Variety (May 1929)

Wednesday. May 16, 1^ NEW ACTS VARIETY 47 mlttently funny but seemed to drag ■ Interminably,*' Ida May Sparrow and Co. (New ActB) suffered to some extent with tlie deluse ahead, yet' proved en- tertaining. Hr, and' Mrs. Lew Brlce depend upon' a lot of talk :to put them over; although their . dancing scores. Tet liow insisted on taking an encore and doing his "St. Julianeniie" bit which coyld have been omitted, tiew would have been glad to -baye changed bis m'nd had he been, forced to sit through all that adVfUice stage hurrah. The race track travesty caught on nice- ly here. Dave ApoUon and' his musicians and the three women working In be tween .tunes closed the show. Business not so heavy- on the upper. tiers Monday night. Show was loaded to the gunwales on quantity. Mark. 58TH ST. (Wired—Vaudfilm) Only three, acts for the vuude fare at .this Third avenue house, but loads of entertainment. Two big acts sandwiched with sister act. Rar diance qf the early part, of the after- ' noon kepl.-the folks strolling along the avenue, and rain later knocked the.evening receipts for a row. Vaude and picture, "The Letter" (Par.); proved highly satisfying fare. Boscoe Alls stayed on 40 odd min- utes; long, but well received. Mr., and Mrs. Orville Stamm and Co. opened', displaying their cus- tomary versatility, assisted by three delicious dames, young and peppy. The wholesomeness of this act weiit extremely well. Stamm. and wif6 do their ballroom dance, the husband tripping for comedy-effect. Then he sheds his rags to display marveloub muscular development In his short body. Pulls some -naive gags.- ' Then the .Stamms do. their tableaux while blonde sings '.'Just a Kiss-In the-Dark." Four different poses Ih semi-nude. Then two Brlnkley type gals In delicate waists and pink attd green silk -trouserettes harmonize a la Duncan Sisters. Beautiful kids who needn't Imitate. Next is pirate number, Stamm In buccaneer regalia, bis mustache falling off for laughs. Uses whip and does back handstands. Winds up this number by carrying wife and three deunes off with east for Her-, culean display. Then husband and wife give callsthenic pointers to men and women with comic delivery. 'Wife shows the gals how to reduce waistline and husband demonstrates feats of strength. Twenty minutes «f entertainment. Donovan Girls, two brunettes In the deuce. One dame at the piano, both in canary colored gowns, har- monizing "Song'I liove" effectively. Gal at piano ballads while other changes to- velvet trousers. Latter aits on pillow and sings to orchestra leader, "Whatja Ever Mdke Me Love You For," which goes over a little stronger than song used two months ago downtown. Following 'song, dame executes some nifty high kicks and other girl strips to tights and loins' in a tap duo for finish. Ten inlutesi Nicely applauded. RoBcoe Alls wound up the show, atretcMng his acf to conform with bouse schedule. Alls is supported by straight man, tall blonde and brunette, and five- piece orchestra. Girls all lookers and all able. Alls uses plenty of familiar gags, but 'his naturally funny way carries him along perfectly. Act opens with entrance to Bacc- hus night club. Alls and straight man supply laughs, Alls -In brown derby, gray suit and red handker- chief attempting to enter club with- out woman. Straight man comes along -In tux. Little continuity as next Is blackout sketch recaned by "My husband:" "My wife;" "My trousers." Alls- then as a tar has his orches- tra mounted on guns of battleship. Brunette dances expertly, essaying a few blue notes. Prior to this Alls and straight do the old drop-the- wallet sketch,, to test honesty of women. 'Very much used but still passable. Alia has a world of poise and mimics to perfection. Blonde does Oriental dance that goes well. Then a Jeweled dance by brunette; some taps by straight and cannon and re- volver wlndup with American flag a la. Geo. M. Cohan. Everything but a Mammy in this act 5TH AVENUE (Wired—Vaudfilm) . Heat and rain hurt the box office Sunday afternoon; weather, how-, ever, was less handicap than the flye act vaude layout, supplement- ing "The Letter" (Par). A solid hour of hokum, only the picture as antidote. Customers here sadly in need of, some, comedy and talent generally. .. Burt arid Grace Turner teed off'In a juggling, turn, using miniature life --pr68erv€rs~from-thelr-prop->slQop. While hats and the white dough- nuts sailed back and forth, the girl arranged six glasses and as many spoons on a tray, which by a deft movement caused the half dozen epooris to leap Into the glasses. A mild ten minutes. Kampua Kids (New AcU), num- oering four. In the deuce, two boys •"J^two gals. Very young. Trey an air-pocket with Bell and WltLIAM HALLICSAN and Co. <4) !.?•y/.W"'" J?»*«''!' (Comedy Sketch) 14 Mini.; Three (SpBclal) 81«t 8t..(V.P) Robert MIddlemass la'author of "Pre - War . Scotch," the comedy which Hailllgan did In LeMalre's "Affairs" arid Is using for a vaude- ville flyer.. Milton Francis alone is mentioned in support, he, .presum- ably, being the blackfaced porter who procures the titular bottle of booze. The other two men are the hotel proprietor and Halllgan's trav- eling salesman companion. Both hit a tough dry community and decide to take a chance with the bellhop for 20 bucks on a bottle of alleged "pre-war Scotch" which the boy has filched from his boss, the Innkeeper. Comedy surprise finish Is derived from the denouement that the bellboy did riot pass out from the llkker, but suffered a periodic epileptic fit. In the meantime, how- ever, the panicky salesmen destroy the liquid evidence which they pour Into the sink, only later to' discover that the booze is on*the up>-and-up. Halllgan's wise-cracktng and mat- ter-of-fact manner of addre&s is ever effective. A bit, with a flock of red ties, similar to W. C. Fields' busi- ness In the last "Vanities," also got healthy laughs. Okay farce sketch. AM. Curtis, red headed dame and fel- low, the latter' selling toy papet dolls and chortlinil some lyrics about being a racketeer arid always letting a sucker take'* advantage of himself. Dull chatter, delivered likewise. No (ilass, poise or artistry. Novelty of act comes with fellow '€i8king dame to go for aeroplarie rtde. Gal gets behind htm. His noisy buck shoes simulate engine of plane. He pulls threads which re- lease White flappers from his sleeves at the elbow to give wing effect. Sprouts smoke from collar of siilt arid as. they go off, daime has propel- ler., attached to her back. Twelve minutes lending no kick to bill. :Fourth' section Mang Long, six Chinese wltH five mandollnlsh in- struments of varying size, and one violin. Typical laundrymeii types. All wear genuine black costumes of Orientals, except leader, who wears red Mandarin garb. > Fellow in red singa "High On Hilltop," bending the knees to keep lime. M.erely an oddity. Freak smile arid manner of being "hot." Plays string iristrument back of his neck and under legs. Childish. Sex- tette play "Doln' the Raccoon." No variation. Dash. through every- thing. Leader then plays "Sonny Boy" on a saw, using bow. This is the big number. Winds up shouting "Mammy.*' Ensemble sings' ballad as finish for moderate response. Williams and Toung shut. Black- face and . high yellow act. Both men. The yellow In cutaway playp straight. Have fair voices. Yellow has degree of sophistication, his personality just missing Are. Black- face describes ^o him what's going to happen when the other tells him he has Just carved a white man. Yellow sings "I 'Wanted Someone to Love." Xjood, deep register and fair fcUsetto. Blackface does com- edy female impersonation, appear- ing In' red hosiery and baggy dress. Chatter' weak, but well delivered. 'Wlndup singing. Best act on tne bill. RIVERSIDE (St. Vaude). It seems there was a little under- standing between certain of the boys and various ticket specs. Now the boys are at liberty and new execu- tives are in charge at this house. Joe Plunkett figured a neighborhood house trying to put over a new pol- icy and having Its troubles was hardly the proper scene 'for the Times Square technique. Just how many of the neighbors may have been gypped or alienated can not, of cou^-se, be.estimated. But it's an ob- ject lesson In what an operator has to contend with. Business was in the Just ain't any stage Sunday matinee. The lessees' from the high rent flats were on promenade along upper Broadway and kept on strutting their canes and Bpats right past the box office. Harry Carroll and William Dema- rest (New Acts) head a vaude unit 'Embracing seven gals who sing and dance and seven yduths who play upon musical contraptions and do slapstick. The latter are flailed tlie California Collegians. There is also, not-to snub the ladles, Miss CoUette, the gal fiddler, and "Vera ^orsh, alumna of various Carroll turns. The unit constltated the first half of the show with the postscript list- ing Irene RIcardo, LIta Groy Chap- lin and ^hepp''s Comedy Circus. It was a money show, but only so-so eritertainment. Despite many bright moments the unit lacked things that the first section of a big time vaude layout should possess. _^Probably os a gesture toward MotherT15ayrHi6^tl~5rfered~"gH- vef Threads Among the Gold" as an overture. Us doleful, plaintive ca- dences hardly accomplished the. de- sired aim. of: a Riverside overture, namely arousing the audience from the melancholy induced by Aesop's Fables. ' It .might be suggested, in a fraternal spirit, that something with a bit more swing to the melody be chosen henceforth. . Land. JOE KIRKWOOD Golf 16 Mine.; Full Palace (St. V) Joe kirkwood Is the peer trickster among pro golfers on this side. He can make a golf ball sit up and talk, yet he's always one down In. major tournaments; but that's beside the question. In vaude Kirkwood is doing the uiaual vaude golf routine—knocking pills against a rear stage canvas. However, Included in the regular routine, are some extraordinary pieces of business, and In that lies Klrkwood's superiority as a novelty act for vaude. A small colored kid, called Snow Flalces, Is the caddy and all around enllvener in slow moments. His spontaneous hoofing Is funny for his size and age. The kid contributes the comedy. Two or three of Klrkwood's pet tricks are masterpieces, for instance, a left-handed masble stroke with a right-handed club; and what seemed to be a stymie abot with a wood club. His slow motion. Impression of a rank beginner stamps him as some- thing of a pantomimlst as well as a pro ball chaser. Blge. HARRY HINE8 and "Budding Stars" (20) Revue 65 Mlns.;'Full Stage and One Academy (V-P) Another of the "unit" acts that are'flooding vaude. There Is an at- tempt at scenic embellishment'and several changes of set to give the' turn production effect, yet the act itself proves nothing more than Hlnes doing his 'single turn plus a few specialties by several of the boys and girls In the troupe. The act loses In . speed through stalling, and a dragging out of "bits," the prop horse for'instance over- staying and almost -wiping out what comedy effect It got at the start. A little is okay, but an overdose is something else again. The full sta^e set at the opening Is elaborate Iri Its rural aspect yet a country farm Isn't wholly neces- sary to permit a girl to do a solo tap dance and a young man to sing a song at the piano. Second scene Is a raUway "bit" playing Hlnes up with a parody on one of George M. Cohan's old songa Harry does his vaude act, getbng It over mainly through his kidding the tough girl he was out with and what happened when he asked her for a kiss. The mugging and by- play H. H. does oh this was a wluUe for laughs on 14th street Of the "stars" Genevieve TIghe was a standout with her banjo play- ing. She. Is also an adept tap dancer. Matty; Mack, singer, with uke ac- pemponlment; Dotty .Madison, singer, with an eccentric dance; Masse and Dietrich, Russian leg twisters, and' a young man doing comedy arid throwing In a funny dance for good measure, offered spe- cialties that were well received. The act packs entertainment and will go a lot better when the stalling is eliminated and chopping done where chopping Is necessary. Uark. ROXY GANG (5). Singing. 20 Mine.; J^ull. Fox, Brool^lyn (V-P). Office act for Fox's Brooklyn vaude bill. May or may not be for sale generally, but not especially salable to vaude houses in general. It is a bit too high tone for aver- age vaude consumption; yet com- mendable for this week at the Fox, and showing what vaude circuit can do through affiliations or subsid- iaries. The four singing members of this Roxy Gang are of the Roxy's stage and radio staff. They are four im- portant voices, even if the individ- ual names, may mean little. They were lost anyhow In the echoes of the^ox when announced in radio fashion by the baritone. 'Voices are soprano, tenor, con- tralto and baritone, all of exquisite quality. Each has a solo turn and there are two quartet numbers. Tenor and contralto selected pop ballads for theirs. Girl at piano. Just a<:companylng, Is the fifth member. Bfge. KUZNEZOFF AND CO. (3) Songs 11 Mins.; Three Palace (St. V) This floor and radio vocal trio, doubling from the Rlchman to the Palace, shoifld not be permitted to slip away from vaude. How they've missed It untfl now Is a mystery. It's set up classlly, full of singing tallcnt, and though 100£.per cent Russian, easily understandable. The sort of class that can play 'em low and re- main classy. After an all-Russlan routine, Kiiz- nezoff, possessor of a glorious bass voice, encores with "Ol' Man River." Response'for~that-at-thejE!alace.,.was. heavier than for the turn properr Kuznezoff, with his voice and style, could tie up the works with "Tight Like That," dialect and all. Mme. NIcollna's soprano singing becomes secondary, but proves its Worth by standing out after Kuznez- pff mops Up. Vasllievsky, guitarist, is strictly an accompanist, and re- mains in the background. Btffe. CARROLLrDEMAREST Unit (18) R-K-0 Revue 80 Mine,; Special Sets Riverside (St. V) Harry Carroll, Identified with a long series of revues, lately of the "office act"' category, has been tealmed with William' Demarest, re cently' returned to vaudeville after two years In films. Carroll Is just a performer In the prcserit Instance with little of the CarroUlan touch to the material or lilt to the tunes. Comedy Is discharged by Dema rest, principally, and the California Collegians, rough house jazz band, Incidentally. 'Wliile there are some good bits from both directions, it Isn't heftig enough for an 80-mlnute running time. And In the absence of anything sensational among the specialty talent the unit has a struggle. Seven girls, all young and comely, acquit themselves nicely In solo work. 'Vera Marsh does the "Mamie Magee" Bowery number. Her rendi- tion seemed perfunctory and the pantaloons upon so pretty a girl are not in ctiaracter, or at least un- necessary. - A circus novelty number by the band boys Is strong and funny. These lads are versatile and With looks arid personality to boot have a substantial score. They do little playing as such, concentrating on clowning. ; When not functioning as m. c. and wisecracker, Demarest gets together with his partner. Miss Collette, for a revival of their old standard routine with the cello and pratt falls. Dema- rest has far too much talent to ham- per himself by retaining ancient stuff simply because it's sure fire. ;Appraised in toto this is riot so hot In -view 6t its .pretentious and prob- able nut. Carroll has not had a really strong act since his "Every- thlng'il Be All Right" wow, and the present ensemble, -from -hlS' stand- point. Is the weakest of them all. - —' '■ Land. "Lights and shadows" (is) Dance Flash 22 Mint.; Full (Special) Palace (St. V) 'The Joseph R. Parker who Is billed as sponsor of this act must have sunk a hefty roll in production. The expenditure has been worth while, for "Lights and Shadows" will get bookings Where other and more stereotyped flash acts won't There Is more real dancing In this turn than In half a dozen of the av- erage and carries more productlonal quality than a dozen of the other kind. Not a name among the play- ers, but not a weakling in the lot. A special drop, In one, with two girls singing through cut-outs, opens up, and In that manner the act's lea- ser number Is Its starter. The spe- cial drop partially saves It. The same girls later become toe dancers, First number in the full stage has a cabin flat to one side as a back- gtound for a mixed vocal quartet In a short number. When the balance of the stage Is disclosed, It Is a waterfront view with Oie company in five minutes of speedy legging. The entire scene is in silhouette. Which explains the title. , Last fiill stage number, -Vety elab- orate, features an adagio trio and whirling dancer (man). • Pony ballet (8> Is a honey. Principals, according to billing, are Reuben, Orpheus Four, Three Terrors, Virginia MacNaughton and Margaret Reynolds. Bige. Mr. and Mrs. LEW BRICE Comedy. Sketch 20 Mine,; One (Special Drop) Audubon (V-P) The Brices have an entertaining bit of stage property. It's a race track travesty, an effective bit of bbrlesque with Lew As the pretend- ed bookie -frho takes the girl's (Mrs. Brlce) ten spot to place on the horse she picks. Her horse wins (screen shot of a rhce on the drop,for this); he gets her to put it all on the next race. , Again a race in shown and again she wins. Three times she cops and she is rich beyond all count. Of course Lew can't pay and he tells- her he was just making believe; he was too honest to put her money down and hands back her tenner. Through It all runs an exchange of smart talk with a dash of song here and there and some corking tapping by the pair. The act was a big hit uptown. Mark, IDA MAY SPARROW and Co. (6) "Kidding Cinderella" (Musical) 20 Mins.; One and Full Stage Academy (V-P) Ida May Sparrow has a pleasing act In "Kidding Cinderella," dresses It handsomely and with an assist- ing company that Includes one of the best ground tumblers (male) seen In many a day. Miss Spar- row is an artistic dancer, graceful and sprightly.' A little theme running along which gives It a bit of novelty and prevents it from becoming- stereo- typed with the usual company of song and dance combos. Tapping and ballet stuff. Miss . Spatr0Kjiaa.ft.tM.Bfilfian ost.cfCectlve. A bit of dancing burlesque whicli enlivens and a Constant change of wardrobe. The stage is specially embellished for the different dances. A most entertaining finale la the jazz bit, showing "Mrs. Rhythym" at home with the baby and the call for the doctor. Capitally staged and not overdone. Hark. CHARLES W..HAMP (1). Pianolog. 33 Mine.; Two' (Special). 8l8t St. (V-P). Charles W.Hamp Is billed as "Dr. Strasska's Big Boy" In a routlne en* ' titled "20 Minutes of Bunshlno," . The Doc reference has to do wltk the toothpaste which Hamp plugs' nightly from 7 to 7:30 over WOR ' to such effect that Hamp is now * .' vice-president of the Dr. StrasskA', dentifrice product. His vaudeville billing la taken from his radio bill- ing, "30 Minutes of Sunshine." Act- ually, he did 33 minutes for hll vaudeville debut at Keith's 81st St on Sunday afternoon. Ho should cut that In half. Hamp is quite a Joy-boy via the ether, the sunshine billing Indicat- ing his male pollyannlsh style of song salesmanship, but the ditties are not altogether "pack up your troubles" and "wear a smile" in character, since he shifts tempos and does comedy and seml-operat- ics as well. Chief trouble with Hamp, as dis- closed here, la that he has enougl) material for two acts. It he bOlIeA it down he'd not only have a cork- ing act, but prove a sizable box- ' office attraction. Right now It's only a matter of routine. As a draw there seemed to be no . question at the Opening Sunday mat when the sparse attendance; due to fine weather, enthusiastlcalty salvood Hamp'a entrance. Several elements also figured. - For one thing. Bob Hawkins, the' - house manager, held the opening ot" hla theatre a few miifbtes in order to rig up the amplifying micro-1 phonic system- This worked rea-. . sonably well for the radio "mike? :. bit but there was an unmistakabla - overtone of "blasting," which .will be readily corrected by properly . tuning down the anipliflcatton. Hamp enters to "Old. Man Sup- shine" and opens with "Is Ev^ry-',' body Happy?" one of hla radio " theme songs. He is of nice appearr '.' ance, a bit stalwart and hefty for" a' Juvenile, which point he dwelM '.' on kiddlngly. If - he wants to tako his stage work seriously he should reduce; what's more, between -ths-'.: radio rep and the vaudeville Im^ presslon, it will become Imperative: that Hamp give hla physique atte;^*^i tlon for the talkers, where then .. can be some'real money for him it -- he applies himself. His attire on the stage Is an In- . formal gray business suit, but ha affects a walking attok and gray- allk-.-x glovee; those mlttena' don't flt.thSi.a picture. . Hamp should be the same cheerio informal self that he suggests on.., the radio. . He .should eschew ifiat'/ opening, gag ajid go right' Into^'the'"^ pianolog stuff; perhaps open 'WItb''' the studio replica, -employing tw!'' "mike" prop. [The horn's In the sldd ' box transmit the amplified 'soun'd,:-" It's a good effect and itemift's hit^'-.'?' to "whisper" hla stuff in view ot'"" the ampllflcating homs;I ''-'.'■"' Numbers like "Masquerade," thb Butterfly" -seml-operatlc - median and "Wedding of the Fainted Dolltf'.-r-. (by special permission, - as 'an.«.i:r nounced) -are most effective- toKt'-,- Hamp. He clicked solidly -wltl^-i; those. The public knows them from:'.- the ether. The encoring . "Volg« Boatman," In which he Introduces'.-a.,-, hoke Russe hock dancer, .can.be re^-^,'.v. talned, but that means that much,!..; in the early, part that Is extraneous:.^ must be'eliminated. . • ' .i.-ii-v.- Let him try opening lmmedlafelx.;ia at the Ivories, or, if he must moke-rrV a walking entrance, go right to.the;,, baby grand, wt}ich^e thumps -wlW precision and considerable skill ana . spirit "'.••; Hamp is quite a name over 'WOR ''- In the east and. can be Capitalized;'.'! that's why Keith's booked bim 41-' rect. All Keith's has fd do now Is', to shape his destiny properly with- ' a ahowmanly routine and he'll de-' .' liver handily. As he first eiio'wed he''' started very slowly, but finished- strong, although running overtime^ - '- It will be Interesting to catch-- - Hamp's act a we^-from-his debute If it's only self-coaching, he's bound. .-: to sense his vaudeville values.bettert ... Actually, Hamp la not altogetheir ./ new to the vaudeville stage. He.,- was for long Janet of France's. piano accompanist He also ..An-jM peared In picture houses on tna.,' west coast hence his Columbia and,'^,. Okeh record billing as the "Califoxr . ■ pla Blue Boy,'.' although not quite . the sensation on the coast that he Is here, due to the radio. AtcW RADIO STAR REVUE (40) 87 Mins.; Full Stage; One ' ' 86th St. (V-P) A slapped-together affair, the Ra- dio Star Revue, with a personnel of 40—count 'em!—people irankly evi- dences its makeshift character. Idea Is credited to Tom Kennedy who ^ "The Voice of RKO" on the regular Tuesday night .broadcasts, and Her- man Whitman, the supervising man- oger of the Proctor's 86th St and r.Sth St theatres. Act opened at the ' SCth Sunday, and goes to 68fh St the lost half. Radio Star Revue holds two highr' lights, "'HTtisperlng" Jack Smith and • "Ukelele" Dick Robertson, the latt*- ' -a.ing hlfl iikfl! Both can go It- alOne • to much better advahfage. "-A'ff"for"' Smith, who is somewhat of an Inter"-- ' national persoriality. It's a big sulr-i - prise that he contented, to b^^f^UD.:* me^od in a big act As a matter of-fact, Smith is with-,-,- o\it his element. Now bettor known>|-,,. In the classy nlte cluba of Ne^ York,.: (Continued page f 0) -