Variety (Aug 1927)

Wednesday, August 3, 1927 VAUDEVILLE REVIEWS VARIETY 21 "THE PIRATES" ZD Mint- Mark Strand, New York ▲ Uvely little sonir production is h«r« offered aa tlie flnale and fea- ture of the Strand presentation, taking up about tin of ita 20 n)in- utea. Tlie rest ia not especially «nlivanlnK, except tor tlie solu dance bit of Cy. Landry, offered in on* ot the interlurtfs for a diiiiifjc ot set. Featurod in "The Pirates" arc Percy Hemus and National Male Quartet and Charles Bennington, on«-lacKed dancer, whoae specialty comes Into the pirate aettins ex- actly pat. Bennington was the ap- ]>lau8e number of tiio perfurniance. The other was I>andry, both beins men dancers. If that U ot any sig- nlflcance. "The Piratea" ha* a bright set- ting In a tropical Isle, with palms and rich goid-and-red skies as the background. Hemua and the quar- tet in pirate garb are In the centre tor the opening number, "HuituIi tor the Rolling Seas," rollicking tune. A treasure chest Is hauled out and the ballet girls In pirate boots and bare legs emerge from a trap door underneath. Two more lively numbers and chorus man- euvers worked up to a good tlninli. Wliat injured the opening dance number by Mile. Klemova was the dead lighting ot blues and greens that went with the introduction. Bar solo was "The Swan," which did nothing to perk the opening up. Margaret Scailling, soprano, sang "A Tree in the Park," from Peggy Ann," but this was rather quiot. A male quartet assisted liors and the number had an at- tnctlvo setting but somehow didn't register. Landry's eccentric steps to flli in (or ths pirate bit introduced here and scored, perhaps of Its comedy element. Rtuh. ROXY'S GANG (28) Musical Program 25 Mins.; Full (Special) Boxy A long lineup of excellent talent, Tocal and musical, in a "studio" presentation. Heavy applause aft- er each numt>er, and a good round •n the flnale, indicated that the eustomers were for it strong. Phil Ohman and Victor Arden, duet pianists, started with selec- tions from "Oh, Kay!" and followed With trick stuff Uiat needed dex- terity plenty. Oladys Rice, so- prano, had fair luck with classical number. Douglas Stanbury. war- bling "Mandalay," has a clean voice but went Into a hit on accompany- ing gestures. The Cavaliers, male quartet, scored with two pop pieces, the first accompanied by Charles Magnante, ■coordionlst. The Russian Cathedral Choir, 15 To ices, were costumed for what sounded like comedy in Russian. The men blend vocally to perfection and have something novel for pic- ture houses in their Russian stuff. The flnale, a travesty on "Yes, We Have No Bananas," Is rather aged but was a smash here. The entire gang took part in it, doing the once-famous pop number oper- stically and seriously. Other vocal soloists were Jimmy Melton, a nifty tennr; HaroM Van Duzee, also tenor; Adelaide De Lioca, contralto, and Rodolph Hoy- M, baritone. Phil Ohman, ot the piano duct, worked some pantomlne comedy throughout the presentation, get- ting laughs from both the audience and performers. It looked ad lib. Ho looks good for a stage band leader, although he may not care. Among "radio" programs on the stage this is of unusual quality. PALACE TAYLOR and MARCKLEY Songs and Instrumsntation 16 Mins.; Two (Spseisl) 85th St. (V P) A likeable deucer, with Dorothy Taylor, blues singer, handling vo- calising to accompaniment of Frank Harckley on banjo. The combina- tion is click tor ivesent spotting. Nothing remarkable. Just a nice No. t. HtSs Taylor specializes In "blues" and handles a few of them to good returns. Her partner strums the b.injo for them and works in a solo on the same Instrument w^hile Dot Is making costume change. A nother hot number by uot serves t6T a finisher and gets them away neatly. Edba. (St. Vaude.) An exceptiunally line, full show, with about all it takes to make vaudeville. It doesn't rale in nam's with s.iiiie ot til- II..p Ijills tliat liavc stoorl for the l/iKKi-.-^l ot wliat is stlli I'iK-liiii.- v.uid. ville, l;ut f.ir a loi- iection of wliam iiits and a Kreat | enlerlaiiiment, \\ilh variety. c1:lss. talent, speed and tiash, the best I'al- a- e .stiow in niot.ns. And—liow quick Broadway is to know those things. On a hot even- ing, Monday, It was practically a seli-uuc, which of late has been far from customary, Frank Van Hoven, next-to-cloaed, and what he did to the already laugh-worn and api>Iaus('-weary mob was a sin. For an act th.it spiiis so much water, ii.' can wmiil; tin tiudienee as dry as a Kansa.s candidate, and for a bird tliai lian- dies so much ice he can steam up the customers like a Turkish l>ath. \'an iioven was ait o\er the house and out on the sidewalk. His gags cracked and crackled so fast that the laughs going in met the laughs coming out, and the gang choked. He bad three kid stooges and he and the frowsy trio were all going to it at once in a dizzy routine of v.alloping guffaws. He no longer does the extensive ico bit, but gets as much fun out of one prop as an- other. \'an Hoven stands alone, the in- ventor, perfector and manipulator of a uiii(iut;, artistic, satiric method tliat IS as irresistible as it is inimit- able, lie was tlie ringingest sort of knockout at tlie i'alaoe. ICven the sketch was a success— miracle! Nance O'Neil In a 12- minute version of "The Lily" (New Acts) made her i>art ot it as big as the specialty performers lifted theirs. And B. A. Rolfe, closing Inter- mission, had the house on its feet. Seasoned showman that he is, r.olfe found a contact with the audi- ence just around the corner from tlie I'aiais D'Or, where he has func- tioned a long while, save them just the manner of band-trick amuse- ment they liked, held them 25 min- utes and left tliem cheering. His own trumpet solo was a smash. His boys cavorted in ail sorts of com- bines for comedy, harmony and ho- kum. The musical program was keenly selected and played to per- fection. Rolfe can and should enter the list for top honors In the biggest presentation houses, lie hasn't the massive organization of Whiteman, but outside that has everything any band ever had. His own iTistru- niental work is a headliner. His radio and record renown got him a big reception, so he Is a made "name" already. After all the de- cades he has been In many nooks and crannies of show business, he ia still young—and, the dramatic part ot it is, hs is at tho threshold right now ot his biggest accomplish- ment. Keller Sisters and Brother Lynch, opening the second course, clicked as they always do. They work without affections or assumptions, stick at their trade—harmony w.ar- bling—give a liberal but not prod- igal program, and never wear out their welcome. They stopped the show easily and witiiout framing for it. Clifford and Marlon were a wow. Here is an act that seemingly isn't too cocky to take advice. They've been together about tour or five known seasons, this straight boy and eccentric comedienne. They re- mained on small time aa long as Clifford tried to be a clown and the material was tainted. lJut now they have a new and brilliant run of chatter, and CiifTord is sensihl'- con- tent, except for one conversational single number which is good, to feed Marion. Tho girl, who has a colUipsiMe position of limp half-wit stvie, within half a minute after she enters and starts falling down ot her own weight has the audience so thor- oughly sold that every "answer" she lets fly rings the tiell. The talk, credited to Clifford (Nelson B.) on the program billing. Is snappy, short and wise. It Is clean, moreover. When Marion (Marie) makes a seml-str!p for a reappearflnce in her own person and shows an attractive, upetanding ■blonde girl, the reaction is surpris- ing and even thrilling. The team is qualified to do any spot in any vaudeville house anywhere a lot of i^ood, and should draw a lot of money here through revue producers coming In this week to look 'em over —a cinch bet tor one ot those It.SO babies. The Templeton boys suffered from poor spotting, following a two- man dance team and a girl acrobatii- dancer with oonflictlng material. Tho rhymed palaver in this turn Is scarcely up to snuR, and they talk too niu< h alwut tliemselves in it and make it tlius toujrh for thems.-lves. .<mall and .May.s. dark-skinned ch.Tps. deu,-ed ahead of tliein, with rare fio.ul uke il.uiMe, h.n tiuiny s. n-'s and stepping. Thi ir Li.igs got lauL;hs hut tlo'>- took too lonj; get- tini; to tlieni. Archie and Oertie l-'alls, opcniiif?, knocked the show in a cocked hat. The girl's upright rope and trapeze stuff, helped by her appearance, hit hard, and the | double Kice and Prevost business with a great blow-off tied the sliow tight before it had really got going. Another team that can Oil a spot. Oiiening shows with them is a soc- rilice. "The Act Beautiful" closed, a cruel assit^nnient, uuiniT on at 11 with an .act that sinirs up on quiet aiici slill-Iife. after Van Hoven. whose t.arpauiin has to be cleared. The walkouts were consideralde. The act Is all it bills Itself to be. with "Llllle," the pure white Arabian mare .and the English setters posing beautifully. iMit. •YKK8 and ENGLISH Songs 1 Mins.; One Stats (V-P) Two young men In summer dress of blue coals and llaniiel, do an Itutely straight turn, one of HIPPODROME (Vaude-Pcts) "My, what a big place you have'" exclaimed Little Red Hiding Hood as she selected a se.at from among the several hundred available. -All the better to echo with." snorted the Hipp sadly. It did not eye Little B. R. U. greedily. Why should it? She had paid her half- buck and would serve to soften some of the echoes. "Why don't you have a cooling svstem In a big place like this?" asked I,ittlo H. R. H. tartly. Tlie m.aseara around her eyes was run- ning a trifle and she was rather peeved. The Hipp thought a while. Then, thinking ot nothing better, it mut- tered "Aw, nuts." "What manners," murmured the girl. "Where did you get them— from your customers?" The Hipp looked guilty. "Well." it defended, "if you were on this treet all the time, maybe your man- ners wouldn't be so good, either. What with penny arcades, and nickle sandwich Joints and things like that, a person la apt to absorb some of the atmosphere. Sixth ave- nue, you know. Is not famous for Its Easter parail-e." Little R R. H. thoucrht a while. 'Well, niayhe you're ripht," Rh« said. "I guess it is rather Impos.sible to put on airs around here. By the way. who's on the Wlir* The Hipp smiled vroudly. "Bill Robinson." "How's he dolngT" "Great" ■•Wti.) else?" The Hipp through It over. "Well.' it said slowly, "there's Ina Alcova's dance net. it s really a very nice turn. .Misa Alcova carries a girl singer, two girl hooters, and a gen- tleman partner. She herself features some classic toe work besides her adiiglo and such." "How does this mob like that KOrt of stuffr* inquired tho little ladv. The Hipp beamed. "You can talk about my eustomers all you want," it replied, "hut now and then they ,show that they appreciate things like that. Ina is doing very well. "Ot course," it excused, "they like other things, too. Hunter and Per- clval, for instance. Hunter is a wop comic and he gets slapstleky at times. P.ut every customer must have his burlesque spots. "And rjeorgo and Ja^'k Dor- monde," it continued. "They are doing well, too. One of the boys does comedy on a unicycle, while Ills brother straights It on another uni. If a closlaar act is funny my boys'Il sit throus-h It." Little R. R. H. was bored. "Any- one else on the bilir" she yawned. ".May, Hurt, and Fenn, a vocal trio." the Hipp replied. "Doing fair- ly well. And XIck Reliis and sisters working on a trapeze in the opening spot. The feature pictur* la "Judg- ment of the Hills.'" The Hipp rubbed its bare mezza- nine meditatively. "Is there any- thing else you would like to know miss?" It asked scathlnjrly Little R R. H. frowned. "Yes" replied. "Why have you got Mrawlngs of pretty girls stuck In your frame displays Just like a bur- lesque show?" "Do you live around hereT Hipp countered. ".\o." The Hipp smiled .super i..i ly "I thought not," it rhucklod. has became almost the on1> tini'' there is. Tielor s Meals is a standard num- ber with a *;ood d.Ml novelty ir. its ro,itine. In..^t.'.ul of the se.il.- doin- the usual balani ing and the inevitable tinht rope walking, there Is a ' talking seal," an animal named •Jumbo," that emits grotesque noises at command, bearing a lu- dicrous resemld.ineo to 'Mania " Turn works «iih remark,il.le smoothness. It's a caidlal o|ienini; act on the stage, and Variety woul.l be d. liuhtcl to call it the perfe. t i turn. ..nly the seals are parked tliis ; week under Variety's back window I in the State alley during day time, and make hideous noises. Otherwise. It's a flrst nito number. Sykes and English (New Acts) are on second, giving uav to t'has and Collins, d ilnc the liiliv K. \v. lis sketch. "The Hill Collector," if t\|,i- cal hit of Wells wit, l.iud and fast but elTeetlve in Its hoke wav. Thi.s lir handles the song and LAlk rou- tine nicely, the blonde girl having an agreeable voice and feeding the points neatly enough. Good vaude- ville of its sort, but short on rough comedy, which was needed almut No. 3 In this frametip. Koiir Diamon.ls h.id the flrst po at d.m. inir. .-md sored a complete eleaniiii. Wayne and Warren ari> deliu'htful in thoir little cli.i.a. l, i sketch. "The iMst Cir." by Pan! Gerard Smith, a trille made out of the liu-htest materials, but mak- ing a bull's eye with Its real humor of types. Engaged couple are running tor the trolley car, shown In a trick Illumination on the back drop. They miss it ami (;o into the usn.il wrangle. Smitinicnl.il bit. and pill COS to si.-op while th.y wait for the last ear. They miss It. of course, ami finale is hoy carrying irlrl off In a good bit of knockabout that baa a laugh. Humor lies In the character types. "White Way Oaltles." familiar sort ot flash dance and song number with cnharet backgroimd used for closing bill. The billing desipnnles the croti,, as Louise lllva. appar- ently the ad.ipio dancer. Melvin Kle- g.al. P.elss Rros.. Andy Potter Trln, three-man Jazz nrehe.str.i. and Launi Sweet. Ten people altogether and much garnish setting are used. Cou- ple are quarreling at opening. Caba- ret proprietor warns them cus- tomers are coming and they're paid to dance. They go Into a dance duet. N'lght club bahilues do spe- cialties, most of them dances, while one of the clrls sings a pop num- ber. More dance and song specl.il- ties. and for the flnl.sh dramatic dance Is worked up. Two customers compete for han* of girl (the orig- inal dancer) and story Is told in pantomime. Man professional dan- cer breaks in for an Apache hit and at end threatens girl, who runs to balcony back state an.l, when boy shoots her. falls through railing to a catch as In the ada«io flnale Brisk routine, well varied, and holds attention 4o th« good ap- plause flnish. JTstA. them at the piano and other out front warbling. They work smoothly and with en- Bttgl n g bla n d — mawno i ' s, but - the number Is Just a light singing turn with no play for comedy or song novelty. They go in for melidious numbers, such as tho "Cossack .Song " from "Song of the Flame" and "'Russian Lullaby." Pleasant filler for the No. I spot. Frame up limits them. Their progrwM is merely a maiitji 9t materiaL Xuah. she the 5th AVE. t Vaude- Pc»») It seems a inly tli.it Keith-.Mbeo li.is found no \va\ to liro.idi-ast tha Jail when it books a good vaude bill anywhere. The neighbors don't ap- pear to believe it an things are. Hut K-A declared against radio,, perhaps under the same impression; that if the neii^lihors won't go to see K-,\ sliows they wou'dn t listen to !lie:n 111 (he ail. \\ ho h in ly or may not .■\|i|,nn why K - .V theinsilvi s il'P'-ar to h,. up in tile air so much iboiit their shows. Kxcellent six-act hill at the 5th .\venup Monday night. If the book- ers wish to apologize by saying they illiln't know it, that's okay. Some of the Orpheum circuit boys stopped in when the show was about halt over ' ti> «et a fla.'di ift the audience and Winder it the Palace, Chicago, was .my b.-iti-r. .\ collide of vet turns didn't do badly at all. with Keno and Green cuie of them. Keno and Green have lieveloped a real variety comedy turn. It contains a little of almost everything, and gets into the nutty classification of good fun makers. The couple work haid besi,les. Trav- esly. cross-lire, pigs, slapstick an.l (lances. The pair 'laie learned that so much of dancing will go so far. \Vh It they have substituted with Is Icoin.ily that means laughs and money. The other old timer was Sydney Grant, perhaps killing time while waiting for his chauffeur to change a tire. He is talking, singing and doing imitations, one new and pea.by—a l,iui;liin- trombone. Al- Ih.iuph at the .-.th Ave. the emphasis wh.'ti speaking of the auilience is on the bone. .Mr. tjrint carried along nicely .No. 2. with the lirst mixed tw.i-act, third, then Dora Msughan ( .New Acts). Miss Maughra had no trouble whatsoever. l.'ollowlng were Hall and Dexler. who later went inio the .luilan H.all orchestr.a turn (N'.'w Aias; with Hall hailinp. Th.' tw.i-aet (with an ..v..rd..se ,,f sl,i|,.sli,-li) w-eii 'iiouph. but K.no and Green would, have b.in bitter next to closliw^ whilst it would have worked more idvantageously for Hall and Dexter to huve liad the No. 3 spot, as far removed from their closing ensem- ble position .as p..ssilile. N..xt to closing d.iesn't si».ii more money any more on the K-A time. It's now a part of the bunk, with the s.hem.- to get them cheap down there and spend the big money on names that can't draw. An adiigio dance act that looked very good, but was not whottr caught In name or action opened Om show. Attendance about what you would expect with the neighbors In hiding. Sime, STATE (Vaude-Pcts) Bright specialty bill that woul." be a great entertainment for the grade, except that it l« light on vig.irous comedy. It h.a.s plenty of lighter momenta .«:attered among Its s ong and dance inter lude.^, but in the entire running there is not a sim-'le r.)bust laugh. The trouble is a sjmpt'.m of one of the things that hurt Intermediate class bills-it's too darn polite and up ..rtago. ICvcryi)Ody wants to do what used to be called "neat stuff," and a whole hill of "neat" remedy and i (l.ash settings and costumes Isn't the I Kind of enl' Ttainmenl tli tl built up I the infant, "small time ' that now 81 ST ST. (Vaude-Pcts) A swil. h in poll, y .at ih s lo ich- borhoiMl Is giving th.. ni„l, th.- I. .i- ture picture b. lore ami alter p.'r- fornianc.s. The change was prob- ably ma.le so that early retireia in.iy get in at seven and out at 10. The change has not visibly helped busi- ness to date. Monday night's mi.l. were late stragglers with most miss ing half the vaude show. If the pii-- ture was worthy of the draw it re- mains a secret as f.ir as this r. |,ort. r is concerned. He dl.in t wait. Busine.ss w.ls li'.-ht. witli s.-arceiy a third of the Kronn.i Moor gone even after the late comers had setll. d. The sliow h. Id live acts and "Time to Ixjve." Gordon's Comedy Canines opened, with the trainer putting his dugs through trif ks that displayed g-"^ training and also packed an esse ot comedy. Dorothy Taylor and Frank Marckley (New Acts) fol- lowed with vocalizing and instru- mentation that hit. Frank Sinclair and Co , the l.itt. r tho 'W'alnwright .Sist. rs and Louis.- Miller, repist. r.-.l hiuphs aplemv with • l.'ind l-aii anil J-oi.i Ian." Sinclair h in.ll. s his wis.-cr.-n k slull glibly. "I'lie Uainwr.plits piim-tuate tlie plot Willi some Ko'..l h.irmony numl»-rs. 'I'll" <.,mi,in.-d i-fiorls make th.- orr. nnp ilivi iiinL; an.l sure tire. \\ . II Ilk. ij In ri-. it reiinin..! f.ir Joe Wilton and Hex Weber in n.-xt to shut to run* a.way with tli." stiow. 'i'iiese r<a*ruil.i from burlesque have improved- tre- mendously since laist around and are now set with one of the best AMERICAN ROOF (Vaude-Peto) A stout woman with yellow hair walked out cold Into an exasperated audience feverishly mopping por- .splring brows and wet necks and tried to be funny. At that the girl .ilone might have succeeded desplto the poor material bet-ause she has a spark of that thing c.-ill.-d p.-rion- -illty. I!ut Miss M.->.-rs ..uri.^l aion« an extinguisher bili.-d as •Nolan. Ohiip.-.l i-r coliu-ily o- V\ eb. 1 -i ..juial sliiIT < bi next-to-clo^ la bofoe III. an.l V. nt i il' bull.s.-yi-. 'ill.) entire them in spa.sms tiiio V>* t,.-r s ' li.-ail iian" sti p- ni as a laugh gett<*r. V. 1,1 A S grea t as straight and their l>l(^ni rUUlllli! llie ts aroun.l 'III l.c-l.. .1 |..r .1 r..Ill in'- I. "1 ell.lilt Willi If proving a Joe Wilton With t to travel in the fastest of com- le.1 by se pany. The class feature was provl. "An Array of V.nith." ili .nin^ s..n.- and dance revue in (lo-^.i i.N.-w Acts). This one is mouni.-I w'b lavish hand and has tiib-nt to b o k up Its sarloriiil ei.;:^, llishin-nis Clicked hta^ily both m oi .'^-i i iiy and flash. to try tor com.-.ly on a.-- .•'.unt of her partner Miss Mej..rs lloiin.lcied about helplessly until h.y starte.l to give lier tho bird lioni the paili-ry. Then .\olan blow -ind the girl sang. She gave ths '-iist..mers about three minutes of the liiiest trick warbling they've lM:urd in probably two seasons and when she linally walked they wouldn't let her go. They made her come back halt a dozen tiin.-s and she could have remained on tho stai,-e half an hour an.l made 'em lbin|< it was 30 s.-.-onUs. And she only sung one i-.mipi.-te nutiibi-r. di.-aiipiiii; h'-rseir by pultin-.' oM-r nky c-xtra.-ti.dis froni otii.-rs. A 11.-w a<-t, .-iititl.-.l "11.'Ilj Honn.l. " foll.iw-i-d. A liad br.-ak for Hie ni.-il.. vo. alist who soun.l.jd flat afl.-r till. pr.-.-.-ilIng a.-t hut still lii.-iii.-ip. li to s. ll hiins. ll Ix-lore th.. ii'l of lb.- oir.-ring. i Why .MaiviM and White (N'ew I A. Is) w. n- el. i-ted to follow a flash rn a iii.. , soft try spot is not ren- il'-r.-d eomprehenslble through the liidirferent sliuwing made by an i ordinary song and dance team. I Gary and Haldl found the going easy but almost tiirn.-d tlie ti.le with la continuous li.-lupe of oid-fash- len.-d, budragpleil puns that didri t I raise a laugh ex. cpt from Gary and j Hal'li. G.-iry h is :i pl'-asing viil.-e - ami sc.,res stt-.tni^ly \'ii.-ally, but he_ 1 ta.s. s the ifcitit ii. .■ of the m<ib to '.-i|iri'it> wall till- lalk mat.-rial, j It'll \\ .lit.Ill .1111.- out bef.ire the .-l,.iw I I'.^'-'i ..n-l . Xi.l.iiii'-d, as usual, li.-it li.. ha.I t.) st.iy there 14 niln* i iit.-s and that he'd do It whether th. y liked It or not. They liked it. I What liert siioke about is not ot 1 any si»ee|al signlfi.anee. He put I till- ritz dT.'iwI ai.-ross In fine shai>e .i i u l ii ' .I I' d Wi l l i li i iii mMo(Tl.-.l ill a— el.,II.I of serene (-ahnn- ss. Wiiu h 111. y ailni.ri-d mightily and th-jre- iip.'n eoinniunicated their pl'-asiire ] y \ o. if'I ..US applausi- and n, whis- tlin-.; 1' ■■■.iiii,:rnin.f nt from the slielf. .1.,.- l-'.irif'.ii .in.l Co, i-lose.l with f;\.. i-.iii'ii'"f si.ei-dv aerobatics ■'I" \ in. hiding blindfolded somersaults ia the sir with rings for the foothold, lai'ullclcd (lumbec tof » o)<