Variety (Sep 1928)

VARIETY LEGITIMATE Wednesday, September 19, 1928 Plays Out of Town JUST A MINUTE I-JoRton, Sopt. 14. Muslcnl fomoily in two iicis nml it sitiips .ivIUi'Cil liy I'lul M .ril.> nnrt II. C. Uroeno; I'oro by Jliiny Arcliir, boi'k by :rpdic arnl iyrii's by W.iltor o Kt-ole; lUvncis nd ensomblps by UuPf'll ftbivUiTt; -scUhigH W'.-^iKiiOvl iiml ilci-iii-aIt'll by P. iJoild AcUor- :i:an; i>rLmicre iil the Tromimt Ulc:^t^o,• ;..,,...,. nille Tarbo ' :,,, .LJraoe Ade Joyi'G AVlille -.. '. ........ lIiuTy Jlo.lbrook ..... .lli'Ioii I'lUtprson ■....».'..Tnuiiny llavel .......Helen Loc'Uhart .... • Sum. Slduian Arthur 1 la vol ,..... i l .Mi'rlon.navel. .Dale Jones .Mildred iJerri , Harold Madsen .....;...Vv'alter. Craig Dave Uender .....VirRlnla Smith Urenda Hond ., George Leonard . .. .. .VranUie Hievens' Al Mario iI'Mdie t^lsco ...... Charlea Coleman ..........LiCbman Uyek ...Maude Ru.s.=e;i ,. i., .■Walter Hi-OBsJale .AVrtlke.r and .Thomjison .s.-pt. 10, .Mandy.'., .• ilr.s. Call.Uian I.lelen • ■ • • . •"ariiioiv. l';vtrieln ralhihnit. .Mr. O'Brien...,.. Mi.ss Keynolds..., IjOuIs bVhu.u:.... .loe Wlnsl^.m......., riiarlie .Wini-lun;. .'iVm.. May.... Dick ,:. . V Jerry Conldin. ,.. Cop. —........ .\< Hev .Johnson....., Kay Ltolton .Spike ■ Kid Cans. . H.lttling Hrown... ■^Oddie .Frisco.;... Hofcrec -tape Director.... ' lUlirette........... . \ altpr . .., .;. . peclally Danocrs .■K-i.:ialty liowfll, Harger and Theodore Looks like'a natural.. , . Fast and funny mesa of clean lOke, vaiuU'ville act.s, production c^nsemblcs, peppy liiusic, and simple book. There ai'e two choruses, one white and the other Harlem, all dancing fools. Russell Markert is,given bold face type on the program and rates it. Boy, how they can dance. The colored groiip is obviously Intact from some night club, stripped pretty close to the limit and working hotter than iBpstori has seen In years. There is only one deep dusk, and she is a mugging, prancing comic who Is given a specialty and carries it. The white 16 dancing girl.s are about the last word in routine and vorsatility and are good enough to b© In the main chatter in the lobby. There are two orchestras, one a black, outfit of jazz working only in a night clCib number and billed, as Peck-a-r.oo .llmuiy and his Kand. The other ouKit is tho vaudeville act of Count Uerni A'icl, -syhoi him assembled an orchestra of 17 girls who play the oiith-e show. Thoy are well gowned and are given a stage parade under spots when they enter the pit. Lookers ,and a real novelty. Count Vici, with, his war medals and his dapper mustaohio, is a showxnan, a:nd his shortcomings as a, director for specialty acts are not serious as compared with his drawing powers, especially a.mong the femmcs, who coo over him and send the rest of the neighborhood in to buy tickets to study masculine s. a.. The comedy is carried by two vaudeville'boys, Arthur and Morton Have!, who open flat, aiid roi; into high as natural chatter comics and have the house howling for more. The whole production, is vaudeville in its atmosphere, a natural situa- tion where the two producers are graduates of variety. Harry Greene is the dominating factor in the .show as part owner, author of the book, and .mainly responsible for staginff the vehicle. And, as is often the case with vaudeville training, Greene has done an excellent job ekcept In the. casting of straight roles. He has a lot of mistakes to. correct here, and one or two specialties should be switched pronto. . The score and lyrics hold their own nicely. "Anything Your Heart D^c.'^ires" is tho one bet for the floor and sheet sale.> "The Break-Me- .Dowh" used by the du.sky chorus and sung by Maude Raissell has pos- N E W Y O R K T H E A T R E S i''«vi^«S'ir?8vii?>Sii)a\if7>Sii'y«\ii'^^^ - sibilltlea, and "Heigh-Ho Cheerio" can be built. The book rolls along like a glori- fied vaudeville act. There is an ac- tors' boarding house where the two iioroe.'^ are starving as song writers. The-landlady's daughter and niece form the love theme, there is the11- lainous producer, and the two herQCS mate up with two of the neighbor's daughters. Anything goes for a laugh even to p.utting on beards and pretending to be their own uncles. The wow of the show Is a prize light where one of the song writers goes on in a main botit to earn some rioiigh to take the. girls out. There is little that sounds funny In this old BtuPf but it plays to a wow. The very nature of the show and the way the book is thrown together to fit the coniedy situations makes it flexible, and there, is no reason why "Just a Minute" , cannot absorb al- most anything that la a howl or a novelty. Ilowell, Harger and Theodore, two men and a woman, in a casting spe- cialty, are the one spot where the show is stopped. The house wcut mad over them and they are un- doubtedly the be-st routine of their kind that has played Boston. The' one production novelty that stands out is a chorus speciialty where the girls have a- mechanical dance In which they are apparently two people, a butler dancing around vyith a girl on a silver platter. The butler Is dummy froni the waist up and. the girlg are dummy from the Svalst down. Tlie weak spot a.s it now plays is the finale which ap- parently starts to build up Into something along . thfe lines of Nan Halperin's immortal Military Wed ding and which fades into an en semble'curtain on full company. If the dough can'be raised for a pro- duction flash finale, it :Will be well invested and may jump the show from $3 to $4i40 as the free selling scat price- ; Mcii-ris and Greene have, sunk a good Avad and with about tOO r;ul- road tickets to buy and a payroll of close to $12,0.00, it would seem logic to carry the thing through and make a b'R'.'?cr show out of it while they are at it. : BecausCi at this vrriting, it looks like one of those things that.occas ionally $urpri.se even the producers themselves by clicking for no par ticulai' reason at all. Libhey. whose wise-cracking and continual advice Is more funny than it Is helpful. Nowbold should be the lyric-writer's friend; certainly no man on the stage enunciates as clearly. Marjorle Lane, Ina Hay- ward, whose fine voice helps in a character role, and Carl Francis, playing a semi-heavy, are all out-- standing, but Cohan's foxiest move was probably in securing Val and Ernie Stanton. He has written this pair into .hia plot bo cleverly that they can . retain their nonsensical chatter v\'ithout hurting the narra- tive.. ■ 'BiiUc's" score is 30 uniformly good that it Is hard to figure what numbers ought to be plugged. Right now, "Where Were You," which has a great set of lyrics, leads the way. 'They Fall in.Love" is a close sec- ond in possibilities, and at the very end of the show,! a nurhber call'id 'The Two of Us'.' makes a strong bid, bringing the curtain down with the gang all humming It. In addi- tion, "Billie" in a haunting waltz affair; "Corhe to St. Thomas'" has some intricate lyrics, and "Go Home Ev'ry Once In a While," "One Girl Man" and "flappy' get across nicely. Although not fundamentally a. dancing show, "Billie" has plenty of stepping, both by the chorus, which ha3 been well trained, al- though not doing any sensationally novel formations, and by several of the principals. "Bilile" Is one sweet show, fast, tuneful and funny. If the sophisti- cates don't like it, the mob surely will. Waters. David Relnsco presents ACHELOR FATHER By Edward Child* Carptnter with .TVNK WAl.KTCR. C. .'\t'BRE'8 SMITH. OEOrniKY KEKH OTT ACnn Thea.. W. 44th St, Eva. 8:30. oJiiliAOOU Mats. Thura. & Sat.. 2:30. TTAnrV MiTUr'Rl24 W. 43d St.. Ev8. 8:30 Henry JYUUer Sjjnta. ilmrs. & Sat., 2:30 "Better than 'Front Page.' '■ —Jack Lalt, Variety. Gentlemen Press A Newspaper Comedy by Ward Morehouse Staged by George Abbott ■PUftATIWTTPQT West 44lh St; Eves., 8:30 iSAUAUIlUJTOX Mnts. Wud. & Sat., 2:30 GENIO nVCK Presents The Dramatic Knockout! "RINGSIDE'^ StaiToA by GEORGE ARIIOTT "A grand sliow, a walloplnp hit and a thriller. . ' . ' . It left this observer ■ limp willt excitement." —AValter WlricheH, Graphic. , Theatre Guild TrodDctions I,.\ST .SIX TIMES WOMEN REPUBLIC TIIEA.. West 42d St. Main. M'odnesday & Saturday 2:30 Evenings 5:30 Th. 60 St&7lh Av. Mts. Thu-Sat, 2.30 In America's GrenteAt Revue EARL CARROLL W. C. FIELDS EARL CARROLL VANITIES with RAY DOOI,ET—JOE FRISCO DOROTHY KNArr rind 50 BIOAVTIKS) Vns'CRNT I,Or£Z (IIlmRcIf) & His BAMU OIIARI,ES DIIiMNOnAM Presents Strange Interlude JOHN GOLDEN THEATRE SSth, East of Brondwoiy GUILD XAQT EIGHT TIMES THEATRE, West t>2a. Eves. 8:30. Mats Thors. and Sat., 2:30 BILLIE Philadelphia, Sept. 18. George M. Cohan's- cojncdlans with I'olly Wuiker in new American musical pUiy in two acts. Muiilcalizatlon'of a Coh.in farce; book, lyrics and muiilc by Mr. Cohan; en- tire production staged by Edward Uoyc* and .Sam I-'urreat. Folks, Yon Ain't Heard Nothin' Yet! Th High Road A New Coincsiy FULTON by Frcderlok LonHdulp 4CLh St. iMta. Wert.-Sat. 2:20 of H'yl NlBhls 6:20 MARTIN BECK'J'' - ^r, st.g Ave. ev3. IVIMK I liy DC,VIV.,.^„. Mt9. W<-(l.:Snl. 9.-A0 lohn Golden presents a CoinoUy . Drama By I'hlllp Dunninp, Stingcd by Wlnchcll timlth. *A CLEAN HIT'—'Wmchell, Graphic EVA IMi. with CIAIBOENE FOSTER "GOOD FUN."—N. Y. Times. s th LITTLE THEA. W. 44 St. Eves. Matinees, .Wed. & S.at., 8.30 2.30 JOE COOK "RAIN OR SHINE" GEO. PnUAKl Tli«a., B'vray A i3d. Kt«. 8:30. H, IrUnHni M*tlnee» WKD. ft SAT.. S:3«, OLSON SINGING FOOL WINTER GARDEN AL The I Twice I I)AII>Y • 2:4.5 und H:45 ■ 3 .<<howB • SAT. & SVN. I 3-0-8:4.'; I'. .M. I B'WAY at 50th St. OUR GANG APlTiARANCE . -BUSTER KEATON in "THE CAMERA MAN" 'Rhapsody In lU-d. Wliito and Blue"—.\ Revue B'WAY and .•ilst HTUKKT Bef riperatcd CAPITOL Doorfl Open Daily at 10:30 A. M. All (Keats 36o to 1 V. M. SMARK fX naOADWAY at -(Tth ST. TBAN Mfin'ulit Show Niglitly, I I JO FIrNt National <TUir lA/UID' ^vlth I'resent InC »¥nir SOUND! DOROTHY MAOKAILT^Rttlph Forbes L.4»\vull Shernmn—Anna Nilhson' WP. WAr.NKU HTIOS. ViTAI'JIO.NliWtrATl. ROXY Willlnm Fox FroHents "THE RIVER PIRATE" with Victor McLaglen In "Billie," which he has been whipping into whirlwind shiipe here at the Garriciv, Geo. M.. Cohan has deserted the song-and-dance, spe- cialty-filled type of show represent- ed by "The Merry Malones" and the satiric, Jcidding type represented by "Rosie O'Reilly" and "Little Nelly Kelly," and has'returned to his old Held.. And how he has succeeded. He's got loads of dancing, a cast of well-selected principals and what is probably the best all-around score Cohan has ever composed. Sophisticates will probably be in- clined to pooh-pooh the boolc a lit- tle, but there Is no denying, Geerge M. has succeeded In getting a max- imum out of his old straight com- edy, "Broadway Jones" which he u.se.s as a.foundation. Conventional it may be, and not subtly aatiricil, but the story moves along fast, the characters are interesting, and there is a generous portion of not-too- mawUish sentiment for those who look for it. Just another girl-and-boy ro- mance, against a background of big business in a small town, but vlr tually sans the Cohan spoofinig of the plot, which he so likes to do Tho young . hero, Jackson Jones is Joe Wagstaff, who has not shown a great deal in former appearances here, but in "Billie" he Is great; sings, veil enough to get by, .dances agilely, plays the piano, acts the role sympathetically and puis just the right about of infectious boyish pop Into the part. Last year In "The Merry Malones" Cohan promised he was going to star Polly Walko.r. She dominates "Bilho" and proves to be just about the best musical comedy heroirie found fn five years. Hor voice is improved; she dances with a.s much grace as in "The Malones," and Ii;is gained all kind.s of poise' and as- surance and variety, without los- ing a bit of her swcetne.''s. Robinson Newbold, old Cohan standby, shows to great advantage as Bob Wallace, the hero's friend, .Philadelphia, Sept. 18. '.'Women," at the: Adelphia, is the third tryout aent hero this season by Sam llarri.s, and proJjably the least promising of the trip. "Women" was written by Edith and Edward Ellis, the former h:i.ving had some experience in writing, the latter being a recognized actor They start the play vvith the handi' cap of a prolog that tells the audi ence what the denouement is to be, and then pi'oceed to go back and show the events leading up to that denouement. They also uise a tricky ending which has Its surprise as- pects, but is more on the order of a mystery .melodrama than .a finale In keeping with the spirit of the rest of the play. Taken as a whole "Women" Is a florid, ,sometimen in- teresting, but uneven and iincon vinoing dram.a. Its opening scene shows Victor GreSham, popular novelist, dead at his desk with his butler calling the police. The verdict of the authorl ties is. suicide. Information is Ini mediately forthcoming that Gresham had had a number of notorious love affairs. Refused by the one girl he really loves, and havilng renounced the married women, Gre.sham, down in the mouth, calls In his butler and tells the latter that he is going to commit suicide; This Is in the final act, and is the point where the play turns into a mystery thriller. The butler expresses fear that he will be blamed for the master's death, whereupon Gresham agrees to write a note absolving everyone. He gives the note to the butler and then tries to shoot hlm.self but decide.'? against it. One is not cjuite clear whethoi he really intended to and had cold feet or whether he was just play acting all along. . At all events, he fires one .shot into the floor and tho butler rushes in. Then comes the twist. The butler's tone, changes as he an nounces that he is the husband of a womnn who has rnmmitted sui- cide because of an affair with the novelist. Gresham makes no at tomi)t fit defense and the butler, sjxfe in the pos.session of the note, calmly shoota him and calls the police which is just what he was doing when the first curtain went .up, ' "Wohien'^ is nT.eoTy pTnyed, espe ciollyby jnhn HnlMday as (Gresham nnd by several of the women. Ilal- lid.'vy is a bit too emotional in the last "act. Mary Sorvoss and Lotus Robb and Mildred McCoy stand out Mis.<=i Servoss is perh.nps the surest and most vivid of the cast. The men-are. odeointe, no mor0, with Charles Trowbridge also overdolnc: the last .^scene, The pl.ay hf s been nf t.r.nctively set and the dh-eetion of Rouben Mom oulinn is admirable, except in hi f'trangp experiment of li.ovlng light "■• go' un and down in an ordlnnr\ drawing room setting, to fit the mop.d of the action, This gives some ENGAGEMENTS Allan Dlnehart, Georgette Cohen, Wallace Erskine, Wanda Lyon, Lu- cia Moore, Lenoro SorSby, Georgia Lee Hall, "Gli^l Trouble." Stan Stanley, Alan Brooks, Ca- melia. Campbell, Jay Holly, Lester Sheehan, William Augustine, Lewis "Waller. Leo Howe, Chuck Conners, May Davis, Mai'guerite Leo, "Pleas- ure Mnd" (Mae'West). Matty Cohen's Orchesti-a, "Jarne- gan." John Wray, Katherine Wilson, Pat O'Brien, "Tin Pan Alley." Charles Trowbridge, "Women.'- Lucy Monroe. "Hello Yourself.'' Douglas Burloy, Doris Cariion, "Americana." Frank Beaston, Harry Beresford, "Hold Everything." . Buster West; "Ups-a-Dalsy;" Vanlta Carol, "Vanities." Marian Alto, "White Lilacs." Benny Ross,"Excess Baggage." Demaria Dore, Frivolity Club. Robert Pitkin, in new Will Sully- Genevieve Houghton vaude act. Reynold Sisters, "Cross My Heart." Robert Long, Edna Hlbbard, "Possession.'' Florence Reed, "The Legacy." Clayton "Peg" . Bates, "Black-, birds." Jeannette Fox-Lee, O'lga Kro.low,. . Joseph. . Boland, William. Cullen, Marjorie Lytell,* Maurice Barrettj "Straight Thru the Door.'! Maude Rus.solli Billie Ifarborough, Hoheyboy Thompson, Cornbred and Sonny Thomas band for colored contingent, of "Just a Minute." Gier.sdorf Sisters, "Cross My Heart." Ramon and Rosita, Club Lido. Henry Hull, "Gray Fox." Plolene Dumas, u n d e r s t u d y, "ire.'ivy Trjifllc." Morris Kroner, "Cantor's Daugh- ter;" Eugene Powers. Beatrice Maude, Ratan Devi, Judith Lowery, : Inge^ borg Torrup, "Light of Asia." Anne Sluyemaker, Owen Davi.s, Jr., Moffiit Johnson, "Toniglit at 12.". . William Farnuni, "Macbeth." Marjorle Wood, Pehelo))e Hubbard, The Royal Family." (Road.) Elsie Lawson. Frederick Worlock, "The Cojhmon Sin.'.' Ruby Keeler, "Whoopee." Edwin Phillips, "Conrage." Isabel O'Madlgan, John Marston, ^Danger.'' Will Rogers. "Tliree Cheers." Tom Douglas, Dorothy Gi.sh, "Young Love." Hans Robert, Orville O. Harris, Beatrice Swanson, William ErvlUe, Phoebe James, Harry Joyner, "Hide and Seek." Helyn Eby-Rock, "Music In May." Leo Donnelly, Joseph Kllgour, Thomas W. Ross, Irene Frank Monroe, Maidel Gladys Feldman. Kathryn Tgnacio Martlnetti, "The Convention." Purcell, Turner, Collins, Crook's Eyanston Stock Chicago, Sept. 18. Clyde Elliott has reopened the New Evanston theatre at Evanston, 111., with the Bellamy stockplayers. Opening bill, "Abie's Irish Rose." Logan Sq., Chi^ Stock Chicago, Sept. 18. Berkell stock players inauerurated a season of dramatic stock at the Logan Square theatre last week. scenes a rather musical comedy at- mosphere. An unusual thing about it Is that the theme which might have been very sexy is treated in an almost naive fashion both as regards dia- log and scenes. In this respect, it might have been written 15 or 20 years ago, although not old fash- ioned in structure. The authors -have been very carel^ul -not to -glve any offense and, with a story of this .sort, and the example of other cur- rent plays, this seemed amazing. "Women" might easily have been a sensational piece about illicit love. Waters. SON JOUR JACK FORESTER FBATURED CASINO DE PARIS DOUBLING PERROQUET 7th Ave. & Both St. 1/lr. lloxy with another magnificent etapre pro(jram utlllzinp the Uoxy CoiupHny, teaturlnK. "UACHKM," a pictorial prwontntinn for the .Te\vl.«h Now Year with eaat o£ 500. "TIN TYPISS"— A UevUu. Twioa Dally—2<45, 8:45 3 Shows Sat and Sun., 3:00, $.-00, 8:45 P. M.