moving liifture leading with pirates. it closed nicely. "Broadway Nights" <P. N.) on the screen. t>Ownstalrs half full. AooA as ever with a re.il kick in his 'I ipeze i\\i.siH lor the finish. Karl Kiiklaiul h is made a rather inter- est mg ID-minute turn out of such inpiomisini; m.it' ::.:l is ladd >r 1>»I- uu-.n,; and p.ipei ju.;t;ling with tlie help of a plump .i.»..-ii.;iant in tluhtH i:iterj Ki h and Cwl.^ (New .\. ts) ovi'istaycil i>ulrageously, aggravat- ing the tA'ertime rtHe»l m by tlte col- oied team of Harris and HoUey. This p.iir have fine darky humor, by the Way. Their Ktudying out of written instiaictions is a gem of it.s kind and the er.tp ».;inie is honciitly funny. The bigger man has real unction in his .style and j^romi.ses to make a pl.ice for himself. The smaller feeder is likewise a sure worker with talk. Their present dialog is c;ipital and tliey can dance abundantly. What they have to learn is when to .stop. T!i>'y coidd have quit .any time within the l.i.st 10 minutes to a storm of applau.se. I»ut kept on ^oiriK: for JG minuttis, leaving the audience with plenty. Helen Lewis and lier Harmony Weavers, girls' han«l, also over- stayed and fell victims to ovi-r- elaboratlon of prodm tion and set- ting (New Acts). Murray Sisters, < .irlier, mado a pretty, graceful, Im'ht number. C;irls harmonize nice- ly with jazz, blues and zippy pops, the taller sister sttunmiing the uke and the petite ono shaking a hip for the Hawaiian bit for comedy. I.e Kays, man and v^oman novelty tra|)e/.e, closed, (ltdf club ->nd fair- way finish scenic setting with couple in sport costume which they doff for work on rin^s (made from coU|;>le of canoe paddles with blades cut out and made into hanging). Trapeze IS a suspended i::olf eUib. (brl doi s w ide swings w ith fall into knee hold, and for the finish they announce man's swing to a onc-!ieel ef\tch, whieh looked dangerous and drew applause. R^k, BROADWAY (Vaude-Picts) Rill has no Shape or pattern. Two tTirl a-tH, one a dance production md ono a girl.s' orchestra, use up lopendent from the organization's j more than 20 mjnutes each, whih ability to please on the stage. AMERICAN ROOF (Vsuda-Pcts) Feature picture. "Cabaret.'* wttAi rjilda Gray, was tmddtibtedly cal- culated as the draw for the first half here. Heach weather played heavy »)i)position to the aerial music hall Monday night, with plenty Of rof)Tn all over the house. Vaude bill was diverting if not wallopy, a mixture suited for warm weather. It held Ave standbys and three now ones, at l<\ast thS latter were new around here. ► Charles Deighan (New Acts) was adequate as paceni.akor with acro- batics and contortion. Wally and Zello, mixed team, followed with some coi king dancing that put then over nicely (New Acts). Manning and Hull, mixed, regis- t<'r<>d lu'avy with hokum chatter, •downing and dancing. The contriust " between the hefty six-footer fem mefubfT and her undersi'/e»l anemic- looking partner grabbed yells on en- traneo, with tho rem.iindcr a *"inch until walkaway. Ja< k Donn« lly Ite- s ue, man and four girls, eame next with a blend of siru:inu and dancltty that clicked tNew Af;ts), Konosan, .Ja))aneso girl, also got (»ver to t^ood returfis in a son^^ < yi le, clicking both on vocalizing and nov- elty. ' I'lvan.i, Wilson and Evnns con- tributed likeaijle comedy, songs and talk that set them pretty. It's a family act comprising ma. pa and duughtcr. The woman of. the act (Narrles the comedy with silly girr elia r.acterizn 1 ion .and I.s good for yells whenever on. Tlio man as cop- iK;r holds the feeder assignment peiTff'tly. while the offspring ron- trilujtes a vocal solo and dance that also fits. Smith and Allman, with the lat- ter in cork and the former in tan, wero the nhnw strifipers, next to shut. I!oys br»»ezed on with snappy comedy repartee, contnijut'-d some good harmonizing in several num- bers, reverting to additional c.hatter that registered and more vocalizing for walU-off. Allm.ari aeeompanled on uke for the vo<als and the boys hnd thinpg their own way from walk on to exit, ."^olid hit. Tom and Ketty Waters elo.sed with dancing and balancing stunts on wire. "Cabaret" followed. Kdbii, IlusK. yp6tw in — pit till e iKiund to connect in any of »hem Tho emijt Markus H'»rl.s follower! in a d in^ Costumes .md I inee good Itilly 'll i-'on wowed with a couple of .songs and good gags. Hilly Is a f.ist wol ker and h «s a i)"r.;r.rrilit v that wears on the audience from Ltie BIRTHS Mr md Mr.<. William A. Crady, .Jr.. .Jun<^ in New York, daughter. Mrs. lirady is professionally known Hi K itliei in«« Alexander. Ml irid Mrs Heinz liosonheld in Wa.shinglon, July 3, daughter. The father, as "Hox Kommell," is direct- ing tho Iti tito (pets), orchestra in f he capital city. MARRIAGES Roy Clarke, camera man with Paramount, to I w kie Horner (non- pro), in I^'»s Angelfts, July L Carl KclUrd is plirdst for I-Mith • 'liflord, and will sail on tin; ".Samona" July m for Sj'dney from .Hwn I'Vancisco .\li.-s r'lirff)rd le.ives by the sime b .it tO fUifiU AUStrS- li ifi ftig i;;<-ment;i. ite in tin- i»r )e«'ediri«s the color^vl te.im of M ums and Iloll'-y, <in for J5 minuten in "one," doing the piano moving bit, craj) game, dane«> rou tine .and the endless «;omedy speoeh btjsineHS. Two acts, the (•oiu'fd pail m l H'den Lewis' (;irls* Kink, r«- .-.oi te*l to the soft i|»pl iu.se t>id of the "liindy" song. 'I'bo oile-r five i-\h pioli ibly eiiiihl have h.id .i riot- • CIS ipp! iii^.- 'xit, too, if th' y d only tho'u^'ht to iv t an airshi|> trap and a sky b i' Ic drop for the .v.arii*' i-:ag. The siiow v.'as a miseellane#)ija ar- tingement. Outstanding re\t to losing was the monolog of .losfph IC. W it;;on. wtio 1k:s new 'll ll<-et t.alk frmi'-d a long ri''> M i re s and t"ti I! of good l ok" rr.erit. He st.irfs a dis- ' iissif.n ab)Mt H a. W. lls' "Outline of History" md works it into ■ tire gags about biblie.al subj'" ts. sueh as .sfjefMil.i.f ing as to how m.any mor»^ .-ipiey love alf airs SolornoTi rniKht have h id If TieM own» d i ' \t instf id of a horse icinbdios s*i >ng v/i»h parodies, good at this hous* I I W I V s W;ll I'erry was another vari. »\ t tri'tby whh some new.,'a»!f • : iri-i I (v' l siru','-r for ttis woodi iri l ,s •'•nie iind ( OH'of tion tur n. !■ er; y i.i as NOTES E. K. Nadel, Harold Kemp and I»hll Offln le.'ivc New York July 1for a month's business and pleas- ure !.t.iy in Han Francisco and Ix>s Ange]...H. Alfred Cross did not join tho T«-mplo slock, .^^yraMise, .N?. V. when failing to r»ecivo a.ssiir.in-.es the b**rlh would be iKrman»'nt, Mme. Calve i< visiting Mm*^. <'I lir e Ab '-o at (ho latter s Syi a- euse, N. Y., homo. Mme. Alcee in private life i.s Mrs. Andn w .Strong \\'!i)t.> .She appeal«-i in roU'ert Willi .Mme. Culvo last fall .Mme. Aleee. iftop fr)ur yeiTS in Italy, will rii ilv !i.T d' i.M .v.-r h-'re. in I'hlL'l- TTeipjiii. "~n(xt .si'inufi, — .si II a lug "Tosea.- '9- 3. Solomon, rn inag'»r of the De IC lib, iW 'iklyr). has re.<ii;n d to ae- e<'pi a .similar .issii;nment at the Sunnysi h*. Sunnyslde, L. I.