Variety (Oct 1929)

Wednesday -THE GOLD DIGGERS" Band, Songs and Dances . Js Mins.; On* and Full (Special) Academy (V-r) . This is tlve same unit Ilelon Fer- (iiison started put Witlr a couple ot weeks ago for Keltlu , Orlglhally. it had something of a book and some extraneous production for Miss Fer^ cusoh's sakev Most of that has ijpw f^^n'cut away, but the major diffl.- Kffir Sfaf^&ii^ally dispelled the vS of this -turn, overabundance ^ of dancing. Still remains. With iMlss irer^fuson .out; It left a lot of holes to plug, ?nd seem- fn-ly the producer figured hls '^^y fut by throwing in. one ixpofer after Inother; uiitir they all get so tan- S up you cap't tell :'6m apart, that there only a .flashy hieht dub set holding Duke Yell- Sail and his. tjahd an^ _Ooinez and .■ysrinonS, dance l^tim. featured Iti ^'rrimiirily iackiag entei?tainlnk in grcdient^, that surplus, hooling hiakes it worse. Gomez and Winona Slake an excellent showing^ with HDlendid dance routines ■ that; ratfr^ . the team top; notch, but .they alone : c.in*t make up fori the; rest. AwP snottlhff the daiice team, far up m the unit is. a mi.stake. By time they igo on,audience i? pleijty iivfeafy.. Yellniin's combo ot- nine . pieces . a fixture on .Btafte. Musically o, k., but insumcfciht as, syncopated, stage bands pfo nowiidays. Mixed, dance ensemble 'Of 1« makes . a'.wide flour^' ish^ at- the opening, > but get lost; (S.omewherc ■ later, on, ■ l.oaving., but . ciifht jrjrls who g).ve; a good account of tlieniselYes,; V ■' ■ ' rbiitsi'de .of Gomc//.-an^3 : Winona( moiit QUtstandin;^ is TlulVy Shaw, a whirlwind^ on her heels:and. toes and a, looker, besidcj. . ■ She's a dinch to , cop tlib -honors. :Lill.ian Shade,. blu.e.s; fiinRor,.^of li.ftli'two.if,'httexture;,Kalph Cook, eccohlrtc hoofer, posing a;3 a . ■ comic; Gladys .Yatos,' . Solo, dancer, and Al and. Jack lland, hobfers, / comprise: the pi^rsonnel 3 WHitE FLASHES Roller Skating . . IS M ins.;: Two Academy (V-P) • Title deseriheg aet ' very aptly This trio of boys wear, white blouses ^hd pants :Tv|th black, front .studded . wide stomach belt. lt*e a speed r.ct consisting of acrobatic, dancing; and . adagio.skating istuff. '. t ' ■ ^ lii .onel niimber one of .the boys whirls the other around backneckcd On an open belt,with the hoy going through the air playing a violin. In this three-a-day played opener Will oH<-ki ' NEW ACTS VARIETY 65 CAMERON and DAVIS (3) Comedy and Dahcing ; ; ■ 16 Mina.; Full (SjDecial drops) Belmont (V-P), Chicago Hap Moore, formerly of Moore aiid Shy, in this act. Moore gets.his latigho from his size, more In di- ameter thct.n in longitude..: . -'-^ .Opens with . Oriental .inusic .and GanierOn in comic rajah Costume, spiels al)oul telling fortunes.: Davis ^omos lri from the . audience. The i?irl . here - rnigbt - wear : a ■ comedy dress, iler ordinary s.trdet. clothes are out of place in this routine. . From iliis point the. turn becomes ■jumbled a.nd meaningless. Moore clowns With Ciimcroh, ,two. gina rrianago. to. squeeze in sonie clever • dance bits, the t\yo men <lo a com- edy solclipr nunibpr, the fefnme trios sbmb patter, Moore changes to a huge pink drcs.«?. Act as it stands Is mossy, di.s- ilointed and poorly written. Not fimriy and xnisscs fire continually Tvirn . heeds how rbutirie. Loop, "RHYTHM" (24) Fanchon and Marco Idea 28 Mins.; Full Audubon (V-P) One of tho shortest and • snap- piest F, and M. Ideas to come danc- ing its wdy east. vKhythm" is the idea, and rhythm through the nic- dium of the feet is packed, sealed and delivered. jiJsf one scene* a huge design of music note to. .suggest rhythm, in front of which is the. augmented orchestra^ Naiijes here, too; that. is names which are knbWn on. the coast,, b.ut not stt woli known here, maybe, as Jeanett Ddncy,, the miOget colored girl who did the Brealtaway in "Fox Follies"; alsp Evans arid Weaveri colored boys, who did their routine in the same flicker.; The three were highlights of this idea, though ori for no great length of tlnae. ^ : . Ray Sdmuelsi. good Ibokipg; jiiv, acts m.. .c. .throuifhoutj ahd/doe? a neat. 30b oi'lt/ difffering fi-om the usual m. c., in that h6, makes no attempts to a;d lib or .cOmede by ga,gs.': lilhifing his work to intro-^ ducing; After, the 1ft Georgia Jjaye Dancers dish out their "Futiirlstic Rhythm.": hooflne to ; that tune, in the preclsioh- manner, Jackson an- hounccs a "Tap Rhythm" dnd. goe$ ahiead. to prove it.: Tliis'ls his only bit.viycsldes ni. c.in^; and he makes the niost of it; ., Gorman and. Sully, "Nut Rlvythm'- comics, 'followed with a series, of Slow taps and "nuV leap^ and tum^ bles. .Ope: of the two delivers his talis witil a. slow ■.swaying mqtibri, arid then goes irito. a series of spins, whirling 6ri.' his -.shoiilder • blad;es. Gtiicr takes to. the loaiJs-, but is riot as cffet'tivc -as liis partner. • The Lia;ye Dancers: again .are on. for a /'Hand . Bh ■ Rearing y<>llow gloves, the gals slap them- selves and" their mates, keepirig the time with tjioir resQUriding wliacks. Fol.r a. .bit .t>«loW the rest of their material. • . A little .Napoleon of the; harpsi, chord is5 George liyOns,, who macic thO. strings . tailk- in: ariy rhythm. Lyons ia a little, fellow "with a. trick of amuvsing pantorhime.- while- pldy- infj/ He looks shorter than he is up against that tall iristumenf. He vocaled, also, one of his numbers, which didn't, hurt the music any;, in a pleasing' voice, and, he;Was forced to take an. encore, , goiiig into' hot bljtlesi ■ ■ . Joariett Dancy, the pint-sized lit; tie colored gal, was given a big hand when her .connection with "Fox Fol iie.s" was mentioned; and she. re ceived another one-after eompleting her "Breakaway" number, the only number she does; Her reception arid delivery . here would • seeni to Warrant more. Evans arid 'V^eaVer, the two col Ored boys, possessed the outstand- ing log work of the Idea. Both boys enter as though ishot .from, a gun. and go into fast eccentric leg work without a moment's pause. One especially' made tlie hoVise sit Up. with his quick serpentine leg weaving that impressed as the fast- est kirid of legmania. It's all dancing, diversified danc- ing, thythriiic dancing and colorful dancirig. Its. short running-time is; more of a helji> than a hindrance, as it prevents dragginess. BOBBY McLEAN (3) >kating 2 Mins.; Three (Special Drop) Belmont (V-P), Chicago A nice looking and fast moylng act for family time.. Contains noth- ing now or startling, t<katine lieing rt'oognized turns and slides. McLean holds the spotlight for sonie flashy maneuvers, wiih an: other man and femme filling In with regulation double stuff, principally, of the. dance variety. ;. lioqp. ALLEN McQUHAE Tenor • '. "' 17 Mins.;! One ' ; Riverside (St. y.)i ; • McQuiidfe, vNBG'. radio singer, seeriied to be known to the.AudienCe when he stepped on;, the Riverside stage;. -A . fair . hand ; greeted Jiim; Advance supposition Of . his ether naine helping him as k ptige act is the reason for his yaude appearance, no doubt. ; < '\ ^ The nilddle-aged tenor is' said .to have been away from vaude for 1.5 years. He was probiably in ia quart tet. . Either • vaude has changed greatly, 6r McQuhae has forgotten his stag^ techniciue. - Favored with an excellent Voicej he's not. exerting stagie ;Sialesmanship to help-it along. ivWQuiiae's dull' routine.' of. songs, seem duller. as -, presented.: ■• A -bit more liveliness', would hel{); a lot; Move, u.se of the lighted stage, would be one- way to. pep things up. Numerous tenors arouhd as pro- licient on a stagb/.as McQuhae. The lattcr's radio . experience and prob- able rep is his edge, and wedge into .vaUde-. .■ Ahad mif'take prevented McQuhae from landing better at the. Riverside. ■Jle was in as far as.posRible at th? end. of ' the third ispng, but piref.erred to reiTiain -fbc another, rather ■ th.i.n ciuii whil.e the ciuiitine. w&s; gbbd. Al little inore. time, in ; vaude. .and .M(>Quha.e will know better.;.. : Man plarilst rwith bald head is . a good . accompanist, but ne's not so forte.bri femme appeal, ; Sigp^ hoofing ;md h<irnionixi» a pop liallad f<n' Kix'd applaii.«e results; A<^t is far superior to. tho u,<ual opciitM- aiul. is .UfsiTVing oi' a bi.'lti-r spot . on niost iiiils. . .; ]).ou<.in>? W'r.ro 01iai'l.''s. Sonna and Hbk'n. JH'aii ( Now' Acts) in. a Ilirta- tion skit witli a lovcrso. l.;;nylish: twist thai, tilled tho: Inile Diiioly. Ooriibn and \YalKer, {Kew Aots> have a cbiiiody,'sinking aiid ilanciti}: routine that lltted in poi-feetlS' here despite soiiVo ancient' comeily . busi- ness.. ;. ;. -■ -.. • ■ ■' Closing has Mr. and-: Mrs. Ray Lyte, daheirig; turn with an .ciR'lit-" piece Korean string; orchestra, and" ;E(ldie ■ Loughton as iii. - c. Haiid. twangs out at fine brand, of dance nriiisiC, and the Lytes handle ;their ballroom dance'nufnbers in finli^hed ;style', . but "Lbugh ten's' gags and an - nouncements are of the Vintage of .1918.' ALBEE ;r.-•■■r:r.58TH .S^^^ • (Vaudfilm) . . Ah . appreciable increase Mn biz. here, last Salturday, apparently due to "Show Boat" <TJ). than, the stage shoWi , "Holiywood;.Botindi"' which was 'new and. havihg rib .neighhor- hood popiularity to make it a special attractiorii . ."Hb^yWobd ;ljburid" is a' cbrbplcte:;unlt, prod.uced by Morrjis & Green, who ;haye gone in; ;f.br rather an am.bitiou.s pi;oductlon;.. It Was given the Whole stage as -far as the vaude. part: was concerned and judging, from.the reception here iast Saturday -gave complete sati.sftie- .tion. .•■•;"'. :.■:"•'■';'■';■. ;..The unit, idea is .hot- heW here, but such a laybut.iis "Holiywood Bound'.* 6 LUCKV BOYS Ri.siey 7 Mins;; Three . State (Y-R),. Very .fast rlsley. tumbling and short -flying rbiitine by ,six;:mc.n— three-foot bala.ncerS aiid three acro- bats—that can open ariy sho,w a,nd ■ Conic ■near to •" stoppitjg it. . Act strongly sjugfscats the. American Bel lords.■ •■ : : Dpiiible,.tuinbling fro'in one pair of pins ■ to another; timed flights , and : exchanges; -Witli two flyers' passin*? each other . in rilotion; sommer- saults from <foot .balances back into .position. Much of it sensational. Some; clowning by one member for ^air comedy .VoRults.' - One .stunt is built up likc.'a. million by three misses before" it's accomplished, tho'tigh two would be sufllcicht. Smartly presented • and neatly dressed. ■ : Bige. PEGG'/ CALVERT , Songs •. • ■ ■ .6 Mins.^ One .Lincoln Sq, (V:^P) . Act was doing four shows day caught.. ' Miss Calvert is. a blonde, •of fine figure, but; cold pC'i'sohality. ==^^wa"T?nn7TFr=a3rir=hTtTr^ a Got a.Fooling-rm Falling" and ''Old . Fa.'^hibried. Lady," • Singing :is cafe type and lacks c-j- pchUar stage warmth. In seconfl number Miss Calvert attempts sen- timental bit in jstr.'iight tempo ad- dre.ss put in between .sititiin-.; parts. Okc as No. 2 .spot in outlying houses --hut..they'.d hottt r he'lying out far if act is used as pri scnt.cd here. SENNA and DEAN Comedy Skit 12 Mins.; One arid Two (Special) Jefferson (V-P). Man and woman combo using the flirtation, skit .dirfc:rcntly. Here the girl is strictly oh the make with the man acting .shy and resisting her advances; Miss Dean has a bright up-to-the- minute line of chatter and ; Senna .<iiraikhts for her in competent fashion. . Couple play banjo ukes and. vocalize, a couplie of special sohga nicely. ; Act makes a: dandy deucer for the ■neighborhood houses. GORDON and WALKER Comedy, Singing, Dancing; t5 Mins.; One Jefferson. (V-P); . ; . . . Two man comedy team.. aS.sistou in ah oiibning- bit by a haridsonw- girl of, Ainazohian prbp'orfioiis. ^ Nut tragedian • fituff hy Mtirray Gordon gets the turn off to a . good start Avith, Walker's, clowning helping to mali'e. it .stand upi. ;•: '. Gordon has' a nice: set;of pipes. Using therii effectively-: for: "Seyv Kind of Old JTashion-Girl," pop Vo- cal^ with a punchy recitation, :that wowcd' -om herie;. A .dash of slap- .stick and some ■.released gn-irS' les- sens the pace in spots, but Walker's iuibfltig;finish, winds it up in great style. .:' ^ ■.' ■ ,: Turn will deliver cfnoiently in most .of the interm.ediate vuudo- pioturfe houses... ; ^ ■; LEVAN, PUTNAM arid BEY Comedy, Songs, Dances • 11 Mins.; One Lincoln. Sq. (V-P). ==Wa=ify-=<*K<--k<jy-)=J-ei;aj^^ with a: new turn, includes blonde, as- iisirai, and a second hiari. OM gags, .puny comedy, and light at- tempt at torpsiohore. Gags even at- tempt :l)lue spot onee. with thr- .i)lond(J pulling "She never ealM l>e- r.ore going to bed." . .j When eaughl not-.wiis in:>'o. 3/'t.. nve^-a«'t hill on day wiien .ilieati"- <i<'- manded four shows. lOarly ."pfit'er;; MbRTON-and THOMAS Sprigs and Tali< : 11 Mins.; One Hamilton (V-P) TWb women; one a fair looking brunet and the other a hef tig blonde momma with-all the laughs derived froih. the cracks cast at the.blonde's heftiness.-.. • .. ' V . . . . .. • Turn is Blow arid drags. : War- bling, both sold and duet; delivered in; a ■ lukewarm manner.. Patter misses many:gigiB:le3 It. aims for elir cept for those at the expense of the biondii^ shape. This woman .carries whatever comedy there, is • with business of hopping' to and. fro, in imitation of a svelte ballet mistress,, the incongruity bringing' the gig- gles; ■ ; ■ . , • Below par but will serve for early spotting in family houses. HAMILTON (dbntlniied .frprn. page 64) ; '. runible of the taps beebirin sonie- w'hat • irksoriie'. Ah imitation. of .;a .schoolgirl singing; the scale,, by one of the supporting girlis, was well delivered. Dunn and West's diver- sified ballroom stepping still pleases with .'the toe-neck .catch arid whirl in. the Roman tJ>-hlcau the stand- out.. .. ••■ Joe Darcey, standai'd blackface eomlc; went bver big here. . Darcey'.'? .Tolsonlan riianner of vocal delivery is very noticeable, though the num.- hers are not announced as imita.shcs; Tlis "Little Pal" was certainly a la. ,TOlson in every way; But DarQey mi.KCd his patter and .songs nicely and they ate it up. Good closing number In his. tuneful mixture of pop ballads and trots with, the lyrics telling a ftory "of. his ardor for a wedded mnma. No flicker surrounding fpr "Show Boat," but even so the show fell but 10 minutes short of three hours.. ^^::^:;-:^v^JEFFERSON:^ Nice " layout ot .four acts at; this liliO downtown'.stand the. first half, the vatJde, portion of the program runninie: 6Q minutes, the' feature, "SlibW 'Boat"..(tJ),- taking 135 min- utes to unwind,: and Pat he sound, news and mi.scellaricous shorts con- suming another ten Jmirtutes.. plenty of show for six.hits, hut biz was a :i-)it off at the iriatlnee S.aturday, just aV)out three-qtiarterK.capacity. d^.Wh stairs. The old .Jeff, is undergoing con- sideraMe' improvtiment . these days, under tlie direction; of Sol Soh\yarl'/> and George HoO\-er, who ar<» .run- i nlng the :faoUse. . ju.st about .75 per | eent better - environment sihce the' house was last, visited, by this writer early in the. summer. That, eraeked and' peeling .ceiling th.'it tijreatened momehtarily to bust the konk of one or iriore. orchest-ra jja- trons is being reimired and .pf.'inted ly.hind c anvaK-eovei-od .s eaTfuU iing. gives'dh.;ideft wlvat riiay. be. expected if the. house .should ;di.s'play 'its Vdude : and. Orchestrav on .the stage after the fashion ■ of the :l25th .Street, which is., imquestiohably pulling, Th^ band,.in this on^ doesn't get, a.R much-Vvork,a;s;inb.'5t Such grpixps. arid could be workcd.Un .^thcr numbers .for. a more, colorful effect. ;- .The hoys apparently' have; done much. , knockahout'.. Work ^' judging from the coh'dit.ioii qt their, .iml- forms. \ ■ . ■ ■ '■ • .■'' ■ Apparently the priihirig kriife hass been 'busy bn ;this/ unit since, it opened. All the main c'ome.dy hinges ^ori the work , of Joe Stanley and liis. -burlesque experieriee starids him in god- stead; He works hard and ob- tains legitirinate lagghS: through his. droll style. . His comedy dance i.s one. Of the best things in the act. . ; There is a. try for ..a little coh tinuity in theme, but these, acts must depend a- lot on specialty talent. SiJeclal rilUsic as offered .here is ;a relief from the repetition of topical numbers in present yaudfilm enter-' tainment. ; . Twelve girls give the .act ..quite a chorus backgrotind and they stage a very novel number, xiamely the dummy chords .boy gag worke<i up; with; the girls in the special outfits to • Which are attached frames' from which the girls' heads appear,; Their, legs are encased: in the pants of the 'male ^umriaies.' An unusual, effect. Mark:: (Vaudfilm) • Ole.sen and John.'<on,,ir. i ;,ni).uatorff of uiitliluted iiokuni, hriiijr:t!ii> i>arty si)iiMt to tlvo, Allxe and. l>y flieir iiulVeeihties prov uio tlie. eh iiiont of eojitra.st \vhiih IS the essenee and f;uts of. vaudi v;ih\' . Said eontr,ist Is present in tlio. <'K.}.ranMy eomposed I.vi.rii kson sind Brown and the art gaUery tlirotiili ■svliieh holders of 50Cent. s'tiIis pass en route to the 'grand Staiid; . I'aus- . ing lou.t?; enough to .ccmtempUite tho!i^e^ iiluniinaU'd p'ls'tvls. and : to speejilate on cost arid then: fiilliiwin}; i^filh.'.T. load of DcHoksbh and. JEiroWn ; the: irnpre.«iSiona[ble oAiditor might ' imagine he; hiid stumtvlc ;; into, a conservatory or .sQinething. ' ; . ■After :a few percti.s'sions ; from. ? Olesen and johnsori's Wellrwha:ck<?d slapstick, the niist is . penetrated-and the humble customer Is once more- at .home among the simplicities .of the . belly giggle..' -' ; \ ' Not that. Ghesleigli and Glbbs arie .. quite- inv the'■ Carnegie Hall Spirit although'they are at least a. bit F-ark Central.'in. their deportment. ' These .smart answer girls aro'/quite> hau't chapeau and it is ohiefly due to their unhurried poise that their material gives off a luster not en-, tirely inherent. ; : '- ,Johnny Pastine>s; was cau.£ht'last •week a;s/a new act at the jeffersoh. Opening, niimber, ball. room, steppinsr if out, PoSsiblY to speed the running order, with "Bfoadway'.' (U.) Gvbr-.long in • lirir reeling:^ . . Clyde Hager has hrualied up' his classic street TJltCh routiTinoludiiig; a. pqtatd pf cler ahiong; the articles, he now :seHs tor a tenth of a;doIlar, Bii. good;;. -. ; - ~ lixindi ■ ; 31ST STREET ' (Vaudtilm) ; Bookers evidently .prbflted; from last week's janri a.t the Alhee, B'roo.k - lyh; where they bookqd in a fiyc.Taet show -with ".Show Boat" film., ' Up here "Show Boat' is screen featiirt: for fir,st half with' .vaiidc. divi.'iion comprising three acts instead Of the usual. five and plenty of .show at that, .. Busin.css . light, at Saturday mhtirtee. Dcnishawn ' Daneors, fcaturirii; Ernestine Day, open and register fbr cla.ss w'ith a trio, of. dlvei-tls.se- ments delivered perfectly and biick.^ grounded tastefully. It's a mixed ensenfible of'12,. eight girls and. four men, BoViton. Fancy, the vogue of the early SO's, is planted by a mixed octet for openei', .with MiSs Day fol- lowing with a lithesome Viennes." whltz solo. ITopi Indian danee. drama, enlisting the. entire ensemble, gave. Dester Shafer an ojiportunity to. ;-yie: .with ;iyriss Day ; for ,;;,danee lionbi;',^;' pf the a.bt/. The latter;!« w;cll done dhd provides an .iidCciuate closer 'for .■tlie;ar.fj Avhichi :went;oV'ei.;. >v-i'fh. a/smish.:' : Three ; SwiftSi - male'.trio, . clicked^ with elub manipxilatioh and Juggling far above average; with an es.sonee ;of . comedy, provided .by oho of .tile. ,boyi3 .dolhg'Knj^li.sh fOP.' ICddie l^ardo. had .:Comed,y all his. own . and mopped -up . in .clo.ser as'.sisted . by Tliclma; "Whiter attracr tivc blonde arid another wo'niari Tm- hilled. lOddie'rt' Clt),wnology... -lifI?led iis usual,. which,;: backed .by In'.-- songs, .set him 'pretty. ■ •Cros.sf.ire .be- tween . Pardo" and.':nT)ti(ni;,ited-. da'i!)" peddler Of liirth Control Ka>ieftc h.'Hl some lively Iln.gb that kept the o.iit- fronters in yell.v Tiliss "VV^hito jila.li.ted a song and' triple taj) daii.ee tli.nt lit in neatly and a.lso'clowned tlirough the elo.'^ing'.voi'.'il witli Pardo, XiCiy. act for ariywhf re. "Show Boat" (V) screen Xeature. Have You Tried VARIETY'S aign Advertising? The Finest Kind of Weekly Publicity I Wrile for Full I hi or ma Iwn . f)pening held Fred Sylvester, as si Sled by three midgets In'haud- l.i.laniihg turn that difrers from o;iier novelty acrobatic.xaots,.in tiiat t lie two niidget to'pnLl^unters .Used m pi-k-uj;?, hand-tf)-,hand and head- fr.-h'.'id stan'ls get (vjinody rcwults I'V tl." manner in Whif.h. S.vlyei-ter his lees- to finish each stunt. .MidL/te al.'-'O go in for a .1'lt o£ T.,ilyan ;llaywar(l, to \vrite .seena ■■■ \ T^iTTf^rat^l'^N-:^-" ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ' n . I IS4 West 46^ NEW YORK CITY I'aul'.I^ukas; added •'Ban'd\vag()n,' Pfir, i Ttjm Moore, Blanche Sweet. 1 "Nii;litn"Stfss;":M-r,.. . Anders llandolph, added "►^on o1 0,e :T50ds.:' , FN. . • ; . - '.. ' , liii l^'ird Tu'-k< r - add-d '•l'e.'ieo..'i< Betty'Cfirnj-J^fn, Alexander Gray,