Variety (Nov 1928)

Wednesday, November 21, 1928 VANESSI and Lido Boys (4) Song and Pa"" , 16 Mins.; Full (Special) Palace (St. V) Typical Vanessi sight act, . This time the comely dancipr is without her usual high graOc support. The three Lido boys, are some what helow the rest of. the turn They sing, one plays piano/ another banjo arid the third dances. Tliey are nice looking and smooth wprk- inp, but not big time.; . Va iiessi is big tirhej has. been lor a long time-. What she lacks as a dancer she makes up dotibly, in looks and in the .way she sells, her looks, ^er well kriowri pe.acock number, still present, is a . perfect example of what the dark arid, beautifully formed Vanes.si can do with such a simple thing as a strut. 'Her daricine is mostly, kicking. The rielehth of her kicking is not so great, nor is the kicHing itself ■ exti-rtordihary.. Nor are herrcontrol steps any - more' unu.sual. Tet she peddles it as . though it were tech .nically perfects Arv is artistically produced. • ■ . ■ Biye MINER and VAN,: . Comedy, ■ ■ ■■ .-. ^ 11 Mins.; Two (Special), Fifth Ave. (V.-P). Good central idea, and; competent playing- goes for naught;. Almost complete rewriting seems necessary, though >Vhat the. act needed just as .much wh.en caiight_ a:t. the Fifth was an audiepce. Man and -te'oman shiJSwrecked on a de.sert isle. Man-dl.scovers. It's his •wife, and vice A'ersa: Permissible to ^ay discovers; as neither , was aware of the other's presence on the boat, being maritally sepai-ated. When a lion roa;r.s, wprnan says she loves her husband. When lion • stops roaring," changes her mind She claim.s she loVes him again, but switches when seeing a sa.iI in the distance. When the. boat passes the island withoiut so;.much as a nod, she's, iri love agairii - Liogical finish would be the dis- covery that ft's no deserted- island at all, placing the hu.^5ba:nd iri a perfect spot to ha-ha. Miner and Van ^igh - off abruptly and muff a. .chance to slip in a fare-well punch. Woman is a pretty nifty ]ook«:r, her black crepe .scantivs being in great shape a.fter ail; that ■ time in the: wntef. ^^0^ MILTON DOUGLAS and Orches tra (10) Band Revise 40 Mins.; FulV Stage Rive.rside (V-P) A top notch m. c. functioning in front of a stage band, ad libbing to hip heart's content and aided by a stage box plant and two girls who introduce specialties^ Neither of thO; girls billed, but one piquant little .singer introduoed as Douglas' ."lister.did clean up. Douglas , is a nice 'lookirie d.ark young man .walking bn casually to take, the baton while the orchestra of nine (all brass .exceiit violin) Leads .one: number in formdl tash ion, then goes into .a. song, t9pped with a brisfk bit 6f stepping. riant in box crashes in with com- edy give and take arid continues at intervals. First girl is simple dancer, doing black bottom in usual style arid making a nice picture in her plump wa.y.. More solos by- Douglas, who has an agreeable voice • and a captivating . audience approach; His "Sonny Boy" a riot. Annouhcfement :for Sister, dainty colleen typie, who sings in a light voice and foils for comedy of Doug- las. Brother and. sister idea is well worked up for appeal to th^s family audience and returns rich re turns.. DeiTionstration reached' pro portions of show stopper and prob ably last ten rtiiriutcs of running timie was by dema;nd of .crowd. • Girl andjjjeader cross fire for good effect and for the finale do a trim bit ot, stepping. Girl-is-a. prospect for something better than side issue for a stage ■orchestra; she. has class* feniinine appeal aLnd 'under a good firrii house m, c. rinight develop. Douglas himself : haLS every thing a picture house m.. c. needs, and more, Itiish WALSH and CHARLAND (4) Comedy Aci'bbatic, Dance 10 Mins.j One and Three 5th Ave. (V-P) Walsh arid eiiarland a,re eoriiedy male a,crobata. Dance team in siap port, doing ballroom, tango and adagio straight for the double pur pose of breaking up the sequence and setting a standard, for the aero batic cloWns to burlesque. Unless for some specially inti- I hiate purpose of training the dan- I cera, the act doesn't need theni if for no other reason ihan a matter of show biz economics. Their own ' knockabout acro-hoktirii holds up on its own and; registered strongly in the opening groove. For the finale, one swings the other by the ankles and catapults him off on a wide arc under, the back drop into deep; full-stiige. It aerved its purpo.s'e for a wow laugh. .Strong opener anywheres. Act's chief recommendation is comedy and it cai third, just as nicely op the better bills. . Aid. "DANCE SCANDALS" (6) Song and Dhnce 12 Mins.; One and Three 5th Ave, (V-P) ; ''Dance Scandals" is not the same act of the sariie name around three years ago. ,It was also a six peo- ple song and dance revue, but this Crame-up is neAv, evenly divided as to personnel whereas the forriier act held, fiye . women and a male m.: c. Either thii; act Inherited an abandoned title or 'some flash pro- ducer wished the m6nicker on a new combo. . It makes little difference as to billing or the act. . ■; This is ahother of those mediocre song and dance revueo. Male dance team opens Very dapper singing about their search for new talent. If that's a sample, of talerit they bettei*. keep on searching. Three gals assist. Eventually a male singer ' comea on warbling about '.'Arizona Rose" to the "aijr arid lyrics of "Montmartre Rose" \\'ith merely a chiange of 'locality in the song title. : That's enough. Pi'obably for no other reason than the, act owned a cactus set-piece and a set of : chaps and western regalia waa this dragged in by the teeth. Fron* then very .vo-do-de-o. Small time fla.sh. Alel NEW ACTS , WALTER O'KEEFE I Corhedy Songs 15 Mins.; One 81st St. (V-P) Walter O'Keefe is the m. c. and principal solo entertainer .at Biuney (Jallanfs Greenwich Village' cafo where the conferencier has been di- rectly responsible for a consistent draw., of couvert charges from Broadway, Park avenue^ and all around the town. It's his first ven-. lure in vaudeville, to double around in the metropbUtan. Keith houses. O'Keefe is showing here probably for the Palace next week. The sorigwriter-entertainer, with his- own uniqtie atyle of vocalizing, was aa well liked, at the 81st St, from the r.ostriim as he is on a .cafe floor arid, nullifies any skepticism as to his mass appeal.: This theory la founded on his smart satirical lyrics, but they got *em . and him witliout question. Sunday afternoon where tjie audience was probably 40 per cerit. juvenile, attracted by Ike Rosens riiidget.act. : O'ICeefe didn't know that under the Sabbath liiwa, variety shows in New "Tork are sacred concerts or. some such stibstitute differentiation,^ which carries with it a proviso against the distribution of priritod programs. O'Keefe made some ref- erence to the jprogram which would iiavei identified him Irrimediately as a songwriterrentertaihei*^ He's writer of '::Since Heriry Made a Lady Out of Lizzie':' \vith which he bpens. After i few miniites, with O'lCecfe's dwelling ori how Ford compensated hirit fpr 'his. TTin Pari. Alley propa- ganda on behalf of the new flivver, the full significance was Impressed. They got it further wheri O'Keefe plugged his "Just a. Mmute" ahow,' singing the. hit sorig from the mu- sical.' ■. ; . ■■ ■ In between the comedian con- tributes small talk and biting satire. The topical tunester follows with: "Since the Movies Learned to Talk", and clicked wuth the closing lyrical barrage again.«rt , Macfadden's "Graphic." O'Keefe I.s a natural entertainer, at . ease and at home whether on the stage or a nite club floor, the latter training proving an' asset with the advaritage of a rostrum, the Iritervenihg spjaco betweeri a.udlence and footlights and, riot the least, the general air of sobriety as opposed to the aura of the cafew. The classier the vtiudevllle the- atre, the better they'll like him; He may not wow 'em at the Jefferson but . houses like this, the Palace, Riverside, etc., will fancy O'Keefe. Ahel. VARIETY 13 W, H. GROH Canines 10 Mins;; Full Palace (St. V.) (Sroh walks into a full stajrc piano set like a concert pianist. Ho climbs atop the piano for a orie-hand stand ori a pedestal like an acro- bat. His classiticatibn isn't estab- lished until a dOg walks on. Then it's still a questiori, but it stays dog. ■ . As a comedy - dog .act, the kids .should love .it.. Groh wastes Con- siderable time till getting down to. bu!-<iness, but they'll love it. any- way.- His four funny, looking pups bounce balloons around one . at a time for the gang, of them, and .'ill in the spirit of competition. As e.ich balloon is broken, the pups scram over to the: i/i': for more b.il- lons. An accomplice down there: hands them out, ,and they know the source. The comedy distingui.shcs this fronvmost hound turns. It's conjedy for juvenile audierices. Pilders will probably- regard it as just an opener, but they're bound to . laugh. No more than an opener, but the conicdy involved is natural open- ing .'ftuff. For that reason (Iroh .should find a dcniand. iHgc. CANDREVA Dancing Trumpeter* . (7) Orcheistra and Dance 16 Mins.; Full Stage, Special Set Orpheum, Los Angeles (St. V.) • A. .septet of yputhfill trump»'-tist9. In. .''heikish attire, \Vith a full cydo- rama sot. Two of the boys load in spocialtiop. offering difllcult duets .and. bits ^vith the romaininp five.. The pi'oup gives indication of plenty of propagation; their routino movlnfX smoothly along: I'Op nurn- bi'r.>5j voisos done by the soloists,. witl\ the i-e.^it coming in' for bar- ' mohy . chorus... At'' lini.sh (>f firtJt number, the llve.go into a s-of.t shoe NVhilo'playing .a reprat chorus. R'e-. mainder of the act the usual trum- pet offerings,, albeit woU executed,, ,. Fi>r .Hash, finale, "llo-s-os cvf .ricar- dy," soloed, with five rows of roses lowered and lit wtih -.'»inall colored, lights. Good flash effect and a sure hand-potter. "Sextette from LuciaV and a bui.-k rotUi.he' hy the quintet ClOFO. "DOUBLE EXPOSURE" (3) Comedy Skit 9 Mins.; Three (Special) American (V-P) . Two good looking girls and a pleasing young man in a light com- edy playlet. , Girla are riext door neighbors. Boy . da;n"t decide; The dames try to decide :for him; He . still can't.;.- - Gcrit sings twice, ma.ybe thrice, to his own uke' accompaniment. His singing isn't bad and changes trie pace, v.; Girls are contraating types, co« medienrie and seriotis handler of lines.. .Both should land in. produc- tion. f?IK'cial house drop in approxi- mately three. Bioe. BONTA TROUP2 (6) Tumblers 6 Mins.; Full . J efferson J-.f.V^P) .. . JOE arid IDA ST. ONGE Gymnastic 6 Mins.; Three Biroadway (V-P). Mixed team on the flying rings, trapeze and "iron jaw." Both share the labors, the woman oflficlating as anchor in the aerial holds and not cheating on the rr.i:tlhe. If any thing, the balance is in her favor She is no .mere, prop or stra ight on the ."tage. The aer-ial -stuff, - some of it away from the usual,: is: done neitly and without :ostentation, ; gettirig its hand-tb-hand rewards on It.s merits Opened: well here, .' Abel NOLAN BROS, and VESSEY Song, and Dance, 9 Mins.; One. 8ist St. (V:P) Mixed three-act. blonde girl han- dling the vocalizing. Two Nolans are in West Point regalia, doing concerted tap stepping and fla.shing a military drill maneuver with prop guns to "Marth of the Toys." Average darice revue, opening oke here and .fiati.«factory in the intro- ductory . groove in: the intermedi- aries.. RAYMOND and GIBBS Comedy 13 Mins.; One American (V-P). Mixed team of blonde worimn comedienne and riiasculine straight. Latter is a shorty and must look up when cross-firing. But Ms size Is an advantage against the part- ner's rowdy impersonation. She does a gum-chewing flap as a leadroft, changing iri a few mo- ments to bridal gown. Comedy in that, too, through a trip-up train and red bandiinna handkerchief against the pure white background. Talk runs to bawl-oUt form, with shorty on tho receiving end. No interinediate could ,go wrong with this one. . It: makes them laugh. Jii€f' . RAYMOND and MILHAM (1) Comedy Skit 27 Mins.: One arid Full. Coliseum (V-P) ; A comedy sketch, "Just Like- .a Wbrrian," by iBei-f "RbbiriSbn, played by. Helen Rayriiond and. Guy, Mil- ham. Opens . Iri "one'.' with Miss Raymond arid Milharii in a sup- po.sed box at the theatre, . As the wife Miss Rayriiond is do- irig a lot of talking about the play. Lights go out for an' Iristant and when fiashod again her hocklace is goiie.- - A cop is called. He stops out of the audience arid Is told by the hus- band his wife had ft h-ablt of losinp things; in fact just before coming.to the theatre she had lo.st her en- gagement ring. Here a cutback to the home with an animated scene bet\yeen the two leading up to the loss of the .ring and it.s subsequent recovery in the salad dish. As they start, for the show the tickets are missing and then found in the lady'.s pocketbook. A re- turn to "one" for the. finish shows finding of necklace hahging to her gown. . ; A laugh at the finish...- when the duo prepared to leave the theatre, the wife c.a,nnot find her pocket- book'. At the uptowri house:the little skit built up laughter as it ran along .and was decidely well, received. The work of the principals was marred by a cold which obligod Miss Raymond to speak with dif- ficulty. Mark. OLIVER andf CRANGLE Comedy, Instrumental, Dancing 17 Mins.; One and Two American (V-P). t)iivor snatoho.s- the plotiire houso idea and doe's ,m. c. for hvmsoif. lie's a. talking pianist and violin.i.st.- :Olrl maUos but; two brief appearances aiid moans almost as much to tho act as he.r partner,. hi.s. long session iio'tNvithstanding. • . "Wliat Oliver .heeds, mostly' is nia-. toriai; lie is wasting a pleasarit manner on .standai:d ' gag.s; orie oF; two mii y or niay riot"be riew, but" the. rest yory familiar. . . CJirl firsit apPfars .as a Russian dahcor upon a platform revealed by the one curtain split- She porforiria some intricate hock stopping arid knoe-droi)plng.iri ihis short bit, .. . Later both jpin in. a violin duO. Girl finishes with a nice ;buck> Oliver' mari.n'gos to hold, interest with hi.s gab, but too iriuoh of it losf-fus tlio pace nioro than once. nig time future depends altb- gotlior :on ■material; . . Itigc. TYMAN and DORIS Songs and Talk 13 Mins.: One Coliseum (V-P) Two boys. ; In addition to t alk C'no of the few acts no\v around. Using the almost .extinrt toetei--. . I'oard. • ; ■ .. ... In addition' to very ircoCL boar<l. ?'t:»mt.«, .^speedy ground tumbling. Mf'inlif I's are four men and two {.il ls The girls look nice, in. I)ink f-liorts and keep pace witli thfir '■■oinpanion.'*. Reliable bill .-itarter. Should try prtpontations, Bigc. \ GATES and CLAIR Songs, Dances 8^ M i ns. ;_,Tvy o. i Sjaec i a f )^ American (V-P) Tliiink.*, iirint.-iiially. to a piop flight of fr'tair.s.-a la I'.iil R'-binson.: .this mixed ter m- got j.'ci-o--- neatly as a diverting deuoor. Man farrif'S burden with woriiar. sini.'<-r. .«triftly f;iko on th" d.'jnnnc? ond. <'nuiili> of f-V,.'inof (•f.'--.tumo and fiffncry will h' lp kf'-ji • ".om work- ing. • "DANCING LESSONS'V (6) Dance Flash 16 Mins.; Full American (V-P). Not, the act of tho same ria.me, .around -two or three .seasons ago with .ina Alcpv.'i iri the lead. .This ha.s a pj^Incipal dancer, four boy lioofers and a girl plarib accom- panist, none with individual billing. . lioys all on the make, as usuaL; Thi.s time girl is the dance in.sti-uc- tress, but she's the swecteifjt In the world, also as iisual. Dancing varied as to type .and ail good. Boys range from eccentric to sbfib shoe, with some v/lnging now and then. Girl does . jazz, toe and Oriental. Last named excel- lent. Draped setv Bigc. and. songs they dance The dancing got the beat •until d bit of eccentric stuff at the finish with brie boy standinq: In front of the other with his arms around the other's neck while the arms of the boy behind were projected In front. A fUnny bit of biz as done by thlp pair with ope daricing apd mugging while, the other looked after the gestures and gesticulating arm work. This bit really overshadowed any- thing else they did. Audience ap- plauded for more. Mark. WILLIE KARLE and Sister Acrobatic . 7 Mins.; Full American (V-.P) Mixed acrobatic pair who wastr- no time in potting on and off. r<,n- soquf-ntlv nice opener that shfjuld have little difllcuMy in liTidinp nU^iitv of fmiaU timo work. ■^'^i7fn "I'T'aW" WsRJ^^^l'' \VTj -^Tt 1--tv stuntin.tc on his-head m-i-t. of tli" ;:tiioo. He doefi. thf drinking ario sniok'ing bits, 'also the f-lirilr-tal/if-- chair wa.lk ur'wri.rds on. lil;j handM. ' Wrun.'in .rh.'int.'fH from dros.s t.o romii'rs for a short tuniblinir in- ir-i-lnd' and I.'- th'-rc on :i[)]i<-.irnuy I.)oiihl<> finish'worked will-, a Kh"rl f-r;i(!lf r"'h'. with thr woin.'in a;-; un- d'-vst.'uidrT. J^'.'V''- "LIGHT FANTASTIC" (6) Dancing 15 Mins.; One and Full Academy. No one is given feature blllinf^, po.sslbly becau.se it's just another dancing spectacle of no particular merit. Opening has a tenor warbling .a love ballad In forest sot after which a trio of balh't dancers, followed by the u.sual couple for ah adagio number. Premiere danseuse docs some hip waving in what Is .suppo.sod to rop- re'sent a slave market. _. .Mor e. Ij.al lafls by ; the tenor, more iidagios and then^a chcap fmiWi^ of one of .Roxy's eilhouetto darices by. the girls.' Production and staging undLstln- guished. Turn will just .about make the grade In neighborhoods. LUCKY 4 with Alice; Talbbt Singing and Dancing 13 Mins,; .One and Full 5th Ave. (V-P) Fairly . sucofSHfiil attempt . at novelty by this qufirt/'t lifts it above- the average singing four. Thrr.)Ugh the doparttiro from form.al qiiart'it stuff, shbtild. find a pl.aco on the bet- ter intormfdiate time. That they try for novelty is commendable. Alifo Talbot, danfor, has three P(,hi srx'ts, filling them, gracefully jf iiot. sensationally, fm one occa- '-ioii (wo menififrH of the song ^n- sf-nibl" (lf)iil)le at violin and piano to fi<--''omr)'''ny the girl's fan waltz, A'.:iif-<.y: aboiit- a vera ica Jil 'K'. . FOUR EASTONS Acrobatics : 6 Mins.; Full Stage (Special) Coliseum (V-P) . Four men; to all .appearances- Gorman, who feature a .sOrios of .somersaults from the toterboard." Appear in garb of baggage rcom men with one trying for comedy th rotigh awkward falls and . bun^ pling in handling props. One m.an is the standout; his best trick being a doublis from tlie boai'd. . Act Works neatly and effectively through .style of routine. Did very well In opening spot. - Mark,, ATKINSON and LUCINDA Co. (4) -Dancing and Instrumental 14 Miris;; Full Fifth Ave. fV-P), .\'r'v.w't' d;in'-f fla;-}! Invnlvin;.' i'i,i„\ (l;inr;iig. S'.<-pr)ing i)rinfii);i.l'-' an .•ri;'-ri!'d liV tv'o girl rnu.'.-if i.-in."-'. vi'ilioist. iirid pi.'mist.. I irn'- .'I floz' ri. BUj' - BILLY:WELLS and FAYS -Comedy,-"Acrobatic, Song, Dance 23 Mins,; One, Two, Three, Full 5th fKsie. (V-P) Rilly Wells is a coritortiye comic,, probably with a:circus.background, circumstanti.ally conih-mlng. the thought .with a big tent finale. The .4 Fays rire three. «irl« and .a mj^n, one of. the femrincs p.artlcijlar-ly l)onoioss' contortlonlste. : Act ,,oarrios assortment, of drapes, sot-pieces and olio.s. .• Costuming elaborately ecormtric. , Variety and coritorlive exhibition-. Ism, intorsponsed 'with song a.nd dance, koyriotoK. It runs a bit. long and with cutting . ' makes ' ;for. a novelty .na-^.h, for - . intormodinry hotiso.'f, Ahvl. DOHERTY and BREEN Comedy 15 Mins.; One American (V-P) Two women, oji" liiii>er'.-<>nating 4)., V -:.. M ■ ;.:i-^^. .a > i.tIt.... J:; ; I :;»dJ ■ g„.m ^l>jtly.j rofe.r^ to llio- elder ral's we.-ikne.ss for l i.v fi!.-ri'l-. -Afl I.s boi« terous, !a-eki/.:T orii.V -the- .^'jansiids Jiie arid. I fir- i;i'-i-t jiev,-.--oartOi'. )r/-.-i..v ;iinri.'i.ng will ai-jioal lo afi- !,( ' .-" f.f-M.o Ariiorir-an's lyf.e.. Avt w:if. •.-il:>-n to herirt by !;ie horsc- I'lVlJi;' V(") a'.et'U'.V.". fo-.ijil" cf !>";• niiii)'!.'. ii.-.m] to