Variety (May 1929)

IB VARIETY ,'3 Wciittesady, May 2t» 1929 PALACE (St. Vaude) I9xi>enslve ahow and not so good. The nut (or the talent is over |13,- 000. of which $10,600 Is split up among: the three names. . John ' Charles Thomas, topUner, is booked ' In at 14,600 and slated for an R-K-O ' tour at that flffure. BacIanOva, from . plotures, is on a four weeks' leave of absence from Paramount, and la fllllns It In for Keith's at $2,600, The ■ Revelers, borrowed by the vaudeville faction from its Radio Victor allies, are getting $3,600, plenty pennies for a harmony quar- tet, although the crack NBC feature and exclusive Victor recorders are la a class by themselves. That left pineapples to pay ofC the rest of the show with. Naturally cheating for the remainder, and started well by spotting two dumb acts—acrobats and a dog turn—In the first two grooves. '' Thomas and the Revelers set the keynote for flie show. It was a songfest. Everybody sang but the ushers. Even Baclanova, In Movie- tone fashion, burst out into snatches of song in the course of her Schnltzler playlet. Joe Wilton and ROK Weber, with their ventriloquial vocalization, were heavy on the singing, and Will and Gladys Aherh, when not rope-splnnlng or hock- stepplng, also sang. The bill is anything but good vaudeville. Discounting the impres- sive rep and undeniable worthiness of "the eminant American baritone," as Thomas is billed, there's no gain- saying that John Steel at a fourth of his salary is better. vaudeville. What's more, Steel at $1,200 is bet- ter known to the varieties than Thomas at 46 yard with a>4ilgh-hat rep and an un-vaudevilly repertoire. Baclanova, Paramount's Russian ' vEimip, is a blonde vodka, disciple with a wild flicker rep, currently the titular "Dangerous Woman" at the Paramount, and also of some at- tainment opposite George Bancroft In . "Wolf of Wall Street." Bac, Thomas and the Revelers, (New Acts). Harry King and George Brown, presenting "Broken Toys," clicked wlth|4)ie kids. Both are monopedes tind' affect toyland garb for their acrobatics which are more legit than , had they not been physically handl- ; capped. Another corking kid act was "Snoozer, Jr.," ballyhooed as "the liS- ' tellectual dog," and skillfully pre- ' sented. The youngsters again were exceedingly edifled. For the paucity : of Uumbere^ with only halt a house ' downstairs, the Juvenile.attendance - must have been big judging by the' gurgling reactions.. Following Baclanova, who had. Paul Decker shifted into her play- let, at the 11th hour to get away from the overplus of Russian per- sonnel, came the Hlckey Brothers, followed by the Revelers who closed the first half. The Hlckeys. with their nut-Isms and some old wheezes were a badly needed comedy Inter- ' lude. A last minute switch, they replaced the Three Sailors. The Aherns with Brother Dan in support did their familiar rope act following Intermission. The best thing still is the squat or Russian hock type of stepping. Ahern relied twlc« on Brooklyn for local wheezes and flivved twice. The personable Gladys sought to Introduce a new strut routine and didn't Impress as well as In her more finished stand ard routines. Thomas was generously salvoed on each number announcement, with some clacque.-y suspicion. He did 17 minutes and In farewelllng an- nounced—as a return biz come-on— that he changes his progi-ams with each ahow. He should have rear ranged matters right from the start for better initial impression. Joe Wilton and Rex Weber, with a burleek heritage, closed, and while no great comedians, their lighter contributions were welcomed heart ^ lly as a general relief They've em- ^belllshed their ventriloquial hoke Hwith a travesty on Movietone, flash- King a silent reel and synchronizing ^ their own chatter to the lip move- ments. Show was dragsy for all its brev- ity, holding only eight acts. Start- ing at 2.20, the final blow-oft was at 4.40. leaving ample time for the con- cluding news reel. Biz bum considering a $4,600 top- Hner, a picture name and a radlo- reoord second high attraction, of which the latter (Revelers) were aaslly the most impressive and also the I>e8t Individual highlight on the bin. A.M. dramatic rcpltatlons. That didn't help the holiday spirit. Film program was lavish In quantity.. In addition to the fea- ture were a Grantland Rice Sport- light, Fox Movietone and the en- tire M-G-M' silent news, close to an hour and 40 mimites of flickers, AU the intermediates are going in for the half-hour revues with stage band and specialties, reflect' ing the influence of tlie presentation type of show. Tills time it's Jack Sidney's Frollckers (New Acts) with 19 people, runs 40 minutes and closes tlie show, without once Indi- cating anytliing, unless it is that nothing counts in these flashes ex- cept honest specialty material which can be helped or hurt by judicious m.c. handling. This m.c. is pretty aggressive. DuPonts opened, man juggler who is a composite of a number of other eccentric jugglers. He is a brisk entertainer with an easy style, good deal of dexterity and makes a first-rate opener for such a. house. A strong cpmedy turn would have fitted In. next.' Instead of which appeared Morrell and Beckwlth, great pianist and .a pleasing tenor concert singer, both of whom con- spire to flatten out a 16-mlnute spot In. a pop vaude bill. The pianist, prb)bably' Beckwlth, Is a pip with his flngerd .'on the ivories and prob- ably could t'ag a Stelhway uncon- scious. Instead of which he does a recitation to Introduce "The Dance Of Death," employing screen titles and a green spot, and then does piano calisthenics that are musically fine. Morrell sings three semi-bal- lads and chosen like a shopper matching ribbons—all alike in qual- »y. O'Nell and Manners, singing and talking sketchlsts in "one" before a special drop, are young, nice- looking mixed pair, peddling blab talk in a manner so< confident and self-assured that half the custom- ers are tricked into liking It. Their singing Is much better and they do a neat bit of simple legmania for a trim finish. Mild stuft all of it and si>otted here on a bljl that was be- ginning to weep for lack of rough low comedy, it looked even milder than that. Who coaches these young people, anyway? This pair could have made a good getaway on their dance. Instead they came back for more cross talk, not strong enough to be worth while earlier. Sunshine Sammy at this point saved the day.. This pick from the fitokera is there. Doesn't try to do too much, gets away unassumingly in about 12 minutes, cuts, bis encore short and makes a curtain speech that doesn't try to be sniart and Is sumptuously brief.. Opens In plan- tation field overalls with bit of buck and wing. Oif while one of other twp picks bridges a gap with a simple' "blues" number. Semimy is back in swell getup for an "impres- sion" of Bin Robinson, 'going into silk drapes in "two" for the stair- case routine. And how that kid can tapl Other two kids are back, also in cutaways and ^hlnlest silk hats. Since Cole and Jdhnson, for preci- sion tap finish and fast buck and wing. An honest bit of specialty entertainment and deserved its re' ward here. RusK STATE (Wired—Vaudfilm) ■ "Wild Party (Par) and selection of "Miss Manhattan" In the beauty contest' that will ultimately get to Oalveston—and the sooner the bet- —tet—had,'em hanglng.-QiiJjie,rafter8 ait 7:46. Certainly It wasn't the show, just fair State average. Sun- shine Sammy, the colored "Our Gang" kid, was the outstander and ' the only act Invited to make a speech. . Rest Just pleased the State clien- tele, which doesn't always make them top-notch. Show not particu- larly shO'wmanly In Its layout.' Two light entertainers In different acts were tempted beyond their strength, and broke tlfi'pugU f*. ballnd to do JEFFERSON (Wired-Vaudfilm) Six-act layout at the Jefferson the first half played to a jammed house at the supper show Sunday. No big name in the frame-up and just a fair array of talent. No doubt about the Inclement weather being entl tied to an assist for driving 'em Indoors at around six. Joyce Lando and Co., opening, has a production flash in three scenes, the whole being an unusual turn for the neighborhoods. It's mainly dancing, with Miss Lando doing the solo acrobatic stuff satis factorlly. Sister team In singing aiid dancing show to advantage and same might be said for a pair of collegiate-eccentric type hoofers. Russian hook stepping finale packs a punch. Miss Lando being brought on in a prop sleigh drawn by three Russian wolfhounds of rare beauty. Deticing It were Packard and Dodge, providing a novelty, after a slow start with musical saws by getting some sort of harmony out of rubber balloons, an old patched up Inner tube and a bicycle pump. Two men u$ dressed as garage hands, and employ wop comedy talk that merely deserves small-time classifi- cation. Chase and La Tour, on third with their Paul Gerard Smith comedy sketch, "Around the Corner, clicked neatly. Turn is crammed full of bright lines and the novelty situation having a general appeal. Bobbe and Nelson, two-man com- edy team, of finished style, have breezy chatter, Bobbe doing straight while Nelson sells pop vocals in a manner that wowed the folks. . May TJisher, next to shut, held them in the palm of her hand, evi- vSgP.yXA.fayorlte in this section. A song saleBwoimdn'wIlli pep"arid'^pei?=? sonality. Miss Usher delivers best with Hebe dialectics a comedy num ber on Hollywood and a song built around Milt Gross' comedy charac- terizations, Toto, the clowni assisted by two m6n and a . woman, was well re- ceived in the wind-up spot, holding them in to the end. On the screen, "The Leather- necks" (Pnthe), Patlie sound news and Topics of the ^Day. . ORPHEUM (St. Vaude) ; Los Angeles, 'Mar 19. Only a five-act sho'W this week, duel to Count Bernl Vld's mob, which opened and took the show to 8:26 after an 8:30 start. Gave this vaude schedule a good start, espe- cially through the efforts of Maude Hilton and Amy, couple of arguing femmes, who drew the applause honors of the night. Meanwhile the Countlp "Just a Minute" girl band had torn ofC three numbers and one acrobatic special- ist had mopped via thousands of walking splits, etc. Despite that these girls go vaude at 90c. the dozen, mob donated much palm ex- ercise. This Is Leatrlce Joy week, picture actress having her exit delayed by a flood of California posies. Screen girl sprays plenty of stage charm around during a songalog, empha- sizing what amounts to a dramatic recitation. It's not so much what Miss'Jqy has to deliver as' the way she delivers it Spotted to - open intermission, and following another piano act, didn't help any, although it was the only logical niche. That three- piano acts—Derlckson and Brown, Miss Joy and' Al Tra- han—followed each other In that sequence, gives an'idea as'to the way these Orpheum F shows are booked and laid out. Also that the keyboard la the busiest thing in the house. Audience would probably enjoy a mld-evenlng act minus a piano or pianos. There are some vaude acts which don't iise them. The experi- ment ought to be worth a try. An idea that class two-a-day vaude- ville is limited to a piano doesn't convince. These Orph shows are in danger of becoming piano recitals. Trahan annoyed ho one by holding over. Both he and his partner drew receptions. A funny guy whom the picture m.ob should drop In on to look over. Comlo brought back his clarinet and otherwise attempted to give the routine a couple of new twists. Kverythlng clicked. Two weeks In the same spot—next to closing—and rating the responsibili- ty in each Instance. * Trahan Is also currently working In the closing acrobatic act, Lester and Irving Trio, mixing up ad lib hoke with a couple of on-the-level hand lifts, having the aero top- mounter on top. Addition of Tra- han to this act permitted the show to break Just after 11. Derlcksoh and Brown, tenor and soloing pianist, did nicely in the late No. 2 spot Three ppps and •Pagllaccl" for the singer and two classics by the pianist. A bit over- board on time, even though both have quality plus thjB fiUn bunch lending an attentive ear to Derick- son's voice. Too much similarity between the arguing cross-fire of Vlcl's featured duo and Trahan's rough-and-tumble with his co-worker. Add to that the continuously seen pianos and the voice demonstrations by Miss Les- lie, -In the opener, Derlckson, and Miss Duval, Trajian's accomplice. Entertaining because of the ability Involved, but pretty close to the sat- uration point in sameness. Vicl should drop the burlesque wheel tableau he is using to climax his initial number. It doesn't be- long. * fi**!* enough to capacity to call it that Sunday night, with Miss Joy given full credit for the Sid. It. This may be mentioned 'with no Indelicacy, Inasmuch as MIsa Worth also smiles correctly at times and la merely cautioned to maintain the- happier aspect Wind up with huge! bass horn playing *'Fa'«r .Down and (Jo Boom." The girl's mother In wings and too obvious at tbtis per-^ formance, Jack Nbrworth and Dorothy Adel- phl treyed in bedroom farce. Strict- ly husband and wife argumentation over the - imaginary Bessie; The sombre map of Norworth and turtle- dove intonations of MIds Adelphl were atrongest factors In their gen- erally splendid work. Dialog needs rienovation, some of the gags rather antiquated. Mr. and Mrs. Norworth piano and song for encore, the lat- ter on the ivories. Karyl Norman In fourth section, assisted by blonde and brunet pian- ists, enthusiastically received.' His announcement he la a character artlat and not a female impersdna- tpr jwas reassuring. The only obser- vation whiiph seems in point com- menting on Normeln's superb work is that his overall number In which he' does sttalght male. Winding up With falsetto. Is not virile enough, 'With his make-up so strongly effem- inate. His hair is a bit too per- fectly combed to blend with the dis- habille of the working garment HIa collegiate flapper number with change to gold evening gown a wow here. Bert Wheeler and Al Claire, as- sisted by Mrs. Wheeler (Berenice Speer) topped the list Just out of "Rio Rita" and three years absent from vaude, Bert his apple, his straight man and wife are in vaude only until tomorrow when Bert may entrain for Hollywood and pictures, He gives all while working and with his sincere deliveir and utter fam- iliarity with the audience went hilariously strong; obtaining la^ughs like a Chaplin. Bert wears a silk high hat and straight has skimmer. Miss Speer wears her dancing cos- tume familiar to the night clubeea of Manhattan. Wheeler has a prop line, "How am I doing?" which he addresses to orchestra leader, hissing a smile be- hind his Jonathan to maintain his rigid Immobility of countenance. The threesome, with legs over the footlights, rehearse a Bolshevik play written by the girl. Bert'd razzing of the Mss. and mixing up of his part produce screams. Wind-up is a slapping orgy, which Wheeler did in "R1& Rita." dff In tears munch- ing sandwich. Perfect act . Deno and Rochelle shut. Ball- room dancers give off a little, too much hard-boiled dancing, their first tough number better eliminated to give effect to their barroom dance later. Have orchestra of three stringed instruments and piano, a high kicking little girl, and a song- stress'who appears in cap aiid male trousers to give off "When the One I Love Loves Me." Very effective girl. Well received. Screen, "Not Quite Decent" (Fox). FOX (BROOKLYN) (Wired-Vaudfilm) Box office tall-spinned here Mon- »it^»"^2'' "i^ i^ouae was bathed in sleet and rain. Extra police detailed on Manhattan bridge, strewn with ashes to separate motorists. Classic six-act vaude layout load- ed with names and tolent Some keen comedy, avalanche of music and loads of novelty and dancing. Bert Wheeler and wife, and Jack Norworth and wife gave tlie bill a .^"J?^, J^?"fi^' lencllng dignity, iciddlng Cinderella." musical comedy sketch with Ida May Spar- row and six. Miss Sparrow plays Mary, the runaway, torn between Broadway and a career and her lover, played by Don Roberts, a handsome chap. Tall chap in high hat with two straight dancing blondes characterizes Mr. Broad- way, beckoning to Mary in song and dance to simulate the rhythm of the street. Mary descends from ladder with bags, heeding him Instead of her vocalizing boy friend. A boy and girl comedy team for relief, who do fair work. Boy does only excep- tional dancing of the seven. His tumbling is ideal. Mary's ballet work is medloc, but she h%.s a splen- did figure. Twenty minutes of light "stuff"with "entaant am i). - Deucer contained Loraa Worth, childish blonde instrumentalist, who starts off with small accordion and runs through an ocean of brass. In- cluding violin, flute, sax, alto, flute. 61arlnet and xylophone. Miss Worth's ability sustains the act and she woa heartily applauded, y^t It was some 10 minutes before the au dience warmed up. The reason w.n she Is somewhat giddy and smile- sourly, apparently without luibwliti,' 86TH ST. (Wired-Vaudfilm) Ace house of 'tiie Proctor chain, and probably the most -prosperous vaudfllm temple In New Tork, with the exception of Loew's State, Is celebrating its second anniversary this week. Prop birthday cake In the lobby will be substituted Sat- urday matinee by a real cake and all kids attending the afternoon per- formance will get a hunk on the way out With heavy rain throughout the af-ternoon, this house on the first night show Sunday was hardly 10 per cent off capacity. House does not suffer from Inclement weather as do most The Lexington avenue subway entrance is only a 10-yard sprint from the box oSloe. Big production turns with a gang of people on the stage at all times are what they like. Such an act is Al Moore's Whoopee Party (New Acts), which is like a couple of dozen other turns around during the past season in combining a stage band with specialty people against the high jinks motif of a night club. Rice and Werner's comedy stand- by, the scaffolding romance between a colored house painter and a dark- skinned house maid of heavy ton- nage, was pie. The act had them near the frontier of hysteria. Merit and Talent also held reliable Ingredients. That venerable vaude- ville device for provoking applause, a duel betwen a man and a woman on the subject of men and women and their respective claims to emi- nence, was employed to steam up the boys and girls in a froth of sex patriotism. With an audience sprinkled with husbands ari^ wives, guys and their sweeties, the ques- tion of iVhether the male or the fe- male gets the worst of the deal has all the piquancy of gossip. Charles W. Hamp. featured, ,3Beme4._bUt—alichtlv knnwn ^nfi failed entirely to win any popular- ity on the Intrinsic entertainment values of his act Mascagno Pour, two girls and two boys, doing fast twirling, pirouettlijg and dancing of an aesthetic nature, managed to arouse the Yorkvllle crowd, who might be presumed to care little for nn .act BO dainty and graceful. "Tlio I,c;itliernccU" (Pathe) plav- '''ly and date with Procter's SSth Street . Lund. PALACE (SLVaudeK Chicago, Majr^lt. ' Less than the usual Sophie Tucker, crowd 'on hand Sunday afternoon. Weather bad enough to hurt the ad- vance: sale some. If that Isn't the reason; for the empties It's too bad for her two-week booking, : Soph hasn't been around locally for sev* eral months. Her' material has been overhauled since lost here, with alibiing chafigea maile In that old stuff that looked too' good to be thrown out That final sob ballad scene, for Instancei. This time It has Soph working on "Tonky Tonk," the picture she Just finished for Warners. Earlier coU lection of speciU and pop numbers cashed in 100 per cent Plenty of good support In the, eight-act, lineup.. Chio Tork and Rose King were (n fifth spot, clos- ing tlie first. Iialf, and packed mora than Bufflcient .punch, for the posi- tion. True Tork, daughter, and J[ohnhie Wright, Juvenile, afford opportunities for the veteran pair to dress the original tintype act In new trimmings. Result Is all to tha good. Daughter plays one of thosa put-ta-tee-ah Jazz hounds,- good aontraist to the parents. Afa'd wha could sing a ballad worse than Ros* King? Peter Hlgglns, fourth, has. been plugged heavily of late on the RKO radio programs, quite a break'for him. Many in the Sunday crowd had heard but not seen him.. Nlca on the radio, but It's In person that he sells his songs to the fullest;. Clean-cut youthful appisarance^ backed by one of those Irish grine^ is the reason. Femmes go for li^ plain in the "cutes" uttered all over the house. Hlgglns la a tenor, with ' hia serious numbers of a dramatic style just suited to his voice, and at the flnsh he sings a couple of light pops in a pathetically humor- ous manner that can't miss with the ladles. Sheldon, Haft and Lewis, openers, are two men and a girl in a song an$ dance act considerably shy on talent To cover this la pretty staging and a flash of good looks packed by the girl. But the absence of talent waa too noticeable in the Palace, where It wouldn't be In less Important houses. Not a good open- ing choice. Frakaon, Spanish slelght- «f-hand, la a first-class performer seen here for the first time. Hla cloaing featols pulling several dozen lighted cigarettes from all over his person In quick succession, puffing each for a moment and working so fast he's In a shower of sparks. This trick gives him hU billing: "Th9 Man of 100 Cigarettes." It takes two stage hands with brooms to clean up after htm. Frakson is for any house. Monica and Ann Skelly, third, scored with a comedy sketch re- cently at the State-Lake. Two girla are store clerks, and deplde to vaca- tion in a ritz resort hotel under guise of being society dames. Meet with two society boys, and tun Is in the goofy breaks made by the come- dienne sister.' Hokey stuff, but ex- cellently dressed with several sets of scenery. A little song and danca stuff la Included. Opening second half was Walter "Dare" Wahl, sap comlo acrobat with Emmett Oldfield, his funny looking partner, billed in tiny typsL Regulation sap acrobatic stuff, Inada better than the average by 'Wahl's superior ability at getting the most out of his laugh situations. Sophia Tucker In next-to-closlng, and Red Donahue and Pal, mule act closed. Tork and King started with the act to stop walk-outs and helped. KEITH'S (St Vaude) Boston, May 21. Second week of the new jpolicr opened to clipaclty, thanks to ag- gressive publicity and almost chiUr Jiay 'weather. This week's show fea- tures Charles (Chic) Sale, Irena Rich and Irving Aaronson's band. Sale Is using the country lodge hall where a meeting is being held to Induce the public to suppress saxo- phones and to take up the zither. Miss Rich was given a whale of a reception which indicated that she had drawn plenty. Her sketch "Ask Tour Wife" was thin but her curtain speech is a gem despite sh« unwittingly gave the pubUc the Im- pression that she is out of Holly- wood because of poor vocal register. Archie and Gertie Falls opened. Don Cummlngs deudng the flrat half to a snappy close with straight lariat routine. Johnny Berkes waa sandwiched between the band and Miss Rich. Sale dominated the three-act sec- ond half, with Tates and Lawley opening and the two Kltayamas closing to an excellent hold. The Intermission idea, new te Boston, has taken a firm hold. ~Bart-Sradyr-knowtt~to-every- old- vaudeville trouper who ever played east of the Mississippi, is now house manager of the Keith MemoriaL Charley Winston, Boston news- papernmn, is Keith publicity direc- tor for New England, two wise moves by Divisional Manager Henry Taylor In the campaign to re-estab- lish tile Keith name in Boston and to once again pull the hav-kickers and the pot.ito-dlggcrs in from the stlclta.. , • fcifcftry •