Variety (Jun 1929)

Wednesday, June. B, 1829 NEW ACTS VARIETY . 39 noUilng to put th^ revived policy abrosB. The puljUc'a fcUluro to turn out m paylnff numbers Is any thine but a, tribute to Its amusement- buylns Judgment and serves ' to further darken the rather shady Imputation of Minneapolis as. a show town, or it Is a literal comment upon the terrific blow vaude got In jts decline. • This wieek's coniparatlVe ticket buying apathy, manifested 'particu- larly at the . matinees, vexed and puzzied Manager Frank Burke for a number of good reasons. Among them Tvere that the show Included 'Bobert Hyman, former Balnbrldge stock leading man and local favorite 'Who, lA Miss McConnell's support, received an' ovation at every per- formance;, and Haines and Craw- ford, screen favorites; and because there was big word-of-mouth boost- ing going the rounds for the show .tlirough the medium of tickled cus- . toihirB; and there has- been plenty ,ot time liow for the folks to be educated up to the policy again. Only - extenuating circumstance, as far .as theiatregoers were concerned, was t^e sunshiny weather. ■y.\h elaborate overture won the or- chestra a hand, preceding the Three ll^'lbirlwinds, 'male acrobatic roller skaters, whose opening act was ffuQIclently. speedy and . thrilling to send the show off to a nice start. Heavy applause returns for a No. 1. : In the deucer, Howard looked for a while as though he would go It alone; Instead of having his usual opposite fair partner. But his new- est beauty, Mary Olcott, duly ap- .peared as an audience plant. She : ambled down the center aisle to the orchestra pit where the spotlight ; could be played on her. Pretty good for a deucer. . "A. Quiet Game," the Lulu Mc- Connell farcelet, is a natural for vaudeville. Miss McConnell dis- ports with amusing comic abandon 'as a gabby, light-headed and, Anally, Inebriated-married dame of shrew- ish tendencies. ' "Watal, aided by the equally snappy looking Emmett Oldfleld, kept up .the fun clip with acrobatic comlcalK tleig. For a next to shut could there be any better gift to vaudeville fans than the irrepressible Florence Moore? And. no. easy spot Miss Mooro never has seemed more radiant or pepful and her 'gags, ilfnglng, cross-flre with Jack Car- roll at . the Ivories, and all s.Ongs ceglsterlng. Some of the stuff was quite blue, including a story abo'ut fairies that don't fly, but un- objectionable as delivered. Bven the whiskered stories landed. Begged 'Off after a speech. exquisite Janette Hackett, helped by a trio of young men. Including a pair of dancers and a singer, closed the show 'With her classy terpslchor- ean offering featured by a dance drama superbly costumed and staged. Miss Hackett's role is that of a bad girl of the gay white way, a slave to cocktails and frivolity. It is al- most ruined by the over-acting of the young man who hysterically re- cites the story as Miss Hackett and her partner dance it. 'Touse Monday night, always oft, about two-thirds full on the floor 'and less than half above, whereas kbsolute capacity wac necessary and justified. Three losing weeks for policy to date. Keei, STANLEY (Continued from page 37) applause. Kid's third week and she's becoming a local fav, getting nice reception each time on appear- ance alone. She's staying over and they should make her permanent local fixture. Perfect for production numbers and a specialty of her own in addition. Lytell and Fant, blackface comics, follow, coming on and going off cold. ■Boys start well enough, one pluck- ing banjo while other goes through a fast dance routine, but their band number, in which each plays two or thi-ee instruments at same time, never came off. . Band number, "Can't Take Away Things That "Were Meant for Love," happy thought, with each of boys singing verse and Melson ad llbblng with them before, during and after their bits. Good laugh stuiit and got results. Production number next, featuring Milton Douglass, baritone, also playing banjo. Doug- lass trifle too staid for this type of number, but dance routines put it over. Dancing improving generally here since Beebe Barrl took over ballet work. , Lasslter Brothers, crackerjack ecdcntric dancers, followed and Were, a solid smash. Team flts in perfectly with show and ran away with everything. The Melson-Sll- vera' turn next, with flnole having everybody climb on decks, entire ship being lighted for curtain. Looks great from out front and nice hand showed clearly that audience liked everything. David Broudy's orchestral item. -SA,-Memorlal'D&y^TFlbute,'™waaJirig, of the best things Jerry Mayhall has devised for this house. Simplicity •the keynote, ■with idea carried out m picture frames behind thin screen. Finale had doughboys marching on- ward in face of some booming gun Are in one of those flag-waving climaxes that always go big here, especially when they're so seasonal. Cohen. S8TH ST. Llta Grey Chaplin billed In a' spot where, the tabloids circulate 100 per cent., looked like an Eva Tanguay and actually was that kind of box office. Sunday aftei-noon, perfect June day, was powerful counter at- traction, but by the late afternoon ^show house was approaching ca- pacity, with prospect for jam at night. Show had little else to bring 'em In. Film was "A. Dangerous 'Wom- an" (Par), lurid story of tropic in- trigue, but Baclanova doesn't mean much in this settlement of Irish and Germans. Rest of the vaude aver- age small time and short on com- edy, an element, tliat should not be slighted here of all places. Murand and Oli-ton, mixed pair of acrobats and cyclists, gave bill a brisk sUrt. Little bobbed blonde who does tumbling and hand-to- hand with man as preliminary to biking, Is the peppiest thing In ac-: tlon since Bird Millman. . They do only six minutes In this routine, but every tick of the clock counts. Girl does most of the things adagio dancing women do and a lot be- sides. Hand stands and tumbling are out of the ordinary. Cycling feats are routine, but look like a lot because of the' girl's style. Newahl, billed as the world champ uke tormentor. Is a spectacular per- former on that instrument, trivial as It is. He dresses Hawaiian, but works low down Mississippi. Jazz harmonics on the steel guitar is a tricky performance, and his exit feature is a intricate rendition • of "SUrs and Stripes Forever" on the uke, held in a freak position behind his ear. The customers duly im- pressed, and that's vaudeville. Rosemont Rolllckers Is another of those 25-mlnute revues, an added starter from the studio of 'Walter Rosemont, who has used the same title for other grbtips.. This one has four girls In. the line and four prin- cipals—Bernard Gorcey and Ed "West and Arllne Melburn and Horry Ellsworth. Flash is laid out like a burlesque show, on the blt-and- number plan. Comedy is strictly cleaned up burlesque. Inoffensive and mild. Couple of innocent black- outs and a flock of numbers. One of the three men does "Dutch" and other is a Russlaii dancer, third man doing straight and the girl usual. soubret assignment. Total mild but diverting here. Nicely cos- tumed and good in scenic flash.. < Kemper and Noble, mixed couple doing the sidewalk cross talk hoke in the usual way, filled the bill in this program because they had the only low comedy material in the en- tertainment, A well-worked bit at the finish got them <ia.way to a gale of laughter. Plump little pohy. girl foils neatly and at the -finish goes into a song, with the boob comic parading across the . stage carrying portraits 'of Washington, Lincoln, Hoover and finally Al Smith, to get her the applause the song didn't bring. For the tag he displays sign "Go into your dance," and she does 80 with a trim tap routine and off. Llta Grey Chaplin came on to a buzz of comment. Ritzy drapes gave her fine background and two pianists added to the deluxe atmos- phere. She starts nicely with "Hello Sunshine," done as ' a sprightly fox trot tune, switches Into plaintive ballad, "Never 'Want for More," and then goes for "Bliie Grass" as a "blues" number. Good change of pace here. Girl has first class stage presence, agreeable con- tralto voice, and a knack of selling both her numbers and herself. For an encore she committed an error at this stand, announcing a new song and then going Into a dud bal- lad that belongs to the era of 1898 In Idea and quality, both of lyrics and air. One of those pathetic things about a baby who didn't want cotftly toys, but only yearned to have his mama back. Maudlin In vein and deadly monotonous In tune. It killed off any more encore although the stage was s^t for a demonstration. Paths sound news. Rush. FORE Lakeside Scores Lot of action over at Burbank's Lakeside Decoration Day. Hunt- ley Gordon won the medal In the sweepstakes with an 80—8—72, and Buster 'West copped the class B low score with an 80—12—71. Bert Glennon and Russell Mack won a feature best ball match one up In the afternoon. Pete Smith's Birdie Pete Smith, who handles a lot of studio publicity for M-G-M and very little, about his golf, got a birdie on the Rancho's 330-yard 15th. Enough of an event' In Pete's life to see it. In print. Jack Kearns, the fight manager, 'woif'tlI5~'fla?-tDurnameiit-oii-Memo~ rial Day at this same club. On One Legit 'While operating on the mouth of a Variety reporter Dr. Dennis Glucksmd.n, the dentist, told of a (Continued on page C3) HELEN KANE Songs 23 Mine.; Full Palace (St. V.) Helen Kane in the past year or so lias appeared in about every foiTh of indoor show business but vaude. This Week she Is ..in vaiide at the Palace, at $2,B00. ' The baby talklng-slnging aiid tlic boop-oop-de-oops might not have been Helen Kane's original idea, but she sold it best, and so it is known as her style. The same has oppUed to so many others In the past. In vaude. Miss Kane Is smartly doing just what she is expected to. Singing the type of songs suited to her style, and giving her style full play. For her vaude turn, six numbers. Aniong them, "Button Up Your Overcoat" and "I 'Want to Be Bad," both from "Follow Thru," are on the program as In by permission from Schwab'& Mandcl. Miss Kane also credited the producers ' and their show, calling the latter "sensational hit" when announcing the songs. Later these songs were removed by demand, oblidglng the girl to compile a virtually new act. Jack Kerr. Is at the piano and for one: number serves as Helen's foil and singing partner. He has a good piano player's voice, which means fair and does well - nough. Besldeis the comedy derived through Miss Kane's vocal outbursts, she secures some laughs in the duet by ripping the. buttons, button by button, from Kerr's jacket. After singing four songs In the turn- proper. She asked the audience if they would like to hear some of her "old songs." Those referred to as "old songs"' are about a year old; probably "old songs" to Miss Kane,' just as a year aro must seem a century now to her. Bige, ART GILHAM (1) "Whispering Pianist" 16 Mins.; One Englewood, Chicago (V-P) Art Gllham has been doing loco] radio work. Naturally his soft- voiced stuff is quite audible when etherized, but in an auditorium be is hurt by It and doesn't get-full re-! turns. Limits him to deuce spot In smaller houses. Songs and piano work surrounded' by a theme monolog, with Gllham as a chump who gets sore at bis girl because he saw her necking another. He is fnolllfied when., sh'e explains it was her uncle and gow completely sob-ballad .when she tells him she has just been married. Having no girl on stage, Gllham ,usea' that- costless substitute, the phone. Talk is fairly well punctuated with laugh material, but. must .lie delivered louder. Singing and piano playing went better here because they were more distinct. Songs too soft now and then. Bing. "THE BIG PARADE" (6) Fat People 17 Mins.; Full Jefferson (V-P) First of all a freak act because the players are fat people of side show proportions, but an unusual freak act in that the members can legitimately entertain. They sing well, dance gracefully and conduct themselves as perform- ers rather than curiosities. They may be accepted by audiences as both, the talent coming as a sur- prise, and the combination a strong one. Title is a darb, as a smash picture had the some name. Four women and two men. The lightweight appears to tip the beam at around 260. The rise in weight is gradual, ending with the double^ voiced woman at. the piano, who looks like 400 or better. At any rate. It is a fact that they are all quite hefty. One of the women Is remindful of Aunt Jemima (Tess Gardella) and not much heavier. The corpulence Is enough In itself and the talent makes It all the bet- ter. Blge. TWO BLOSSOMS Dances, Songsi Talk 11 Mins.; One Jefferson (V-P) Two blond girls, primarily danc- ers, but clever in other ways. One should develop as a dancing come- dienne. The present turn has many rough edges, seemingly pieced together by intermittent spurts of - sparkling ability. One, playing seml-stralght to her partner, is a high and slow kicker when dancing, and the other an ec- centric toe dancer. Their dancing Is best. Both girls have a good idea of comedy delivery. In song, the comedienne of the pair also there atTmigglng;—:—■-.--.».>_->~^,=_,^.».^,>.. They should never forget comr edy when singing. Two Blos.soms Is a good enough name if neither cares for individual Identity. Girls at present, are okay for intermediate spotting. Some- one with vaude knowledge could build them Into something much bettor. Blge. JACK FINE'S UNIT (12) Revue Unit 45 Mins.; One and Full (Special) Englewood, Chicago (V-P) Not a good unit from any angle, but will satisfy* in most .family spots,' Better bookings seem im- possible, judging from the > act!{9 showing in this neighborhood house. Plain reason Is that it's a cheap company. Cost will be Its best sell- ing point. Three principals, Mose Lee, chief comic; combination straight and second comic,, and prima donna. Seven chorus girls, one doubling on the piano, and a male dance team'. Several scene changes. Mose Lee is one of those ever willing curbstone comics, always re- warded with "If you could bo that funny on the stage, kid ..." Mose just now Is just a trouper. Some- thing like this is his haven, or better still a plant In a big knockabout act. He has a moon face, concave knees and an overwhelming strut of dig- nity. . His error is believing that stage work calls for exaggerated silliness, wlicreas he's a natural laugh just as the Great Sculptor made him. 'When Mose finds that out his career actually starts. Unit starts with a bare stage re- hearsal scene, the straight directing seven girls' in practice rompers. Those seven girls are as varied in looks as any chorus, indicating a tOo-hurried selection or a lean bankroll. None approach natural beauty. Scene finishes with a gag, the director telling a heavily clothed chorine to take oft various pieces of clothing, with Lee mistak- ing the commands as given to him. Next an acrobatic routine by the male team, good. Then the prima, hitting a serious number with fair pipes. Four-glrl toe number, poor. Picture book skit, ivlth Lee identi- fying animals aloud while straight proposes to girl, old and reliable. Straight says: "You have the figure of an—" and Lee yells: "lilppopota- mus." Showgirl costume parade satisr factory. Then the unit's biggest talking Interlude, fuUstage Broad- way scene with an old hack driver handing out "be-good" philosophy to k young actress who wants to be taken to a speakeasy. "While he talks a constant. parade of former hlghrlifers now bums slinks across stage. Not worth the time. ISest Is at the start,' with Lee as a whitewing gkgglng with the driver. Horse is a prop, occupied' by the two hoofers with Insufficient' utilization of. comedy opportunities.' Later a mlnd-readlng steal from; Norman Ftespott la worked by Uee\ as the chump who wants to know' if his - wife reached Heaven. Lee' worked this with Frescott at the! Oriental, and ethically dhould have left It there even If it is one of the unit's biggest laughs. An opera satire in funny costume, done by prln.eipal trio, among. the better' things. ■ , ■ , .Finale fullstage pirate ship and! Island setting, with entire company; in costume. Best eye bit in the show. Elimination and substitution for some of the weak periods is very: desirable. 'Won't bring better book- ings with the present company, but will make more secure the bookings it is best suited for. Bing. "BLOOD and THUNDER" (6) Sketch (Satire) 16 Mine.; Full (Special) Jefferson (V-P) Peachy comedy idea that. If prop- erly developed, will sell this act to' any vaude house in the country. It can play 'em high and low, with an easily understandable basic comedy thought. An old-fashioned melodrama theme Is burlesqued. "Down on the Farm" plot. The villain goes about his usual treacherous business, mak- ing has dirtf offside cracks, but is finally routed; the old homestead is saved; the henpecked farmer-father snaps out of it and turns the tables on his ambitious mate, and the hero gets the dotter. All in a broad satirical manner, the characters far-fetched in their efforts to show that it's one big joke. The oafishncss goes with the fun, however, and the five unbilled players do their work very well. 'What seems to be needed now is a bit of staged help from the audi- ence. The Jeff mob finally got In the mood and cheered at the proper moments, but no hissing for the vUlyun until the curtain parade at the finish. A couple of good hlssers out front to start it early would be an asset. Bige. ILL AND INJURED Fred H. Hansen, of Uio T. M. A. club, Omaha, recovering from a re- cent operation in Omaha. Jules Larvett Is In Bellcvue IIos- jBlJyttJ, Ward^ao, New York. Mafy'Foy (FojTPamnyK^folIoW^' Ing an auto accident in which she was severely injured. Is out and around again. -Alpha Hall (Norwood and Hall) underwent an operation- yesterday (Tuesday) at Park .'West hospital, New York. "SMOKESCREEN" (3) Sketch 17 Mini.; Full (Parlor) Palace, Chicago (St. V) This one-act playlet, by Robert Kaspcr, recently '\von tUo Chicago Drdnia League play tournament and tlio. . Edith Rockefeller McCormick sllvc^ cup award. Credited as a Aiort Singer discovery, with Singer picking it up for almost nothing. Skit was refurnished and produced by Keith's for the Palace with un- derstanding of a ruute to follow if It clicks. Considering the three players as at least semi-amateurs with no ac- tual professional e.^pcrlence, they made a splendid showing with this hard boiled audience. Construction of the skit needs some mending while two of the characters must be built up, but after that it should measure up. Story, carrying something of a melo twang, is underworld stuff. A prominent man dealing In narcotics has been bumped off and the cops are looking for the murderer. Trail leads to a well kept frail. Neatly concocted frame Is put over on the gal to make her come through with a confession. One of the cops Is planted as a dope hound In the girl's apartment and leads her to believe he did the shooting; willing to take the rap for a couple of sniffs of snuff. Story adroitly treated and well directed by James H. Griffin. Helen 'Williams gives the best perform- ance as the shady lady. Arthur Bluhm's "dope" is not convincing. Same trouble with John Graham, who looks, talks and acts too ado- lescent for a cop. 'With these two brushing up and given more experience, this skit can go the route. Loop, GEORGE WILSON and ADDIE BEER Songs and Talk 16 Mins.; One (Special) SUte-Lake, Chicago (V-P) Light comedy team, around for years, have a playable turn for any house right now. George 'Wilson, prolific pianist, works with a Dutch dialect in a properly accentuated make-up. Addle Beer aings but Is more forte >- in reading lines and foiling. VThiObei. the act requires most is a different and stronger finish, after remaining materlial is pruned and revam'ped. Wilson is a'capable performer and ' depiendable to carry on his type of comedy with thci right hind of a ~ routine. One.thing that should go out-is an . Indifferent and conflicting ballad. Also K^me of Wilson's gags could be more modem and snappy. With more of a workout and the. ' corrections this turn will measure up to standard. tx)op. lUDIO ji^S~ BONUS (Continued frOm page 1) year or so they have come to be regarded as the most popular radio entertainers In that section, under the team name of Amos 'n Andy. Four years ago the two men. as Carrell and Gosden, were a piano and singing act around Chicago, commanding, a vaude salary of $16< a week, or $176-if lucky. - - As Amos 'n Andy they will not step on a.vaude staige for less than »4,000 a week—or nothing. The nothing Is a manager's alternative. The team In Chicago stated they will play any vaude theatre within their broadcast radius on percent* age, with no guarantee other thanr proper exploltatlqn. Their radio salary from WMAQ was reported at $1,600 weekly for the one weekly effort, with NBC now possibly paying $2,000 for the same act. Carrell and Gosden first broadcast for WGN,, Chicago, as a weekly fea- ture over the Tribune's station and at a salary only slightly higher than their former vaude Income. For i radio work at that time they adopt- I ed the liames of Sam'n Henry, later i changing to Amos 'n Andy when go* . ' Ing over to 'WMAQ and big money. When established radio name^ ' they played vaude In the mid-west tor $3,000 and $4,000 a ,week. Amos 'n Andy do blackface dialect chatter over the air, similar to Mo- ran and Mack, but were rad'o favor- ites in Chicago when the Two Black Crows were still but slightly known on the stage. Their weekly routines hold continuity, being in story torm..,. and picked up and continued week^ ly. Wester n ra dio fans listen in religiously to find what Amos 'n Andy will do next. They onco bought an imaginary broken down horse and derived six months' material from that one in- cident. NBC signed the team to a con- "traBtmbDTit~two-moiiths-agor-to-be-—- gin upon expiration of their agree- ment with WMAQ, In the mean- time the deal between the NBC and the Chicago station was consum- mated. ■ NBC hns the act under a one-year , contract, with an option.