Variety (Mar 1928)

Wednesday, March 14, 1928 FILM HOUSE REVIEWS VARIETY 41 MARK STRAND ("Cabaret"-Unit) (BROOKLYN) Brooklyn, N. y., March 11. mow yuoiwv^-w. 1 i, I If "Cabaret," the Edward I... 11 y Victor Hyde is proving it with his the old bophie with the singins: of ^^^^^j^ presentation curront at the T^oew's State Frolic this week. Hyde '^Some of Those J>ays made up h a Bi-ooklyn Strand, is a saiuplo of tlio dSpied in-a few days ago, adver- repertoire, with Bert comincr in w ' - . LOEWS STATE (IV^EW ORLEANS) New Orleans, March-8. It's ail a fake! , Show business. Vi own drurnmer in the pit, Dave I iirode, hou.se conductor led in the pit. Four special ..sonfis, including" "ono prolonR-f.d, then a paro^j'- on "Bye Uye Ulack Bird." One cliorus sui'iB in Hebraw and a reminder of *«^c.'iri'7or'boys and girls with talent, I her for a finale chorus of two Call- in three days engaged^ imtruct- fornians singing "Sing Me a Baby t^ n^d rehearsed the best musical Song." She speeches off as the ap- r^vue that hiis ever appeared in any | plause xlemanded it. • ' - . theatre in this city, big time, small ' t me or any other time. Sixteen ponies, twelve show girl?,. 16 boy.s and 12 specialty turns that included fevei-ything from a uke strummer to. Adagio dahcers. They show up the 80-called "professionals!";: Hyde has seven crashing numbers concluding with .bis own "Baltimore _ ^ ^ Dance" that "raises the rpof."_. Just <;iasa j^d^ie Woisfeldt rigged up prior si. couple of kids, named \'\ n- stage show that ranks with the b( bur Fried and Ben Tisdale, panicked the mob with a dual Fi-isco and Ted Into" the feature with cash cus- tomers and even those on passes well pleased. , Bahmer, WISCONSIN (MILWAUKEE) type of stage show the in'W SuuiU'y unit production dopartuiont. . will tiirn-'Oiit, everything augers'well for all concerned."- With "Cabaret," this .Brooklyn stand, rates with tho best for stage pres(intation. . Bunnihg 40 mihutete, the unit is not "over-long considering iis ingre- dients an'd the variegated entertain-: ment it holds. Tom Brown and the Six BrCwn Brothei-s are the features of the presentation Which is paced bv Jack Pepper, formerly of Salt and Milwaukee, March 10. .. When it comes tb unadulterated I'epper. guest^ conductor this^^^if^ IP a next week.- The juvenile makes an tage show that ranks with the best ^?^ce|le.nt appecu;ance, is ju^^^^ In "Rhythm in Color" week (March vect amount ^JP^^y-to^sy fo ) with a auai *tisco anu ^x^-u < ^.^q) Wisconsin stage sh'ow. " "^fi^f.^'*y J5l^!,oH?.f"<.r,^ Vn Lewis Impersonation. . The whole. ^'novel drop representing a fruit held in hand by the managt;ment in affair was punctuated..with i;Iotous ^^^^^^ ^^^^ the orchestra In the '^%^*^^^^^J°°:,l^lf^l, ^,„iU nv^, n appliuse with the gang sitting Jn-Lnj^die of the bowl is the first flash. ■ The sho^^ n!^.w,^r^ ^ wonderment at^the a^bllity disclosed. ^ .^^e orchestra plays.lights go off n'Jf f^I?. .^^,5%^?"^ Hyde furnishes the. setting .cos-in a transparency the Berri though tbere is ^Po s^ tumes and Incidentals, .fltting the lo- dancers do a. spring, fantasy.. ;.It la ^°?"®^^^SplVr? ove^fS-Cd ^-Tann- cals into the routine. It's a relief - Wisconsin stunt and got his orchestra -Overtuied .Tann- to -watch the youthful, ambitious as- "^way big. Billy Meyers, stock nauser.^ -kt^ci anri W^oi.Hn pirants go thi^ough their paces after ^ola his usual chorus and L,,£tn^?f,t^nf Vhl hous^^^^^^^^^ years of gazilng up at blase,.color- gives way to Dave Schooler, master clarlnetis^^ less, listless musical people.^ Hyde's ceremonies, who brings on Gay . Co^ies^from U^ sm£»,sh is a great bracer-for the cur-I KT^i, „ /inr.n<:.r |' La Spagnole. and L-ittie -uog L.a rent, show that begins ■:':ith an or- announeod, la^$t week's riot, held over and billed at tho top. This gu'l is the Lost dancing eomedienne that has apix-ared ^lero. She has claajs, a real sense of comic, values, and ean both sing and dance." Iter material la not so good this week as last, but oven .so, she. stopped tho sho.w. PORTLAND (New) iMrtland, Ore., :Mareh 8. . This, twin of the Seattle,' Seattl?., is, so far- as si-/i>, architoeturo and entertainment are eotn-erni'd, It has The: cops sing again, with a pleas- about 40 $eats loss than the Se;Utlo Ihg solo introdueed,'to be folhiwed " by Mighoii Laird, whp wears little. plays tho harp similarly, and does" aerobatie dancing, and posing. . .Next,, l^ei-oy and Ko.gers in biirlosaue ac- robaties.. -The sho w ends: \y|th -\Iadr elyn dancing and ■ sin.u:ing .with thC: male . chqru.s, ^iiow in Kifth .avenue hou.se,. ii? of the I,ouis XVI typo, elaborately and yet sooxhivig-ly tur- .i'.islu'd. ■ Tile house . is an .u'tual counterpart in ■ appeamnee of the ■Uptown, Ohlcafjp, ■ . At Broad'vv^'xy and Washington, di- . raiment. The. routine is. old and is I rectly.: across the street . from- the saved only Hy the giiTs extraovdi- Broadway (WcscO) the hoUso .ha;3 yo^inutes"''"''''' "^^^ ^"^^^M ;base..- Plenty .of . LiuviTnee. Miller is billed but^hot parking ..room..; :T the present, aiid the show undoubtctUy raihy: seasons lind the cv'istomcrs in would have been, ne.arer a . siiiaah this tbwii icnow It Of Nazarro as m. c; IIo is person- Portland Ust of houses the Portland able, has real talent as a dancer . will with top notch shows make a and cello player Che^ does not Pl'»y l strong bid for. pattonage. It will (his week), but he fails otherwise lie loses the point of-his gag.?, can- not be lie;ird well, and doos. not play up to the "others, The l.O-rriinu'te newa reel Is notable for some very clear shgts by M-G-M. and Para, and nms four Kinos, two Paras and three M-G-M's. Striking - - . . .""Siy J'f^tty black haired giBl^iP^i^^ gan solo by Ada.Riye.s. who vs com- ^n acrobatic dance which 15lass_ typ_e o^bajlad.^^Ne^sx^poss^^^^^ TnT ^lo-ne V great "shape,;^w^ from ahd to the orchestra ensemble ranked among :the ace" Outfits-of milSia^^im^&^i^ to dd; 1:^^15'^'^^'^^* too pointedly south. Slipping into jazz they tower stopped the show. The orchestra ®*^uf Varvon^V^^^ s a series of M-G-M views^of air- ^j^g the obsolete and cheaper houses planes using torpedoes. Jim Thomas K^i^ jjlij^ ... at the organ stages tin original: and it aeems hardly possible at this laughable novelty called "A Cartoon tlinC, after the first few weeks of Concert/': in which comic strip cliar- jn^y^tion t^ the house will hit acters appear to good effect Love Mart" feature Gal", as a;n overture. Fulco's boys l ing pair, were second. Their orepe . are all seasoned musicians _and ] j^gg Hebe.comedy,took well and they e Dancers, for,- merly teamed with Ota Gygie's act, were a ballet interlude of: extraor- The above other orchestras around. I had "the third spot and gave -way Supplementing Victor Hyde's to Baby Oxmatt, a four-year-old who Frolic are the Gaudischmitts. ghook the raftei-s. This hid. can i . , g Th. jCharles MCGpodimd^C^^ She can also dance, but when 1 ^Vhary tale.i>t ai^^^^ -Frank Mullane ,and 7J?etar ^t tHeir si^e^' layed the xylophone, she had ^"'"ff^.^'L^i^'t"^^^ x^miiy r ii first showing Saturday afternoon the audience in her mitt. A good I ^^^^^'^^^ ^^^'^^^^^ ' one of the Gaudschmldt's strained ijgt wherever a kid- act can be his back and the act was forced to played. . ring down. Medical aid wjas sum-, .. schooler takes the spot himself moned and the acrobats resurtied at U,y playing Liszt's "Tampanella." the next performance. \ it's heavy stuff, but Schooler 16 a The current picture is Milton Sills favorite^ and can'get away, even in "Burning Daylight" It is recelv- •v^rith high brow stuff, with a; low ing hea-vy billing, but the L<ocw Uji-o-w audience. State Frolic is. the reaVbox office^ bet I Earl and Bell, Hawaiian guitar experts, sang character songs to a and started with rows of standees. It can't miss. . . Samvel. News reel was followed by '^Cab- aret," which had Jerry Sears and his stage band in the background. Sears this time conducted froin thc piano until the advent of Pepper as in. c. The bahd^^ourided exception- ally well considering its makeshift assemblage. Including a few a. k. symphony string men from the reg- ular pit orchestra. As an;«conomlc move, Hyman shifts some of, the big hand and a wedding in iazz. brass' and strings between both STATE with the scrim effect again, ending with even the parson doing a Var- sitv drag, works out the finale. Art Jlichter, organist, pulls an- other of his song stunts,, playing stage and pit. ensembles, but Sears, who is also the house arranger, has done wonders with them Maryon Vadie danCers,'how the Six Night Club Glrlai, are the fem- inine local color. "When Love Comes Stealing," an ultra waltz, was the (BOSTON) Boston, March 13. . . _ Van and Schenck were apparently two popular numbers with screened booked in here to offset the Auto- verses, then switching to one mobile Show, but even this team, classical number. Bichter s ^suc-i^pg^^jj^^'j^^niber, sung . fresh from the night cLubs;. could cess is due not only to his aDimy ji3^jj gQpj.j^nQ; also trombone, soloed not to the trick last night. Their to. manipulate the Wurtitzer, but Q^orge Stell, vocal choruse* by radio broadcasts out of New York also his knack of putting across j^jpl^ gpjng.lgj. a^nj, violin soloed by Jiad built up a little local interest, new stunts in organ music expioi- gascha Kindler, from the bdnd. but the same numbers did not go tation. . _ _ . . Toots Novella, "the upside-down as well as their newer bits. They Norma Shearer In "The i^atest ^jj^^j^gj. .. ,vith his remarkable In- more than made the grade, how- from Paris" good with tiie femmes. yerted stepping, was a fast entry ever, and when pulling the Chrys- Show entirely worth while. The band's "Thou Swell" (Sears ar- ler gag in the new Ford coniedy . ——— ■ rangement) and Emily Fitzgerald number, practically lifted the roof. fFNTIIRY preceded Miss WalHan again in a Picture was Norma Shearer in. vi-ii^ * v-'ix t. solo. Jack Pepper With his uke and "The Latest from Paris." Femmes (BALTIMORE) vocal calisthenics registered solidly, thought it would be a tashion show. Ttaltimore March 10 introducing and making way for the . That accordingly resulted in a lot p-o~am at the bW ioew hoiise Brown Brothers' own specialty, of lobby wails on the way but to -tartef ^ff last week with ^ organ This unit rotates from the Brook the general effect that It was only started^ off Ust^^^^ Arabian M^" strand to Washington, Balti- a funny, old love picture. - - N^jStl^' th^ console^omlng S Norfolk, Va.. and may play The comedy was a Roach, In | glEhts ^f^^^^^^^^^^^l^ f hiladelphja ar^^^^ console. A screen announcement of ^^^^^"otrnfev Co of^merica Ted Claire and his . stage revue, I ^^V of the_ _Stanley Co._ of America which the world's record was broken as regards the number pf custard pies thrown. Probably a thousand picture fans last night who had taken a solemn oath never to laugh at another custard pie, but when the air started to get thick with hurtling hunks of pastry, even the ushers laughed. Balance of the bill consisted Of a News, Topics and one of Birge Patersort's ponderous organ stunts, built around a song plug. The shoAV as 'Tick Tock," followed. Very ef- fective stunt of Claire bowing; to audience through the screen an- nouncement. Curtain Up revealing drop in one, garden scene. Large clock on pedestal center. Stage de- serted. "Twelve O^Clock In. the Morning" played back of drop. Drop up, discovering band On full stage, set suggestive of a hotel Victor McLaglen's "A Girl in Ev- ery Port" the. Fox feature and strong comedy entry. Business terrific -with the ropes up from late afternoon on. Atcl. ^RANFORD (NEWARK, N. J.) Newark, March 11. "Midnight. Rambles," Harry Crull' need a lot of that iis the minimuni operating plan uiider the present " scheme of things, will'riin around . $18,000 ii ■week." . '. /Portland hits never been an $18,000 a week average town, even when the lJroadway, oiieried and wjtli tho . town heavily - oy.erscated, it looks over the $18,000 mark p.- cover it, A.s niissioriary >vork must be. done in time, this hou.sc will be able to. carry on , on its own and show a ■ healthy profit. It is quite possible that Tetreiichmeht in general oper- ating and show cost may be re^ sorted to to cover the contingency until , the Increase of operation is warranted by revenue. From the balcony landing proper. a whole is what lobby with stairs ascending to a Boston Is heginnlrtg to expect from '^^g^J'l^l T!endulum''lwfngYn? over 1 stage aho'w, run along different lines Loew's State, a better , than aver- aggena^ed pendiuum^ s^^ Tali than usual, and while it docs not age feature, picture, one real y good jSs ^^indow effects to^ r^^^ with his best, it has much to .act.:_and.some_odd Jilnv fo_daer . ^.^1^^ The State is getting the break in n«^2antne level. Jsana on s^^J^^ L^j^g^ twist that will appeal to -ctures in Boston and -it.:.i.s.-this j levoK -- dinner suit, Intro- some, . , ' • , A^^r>ar^ AiVvortitiii "Rn<!ph Girls de- Opening on a dark scene in one, .re acts that^ha^ put this nouse i Ji"^^,tJ^^t?at they woSm "wind up it riveals the band playing in a oafe such a profitable basis^slnce the S?ck " Girls In and silver back of a large, window on the DrDay. L^V. ^^^^eturS^ motirclo^^^^^^ "Ten of the Finest,", a male backs. Garry and Frohman next, chorus of cops, steal In and sing. Bovs did two numbers. Eccentric. Junior Nazarro does his novelty • • ^ ■■ - - _ . I— ^^13 v.a..r« >^ecn. given at Attired as a STANLEY (PITTSBURGH) • ■ : Pittsburgh, March 13. With a show like the Stanley has this week there need be no worry about Lent, coal strikes or anything. There is not a dull moment with the- feature, Enill Jannlngs' "last Command," Sure fire box. office. Overture was "New World Sym- phony," well rendered . by Phil Spitalny and the Orchestra with "Chlo-e" as a; second number, played real hot with three girls chirping a "vocal chorus. News split Fox with Paramount aiid the third unit was "Silhouette," Virginia FutreHo seated at the piano singing "Shaddwr, Land" and t"wo girls, Freda Shear and M.ar- ^Bam"='JoncsT""rosihg-=aa lamp. At tho finish the girls do ihlnuet back to lamp and vocal fin- i.'ihing. . Very ' nice with Miss Futrelle's voice better . than ever. ' Very good to .Say the lea.st. Topics of the day with hot ac- companiment including three girl voices used In the overture, pre- luded Sophie Tucker, Who got a nlee reception, although her son, Bert, sang a song and did two routines prior to her appearance. Ted Shapiro at the piano and her dancing team, Al and Gussle Bloom, I scene, said to h^yc been : given at third. Grotesque costumes, girl, the Winter Garden, loose jointed, doing the rag doll, swell, somewhat tight, he uses busi- Helen Torke, soprano,, in evening ness with a^ trick lamppost, steps, gown, next. "Dream Kisses" by door and lock, kids w th a couple, of orchesti'a, garbed In patent leather the cops and ends with sensational effect robes, next. Claire indulged acrobatic dancing, in some solo dancing during this The drop lifts to disclose the band number In a roof garden setting. It is un- Pink "drop now screened mezza- usual, the back drop showing nine and Claire announced "Tea through the gla.ss ajlne of skyscrap- Time" Verse sUne by Garry, eris In blue, while the two combina- ^arbed In white flannels and blue tlon borders, circular in shape, carry serge. Rasch girls on In large pic- out the roof girdersjdea in tones of ture hats and three-quarter length orahge. red, and ncytral.s with purple skirts. Afternoon garden costumes, and green on the bandstands. The yellow. motif. They carried small 1 hues change strikingly as the light AVALON (CHICAGO) Chicago,-March B* . Cooney Bros, are letting the Ava- lon die on Its feet. If ag-ents of the company would to the various seat section ap- make inquiries in the neighborhood proaches the incline walk is . iascd, they'd find almost all of their cusr and. It.makes the Journey along the tomers are there because the house "mO.untain side," as one would de- is convenient;. Now and then a few scribe this huge balcony, a comfort- extras are brought in by the picture, able one. This house is built on aii That's a precarious situation for a Incline, which permits for a general comparatively new house to be in. exit fropfi the balcony to the aide- The same thing happened to the walk direct. That allows the housei' - Piccadilly, a Schoenstadt. house, to get rib of the mob on the upper which opened with a whale of~a de shelves without coming into contact luxe policy. Now it's : playing with the patrons arriving. That, straight pictures on short dates at ayolds crowding and permits. for a bargain prices, with a little viiude- fast turnover. If some pf the. Eaat- ville thrown in Sundays. . The ern picture palaces had aii entrance trouble was In the management, -Uke this they would be able to back and front. . , * ^"i^ 5^^* The Avalon, at 79th and East End themselves the trouble of refunding avenue, is one of the prettiest thea-^ a lot of money. - „. tres in the City. It plays a mixture I The . house is operated by West of good and medium screen fare, the Coast in assoclat on with PubUx- good stuff coming in on a third-run Loew. Richard Spier, division man- cost basis. On the stage is a 16r ager for Wesco, supervi,^^^^ piece band, conducted by the m. c, eratlon of this house, as he^doea the Roy Dietrich. There are eiglit cho- other houses controlled by his com- rines on the house staff, .and pro- Pany.. Robert Blair, former- Los ductions are completed by four or Angeles manager, is In charge of five acts working with the band. One the hou.'Se, with Eddie Hitchcock, . Vitaphone subject- used on each one of the crack ^escp publicity weekly program. . and exploitation men from L. A., Outwardly this policy seems as strutting his stuff here; good as anything else offered in Chi- The opening show here was an cago, but a consistently weak line of exact duplicate of the Seattle house, stage shows makes the whole pro- The orchestra for the first stanza gram look like turkey; played "Fau.st" as the _ induction The production this week is titled overture, under the baton of Al "Stepping Stones." With practical- Short, general musical director on ly no scenic backing, the 16 musl- the coast for Publlx. Liborius clans are cramped into a small ter- Hauplmann, of the Portland' Sym- raced box and made to resemble phony Orchestra, wielded the biton eight men. Dietrich, a mild, pleas- as guest conductor for the balance ant leader, taking the place of of the week. That fellow is sure a vaudeville's annunciators, started clSssy guy with the stick,'&nd when things off as usual: with a band it comes.to getting music from his number. The band Is average. men, both In volume and tone, he is Next came the eight house cho- a past maa*.cr. Tines in minimum costumes, knock- A short subject repeated^ from ing off a five-step. Th'-''^ girls were Seattle and newHweekly followed, picked with ho more regard for Then Ro-lph Hamilton churned on matched builds than is shown by the. organ. He seems to be a bit stock burlesque, and even mOmeri- weak for this Important task as a tary bursts of okay da'^cing couldn't soloist. On the picture accompanl- dispel the original impre.sslon. ment he would be satisfactory. McAvoy and Dacey, men harmon- Alex Hyde functioned hero as ists, representing one of our better ma.stor of ceremonies with the .Pub- known music publishers, warbled a llTt unit "The Merry Widow.' This few of the company's numbers, sug- i.s Hyde's Initial appearance on the gestlng-^at-thc-end^-of-ortelplece.that : .T^^st^ Coa the customer.i{ buv a record of it for dication of being a fixture here, their victrolaij, Gardner and Doug- Naturally, he had little chance to Jas, comedy dancers, bounced display his talents .on account of through an ordinary routine to half- the type of show, bUt when he did heart«d response. get his with the violin solo the boy . Another number by the orchestra clicked like a "native son." His talk was follOwe<l by Myron Pearl and routine "was great for the Introduc- Cp., dance trio. The two boys have tlon stuff, too. He Is nice looking a seri.s.ationaI lineup of Russian ac^ and tjifnilfled for the post, has abll- rObatics, good enough for the best Ity and knows how to put a stage houses. The girl i.«f wciak In a solo show over, which many a m. c. does klek number. Hughie Clark, obeSe not know how to do. "The Merry comedy singer, clo.sed t'le specialties, Widow" unit clicked even better getting-best reaillts when trying a here than in Seattle, The crowd on dance at the finish. hand wa.1 awed by Its magnificence The solo organist, Leonard Smith,, in setting and costuming. The .show concealed In the pit and has diflFl- ran . fast, with the Runaway Four culty getting his audience interested and Grlffln, the tenor of the unit, in community sin/ring. Vitaphone put and out show, stoppers, vir- ."luMect was a .«keteh featuring Irene glnia Johnson did the opening chant *i Rleh titled "The Beast," pointless with the national anthem and got but thrilling for families. quite a reception when She came on "Beau Sabreur," feature, the only for the prolog proper. Accent and item living up to Chleago picture Jenesko, the dance team with the . hou.se standards. Fair business troupe, al.sp repeated their Seattle Monrlay nie-ht. but fn.ly go tobog- triumph.- i. i tj v ganing if the house doesn't sn".'^^ ' nereen they h^a Beoo U;p. _^ and effective. Qu manner. Suggestive of Ted Donor. Comedy duo, Bayes and Speck, next. Claire announced them as two birds from the cuekoo clock. Plenty of gags and plenty of laugh.s. Al"0 danein-g. . Eneor'vl generously. Finale introduced by Miss Torke. .singing "Tick Tock." Her costum-(.» was a revue variant of the Maj-ie. | Antoinette pattern funrtion. After a hot band number, which f,s.liked, T^van.s and Roks play harmonicas and danee with tho band i.ti, Nazarro no-.v takes eharge. Next comes Madelyn Kllleen, un- ornate lanterns. A tableau vlvant rentercil on- niez7!;Lnin'-> ]<'Vf"l, r>.'ls OhrtVus ijrought 1 toro.l hiotif. Colorful finale. Whole l^"'Vh\V"AYhert'ina"Ka.seh group with tab. revne in good ta.ste. sUlar ooMtumes, girls carrying I swlfltly and not too long. Moved Mapion Betts, former assl.stant to Lawreneo GoUie, K-A-O booker. N«;w York, has been transferred to the publicity department of the cir- cuit. Charles Furey has left- .Mprrl.s & Feil.-to f'o Willi Clnrdnn Sr Wood.s, agcTit.s. F.iUMrt .Subol has joined the same agency. Hal. I Daniels in "Foci My Pulse." ^ ===^-^|^'=Arniinfl^^000-seats=are-a4ot-r-lght-.^ now for Portland, but it looks as though the folk.s here, with shows coming up to the standard set by the initial one, will cultivate a warm fr)end.«hip for the house" and give it their support. TTarold B. Franklin, head of We.st Cfia.st Thv-atrea r.lreuit; Sam Dem- how." vief>-pr>'si(]ent Of Publlx, and Plii-Ti-no J^iiknr wi-ce th'^ home office' e.yeciitlve.s at the opening.