Variety (Dec 1928)

Wednesday, December 19, 1928 ▼ A R I E T Y Obituary THEODORE ROBERTS theodor* Roberts, 67, stage and screen attor, died at his home In. Hollywood, Cal., Dec. U of ureamJc poisoning folio wing an attack of villi Mr. Roberts made his first' ap- Beavance on the stage in support of James 0':Neil in "Riche.leu" in a880. His New'. York debut was with Faniiy Davenport. His father, a sea captain, not wishing him to follow the stage, bought a Jumber schooner and for two years Roberts operated/the ves- sel on coastwise trips ■ from San Francisco. Mr, Roberts returnel to the stage and appeared as Simon l.egree in "Uncle Tom's Cabin,'; Tabywana in "The Squaw Man,'' and Svengali in • VTrilby." His fifst screen part at the old Paramount Vine street West Coast studios in 1914, was in "The Squaw Mftn" He aiipeared in "CSrumpy,' •mie and Female" and "The Ten Commandments." When the old I^asky Co. was formed In Los An- geles, Rqberts signed a long contract, and only, recently the free iance field. \fter "The Ten Commandments, Mr Roberts toured the Orpheum: circuit in a sketch. "The Man.Higher Up." In Pittsburgh he was ^stricken by rheumatism and. forced to can- cel his tour. It was two years be- fore he appeared on the screen again and then only in a wheel chflir for his part in "The Cat's ." Pajamas." He later appeared . in "The Masks of the Devil." His only laiking picture part was in Pathe's "Xbisy" Neighbors," incompleted. no .is .irtirvived by a si.stcr. Mrs. Criif'e R. Moore, Berkeley, Cal. term entered TOM RYAN Thos. J. Ryan Thomas , J. Ky an> .. 73. ~ Veteran dancer and • comedian, in vaudev ille since 1873, was found dead in bed m his. hotel i-pom, Lake .Oharles, La., of heart trouble. • Mr, Ryan's death may have been hastened by his . excessive dancing. In his stage sketch with Hazel Har- rington, he persisted in dancing just as hard as he did in the 70's at Pastor's, New York. Tom Ryan at 73 : still. stuck to vaude. He appeared, in splendid health on the southern Interstate tour. - ' ■ ■ • Mr. Ryan's billing cari'ied.the Ime "vaudfeville's favorite grand daddy." Coincidental with his insistence to work so hard despite, the advanced age wa;s the act being based on his modernizing his dancing, the bylme being "Father's Come Back." After going through the dancing rqutine of the old da,ys, Ryan wpuld pro- ceed to demonstrate the hot, synco- pated steps including the Charles- ton and Blackbotton. In 1873: vaudeville first heard of Tom Ryan. He w^is in Ireland and England with a man named Dia- mond. Their dancing those days was considered a isensatiori, the duo being known' as the "Cbnncmarra Cuckoos." Their stepping was such that they were then rega;:ded as the only rivals of Dempisey and McGuin- ness, con.sidcrcd the champions of the world. In 1386 Diamond died and Ryan formed a sketch team with bis wife, Mary Richfield. Ryan- and Richfield wore together, as stage partners and wife 38 years. In 1921 Mrs. Ryan died. Hazel Harrington retHciced her and reinained Ryan's partner until his death. The personal dancing "bit" so long . identified , w.i(,h . Ryan, was terined "the Dancing Tailor." The remains "were brought to New Yoik, with the funerial Monday from the Nationar Casket Co., "parlors at 67th street and Lexington avenue WALTER S DUGGAN TV'aUer S. Duggnn, 44 . advan.-t- agent ia-nd manager, die.d Dec.' 17 in the American Hoppif.-ilj ■ Chioa.eo, of pneumonia^ following an operation ■for appendicitis. He had been in ill.health following the death of his father. Dr. J. W. Duggan, former mayor of AVorcester, Mass., and his wife, former Michi-. gan society girl. Both died about a year ago, shortly apart. ,. : Walter Duggari vv'as. one of the ;best knoWn of traveling show agents, breaking in some yearn figo when Geoi'ge Goett, then managing the White City and Lincoln parks in Worcester, got him placed with the old Manhattan Opera Co. In early life Mr. Du&gan attended school in his home town, and. grad- uated froni Holy Cross College in .Worcester. He displayed a decided preference for. theatricals and liail charge Of the programs and press work for the Woroes.ter parks under Goett. He also worked two years as a reporter on the WorceRter Tele- gram; . , From the Manhattan O. C. he went to thp Rowland & Clifford producing fii-m in Chicago, and his first show- was "The Rosary." Othpr R. & C. shows he was ahead of included "Rock of Age.V', and . ^:EvPiYman's Daughter." • . ■ Heturning east he bevanie asso- ciated with the: Cohan &. Harris shows, handling the advance. When Sam Harris; and George M. split their producing partnership. Duggan stucii With Cohan; He Avas witlr Cohan when the war bi-crke out and Walter volun- teered for overseas duty. As a doughboy over there he used his show' experience to hflp. .stage en- tertainments 'for' the a: B. F. in France. ~ . .Upon his' return from ^^'ar Mr.. Duggan again was. .eii«agod by- Cohan. Later he haiidled press work f(rt- jane Cowl and when the Sclwyns engaged in . theatrical op- eration in Chicagoi.Duggari wais sent there as. their western "representa- tive. He per.'^onaUy managed their Twin Theatres, Selwyn and Harris. During his Chicago stay the de- ceased became the warm pei\sonal friend of some of the city's biggest political leaders, including former state's attorney Robert Crowe. . Had Duggan caj-ed to quit theatrical v-ork he could have obtained a proni.inent political post in Chicago. Deceased is survived by his mother arid two brothers, living In Worcester, brie brother. Hdward, went to Chicago to take the remains back home for interment. Unas and Virginia, all named Broad- way. He. obtained the First Na- tional fra-nchises in six southern states, and was among the 13 orig- inal franchise holdor? in that .com- pany. HARRY GERRITY Harry Gei-rlty, 56, actor, dit-d Deo, 12 at his home in Los Angeles aiior s(.veral months' illness. Garrity was a member of the original "Abie's Irish.. Rose" cast. . He is sm-vived l.)y his widow arid his rnotlKT. In- tprment In Long Beach, Gal. Walter E. Bush, 50, dropped dead on the street in Jersey City Doc. 14, The deceased was a salesman with the Standard Engraving Company, also with other alligned theatrical trades,well known to the show Imyr-rs. Personal friend since boy- hood of Bill Hoffman of the Standard. Vaudeville Reviews (Continued from page 31) The wife, 49. of Lawrence C. O'Brien, director, Doylart Players, Colonial theatrej Norfollvi Ya., died Dec. 6. Besides the husband, a datightcr, two sister's and a brother survive. Dan Clark, 55, passenger agent for tht' Michigan Central railroad, died of pneumonia In Chicago, Dec. 6. . Clark was well known an.i()ng show people.'. Rcvv G. L, "Gdightly" Mtirrill, 72, chaplain of the American Actors' Alliance, died Dec. 11 in: San DiegO, Cal. ■■• The father of Isabel Dawn died Dec. -3 in Luther Hospital, Eau Claire, Wis. Circuses at Fairs Chicago, Dec. is.' Two of the big sta,te fair plums have been taken ; by the American Circus Corporation, The corporation is booking Ha- genbeck-Wallace circus into Detroit for the Michigan state fair, and Richmond for the Indiaria fair. stops, acrobatic pei-formanoc that got a liyr.st of appajn.^o. . .; "I.yandrv Bros., dependable comedy pair, foli into third spot and reaped pieniv with their well-tried nn.i guarantoed ' hokum. No. 3 . nltcho was made to order for this jKiir a.na thoir girl assistant. Stuff. is mostly 'fari\iliar bits with fresh angles in talk .and a real comcd> - knack of ni.p irifter talk bv the wise charncLrr Girl nieroly foils for the pair, but looks well aridcln dance a Utile.. "Honcv." brightly written.and exr . pertly staged revuette ^Ne.w. Acts) built ' abundantly' next . to. closiuir; and -Miss Samuels took over ih:> closing position. . Most unusUal to as.«ign wvmuin single to the finale, liut here results jvistitlcd the booki-r, Miss Sannu-ls did 25 minutey, al- nVost half 'of it on legitimate cn- cori'S, and left them still insistent. In song material, all . of it her own, Mi-^s Saniucls is better sup- ivlii'd than she ever has been, arid in her «tyle .6f working i,s , better equipped than at any time m her career. . She has acquired a new unction in her: taKe-it-or-U>.ave-f m*tthod of addressing her audience and eonimand!» the trick of main- taining speed without ever ao"n^- ing to'saeritice the air of unliurri.od .'ase. tiiuging singles , could .etiwly this artist's arr.'mgcment of num- bers with profit. Opening with a cheorful bit of philosophy in "Son- ny Side of Life." she goe.s into a ►;plcv bit called '"Mania Goes Right Along." peppy jazzed up idea. Flip- pant lyrics go with "He Belongs to Me." Another comedy number and Iry then .she is in and set solidly. Craftilv mam\god change of pace eonies here in the s.ontimental num-. ber.-wlth not too much: r*|ci tat ion aocon.panying. ^■\y^r<n Write Back llonie." and for tne finale a broad light number recit- ing the sorrows of »». own home, vl^rtiiu. i\usn. JEFFERSON John Flaiinagan Arrested Fiiirmont, W. Va.v Dec. 18. > John Flannagan, operator of a ■*uiall carnival, was arrested near St.. Clairsville, O., for removing mort- gaged property. ... , ; Flannagan was brought back-to Clarksburg. W. Va., to stand trial. Night Club Reviews (Continued from page 48) No extra publicity stunts or radio CARRIE SCOTT Carrie Scott. 58. vaudeville, musi- cal comedy and burlesque, died Dec. 17 in Polyclinic Hospital. New York, where she had been undw the care of the Actors' Fund.. Miss Scott in her early burlesque days appeared with Sam T. Jack's Stock Co,, Dave Lewis' "Broadway Burlesquers" and Weber's musical comedies. In vaiuleville she first did a single, telling stories and' singing. Then she had a skit, "The Eowery Girl." and her characterization in this re- sulted in her billing as "the orig- inal tough girl." She was also known as the "Pocket Pickaninny." Her last .stage appealance was at Keith's Grecripoint theatre as a .member of .the . ■•F,ayori.tes_.^of_ .the Pa.st" act.. ■ . ' . The deceased w!..s the widow ol James P. Smith, .^he is survived by a brother. Richard F, vScott, and a. sister, :Nrrs'. Sarah Murray, both of Paterson.. . MARY ROSE (Mary Aster) Mary Rose, 37, at one time of the Aster Sisters, in vaudeville,- sue cumbed from pneumonia at Read ing, Pa.. Dec. 14, after a brief lU- neas. : Interment was: at Kensico, N. Y., Sunday. Her daughters, Rose-Marie and June (Mrs. Walter Winchell), jurvi\'e._^ Wilbur S. Cherry Dies Chicago, Dec. 18. Wilbur S. Cherry, 57, agent for nubin & Cherry Shows, died Deo. 16 at the American ho.spital in Chi- cago following a paralytic stroke. Burial was Tuesday Under direc- tion of the Showmen's ■ I.x;ague. ('h( n-y at one time wt.s part owner '■f the Rubin & Cherry Sliows. • J. EDWARD CRAWFORD J Edward Crawford. 42. former minstrel . man and . a vaudeviUe single, died Dec. 7 of typhoid fever in Suburban Hospital. Pittsburgh, where he had been confined five weeks. ' . , , ^ Eddie Crawford went on Uie stage when 8; His first road engagement was with John Hayerly's Mln.strels. He had appeared with Primrose and West and in Eddie Foy's .shows. Hp spent much of his minstrel life m London, two years at one hou.se. He married a southern society girl 11 years ago. Widow and two sis- ters survive. with a f.our-act ill vaudeville two yr.;irs ago. IntcrmC'iit In I'itl.sburgh. REGGIE D. GRAVER neggle D. Craver, pifineer among .southern exhibitors, died Dec^ 1« in Charlotte. N. C , following a brief illnes,?. craver was on.e of the largot in- .llvidual. theatre owners, in the Poat.-i controlling film houses In the Caro- hook-up used. The spot's rep .has been built up over a P<^^-'0<* o^^I,! with the Park avenue set as well as out-of-towners who rate so- eiallv. Couvert $3 nightly with a ^"k'y'^entTtainment lineup^ has Ramon and «osita. dancers, doub- ling from "New Moon"; Chick En- dor, crooning troubador, and Harry Rosenthal and his orchestra. _ Each s credited as sure-fire with the sa cial mob. All have appeared at one time or another as night club enter tainers on both sides of the At lantic. The show, which runs about an hour, is just about the last word In good taste and smartness. Ihe same might be said for. the decora tion scheme used in the room. It f~ cay. not gaudy. Ramon and Rosito open with a waltz number under a snot Rosita's red chiffon gown is matched with Ramon's full dress toggery heightening the appearance eff7.'et and their following dance spc- einlties. which include a maciein, Argentine tango and Spanish two- W^^'^'ex? c^U tTTd—wi th—grace an d agili'n-. . Hernandez Bros., also doubling from "New Moon,' aug- ment, the Rosenthal orchestra for the dancers' turn, their .stringed n- strument work and vocal interpola- tions, for the tango adding a neat touch to the iicts' routine. . Chick Endor, the keystone of the former Yacht Club combo, back-it the Lido after a long stay in lou- rope, has the knack of-knowing what the social sophistlcatcq w^int and gives it to 'em plenty.' fctrurt- use's "I look better in my gray suit than I do in- my white suit so I think I'll wear my blue suit _ to- night." gOTting plenty in the ap- plause line. •' • With 10 seasons in Palm Beach and until recently : confining, his dance band engagements to affairs thrown hv the social register set. Harry Ro.sonthal is another who has made a study of the likes and dis- likes of the cl.ass he caters to. Ho-. senthal, at the piano, directs his orchestra for continuous dancing, his hour long d.-ihces being a mt'd ley Of Broadway production hits, pop numbers, college tunes, old timers and his own compositions. Rosc>nthal himself and several of the men in his combo arc also solo ists of ability. Club Lido has a show that Is worth dreS.sing up for to see, the entertainment and environment be- ing better than that provided in many a night club around the square with a stiffer couvert tap. Better get a load of It before the boys move south to open .the Club Lido, Miami Beach, Jan. 24. CLUB HARLEM ming his giiltar .and crooning tunes of his own composition or pop num- bers with special lyrlc.s Cbiek com- mands perfect attention and^regls- S solidly with hiH well modulated vocalizing.. All of his eongs have a comedy or risque twist to the lines, among them being "rm the ?uy.that married the girl that broke up th.e home of the guy that broke the Knk of Monte ^-^r^o/'^"Change of Atmosphere." "While the .^at^h" man Watches," "My Baby Is Cheat- ^J^Mavbe I'm Cheating T..0," and BARNES-CARRUTHERS Fair Booking Ass'n. Inc. WANTED FOE 1929 SEASON; STANDARD NOVELTY ACTS SUITABLE FOE OUTDOOES New York, Dec. 14. Another torrid entry in Harlemi- ana is the Club Harlem's African room at 129th street and LenOx ave- nue, of which . Johnnie Cobb is the manager and Cyril . Reid is: the re- tiring' proprietor. The latter also controls the Ne.st, now under pad- lock, and due to reoiien in three months. The Harlem Is the former Ebony Club. . Operating on a no-couvert policy, thl.-i room'.s mission of the moment 1^ to create new friends for the man- agement to the ulllmaio benefit of the Nest Club. Itfl. sister Il.'trlem nlte club, when it reopens in the .spring. For this reason Read is said to he )ri>:mg on the propo.sitUm in view of the $3,200 nuf wlilch iic lias for a large band and a Fran.c .Montgomery revue, It includes .eight hrown.skin.'j and .Pedro..Lane. Ja<^l<oy Young, Race IIor.se Smith, Gi'egory. and Turner. Wilnur White and Lit- tle Bit Tiirrier as princlijals. It is one of the hotte.st Ilarlem rooms encountered yet and a great wind up spot, with the Annapolln ever churning, the brownsklns mak- ing t6rso-to.'<see. and the torrid Af- rle.lhOB. the dance band, giving out dirty mu.sic. The Harlem la one of those' rooms whi<;h ha.s a couple of dance floor tntinitors on duty during dance ses- sions, but seemingly for no prac- tical purposf*. One effervescent pa- troness (white) was trying to out- strip the . du.sky entertainers and was only saved by a pair of reveal- ing teddies; but the dance floor bouncer merely cautioned another couple for kicking up their hoofs In an energetic Charle.ston. That boy had to a.^.sert his authority Jp some way! Frank Montg<im''ry. the revue stager, Is the NTG of Jlarlem. : He get.s down to bare fads, and no kid- dirjf.'. ' .. , the Black Belt's li'-.st Bet) is .nnlqiiery <^o(■<,i:\Xoi] by Aaron Doug- jlas, the. colored artl."t. whose mural 'li'eorations command attention i f;(,m the' Hf;jrt. Kloreneo . M'.'Cla:n !" f.i(.(|i!e(] f.,r thf. bizarre (.ostuiuej. : (Wired) . . : (Vaudfilm) East i4th street may be over- theatered as clainu»d', but certainly not OvVi-seatetl as far as-y.<.)u couUl notice it Sunday. - Mrs. I'ankhurst . and her birth, control advocacy ih all moist and Mr, Stork .maintains >?uprenv{\ey as the gwat national, bird. Probably that's the an.swer. yurroundirig picture palaces as opnosi.sh don't cramp the gate re- eelnts of the vaudfllin auditoriums and the kids down here make their debut as theatregbors as soon as weaned, .remaining qulot when the .show pleases arid squawking when it doesn't. No squawks Sunday night. Capacity audience. ■ ^ AVith Al Herman's "Whiteblrds of 19'>0 ' unit • consuming . almost an Iv.nir, but two oilier acts \yere carded. Beeije and Qupoe, mixed skaters, in opener, with .soiive fancy and. trick skating that registered, toiiped ■ off by . tap dance on the rollers. Howard and Mann, two men. straight and comic. folloNved with nifty hokum aad songs that knocked "em utwistcr. ^ v,, From then: on Herman and nis mob took up the rest of the show. The frame is similar to that em- ploved by .ilerman for his picture hou.se dates with personnel corti- nrising Al, himself, under cork ^ns usual; Ray. Welch and Band (.10); Cogort a'nd Mott;. Nancy Deckerj Genevieve McCormack; Tommy and Betty Wonder; Jane and Eleanor. Individually and coinbined the line- up is the best -support Herman has ever had and he chops considerably on hl.s o\Vri nionolog to give them full swing. . . . „ _^ „ . Herman opens In "one" for an abbreviated riionolog and clowning with a song plugger in box who warbles a couple of pop choruses, liermjin proceeds t;r do an m. .c.; . with act going full and band In- troduced for a torrid ensemble, with three of the Instrumentahsts in harmony vocal. Betty Wonder trots out'for an acrolmtlc wait;!, giving way to Cogert and Mott for some hot harmonica and imperspn.aUons that got over big with. Al never mulfing a bet on his .clowning in '""^J^ine and Eleanor had their Inning with a precision tap, and Nancy Decker Coming on for two numbers, practically sewing things, up. . , So far ^Jancy was the heaviest, bell ringer; but then little Tommy: Wonder out for a Ru.MSlart dance that toppeu Nance's /o^ r«turnfl, coming back for a strut and dummy dance that stopped the .show and wa» a surefire finishing touch for the revue No riiistake about Herman's showmanship m spotting thls.^kid dancer for closer, the boy s there and how. : ' . ■ All in all a corking unit that has everything and can't miss uny- 'W'li'^re "Outcast" (F N) screen feature. Edba. Tid. I- ro'Jtid' r |i,;.fi f.f ihl« room of ft wc<-\ f,I"t.Tv 11)» !-T'.ii low d'lWn. I' .,'•>•; T.'i ' d ki i'. ff-r th" HIPPODROME (Vaudfilm) One act, a mu.sJcal tab running C5 minutes, "Morocco Bound." com- Tn-lses the stage porlicm of the cur- rent Hippodrome show, with the ex- ception of Charles I'l-emmac, Ger- man vocalist, added starter for S""- dav only. I>rerinmac, doing two nuri»b<-rs In the- native tongue, was an epilog to a Teutonic overture and ii (ierman reel. , _„ "Morocco Bound" Is quite a pre-, tentioiis flash act for in.t<*rinedlary variety. There are about nine dir- fererit 8Ct.% array of costumes and people, number 29, with a. book cred- ited to.Harlan Thompson and score and lyrics by' William B. Fried- lander. Act has been around before and is a flash for the neighborhood houses particularly. '^^wy, . Norma Grtllo. danseuse, Is easily the otitstander of the perHonnel, al- though Ja:.ck ..Mundy. Vr^n^Mr^ funftter. more than HUf^taln.s the ^gen- eral tempo. rf.Mundy'scomlcamies are a bit burldycue in .(Character, it is to the credit of the act that he Is, at .l«a.st, capable of producing the Laughs. Mundy strives a hit too hard for a chuckle at tlrne-s, stich as the bit when he swallmved the «hlek's ruby in a stiiugu'llng ruf«e. and gagged about the dlgef;t:vo afK'rmath. ' ,. . Among the principals are John Clone, Theodore Hampton. -Chira ='^^TT;^TrrJo^•''^^lr-"M^-'^=V^llUln,==AJl.n^^ kare Winiam lTbw:ird. Frederick Kriie'rv, Arthur J. Michael.s, .Henry M .'I ri n'er.", June Bl a ti a an d Tc-<1 d y H.-illed. The 12 Sonla Serova danc- er.« are a perFonablft bevy. ■ The f(.;.t>i're. "riubinarine," f.nns c-f,.ind,';waf- th'- \shyf"re t.f n ir.inla- t.fr' h.M.y h.- livhoo <m.m-'<1. about .'■. «^' .i-di\ It.;' *■ uIT V,i7. fair at tl'e .^nr'lay mat.