Variety (Dec 1928)

92 VARIETY Wednesday, December 5, 1928 VARIEm CHICAGO OFFICE HAL HALPERIN in Charge Woods BIdg./ Suite 604 Phones: Central 0644-4401 CHICAGO Profe$stonala hav« the frea ms« of Variety's Chicago Office for information. Mail mav be addressed care Variety, Woods Bldn Chicago. It will be held subject to call" forwarded or advertised in Variety's Letter List. Palace Headed by the Mosconls, the bill at the Palace this week is okay. Looks like the production . depart- ment: went for a stack on this lay- out. Expensive sets, costly cos- tumes and several money acts in ■ on the nut.- . ■ ■. The Mosconis for some reason are Bpott^jd early, third. About the only thing different in the routines is that Louis is thinner. Out of the hospital after an operation on an infected foot. He took it easy here and left the brunt to Charlie. The boys' company of 15, including six great looking dolls, brings out Dor- othy Van Alst, a sightfuU \vho can dance. The Sunday mat mob went . strong for this kid, not without cause. . iJerna Doyle, another pranc- 'Ing hiaid,.also billed. Show starts fast with Elsie and Paulsen, standard ice skaters who still whirl plenty. Turn is attract- ively dressed, carrying , two special sets and d lineup of ga,is. Only El- sie's monolog in an Apache affair spoiled an almost perfect score Talk can bo cut. Jack Kraft and El- sie La Mont elevate the deuce with laugh maiterlal and some excellent eccentric stepping by Kraft. Latter should do more of that and dis- count some of his panto-comedy. Jack McLallen with Sarah, aft«r the Mosconis. McLallen still knbws what [ it's all about. His former stooset not Sarah, is missing this time and found wanting. In lat- ter's place is an accordionist who is not funny. . • First half blpsed with Louise Groody in a musical ■ comedy, skit called "Three in. Love." Light stuff for Miss Groody, who is a fav In this town. Earl Oxford and Wally Chrisham, assistants to Miss Groody, may, be the type, but that ia,bout leaves them out. Alone Miss Groody delivered a couple of her old show numbers that clicked. Joseph Regan after intermission and pleased with a diversified pro- gram of songs. Crawford and Brodv- erick, following everything next to Shut, sponsored a bang. For a wlndup there is an after- piece with several of the acts par- ticipating. It is "The Sad Case of Mary Dugan," travesty on the play, with Miss Brodcrick as Mary. 'Not as hllarioud as the program indi- cates, but gets hy. Good attendance Sunday afternoon, lower floor bet- ter than three-quarters filled. With the R-K-O bookers continuing send- ing on shows of this kind, the Pal- ace stands a chance to get back in. the money. Loop. State-Lake Two of the three turns featured here on outside billing are new to vaude in Chicago, Other five are right out of the catalog. Combina- tion, with one exception, makes - as smooth and tight a layout as they could want for six bits. Strange' but true, the exception was a boy who for years has bowed to wholesale applause. As the pian- ist and vocal soloist in Waring's Pennsylvanlans, Tom Waring wias a wow. As a vaude single he's far enough from it to make him "seriously consider a new routine or abandon the single idea entirely. Trouble was plain Sunday. Tom's songs are all the same—slow, croon- ing numbers. One of the slowest acts of its kind ever in the halls. He deuced and took a quick bow. Headline turn Is a strong local radio favorite but new to the big houses here. For years Ford and Glenn (New Acts) have "been dolng- a bedtime story program for WLS, the former Sears-Roebuck .station, and have been capitalizing with HOTEL CHICAGO World'a tallest. 1044 roomi aad batha ST, REGIS HOTEL Btiifrle Room withont Bath, $7, $S. $B.W) Single KooDi with Bath $10.50. $12.00 Twin Bods without Bath..,. ..$11.00 Doul>I<« Room withont Bath,. .$10, $12.00 Double Room with Both..... .$12, $14.00 T\vlji Ru«Ib with Bath $14.00 Running water In all rooms "*Oon.vp.nIefttly.:,L(JCfited. to jll theatres . WlilUn walking dl.sth.rice of the"156ir~ SIO K. Clark St.. Phone—Sop6rior 1322 Wo .Serve Only Wlint Wo Know How tx) Iliiko Host MOVIE GRILL U'licrc All tlie Shirn Mo(*ot nnd Kai Dellcioii.s (iiul WlioloHonio FOOD 171 No, Dearborn St. CHICAGO, ILL. personal .appearances in the small towns, where Seai'.s-Roebuck radio programs were ah injportant part o£ life. Next-to-closing and. the. boys hfld it without a quaver. Fink's Mules opened and Nor- wood, arid Hall, third, veteran turn, are working, substantial comedy di- alog. Norwood is the thrifty sniall town slieik who ' believes the gal who gets . him should swoon in ocstiasy. .Jim McWilliams, noxt-to- dosing at. the Palace, a few weeks ago, was fourth hei'c, which gives a good inside oh the local varieties. McWilllams, Ford and Glenn and Tom Waring, the three features, all used pianos In one.. Ldok.s. bad but isn't in this case. McWilliams con-, veys. the ihipression of ad libbinfi his nut chatter while socking the keys, and laughs are sure any- vvhere. Fifth, were Hooper and Gatchett. in their A. 10. F. sketch, with a Paris setting. Feature comedy turn for' most pop-price bills, and among the best in results here. Brothers look like father and son; while woman might be the mother. Turn nicely routined and carries heat drop. Picture, "The Thrill Hunter" .(Col). Loop. George Rosener, now with "My; Maryland," goes with Balaban '&.. Katz for a tour oyer the Oriental route; opening March 16. Rosener will do an m. c. and act besides aid- ing in production.. Pick wick theatre, Park Ridge, first mbdornistlcally designed • picture house, opened by • William H. Ma- lone. Federal Judge James Wilkerson last week Issued temporary injunc- tions against 46 roadhouses, speaks and whatnots, charged with violat- ing the prohibition law. Granada cafe was among numer- ous places raided on booze and gambling tips by Chicago detective Monroe and Grant, trampoline team with hoke props, closed strong. Film Is "iStolen Love" (FBO). Main floor good, shelves light. Bing. Malcolm iMegly, production man- ager for R-K-O, was here last week, giving activities the once over. Max Gordon Is expected this week. American Billy Diamond-Gus Sun office books seven showing acts, into the American every Wednesda,y night. Acts stand a chance of drawing Ass'n, Sun, or other indie time, as local bopkers turn out to look the stuff over. Best in the lineup last week was Phil Philips Co., comedy sketch with singing. Ran -12 min- utes and used special full stage set. Scene is in the tough part of town, with Philips and a girl parked beside a lunch wagon in- Suiting each other. Gal is' helped by the lunch'wagon owner, who hol- lers meal orders which jibe with the talk. Hot humor for the lesser citi- zens and—Philips handles it right. May Weir Co., (3) also hit with classic and pop instrumental work. Assisting are two men, one cornet and the other banjoist, who do some incidental singing. Sure for the small stands, Orpheus Four, male quarter on the old style, have two of the boys dressed for comedy and all appear In femmc outfits for a hoke finish. Oke. for hou.se.s like this. Not rnuch vocal talent but enough comedy to hold it in next- to-closing here. Six Tip Tops, pyramid and tum- bling outfit, benefits through the head man being able to.' speak an intelligible brand of Englisli for fair comedy chatter. Closed strongly and can do it in other places where acrobats rate high. Rogers and Re- naud (New Acts) flopped in the deuce with talk and songs. Four col- ored hoofers opened without even b<>ihg billed, incidental humor is rather terrible. "Fangs of Justice" (Bischoff), dog picture, with phono- graph accompaniment, completed. Moderate attendance. Tting. Academy Nothing j)arLicularly bright or se- lective in these live showing turns. Lyric Diio were first. Man and woman, both singing a,nd the latter doing some piano accoxnpaniment; Of the two, woman has this best pipes and is more audible. Roth are dressed in Spanish attire and mainly sing Italian songs. Rrogan and Velx, male team, no panic. Ancient bit of the sock with a rolled newsp.aper is their main- \s tay"TnTd=tlrey nl o^ tni n l-iH t-beeomos^ annoying. Most ,'imateurish of the group were Sthusto^r nnd Rcnardi Sisters, musical .trio. Middle-nged man plays accordion, and just plays, Two girl.i try hard with banjo arid .<?ax but jiL^^t erin't make it. Pop -song hy one oC the girls rated the only iliing. r>nbhy IJrown, nut monologlst, gar- nered Sduift laufi:hs mainly because he i.s gDod-naturcd and fat. Brown's material is <>atch-as-eaLch can, hut evidently many haven't caught up with his gags. Lattcl P.roa. and Adelaide, novelty art, stood out, squads Thanksgiving Day. Consid- ierable gambling paraphernalia was confiscated in the cafe. Squads made 326 arrests during the Thursday holiday. Charles "Slim" Timblin had his salary attached for commission at the Palace by Milt Schuster, agent. tures, photos, ehgrayings, statuary and other lobby displays, has been put before a committee of the City Council for study. Principal amend- ment is that ail. such posters, etc., must first have the sanction of the chief of police before they can pe exhibited, . ' • National Hockey League games^ now in full swing, are putting some- thing of a dent in theatre attend ances. Three games a week, and unless flickers put on good show they've got heavy opposition. than Sunday. Temple cut hcaviiv into the business of the Savoy, pinv ing burlesque stock, and is also cred ited with hurting Keith's to som^ extent. BUFFALO Western New York observers re- port, some some full length syn- chronized and sound pictures made by one of the leading sound pro- ducers are being exhibited in this territory on competing machines with good results. Cited as evi- dence of the ix)ssibility of inter- changeability, le permission can be obtained. Shea's Court Street, at present housing the Mordaunt stock, is re- ported due for closing around' the 1st.. .Business for the stock, after two years, is reported off. William F^ Raynor, manager of the Lafayette Square, lias been made general manager of the Monumisnt Theatre Corp., x-eplacing M. Slotkin. Ilouse has renew^ed the contract with Raynor for another year. Experience, of Shea-Publlx here in exhibiting "Wings" simulta- neously at . three neighborhood houses ' la reported unsatisfactory Picture was first roadshowed and then played two weeks at Shea's Hip where it established a record. Simultaneous showings at the North Park, Bailey and Kenaington were reported to have started strong but to have fallen off In the middle of the week. Hillside* Amusement Go. pur- chased the Crystal theatre, 63d and Ashland, from Rosario and Salva- tore Deocoma. Benefit performance for the Amer- ican Theatrical Hospital Ass'n will be given Sunday afternoon (Dec. 9) at the Erlanger. TORONTO By GORDON SINCLAIR AlexandraT-"And So to Bed." Princess—American Music Drama Co. Empire—Kepple stoclc. Victoria-H^onway stock. Hip—"Man's Past"-vaud. Loew's—"Mask of Devil"-vaud. Tivoli—"Lilac Time" (2d week). Uptown—"Wedding March"-stage show. Pantages—"Mating Call'-vaiid, Bloor—"Four Sons"-Vaud. Palace—"Take Me Home"-vaud. Phillip Hazza is now in charge of the eastern division for Educational. Carlton, Winnipeg, has been sold by Black & Armstrong to A, R. Mc- Nichol. Land on which it stands brought $3,400 a foot. Neighborhood ^6 cost $22,000. Is being erected at D.undas arid Spad- Ina streets, Toronto, by Harry Starkman. Top price for Paul Whiteman at Massey Hall this Thursday Is $2; lowest Whiteman has ever been scaled here. Sellrout will bring $7,Q00. Present indlcaitions are for ?(5,000" house. Madeline Kenney, "Leon The Great," hula hoofer, paid a $50 fine for giving an indecent performance at a road house here, She danced nude at. a stag dinner and pleaded guilty.. •. MONTREAL Palace—"Jazz Singer.?' Wired. Capitol—"Wedding March- (Par). Loew's—"Docks of New 'Tork" (Par). Imperial—"Take Me Home" (Par). Princess—"Simba" (2d week). His Majesty's — American Music Dfama^Q-' tthree nights).---— Gayety—Burlesque. Orpheum—"Eva the Fifth" (stock) Strand—Films. Empre-s—Films. Despite the heaviest snowfall of the season, which left three feet oi snow banked on the sidewalks and held up tramc, "Jazz Singer" start- ed out Saturday with packed lob- bies and lino«. New theatrical poster toylaw, au- thorizing strict censorship ol plo- SYRACUSE, N. Y. By CHESTER p. BAHN Wieting—All week, "Simba"; Dec. 13-15, "Trial of Mary Dugan." B. F. Keith's—Vaudfllms. Temple—Mutual's "Girls in Blue." Syracuse—Indie vaude-fllms. Strand — "The Haunted House," Strand Debutantes, stage band. Empire-"Romance of the Under- world", and Movietone. Loew's State—"West of Zanzibar." Eckel—"Beggars pf Life" and Vita. Regent—"Stand and Deliver;" Avon—"The Final Extra" and "Riding for Fame." Harvard—"The Warning" and "Circus Rookies." Brighton—"Publicity Madness." Palace — "Sporting Age" and "Thanks for the Buggy Ride." Riviera—"Lion and the Mouse." Swan —^'Two Arabian Knights'' and "Thief In the Dark." Kallet's Regent, . managed by CSeorge E. Williams,, will test out the five-cent Saturday matinee for youngsters on Saturday, when the first episode of "Tarzan the Mighty" is shown, along with' the regular program. Miriam Stewart, leading woman for the Temple stock here, has Joined Fi'ank Wilcox's Schenectady troupe as ingenue. Harry and Helen Savoy, Juvenile and dancer, respectively, and Jimmle J<^4:ancis, straight man, have joined the Savoy burlesque stock.'' ~~ Capitol, new Kallet-Comerford Rome house, soon to open, will have 1,250 seats, or half the capacity, on the main lioor. Little Theatre idea la fast spread- ing in central New York. Studio Players, recently formed in Mexico, bow in. Thursday, Rfesentlng a bill of three one-act plays. Mrs. Blanche Baker Is directing. Community Players, of Cortland, another new group, gave its first production last week. Prof. Earl C. Selgfred di- rected. Wiring has sounded the death knell of still another veteran house orchestra. . Band at the Strand, .Os- wego, got its two weeks' notice Sat- urday. The house, one of the Schine chain, has its wiring nearly com- pleted. Lee J. Sprinngall, director, plans to keep the band together for dance work. Syracuse Empire Theatre Corn has been organized here to succeed the Marc Bucklarid-Albort P. Kuuf- man partnership, operating the Kin- pire, local d6 luxe house. New con- cern is a $50,000 closed corporation with Jacob Silverman as the new money interested. Buckland is pres. ident; Kaufman, vice-president and Secretary, and Silverman, treasurer. DALLAS By HARRY GOLDBERG Palace (Publix) Week End.s." Majestic—"Sunrise"; stage. ' Melba—"Varsity"; Vita. Old Mill—"Private Life." Capitol—"Submarine." Ritz—2d runs. Arcadia—Pictures. J. H, Landers, a.sst.. mgr. Palace, follows shift of Emil Bernstecker to the ; Boston Met (Publix) as man- ager. Biz assumed a holiday . .atmos-- phere on Elni street. For tiie first time this year, first runs were doing s.r.o. Dent chain has three more houses In purchase of Palace,, Majestic and Queen. . Raymond Willis has replaced Jack Caldwell, at Arcadia organ. . BOSTON James J. Hayden's stock in Brock- ton, Mass., is getting the first stock production of "The Ladder" week of Dec. 17. Brockton is Edgar Davis' home town, Henrietta Ciossman, in "Crash^ ing Through,^' Week of Dec. 10, at Keith's St, James. Guest star. "Charley's Aunt" revived at Rep- ertory theatre as holiday ap- proaches. . Hockey brings record-breaking crowds to new Boston Garden, which seats about 17,500. Ethel Barrymore at the Wilbur and "Blackbirds" at Tremont, hits. When in Chicago Vitii These Hita HARRIS. . ARTHUR HOPKINS presDnta MADGE KENNEDY IN PARIS BOUND" A COMEDY BY PHILIP BARRY SELWYN MatB. Thura. and Sat .SCHWAB and MANDEL Bring You THE NEW COLLEGIATE MUSHCAL COMEDY "GOOD NEWS" with an ALL-AMERICAN TEAM OF PLAYEB8 FORTX FLAPPER FRESIOES 4BE LTMAN (HlmRelf) & inS OBCH. "^Strand="^Debutantes;-^girl^:=;. stage- band, out at the Strand since the fatal airplane accident which re- sulted In the death of Ernie Mills, its leader, returned to the bill Mon- day with Edith James Bacon, violin- ist, at the helm; Rose Noble, drum- mer, badly hurt in the same accl-r dont, is recovering, but it Is doubtful if she. will be able to play again. Temple, in Its first week of Mu- tual burle.^tque, clicked to $9,000 in six days, the initial offering, "Hindu Belles," bowing in on Monday rather ERLANCIFR matinees wednes- C.I\L.A.l^ V»CK j,^Y AND SATURDAr Good'iSeiitif'istr tlio Box- Office ■ Tlie Vproarloas N'ewspoper Fnrce "THE FRONT PAGE" By Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur , Staged by George S. Kaufman A JED HARRIS Production PIAYHOtlSE 9- Michigan AV». . Tel. Harrison 2300 ' SUNDAYS TOO Provlncetown Players of N. Y. In PULITZ7ER PRIZE PLAT OF 1937 "IN ABRAHAM'S BOSOM" PAUL GREEN'S GREAT DRAMA OF THE CAJIOLINAS A. H. WOODS' ADELPHI A. H. WOODS' "The TRIAL OF MARY DUGAN" By Bayard VclUer ~ wUh"lLNNTrARDlKG"='"^^^^ and Original New YorJc Cust MATS. WED. and SAT. I ILLINOIS MJiluiei-s ^ Wciliicailiij- - .^Vl'inl8jr A, L. KrInnRcr & Tlivrry J. I'n"'>'r', M^n». , ZIEGFELD SENSATIONAL SUCCESS I RIO RITA As proscnU'd 2 sonfnns. In Zli^'fi IJ . TliMlro, Now Yortt. with this (rroiU "rt. riliiillnd Torry J. ll;in>M- M'lrw Hcrt Wlieclor ' n ■t';Ti, ^V;' VInrcnt Serrano M:irl.' 10—ALBKHTI.V.^ n.ASfU n.\N<M.> -'^