Variety (Jul 1927)

WtdnMday. July 80. 1197 REVIEWS Again OB th« staffs this wt^ek. The latter, with tw'o other \lt>linistH, offer a unique uliing trio of Drdla'8 "Souvenir/* arr^nired by Willy Stuhl, houso foiuliictor. A aystem of tlioking the calLium in folo flashes on each of the threo vtoHnitits as er\rh took up ;i strain was an impressive presentation trick. Colleen Moore's "Naughty but Nice" was a satisfying comedy feature. **Paprllaccl" overtured and Fabiano, ant)ther member of the regular orchestra, contributed man- dolin interludes. Show obviously iKiced for eco- nomy In ^•^ew of th<' stionpT fli» ker feature, but witli llie banU idea the supporting show played quite im- pressively. Iftei. PRESENTATIONS STATE (BOSTON) Boston. July 19. Record-breaking combination of heat wave and iiumidity did not prevent a Monday night house near- ly capacity in this uruetri^erated Xjoew house. Answer was the fea- ture film. "Callahans and Murphys," combined with Phil Spitalny's sup- ];>osed flna^ week witii iiis orchestra. Last week's teaser showing the free-for-all flprht at the Irish plenlc was a clever bit of acivance adver- tlalnff In a town where the populace Is overwhelmint?ly of Iiish nativity. Picture llvt'd up to its billing in that It is a picture that the Irish like. Praotically one continuous laugh, and the fact that some riotous pos- cdbllities were unoxplalnably passed up in the directing and some of the sags h<ave been chewed by moths does not alter the fact that it went oyer both as a draw and a bill. Feature single was Llora Hoffman, who, througli a typoKraphical error (?) was programed as Nora Hoff- man, and the Irish audienoe loved her all the more for her new name. She made the grade nicely with three rather ambitious numbers. Spitalny used two novelty eflei t.s to back up his orchestra. One a moon- light for "Floods of Spring" and the other the burninpr city cvclorama for the "Midnight Fire Alarm." It is typkjal of Spitalny that he changed over bis program be tween matinee and eveninsr because it did not reg- ister to his satisfaction, but last night's show crashed over apainst the terrible heat and brought out enough applause to satisfy him. He used Steve Weniger for "I Lfove No One but You" as a repeat and flashed "Mickey the Dancer" again with a new routine. Spitalny is hovering over his team during their playing iiibre eloeelv than ever and this is resulting in a marked improvement in his routine. Ha also has given P«>rry Bechtel, lilt banjo player, a solo encore this week which was the outstanding surprise of the unit. Th« house loved it. The newsreel giving a flash of Deinpsey showed a surprising re- sponse for the ex-champ. The new house organist, Birge Peterson, Is making the grade with a vengeance, having his heart in his work. In addition to getting the house Into an almost sinking mood with the sonff-plugging slides ac- tually works in effects for the news reeli and short bits that are bring- ing long-needed laughs into this part of the program. Libbeif. GERTRUDE LAWRENCE and "Bits from Chariot's Revues" 30 Mins.; 0ns. Psramount, Mew York. Here's a whale of an idea, cap- able of unlimited dev<'l<»]iiM»Mit. briefly the punch is the exi)loitation of a leading stage star in a setting of bits from her best known musi- cal comedy performance. Possi- bilities in publicity are there, and as demonstrated la the pre4<3at In- stance, the scheme workt out splendidly as entertainment. I'or this, Miss Lawrence's first picture theatre or vaude appear- ance, a group of bits and fragments have been neatly strung into half an hour s smart and sightly enter- tainment, with the aid of half a dozen men and women principals selected from the English come- dienne's revue associatee, and 16 dancing girls of the Paramount chorus. Miss Lawrence will not travel with the unit. This production is programed as devised and staged by Andre Char- lot. The series of btts> dances and numbers, opens with "Parisian Pierrot," with Miss Lawrence in stunning get up as a French novelty dolL A pantomimic ensemble dance goes with this for pretty, flashy stage effects in drapes and lights. An interval is given over to a series of black outs ealled **tiicred- Ible Happenings" from the Chariot shows, such as the "Considerate liarber," "Spendthrift Scot" and the like. Miss lAwrenoe dOMi her famous "LimehOus^ Blues" number, with a pantomimic story dance, and there is another talking bit by the company, showing first a stage episode with the players mumbling .their lines, and then with the same cast, after a panning from the re- viewers, going t» the other extreme^ Miss Lawrence then returns for her neatest comedy number, a gem for its grace and dainty humor, "I Don't Know," an English flapper's own recital^ of a raiiroaiA> tndn flirtation. For the fmish the whole com- pany, together with the felallet ftt'e on for an ensemblf, imeClMir flash that rounds out the presentation nicely neatly. The entire presenta- tion is a trim and stimulating novelty for this typs of show, hrisk in running and captivating in style. The Idea Invites elaboration and modification, having endless possi- bilities in the framtniff of Intensive, unifled hAlf*h9ttr bntsftal^msnt forma. If the scheme is developed as it should it is bound t(i> bring to the picture-and-specialty type of show a distinctly superior element of theatregoers. : Ru»h» STRAND (NEW YORK) New York. July 16. The stage offering is boosted Strongly this week through th^ ap- pearance of the De Marcos. It is 4ottbtful whether the dancers mean anything to picture houses as a name as yet, but there is no doubt as to the effect on the audiences following their performance. "The Doll Dance." preceding the De Marcos, with Betty Rees and the ballii eorps. le nicely planted round a square little green house With a row of evergreen trees in fhs IrtieKground. Fach of the trees harbors a doll, the girls gradually emerging toward the centre of the stage. Margaret Schiller and Richard IBM duo, "Ladder of Love," to fair returns, followed by Gus Mulcahy with harmonica novelties, which resulted in a demand for an encore after several bows. Program as a whole is of better entertaining value than the average with tUa, fWitWifc aim, "7^^ Pn»r Nut,** to be considered as the money-getter. SENATE (CHIC AGO) f'hlmtro. .Tilly 12. If the Senate kcf ps giving em the Shows they have been. Its competi- tor, Marhro, will be wondering. This w^eek, 'Circus Weok" (Presen- tations), about the most realistic thing seen in picture houses in many n moon. I'eature picture, "Manpower" (Par), jvlth Rlch.nrrt Dix, drrw own weight. And now, with the addition of Vitaphone there's no telling. Vita is new in the Senate- or any W^st Sido the atre. Al Jol.son and the Four Aristot rrit» provided the first Vita bill. For a time a lively fight ensued between tiie Se n- ate and Marbro for exclusive Vita. It was decided both Iimm^os would Show Vita beginning July 11. ""DUTCH FOLLIKS" (m Stage Band snd Specialties 47 Mins.; Full (Special) Harding, Chicago liOtt Kosloft and His Syncopators have a crackerjack set and a good routine with just enough song, dance and comedy to sell it. Last week was I x)u' s time a t the Harding and hit iltth In ptettire houses. So far it looks as though he is going to go like a houss aflre. Through his looks, personality and manner he has created a folKiwini? that has good promises of commer- cial value. Band very good, with the brass in it tooting away to delii^ht all, mak- ing it a good picture house outfit. All presentations try to gint ttrtgin^l and novelty sets, but this was about the best staged and most success- fully original. The setting was Hollandlsh with windmills and all In the background. Even the pad- dlefl of the mills rotated and each had a set of lights on it. The band wore blue and white Dutch boy costumes. The opening number consisted of the band, eight Gould dancers, and Ann and Jean, v^iudevllle team. The dancers were dressed as flowers and Ann and Jean as a Dut<h boy and girl. Then, came the business of the boy and girl sprinkling the fiow- Laurels went to Mark Fisher and his Merry Music Mast< i n. Murk ha.^ only a J.l-piece band, but what music! An «'X'client brass team, but his tiddle section is a little too straight. Mark's voice is golden, with plenty eC v el um e phis pfirsnn-i ality. era until they bloomed. They did in .ipinopriate rc>utint\ iJiilie Randall r;ii«'d hii;h with two numbers, a pop .song and a Rus- sian dance, playing the fiddle ut the same time. Myrtle Uordon fol- lowevi with t!ir«'e pup sv)iit;:s and registered, iier sweet manner and personality give her the winning way to sell her stuff. Ann and Jean* sister team, created tiulto a disturb- ance Willi several pop songs, but their foirt'e was an acrobatic somer- sault number put over with gusto. Th">st> Kirls art' there. The clould u.mcers (8) arc .step- ping along very nicely and are a permanent house feat\u-e. Their number. "The Dutch Black l?(>ttoiti," is a choruii bhu k bottom dance with slow motion to a Dutch number with ihserts of the B. B. proper. Routine is good. Costumes clean and nice looking. Clem Daeey followed with a song, lecompanied by Marie Peterson, who did a butterfly dance Inter- preting the song. Ducey'a street clothes were proper for the occasion and the girls' costume Of a butter- fly okay: Good number with pathos ind color. Kddie L^uubert, slapstick <ome*ly artist. Wowed with his line ot chat- ter and his grotesque shoes, which are big enough to lit tlie Colossus. He ran from one side ot the stage to the Other telling a story and trip- ping over the shoes. Then he left to allow .Tan\es Clark to sing a Spanisii number while he changed costume. When Clarfc ended Lam- bert came back and gave an imita- tion of a woman, wearing another pair of shoes just as large as the first, but of the female variety. The windup comes when Clark, dressed as a Spaniard, and T-.ambert, as a woman, do a comic love scene. The shoes and the way I^ambert ma- nipulates them are a riot. This is great picture houssitteat, and is put over Al. The eight Gould dancers, accom- p.'inied by the entire cast, closed. The number played by the band was Dutch, and the whole thing was in keeping to a Hollandlsh effect eVelt to tha woden shoes of tlie cast. The KoslofC outfit alternates weekly between the Harding and Senats,.' ^^--'J^ ' ''CIRCUS WEEK" (42) Stage Band and Specialties 60 mine.; Full (Special) Senate^ CHieago. What a perfbrmance! The ushers .sold popcorn and peanuts up and down the aisles, while the singers, dancers, "ahil •tikjir freaks,'* pa- raded to the soitr iiiiislc 6f the red- coated band. Here tliey come! I'eanuts! Pop- corn! Fritters! Whoopee! Many circus presentations have been seen hereabouts, but none so complete. The opening, in 'one," was the tfiual ballyhoo stuffC with a Uttlo ej(tra hoke by Chas Chase and Liew liutler. Next scene, full stage, showed the band oh the stand in a typical big top "inside." Mark Fisher made his appearance at this spot and con- ducted the number in his original styls^ Fisher can certainly get a FREDDIE WELSH PI VARIETY OPERA AS ROAD SHOW '(Coniinued from page 1) « ipg friends of other days wh i might I n:.te in the role ot Aelfrlda 'lUiiiU'il I'i \>ii\ i» I ".re 1 ) i»>tni*'rly witlj the .Met, will alter- while oonie to his aid now. None camel Ralph Kiiolle and .ludson H.. i^t». forth <'Xcopt 1 li\\\iT Th'» l.itier I'liors. will t.'ike turns ^vith tlid much wor»i in spotim« circles 1 l»'»tl male part of AethelAold. then. The lawyer aftected Uy the scene was almost unable to t.ilk becnuse of em<»ti'tn .md a»«ked .be court to dismiss ibe coTupl imt. Maicistralo Mi Qu.id«'. v\ ell knwss n in the sporting field, and of the New York CJianis' fimr. imi'u>di.»lely as- sente*!. Frevldie left. :»»xoiupunied l>.v his co-defeiulani. l>elaney. W elsh. 41. and looking much older, uave his address as Wesst 35th slretn. In the Days When ... The or^'A h i. Ii.ittt|»i"!ifoe was lined wiih wiinklc>. It w.is stated authoritatively that Freddie never drank until he bett Ritihie. l<\ast company and dough sped rapidly. Freddie's face was puffed and he bore a discolored optic that he received in the .stre«'t l»r;iwl P:i- trolman C;corf;e Meyers of ihe \N'est 47th street station testified he came across the pair at .•»4th street and 9th avenue. They wno qoing sre.it "guns." A crowd of over 100 gathered, little knowing that an erstwhile champ was strutting his sttiflf. Both were "btu:;:.^!"' by Meyers. A Bellevue arufuil irice surgeon patched Welsh's rij;ht eye. Delaney escaped unscathed. Cronies who knew Freddie well In the days whi-n sii.l it wns notbin;; for hitn to .spend a i?rand a night on .a p.'xriy. The same spokesman said that Freddie's heart w;is broken wli»>n his wife and two chil- dren left him. His lawyer friend said: "They speak of Gene Tunney being a bookworm. I know for a fact that Welsh was an omnivorous reader and .a stndt^nt of philosophy. "Welsh," continued the l.iwyer, "read classics and all heavy works. He had a friend wlio w.is a noted writer. When the latter died he be- queathed Welsh his library." Welsh, concluded the attorney, was a real gentleman. ni. h.ird Hale and Henri Scott will .ilU'inaie witli tlie llaiigar. and DudUy Marwick and .\llre<.1«> \ .ib>iui will IciTulle the accu.^ part, A th*»riis of .">!* i! d i!i or.hest of aiii»ro.vin'.at>'ly the s.inie niitn- bcr Will l»e cairied, making lh«% .'^liow a heavy traveling propo-si- i I ti'n. Dpeninjjc dale is in \N .i>'iincloa late in October. "Henchman" was given for >>even perfoi riianc»'s at the Mrt la.st sea- s. n and .'^t»ld out each tmie. •lotn^ such a phonomehaV business that word got ar»>und that in tltese .m'ven performances, the Met KOt bat k its luin<^ prt>duction cost. Although the Met makes quHe a. point of brif.i^'itii^ oUt new opera.s. this is the lirst one since ' tJirl of the CJolden West" that has created such a demand that it had to 1m> toiire(l on the legit plan with eight shows weekly, l^^ven the last l»uc- cjnl work, "Turandot," created no sucH furore. That "llont bnian" is the fir.st grnulnely successful Amerituu opera has a great deal to do with if. for the previous tries, such as HerU'rfs "Natoma," n.iinrosch's Cyrano,' etc., didn't click. PICKFORD CONTEST lot of music out of 15 musicians. He was in sport attiro. in uUiking con- tra .st to the "circus musicians clothes" worn by hls band. Lluyd and Itrice, cuckoo acro- bats, reiK'ated tl>eir success at other houses. When Paul Ash starts 'em they stay started. The boys work with a serious, solemn, expression that tickles the funnybone. Th* 1# Qould dancers followed. The gals were dressed In costumes of feathery material to represent a "horse ballet." Snappy and good. Peggy Bernler and her baby talk sings next. Peggy still does her daily dozen while singing. Prob- ably if they tied her hands she couldn't. She sang typical Bemier songs with score about perfect. Chaz Chase wowed as usual. The l>oy does hot stuff, such as eating matches, cigars, cigarets. stiff Preston Sellers, organist, contrib- utes an organ solo wa-ekly. He's riding the crest of popularity. The attendance at the Monday matinee riv.iled somr* of tli<-> e vening gatherings in the otb«^r house's. A festive atmosphere pervades the Senate at all times m tking you see double aiMi feel singl«»- shirt bosoms, or what have youY What a freak for "Circus Week." Mark obliged with a vocal num- ber that demonstrated his strong personal following. Applause was heavy and continuous. Fisher worlds up a mob enthusiasm that makes 'em eat out of his hand. A dog act, probably" rerrult*»d from vaude, fine. The dogs, wolf- hound type, hurdle and Jump. Weise Trio next, supplied the thrills so necessary to .a good cirwus show. Finale heavy. Four girls, evl- dentiy out to "outstrip- th^ HHl, (Continued from page 1) automobile piiking up bundles on street corners. I^rchasers of papers from news- !)oy8 would find the vote coupon clipped, and along with it. on its back, a portion of the day's news. The public raved and cussed and complflints came pouring In to the paper. It .nn.aily ran a strip .across the front page cautioning purchas- ers and subscribers to see that the vote coupons had not 'lieen re- moved. Carriers ami n»»wsboy8 were warned against taking the coupons. iPlaoes of business and. residences were continually arinoy»'d by visits of men .and women .seeking copies of u.scd Tribunes and coupons. News boys, interested In soms oan- dldateH. had sipris on their stands urging votes for the girls in ques- tion. Paper purch.asers frequently were asked by the boys to let them cut out the coupons. A number of complaints rel.itive to thefts of pa- pers were reported to the i)olice. People throughout the entire city were pestered for their support. Everybody breathed ;i sigh of relief when the contest ended early this week. ILL AND INJURED .lust as soon as his injured legs w ill permit, Arthur Hrysim (Hi y- '.son and Jones), colt)red dancer, will join tKe new Miller and Lyles show. ' Hang Tan^'." Uryson was shot in both legs at the Nest Club, 169 West 133d street, New York, JunS 7, by a white man who was visit- ing the place at the time, llryson's partner, Scrappy Jiiues, is api>earing with the show unvil his partner re- joins him. Florence Reed, at the lUltmore. Los Angeles, In "The Shanghai Gesture." was recoverlngf from an operation, but sufTered a relaiwe when she was informed of the deatli of her mother. Mrs. Holand Heed,, in New York. Miss Heed, underwent a throat operation, in- terrupting the run of the show. Cecil Lean (Lean and Muydeldl has recovered from his recent op* eration and is recuperating atXafes .Sunapee, N. H. IJiane Kane, stage actress and sister of Lois Wilson, is 111 at the Hollywood Hospital, Hollywood* Her illness developed from a cold, while visiting at the home of Iter sister in Beverly Hills. Lila McComas is re( overing from a m.'ijf>r operation at th« Crood Samaritan Hospital, Los Angeles. Miss McComas was hurt In a fisM from the b.ick of an eleph.nnt last January, while working in a pic- ture. Chic Sale left "flay Pares** In rhicatro this week to imderKO .in operation for appendicitis. Sena- tor Murphy replaces Chic. John Qarry, manager of the Clin- ton .Square. Albany, N. Y. fnims). Is In the Albany hospital recovering from a serious Illness. He formerly was manager of the Empire theatre at Glens Falls. MARRIAGES Ix>l8 Boyd, screen actre.Hs, to Lou Brlckson. orchestra director at Montmartre Cafe, Holly vrood, In Los Angeles. July 9. — Jo sfi ph — S to pak, —fVrst vio li rd s t T Hoxy theatre orchestra, to Celia Bran, singer, in New York, July 13. Mario Basiola, Metropolitan Opera b.aritone, and Cilcrina CJobbl. for- merly of iiali.iri Opira Co. New York City, at Cliiin h of the Holy Angels, Chicago, July 14. Catherine Davis, actress, to Jo- se(»h H. I'ortuj^al, mining engineer, some time tins month. NLarrlag** license was obtained in N»'W Vork City. ^ made half-hearted attempts to do tricks on the rings while everyone yelled themselves hoarse. You've goi tot go some to heat this show. Hah: Hnh! Circus Week! K^d pop. balloons: H-re tlK-y cornel Hot Uog.s, i»eanuis, and crackerjack I Hna under NOTES For the eighth season . ia^ aMjL'c es- sion Lasses wfrt#^-'>-''MJiilkels (white) is getting ready for its tour of the south ini.1»*r th» T>ersonal manugcnient of William Spaetli. Few dates for the new road sea- son are being penciled in at this time by the New York legit book- ers covering the southern territory, hard hit by the flood this year. ^Thi— Shuberts. —who wr^'b the Lehn afid i'iiik building whicii oc< upie.H a whole block at Morton and Greenwich streets, will use it ts hoii.so th ir ••Mtir-(. i)roduftion de- partment under one roof. The return of Alf. Darling to the Bronx last week to manage the Koyal b d to tlo' report iliat he wa.s returning pertna/M-ntly. Ala return is for throe weeks only, pinch-hit- ting. a otro ss i m iM 'i j w (•oritraft to i;du< itiooal, to Theodora' W. I-'la fire-ry. 'lon-proff s- sional, at Burb.mk. Calif.. July 16. [{ride has been pitying feminine leads oppo'^ite Lloyd Hamilton. }f:irry Delf to J.-inri" I'.fH on. 1 n(#n-pr<»ffSHion il. June I'f. .n i Vork City. Dave Tustig, ut ti' tal rnanag^T for the .sfcirior-liliri lerman chain, is resigning to become associated with the I'nlty \'aud*»vllle K.xchanj{e. Capitol stock do.^ed at the .NcA- [ C ii>itol. Albany, where they hitvo j be'-n i»ia ving ^ince Ax>ril I.