Variety (Feb 1929)

Wednesday. February 27, 1929 NEW ACTS VARIETY 109 '"^.^nlral status as a comeay l" i ne r-notopnone uiri- ^^^^^ ^?!, +hfi laree auditorium they 12 Mins.; One and On Screen <=*"*'^V«?oulet and occasionally al- Riverside (V-P) '^^''t rSoiifllble Quite naturally this Flora LeBreton, English music """motPd acalnst their reception. hall and production sihRing ingenue, mllltaieu Ijj^jj^gjg g^jn playing an has framed a turn using a talking 11 • ndmiring wife-persecuted old short which is projected on *<*"*^er And still funny. Land, j screen simultaneously with her 81 ST ST. (Wired-Vaudfilm) T»«rfpct five, acts of variety at the Jls^t St the flrst half playing like an 'litra palace bill , and certain to^do . bSSr than average trade for the ''Ss*pi?i& Is .the topU^^^ -« svich her solo: impression was «f,nchy. impressive, delectable and SKguIshcd, The sojigstress ^can * ilrtnln with as much zip and go !?d ffl Say as she did in big- Sme vaudeville's heyday. -Keepin.^? X^ast of contemporary standards. aDreasv"4- a* Ivrln va.Tii*i5 for T^AW were much under FLORA LeBRETON L-oew, w comedy "The Photophone Girl" the ap-, pcaranco in the flash. She duplicates In person most-of her actions upon the screen.. Between numbers Miss LeBreton talks to herself from stage to screen and vice versa. V It makes for good vaudevllie, al- though requiring wired houses for play dates and the wired houses at present rn"uch moi-e .numerousm the picture house classiflcationi than among the vaudfllm group. • Talking short was made at the ISTew York RGA ^bund studios, un- der tlici pr'ogram-credited supervi- sion of Dick Currier. It. is a neat job. . Miss LeBreton photographs w - Jnl<^ama^i*shi"p'of lyric V and her voice reproduces nicely. «r,f«tpy the published numbers X»ialog cross-flre has b6en, deftly ffinfmuch novelty and distlnc- staged .and timed. Idea of talking B if they ha'' Mnp.pia.llv I back from the screen was Ueed-^iir red. Fpr inst r^Sf'^thout Tou-and "ThaVs How I Peel About You." 3 WESTERGARDS Acrobatio 6 Mins.; Full Stage Palace (St. V) Three young men, njagnijicent spocimons, in straight h;md-to- hnnd ff-ats of novel ai-ranpcnVont. "Weai' rather less than • Columbia runAvay Rirls, skin tight union suits of smallest dimensions and tlght- ncKs of lit, which set off gladiator liguros. . tTmlerstander assumes all kinds of distorted position, balancing, secr ond man on knees and second work-r er is understander in turn for the thiid wpi-ker's hand stands.. CJreaf sight display, splendid gym- •n.ast."?, but lo.st closini; the long bill here at B.25, following one of the biest comedy bills of the season at the Palace. For ;, their : appropri.ite spot,'in anybody's vaudeville house. , .- Runh. short , alliance via Locw Circuit some months ago. Rates as good novelty attraction. And a plug'for RCA. Photophone on the publicity angle.. Land. among others^ are as familiar among ■ tnn song familiars as could be de- i^red with possible exception of ?'Sonny feoy"'or '■Dardanella," and vet the manner in which the brunet bLOMSERG'S ALASKANS cbmedienne vended her song wares ^ct was a delight. . , . J, - 6 Mins.; Full Just preceding was a pip of a flash 53th St, (V.P). . act "Chinese .Nights," around under .E;xcellerit novelty animal, act, another label,, and as, colorful anu made so by good showinanship. entertaining a. tabloid extravaganza Seven flne-looking. animals which, 09 could be desired. Whoever owns .trainer says, were the dog team that act can take the personnel as l that he drove from Alaska to Chi- the nucleus for an Qplental "Black- cago- in little lecture he a^ds five Lew Leslie did . that . with [^r.^ huskies and two are mamalutes. "Big Bill" Blomberg . Is trainer, driesslng.ln aifctic garb.. Act worked before snow scene drop an dall goes to make atmosphere. Dogs do only .simple tricks, but the type of animal lis new to the stage, although, fa ffied entertainers, and while .At thur Lyons and Sam Salvln had the •sLe idea with the ill-^fated/:ehi^^^^^ a-LIng," one can Imagine It flopping If their people approached these^in general versatility and talent- For IRVING EDWARDS Songs and Tiailk 19 Mins.; One ' ■ ■■ '■\ Jefferson (V-P) . Irving Edwards got a break at the .Jefferson Sunday night. He made them laugh at bum gags and went well enough to remain on for 19 minuties. That's too long for a sin glo- of Edwards' class under prdi ;havy eondltions. The differences between 19 min- utes and the 12 or 14 he. should have been on was consumed by excess material. Eliminating that super- fluous five minutes, Edwards can crOt by niqely as an interrtiediate deucer. The boy has been . around in ; a .show or; two and maybe In the pic iture houses;. His appearance is .<?opd, he sings, a fairly good pop and his style Is pleasant. Some serious cdhcentratloh on the talk department, and Who can tell what may. happen? " Bige. Uiat matter, it may be that this, is KniUar to the screen. Opened bill jui offshoot of the ''Ching-arLhig^ j^h and Impressed as equal to that revue; stager but a whIz colored show I assignment about anywhere., like Lieslie could elaborate ' Rush. this into a $3 Broadway musical, as SOW and JOY he did with his nite club floor show, jaik and Music To begin with, there's a somewhat. .TMing . One and Full duskier Oriental lassie who throws 13 M^^«-v:""^^^ that business around in a cobch tha would wilt, a nocturnal rlaygrourit attendance. That gal belongs in a nite club, the classier the better. Put her in the Richman, and the orders for chop, suey at two bucks a portion will go bullish. For an Oriental this gal raises the. thought of some ancestral stopover in Afri- ca. Anyway, that cooch threw. Sid Hawkins, the house manager, into a panic. It went out after the opening show. The almond-eyed gal just seemed to throw off excess 'steam at first opportunity, some houses standing for the copch, but the others figuring- they couldn't afford it—not at these prices. "Chinese Nights" Is a new act for ; Keith's In the east, although it has been around on other . circuits. It Y"- everything^—novelty, color, pro- duction, talent, entertalnihent. Those Chinese flappers look great In their shorts and vo-do-de-o'd with the best of 'em. The comedienne (Coiiitnued on page 127)' Following an apparent wasted opening in which the two Addled around with crossfire, with the man dressed as an aviator,, mixed 2-act :went to fuH .stage for some more .verba.1 exchange and then into "one" for the real strength of the turn, a shift to instrumental numbers. On the closing in partic ular, with the man playing the marlmbaphone and 'the girl the violin, better. A prop airplane in full stage, used for a moment for .a comedy bit, turned put to be . the ma:rimbaph6ne. A few laughed, at some of the opening; patter,, leading into: a ro mantle stratum,; bilt as a whole it .seemed lost when the act could make a f ar stronger, turn on music They sang- a number that'appieared to. be sort of a song theme gag for the try for a specially wiitteh and conceived atmospheric idea of aero- planic background. Voices hot overly strong. MarJc. HALL, HARCOURT and NA8TA Comedy Talk and. Song 15 Mins.; One 6th Ave. (V-P) Light hbdge podge of , comedy hoke by two men and women for laughs at the start by the males using the 'phone to date up a coupla ■wimmen. The girl later appears in fire ALTON and WILSON Talk and Dances 20 Mins.; One , American (V-P) This new combo has Jimmy Wil- son working comedy with Alton do- ing straight. Men work up their comedy Orossflre eirfectively and have several dances that are sure- One of the hits on this bill answer to the comic's call after the other man had wasted several numr bers. Impromptu telephone booth in front of the drawing room drop. Perhaps the best the house could do, but It didn't help the act any. The men work fast, exchanging a lot of flippant chatter. Girl is at-, tractive, sings well one number and Is most acceptable femme straight. Only comedy turn on a three-act -.Ml.gave-the trio .all the best of It. Mark. JIMMY ALLARD AND CO. (6), Comedy Sketch 28 Mins.; Full (Special) Engiewood, Chicago (V-P) Jimmy Allard is ono of tho IT.'vrry Kogors' tab ooiuU's. T)u\>->> I'l'vs never .«trotc'h far for now; material, havlni; di.'^covorod a i-i'iiahU-' sort of slrnpU'- comiHly thar mlilwost avidi- oncos appart ntlv Avill n^lish f<vi'''ViT. List of plots include: .i.aVnoWly rii-h father wlio liolps lils datiuhU-r ♦es- cape' from mari-yincr.tho .oiiuht; i.h) newly rich'falhm' at a soasido. re- sort, poin.c: after the i;als siH-ri'tly and. eYcntually pottinp;. caught by hl.^ wife; fo) nii\od eouplos-ln a,hotcl , Or roadhouso; AllanU's last . .«;lvQt<,-h had him . as a roiuihouso waiior, ila.ur.iii.i^ away, while serviiip a man and pii'l in ono booth, with- the ooupli-'.s rcspectivo husband and wife nookin'cr it in ..an opposite booth. Tl\anUs to ..Allard. the couples eventually wore paired off in' their propoi' matinpr. , I lis .'.now. sketch has . Ivlni as • ah inn-kcoper. eventually restoring a pirl who. wa.s runmn.tv a^vay to m.'irry the- wrong'guy for spile, to the guy wiia was runninc: away to niarry the wron.cr girl for .spito. 'Thc two resullant castoffs aKri»e;i.bly de- cide to hooR up with each other also, ■ ■ ; Allard runs about, gaggiUg demo- cratic gags as he tries to slraighten things. lie is a true midwest comic with: all requirements.' His support includes a fat youngster who hoofs and gets laughs on it, a thin dame •w'ho d.ances and gets likewise, a serious young couple for straight line readinig, and a copper. . For this territory, all tight. Far- ther east they go the itiore doubtful it .becomes. . Bingi "DAUNTLESS" Police Dog 14 Mins,; Fgll 5th Ave. (V-P) Aci'ordir.;: to the lobhy .•aidiil'J aiid »uuuiuncc.nioni by i'lw trainer,' t-\'otty Wilson, 'i)aiuUii'sH'. is the police dog in .several hiu: M-iS-.if a1ul Viiitcd Arlists pictures. The ilo':;- sii.Mncd a hit tired ."fU-r many .shows; Suinl'.iy.- y«. t followi-d the'pio- lure adinonitions of his master A finely tralnod dnf?, Ooald ap- pear in a strouper aet than it's do- inK- luAv, . Trained dops iii siiint routii'.e.v- hn\e been in. v;iude. tor years, li.vit- a picture dOff. i!v p.lthi. p' a comedy .or dramatic. a<^t .n.iit..ht be. a ivovei'y,, : ■' .. ' ■ ■ ■ The. first part is j^low and rather uninteresting, perhaps niaking' its best Impression throiigh- the way the .d(jg olieys commands of "forr. .ward" and "stay."' the.same.as used., .when niakin.p ploturoa. Se(>ond part picks up through the tiiethods ,eniplo.ved by the trainer when "l">a\nUlcs.s" is dying his .Stuff before the film camoru. Uo^ fe,igns a crippled condition when going for help, trails a crook,- goes up .and down it flight of stulrs, sc.alos ahigh wall and stops: atop it at the qulok command of his minister with the word, "slay," Bog also shows ho fear of gun- fire; AVilson - firing several blanks at, close range as thiJ dog finally seizes him by the wrjst, the stunt show- ing how "Datintlesa" gets the bet- ter of a man with a gun .at close . Jlffirfc. . range. LEE and GOULD (2) Songs 12 Mins.; One , American (V-P). Virile duo with . a commodity they're not selling. Plenty of voir ume in the diaphragms, waited in anticipation of their get-, ting hot. Warmed up liike. .Har mony better with improved arrange- ments. V They should Juiik the Insipid Chinese costumes, opening. No heed of the Oriental effect; Incongruous with, appearance. Look like busi ness men who have stepped back of footlights at a small convention. Fine shoulderis on both and Impos ing front. Might wade Into their work. Should adhere to their songs, eliminating the Jabber uWtil certain their material is comical. Grunts of disapproval at their three or four dilapidated gags. Have the voices afid smartness to speak real wit. "VVear cibthes well but trousers too baggy. . Sing "Glad Rag Doll" and "High on Hilltop:" . Bend over and Bell, sell, sell Smallie! HAP HAZZARD «nd Co. (1) Wire 12 Min&; One and Full Hippodrome (V-P) TIEMAN and DIERS (3> Comedy Sketch 17 Mins.; Two 58th St. (V-P). Starts as two-man • talking turn and nlc6 opening; then goes blah with poor business and .finishes brightly with a laugh tag. Present defect is length and slow pace mid- way. iCiOose framing also hurts, O.Pt^nlng Jias village .sheik asleep Audience I w.aiting for train in Georgia tank: station. Straight as traveieir goies into conversation . with . crossfire, with both whiteface. Straight is off and Miss Diers ap- pears in stage tights covered by cloak;. Theatre burned down and she e.scaped without money or clothes. Goes Into'.vamp to get tick et to New York, which sheik has In his pocket; Does a dance here and frisks the sap while he Is transport ed. Girl exits, sound effect of de- parting train, and straight Is back to laugh at boob being taken. Says 'She'll get clean to New York on your ticket." Tag i^i "She'll get nothing clean. on that ticket but two shirts." . Some of. the gags are cold, and the whole business of shooting ap pie from comic's head should go out, saving probably five minutes. If they can keep the opening comedy pace throughout they'll fiavei . a usable piece of property. , No. 3 here and that's giving it a break. Rush, "DANCE BITS" (4) . Revile Hap Hazzard, formerly a single 15 Mins; One and Full (Special) v...-^ ^«,„ ' Riverside (V-P) Bits" and four bits PHILSON and DUNCAN MusiCj Talk, Songs 10^ Mins.; Full Hippodrome (V-P) Young man who looks a little like Bert Wiieeler and does a l.ot of that comedian's routines, Ap^ pears with a pretty girl, who i.s an indifferent worker. Both appar-. ently beginners. Boy can play a variety of musi- cal ln.struments—violin, , cello, sax, clarinet and banjo, but has no idea of comedy method. Just a small time filler at this stage of their careers. No. 2 here and indifferent returns. Itufih. Monday night, • Alton is a nifty straight. At least he stands-out with Wilson, who af- fects a drunk at the opening. On the burnisque mind-neading bit Alton goes into . the audience Plenty of laughs hefe. Mark HARRY LaVAIL and Sister (3) •Ariel 6 Mins.; Three Jefferson (V-P) Man, woman:.and boy in a..shpri aiid snappy double bar arid trapeze routine. They'll do most anywhere.. ' Dou"ble body swing by the mixed couple, with the boy also .swinging alone on the.top, isn't the most dif- ficult stunt in the turn,, but looks well enough to close- Man!& best trick is a gradual .slip, from knee I to heel hold oh the trapeze: ,^ , Woman's, appearance excellent. Black tights.. .., ■ - A man-boy combination. Aiiei LaA'ails, around some years ago. Man might be. the. same. DANCING DANBUBYS Song and Dance 12 Mins.; One and Two 5Cth St. (V-P) Dainlv man and womau danc- liirn. bpch -Willi, i.u-on.yeauentra) pmv.x and then fro into .some .beauti- fully routined SDl't f^hof; stuff, work- in- toKethf-r with fla wless lU'ccl.'^ion. iJi'css In l)i«hland rostimio and mai: ,l,„.s casual talk in cV.-nso .S"otcj. luirr. turn on tight wire, now teamed with girl. PoBslbly hot new In pres-: ertti cornbo or routine. Jl.azzard opens In "one" as nut comic gagging, whilel making crazy efforts to spin lariat. Talk not bad ill toto and style droll. Holds at tf'Hion for'several-moments before olio goes up with girl on wire; Her a(>t and his act thereupon merge Four in these their entertainment stratum. It's not a bad flash, just the same sort as umpteen dozen other acts In vaude. Two girls, two boys. Some drapes, neatly and modestly cos turned. T-alent passable, but not conspicuous. Girls carry the act, essaying sev On the wire^ Hazzard is a capable 1,^ different styles of dancing, In- V^J',^'?}:'^'''^.Z^^..''f^^^^^ I eluding a- pretty good Apache num- tricks. Part of the time he uses no balancing parasol. Girl okay It makes a nice act for spotting on flve.-act bills. Oh third at Hipp. iMTld. SPOOR and PARSONS Co. Song, Dance, Marimba 13 Mins.; Full (Draped) 86th St.(V-P) - , ,.• . Cp to the girl's mechanical, doll song and dance, Spoor arid Parsons are secondary to their six-piece marimba band. After, that doll riurnber it's a question of three min- utes, or so before the end, and that 'ire number remains in memory as the tui*ri's one and only. ; : vSpoor and. Parsons may pass il.-iewhore on the doll dance and the ti'l^port as they did here. If not, ihey cari blame It. on the. early por- , lion. ■ , .'. , An improved team so far aswork- jnan.ship Is concerned. But a lot of competition around for therii.today. Bige. - ber. Girls also look well. Two guys just booforn, mechanically olfl- clent, but never getting away from the stamp of the machine routine Act did fairly well opening show at this house; Land ANN FORD CO Songs 10 Mins.; One 125th St. (V-P) .Singing fc-mmo with a .woman pianist. Ordinary routine arid voice, .. , i-nt _jio,t.=too-Mti-ong7=A^Tixture^^iaf=nitnT--|^^ei?angeHo-a bers, one r>epending on the lyrics to ' " Click, "VV-ith the pianiste Miss Ford es- caped any difficulty that might otherwise have been experienced . «ad she been forced-to rely ori the pipe organ used for the 'acts on »ni8 bill. Woak entry unless re- vamping, Mark: HALL and PILLARD Ccr.icdy . r-: Mins.; One 8C1I-1 St. (V-P) i'.vo-man low comedy turn with- <,.:t a legitimate thought iu It.s 1,1 '-'•-up. but .selllnp a.hok.-.fonlin' , A-,_Hcan r .-ai it's worth. Xhcy dl^ln't mi.'^.s | American ALMOND and GREY SISTERS Dxincing_and Skatijig^ 9 Mihs.; FuH 58th St (V-P) N(DW stage. ' layout for Tom Almond; stage setting: costuming ..and asscfhbly of dancing and tap skating have been given .special at.- tentJon. Act has nov<>Ity, greater part of It haying Intz-rest for pic- ture houses. ' Almond has. dl.'icarded his. kan- garoo long .shoe dance and In its stead is in an exa^'gt-ra.tod outfit; looked like nin all rubber business suit, with Almond doing hi.s char- ttcterl.stie. tapping and too stepping with the occenlrlc pedal encase- ments. • For the finale the skate t.ipplng Is standout, v.-lth Almond hitting It Up . for cffcict. one of th(! sl.stcr.s Joining him for the-curtiiln. Mark. FRANK M'CORMACK and Pals Co>Ed Band Act .: IS.Minsii One and Three' - SSth St. (V-P) Co-ed, b{ind idea, Vitii Frank Mc- Cormack as ,m;c. and band leader of , his jazz octet; dividing th6 person- nel into nine boys and live girls. The latter, all kidlets, with plenty of exposed thighs, in short gym trunks, athletic jerseys or slipovers; and very, low rolldown box, are the youthful s.a. of the presenta,tlori. The band Is pretty zippy for a juvenile aggregation, none probably over voting age. The pianist Is the comediah in an eccentric: bit, also announced as composer of a saucy dance tune, "What Have You Got For Me?" featyred Instruinentally. The band is iepotlighted , for the usual chorus snatches. McCormack jazz struts, jaza steps arid generally hotsy-totsles all over the place. His get-up, In green athletic Jersey, Is distinguished , thus from the Yale blue tm'eaters the other boys flash. Gals work mostly In ensemble dance routines, -tvlth Dottle Egner contributing an aero dance solo, Dance ensembles are ; conventional but acceptably presented. Act in general revolveo about the youthful keynote. It Is a servlce- ablQ frame-up, and -while opening here ori a three-act bill, this wa« merely a routine exigency. , Good closer for the averag* nelghborhooders. A^cl. ED JAN IS (5) Dance Risvue , 15 Mint.; One and Three 81et St. (V-P) Ed Janls was last libtlccd Indlr vidualiy 10 years ago. He.still has five girls with hlm-^npt the same quintet, of.. course, but doing a neater and rriore showmanly act, In which Carmen Rooker Is according lobby frame bllllrig; othefwise act label Is a solo oh the annunciators. Janls works more juv and smoother, eschewing the- eccentric bellhop stuff.- A "dancing shoe-s" number, with on-stage changes into supposedly historic Prlmrooe, Donr ahue, George White and Jim B.ar- ton leathers, was a neat solo pres- entation. Janls' impressions of each was Jjatisfactory. One of the girls did a .charming ^numbeii with a large Picture ._hat and a rose as props. Ano'tfier's stooge .In male attire and .a flapper bit led into the Oriental finale, janis opened strong hfero on a five-act layout, but can do. better REILLY Sortgs 112 Mins.; jnd GALE One on the spotting on other bills AVel •*\rl doing more solo tap.s. man a solo number and like.wise d;mcin;,'. rind they finisli In nu.r.; of the dandy t.iTKS- this time in 1i:ird .«h.jc.s. iW Scotch reel or .l.u(-l: ar-d wing, hut a I.lemling of . both.- r,ag.i;mg too minor to hurt and the .steppir;-; something really exnellont. No. 2 here and liked. Rush. , I .l.^i.uK lLand^grabbed th^ ^•trait^)lt and comic are equally mcifieif-nt in their rcspoctive' rok:s. 'ii r bfing a mugging and verb.al •.,,.,]i,',n and a. funny bouncer • ).-■. ij .shoved by his partner.as well.. r.ovs could chance a I'alace two- > i <,t 'on a bill needing comedy .md tf. t away with IL Bipe, .•^i'-le (V-P) act ^^ith one girl .'it piano. -j;ovh-^sinAf,-:=i^-itKL-jjgih=i;i^-imJih(^Jhar.--^ mony i-rid during .topi'.'al f^onps. Oirls have nice appearan'-e, and did all rlcilvt. ln the, deuce. ■ A litr!" more work and p'Th.^ps ;ino»lier niunher rnore to variate the i-tylc slK i.ld help. Cf/Uld sjjeed up a 'bit. .'^'-"mi-comody number with 'ikcs' f;lo.=(:S. ' Mark. MASTER JAY WARD and Ward and Dooley Talk, Dances and Lariat: 12 Mins.; One and Full 81st (V-P) Ward and Dooley for sbme years have had a dance, talk and lariat routine. Ward and iDooley in pri- vate life are married. The offspring is now the feature and embellishes the. act with more novelty than heretofore. A bright lad, he .spiels stories and fs a sort of announcer (ir m/c, ff)r hi.s folks. Act did very well iicre. Ma.slcr Jay is togged up in a white ctiwboy outfit, lie says he'-s se\^(•n uji(l_](j<>k.s everi young'^. The rs t'Ts^^c^p fcTlly b lg"^i cHj sj^ mito made his gags heard even in the rear. Tliat's in his favor. Ward and Dooley start off with a dance and then each doe.s a rope turn with the man's Will liogera imitation still his featured bit. Mark.