Variety (Dec 1929)

Wednesdar* December 25, 1929 BURLESQUE VARIETY 37 BURLESQUE REVffiWS L. {URLS FROM FOLLIES (MUtUAl-) , (2d Bavl«w), Bd. * Kyan'3 troupe p£ satirical yiMsplaiuB make about' the beipt all- ^und MX ana humor layout to he ^een In Mutual cathedrala thia sea- It differs from tho ord^naty Iki having a chorus able to snap Its 07fa stuff without relying com- ^etely on a house lineup, an en- ^uslastlo and capable comio iiamed Pernie. Oreen, bright and sometimes |Q>rlghiiy costuming, and Gladys jCIarlE, who parades her things gen- jvousiy and doubles, on. accordion Iphd clarinet. At the fitelnway* ,Astorla» Xong Ikland, a friendly mob of citizenry ^ thel rough was taking overy- ihlng without salt. Probably given more for Its money than most stands along the wheel wUl receive, iGals had a habit of carrying Just enough cloth to • cover a medium ■Ized yacclnatlbn Bcar^ and Comics, .prompted by roars, of. laughter, spared neither detail nor time In •nlarglng on what , usually passes with a snicker as double entendre. lAn Instance Is Bernld Green's de- scription of a back, 'yard phone iHDoth, starting where Chic Sale l6ff off. About. 10 of the 16 chorines wouldn't look out of place In a pic- ture house lineup, wlilch Is a swell Compliment. They-- lack polish In training, of course, bj^it make pre- sentable work of routines Involv- tng taps, successive. rhythm and militaiy precision. iS^trlpped to a Scotchman's piirse and two thim- bles as. at the Steinway, they com- pletely alibi the unique Idea of In- serting authentic routines in the Skin game. Green,, In white face, Is a comic iwho could olick minus the smut .tt he were outside:., burlesque.. Be- ing Where he Is, It^lis logical for him to go for stag laughs and make •yerything plain. When a burlesque comio can double his ^ reception by adding smbkehouse hiiQU)r to real comedy, he is at. least holding his position within the wh^el. Green also plays the 0ddle and carries leirltlmately In a specially. Display contingent- is . headed by Hiss Clark, Hashy blond with hot •yes who stripped to a. strap and let the boys look- at 'her rouged tust through fragile chiffon. Later she Woire a, transpiarent brassiere, for no' concealing reaso'n, and wound vp by using her hands as inade- .ciuate protection. When Miss Clark ^ showing she's: just showing, walking around like a queSn won- dering if the tub is full yet and looking'intently at whatever the boys are watching. Then she gives 'em the-eye and weak men sob. Her singing is pleasattt talking, her accordion playing good, and clarinet ■olo Is in for versatility,. Gents will remember her as a blohd'wlth an •ye. _ '.. • Betty Duval, built With good geo- graphical location": of \ contours, sings,- strips and'toiSses prettily. Zona.-, Duval . likewise . strips an<f 'heaves' to. worthwhile, appreciation. For. grinding; there's ..Itfille Convey, young, and weH-set, with talent at regular acrobatic dancing also. , Miss Convey was not putting her soul In the grind here, but prob- ably able to do so on occasion. Second comic is Johnny Crosby, playing wop and getting returns When he tries hard. Carlton Chase, straight, has appearance .but muf- fles his delivery too often by hur- rying, , Effects in production are gained mostly by above-average costum- ihg, with" a tropical feather number and girls in show girl jewel parade outstanding. . Jewel / is first half finale, containing much undtess and showing about all there is to see of ^liss Clark. Neat costuming also In a military diill, very well done. Girls later try a Tiller rou- tine sitting down, and get away .'With it. Dirt for everybody In the bits, although they don't all follow the ^toreotyped burlesque delivery. Va- riations caused by Green's consistent efforts to hold a, fast pace. Sex gags reach the ultimate in Green's demands to see a certain gal in a rodllg^ht joint. ' "What can she do that I can't?' asks a girl after several mlnutes of nassy. "She trusts me," says Green . simply, ■ - . TTyan can clean his show up or let it scratch its back in the gutter, according to' where he's playing Basically It has the goods. ' Bang. Irons Out of Mutual With Warren Irons dropping out ef both Mutual show and house op- . eratlon, his troupe, "The Lid Lift- ers," closes Dec. 28 in Schenectady T, - ■- ■ - CITY (STOCK) After three weeks with clean Stock) burlesque shows and over-r dressed women, despite classifica- tion as burlesque, the City reverts to type this week. Current show, "Broadway yanlties," is as xough as any of the wheel operas and rougher than most. The clean shows didn't get a tumble on 14th street and now they are evidently endeavoring to give what seemed to be wanted down there. Realignment has practically a new set of principals with Donna Davis, Ingenue soub, only holdover. Chorus cut to 24 instead of. 76 as formerly, with most of the uptown beauts vamping when the unadorn- ment order went In and current layout strictly burlesque gals. Also a chop in prices with 60.c top e'ven- Ings. Slim house Monday night de- spite reduction. But bad Weather.' Nothing extraordinary about the show except plenty rough through- out with Sam Raynor, featured comic, as chief offender. Raynor gives plenty of dirt, going the limit at ail times and the mob. or what few of a mob w;ere in liking it. Wayne McVeigh, r'ed nose boobi and Ed Lauroy, tramp, are assistant comics. The latter have little to do since Raynor shoulders the com- edy burden and cops all the way. McVeigh and Lauroy gef a chance in a couple of scenes, deliver ac- acceptably, but after that: Raynor has the rest of the comedy. Sppn^c, and bits are all familiars ranging from the "Guess Who I Kissed" to a rearrangement of "Irish Justice." The latter court- room bit is reminiscent of a. sim- ilar contribution by Fred Allen In a former "Greenwich Village Fol lies." - Betty McAllister, former runway soub at the Columbia, tops the principals, as number leader and teaser manipulator. Miss McAl- lister had the semi-strip stuff all to herself, through the other gals not. getting to it fast enough to please the mob, which tired of prolonged, palm slamming except when Miss McAllister was doing her runway stuff. Chad Gorman, sorrel topped and , with plenty of personality. Is second soub, leads numbers acceptably and spots a couple of good dancing specialties. Donna Davis, brunet, is an attrac- tive Ingenue, while. MIgnon, dancer, doubles between skits and dancing specialties, Paul Ryan is a good straight rotating as feeder for-trio of comics but doing his best stuff with Raynor, Ralph Rickus, char- acters, rounds, out list of prind pals. The numbers,' produced by Dan Dody, are particular standouts Both principals and chorus display plenty of animation and pep in put- ting them over. The "Harem Scene" and "Art Models," latter a posing ensemble, were effective as sight features with plenty of peppy dancing throughout the remainder of the show. The chorus, which previously ad- hered to Crinolines and three-quar- ter skirted stuff, are now projected throughout In trunks and brassieres, if for no other reason than to prove they're giving burlesque as Iz at this new downtown stock stand. With the roughening process In, resumption of torso twisting and runway grinding, maybe biz will pick up, or else they don't want burlesque any more on 14th street. Edia. FRIVOLITIES (MUTUAL) Of prime Interest to the burlesque customer Is how far the gals will go. The prime object, of burlesque is to keep milking the customer, so that, although knowing things will go only so far, he will let himself imagine that some night, somehow, a gal will stand before him wearing nothing but a good coat of powder. • The thing resolves into a battle of wits. Half against what? . "Frivolities" in matters of sex re- lies almost entirely on Adeline, fuzzy-haired, well-built hunk of femme, who attains her climax by discarding the brassiere and undu- lating under transparent gauze. It is torchy, on the level, but nothing that follows during the first and second halves can come within toss- ing distance of it. Which makes the show this week just fair as a unit at the Columbia. ' The 15 chorus ladles are excep tlonally various, ranging from a. sweet little trick to Hello-Aunt Emmy, A thumb sitting in judg ment would point toward the floor ^=^Cdm$crF"g6ts*a" better= than-aver- age break, as Frank Harcourt has an Eddie Foy pan and a good un- derstanding of primary humor. In the technique of burlesque, he Is adroit,'able to ask a girl for a clg- aret without mentioning the cigaret and thereby creating "double en- tendre," if that's the clean way to describe it. The, lineup of bits Includes com pulsion powder, the old army game, fake leg-feeling episode and other ' drolleries aimed at easy under standing. They please In the main, because Harcourt Is better than the general run of wheel apostles. It is tough battle facing burlesque comics—selling yesterday's hash. Outside of Adeline nothing really whooping. Eva Johnson has the largest setup among the featured girls, but wiggles It only slightly and seems bored. Annabelle Col- lins, small brunet. Is not naturally adapted to any riotous upheavalis. Albertinl, prima donna, gets naugh- tiest in a transparent gown, through which a pair of tights may be glimpsed if the time and trouble are: taken. Her voice is .clear and forte enough to drown out any am- bitious trap drummer. Harcourt is supported by Hall, sec- ond comic, and Hay worthy, straight. The latter is good and the former gets his best laughs on clothes! Also are Johnny Cook, non-Commit- tal Juvenile, and Edward Soaper, gray-haired singer.- The "Frivolities"' IB paraders Were given a back seat by the house troupe of younger venison.' It was well, Renee Amusement Co, has a fair outfit in this. Costumes dirty, but they may be washed sooner o'r later. Season only half over. Bang, AMERICAN (STOCK) Stock players may not be getting much dough, but they certainly don't miss on the fun. Everybody is either a pal or a buddy, so maybe It's okay for the gals to kibitz with the customers. Anyway, the patrons enjoy it. Shows at the American run about the same every week, with probably just a couple of hew blackouts, and change of title. This ^veek it's "Thei Jingle Belles." Monday night found the b. o. far from Jingling. But everybody happy just ..the same. Holiday probably explains the sanc- timonious church scene, prayers and all, that's slipped In quieUy be tween two runway numbers. This mob didn't take It on the level at first, but neither did it dampen Its ardOr after It was over; Altogether this tab looked pretty tame for $1. Two acts In 10 scenes with the runway items sandwiched for meek results. Brigade of 24 cuties, not so.cute. Doubtful if four of the bunch can shake a legit hoof. Not a. chorine got as much as a ripple from the boys along the rail The Misses Mable White, Blllle Shaw and Dolly Glenn grabbed all the gravy. Miss Shaw taking the edge by a mile. Taking 10 or 12 encores means nothing to this babe, and she displays less than the oth- ers. Principal comic Is Irving Sellg, also credited with Walter Webber, character man, in arranging the book. Selig appears a ruling fav on 42d street. Works more in vaude style than burlesque. Frank Mackey and Artie Loyed are the second string comedians.. Charles Harris's juve antics not so forte, either In appearance or talent, while Ben Mann does better with a straight assignment. Of the specialtists Vir- ginia 'Wheeler Is neat though luke- warm ingenue. Rose Lee is a plump blues shouter.. First section, carries the skits, and these are not too good. Re- hashed versions of old ones with the rough stuff out. One Is the one word drama. Not a flash number in the first act nor in the second, First peek after intermission Is an Hawaiian routine by the girls in a Colorado ranch set. Rest Is a sub dued parody oh what preceded, with an abrupt finale. Still, it's three hours of burlesk for $1, Span. Mutual Wheel EXPLOITATION MAY BE MUTUAL'S EXPERIMENT Special exploitation may be. ex- perimented with by the Mutual wheel before the middle , of the. spring, as a gauge for an extensive campaign along the same lines for next season. General all-around exploitation by more than one spe- cialized promoter operating has not been, previously tried in burlesque. I. H, Herk is considering the ex- ploitation..possibilities and is al- moist sold On. the Ideai Herk says there are slightly over 40 shows and the same number of houses on the Mutual route at pres- ent. Those dropping off so far this Season have been the houses in- directly added to the travel at the season's start. Not reaching the buslniess standard expected, they fell off the wheel. Herk Is reported working out an alniost ;new system for burlesque performance and travel in the new season to come. CHORUS GIRLS IN BURLESQUE GET DRUNKONSTAGE ACCEPT cur ON WHEEL For the first time since back stage labor scales have on the rls€», stage hands with Mutual Wheel shows have accepted a wage cut. The con- cession was made after conferences between I. H. Herk of ihe MutuS;! and William Canavan of the I. A. T. S, B. . Not only have the road crews re- duced the wage scale, but a number of istage hands' local unions may agree to reduce wages. This is In: with a reduction in salaries in . the various Mutual shows. Curtailment of operating expense was Imperative and the unions app^r to haVe taken the same view. Each Mutual show car^ ries three heads of departments as a crew. The men have been getting $100 weekly. The cut ,is $5 per man> with the company saying $1B weekly. In the local stands the crews number six men. The cut there Is said to be $10 per man, or a saving to the houses of $60 per week. . it was stated that few actors In Mutual shows are receiving $100 or more weekly. , The cut in stage hands' wage was therefore consid- ered from the morale standpoint, with the concession resulting. . In a suburb of New York, not far from IBroadway only in spirit, a burlesque house was presenting its added attraction—"Cabaret Night." •The chorus girls, dressed for the street and ready to blow the moment, the curtain dropped. Were seated at tables about the stage "for atmosphere," With cigarets dangling from their lips arid their legs crossed Just this side of the hips, they: looked like raid night in a police court. in front worked a procession of cheap acts, Imported, the manage- ment announced, "at great expense from Broadway." The girls watched in frank boredom, con- fronted ■with talent no better than their own. Soon they were jabber- ing loudly. A house attendant appeared on the stage with a towel thrown coyly over his arm. With an ordei* pad he walked quietly from table to table. He walked off and soon re- appeared with a decanter of brown fluid. He' poured allotments In small whiskey glasses for the girls, and they gulped it hurriedly.' There . were coughs and wry faces. Again and again the drinks were poured by the unobtrusive waiter. The . "cabaret acts", continued working , in front and the girls continued drinking. A ballad singer started, a 'wall about his sweetheart. One of the chorus girls mocked him drunkenly. As he reached his cltmax' she-gaVtt,^ him ei loud razzberry. The other ^ girls giggled. One of the girls lit numerous matches, staring at the .flame with moUth agape and eyes dull. More of the brbwn fluid was poured.- OnO' of the girls choked and rushed from the stage^ Quiet Stews A hard-faced bruiiet spread her legs and crossed them Insolently, like a stewed, dame In a subway. Two hoofers were sweating away at a routihis. She cjtiee.red .them with a muffled thick voice. A blonde with hair black at the roots in the part startsd . to slrig.. A hand was. clapped , over her mouth* To many In the hoUse thig. back>^ ground activity was hot noticed. It continued quietly, "never seriously Interrupting the cabaret acts. It was the most realistic bit of business yet seen on the stage.;, '■ To be realistic, these gals drahki real booze. • A troupe of female souses oh the' l stage. Who said there was no noveltj'' in burlesque? Weeks of Dec. 23-30 Ba re Facts—Howard, Boston; 30, State, Sprlngflold, • Best Show In. Town—Lyric, Bridgeport; 30. L, O. ■ Big Revue—L. O.; 80, Fox, Jamaica, N. T, Bohemians—Columbia, Cleveland;'80, Gay- ety, Buffalo. Bowery Burlesquers-Gayety, Kansas City; 30. L. O. Broadway Scandals—Foxi Jamaica, N. T.; 30< H. A; S. Apollo, N. T. C. Burlesque Hevue—Empress,. Chicago; 30, Gayety, Dttrolt. Cracker Jacks—Star, Brooklyn; 30, Co» lumbla, N, T. C. Dainty Dolle—Empire, Toledo; 80, Colum- bia, Cleveland. I>lmpled Darllngo—Casino. Boston; 30, Trocadero, Philadefphla.' Plapf)er Follies—Gayety, Washington; 30, Academy, Plttsburgli. French Models—Gayety, Boston; 30;. Mod- ern, Providence. FrlvoIitles-Columbla, N. T. C; 30-1, Wedgeway, 2-4, Schenectady. Get Hot—State, Springfield; 30, Grand, Hartford. Ginger Girls—Haymarket, Chicago; 80, Empress, Chicago. Girls from the FoIMes-rlrvIng Place, N; T. C.; 30, Empire, Newark. Girls from Happyland—L, O.; 80, Casino, Boston. Girls m Blue-rModem, Providence; 30, Gayety, Scranton. . . Hello .Pareer-Gayety. --Buffa lo;, ,30. C o;^ lonlal. Utica. High Flyers—Btclnway, Aotoria; 30, Irv- ing Place. N, T. C. Hlnrlu Belles—Empire, Newark; 30, Or- pheum, Paterson. Jaz2tlme Revue — Mutual, Indianapolis; 30, Garrick, St. Louis. Kuddling KuWes—Orpheum, Paterson; 80, Hudson. Union City. Laffln* Thru—New Empire, Albany; 30, Plaza, Worcester. Lid Lifters—23-25 Wedgeway; 28-28, Sche- nectady; 30, L. O. Mischief Makers—li. O.; 80, Howard, Boston. Moonlight Maids—iPlasa, Worcester; 30, Gayety, Boston. To Fill Chi Gap Chicago, Dec. 24. I, H, Herk ■ Is dickering for an operator to run Mutual shows In the Halsted and Madison street region, supplanting the Haymarket, which abandoned burlesque. Spot Is the Empire, i2,000-seat un- wlred house at 673 W, Madison street. Theatre is on grind picture policy and lease owhcd \>y Herk. Shifts in Loew N, T, house man- agers: M, Seidlltz from Greeley Square to the Canal; D. J. Hegleson from Circle to Greeley; Walter Guttrldge at Circle; Jack .Porte, Garden, Woodhaven, li. 1,,- succeed- ing the late Harry Huber, Moulin Rouge—Lyric, Dayton; 30, Em- press, Cincinnati. Naughty Niftleat-L, O.; 30, Gayety, Mil- Nite Club Girls—Gayety, Detroit; 80^ Em- pire, Toledo. Oriental Girls — Trocadero, Philadelphia; 30, Gayety, Baltimore Parisian Flappers—Gayety, Brooklyn; 80, L. O. Pretty Boblos—Academy, Pittsburgh; 80, Lyceum, Columbus. Puss Puss—Grand, Hartford; 30, Lyric, Bridgeport. Record Breakers-Hudson; Union City; 80, Gayety, Brooklyn. Social MaldB—Garrick, Bt. Louis; 30, Gayety, Kansas CKy. ■ .Spaed. Girifl-^ayety, Baltimore; 80 . - Qa y- ety, Wadhlngtbh. " Sporty Widows—Gayety, Milwaukee; 80, Nem Empire, Albany, • stop Lively Glpls-H.'A S. Apollo, N. T, C.I 80, Steinway, Astoria. .Steppe Show — Lyceum, Columbus; 80, Lyric, Boston, Sugar Babies—Colonial, UtIca; 30, L, O. Take a Chance—23-2,', Lyric, Allentown; 20-28, Orpheum, Reading; 30, Star, Brook- lyn. Tomptere—<3ayety, Scranton; 30-1, Lyric, Allentown; 2-4, Orpheum, Kea<IIng, Wats/jn's Show—Gayety, Louisville; 30, Mutual, Indianapolis. WInp, Woman & Bong—Empress, Cincin- nati; 30, Gayety, Louisville. Herk Rieplaces Hurtig in American, N. Y., Stock Jules Hurtig is out as operator ot the stock burlesque at the Amerir* can Music Hall, New Tork. I, H. Herk, head of the Mutual circuity has become Interested with present lessee of the house. Herk's connection does not mean the Mutuals will play there. Stock will be continued, but under Herk's direction,' Rube Bernstein replaced .Hurtig there as Herk's representative. The Herk-Selig-Weber adminis- tration has engaged Danny Creed, formerly treasurer in Gayety, Buf- falo, arid Star and Garter, Chicago, : for the American box offlce. Haymaricet Closing . Chicago, Dec, 24. Warren Irons closes the Haymar- ke't Saturday as a Mutual Circuit house after four months, ' This will leave the Academy and the*^ Star and Garter in possession of the West "Madison street burlesque trade. Irons' other house, southslde Em- press, remains' open. The Haymarket will open with picture grind policy Jan. 4. House Ifirbielhg'wrrea^'W^ Schenectady's Half-Week Albany, Dec, 24. . Mutual burlesque at the Wedse- way, Schenectady, playing a full week since opening last summer, will change to three days early In January, It Is believed Albany may like- wise prune to three days. -t^