Variety (Mar 1929)

40 VARIETY FILM HOUSE REVIEWS Wednesday, March 27, 1829 Its New Tork ©ngaeement Saturday "*Tl\e band closed the vorlety part with the shife'lng pliose an essential r irt ot the Aaronson reason In vaiidc, also retaining its ballot trav- esty for UHual lauBhlng returns. Great liandllns of "Let's Do It" for a buiUl-up. Tills was one of the ' hits or the BordonI, show. BeMid<»« u- talker of a light comedy type, tlie show held good comedy value. Winifred and Mills with the Negroes proved a show stopper. Funny bow an act like this stays In tho background and then a break like the Stale date reveals its worth. Tl;e Three La Moures, two men and a woman, euve the show a fine start. This combination has one pip feature trick, a remarkable back lift by one man lying on the stage. The Courtney Sisters wore second, scoring easllv, tthanks, among other things, to Fay's voluminous voice. Murray and Maddoit did well, but the fore part of their turn didn't land here. Their finish compensat- ed. The work of the woman stands out. She's a foil par excellence. After Winifred and Mills came the Aaronson band and then "Valen- tine." • i'<"-»'- KEITH'S MEMORIAL (Vaudfilm) Boston, March 25. Jack Sharkey at $5,000 for the week was a good investment, the women flocking In both matinee and night. Sharkey has little to do and does it poorly, getting gummed up In his rope skipping, missing the punching bag while trying to bust it with his left, and attempting no speaking part. Jack Sheehan, Boston's veteran referee, carrying his iron skimmer under his arm like a football, acted as master of ceremonies, and was good only in that he was so terrible that he made Sharkey look leas awful. But the customers loved It and the house tonight (Monday) looks solid for the week. The vaudeville bill by good judg- ment was not trimmed down be- cause of the cost ot the feature act, Mary Lawler and Bobby Watson being the legit feature of the bill. r-Wiey went over neatly, their un- billed tap and toe male dancer help- ing greatly. They will do well to carry on with hlni. First honors of the bill went to the prize winning playlet ot the Chicago Little Theatre tournament, entitled "The Under Current." Har- riett Allyn as the tenement mother was a dramatic sensation, and the newspaper critics pronounced her a rave. Jim Toney and Ann NoF' man ln«"A Man About Town" cap tured laughing honors. Opening act was Lester and Irving Trio doing a double lift hand balance that Is sure-fire. Bob Hall deuced. The feature picture was the F.M "Children ot the Rltz," average standard for this house, which wlU either have to get batter first re leases or switch over to a second run policy with pictures ot an In- telligence level with the audience. The present situation Is hopeless, especially with the house unwired. The organ novelty featured Earl Wldener In "The Phantom Organist," using a double console on the stage. It could be % real stunt if properly lighted with a phosphorescent phan- tom on the stage and an organist whose voice could be heard, especi- ally If the Illusion was not explained until the following week. The way It was done Monday was a dumb flop. lAhtC]/- 81ST ST. (Wired—Vaudfilm) Seemingly the neighbors around Broadway and 81st are content merely to come in for the feature act and the feature. Sunday night, always a sell-out, saw the racks clean from about seven bells on but the house lacking capacity at tendance until fully an hour after the show got under way. Then, In a, rush, to complete the quorum they came In time for the Anatole Frledland revue, which closed, and, of course, the feature. The flicker this firs thalf In the metropolitan R-K-O houses Is "The Cohans and Kellys In Atlantic City," surprising to house managers and patrons allkp as to why It does biz. Answer seems to be tlie Irish-Jewish com- bination all over again, plus the atmospheric beauty parade stuff. Four acts, which is one under the usual quota, played smoothly. Lillian St. Leon Co. with the circus rider stun opened. Usual comedy interludes through the audience lants. Margaret Schilling In tho deuce registered nicely. A comely song- bird, her vocal accomplishments are as satisfying as her personality. Here's a songstress who's also a looker, capable ot musical comedy distinction. A sartorial perking up for distinction In dress might not be amiss although her charming personality well flts the simple frock ^ie-flJSsKsa:—SKs~T5iHgs-wit]r-aia^ patch and finish, eschewing the usual bow-off and oh stalls, and, what's more, the planolpg Interlude. Three Sailors were the comedy relief, a wow, as usual. Frledland's lilte club revue re- mains the same satisfying flash revuette. Act Just cloned at the Florldlan hotel In Palm Beach, It'a PARAMOUNT (Wired) (Unit-"Fore") New' York, March 23. Timely and seasonal Is tho golf topic, and: a sprightly subject to build a presentation around. This arrangement, culled "Fore," has re- ceived lively treatment at the hands f Boris Peti-off and makes capital entertainment. Tricky stage setting starts pres- entation off with u scenic smitsb. Country clubhouse veranda right, band grouped on a plateau putting green effect, whole picture framed by an enormous weeping willow and backed by green vistas of fairway rolling into distance. To left is an elevated tee e4uipi>ed with sandbox and the other paraphernalia. Whole picture goes to the heart of a mashle hound cooped up since No- vember. Twelve Albertina Rasch girls in novel sport costume, having wide leg pantalettes that make 'em look like skirts, open with brisk tap rou- tine after brief Introductory talk by Ted Claire, presiding comic for the unit, dressed In exaggerated plus fours tor comedy. Into full stage from here, disclosing band led by Wilton Crawley, a mild m. c, but young man of engaging appearance. In Jersey and knlcks, with band in flannels. Neat ballad number by Brian MacDonald, tenor, working with Allna Paye and brief talk to plant situation that a new profes- sional is to arrive, and the men are Jealous of the girls' Interest. Miss Faye alone with guitar and song and then into dance with some striking acrobatic feats in dlRicult looking Russian steps and contor- tion. Girl stands out for her han- dling of comedy lyrics besides her dance specialty; which alone stands up on merit. Feature spot here for Claire In gagging with m. c, which is wasted effort, but going over strong on his unique dance technique. Exagger- ated plus fours spread like sails when he does some spins for a laugh. Claire is a dancing clown wltli virtuosity in his stepping. One freak bit had him lying prone on the stage and walking around on a pivot made by his ear, another sur- prise haw-haw. Girls are back In summery frocks for a sightly toe dance, and give way to Cliff Crane, in blackface and doing his comedy pantomime with a burning hot clarinet. Amusing bit ot musical clowning, ending with a travesty impersonation ot Jolson singing "Sonny Boy," the band blat- tlng out the tune on muted cornet while the comedian goes through the motions ot an emotional ren- dering. Alex Morrison, trick golf shot spe- cialist, has a session here. Intro- duced as the new pro, he entrances to accompaniment of fluttering girls led by Miss Faye, and all demand- ing to be taught the golf swing, an excuse for Morrison to go Into his specialty, using the high tee to left tor Illustration of golt shots such as hitting the pills In slow motion and driving balls from off Claire's bean with running fire ot comedy busi- ness. For the finale MacDonald and Miss Faye go into sentimental love song, while girls In tight uniforms of blue satin (maybe they represent caddies) assemble a lot ot blocks in an arrangement that becomes a cot- tage when the roof is lowered from above. All grouped for picture at flndle. 'Wliole subject Is a departure from the tinsel and spangled en- semble u|>on which the de luxe cus- tomers have been fed all winter, and welcome as a refreshing novelty. Jesse Crawford is back at the bench, returning from a vacation In Florida. Organ Interlude Is far be- low his usual style, being a formal assembly of numbers grouped as "Schubertlana" — Marche Mllitalre, Serenade, and Unfinished Sympho ny, ending with Romberg's compo sitlon based on symphony and called "Song of Love." The organ maestro hasn't yet got Into his stride. In deed, since his advent at the Par- amount It's doubtful If he taaa bad so flavorless an offering. Nowsreel all Paramount, and again the trailer tor next week's feature, "Chinatown Nights," Is an- noylngly Interpolated In the topical. Trailer has talking sequences and, coming amid the news shotn, it's puzzling. When puriMse . become? evident as a ballyhoo for the house, they have a sense ot being hoaxed, Fashion show in Technicolor,' a pretty bit, also spliced Into the news, but clicked with the femmosf. "Red Skin" (Par) follows f2 run at the Criterion and is the feature. Ritah. ORIENTAL (Wired) Chicago, March 23. Probably one of the poorest stage shows the Oriental haq yet had.- Jack Osterman, whose activities as m. c. usually brightens and covers up any number of holes, was further handicapped by a very bad cold Saturday and forced to keep In the background. Eiven without the cold Osterman would have had olentv to contend with. It Is Will Harris' Idea ot a book show and figured doubtless by him. as a novelty. "Stop Thief" Is the label Harris put on his production, designed to be a travesty trom bits In shows. While the idea may have appeared good on paper It utterly failed to mature on the Oriental stage. As many' times as Harris has tried stage books and flopped with them, he evidently still Isn't con- vinced that something Is -missing. Lengthy and dmggy throughout, unit consumes 65 minutes of hodge podge and fades out like a close-up. Orchestra In the pit, with Victor Young directing, opened with a mu- sical selection as a drop in "one" revealed a "front page'" curtain lit- tered With newspaper headlines. About the only thln^ In this was a laugh tor the Insiders in a line of- fering 10,000- reward tor the return of Harry Oourfaln, B. & K. pro- ducer now at the Fisher, Detroit. What was probably Intended to be a hilarious burlesque on "Diamond Lil" was a reproduction ot the set in Mae West's show a block away on the street. Gal Impersonating Lil looked and acted anything but. Dit- to tor the 10 "Lilys" surrounding her. Eiarl ta Vere, a good accor- dion player, who gags on the side, was the only turn to stand out Newman and Rogers, colored hoof- ers, tapped lightly through an aver- age routine, a solo by an unbilled tenor following and slowing up the pace considerably. Lovey Twins, turned on some more hooflng that was meaningless In the spot. Next scene, more or less Incoherent, with the band on stage and La Vere gag- ing a court room bit as the Judge. Kathryn Lewis, fair soprano, caroled a ballad In semi-classic fashion not so impressive. Oster- man, lurking near the wings, came to the fore to bring out Eleanor Masquelet. first prize winner In an opportunity contest tie-up with the local Amerlcali, From an exploita- tion angle the tie-up was a com- plete bust It would have been more advantageous to conduct profes- sional try-buts Instead. Aa for Miss Masquelet, she Is rank amateurish, possesed of a sweet immature voice and generally not so hot. She did a personality bit with Osterman that couldn't arouse anyone and even on straight looks measures only talr. IFlnale was a weak affair featur- ing the Kumlker ballet, group of mediocre gals with the same rou tine's every other ballet uses. Fresh corps ot ferns wouldn't hurt the house a bit Osterman got off with but a single song on the wlndup because ot his bad pipes, which about made him Inaudible after the first 10 rows. Eight minute organ solo by Pres- ton Sellers caught the fancy of the community vocalists. Sellers, quite a fav, tries hard to give 'em some- thing new each week. Pathe Sound carried two news Items while Para- mount came In for the same amount of silent clips. Feature, "China- town Nights" (Par.) sound and talker. Loop. CAPITOL (Wired) . ("Black and Gold"-Unit) New York, Mai'ch 23. Johnny Burke, still doing his 1918 routine, returns to Broadway but In a different location. In the days when his gags had them bouiiolng in the aisles. Burke played the Pal- ace with the regularity .more re- cently Identified with James Barton. In the Interim the doughboy n»on- ologist has been in Mack Sennet^ comedies, some of them talkers. Saturday he demonstrated that plenty of the peasants haven't heard those wheezes about the draft and- the second loules. He also demon- strated that while'his versatility may be limited his ability to get, hold and entertain a mob with noth- ing but chatter Is still unquestioned. Capitol Is Just about the toughest spot on the big street tor talk, and Burke didn't muff a, syllable from ptart to bend. Capitol has a new pit conductor^ Phil Spltalhy, doubling trojn the dance department of the Hotel Pennsylvania. Must have been a terrific chore' tor. a dancia and jazis leader to suddenly undertake the guidance of a 70-plece symphony. That Spltalny acqulted hlQtseU so ably testifies to his sterling mu- sicianship. It seems that some - time ago Spltalny did a two-In-one trick for Loew's Allen, Cleveland, officiating at once as stage m. c. and pit po- tentate. Iiouls K. Sidney ot Loew's saw hihi there and filed the name for future reference. David Men- doza's montainous work at the M-G-M studios where he is in mus- ical charge ot scoring all coast- made features made It necessary to relieve him entirely of' the Capitol responsibility. So Spltalny got the Job. Spltalny's style Is quasl-dynamlo. He is less gymnastic than Rublnoff at the Paramount, but possesses something of that musical athlete's command ot the situation. Capitol orchestra has not always been the course of popular entertainment It might easily be. For the inaugural overture Spltalny halved his time allotment between Tschalkoweky's "Caprlccio Itallenne" and "Lover, Come Back to Me," from "Now Moon,' 'the blend suggesting that tHls Is more the type, of stuff that will appeal to the generality of fans. Stage unit got a slow start In order to permit Dave Schooler to get In his usual piano sold. Drapes parted sufficiently to reVeal Dave mounted upon his faithful stool and running through the finger exercises that by now cannot possess much novelty tor the Capitol clientele. Postponed entrance of the Chester Hale Girls was several valuable minutes too late, with the compen- sation not adequate fo,r the loss of tempo sustained. Girls were tetchingly garbed In black and gold outfits strikingly ar- ranged so that as each girl appeared from the wings the color line ad- vanced, starting trom the feet. Inch by inch, until the final girl was en- tirely In black where the number one was all In gold. This was an eye-arresting sight tor the gents with black silk, the muggs' favorite, predominating, Evelyn Wilson, the Capitol's lead Ing lady, still In stock at Broadway and Slgt, Following the precedents of Peggy Bernler, Helen Kane and other personalities developed as cel- ebs In the movie parlors,. Miss Wil- son is shortly to enter a (5.60 show. Benny and Western, brisk broom hoofers, standard in picture houses, didn't click In their customary style, Bad psychology ot over-effusive In- troduction by Schooler seemed to react against them. Schooler pre- dicted audience would lacerate their torsos roaring. Audience didn't. Ostrich feathers, gee-gaws galore, and fancy costumes helps "Black and (3old Blues" as a neat, colorful and entertaining unit. Arthur Knorr sponsored. Fair biz Saturday despite down- pour. Land, also been out on its own sans the m. c. when Frlodland was stricken with the flu this past winter. With the songwriter-performer at the helm, it proceeds Its smooth way to a rousing Impression. From under- standing act is slated westward on an Orpheum Jaunt. AM, RIVERSIDE (Wired-Vaudfilm) Scml-flnal vaudfilm bill, prior to this house going straight two-a-day next week. So good and so much better than the feature picture that it's almost straight vaude Itself. It played to capacity and 200 odd standees Sunday night, all there to see the vaude; if they'll buy five acts that graciously, It looks ripe for Ihe come-back. " This teth street flection Is a 'taudo section. It hos always been the oes*; neighborhood (for vaude) anywhere, until ' they started slipping 'em something that was vaude in name only. Nan Halperln Is featured in the closing- spot and Will Oakland, a local radio nanie, third, both draW' Ing. Comedy second and fourth, and the only frail turn was the opener. Miss Halperln was on stage 18 minutes with a beautifully written and arranged cycle of special songs. She smartly refrained from speech- making, a blowb kiss serving as well. Oakland made the mistake that Miss Halperln didn't he made a speech, an entirely too long speech, and a speech that didn't mean a thing. Took WlU 3 minutes to say goodby, after Will had pleased them with his songs and after they yelled out the titles of more songs they wanted and didn't get. Oakland might have stopped the 6how all over again had he consumed the same three minutes vodilly, and he didn't need three whole minutes to tell them his nlte club Is still open 'If you meet me in my club, I'll si ng m ore tor you," said Will, and TTe said .lKal^lir"a'~vauae' "Ih^Tre' where they wanted, to hear liim sing songs Instead ot hallyhoo his nlte club. Stan Kavanatigh, nearest thitig to perfection In the comedy juggling line since W. C. Fields, contributed the Mil's Initial comedy in the deuce. He's another big timer, this Kavanaagh. H« talks as well M stunts tor laughs, getting them both ways. Abbott and Blsland's economical production act (6), going from one to special full, good for Intierme- dlate topnotchlng,., laughed their way through number four "on this bill. Short comic, probably Abbott gets enough out of a familiar money changing bit ,to create speclallza. tlon as to what he iposslbly would do with the added advantage of good material. Abbott looks like a production comedian. Pepitas GranadOB and Co., dance flash that handicaps' Us principal character- too greatly with unbe coming Incidentals, opened.' "Cohens a:nd Kellys in A. C." (U.) feature. Bige. JEFFERSON (Wired-^Vaudfilm) -^Standees -by—the- dozens^-Sunday night. Afternoon was off but as that seemed a general complaint with the spring weather as com petition. Good show with Charles Ray (New Acts) topping the bill That. Ray musta meant something at the b. o. was evident by the ap- plause he received on his entrance, ' (Continued on pace 41> AVALON (Wired) Chicago, March 2G, This and nearby Capitol are tlie two houses on bankrupt National ' Playhouses chain that a couple of big theatre operators: wouldn't mind buying. The -plan at present is they must buy nine smaller theatre's in order to get the two plums. It may be six months before the clr^ cult Is broken up for individual sales. In .the meantime James Coston oper&tes tor the Chicago Title & Trust Co., receivers, and business along the circuit ranges froip bad to good. For the Avaion and Capi- tol the potential drawing field Is wide and not fastidious. Customers will take stuff there that would kill a theatre In other parts of the city. A good show ^ill have them lined up on the sidewalk at either end of the theatres. House booking "Woman of Af- fairs" right after it has played the competing and adjacent TlvoU tells Its own story. Yet business pretty good. Opening week of new m. c, Charlie Crafts. Usual Introductory splurge. Crafts is a relief for the Avalon. House has had. some of the most Incompetent m. c.'s on record. This new gent Is nice looking, sings well and has a personable line of talk. He has held down the same spot at the Stanley in Philadelphia and has worked vaude houses, teamed with Jack Sheehan at first and then with Jack Haley. In contrast to thqt^e that have passed out before him he is unusually efficient and- should last here tor quite a while. Charlie Ho'gan spread on bookings for opening week, as did the pro- duction department Ballet lineup was Increased trom eight to twelve, and general dressing of the stage and people was beyond the usual budget A brightly colored full- stage set was used for the main routining, with a fiash finale worked by raising back drops to reveal ad- ditional platform scenery and the ballet company posing in showgirl costumes. Included in the finale fiash was a large fiamlng sun, elec- trically lighted. Nifty production tor a neighborhood spot. Clare Omar Mussu, niarlmbaphone player, classics and blues, a stand- ard act in picture huoses. Then La Varr Brothers and Pingree, two ac- robatp with lady assistant who makes one short appearance. Broth- ers convert their talents Into a comedy apache to start, and do well with it Their best results are In an encore of serious hand-to- hand work, much better than the early hoke. Bemlce and Tlielma Bow, singing pops to their own piano accompani- ment, radio-trained and suitable picture house material. Classy looks and good pop voices, but Im- provement If employing special, numbers or replacing a tew ot their older numbers. Closing act, Clemmons and Mar- sey, singing and dancing drunk comic with girl partner, who works Just one short bit with him. Clem- mons' Umber legs produce soma sensational stuff, and he stopped things cold here. A late spot oct. Business fair, held back by third* run film. ^ Binff. COLONY (Wired) New York, March 24. Good 25-mlnute .stage band sho^ of Its kind, but a kind that can- not compete with the larger and much better editions two blocks and five blocks down the street. It should have been a better show to support feature, "The Shady Lady" (Pnthe). One-quarter house downstairs at four o'clock Saturday afternoon Is the answer. Probably $300-$400 top, tor three specialty people, maybe an equal amount for Walter O'Keefe, non- conducting m. c. and guess your own salary for Sammy Kalin and his stage band (10). Not pit or- chestra. No productional expenses, a plain drape sufficing as the back- ing. Small nut, small attendnnre. O'Keefe is In the Intimate. yoiUh- ful, talking and singing sin.crle class, better suited for a cafe floor than a picture house stage, but al- ways pleasant If not a wow any- where. If Walter could only gag in person like he gags for the news- paper columnists. Or perhaps It's only that the same stuff looks bet- ter In print. Sally Sweet, who some will s.iy Is as sweet as her name while others 'won't, did straight for about five minutes of O'Keeto's bright chatter and then warbled one of those foinlUar "make" lyrlcsi with Kahn on the receiving end. It made Kahn look' chumpy after he had warmed the bench while O'Keefe played hard to get with the same young lady. Stewart Sisters, good looking girls and, acceptable dancers, al- 'ways., looking better than they dance, jeemed to need bit more 'tjacicfffouir<rWah~they recelveaTiero. Everything 'was somewhat blah to walk In on cold and try-a modified shake In grass skirts. They were good enough to close the show with on eccentric double buck, M-G-M talking short (Bob Nel- son), sound (Pathe) and silent news - reels on the screen besides the feature. Bioo-