Variety (May 1929)

Wednesday, May 8, 1929 NEW ACTS VARIETY 65 LITA QREV CHAPLIN I) Mm..: Full (Special) Pal«c« (St. Vaude) Charlie ■ Chaplin's ex-frau Is a : Burprlae. Booked in as a freak at- traction she turns out to be a very 'capable entertainer of the ballad- warbllng school. In particular her diction Is excellent. She - doesn't .mult a syllable and could do justice to smart lyrics If she had any. Her , present turn, Insofar as It is ."special material,"'Is very lukewarm. Two male- pianists furnish musi- cal support, ' Metallic cloth, artisti- cally. arranged, forms the setting, with Mrs. Chaplin making one ' change of costume. Her manner is pleasant, easy, without strain or . nervousness and her voice is an agreeable contralto. Too many encores, all but Jeopar- dized her neat click at the Palace. Otherwise it's okay. Land. U. S. THOMPSON ' Talk and Dance 12 MIna. (One) American (V-P) The husband of the late Florence Mills sells a snappy brand of danc- ing combined with talk not on a par with his feet. Attired in light grey tuxedo and pearl gray hat, the colored come- dian tells this folks to observe that he doesn't miss a tap. Forthwith, he goes Into his dances backing up bis words. Imitates woman cross- ing street and drunk reeling In per- fect buck time. These go over strong with audience. Purveying his tap work with fa olal grimaces and wisecrack tn terpolatlons. Thompson displays considerable artistry and can hold any audience. He works alone and truly works. A trick negro laugh which he uses while dancing sufflce!) to color his rhythmic taps. RANDALL and WATSON Songs, Dances 16 Mine.; Full (Special) Palace (St. Vaude) Carl Randa^; juvenile hoofer, teamed with Virginia WatEon, nice- looking and sprightly brunet in- genue. Act is spotty as to quality but punched with several- strong points. that send It over and entitle it to important placements.. Bandall's fancy, stepping Is the best of Its kind. His tap specialty while twirling a cane. is a gem of engenulty ' and execution. Miss Watson, like Randall, is dose to the zero mark as a singer and lacks Randall's soundness of wind. Out- of-breath singing Is hardly disting- uished. Act Is essentially a dancing turn. Novelty for encore when both dance in stocking feet, this being Randall's humorous idea of how actors can get a little sleep back- stage In these hotsy-totsy days of bostcrous talent and stomping feet. Miss Watson looks good and han- dles herself gracefully. It makes a nice team. Land. •TID BITS OF 1929 (7) Songs and Dances 26 MIna.: Full Stage Greeley Sq. (V-P) On number, wardrobe and stage background this act alms for a flash classlflcation, but doesn't quite achieve pretentious proportions ow- ing to the sameness of dancing and the lack of a voice or standout fea- ture. It is dressed rather elaborately, although those high military hats for the flnlsh made the men seem awkward in their tapping. There are six men and one woman. A try here and there at song with the vocal effort almost nil. The collegiate opening was Just an opening and got the seven on for one of those mechanical rou tines. Just as scores of similar turns open. The boys dance well together, With no show of solo talent other than that displayed by an excellent stepper of acrobatic tendencies. A number of wardrobe changes gave a little color to the turn, but that was all. There was one departure from the straight dancing formula hy two of the men doing a double comedy dance, elTective to some ex- tent. The best team work by the entire company was on the tapping flnale. That got applause and provided a brisk exit. ifarfc. "SPARKLES OF 1929" (8) Flash Act 16 Mins.; Three, One and Full (Specials) Jefferson (V-P) An ordinary flash revuette for the family houses. Modicum of produc- tion, including sonie special drapes and a couple of fancy olios. Finale, Jewel Box number, is the chief Item. This is Introduced by the tenor, who calls on various Jewels and dia- dems, personated by the company In the guise of those rubberized skin tights, so that onxy is a midnight black figure, gold is a gilded male, etc. .Jack Bordljie and Dorothy Car- roll, featured, comprise the princi- pal dance pair, although a third per- son is introduced for adagio num- ber, with Miss Carroll handled by two male partners. There are four gals, splitting up into two teams for specialties, besides dressing the general picture. Act opens in a draped studio set In "three," with pianist accompany Ing the dancers. Gals ofCer sister team specialties, the buck team be- ing outstanders. Fair flash for the pop houses. Mel. FINK and AVERS Roller Skating 4 Mins.; Three Riverside (St. V.) Two men in a speedy ball-bearing routine, running but four minutes .and closing with a stunt that should sell the pair as an opening act for any bill. They work fast and don't stall, Just as fast In fancy skating as •when spinning. For that flnlsh, the lighter of the two attaches one foot to his partner's waist by a strap. There follows a series of whirls from the one-foot hold. He swung ■ BO close to the ground Sunday mat that contact with the floor opened the cufC of his shirt sleeve. Blge. STEIN-ESTER TRIO Hand Balancing 10 Mins.: Full Stage Academy. (V-P) '. Two men and a woman. May formerly have been a part of the .. Ester turn. The woman does some dancing topped oft with contortion that was applauded. The balancing is done by the men mainly, with several effective tricks, Neat act Pleasing. Mark. DAY and DAVIS Comedy and Songs -12 Mins.; One Fifth Ave. (V-P) Man and woman comedy .team ^ItH the male doing straight for the girl's rapid-fire gab, most of It In the form of interruptions to her _Iiartner'8 pitch-man characterlza- tlOfir'TTan's "ipIeI''for" horse radish Is none'too<brilliant, giving the girl opportunity to wise crack and clown smartly. Couple double two comedy tunes *'lth girl using uke accompaniment and finish with hoke stuff In which , the girl musses the hair and :wear- ing-apparel of the man. The dames seemed to like that and the turn, on third here, went nicely, as it will in Any intermediate houses generally DILLON and PARKER & CO, (3) Songs, Dancea 20 Mins.; Full (Special) 68th St. (V-P) Sterling perfoimers. Jay Dillon and Flora. Parker have reinforced tlioir own talent with, competent as- sistants. The principals are harmonizing and playing in their usual good style. With them is a girl who looks good and dances well, so well that she may. be elsewhere with billing before lohg. The colored boy hoofer Is wisely used tor the blow-off. It's such intelligent spotting that makes the act Pianist (man) sticks to the piano. Toward the finish Imitations are inserted. The unbilled girl dances in the Zelma O'Nell style; Miss Par- ker sita oAit "Can't Help Lovln' That Man" on the piano, a.la Morgan; the colored kid apes BUI Robinson, while Dillon describes his Imitation as one of Charlie King. The King thing, without mentioning Charlie, could be one on George M. Cohan without an alteration. Setting and mountine of the turn Is excellent. That Includes much of Miss Parker's personal wardrobe. Bige. CLIFFORD WAYNE & CO. (6) ndian Flash 16 Mins.; Full (Special) American, Chicago (V-P) Troupe of five Sioux Indians in a song, dance and acrobatic revue, suitable anywhere, scoring as a nov- elty. Three men and two girls. Open with pose full stage, one of the girls doing badly with an Indian ballad. After that it picks up, going Into pop song and dance routines. Looks like a family troupe managed by the father. Clifford Wayne, featured, is the youngest boy in the act and has hoofing talent. Pop gives him a spiel at the finish as the only Indian on the stage doing a Cakewalk strut. Boy took several bows on it here. Pop and the other boy hold an intermediary period with hand-to- hand balancing. Bing. BECKMAN and SHAPE (2) Comic Acrobats 10 Mins.; One American, Chicago (V-P) Big and little gents, in comedy makeup, preceding conventional comic acrobatic routine with chat- ter and eccentric hoofing. Very dull as shown here, with no forte to carry the act Opening talk and hoofing turns the entire resen tatlon into flop rating. Bing, ; BEE and JAY GORMAN Revue 20 Mins,{ One and Full (Special) Academy (V-P) Excellent song and dance hodge< podge, with all members acquitting themselves with neatness and comr t>etence. Act has a freshness' and vivacity rare among flashes seen on the family time. Additionally it is staged, dressed and mounted with taste and effectiveness. Opens with two young chicks as kids singing about their, night- marish discovery of toys coming to life. Idea not new, but done In present instance cleverly. Specialties include imitation of Ted Lewis by Gorman very wor- thy slice of Jazzmanla. General quality is there and revue possesses the requisite tempa. Can and will decorate and give body to any average vaude bill. . Land. FRANK and FORMAN Dancing 7 Mins.; One 58th St (V-P) Since the tremendous development of stage dancing in the picturie houses, this team of boys will not receive the credit that as dancers, they deserve. Frank and Forman, fine time and unlson steppers; would have been considered marvels 10 years ago. Today they are members of a large sized'stepping army. Not because of originality, but through their terp talents, they form a suitable No. 2 act for anybody's bllL Opened at the 68tb under un- usual circumstances. The boys, of the Juve hoofer type, ore dressed neatly In brown Etons. They include most of the stondard buck steps, and both are on the wing much of the time. It's a strehu ous seven-minute act Bige. SNYDER AND WALTON (2) Songs and Dance ■lO-MinsrS-One...™-*;— American, Chicago (V-P) Fat boy and rdthor heavy girl of fer mixed harmony and dancing. Voices are nice, and the fat boy breaking into legit dance routines will put the act over in family time. ., Boy Is dressing to conceal his weight rather than accentuate it and should change. Opposite for tho girl would also be better. Bing. . JINKS and ANN Songs and Talk 12 Mins.; One Greeley Sq. (V-P) This combo has George W. Jinks of light comedy aim, who works all the way and sells his stuff nicely^ He seems to have the kind of ex- perience that gives him the knowl- edge of how to get his gags over. Has a peppery, graceful trick of stepping around the stage, and Is nimble and smooth on his pins, all assets in the type of turn. Com pctent foil in Miss Ann. The act. went well here, closing to applause for efTective bit with the marionettes. Jinks and Ann using their heads as they operated the little figures. There's, a dash of comedy paprika, a few songs and dancing, all reC' ommendatlons to the neighbor- hoods. Closing novelty, gives them i corking getaway out of the stereo- typed. Ifarfc. CHARLE DE THOMEE Songs and Piano IS Mins.; Full Stage Slat St (V-P) Gharle De Thomee, Hungarian recording artist starts off with piano number which appeals on novelty. He plays on a darkened stage, only hands getting, any light. Gloves accentuate the phantomlike effect It got the artist over differ ently from those adhering strictly to straight concert Ideas. De Thomee can pound the Ivories and also strong In the .vocal depart- ment with an impressive falsetto. While depending too much on the vocal ability, De Thomee 'was very well received here. Selections'were good, one number being offered in his native language. Rearrangement of present routine would help, especially if going into other houses. Mark. VIGAL and CONWAY Songs and Dance* 10 Mine. One American (V-P) Colored duo whose stock in trade Is hoofing although they make rather weak stab at gag exchange and songs. A fair act at best The boys need a stronger dancing routine. Mark. BIRTHS Mr. and Mrs. Lew Xlrickson at Hollywood, April SO, daughter, Father Is musician at Fox Egyptian; Hollywood. Mr, and Mrs, Ben Laletsky In Los Angeles, CaU Ap<Ml 19, son Father^, ,18. orcliestra ^ leader and booking agent Mr, and Mrs. C. Gardner Sullivan May 1 In Hollywood, Cal, daughter, Father is scenario writer for ■United Artists and mother forrnerly Ann May (screen). Mr. and Mrs. Neon Ned|er, their fourth child, in New York, Mother was formerly professionally known as Lillian Fermoyle, in vaude. ACADEMY '(Continued from page 54) ullt for two bit, which occupies four precious minutes and returns about three sickly snickers as its total. That should be laid away, Charles Ray's lightweight turn was slow in getting the assemblage, but at the linale the house lights had to be turned up to permit ver- bal acknowledgment from the film star, Ray has the personality- Given material, he would perhaps have an act. Bee and Jay Gorman Revue (New Acts) Is a spllty i-evue head and shoulders above the average flash on speed, novelty and class. They eplaced . Paul Yocan Dancers, off the bill through illness of member. Galla-Rlnl and Sister substantially the same turn they've had on and off for years. Did nicely here. Ditto for LaBello Polo,, trained chimpanr zee. "Girls Gone Wild" (Fox) on screen, and Monday's gathering al- most normal despite wretched weather. ^ Latid. STATE (Wired-Vau6film) Better than the regulation five- act layout at the State. Very Frencliy this week, with a DuBols opening and Dul^anne in the deuce. Geoi-glo Price headlining and well supported by surrounding show. Wilfred DuBuis teed off. Juggling tennis balls and a racket, \ybl8tling from start to finish as he cxchanEod these for other paraphernalia of Jug glers. Including some law of gravity standbys. DuBois has a light man- ner of doing liis tricks, a strong fac tor in selling his ability. They en Joyed his 10 minutes. George DuFranne, in the deuce, stopped 'em with his operatics, as slsted by comely blonde pianist, als4 an artist. J^uFranno has a great range and spanks the rafters with Caruso effect. He has plenty ability to hit climax registers. Reynold and Clark, In the trey, Hebe comedian and dazzling bru- nette, who give off some genuinely witty chatter in a sketch affair for 16 mins. Hebe and dame forced into girl's apartment by cop who hears- them arguing, Imagining them man and wife, wiiereas they are couple who flirted, with Hebe endeavoring- to make" the apartment. Scene shifts to apartment and after dame takes Hebe's poke and watch, informs him she Is a lady detective hired by his wife. Dame is a looker of the first class and sings fairly well. This act has tone and is loaded with , laughs. Georgie Price then did-his stuff, working hard and winding up to applause tumult. Gives them the uncle and aunt stuff as props for gags well broadcast Then Into group of blues and current pop numbers. Stopped show, working 26 minutes. N. T. G.'s "Broadway Eves" shut Same old Granlund hpkum, the dames operating In the aisles for interest on the part of patrond. Parody club tenor ofllclafes, having no great punch in his introductions of various specialties. Including con- tortionist dance by Maty Titus. N. T. Q. himself has knack of giving this, kind >of act Impetus, but bis vicars display no showmanship. On the screen, "The Duke Steps Out" sound newsreel (Fox), silent (M-G-M). GREELEY SQ. (Wired-Vaudfilm) The old American may have passed into oblivion as far as the Locw circuit is concerned, but the. Locw ofllces won't miss the pldtlmer as long as it has this resldenter to remind the bookers what the Ameri- can had in the way of audiences. The Greeley Square crowd is a dup- licate of that at the old American. Its men seem to wear the same kind of capis. And the women chew their . gum with identical timing and titter in the same pitch of voice. The Greeley Square seems to be doing a thriving biz and although its main. doors open wide onto Broadway Its audience seems to de- part right into the side streets. No doubt, sound films hav.e their draw here. The crowd got some heavy laughs out of the fox Movietone news. 'That stride of the walking penguins caused guffaws; And the crowing of the rooster as Agulnaldo,. the former Philippine revolutionist, was speaking, was a cackle. Ftinny how some of those Loew bills, arc. booked. Hero three man- and-woman teams. in succession. Two were almost similar in flippant chatter with similar dance routines. The vaude section despite its umpty-umpty arrangement ran a whole lot better for entertainment than imagined, due to comedy. And It was light values. The Yoki Japs opened.- Oriental turn that deviates from the foreign routine of mixing Juggling and Jap- anese tricks. The man docs an Americanized series of bike tricks. Everything he does is easy, grace- ful and yet amazingly executed with a balancing skill that the Japs seem to be uncanny in. The Japa- nese women showed good taste In dressing. One had white hands that were exceedingly graceful -when used In some effective palming. A corking Act of Its Irlnd. Jinks and Ann (New Acts) were' second. A pleasing turn with a dash of comedy and a capable team of crossfire exchangers. Followed by Bobby O'Nell and Miss Manners. Seemed tough for this act \^lth the bungalow drop to follow another act using a suburban drop and a bree;^ flippant style of working, yet tbiji:- did it nicely and closed to heavy applause. O'Nell Is a neat worker, sings well and knows how to. build up gags. Ml^s Manners works bet-, ter thain formerly and gets better results.. Chabot and Tortonl combined nin- slc and a hoke. array: of musical non- sense, stopped the little show cold. Chabot Is one of those plana buf- foons who even stands on his He&A to tickle the Ivories. He is a profi- cient musician and also has an In- ning or twq with the violin to ep^- cellent returns, Chabot does a pun- ishing prop fall near the piano, aild he clowns all the way as hls.feinniiA partner makes costume .ciiahges. Chabot gives her some rpugh slaps on l^er back.that elsewhere might seem off color, yet here, as at the American, in other days, - rough hokuin never missed. Closing -was 'Tid Bits Of 19.29** (New Acts). A try for elaborate wardrobe and hoofing ensemble «yl- dent On the screen, "Three Passionb" (sound, U.A.). Iforfc.. 86TH STREET (Wired-Vaudfilm) F. F. Proctor's YorkviUe mint Jammed to the gates as usual Sun- day. "Weary River" (F.N.) evident- ly blanked any counter-inducements the pleasant twilight period with daylight saving prevailing may have offered. Bill cut to four acts on account of film'is length. That made It Roy- al. Welsh Gleemen, Edwards and Sanford, Marguerlta Pedula and Al K. Hall. House also using Fathe sound news. Gleemen have not been around in some time, reported as overseas for a spell. It remains a good flash with a dozen male voices socking over a group of semi-classics, Edwards and Sanford Is a girl and boy combo lightly faoetlous In theme and tone. Miss Sanford, a looker, adds s. a. to the . off.erlng which piled up a respectable quota of giggles. Act moves breezily aiid is a pleasing deuoer of better than average merit After t)ie flurry of departures, the readjusted population found tt pos slble to hear Miss Pedula and she was set. This house gets a ter- rlflc spill after each It^ on the program with each. of the acts apt to' suffer at the start Land, MAHONEY'S CONHACT (Continued from page 86) 168 lines, costing Mal^pney $840. It is at the pro rata of $6,000 a, page. A f 6. a line rate has been paid Variety but twice before and each time for a pictorial ad, Paul Aah paid $1,000 for a two column cut tfn the front page and Meyer Davis waa charged the same amount when his picture appeared there. Both had a special section in Variety for the respective Issues. FIrat TIma " No other show paper ever pub- lished has commanded a $6 rate per agate line for advertising, nor any- where near that rate. Variety's rate for special inside position on reading pages Is $8 and $2.60 a. line, according to page. Its run of the paper rates ctre, for commercial business, 66c per line; managers and agents, 66.c; and players^ 46c Mahoney'B latest salary In vaude- ville hais been $2,600 a week. His previous and first regular. produc- tion work was'in "Take the Air," a Gene Buck show. — ■ . V- Gene. Rodemlch, formerly m. c. for .Publix, Is how with N. B. C. Hieatres Proposed ^o»ora. Tar:—lATdO itorea'and" oJRcST: Main Btrcot. noar TlTvor. ^Jwner, ^Wlf^ States Theatre Corp. Arcliltcctn, Dapp & Rapp, Clilcaiio. Policy not given. CtUcago.—Also HtorcB and apartment buildlne: N. K. coriior llillh ond EjglJ- Btone. .Owner, Creator Fulltnan Theatre Corp^ ArchltcctJi, C. SI. Shantz * F. BL BIchenbaum. Policy rot Riven, .... i Erie, I'a.—(M. P.) Aleo apartment bull<llnB: »l.000.000. N. f!- .<-»n;e;„l«,»i!„f7," Sasnafraa streot. Ownero, Warner Bros. Arrililtcots, iroilffons & HIM, rhllaaeipnia, Hollne, III.—Also Blores and apnrtmont bulldlnij: 1800,000. .Silo not Mlfoj*"- Owner, Fischer Paramosnt Theatre Corp, Architects, Hooper & Jonusch, ChicaBO, ^Kobm! ^!vbi?—IISO.OOO. Site withheld. Owner. Pisehor ' Paramount Theatre- Corp, Architects, Hooper & Januxch. Policy not Blven. ....i u^iMir N<.w York, N. v.—Also storps: »1,000,000. N. B. ^•'••"^'^"it^. owner, MandBhell Realty Corp, -Archlleot withhold. Policy not given. •