Variety (Jan 1929)

Wednesday, January 9, 1929 W OM E N'S PAG E Among the Women By The Skirt VARIETY 95 Olseh's Day at Palace "Whoopoe" moved, right into the Palace Theatre Moiuluy afternoort! A|id word must have f)pre;i(i at the Village Orocor that Kddie Cantor Was to be there himsieif, because not one more person could have gotten ■Jh. It looked like the Palaoe of the old days. Ethel Shiitta was there, too. ; And George Olsen. . ; ' . And fio my chlWren, a moiUoore bill, was turned Into a vel-y good one, If your nerves are in first class condition get Into the Palace for the opening act. Wilile Mau.s.s does a stunt In a revolving wheel that is lireathtaklhg. The Russell Markort girls although not billed shewed .twice. They wore two sots of lovely co.Mtump.s. The first were .silver bodices with very short three ruffled skirts in green. On the girLs' fan- nies were black butteriflies. Qualm Idea? Silver helmets were topped with plumes of yellow. As the first number was done mo.stly with the hands the girls were gloved in cerise. Second change really lu-aiitiCul. White bodices were embroidered with spangles of differon);. colors in a star design. Very short .skirts were mere, ends of: spangles. The full sleeves of blue made these costumes so.effective. Hals of blue had ocrisy streamer.s. Slim, iBilly and Val or i)erhap.'5 better known as Timbiln, Hay- monifl and Russell just knoc ked the audience for a goal. Oh, boy,, what an act! Mls;s Russell as a wench was in green and while checkered ging- ham, and then she . was a red velvet and gold l)ride, Ethel Shuttu did her Western nunaber from Whooi)ee in a neat Vilac-k velvet dross. It had f*" broad colliar; of ecru lacewlth cuffs matching. ., ; Marlon Eddy (with Eddie Conrad) wore a diamond bnilicc en.ding in. a skirt of •yv'hlte feathers tipped with green. . . . The' long show ended with John Giuran and La Petite Mai-guorite.and Five Promlerc IJallerlnas. Marguerite was in an al)breviatod costunio of silver frineo. The girls .wcm-o in white ballot .skii-ls'edg«'d with nnrraw bands of. silver. ■ .' ■ . Bert Lytell's Fine Work . Bert Lytoll has chosen a lihe piece for . his roiurn: to. iho logit .st;igo. Out and out melodrania but well constructed and done. It looks a.s though "Urothers" has a good chance to remain a long lihin at the' 4Sth Street.-, Mr, Lytelt scores decidedly In a dual role w'hich calls, for some fast changes. Ilia changes are sufficiently fast to bring rounds of applause. . Grace Menken, opjiosite Lytell,, brings charm and naturalness to the role and a most appealing sincerity; Her. first gowii was a circular chiffon In chartreuse embroidered in tiny beads in daisy patterns, which she ■wore with a gold lame wrap lined in green, in the last act Mi.ss MeAlf^en has an enchanting net bbuffiint in palest flesh, with a long satin bodice embroidered in crystal. Cora Palmer was an exquisite mother. She was striking in a black lace gown with a small cnpcworn with pearls .-ind diamond oa,rrlng.s. iLater she was CQually lovely in inaroon chiffon with .a small jacket embroidered in rhinestones. , BIythe Daly's Indifference It ia surprl.sing that the maiiagenient, and even Alic^ Brady , herself, floes not object to BJythe Daly appearing (In a supjpbsedly smart dria.w- Ihg room) in such a filthy, spotted, white velvet gown and shockingly soiled white shoes. It is safe to say that seldom, if ever, has such slovenli- ness been condoned and a young woman careles.sly Indifferent to stage appearance, A bu2z of feminine crltlclsmi followed Miss Daly's entrance. I'he surprising thing Is tiiat IVIistt Daly dresses nicely In the la.st two acts .of the play In a black velvet and white ermine ensemble and a biue eown entirely made qf crystal ifringe. , Miss Brady was well gowned in a black lace evening gown, cut long In. the back and another of similar fashion in peach. Her most, be- coming, costume was In white chiffon, trailing beneath one of the, new short evening wraps in velvet worn with red trimmed slippers and some attractive jewelry. She uses her chinchilla wrap again.' Damphool, for Laughs Colleen Moore's picture at the Paramount this week is just one of those damphool laugh thlng.s that means nothing—except laughs, the most valuable theatre seller. It Is called "Synthetic Sin." Miss Moore woro several pretty frocks. A black and white ensemble had a checked skirt and coat with a plain Jumper. With this she wore a beret with a plain edge and a crown made of black and white ribbons •criss-crossed. In one scene while the women were In evening dress It Vaa very odd that Antonio Marino should t)e in flannels. A negligee worn by Miss .Moore was over pajamas. The top of the pajamas was a lovely creation made wholly of fish scales. RITZY , in another department of A'ariety ; Reference was made to a wealthy Voman who has become financially Interested; in Earl Carroll!s produc- tions. She was mentioned as Mis: Pendleton, and Bagby and Komelii, eomposer.s of the score of "Fibret- ta," the forthcoming Carroll oper- etta, were referred to as "her Bephew.s." Neither of these young mon Is re- ated to the dowager, who is Mrs. •Yederic Gourtland Ponfield. so- . klly prominent and fabulously f-h. About 75 years of age, she .vldes.her time between luxurious Iwelllnga on Fifth . avonuo • and reenwft:h. Her country estate was .irchased for $500,000 In tho .sum- Tier of lOlif), having provioush bo- diet. Originally Anne \\'i'iglitiii.m, of thiladelphia, she was the Uaiiglit-jr Of the late Dr. Wllli.im \Vvi;;litriian l)y his Ih-.^t wife and nihorlii->l many Jallllbns accumulated In the drug bu.slno.ss. In 1008 she niarrii'd Fred- die Gourtland Ponfield, whom President Wilson appointod Am- llesador to Austria l)r'foro the war. 1<». Penfield died In 1023. Tot several years past the dow- ager, who dresses In extremely youthful fashion, has been a de- .votee. of._ mo_dcrn dancing,, and both In tP^n a,nd at Greenwich enter- tains parties of young people; pay- ing fancy prices for stringed or- chestras. For over three years the rumor has persisted that she may choose as her third husband Albert MoitIs Bagby, who is about 70. Hailing from Jlti.shville, ill,,- he has for more than a generation past con- ducted, under ultra-fashionable auspices, "ntiornlng musicales'' at the Waldorf. lie l.q the uncle, of George Bagby, a singer, who. with G. Romelll, has written the operetta which rOarl Carroll Is now produc- ing, the theme-.sohg of which la "GlidliTg Gondola." The Bagbysv uficlc and nophew, move In the same tomperamental set, and George has .sung at the, smart mu.sicales given by another wealthy dowag. r, Mr.H. Horatio XoIr son Slater, at licr duplex !i]>;).rtment :0n=5th.^avjjmifl.,_=JEJiifljfi:\LatiiJiusJiiiiiLr^ (■•ss was Mabel If urit,. and hor .sistor. the lato Enid Hunt, bec;irrie her molher-in-lavv, Mrs. Samuel Slater, the Missf'S Hunt marrying rf.«pec- tively a father and son. Schabte Not New Under the "Inside Stuff—Pictures" captlort, In last week's Lssue, ap- peared the foiiowing lines: "A new route to a place In front of the: (Continued on page 67) Birth Control Mrs. Gone Austin stood to win 51O.000 as a friendly wager from her husband If they were blessed with a male heir. The newly arrived addition is nariied Ann. Unconiiion Chatter By MOLLIE GRAY Al White's $oprano Oayn'or and Byron, two gouil skates, opened the S.tatc. bill in whitiv satin. Barr & Davis, de- sorvod more encouragement, than they got. Dresses were of black s;itin, the entire, circular sitlrt of .stool beads as well as a decp:.coll!>r and (.uffs. Feminine member of tloss and Byrrows changed from a rod crepe frock to a revealing bead costume. ." Al B., AV'hite has a clever "gan.g" of dancers and singers. The sopr;ino,. wlioso name. he. deliberately played with.and ilever told, has:a beautiful , .voice, - soeinod. altogether, a lovely la.dy In general, even to her palo groon crepe frock with double skirl, vesieo a .shjide of violet,, ribbbn bow and .ends of i)urple at the waist. Maria Kerr and Miss Stone closed in pretty soft frocks In twct shades of green on the former and orange oh the latter, and they sure put a kick in the act. A fine troupe, the band deserving more attention, than wa.s pos.'^lble with all tlip dancers. Spring and Summer Boots I Dolrnau'.s .bootery oVor.oii .Ma.li.soii i avenue, lins. a knrokout Palm, iloiu-li |disiila.,v which is s>'nnnyiiiinis with jan ailvauci- sninnu'r f^howihg. Whito. I.aloho .:ind ■ in ■ <.Mnil>lnall<wi witb ' bro.wn and brightly .colorod loalhers, i.-^ faycu'vd for .. trim. noatl>^ lurnod ij.\fords. : Onol pair in wbito .and oriinKo, kid \oi-y Miiid>-. \Vliit.o Uid witlv line gingham clivi-ks not yot nindi-. up into...sports ..shoos, but,., will. pi-oh;ilily. bo woriV ;i lot by ihc ultra. And thr'ro.'is a beautirul li^'hl straw, vallod "logort''" ttu bo conibinod \s itll a -monolono) that should make a graud .sumnvor shoo. Drossii'r jili()os iiLs^) sponsor i-om- I'in.itions of diffori'ntl.v ti/nod kid. Ono iiv whUo, has oxijui.siii; it\sor-. tion.s of iJastoi'shados . at tho .iiool; Many- variations of Lhi.s .stylo. For' j tho sunburn oriizo, tluM-o's the .bare- i'.oot sandal, witii neatly conirivod ^.trap.s pipod in coloi-. A boaoh shoe with i-mbossod lish on its vainp. . Nothing hoctic about tho spring 1 tov.-tV: rtyloa, ; .1 f;vr, v.ith browns (from ..sunburn to drop, niarrem klaci'). and blaok'. patont loatlior be- ing foalvirod. For dayiime shoes, .tlvoro's.; ;i. combination of :a French and CubUii hoel, naniod .(yo\i'd hover guess ; it) the .iFrencli-Cubnn, which looks'conifbnable and sinart. I''venlrig shoes ii.avo the delicate <Vorkmanship tliat distinguishes Delman'.s output. They're e.xqulslte- ly fashlonod. One model Is.a two- toned ■ crepe .satin, with tho deeper imposltlpn trimming, the heel and vamp. Many, of ; the hoel.s are r)atc;hod, \yitil clever insertions. Betty BIythe on Stage An entertaininjg: bill at the 81st Street, even though It only faintly resembled the one in. the program. Joe Laurie failed to appear, but throe acts took his. place. Betty BIythe Isn't istaging any comebacic in the films by this ap- pearance. She Is eyen more arti- ficial and unnatural ofC the screen than on, though her voice Isn't bad. She i.s introduced by a film bouquet showing her at home and then to dinner at the Montmartre, from Avhich she arrives on the stage to dress for her performance. She Is wrapped about In doth of gold with a bit of color here and there and many gold taaaels over a matching gown in which sh* struts about. Doesn't hilde her black, lin- gerie and garters as she, changes to a black velvet coat dress of clbse fitting high neck and red lined caipc sreeve.s. Sings of fashions In a wine color velvet whose fur bordered train served various purposes ef- fectively until holding It back of her head and under side showed how well it had cleaned the floor. Light green satin with; swathing girdle that tied in front was becoming to her, though the velvet cape didn't seem the best shade to top it. Her makeup was entirely too heavy, especially the eyes. Vera Knight, at the piano', wore a srajr . crepe, simple arid pretty. Mrs, Jlmmie Barry as usual and always. Humiliating Burlesque The mystery why men bring wo- men to the Columbia might be ex- plained ..as part lOf . a, .humiliation process. Some think all women su- perior to all men. One visit to a burlesque show Is a sure cure for that.-; More books being sold for broad- minded people. Steady patrons must; have an enlightening three- inch ,sholf by how. Isabelle Van's foot and ankle badly brui.sed, Soriie of her girls probably stopped on her trying to be fir.St up the runway. Big laugh had those hard-boiled girls flitting about with hoops of roses and prac- tically nothing else. Flr.st act finale showed three brides wearing little, -almost noth- ing. Isabolle has a runway rival who . ap])eared in some beautiful blVie marabou, just enough to ahOw the color. Par's Briflht Show ■ A-lb rlght. cheerf ul., and a mu.sing .show at the Paramount right from the ovorture including RubinofC through the Jesse Crawfords who g' t clas.'-if.-.'j.l thl.s week, and "Cheer- io" on the .stage to the fadeout of Collcon Moore In "Synthetic Sin." "Cheerio" has a.singing Irttroduc- tlon by the dancing troupe (no pro- grams; no names) In wide, pants sulta of probably every, known color ruffle, and plumed hats. A little lady who knew her haauners doffed a Straw Hat8l . Straw, huts are already on dis- play, with the indication that the harrow and turned-back brims In ballibuntal or other line weaves are to be . popular. The turban Is being introduced In this medium through a .strip of soft, pilable ; straw swathed about the head. Riiaseka is showing this style In Its new Tricot^ Ci-inol turban, which sells for $15. It has the advantage of being light and so soft that It can be folded away In a pocket or purse. . If you're going In for It; do It right away, because it's, going to be-awfully trite sooni . Rusack is also showing a.Rose Descat felt,: smoothly crowned and quite severe, save . for a cluster of plaits on either side of the brim. Other felts show a similarly tai- lored tendency. Another attractive model, from Rcboux, has a close crown and abruptly turned-back brim,.elongated at one side. A neat feathnr trim . Is. Its only decoration. New Turban A new version of the turba . Is being shown by De Pinna. Made of swathed silk. Its Immediate u.se will probably, be for ..'outherh wear. Comes in white, lacquer red and pastel shades. Folds up Into nothing and.: awfully chic. Beautifully Dumb Vllma Banky, In .?'The Awaken- ing" looks lovely throughout the Rivoli's latest picture, as one of those peasant girls with immacu- lately fitted coslumos. For a girl St .art enough to have .sheer' s^ ': hose,' ] ..rfectly pei cilled eyebrows and a^ \vb11 - trained M^atnr w.aye,_-she waa pretty dumb not to see through the evil i tentlona of the Captain, One of tho.se protean changes of mood, transfnrnit'tl tho eaptain from a would-li.o -villain to Sir Galahad ami all ended li.ippily. ■ Se\ oral (.utstai.nlntc .diseropancles in tiio talo but "The Awakening" Is .he\"i:riliole.ss a good, viieluro,' with oxoollpnt photogr.aphy, dramatic ae- iiuonee.s and ihtolligent and' likable .syiyohronization', ■ ' , ■ "Gpw" No Wow Snooty Fifth AviMiuo- Play House tias'gontv the way of all.film. 'Where a nuiilatiu'C oroheslra used to strike oooasional wrong notes agreeably,, a sound synchronization now ac- eon.ipa.nlps .tiie feature, picture, spasmodic with breaks. This house, whioli. u.sually i>rotOi:ts .against the ways of its big moneyed brethren, adopting riiei'h;inical methods it may lio considered that the last strong-: hold apaih.st .synchronization is I'own, ■ , \ : , ■ ' • ' . Tlu^ featured "Gow, the Head Itunter" is a someUmea interesting,, .somotimea : draggy picturizntlon of life In the South So.a-. I.slands. among c.annib.als, It's' ho. woman's p.ara- disc in the rcniioloat of these Islands whore d.VglrJ i.s sold. At 14 for a oouplo : 'of strings : of l)(fada, and must theroaftor do all the hard work in roti!n;n for a beating now and then. - BS' ita very nature the picture l.ack.s the appeal that other pictures by the sanio producers have had. The Mftleslan niitlves are war-like, stunted and ugly. Their habits and ritea.are' interesting for a few reels: but then .become borosome. The ."amo applies tb the musical accom- paniment wiilch wa's repeated S(6V- oral times during the picture.: A colored abort of Josephine Baker (Klnemacolor—not Hp;rlem) and the Fpilea Bergere attempted to- reveal the secret of la Baker's sen- sational success on the Continent, It stifl remains a : mystery. . Syn- chronization to this iVaa bad—con-, aplcuoualy out of tempo with the dancera. . Hollywood Candidate AH the king's tneri and all the Berlin Fire Brigade couldn?t make UB'A's "When Duty Calla" a good picture. Suspense Is usually'con- sidered the first requisite, but with this German film' it was {possible to call every turn several hundred feet, before It - occurred. But what a bunch that Berlin fire department turned out to bo! J.udglng froni the fire fighters on view, qualifications for enlistment are no leaa thaii 200 pounds and a flourishing mustache. Olga Tschechova, as the premiere danseuse at the Scala, reglstorec^ striking beauty arid candidacy fot Hollywood. Hclga Thomas, as the timid heroine, failed to project emo- tion through her calclmined make- up. "Loves of Zero," another of Rpbr crt Florey'a expreaaloniama, had Its customary novelty and splendid trick photography. Printed Silks Printed silks haven't lost in popu- larity over the winter monthsf all the shops are breaking but in an epidemic of them. "There seems to be no limit to' the dcslgnera' Imagi- nation—there are landscape prints, flower patterna, conventionalized designs, modernistic gobs, and all manner of fabric decoration. There's an attractive early American print with.aimpler design that ahould do awfully well for sports wear. pink frock to tampor with an xylo- phone In sliver boad.s^the girl not Instrument. . - An unusually agreeable .sister tearin delighted this audience. They simply added silVor shawls with deep "crystal fringe for the glitter- ing finish, their original frocks of crepe having a short jacket of vel- vet of the same color, one groon one coral. Giria 6.' tho onaomble wore all silver with long crystal fringe hanging from tholr arma and topped with pink and whlto i)luaie8. Revolving jjrl.sms baoksiage gave movemont to the fir.;*Ie anyw.ay. The Golleen They Like Colleen . .Moore ha.s ovcrything her ow ni-way._..in. „"Syritb'..tic_ Sin'- and. that's the way the i)Icture fans want it. They are tlfklod at the Paramount and had ovry rfa.>or» lo be. Gertrude Astor sported a black gown whose boil Ire was of ji)g)("d rowH of boads alt'Tnatlng l>l;n.ic and white. Coileen'.s mo.st elaborate mo- ment waa in a negligee of petal flecked crepe over pajam.ia whore top wt»a complcloly ' ovf-rod with what looked like aq'Jaro apmglcii. , Her- plaid en.semble had patch pock- eta. Tight Hats and Low Cut Gowns "Interference" Is aptly named and a thorough Job as a syllable cinema, Evelyn Brent la a decidedly capable menace. Her hats, as. u.suai, are of the least possible matorlal, one be- ing of jet with a Jagged edge /iround her face. Too . many of those light-fitting affairs don't help. Doris Kenyon wears her gown.s cut too low for any lady, titled or not. f'.'imora play.s Jok"s on her. After showing how boaotirul she Is in a blonili- uig. It lofjkcd down on her ■vJiiio v/'.!irlrig a hat, and the cruel thlri.t;H it did. Fur on hr-r light cout ^1 .s—i>f^-Avii <+] 6=-^^nvlr>k—arii in a 1 a,==fl w^ral- for tliO collar .and -more hanging from the narrow cuff a. Depressing "W' dding Miir.eli" la aa" lun^ as a wet w<.i'k arid about as di'i)ri'.^sing. The other liO-odd mlnute.s are di- vided b'.'tween a beautifully photo- irfapht.'d proco.s.^lon and th". swoet- iif-ss of F/iy 'W'ray and Z isu Pitta, Who is a aatln and lace bride.