Variety (Jan 1928)

Wednesday, January 25, 1928 VAUDEVILLE REVIEW VARIETY 35 "EXCESS BAGGAGE" (SECOND REVIEW) .Comoay in three acta by Jolm. McGowan. Produced by Barbour, CrimhVlns & Bryant, Inc., at Rltz theatre, New York. Staged by Melville Burke. Bettlncs bv p. Dodd. Ackerman, Dances Btaged by John Boyle. f3.86-top. Jimmy Dunn....'t Frank M/.T-Tiin-v.^ . Sarah Benton.- .^.^._Maud ^lajr vaudeville names. The bull single, . Jlmriiy Dunn, bears the same name owned by a present master of cere- monies in midwest picture houses. Mabel Ford is tho name of oho "of the famous sisters of tho Ford fam- ily dancing act ' Eddie .Kane -in reality is or was of Kane and Her-, ihani twb-man turn; Perhaps the bit of slajig getting, the most from the lays Is when- the single,, speaking of the mother, says: . "All day she's been trying to give mo the needles." That "needles" was repeated by the wom- en around during the remainder of the performance. Again when he is asked if he has yet married Betty, Jimmy replies: '*No, but ber mother is going to will her to me." - At one point the mother remon- strates against Jimmy Dunn going into the. Palace and using an uke- lele. ."If you use that uke there we'll get a panning in 'Variety,'" she said, and later, told jimmy he should be arrested for stealing, '.'li'or stealing what?" says Jinimy. "For stealing bows with that saxophone that you can't, play," replies the mother. .. ■ - " When tho 3-act does go on at the Palace (before the curtain), Jimmy plays tlie iike and brings the sax out for extra bows. Th6 title gets a reverse during the play; First it's Elsa McrCoy who tells her hu.<!band and partner, Ed- die Kane (Kane and McCoy) that she's useless to the turn;, she's ex- cess. She has heard the other acts talking. . Eddie attempts to- soothe her, telling her . she's okay and nec- essary; that, they .want to see a skirt, he. couldn't get a job without her and when they get the big time —but she breaks in to answer that Is all she has heard; when that wire comes from Max that. they are on the big time. Eddie, in love with his wife, re- assures her, saying he received a wire the, day before that Max had seen Eddie Darling and it would be all right, Just which "Max" of the many "Max" agents Is. never dis- closed. , . . Big time talk in. the small time, house starts a discussion. One of the male Four Buddies Quartet ac- cuses the bulling single of hopping up tho girl (Betty Ford-daughter) with his big time epiel, that he can never make good on.- As this con- troversy continues, a wire comes for Eddie Kane.- The mother, now in the room, remarks: "There must be. "a death in the family* It's not col- ledt." . ' It's a wire from; Max saying Kane and McCoy open the following Sun- day at^ the Orpheum, San Fran- cisco, two-a^day at |400 and the rest of the circuit to follow. Great Jubilation, into the middle of which enter two picture men, director and star. They had been out front watching a terrible and elderly sketch team, but wanted to know If Miss McCoy would be at liberty, to accept the role opposite the star in a new picture,at $500 a week for six months; with an option for another six. She's Just the type. Several heart tugs around here, as Eddie finally caves in, besides consenting that for a year, he'll re- main away from his wife, to pro- mote her screen career, and also keep secret he's her husband.. Meanwhile 1 the bulling and bub- bllnr. JimmyilDunn had agrebd with the mother to go with them as a three-act an-d if at the end of a year, her daughter still preferried him, she woO.ld accede to their mar- riage. ' It's one year afterward at the, N. V. A. Club in New York .when they all meet again. Eddie had uttered—thie- truth-when -he-said be_ could not work without his wife; he had confided that long before to Jimmy Dunn! He did not dare hi.s dangerous slide - for - life without knowing Elsa was oh the' stage to catch him. So he had lain off. for the year. .Jimmy and . his. two-thirds come into the club about this time and they all got together again.. Just previou.sly■ Elddie had gotten some- news from the soni!? plugger. The latter said he had heard that Elsa McCoy (at $1,000 weekly and fea- tured now in pictures) had a. hus- band in the show, bu.siness no one knew and wlio was living off her. Eddie asked Jimmy, if It were Bo. Jimmy said it was. Eddie returned to the Park avenue apa.rtm'ent of his wife and told her he intended to return to his wire walking act; that he wasn't that kind of a guy. ■\VliiIe thore he became susinciousi of the lii}<hIy.oi)iohinatcd screen .star who had • boon making love to his "^ifF;=A^^ieated-!J(!(>ne=leads=^to^n^-sC:ii^ ar.'itionr. with Eddie's unfouJidrd .susi)ifions .s^ndini,' him into th^^ i'Jil-. aco, in a good .spot. That is mon- tionod when Eddie refutes the .state- mf-nt he .secured the Palace'ehgaKe- riiont over the .<!('i)aration publicity, as he had had the contract two wookp I)f>fore the. papers printed anyiliinir, . but . admitted that hl.s featuring and preferred position for Jack Merrill........ ...N9.ce BonvlUe jPour Buddies Quarot— Bob....Vladimir Dublnaky Charlie... .....j.. .Charloa Ihilton Bill... . . • > , .Merald Tollcfsen Prank Arnold....... i...J<>hnH. Dllson Mabel Ford....... .-.. .r .i^uzdnne Wllla Marvin................ Lawrence O'auUl van Bddle Kane...................Eric: Dre.<)i)1er Botty Ford...... ^..... i.......Boris Katon Elsa McCoy......... 1..... .Miriam- Hopfcins Herbert Crammon. ....... .Boyd .Marshall .VoU d'Brrico .'.Herbert Clark Al Kent. .Frank Horton Ocorere. McCarthy..... ...Mort Downey George De Leon...;. .^.WUIInm Boulla Harry Hart..........Denton Vahe Blta Rydell......,,... , .Frances Goodrich pad........ k. •.•><.•.>•••■ • Howard Morgan ACT I. Basement - under stage -of .JiraalMImc yaudevill theatre In Zios Ang&ics. ACT 11. Scene 1—N. V. A. Club, New Tork city. One year later. . Scene S^-^Elsa's apartment on Park avo- .nue.' Half hour later. . ACT HI. Scene 1—E<ld(e Kane's dressing xxjom ln Palace thoatre; Scene 2^StnBe: of -Palace theatres.' Few ..minutes later." ; . . Scene 3—Same as Scene i. Few minutes .later. -. JIMMY DUNN and THE FORD SISTERS "Those Two Girls and That Boy" EDDIIS KANE Sensatlonar Juggler and Rope Walker (From Variety, July 8, 1921) JACK McGOWAN and Co. (1) Songs . 12 .Mins.; Full ^tage 5th Ave: This act could be done in "<^n©" as well as in full stage. It Is; Jack MoGowan arid a piano pljayer. McGowan is of the musical comedy field. In One of hf3 songs he states GSeorge Cohan is on the shelf so now he Is all by himself. He sings as an encore a number frem "The Little Blue Devil," which ' he was also. with. The singer brings nothing' to ' vaudeville a.side frorti a pleasing voice and a neat, clean-cut juvenile appearance. He . sings three numbers, none, sensational; The piang player, has a solo number. ., If McGowan is thinking of remaining In vaudeville he should frame something dif- ferent; he is not able to hold the big time position accorded him this week as a single. A girl partner would be the log- ical arrangement, with a little, dancing to a ^ong story frame- •up. If he is in the varieties for a few weeJcg it will be a question of how good a-name he Is as to how far he caiii go.. The act as shown will not carry him. John McGowan, who wrote "Ex- cess Baggage," is the same Jack McGowan who got this New Act notice in "Variety" in 1.921.. He probably receiveid other notices in the regular house reviews, which are not indexed, . From his experience in and out of vaudeville, on the stage and. with notices also perhaps. Jack Mc- Gow'an has constructed an excellent coriicdy of stage life in "Excess Baggage." It looks to have, de- veloped into a substantial success at the Ritz, New York. Show people will enjoy it to an unlimited degree. But. the general public also will greatly like the play, its h'urnan mtcrest as well as its outstanding .comedy! The play starts in the "green room" of a. grind coast vaudfilm house. And the slang of vaudeville starts with it, the latter ever pres- -ont,^ .although .thelstory. drifts^irom the small time, to picituros, to a lay off and ,'the N. V. A. club, and then to big ' time at the Palace, New Tork, Two teams are carried through the play. One tearn -becomes split and the other evolves into a three- act. It is in this three-act that the most comedy is begotten from two of its .characters. One is the confident, self-asser- tive single man, making a play for any single girl on the bill. In this ■wise he falls'for a half of a sister act. Then' he di.scovers the "sis- ters" off are, mother and. daughter. There is no funnier laugh, in this comedy for vaudevlllians than when the "mother" goes after the .isong plugging piano player in the N. V. A, clubroom, to d'.ite him up. : Ajiothcr Is when the single rrian, now of tho 3-act and in the Palace for their first big time date, calls attention of the wii-ewalker to tho fact that he. has a .shower bath in his_dres,'^ing room. . The wire walk- "6i*"sa:$-'g^irt'^=lTajr"o^^^ wash.sLand. Thley tulk-.it ever, won- dering how big time can provide tliese luxuries, when one remark.s.: "■Why, the big time koeps a spe- .-.cia] staff ju.st to cut salaries.". . Notwithstaiuling, however, Mr. .McGowan neither has panned any- one nor anything or seemingly has he overlooked .anything. In the program are some known a wire walker could have been duo to the notoriety.. Not hearing from his wife he is extremely nervous Just before going on. and tells .Jimniy, who is in his dressing room, holding up his . own 3-act, but with the same nonchalant certainty of himself. . The 3ract goes . on first. After , it . the wire walker in a counterpai't makeup Vyith a toe walker doing a rope walk backward from the top bal- •cony to the stage, taking a fall at the finish. Elsa, Who was in front (actually) as she sees her husband fall, rushes shrieking through tlie audience to back stage and ends the play with Eddie in her arms. A livelier finale could be preferred. : ... Therie has been much praise for Miriam Hopkins, Eric Dressier and Frank McHugh, with Suzanne "Willa as the "mother" of the. sister act seemingly -neglected when this show is discussed. Hers ' is a splendid performance ajid she's doing ..the role to a dot in every way. Nor ishould a notice of this show be ended without a word for the lighting scheme of the wire^alk- ing turn; that's good, enough for a picture 'house and unquestionably beyond/any thing a vaudeville thea- tre ev^r did, Jn lighting and ef- fects. ■• For a first play and a comedy, written by himself and without col- laboration, Jack McGowan has-set a record for himself as a playright. After seeing "Excess Baggage" one will Immediately thinlc what J^-ck- McGowan has within himiself In the. way of plays. He must have a lot; Much of the other easily fitted and .laughing stage vernacular can hot be readily recalled, no notes, having been . taken, but If this were a 6,000-foot picture, you could describe It by saying thOre is a laugh or a tear every 25. feet. (This play was regularly noticed In the legitimate reviews when first produced. It Is re-reviewed here with more detail for the Informa- tion of the vaudeville' |)unch out of: town.) PALACE (ALL'ENGLISH BILL) (St. Vaude) An all-English bill aiid a good one. So good that as a vaude show it tops a lot of those things the Palace has been flaunting before the eyes of a picture hou.se public. An early start arid a fairly late fin- ish made a long, prograrri, but en- tiirtainment was there, with most of the value in the first half. Ella Shields drew the biggest re- ception and Scott Sanders the most finishing applause. "VVho knows how many speeches? . "There were .10 acts and It was a most friendly audience Monday night. Perhaps also all-English. The surprise of the bill'was Lily Mprrls; Establishing herself as a singing character comedienne of ability on her previous visit, .it be- ing mostly a matter of material at. that time, Miss Morris has re- turned with Bongs that are songs; She has one that riiay grow to the proportions of "Waiting at the Church," and Miss Morris evidently doesn't know it. It's so good that the hotise fitarted to sing the lyric of Its own accord during a costume chainge. The title Is "What're You Going to Do About Celina?" To a 6-8 rhythm plus a catchy melody. Miss Morris will err If she doesn't immediately slip in a,lyric sli.de for the house to read and repeat the melody between.every dress change, simply switching thiB "catch" lines. "They, ate It up, wanted to hear it again, but the melody was never repeated. Between this song and the way Miss Morris sells it, she Is "in" over here and for well into the future. She did five songs In 24 minutes next to closing. Her other high points were "The Old Apple Trco" and the encore reviving of her "Bride's Maid" number. Mi.ss Mor- ris opened in evening gown but ad- hered to her comedy costumes thereafter. Pro'gram"brder meant-nothing and- the first half of siiC acts was switched all around. Fred Lindsay did much for the lineup when, upon opening the show, he terminated by speaking on American cordiality, etc. This neatly paved the way for Gilbert and French (NeW Acts)/ Who are rated, in. London, .as Eng-. land's best team of simultariopus dancers. Ada Reeve, mOved up to third, had two good numbers in "Ain't It Nice" and "Like a Lady." Miss Reeve did yeoman service in a .spot which if not held aip could easily have rulnexl the pre-intermi.ssion section, if not the entire show. Scott Sanders, a terrific hit in Australia, but who couldn't in- veigle a salary raise when he re- turned to England, so came over here bri a four weeks' trial and is now booked with K-A for three years, .won a unanimous vote on his • cbmndy chartvcterizatlon of a Scotch , knife . peddler. Working much as all Scotch comics do, the -P.aiTso^-attcc=cyjtry^gag=JlGe,^Jt^lsi]^t^ \)ft>-ii uvor h\.ro any more. S.itulfvs did 23 niinn.tos. " Cor;in and hi.s. walking dmumios caught ixnd never.lost int<>ro!^t. With his expert vontriloquisni he hud rath«>r a good time of it Kidding him.st'lf' in spot.<^. outside of tho regular ixujlipji side c-liatlor.Coran wont to a .•'poivh after 25 minuto.s and . Ella Sliiolds .clo.sed tho lirst half. . JVIi.ss ShloUls spo'ttiNl h.or. '^'Rur- lin'gton Boi'tio" a.s tlio soomid of throe songs and linii^hod by in- torjiroting a popular ditty as an Engli.shnian, Frenohmari and Amor- ican would do it, the latter a throw- back to her coon shouting and shufflin' dayis. "Bortie" cohlinuos a :classic of its kind'and wn.s ap- preciatively acolainTl'd; A big re- c.option failed to \ipsot Mi-ss Shiold? although she sudd^^iily stopped in the midst of a spoooh • when sho threatened to succumb, p<>rh;vps; to te.Tirs. '' ■. ■ De "Groot (Now Acts), violinist arid orchestra' leader from the Pic- cadilly hotel,' London, with a record of 16 years there/ opened intornlis- siorii assisted by liis 'cellist and pianist, J. Pac.oy and A. Gibilaro respectively. Do Groot has pla'yed vaiidcville. on tlie other side and is in America on, a four weck.s' book- ing .at a nominal salary. It is un- derstood, that unlcs?? the violinist receives a material increase he will lose heavily on the venture. What-, ever the outcome, it's certain no instrumental trio, at the Palace has .ever achieved the applause accord- ed this ti;iumverate. Putting an ab- solute stop to'the show the three- some were on the stage' for 23 minutes, during which they did six seileotions. Payne . arid Hilli.ard were next. Miss Hilliard should neVcr have done her Imper.sohation of Miss Shields' "Bertie" o'n the same bill with the creator. It's not a good imitation in the first place. In the second Miss Hilliard doe& it in a Crinoline, gown. This, team is i;ated in England as a standard act cap- able of receiving second billing in outlying London hQu.ses and third billing for the major London vaude theatres. Both seem capable enough as a crossfiring mixed team, but are in need of a new script.^ The amount of surrounding talent'didn't make It any too ea.sy for them hcr^ during their 17 minutes. Revel Brothers and Red (New Acts), un- known in London a,nd evidently picked up over here to round out the show, closed nicely. Sweet show holding enough quality acts to make it seem fool- hardy for the Palace to cram thorn all on one bill.- The house could stand one or two of this layout every week. Business was heavy with some of the side boxes open, A lot of eritertainment here" this week, and,. 'as has been said in many a British and American parlor—"gamia .and rubber." .Sid. ACADEMY .quite , fair to draw comii.iri.sons, as all the good ones ro.somble each other in one form or another,. Tliat Sanders can .<<tand invesligatiori with the. beat, for Ihoso who want to Orgue it out, i.s a tribute in it- self. The ouihurst at hls',-/inif-:h wajj thunderous, . Incl-udin;,' . verbal cries of "'core" and whistling from th'j gallery, which you don't hear so , (Vaude Pets) An eight-act bill, most of features Palace regulars, a Tom Mix picture that is voatly better quality than the run of stuff available to tho big time, iind Movietone as a ballyhoo feature. This is offered at the 50- cent scale on 14th street. The won- der isn't that big-time vaudeville is slipping , but that it stlll exists.' The progi-am had variety and speed. . Only one . turn ran over 10 riainuties. That was the act of Hon- orable Mr. Wu, Oriental Hash turn with 15 people and a carload of drapes and effects. They don't in- vite the patrons to duck at the clos- ing turn here. Instead they build it up to hold 'em. Joe Frisco was on next to finish, and his walkoff was a ballyhoo for Byrt Shepherd, the Australian whip manipulator, clos- ing. Then, to make it good, Joe stayed on the stage throughout the novelty whip act, gagging and clowning for sweet retiirns, and Iteeping them in their seats for a complete spore, . Flying"(jampbclls, Touf^alt'caBt^ ing arrangement,, and . one of. the best turns of its kind, was a nice opener. Comedy fair and feature feats impressive, with doubles into trampoline, double pirouettes in the air and strings of twi.sters by clown. Acrobatic feature of class, not just a time-killer until the mob gathers. Doris Roche, No. .2, a sad let- down. Girl tries to sing comody riumbers, "but never makes the grade. Can't dance <'ind gives im- pression she is a split-off from a mixed pair, where she should pros- per. 'This routine won't do as a single. Waltor and Betty Roddick and Co. (New Acts), one of those p^jlite flash sketch dancing arraT.geriionts. Too polite for this .sort of company. Tyler M<ason, blackface rnorifilo- gist, who must have seen Honey Hoy Evans, it'-.semblanoo goes es- pecially for the dressing .-of white coat, whicli is Identical. His talk material is only, fair, hut he pieces out a medium line of g.'ih with one t.ficlic .baliads that has ever vlslfetT l-lt.h slrect. That isn't to say Mason is Metropolilan Opera ma.teri;il. Hr;'s juHt a I'llh Htn.-(-t tenor, which is much m'orc imi)fjrfa,nt when you'r<' playintf .fl'ic Acadi-niy. Air. Wu and his Oriental troupe h.'ivo a f,'i.'--ein;iting jrilerliide, I'ratnud in wliim.sical st;, le. Opf.ns willi a qiinint bit of annonncement;: goo.s into it'TMiik' Hooui- fitr a hit of pai'adfli by \vi\iili' eiimii.-iny; ttriontal street set-no wiih naiivi- luiid playing mu»» sio. for vov-al numbi-r. Tlionco with froquont cli.imjiv;.; of cnUirful set- tintr.s of draiios, bii.s wfalth of song and dani'o ,sp'i-oi;il!y, <h«\ ilancmg ot Wu anil his chic liltlo .t;oisha girl partner a tfracol'ul p. rfornvanoo, -A "Florodoro"' soxtot in . Cantonese styl(? and-a black bottom ensemble in Oricnt.'il. o'osth.nio for comedy make tho tiniilo. Another pompous bit of Orionlal .politon<^ss in a :cerc-- monlal "Thank Vou" by Wu puts a pioturcsquo poi-iod to tho act. Everything sot for Adlor, Weil and Horma-n to make a clean<-up with their brisk song routine. They .are up^to the minute. The two smashes are a novelty number, "Henry's Made a Lady Gut of Lizr zio," and another set of coniedy lyrics about •'Aeroplane Jane." In their 10 minutes , ihoy put over a half hour 6f song .and . comedy and depart to a hurricarie. Fri.sco gagged .'speedily with a lot of now stuff and some of the fla.- miliar Friscolsms. Then Into the Shepherd turn with ' the openlnff oraok, as the girl assistant entered with a' line of Kronch, VAMiat second lieutenant brought th.at baby over?" Stalling as a whip nianipulator and as Burt's assistant w.as a roar from start to firii.sh. . . Bush. STATE (Vaude-Pets) The State bill brought little to Broadway new, novel or unusuaS this week. If it hadn't beeri for Florence Hodges the women as tj ^feature would have been out'com- pletely. Royal Pekln Troupe opcried and gave the sho\y a colorful start At the State befcilre, yet again pleased immensely. . Castleton and Mack danced and slammed over eccentric acrobatics to iadvantage, and then James O. Morton and Co. . Jim Morton is doing much th.e same turn as before, witlh Alice Burtram now in IL She worked hard and sang a number that filled in nicely. Edna and Alfred did their usual, with, the former showtnff grace In her dancing. J. C. is etlU there 40 wnys with his stepping. JI.m has embellishod his "Hello" bit, and it Is more effective, than ever. Bert H.anlon ankled o'n for hl0 customary tomfoolery. Eminently sueressfuil. Closer -was Florerice Hedges and Co. (New Acts). Picture, "Sorroll and CO." (U. A.)L MarJd. 5TH AVE. (Vaude-Pct) What a break for reviewers! BtK Ave. a cinch assignment. In at 8:25; out at 9:45. Less than an hour and a half of vnudo. Draw relies on John Rarrymore in "When a Man Loves." . Oklahoma. Bob Xlbrlght, next-to- shutting on a five-act bill. Albright still acts stowed alnd tells ribald gags, but makes- 'em like It. And plenty. Opening is Harvey and Conlon Revue, tcrp sextet (New Acts), One of those "Stars and Stripes" Anale turns. May.s, Burt and Finn, male trio with a semblance of novelty, do Joe- millers broadly and they take It. seriously. A trio with a sense of values, but since vaude and its au- diences are at a mental standstill, why bother? Nevins and Gordon -Company, with the same auto prop start ajid a new Billy K. Wells act written around It. The vet team knows Its material and struts It. Douglas Charles and Co., with the same stuff. I^atting 1,000 In Tteop- ing with the bill. W;ell Interitloned, energetic, but mild. AH for 75c. Aheh BROADWAY (Vaude-Pcts) _ GuR Edwards Revue, "Ritz Carl- tdrint^igMs;'' fasr appr hour and a half Monday night. Furni.shcd the customers with more vaudeville entertainment than they have seen here. Practically every effort, song, dance or comedy registered, Ray. Bolger, eccentric. .comedy hoofer, has a style of his own^ a panic for laughs, .lacking everything that makes the average hoofing routine monotonous. This Edwards revue is es.sentially a big picture house bet. Trimmed down on time, thj^t is where-it ber longs. For the Broadway and all Keith-Albee houses which have been dying this year for want ot material It's a life saver, both as a name and pprformance. Fi*ank X. Silk, tramp comedian, an in and oute^r In vaudeville from burlesque and legit rank.s, pulls a nifty in thanking the customers for their generous reception. "I won't say I was born on Broadway," he said, "but I've died here a couple of times." ^"Opnning^wre-G-ondf.in^Br-fjiS^oon^- tortion'ists (New Acts). Followed, by Richard and Gray (New Acts). Only four acts on the bill on ac- count of thf^ long Edwards revue. "Oini'-bcrg tlie f;reat" (Warner T'.ros.), screen attraction, time killer. A two reel - coniedy film far above tli.<' feature length fllni on l.nufThs and r"siilt.<«'. Mori.