Variety (Dec 1929)

Wednesday, December 4» 1929 FILM HOUSE REVIEWS VARIETY 4r CAPITOL C'Eton Day*"—Unit) New Tork, Nov. 29. Ann Codee gets the most laughs in the CatJltol's current stage show, It's strictly comedy fare, excluding the routine, of the hallet, which is exceptionally good in costume and movement. : ' . Of course, Dave Schboler's back. In" hlis buster collar and Eton cps- tume, but mostly plus that early effort to be English, Dave wasn't sO: good. It would be. far better for him and some of the audience at the second show tonight if he had eliminated thq,t personal appearance for the Intro. He gets plenty of chance to prahce arpund when the stage goes to full and stays there; For Dave's real reception, howeverj let It b6 known that he was shown utmost cordiality when he finished tuning that handsomely gowned grand. Chester Hiale's girlies,: this time Etohettes, took their first fiash In purple high hats and loose tights. Legs "positively" b'are. Pattered across the back gracefully to slip out with the aid of each other's cahes. During the cadances couple in black Stepped in the lead. Betui-n of Etonettes in red blazer coatig and wide fianneV pants before finale witnessed a trick number with megaphones of; many hues. With the parking of these came a surprise turn and one quite unique. Girls double filed and those in rear during, the stepping reached down and slipped off the pants of those in front. Coats had already bcOT di- vested and rowing c.rew Idea was later fully executed.. l3rop slid down for. second to go up almost Immediately to full showr Ing rear line armed with racing oars seated a.bove Capitblians. Prop shell at orchestra's feet With oars set for .those who had remained out front. Another offering by the Eton- ettes witnessed . black and white novelty combihation. Patent leath- , er effect produced by the former. The Capitol Grand Orchestra this . time gets away from the classic for Tasha Bunchuk's . idea of George Gershwin's melodies.' They've got a heavy-leaning toward Gershwin In thft-liouse, only recently one of the . stage. shows almost dedicated to him, ^he musical arrangement is called "Gershwianai" Yaaha is bet- ter when he sticks to the highbrow notes. ; Hearst Metrotone and MGM silent are this newsreels. ■ "The Untamed," Metro- feature, find can be dialled anything. Waly. « • — — ft • FOX, BROOKLYN frames held by eight of the 16 Sun- kist Beauties. ^ Outstanding number in which en- semble appears is toward close when they go Hawaiian. Entrance of Bradley and Evain entirely orig- inal following number by ensemble, with girls swaying off as team fol- lows them on in waltz specialty. Heldt and his band of 12 is a strbng entertaining outfit. Slow- motion bits, solos, vocal specialties included In things done,, but best the number by bandsmen as Florodora- sextet. Undress finish a laugh. Feature, "Phantom m the House" (Continental), with Bicardo Cortez the star. Filler besides News a De Forest short, ."Marionettes," produced abroad by British-International. , AH of 65c, worth here. Char. (Presentation) ——l^ .-Brooltlynr-Nov. 30.-- - One of twp.de luxerS In downtown Brooklyn. I*iai'amount, which casts a shadow ov6r Foil's, or vice versa, depending on the sojar reflection, is the other, .. A sort of - Boxy in decorative scheme!, the Fox Is far richer in atmosphere than the average theatre parading , as a de luxer^ Nothing gaudy or gilded, and nothing cheap except the admission; 65c. Satur- days and. Sundays for all seats. About three-quarters of the . 4,600 seats Were filled at second matinee Ehow Siiturday. Fox bills its unit as two stage shows in one, due to booking of Fanchon & Marco presentations backed by Horace Heldt and his Callfornians. Unit is "Beach Nights"; because. of way it is mixed with Heldt'S band and other stuff, it is difficult to figure how it would look alone. • Heldt starts his third week here but isn't using Lobo, the police dog conductor. Management figures nov- elty would wear off if doa were used , every week. Stage show runs 47 minutes. Entertainment all the way, care- fully blending Heldt and band with the presentation from the west, and notable for smoothness. Production chief staging shows here knows his stuf^ It. is. one thing throwing a big. unit together .with a band and another .to tie them together right. . . Plenty of talent on stage, includ Ing Maxine Doyle, Berhlce Galley, Davis and La Buer Bud. Carlell, Bradley and Evain, the Kitaros and Hap Hadley. Of this aggregation, Miss Doyle, Miss Galley. Davis and La Bue, and Bt-adley and Evain figure in dance routines. First two mentioned do Jazz, hula and other specialties ap propriate to the atmosphere of the unit: Dayls and La Bue are there with comedy and stepping, and Bradley and Eyain with ballroona routines. AH above average. Carlell, In cowboy regalia, does a rope-spinning and talking routine . Bopes o. k., but spinning of gab .not so. hot. Eddie Davis only other member of unit attempting comedy, outside of Kitaros. He does a brief l-^4J:unk.bit,..going=Into--thi6-dance-^wlth. May La Bue to top, with dancing feature of performance. Kitaros do foot juggling and Bis- ley routine of average merit, trying to be comical most all the way. Not so successful, with girl member of trio giving act too much of a circusy look for' de luxers. Comedy ordi nary. . Hadley's scene Is one In .which he nastily sketches well known news paper cartoon strip characters on METROPOLITAN C^Mach Box Revue"—Unit) Boston^ Nov. 30. Charles "Buddy" Bogers has been a steady business builder, at this house and "Half Way to Heaven" proved to be a big draw from the opening day. ; Publix unjts, when they draw business, help only the last half of the week, as there is rarely any individuality to them, that lends Itself to publicity, iand their- ultimate pull is always on word of mouth response. The .unit this week is not as col- orless as. usual, one of the units under the hew Publix policy. Charles Niggemeyer built his rather flat little production around the names^f the Griersdorf Sisters and BdhaanPovey, the latter a ballet dancer, featured by Ziegfeld in a couple oif productions. Besult, they helped opening biz without'question. The other two acts are Burns and Moriarty, routine tap dancers, and Gordon's IDogs. The dog act is a sure click for the unit, having an element of humor built, in with such clever psychology it got more gen- uine laughter and applause than this S.OOOrseater has heard in months, . Niggemeyer'is hew unit is entitled, 'The Match Box Bevue." Scenlcally It lis a bit Scotch, probably a fore- runner of units to come. In which the! talent will, be more- entertaining and costume and scenic investiture less lavish. . The change on the part of Publix toward more dependable acts will be a good break for the Met as the Kelth-Albee a couple of blocks away has been cashing in on exploited pop acts that have the stuff. Gabriel -Hines is the new guest conductor and went over well with "Pagliacci." Charles Martell at the organ by -using a non-plug routine with laughs and community singing built up at the very .opening proved his — contention" that : the—organ feature is not 'dead but has been merely rendered unconscious by the compulsory commercial plugs on which the publishers have, not spent enough brains or money to make entertaining. . Libhey. ^ LOEWS STATE r Uniforms". Unit) Los Angeles, Nov. 29. •'Uniforms" Is one of the least elaborate of the Fanchon & Marcb units as to production, but clicks on personnel. This is another unit using as many boys as girls, with Individual and ensemble tapping the masculine contribution. Highlight is bpy lineup as bellhops in a tap- ping orchestration of. "f*o6t ahd Peasant." House responded with a storni effect Thanksgiving night. Ajrmand and Perez, nimble hand- to-handers, work fast and easily. Draw laughs with simple incidental gestures. Another heat item Is Daniel Joy's eccentric stepping in loose clothing. Wears a frock coat a.hd manipulates for. dwarf and giant effects. Georgle StoU and his band got lusty audience co-op. Buth Hamilton opened with this show In Pasadena but is out clean- ing up her material. Fifl Dorsay, from pictures, substituted for Los Angeles and San Diego. If Miss Hanillton's stuff was hotter than Flfl's it "must have liamed. French vamp is singing an illustrated pop with the Dorsay torso doing the il- lustrating. StoU offers himself as the burnt sacriflce, working as foil to the number's . rawness. Miss Dorsay encores with her. song from They Had to See Paris" a;nd Stoll arms himself with' ,a fire, extun- guish.er. Couple of perky stepipers, Sylvia Shore and Helen Moore, work In front of the choru&es. Kids show personality but can Improve by dol- ing out the side winks less liberally Finale has the boys marching out as cadets for ma-neuyers ahd adagio handlings of the girl team in ankle length fivfC. . The girl line-up is for- ward for neat pony prancing,, and a quick finish. Ban 38 minutes. Feature is "So This !«? College" (M-G). Heavy local appeal on ac count of the U.S.C. canipus and use of lasit year's football game with Stanford. Thanksgiving night line- up halfway to Hill street. (names not mentioned on the screen and maybe an old shot), followed by an animal hospital. Best laugh was a taxi driver presented with $5,000 check by Police Commissioner Whalen for honesty in turning over a ^50,000'necklace he found. Taxi guy's talk on why he did it a panic. Kid roller skating; sightly girls in bathing suits cleaning a statue, and winter racing at Bowie completed. Interesting program running 47 minutes flat.. • Span. FIFTH AVENUE (^'Kisses"-Unit) .. Seattle, Nov. 28. 'Three stages of osculation form the motif of this unit. It's a Fan- chon' & Marco, "idea." All In this unit are young folks, not so young but what it is natural for 'em to kiss and despite grotesque situations, cleverly interjected, it's a smooth pi'esentatioh. Will Cowan and Helen Aubry sing arid dance to good audience recep tion, while a half dozen nifty couples carry background. . The wedding iscene is pretty and carries good laugh, especially when dainty Helen coos lovingly and Will hurls away his spectacles, the good book and his ministerial robe, winding up with steps. Jane McKenna,. who with Joe Mc Kenha, her brother, carry the com- edy richly, have laughs in the final flash. . Owen Sweeten with his stage band continue making goals. Stanley West, out ot the house, band, does a rube number that Is good for the local gang. On the screen, "Christina;." Trepp. ORIENTAL (Presentation) Chicago, Nov. 29. House attemptis to live up to Its naime this week by presenting a quiet stage show labeled "Chin Chow Chowi" Looks like a hastily put together Job and just makes the grade. Opens with the usual chorus rou tine but substituting; hand move merits for leg work. Girls line up on stools to do some precision hand work with arms covered to elbows in-=red^glav£a.;^JC.pmx .and Mui^^ hoofed and pleased. Winifred and Mills had a perfect spot for their oriental comedy act. Good results. Show stoppers were the Pasquale Brothers. Presentation closed with a simple chorus number, and i Japanese tableau. "So This Is College" (M-G) fea ture. Tremendous business first show rrlda,y. No school evidently the reason. Crowded on sidewalks de.spke a bittf-r cold morning. . EMBASiSY (Newsreel) ' . Ney York, Dec. 2. Goirig into its fourth week, with a pretty secure foothold on Broad- way's- milling drop-ins,' this two-bit straight film news spot. is . beginning to go in for some fanciful advertis- ing that doesn't look any too healthy. On the poster sheet out- side this week is a rilemo that reads as follows: "Byrd Makes Pole! U- S. Commander Completes Perilous 1,600-Mile Plight Over Pole and Back to Base!" Insl Je on the screen this brazen announcement pales down to- a few cursory, remiarks by__Byrd__taken last—year jmIox. to his departure. If the Newsreel theatre intends to keep , oh basking .in the sun, this method of exploita- tion isn't going to do any good. "Come-on" billing defeats itself if What it heralds isn't there. . Program caught Mohday night held.a total of 27 clips, ^vith the Fox cameras projecting 15 for-a slight edge.. Hearst end riiade. up a rather listless catalog, most of it library or else just topical without being newsy* Best of the lot was an ex- perimental - recordlrig machine tak- ing 'down Manhattan street noises. Stimulated interest, with reception very distinct. On the remaining Hearst roster was Mayor Walker receiving a medal, from N. Y. Jr. Baseball league (Walker always a good subject here); Harlem gals strutting in fashion parade to hot piano music; steeplechase (society stuff) at Harpet Hills, Tenn., unex- citing; Japanese baseball game'(not new) elicited some giggles; sea gulls from St. Ives nicely displayed, but similar to one Fox had about a year ago; straight talk from Dr. Masaryk, Czech' president, who for a foreigner discoursed pleasantly and clearly In a message to Ameri- ca; Philadelphia Jiack O'Brien show- ing a group df chorus girls how to box, mild and. obvious for sex angle, besides hangirig over from the sum- mer; N. Y. to .Montreal air tranfl- ppx't; reducing exercises with a fat woman had some laughs; Havana orphanige, human interest; arid the alrinual Thahksgivini: parade piit on by Ma.cy's departmeht. store! Fox features included the . Notre Dame-Army game (Saturday) cov- ering many high spots, arid- a pip shot on the boy dope peddlers nabbed . by federal men at Blaine, Wasii. Cameira . didn't miss a thing here from the cops' flrst ap-; proach to the car used by the boys to the almost complete demollsh- ment of the auto arid the final dis- play of the stuff. Mrs. Coolldge Is first on the Fox list .with a plea for Xmas seals. Plash of N. Y. sky- scrapers arid. the uncompleted .Chrysler structure good topical stuff, with yqlcea of workers coming over clearly. More football froni N. .Y.: U. .and Carn egie .LTech, Just aheaid of tfie Notrie Dame-Army"clip,' and followed by wresting match be- tween Shikat, new heavy champ, and Calza.' Faulty editing In the next thr<^e sequerices, all air stuff, starting with talk and plane maneuvers by Con- gressman Hass of Minnesota; wed- ding In the air and the Canadian air line (Metro). Also^ two pet animal displays, showing first an exhibit presented by Katherlne and Jane Lee RKO (Presentation) Los Angeles, Nov. 20. For orice, the Bud Murray girls look as If they'd rehearsed. Cos- tumes click, the setting a,chieves a pleasing intimacy, aind the stage show carries a hoke flash kick, iri Harry Holriacs, two weeks ago at the Orpheum. , Performance Is predominently Aherri again. Will, in his second week as m. c„ dropped the Cowboy stuff for the conventional civies; Brother and Gladys work with him. Latter does a pash bit with Ahern, which borders on rowdlneiss. When she came on in What looked like teddies; arid a transparent 'waist,. it looked - like la,st week's dress-up plea got to her in reverse. Later she came back in spangle trunks for some wiggle-kicking with the brothers working on melody and kidding. Acts used are Brooks trio, ban- Joists, working whiteface as harl'er quins, their ha-ha sonjg going best. Josephine Huston and Don Carroll are in on the opening ensemble for atmospheric duet, and later sing In costunie of the days when whoopee meant skirts. Opening'. has six of the girls Ih artist smocks, other six posed on a flight, of stairs as .draped models. . Sirriple and pretty. After the duet girls come doWh stage for a line-up. Girl pUnch is the finale, dancing in turkey costumes. . Film feature. Is "Jazz Heaven" (Badio). Biz couldn't help being a hold-out for a holiday. Added aittractlon now provided f or "crltlcis" at this hpu^e Is a roped off row In the middle of the house Whoever gets the. end seat has a lot of explaining to do to the cus tbmers. STANLEY ROXY (Presentation) New York, Nov. 29. . It's again demonstrated that Wag- ner is a composer for Carnegie hall, but not for a picture house. After all, even with the art and the grand flourishes, the Boxy is still a piC)- ■ ture parlor. For sleeping purposes, "Tann- hauser" overture is-possibly unex- celled. There are long stretches like niuslcal prairies, which fatigue the ear when they don't completely al- low the mind to talte a walk. In other, and fewer, words Herr Wagner's overture is only a great, dull stage wait. What they need In these big arenas, and let them be- lieve it or not, is overtures with sock. Something to remind the pa- tron It's ..a, theatre, riot a 12-Inch phonograph record. Lethargy wais dispelled after the show progi'essed from Wagner's gloomy Bhlne to the colorful ga- votte In VIrivitation to the Dance," wherewith was presented the silver lining to the Teutonic cloud. Patricia Bowman and Leonide Masslne of the Boxy stock company carry out this dream tableau of the miss who visioned herself at the ball. Hall Johnson's Negro Choir, hold- ing over, and .later Daniel E. Haynes preluding Fox's "The Biver" With Old. Man Biver," Were popular re- vival of a motif dear to the Both- afel bpspm. But the climax of the presentation was "a Marche Des Zouaves," Intro- .(I'uclrig Bussell E. Markert's brigade as French balloon-pants soldiers. Their maneuvers are inadequately described as sure-flre. Land. (Presentation) Pittsburgh, Nov. 29. Some . real entertainment in this week's "Frills and Fancies.". Prob ably the best all round since Dick Powell came downtown as m. o. Set tings simple but effective, a few scrim' curtained drops being used. Cheap and look It, but customers -here- forgive—everything- when—tbe- entertalnment is there. Openlrig has. ohorus. In nice rou- tine, " followed by ' Five Blazing ^liazes, .colored tap dancers anVl good. Garbed . In full dress suits, boys look snappyi Bandstand moved to front for one of those, fairy tales, read by Powell, with musical Inter- polations. Liked. Bemice* and Emily, announced as late of "Scan- dal£t," next and a solid hit with their acrobatic dancing. . Two line girls, cute youngsters and with possibil- ities, lead chorus In "In a Kitchen- ette" from "Gold Diggers." Hurst and Voight next-tb-closlng with familiar gags, but a fresh qual- ity in delivery offsets the age. Powell and megaphone, croon into three encores, last one dovetailing Into finale, showing several of the girls in picture frames In back- ground. . Dave Broudy's overture, "Prince of Pilsen," with trumpet and- violin specialties. Picture, "The Sacred Flahie" (WB). Biz on first show Friday capacity. Oojien. VARIETY New York, Dec. 8. A sawdust grind on 3d avenue be- low 14th street, wired with BOA Photophone, and keeping the ma- chines hot from 7 a. m. until 11 p. m., 16 hours. At 20c. top for adults in the evening, tap during day dime. This spot must have been one of those family entriance beer halls In the old days when 14th street was uptown. Now its a haven for bar- gain hunters. The Variety caters to that demerit, the scale . at all times being a nickel less than other grinds in the neighborhood, House gets a lot of drop-ins dur^- Ing the. early morning, jabore'rs and mechanic.*?, engaged in night work.^ going for a portion of cheap screen entertainment before hitting the hay in the lodging hou.ses . scattered along the street, on the screen Monday night "Dangerous Curves" (Par), Parariiburit news (silent), and a two-reel comedy, "Baby Talk" (U). House,. .600-.'jeater, is profitably operated by the Capsuto Amusement JJo,, jinjO, hilled_^Ilfe a^clTcuis.^side. sfibw." No less tfiari 15 S-sKeets plastered out front in addition to numerous franies and stands crammed full of cut-outs and stills. Program changes daily, and the lay- out for the week is billed, Patronage consists of every imag- inable nationality that ha.s its hab- itat oh the lower east side. Monday night being .sloppy out- doors the hou.se had sawdust scat- tered in the aisles.. GRANADA (Presentation) Chicago, Nov. 29. Since Publlx-B. & K. has taken over the Marks Bros, houses, the stage , shows have been cutting down on the outlay, using fewer. and cheaper acts. Figure that since houses are now getting pictures with ' drawing power, stage shows c?i,n be played down< Both ,thd Granada and the Marbro. are using sound shorts to replace the act sliced off the presentation. Stage show this week tagged "Futuristic Bevue;" and less pre- teritlous than the standard pre- viously get. Opens with a chorus routine, four girls doing a spe- cialty . number. House has added four girls to the lineup and the im- provement Is excellent. Genevieve Plgh manages to play a classical tun^ on a banjo and closes with a simple tap number. Over nicely. For some reason the very gbpd Da'ck Shing troupe has changed its name to the Charlie Wonge Troupe. -Jap tumbierff-it«d~twisters -havr been playing in every house arotmd town, and every tiriie have. been surefire. Healy and Clifford are a pair of fast tappers but do nipt bujld . up .properly, and. miss real results. Crowd, liked Boy Bogers and his drunk clowning and tum- bling. "Salute" (Fox)' feature and busi- ness excellent on Thanksgiving. PARAMOUNT (<'Mardi..Gras"-Unit) New York, Nov. 80. Ben Black's back. It's gettlngf to be a habit. Whenever an m. c. Is about to leave and the Paramount has to go Into a huddle, sbmebne, a good gueels would be Jack Part- ington, says: "How about Ben Black?" When not thus occupied Bldck perforriis chores of wide geograiph- Ical range for Publix. San Fran- cisco knows him . and 80 does New Orleans. "Mardi Gras," the fit if unoriginal title and motif of this Partington unit, Is sufficiently descriptive of the Columbine, confetti and feistoons^or persons who know their . picture house units.. It provides this needed color and fabric splurge, yet with Partington suppressing his weak- ness for spangles in the presumed, interests of economy New Yorkers might.Judge such a unit in Invidious contriast to the heavy sugar confec- tlbris at the. Boxy and CapitoL ' It Is' important to remember Publix uhlts are. geared and organized for quite a different purpose. "Mardi Gras" combines daintiness and moderate-scale spectacle with novelty a,nd laughs. Couple of mid- gets worked into an attractive bal- let come under the novelty heading but principally Four Ortons,-pro- vided by the probably reluctant courtesy, of B-K-O, tbpped. -fr* Substantially their vaudeville routine but dressed to fit into the unit the Ortons are one of-the best inspirations the Publik production department has had in soriie'time. • Two Gobs belorig to that multl- tudlouB school of comics who, al- thou gh, jeasonably, succ essfu l,-,are. mechanical rather thari natural fun- makers. Their nance stuff was suc- cessful to the degree that a woman in the Saturday audience responded to a display of underwear with rib- bons on It by remarking: "Oh, Ippk where his necktie l.s." ►Screen occupied by "Applause" (I»ar) coming in two weeks after closing at the Criterion. Cold weather didn't interfere with i standee trade. Land.