Variety (Sep 1927)

/•dnetday, September 7, 1W7 .,N A CABAHBr* Loui» KnUmail aiMI Ore»*l»t«» Full Stag* Boxy (Peto), N«w York featured In the Roxy "n^vue picturesque" Louis Katzman.' of radio tame, is properly lield- down to about two orchestra aelectiona. The costuming of the band la not exceptional, and placed amohff the lavlab .scenic and coatume displays m thla houae, lost entirely. This presentation aeema without par^iMel. I-icklng staee space, no other liouse In America could dupli- cate thlS-Bltort. Roxy has produced the "Cabaret" par excellence. The floor show, with boys like Joe Ross, •ttho appears in a simple Eton makeup and delivers a dancing routine which is eccentric In tact and not only In billing, la ot an exceptionally high calibre. King and King, making their flrst appearance on Broadway, are spot- ted next to eloaiac. Only stayed about four or Ave minutes. A pair of expert tappers tlic likp of whom aro sadly needed In what is k^ft ot class vaudeville. They have noth- ing but new stuff In, their routine, all ot It clicking tor' the heaviest applause of the evening. Adelaide de lioca, featured aong- * stress, two-spotted effectively in this revue with ".So niue." The Roxy chorus join in fur the fini.sh of the number. Fifth In Appearance are Dolores and Eddy, a, team of comedy dan- cers doing a rough and tumble Bowery number. L.:iug:hs come easiljr for this pair at tlip rate of 20 to the minute, the climaxer top- i>lng everything where the giil Slides from her partner's leg. The tough impersonation is imoxag- gerated and handled neatlj. "Salade Itallene a la Kusse" is a . brief harmony choir In which the Walters are called together with a whistle for some serious singing. (The leader gets by on fuhny busl- heas with vocal eccentricities from aome of the boys helping. Katzman and his band are the wsak link in the lineup. He doea hot nt In with the skillful, high pressure, surefire ganp that Roxy has assembled for ttu' weekly amuaement fare. By himself, per- haps, in a smaller house he might khow up to better results. "In a Cabaret" may be consid- ered an outstanding example of what the mob likes In the way of presentations. Having, practically without exception, a group ot real performers, song and dance artists with new and clever material, and backed with beautiful scenic and lighting effects, It hits the right angle between vaudeville and the framed Inanimate scenic layouta that have In so many oases passed im presentations haretoftwc. PRESENTATIONS—NEW ACTS VARIETY 87 Orpheum, San Francisco After a pt-riud of rctirftiu-nl. John Hyama and L,eila Uclntyre are ImoIc in vaudeville wltl| a comedy satire, written by William Collier and Charles Henry Smith. It Is a hodui -pi'rtfc'e of nonsensical HYAM8 and MclNTYRE •ketch "All in Fun" IS Mine.; Pull Stage dialog, cleverly whipped together and providing plenty of laughs. At curtain Miss Mclntyre is prac- ticing scales on the piano, when Hyama makea mysterious entrance. Dialog reveals he is an author, liv- Ing in apartment above. He is bothered by her playing. Insists on reading her his new drama, under penalty of marrying her if she re- fuses to listen. They act out the drama, about a burglar visiting a home in search of plunder. Dialog purposely twisted and jumbled. At exit of burglar, lights up and Hyams re- turns to go Into patter song about marriase. CTouple are then sup- posedly married and have tlu ir (ir.st quarrel. More senseless dialog and for finale, she thumplns ft piano to' again attract Hyams. Blow cur- tain. In the hands of less exp<'ri< need delineators this sketch might prove meaningless, but as givaa by IMnuns and Mclntyre It clicks. Both are finished performers and their loHK layoff seemlnt,iy has made little cliange in their ability to de- liver. Opening matinee audience liked the skit and liberal. Four curtains. After a few more performances for shaping it should have no tro'ut>le registering Urttll any Orpheum audience. . ", ALFREDO and JEANNIE (8) Songs and Dancing It Mine.; Three (Special) Wi Ave. (V.P) Nicely arranged flash, working without loss ot time and packing punchy soiit' numbers between the blforu of the dancers. Alfredo and Jsaanle do the classy business with Just the right amount to Impress pustomers in smaller houses of this kind. Opening with ballroom dancing Alfredo does an exact imitation of the De Marcos, the costumes, makeup and gestures. In addition to the steps, being similar. While lack- Aw """"h of De Marco, Alfredo is no mean hoofer and for those who never heard of De Marco, a pushover. A sextet of songsters (ntrlgue the luteners to a certain extent, gain ing recognition toward the end as powerful lung exercisers. The weighty prima donna is not in keep- ing with the balance. She not only exercises her lungs but .adds g.-ir Bung and nose sounds. To the lat ter additions no one seems to Uke W lJ;divSr~""' i.«^*l!Lf°"*"™.«* "»* built up with •*proprlat« actnlc settings, the act HAMP and BECK and Ctt. («) Comedy « 25 Mins.; One and Fntl (•paeial) Sth Ave. (V-P). L B. Hamp, comic, and Gertie Beck, soubrette, appeared together on the Columbia Wheel. They bring to vaudeville a snappy style and a minimum of effort for the maximum laughs. At the Sth ave- nue their act was all kinds ot a hit It will now, presumably, be only a question ot salary. Turn opens somewhat abruptly with a skit. Husband returns to his apartment with his friend to prova that he knows tfao color of his wife's aya, disputlas the friend's clalnt. th«t manlsd men don't pay thwt SMiiil 'IMaaalSII to I their wives. ' CalliaV tm wttt tka hlsAand cries: -ivMt, aumi. Ssesm!" Brown appsact tmm t)t» aloast and says: "I oonfaaa awH^^aUas." Black- out. Farley Slaters All la "^OM" Wltk a high-kicking dance. Full stage again with Hamp and one of the men (Larry CliPford or Harvey Howard) as street cleaners, singing a song about having gone broke at the race track but still following the horses. A goof "undertaker" cross-fires successively with each of the street cleaners, who repeat the gags to one another with the point coming first. "Did jrour mother ever have any chlldrea" and "My dog never eats meat—I never Slv« him any" are s.aniples of th#. that are later botched. ■Xite in 1*TT" Is an aiairttw earl- cature, winding up by a husband killing his wife's lover for reneging in a pinochle game. "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes," lntro<kiced by Miss Beck and the Farier Sisters, was burlesqued by the three men in grotesque blonde wigs and dresses. •StiU later in the same number (finale) the m«>n appear in outland- ish nightgowns'and peffarm a ttal- loon dance. The act consumed 25 minutes but ran fast and had "em laughing most of the time, with now and then near-hysteria. Hamp made no ef- fort to hog the spot or the material. liUss Beck, blonde with a figure, Mndles herself neatly. Turn is hokey cnoiigh to go up •against the "Irish" pktnres now current and give the vaudeville a chanoa to hold iu own. F. A M. "FUR IDEA" Band and Specialties 53 Mine.; Full (Special) Locw's State, Los Angeles (Pet). Cliff Nazarro. former vaudevll- llan. got his start here with a Fur I'.ishion Idea that Fanelion and Marco did with a local fur concern to allow the latter to show Its cur- rent wares to large assemblages at one .Ime. t>ue to thla tie-up the show was an entire specialty one. Nazarro, one of those two-third pint iiuman dynamos In st.iture, went after his mob hammer and tongs on the flrst stansa ot the flrst day. He had a dress rehearsal show in back ot him. It was slow and draggy in spots. But this kid having been through situations of this sort beff^re si.'ppeii to the fore and gathered together the lo s' ends so as to detract the attention of the cash buyers from the waits, here and there, and did a nifty Job ot it. Xazarro seems to be at home with the stick. He has a great 18-piece sta.- e hand to work with him and seemed as though the boys wore for him from the start as they re- sponded to his every beat of the t.iton. Besides that he did a couple of chants, ttild a few gags, got a number of laughs on a blackout of about 25 seconds and then con- cluded his endi a\iirs liy doint: a bit of eeientrio lnM>fint; whi.-h ton- eluded with the Russian hock atei)s to Jaaz music. He has a plea.slng personality. Is versatile and looks as though he Is going to set right with those who do their weekly worshipping ,at this shrine ot amusem*-nt. Outstanding in the specialty por- tion ot the performance were Rudy Weidoeft, saxophonist, and John Maxwell, tenor, with Frank Stever, the regular fixture as the house baritone soloist, doing his chores on three separate occasions and keep- ing himself In good grace with his admirers in the auditorium, Weidoeft did a couple of classical and hot numbers on his "vacuum" cleaner, as he calls his instrument, and had them real hot. Maxwell came tbrcuigh with an operatic aria In double voice, costumed half male and halt female, and proved to be a panic, as they never got this boy's staff in this house before. Then he flnlshed up with a ballad on the double toi>e that sent him over for all time. A nifty team of specialty dancers are Bamett and Clark, mixed, who some time ago won a black bottom contest and got their stage start with F. & M. as a result. These youngsters are a smart little couple of novelty tap step artists and con- cluded their efforts with a tap black bottom that la always sure to cause the five digits on each hand to be put into use tor approbation. Thi^e Co-Rds, nice girls, did a bit of harmony singing. Three In num- ber, they rendered three songs, just one too many for these girlies, as they were on too early to rouse the crowd to a pitch that ther wanted an avalanche ot lyrldsatlon. The fur promenade had .lome 20 aduit sized models and one young- ster. The garments were valued at $100,000 and from the Impression the stage walkers made with the audience looks as though they must have been v\'orth what the program stated. 'With the girls doing their leg strutting, Frank Stever man- aged to relieve the tenseness by chanting at v Jious intervals. It was a good stunt, especially for the male mob, who give their thoughts to other things than tnra around Sept. 1. Vng- JOE REA'S California Night- hawks Revue (14) 22 Mins.: Full (Special) Pantagai, Lot Angeles (V-P) Joe Ilea ha.s a w inner in ttiis act. Considerable changes for tli- tx tter are noticeable as comitaretl witti the turn he had last year. Kleven men include .lerry Kbb\-. eoniltii tor. A great looking liuiuii i>f l»o\ s wHh plenty of that vim and viijor stuIT. Ver.«;>tility is marked, with most ot the bi>ys doubling in song, dance or comedy. .No strings, but red hot and blue l>rass and reed sections that stand out In ryhthm and tempo, yet never becoming boisterous. Vnlque arrangements set the mu- sic off in style, delivered iu ilotil>Ie- h;uTe!ea T,i,..|noii l*:tit»\- has a pleasing tenor, saleable in the man- ner he puts Ills songs over, and na a director puts himself across In style. Jim MrNatnara, bass sax. liaa .show stoppiuK routine.^ in his hoofing, while Kalph Jackson, trum- pet, is an apt comic wtth-a 'food sense of mugging. ■Vivian Downej. peaches and cream soprano and a nifty frotti any angle, lends class while in a tableau and later In a l>rief an- nouncement of a blackout. The girl, blonde, pusaessea a sweet pair of pipes and knows how to sell. The* Itlackout. on "Dangerous I>an ^!c(;re^^■." with the iianre punch. Is well done aifl .in easy laugli bringer. Of the band numbers, "Cinder- ella" is oulstandtag ..wlth> Jtlss Downey opposite Bbjr'for the vocal choruses. r.and jjersonnel includes Jerrj' Kl)y, director-tenor; Jim MrXa- mara, bass sax-dancer; Halph Jackson, trumpet-comic; Jack Smith and Stanley <:rul>l>. saxi's; Clayton Tewkesbury, rtrst tnmipet; Leo Daugherty, trombone: Harry C!o- been, drums; Joe Jahnson, tuba: AI Allison, pianist-arranger, and Joe Tonge, fli|tai sax. Roberta Tewkesbury and Eithal IiSa pass in the tableaux. 3 DANCE MANIACS Colored Oanasrs t Mins.; Ons Broadway <V-P) Two boys and a girl badly in need ot stage direction, but show- ing such a wealth of assWtls« and talent as to cover their eruditles whr» devote instrumental fOUR VOCAL40N8 •nstrumsntal 15 Mini.; One Audubon (V-P) Quartette ot men •host of their act to numbers collectively, with vocal se- KcMnn i b y wa y e f raijlug th e; routine. They all pl.^ guitars. I Tne act makes a falrlv good Im- pression, morn with lis inslru- roenlal stuff than the vocal. The mu.s.c 1, of the type that appeals to the neighborhoods. At the uptown houae the returns] •ra favorabla. Maris, JUNE and JO Songs 10 Mint.; One Bresdway (V P). A blonde and a brunet, harmon- izing on published numbers with ability sufficient to take care of an t*rly -pot tnr middling liills. The girls accompany themselves on ukes In the closing numbers. These should be tuned with the orchestra, or the orchestra finale shouM he admitted. The discords are grating. Fair possibilities tor picture CHARLOTTE ARREN Song and Dance 2 Mins.; Presentation Paramount (Pet), New York On In the midst of John Murray Anderson's "Joy Helles " Miss Arien starts off nicely but eases up through reiMtition. I'rogramed and costumed as a bellhop .she trots out on the end ot a specl.al lyric credi- ted to Die Olsen and Isham Jones. What the lyrics or melody are about can't be remembered, but, .inyway. Miss Arren's principal bid is through an eccentric dance em- l)haslzing the physical. A protruding and retarding neck is a feature of this as also a gro- tesque shape when viewed In pro- file. Miss Arren. Incidentally, is small and thin. S he skips about. Spotted In the middle of this presentation the girl Impressed on her entrance but killed off the In- terest through not having anything to follow It up. A little more ver- satility in iter number and Miss Arren will add value to the Puhlix unit as welt aa iierseU. Aid- tor U^e smallar ' The girl is a specialist In dances derived from the black-bottom. They are well done but not good tor better audiences because ot be- ing too rough In execution. Her black stockings don't blend with her costume. The boys have a mob of nifty steps and could get much better returns on tlieni with less amateur- ish cutting up. Act needs polishing before it can step out. CLiPF and RADjCLlPF Singing and Oaneint 12 Mins.; One 58th St. (V. P.) This colored team corresponds to a description of CIMMA aaA Bat'ey- deuce-spotters for the famllr cfowd. It may not be the same ivct, but It's Identical In quality. The men are In tuxedos and have monocles wrapped around their necka. They start off harmonizing well enough in a .sentimental ditty and then go In for fast and enthu- siastic tap dancing Most of their broken rhythm tricks are familiar, but a few new ones appear diltlcult and get Instant appreciation. After that they're ready for fam- ily encores, first asking the audience If it wants to see the black-bOttom, a,id then the Charleston. Hard workers aB*.ntSi» early sup- port for a bill. "OVER THERE' "What Price Glory" Prolog 2S Mint.; Two and Three (Special) Roxy, New York. I This,was the Rexy's atmospheric« I sondoft to "What Price Olorjr" (Kox) four times dally, and five en Week-ends, for three weeks. For :'3 minutes the ensemble and prln> ciiials didn't seem to be going any- wliere in particular but it all led up ^ to a tableau that well nigh squared everything. A war picture, so natu- rally a military flnlsh to the pre- sentation. Koxy went hack to liis scrim for this one flashing- the title at the screen feature thereon wliile a color guard of murines paraded on a treadmill behind the transparent curtain. Lightud (rum the wings, 100 pieces in the pit booming in t-4 time, flash bombs luirsting to offstage thunder and tlu' r- >iili was productive of siwntaneous applause. A two-minute flnale to a 2S-min- ute stage Interlude that completely oulwt.'ighed the preceding elTorts. The ki. k was tliere and luU it been Introduced only by tiie reduced ver- sion of Victor Herbert'a "American I'antasy." which was the overture, the total elYect wotild have been just as good. Kigurin.*? the running time of "Glory" the flim eo'uld have un- wound for another showing, al- though It would have meant an idle cast drawing salary for three weeks. Anyway, the idea Is that the tavern frolics weren't needed. .Toe Plunkett had the same thing ahead ot "Hard Boiled Haggerty" over at the StrarPfl a couple of weeks ago. The sets in each house were almost identic.al, the ^I'lierai picture house version of a French tavern being a bar with barrels liberally sprinkled about on the sfM'nery, The Roxy. however, had its mass Biipeal to the front again in placing around 200 people on the Btaifa. Alt took tuna as ehomaea of inaiiculino and feminine voteM, a couple of solos and a dance or two. All the men In uniform with a salute tlie universal means at acknowledging appia t wai, Among the specialties Arthur and Jeanie I.,ang pulled back a melody from one of the old little I'rlncess theatre musicals, Danny Upton hoofed a military tap, DeLlma and Marita did a short Apache, and Harold Van Duzee went through too many choruses of "Pica rdy." ^. ^^^, ^4^^ ■ I - "hi », » » rf> v,vn itieie was esntered on th^ B waa lan Choir'a PEG WYNNE Songs and Talk 13 Mins.; One SBth St. (V P) Peg Wynne is whatever Is thi comedy number and Brno Rapae^ "Charmalne," as sung by Gladys Kice and James Mellon. The latter Is tlie melody that runs throughout 'Vltonr." <sr Dolorss DeltRto, wh» plajrs th^ character of that name. Outsid) ot the color guard march- ing on tha trsadmlli this concoction was routine stuff and on a mid* week night's second show didnt evoke much applause until tha tableau leading Into the picture was brought forth. ^ No news reel, no shorts and Just a brief allotment for the three house organists after the main film was over. The manner In which this mam- moth orchestra and organ combined to play tha piMM* warn » treat la Itself. iid. HARRY BERMAN and Band (12) 30 Mins.; Full (Special) Palace, New Haven (Pets.) About once yearly the Poll Cir- cuit gives each of Its house orches- tras a week doing an Ash. Harry Herman at the Palace, New Haven, and Bill Jones of the Capitol, Hartford, are reputed to be the ace bands In the Poll jjouses. Herman's act this season lacks the class he has shown (n other years. Although his men are good musicians they don't get up the pep necessary to put a staga prasenU- tlon across. The fault Isn't all with the boys for not once In tho program were they given the chance to blare forth with a pop hit. Tha show opens with the "Second Hungarian Rhap- sody.' and follows Up immedlsteljr with a nut song, "Tho Mors Wa Are Together." A descriptive numl>er, "The .Skaters." comes next with a snow- fall dropping in on the summer garden set which tho band used. polite feminine for nut comic. She has the elastir figure of Jean Boy- dell aijd utilises It slmHarly while] singing. Aii|ireclation here was a little better th.ui ini>derate. I Her gent pianist harmonizes tori perhaps tho b<-st number Herman the opening song, which Is about ,,jcked was tho "Doll Dance" and nobody paying any .attention to thelthen nnotber comic, "Somehndy's opening song, so why be serious? j r-razy." Had the band incli-ded a. Forthwith Miss Wynne goes into! yi,od comedian the nut ditties would some ridi' ulouH singing whilelhavw been put across, but the boys ''crntehi- T her H liehind her hack. etc. This continues until Just before the close, tvhon MLss Wynne shows a serious ballad. It's okay, except that she hasn't the voice to give It full value. Act is for early spottiac. . re weHk- at foolery. After a violin duet tho band closed with "A Day In Naples," another attempt at com- edy. Harry Berman is well liked In .N'ew Haveti but the other big houses about tuwa aie plugfinf