Variety (Sep 1928)

NEW ACTS VARIETY jOSE K. BOHR and Co. (3) /Argentine Dances and Songs 16 Mins.; One and Full Stage Ave. (V-P) Misguided ttirn of four pieople. but with its name ' irer, Jose Bohr, a possibility for a single* turn. He has one song that could po'sslbly carry him into a .production revup, and a certain forciffn personality (it ■a, pleasant nature to back him up, The' song is '"Beauty Mark," sung in accented English (Spanish), but with the melody suggesting more the French than the Spanish style. It's catchy and the Idea is good. It's of a beauty tnark he always fouiid on every girl, but he won t tell where. English lyrics badlj rhymed if translated. Up to that song the act was a total loss. It carries a female pian- ist, also foreign, and a team of mixed Argentine dancers, the latter useless whether in a tango or any other kind of an Argentine dance nowadays in vaude. All of the people. In the turn seem to have been misinformed on vaude- vllle, including the. pianLste witli her own arrangement of American music. Bohr is also a pianist. An open- ing screen sheet of himseW with a. fiound-singlng record (behind the screen) .says he is a noted com poser in his 6\yh country. If com posing "Beauty Mark" he should have been rioted at home for popu lar music. Playing the plino himself and singing, using his personality to the utmost and nriaklng ipore of the accent, whether roal or feigned, Mr. Bohr should have a. chance nowadays as a single on the. best vaude time. The chances are in his favot. The act as it is will cost too much for Bohr to carry it with that one number. As an act as it is. It's worth very little now, for vaude or picture hou.ses. Sim-c- BUTLER and PARKER "Driftwood" (Skit) 18 Mins.; One 6th Ave. (V-P) No flrst names billed for this couple but likely. Hal Parker and Ann Butler, who have been a two- act for some time. "Driftwood" sounds new, and the material, almost wholly cross-fire, Sounds the same way, with an ex- ception or 80. Two songs break up the talk in "one,", "L-augh, Cflown," that fits in, with "Driftwood" to tloae. The. latter sounds like a pretty nifty . ballad. Miss Butler is the comic here, Mlth Parker the straight. And this is what the turn amounts to: an imitation with different talk and songs, of the former act of Savoy and Brennari, now Brcnnan and Rogers. Miss Butler uses the verbal man- nerisms of the late Bert Savoy, changing Marjorie to Annie. Parker does his best to resemble Jay Bren- nan, even to carrying a crook cane hnd swinging it. In that kind of ah act and In this one, Butler and Parker will do. "Their stuff is flip but not too wise for any g,udiencc. It's probably the first time any girl ever attempted a Bert Savoy style. Some of the spots In the turn might be speeded lip. But if the act is new as the 5th Ave. date would indicate, that would explain BELA BERKES and Royal Gypsy Orciiestra (7) Songs and Dances 17 Mins.; Full Stage 86th St (V-P) Bcla Bcrkes and his orchestra have also brought to vaudtvville Vil- ma Pataky, the Kahnan oporalio star, and the Soleros, dancers. Their program is not only a gem fur vaude but is made to order for tho plfture houses. It carries a musical wallop and one does not need to oat g'oulash .to appreciate this corking act. The.'stringed band of musiolan.s beaded by Berkes, who can play a fiddle in high, comes close to being a vaude revelation. The musicians play beautifully under Berkes' mas- terly direction. And Miss Pataky can sing and the Soleros can dance. Music, dancing and the singing are Hun- garian in motif,, yet there is a mod- ernity to Berkes' program, divert- ing and satisfying. Berkes sorta nestles his head on tho instrument and puts his so^\ Into his music; he's that kind of >i musician. It is a delight after all the brassy blare,, flare and crash of the hotsy totsy conglonierations to revel in the Impressive, persuasive strains from those stringed Instru- ments. Among them is the cym- balpm,' given an inning now and then. Mis^ Pataky has a voice of high rjinge; she knows how to use it on top and low register; and with it displays fire and lustre, musically, backed up by Berkes and his violin. She can't miss with the way he in- .spires her with that fiddle and bow. The Soleros despite the raft of adaglolsts that have pa.S3ed in re- view have something a little diffor- eht in their routines that.help them immeasurably in scoririig. - ' Berkes . varies liis program, but, perhaps, the music that was out- standing and haid that 86th street crowd applauding was the old "Gypsie Melody." Berkes carries tho "royal" billing through his appointment in 1910 a.s the court dance musician in Buda- pest. He has proof of this honor used as a lobby display. Mark. HOOPER and GATCHETT and Co. (4) /■ "The Rookie" (Skit) 20 Mins.; One and Full (Special') 81st St. (V-P) In-and-opt, on-and-off prodiic- Uon with nothing to hold it togothiT except scenery. Yet the sum total; bright and peppy entertainment. (lermaine La Pierre Is the Prenchie in a war time road oafo. Henry, Saxc is the captain and what looks for the fir.st few minutes like a plot, n'bweveri he turns out to be simply a tenor. Gallagher and Cox, male, dancliig te.'im, fill in as doughboys. The comic of ITobper and C<at- ehett has a very distinctive, style, both in gagging and siiiging. Act holds ample giggle rations. Self-described as a military trav- esty. . .I-^nd. News From the Dailies This department contains rewritten theatr.carnewsjtems as pub- lished during the week in the daily papers ot New York. Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles and London. Variety takes no cred.t for these news items; each has been rewritten from a daily papei*. NEW YORK Suzanne Ilennt'tt,/lead in' "nVVn.?." made known her eivgagoniont to marry . Capt. Sit.'^ ({eorjvc 'Hubert Wllkins on the •. eve of his depar- lure for Antaretie-. explorations. Both are ' AmeriCavi.s. •. Martin Beck will. pnJ.duoc • two nlays. probably In ai<sociation with the Theatre Guild which'has loasod his theatre .on 4'5 . Street, he liled beeviuse all games im the barge. w<M-e operated hon<'stly. Jud.go Itenning ordered briefs IVleU EUziibetli Savett, sereen actress,, has tiled b-iiit for '^SO.OOO damages against tlie Mme. Hay Ueaiity Shoppe, ...She i>liege's a scratch re- ceived froin a grain of salt used ill a• salt rub given her caused an infection that .sent her to bod. fVeauty shop contends the aetress had the infectloil before she took the bath.' . . ' HARRY AND FRANK SEAMAN Comedy Acrobatics. 10 Mins.; One 86th St. (V-P) A year ago a man named Seaman was doing a rough.comedy acrobatic turn with a partner named H«Tr- mon. This Seaman may be one of the present duo with a routine in which the smallest chap does every- thing .but the blackbottom on the fat boy's face and. tummy. They work along the lines of 36me of the, awkward teanis-of acrobats now like mushrooms, but they go In for some rougher horseplay. BAth take hard slams. Considerable fun arises froni the way the shorty gets his feet tangled up in the. loose, baggy pants of the. other man. The uptown audience. seemed to roar at everything they did. Mark. William Caryl has leoised the P.rince.ss, New York,- whicl.i he of- fers for rent. .. . . Radio show hung tip a new a:t- tendance mark. ,it Madison Siiuarc Gardet* Thurf>day Avith 59,331 on the. day.- I.orctta Mi;I>erm()tt is named fis co-respondent by. Mrs. John Bruce McMartiu, NH'ho alleged her hus- band, realizing he was doomed by an incurable disea.se. gave him"se«* up to gayety of the night life in company .of the entertainer. : Lillian Lorraine ralliod from ;an operation at the Pai-k West: Hos- pital'and is reported on the way to recovery, after being practically given up by dbctors. Irwin ^icDonald, self-a.^si'i ted lihn castinu director, wa.-s found guilty of a theft ot $45 from .Mrs. Catherine Murtland. stenographer, in Municipal Judge Hardyis court. Arguments over the granting of . a new tri.xl to Jack Donovan, screen cowboy; in the damage suit by Mae Murray, screen actress, over a real estate deal resulted in a near fist fight outside the oouvtroom of .ludge Walter S. Gates, who heard Die arguments. ; ' The principals' were Donovan and W. I.' Gilherl, attorney for Miss Murray,who recently Avon a judg- ment of $32,000 from Donovan. Donovan I.s said to h.ive been aided In the scramble in which fists were swung, by his mother, Mrs. Jean- 'ette Donovan; . MI.ss Murray charged that Dono- van sold her for $50,000 a house worth only $25,000. She contended also deception as to the value of alleged antique furniture, sold with the house. The judge took the motion for a new trial under ad-, visement. LIBBY DANCERS (8) Girl Act 18 Mins.; One and Full "Academy (V-P) -" - — (MISS) BILLV TICHENOR AND Co. (5) "Little Miss Cinderella" (Musical) 23 Min.; Full Stage (Special) 86th St. (V-P) Billy Tichenor gets a lot. of credit for the elaborate effort to give vaude something new In a song and dance fantasy, not only spe- cially written by Neville Fleeson but with a number of wardrobe changes, brand new dress drapes and scenic embellishment. Atop this colorful staging-is a hardworking sextet of principals. "Little Miss Cinderella" Is along that theme. Only this one has been modernized to tunes, lyrics and dances. In which everybody has plenty to do, ' This act has two male steppers, Sands and. Frankel, who stick to- gether team routines, Two girls also work together on dancing and seem to get more out of their kiclc- Ing than anything else. At the piano and doing the main soloing vocally Is. a man who also dances several times with Miss Tichenor. Miss Tichenor works hard and scores on dancing. On her vocal cf forts it was hard to hear from the middle of the house as she appeared to be suffering from a cold',- Act carries no threadbare musical numbers. Its newness and fresh ANTHONY AND HOWLAND Songs and Talk 17 Mins.; One 86th St. (V-P) This wop comic, Anthony, has been around vaude a long time and has had . different partners but In Bin Howland he now has a pip of a straight,. Their exchange for the most part sounds new although the laughs rely on Anthony's interpretation of words. Howland sang and was applauded. So much Insistent applause the men came out and Anthony spieled his language bit for further re- sults. .Brisk and sightly turn, with sev- eral novelty points In production and staging and considerable com- edy. Spotted here to: open and worth a better .position in most houses of the Intermediate grade. .. Opens with girl doing introduc- tory speech out front. Sports girls of the '90'3 parade-TT-bathing girl swathed in clothes and long-skirted tennis damsel, . good for laughs.. 'I'hen mo'dern sport dames with very little on for dance routine. Various stepping bits by Indi- viduals, then two girls In novelty ai-.'obatic bit, girls as rabbits with ;iian as farmer handling them ip •■.'agio, and all excellent, including I'l-ip of w^oodlatid do"ne in pen ■.lii'lch mode. r our girls in helmet, futuristic rilling togs and ])olo mallets In toe stc[)s to galloping music, all work- .n:r up to adagio by nmaller "rah- "=Tf: r" ""g ir i"T)r? oe dmg-=smd""inan7=^alstr ' 'iLrgestlhg polo. CoVnedy incident follows with ness In tTiat sort of iriaferlar are much in Its favor. With more work It will prove more satisfactory. It sure dresses up a stage. Suf= ficlently animated to hold enter- tainment though unreeling nothing sensational or unusual In talent. NEW ACTS International Rythm (5), Vivian Purcell, songs. Sam Hymans, songs. Jimmy Howell .and "Red" Chap- man, In skit. Price, and Gllmore, two-act. Hugh Cameron and Wallace lEd- dlnger,. two-act. Willie Evans aiid Fred Adams. Ladella and Kogan. Pepino and Carthe, Emil Casper (Casper and Mi.r- rissey) and Danny G'Nell, 2-act. Ray Wiley and Elsie in "Telling a Few Lies," by George Nagle. Jack Marcus and Olga Poe in 'Please Go Home," by George Nagle. Doyle, Donnelly and Coltpn, now two-act as Doyle and Donnelly, Alfred H. White Is returning to vapde, after five years' absence, with "Abie's Irish Rose." Fred . MUler and^ ^?Vt Capma.n Paris caWes report Ro.sie Dolly suing .Mortimer. D.avis, Canadian, for divorce and $100,000 a! year ali- mony. Were married in the United States six months ago. Davis' father left a hundred million, with his son's share held down to an in- come. Ganna Walska arrived in 'New York with personal effects worth $200,000. 'rhey were held at the Custom House. She protested seizure, claiming her. legal residence is in Paris and she is entitled to bring her property In as a nonr resident. Legal battle hinges on legality of Paris residence. Her husband, Harold F. McCormiCk, la a resident of Chicago; DivQrce suit of Ruth Elder's bus band, Lvlo Womaek, is off. Womack sailed with the Byrd South. Polar expedition from Balboa, Panama, with which he signed as fireman. Peggy Hopkins Miller, "Follies" girl, betran a second suit tor di- vorce from Herbert Miljer, setting up.statutory .trrpunds. Previous suit was dismls.s'eia on evidence wife had condohi.Ml husband's alleged infi- delity. LOS ANGELES Ethlync Clair, screen actress, who filed .«<uit for annulment of her rtiarriage to Richard Lansdale Han- shaw, film producer, changed her mind two days later. In place of annulment, Miss Clair stated she had decided to file a divorce bilL .. I^.'itrice Joy and her maid nar- rowly escaped serious injury wh^n a golf ball crashed through the windshield of her car as she was being driven past the Rancho Coun- try Club. Suit filed by Evelyn Mueller, M. C. actress, against Jack Tyre L. A. business man, asking $100,000 for broach of. promise, was continued when it came tip for trial In Judge McClucas' court, as defendant was reported to be in Germany taking special treatments for Illness. Edvv.'ird Welch, film stunt man, .■sentenced to two years in jail lor non-support of his 21 months' old child, Patricia, by Municipal Judge Swain. ; Sentence suspended while W^elch pays $10 weekly. Irwin McDonald, self-styled film easting director, found guilty of stealing $20 from Mrs. Catherine Murtland, stenographer, was sen- tenced to 30 days. Sentence was suspended, bvit as result of convic- tion, McDonald must serve two years In S.an Quentin, from which "he was paroled last February fol- lowing convhrtlon on a check charge. William Nigh, film director, suetj for separate maintenance by his wife, Mrs. Citta Kruschkc, who named Jeanne Jarvls, actress, Nigh's real name Is EmIl 'W. Kruschke. PIERRiE WHITE and Co (1) .Baritone 14 Mins.; One (Special) 81st St. (V-P) ]>lerr.e White appeared s(mK<'-."ea- soh.s ago in "Rose-Marie," A bit of song from that operetta Introduces him off stage prior to li)s entnmce from behind drapes. Sings the one about still loving, her ' 10,000 years from how. Not until third number does girl pianist come on. AVhite sings "Thru the Bl.ack of Niiulit" and "The Song fif the Vaga- bond.s" both heavy and intended for =di-a ni a ti<u.sockv-bu U-n ot-.g.ejxdljig:.-.-Ojit the necessary sparks to get them The fauK seemed to v;ojneoy jncmciiL miiuwo vimi , aC'l O.^'.S SOUdly . leavyweluMit girl and same man be In the delivery. W hite not get iiUrlesquing adagio thing. Nicely flone and briefly. Football game with girl.s -vt'earing very little makes the finish, not especially hot, but full of action which serves the exit purpose. J?t*sft' ting virility into the pas.'?ages de- pendent upon vigorous a.«?.saiilt. Act and numbers may be new to White, with time and work the niL'sIng factors. As la, fair deucer. 7xiH<l. have dissolved thrbugH Capmah's decision to enter musical comedy. Miller has framed with Grace Wal-: Hon for vaudeville. Emil Crtspor (Casper .and Morri- son) and Danny O'Neal (O'Neal and Vermont), two-act, John O'M.eara for "Arms and. the Girl (Gordon & Woods).. Estelle Fox and Don Gauthler for Milton Aborn's "China Bjue Plate," revived. Kvylyn Wright for "Manhattan I Stepper,'' revised, Lucilo La Xeir and Rev Marra with' Yukona Cameron and Toni Thoinaefjen in Itosalic Stewart pro- dUfUion, in rehe;ir.sal. Ruth Robinson, from the .Coast, In "Widow by I'roxy," produced by Lee 1*. Stewart. F)"ink Rowan, Juvenile, with Norma Shut and J. Russell in sUit. Il<.l(.n Maycox and Nolan J'.oys. .2-act 1 , _ Katharine Boyle"'and Boy."^, danc- ing act. (j'Dear SisL-rs, from musical cony- edy, first Iling at vaude. open on tho Loew Circuit Oct.- 8. "Caravan," former legit, abbre- viated for vatide and s^-nt out by lien Stern with Hairy McCollum featured. Policeman Slebbins was fined 10 days pay after being found guilty of profanity and unnecessary force In dealing..wJ th Sam Sanspnc.. ne^^ photographer of a local newiipapcr, at Mines Field, during the national air races. S.ansone alleged the omcer struck at him with a black Jack. . Mrs.. Vivian M. Cabanne, former wife of .Christy Cabanne, filed suit in Suijcrlor. Court . September IS agaln.^t Dr. FJd.win I.«'irson for ?10C,- iici damages as result of injuries .she .«aid .she received when struck l)V the def»;ndant's automobile on June 2R. Mrs. Ora May Merritt, Hollywood dancer, granted divorce from Louis Nai)ole(m Merritt, Los Angeles mil- lionaire, at Salt Lake City. Mrs, Merritt granted separate mainten- ance, $2.';0 monthly income and use of husband's 2r)-room home In 1'a.sa- dena, Cal. "Jim Tully, scenarist' and novelist, again named defendant In divorce suit by wife, Margaret M. Tully. She sued hlrh . last June, but the couple were later reconciled. She alleges extreme cruelty in her new -Uwitlon. CHICAGO lOtlndyn Claire, screen actre.s.", lilcil suit .Sept. 18 for annulment of her niarriagi! to Richard Lan.sdale H;in:'.iia\v, ' film producer, ajlegln.; tli.'Li. hf i>roniise(l to niake ,a .star of lif-r, but fail'-d to do so. They were marrii'tl June K in Ti.a Juanu, and Kcii.-u-:il<'d Aug. 15, .'iccnnling to th eoiij])I;iint. With J..Rerpasek of the defunct Gregory and Jiernasek fboatre cir- cuit being held in cu.stody by the police- In connection with the bomb- ing of the Pa)-lhciion theatre, Der- wvn, authorities are' now looking for George II. Meyer.s, former man- ager of the h'use.. Minturn sio'.-k players opened 0. S'-foiiil st/x 1-. .season at Chateau ,\Toii'lay. Decision in the casV- oT tT ST govu-nnii'nt aj^alnst the gamldiri t.l)Ii> ' ■ - ... I K'-itl'-iTii-nt of the musicians f^irike in Ji,iiivi)l". 111., pji-.ture houses wa.S f.iT.'fted Ihls W'-i-k. .\ thfatrc, t.i cost jnnO.OiiO, will be f-i"(|.d hy II;.- Dlaine Huilding Corp. >iii\> Johanna Smith, recenM\ ......... . seized off Lung Re;u;li, was ri.-scrvc<l lai :^Tl.•^al Southpurt avenue wli<-n the ease e;inio liiTore ,1'.' - ; „„,, ^^f, Dlsfrict Judge E. J. Henniug heVK f)n.-. gangster ^^■•■^•';'l;'' Di.fr.ndant attorney.- . contend t;,e p-.li. ..-men Pf';h-'P« government v^as -out of bouml.s" • in a ^nn battle bHween gangs r^ when the barge was s-I/mI an<ll,-«n.l police .^t the Turkish .Village That charges of larceny could not Cafe, Just out.-^ide the Chicago loop.