Variety (May 1930)

64 VARIETY NEW ACTS-PREVIEWS Wednesday, . May 7, 1930 ROXY BALLET with Patricia Bow man, Leohide Massihe, Ruth Our rell (23) Dance and Song 23 Minsi; Full Stage (Special) Palace (St. V.) A breath of fresh air for the Palace in form of 2i riiembers of the Roxy stock com'pajiy. It's a freak bookinp and not a regular act^ for this is available to vaude only dur- inff Paul Whitemah's stay With his picture at the Roxy theatre. What this production docs first is to entertain in a manner that vaude patrons are not accustomed to. Secondly, it may draw somfe regular Roxy biz to the Palace. Both im- portant enough, but if the second condition works out, that would make this an all around pippin. Patricia Bowman ' and ' Leonide Massine, dancing, and Ruth Durrell, soprano, are the principals fronting the 20-girl toe ballet. Ballet's pre- cision work and costumes and Miss Bowman's exquisite grace are the chief fine points. Massine did a. better job at staging In his double dance with Miss Bowman than with his own specialty, a costume num- ber that illustrates a man, too, can bo graceful, but in a way that Is not comprehendible to the average vaude audience. The costumes, maybe seen at the Roxy before, but neverthele.sg stpittT- Ing and colorful, are a lesson for producers of vaude flash acts. They are neither elaborate nor . costly looking, but strike the eye hard.' Girls do three numbers, their flnal In the act's climax In "vvhich .the three principals .also .participate. Miss Bowman does toe dances alone on full stage „and waltzes toward tlve end with Massine, who's sp<)rt- Ing those skin tightr panties here as he does weekly at the Roxy. Miss Durrell was in "one" for itwo songs, both beautifully done, and- accom- panied the dancing vocally- twice, once offstage and, in th© finale, on- stage. - > ■ ' Twoz-a-day at the Palace should be a-holiday for this four and five- daily Roxy bunchi Not a bad book- ing for either sldg. . • Bige.' AL THEIS? "LITTLe REVUE" ^Midget Act Mins.; One and Full Lincoln Sq. (V.-P.) Four of the little people, two men and two women, all nice looking, perfectly formed and brisk in ■ action, Gem of the quartet is a miniature prima donna, nam© un- disclosed in billing, who does a flirtation song with one of the men, working on a park bench and doing the flaming youth mauling. Little woman is a pip in appear-' fence and does the hoyden thing In a manner to Inspire a rave; Here It was a knockout and will repieat almost jinywhere. Turn itself is mild In dressing and settings, nothing to compare with several elaborate revues of the same kind. Stage goes Into full from "one" several times, once for one of the men, who does a novelty perch act, and again for the other, who does neat work on the tight wire. Intervals are filled by one of the men doing song solos,, mild. Closed the bill here and service- able for that purpose. Recommend- ed for resident districts, where matinees are a problem. Rush. TIP TOP TAPPERS (7) Dance Flash 12 Mins.; One and Full Jefferson (V.-P.) Four girls In the line, a girl solo acrobatic stepper and two boys doing dandy buck and winging and acrobatics. Line girls and boy team open in "one" for Introductory en- semble stepping. Goes to full stage for solo routine by girl, apparently Peggy Ward, high kicker, and con tortion stuf¥, and excellent. Girl is pony size and chubby, but does remarkable contortion bits. One of the boys takes charge for Russian evolutions with rhythmic gymnastics, and team do good pre- cision routine. All tosfether for the finish, with each girl stepping out of line for a bit, a tall girl doing some slightly frontovers and cartwheels. A\\ young, good looking and the turn framed in whowmanly way. Opened here and can be used almost any- where for either end of the bill! Rush. MYRA LANGFORD S'origkf-"' ' •■ ' 10 Mins.;' One 58th Street (V-P) Blue& Singer typo leaning to hot numbers and with possibilities. Chances would be far more certain with stronger material. Some talk besides punchier numbers than now comprising routine ought to put act up for strong No. 2 rating at least. ■' Miss Langford formerly did a t*iro-acl with her husband, the late Ho'w-ard Langford, the turn then known as Langford and Myra. Saving a passable voice and a win- ning personality, she is type that could handle comedy material. Song routine Includes "I'm Happy as. a- Hottentot," "Give Me Those Days of Long Ago," and "White Way Blues." Latter, with ably done recitation bit, best in act and should be retained. Some good . strong comedy number is all that this act needs to' step way ahead, Liked by audience here, ap- parently, largely because of good stage presence and style of de- livery, plus punch of closing num- ber. Foundation for twice as strong an act there. Char. "YOUNG AMERICA" (8) Danco Flash - 19 Mins.; Full (Special) 58th Street (V-P) A flash that shows the value of speed, it could get across alone on the strength of the. snappy pace. set. Apparently vaude pro- ducers are beginning to learn from presentation unit builders what speed.,means to a show. "Young Anierica" compares very favorably with ^ance flashes found around, 'and should have no trouble over dates. A Mutt and Jeff comedy dance team reminiscent of Rome and Gaut, plus a ci.^ver sister^trio (Three Sco- vells) aifid. specialties by Princess Little Elk; 'billed as full-blooded In- dian, figure in talent. Toe dancer appearing iearly for a jazz number and a juve doing a violin solo topped by a hoofing'specialty are also In production,,but take bacjt seats.; People besides' Scovells and In- dian are Jde Williams, Patty La Cour; George Fitagerald and Walter Blgelow. Billing and program do not identify these people with num- bers they do, not even the comedy team, who should be billed together. They supply the comedy that en- hances value of the ■ fiash. All of their work is intended to promote laughs, arid their comic adagio with one of the women is outstanding. Scovell Sisters, clever dancers, do a fast toe number, combining ballet and acrobatic work when first on, all ending a good ensemble. Later on girls sh.o'w up well in adagio and acrobatic specialties, one topping as single for double others do. Indian girl, looker, scores' in a lowdown Americalu jazz number. Finale drags on college atmos- phere, and Is a finale that gets there quickly, with no long specialties or bitj leading up to It. Act is expen- sively mounted and nicely staged. Billing of "Young America" Is same used for a sketch done around vaude several years ago. Over with a punch. Char. "LOVELY LADIES" (15) Band Revue 20 Mins.; One and Full (special) Academy (V-P) Harry Krlvit had another girl band-revue similar to this a couple of seasons ago. New aggregation opens In one for Introductory song, goes to one-arid-a-lialf for arm drill a la Roxy, then back to one for specialty by girl singer. This gives the act additional booking value through tJermittlng It to follow full stage acts. While nothing extraordinary is revealed either musically by the girl band or Individually by the several singing and dancing specialists the general quality is fairly high. Color- ful mounting will be a selling point. Most notable among the individ- uals Is Ihe toe dancer possessed of exceptionally well trained legs and with what dancing masters term "elevation." She seems to have pronounced natural rhythm sufll- cient to mark her apart from the hordes of girl dancers around vaude these days. Lavd. THEODORE^ and ENRICA (15) Orchestra, Daiicing, Singing 17 Mins.; Full (Special) 86th Street (V-P) A little loose but with right tightening, . in addition to some minor ■ changes, this fiash, Spanish in atmosphere, will stand the test in average neighborhoods. Taste- fully produced and staged, it is a worthwhile attraction from the sight angle. A trio In dance numbers and a prima donna work in front of a 10-piece band with Its own leader. Orchestra is nothing to rave about, but some of the work of the spe- cialty artists Is surefire, particularly closing adagio with two men as life-savers and girl In daring one- piece surf outfit. Girl is also a looker and with plenty. Act opens with ' Spanish tango, prima dohna following with a song In Spanish and a little too stiff for vaude. She tops this with "There's Danger in Your Eyes, Cherle." That, much better-, but doesn't even come near" the. hoyden song and dance later in routine. One hardly realizes it's the same girl, and were that semi-classical prima' donna stuff cut. It wouldn't be missed. A society tango Is inclined to be slow, but has a different and effec- tive finish with man doing pirou- ettes with girl held by only one arm and In a novel manner. Orchestra selection about middle too long. It Is a jazz type of num- ber, musicians doing both this and the Spanish. Closed show here and over very nicely. Char. MAUD HENRY'S Elephants (3) Animal 7 Mins.; Full (Special) Hippodrome (V-P) Trio of pachyderms running from baby up to medium size with trainer in red coat and white Ivreechea over brown shoes against Mark blue full stage drape gave okay setting for the act that's good . anywher^e because of novelty and animal comedy introduced herein'; Opener 'or closing. Opened on six act bill here and went over nicely. No explanation given for the "Maud" in Henry as the trainer and two assistants, latter in all-red units were men. Animal.s show unusual "dancing," lifting legs high In rhythm and ap- parently cued only by orchestra music. Baby pachyderm struts In clown clothes takeoff. Finale shows one -of the bigger elephants doing a hooch with a hula straw wrapped around. Good shaker and brought pleasant laughter. Trio also walk over trainer In parade as h6 Hos flayt on >ack. Ada GORDON and Co. (3) Comedy Sketch 12 Mins.; One Jefferson (V-P) One of those things, a talking sketch without song, dance or spe clalty of any kind- and very little comedy. Drop in one is so arranged that it can be made to disclose one of three cabinets, center and both sides. Opens with Miss Gordon as lady barber, shaving 6ustomer and butch ering him. Lines are unbelievably dull. During shave, girl barber Is dated up by customer and, after dark interval, cabinet at one side reveals what may ))e* taken for a parlor set, with girl and man in petting business. Man calls up wife In Newark to make sure she's that far away, while couple drink and act whoopee Cabinet at opposite shows hotel room with the wife also engaged in I)ettlng with a .sheik of her own Routine cross-talk on telephone be- tween husband and wife with mis- understandings. And thstt's all. Without one plea or one excuse Rush. GORDON and HEALY (3) Comedy, Songs, Dances 15 Mins.; One and Full (Special) 86th Street (V-P) Ray Gordon and Nell Healy, using old bridal gag as in former turn, but with embellishment of a male hoofer and two baby voiced-girls who dance and sing. Over here oka;y'In middle spot of five-act bill. Fits the better class nelghb. This is higher rating than of yore. Comic parson is shown marrying couple as opener before a drop in one." Lifts to cluttered and multi- colored silk drapes of twin bed bou- doir. The two girls show in song and dance wearing blue demi outfits. One is as maid and one as bellhop. Couple' enter followed by boy, also as bellhop. Family wrangle stuff as of old, and scene shifts to a dance by the girls, aided by the boy, and then back to a one drop. It's 15 years later, and papa Is now; wheeling a baby carriage and leading three other kids while mama hangs on to a dog.. Some funny business here, and finale touch given when papa lifts carriage top to .reveal three more babies, supposedly triplets., [ . / HERBERT and JEROME Comedy 11 Mins.; One 5Bth Street (V-P) Wins on the clever acrobatic bits, comedy material exhibiting- weak- ness. Good act for neighborhoods of this type and o. Ic for next to clos- ing. ■Bigson Herbert is an oversized type, surely weighing well over two centuries. Despite that he proves himself supple in a couple of bits, but allows his partner, Frank Je- rome, to do the tricks that get the applause. Among those Jerome does Is a punch closer in which he turns a complete somersault, putting him- self through a small-circumference hoop In transit Another feat, one that probably is easier than it looks, is Jerome turning a back- somersault, touching his head and then on to his feet again. Neat trick and sure of a hand. Comedy at opening and sprinkled through routine gets a few laughs, but that's all. Some punch gags to go with the acrobatics and here'd be a great mid-bill spotter. Char. COWBOY REVELS (7) Songs, Instrumental, Dancss 14 Mins.; Three'^(Special) Hippodrome (V-P) Straight specialty, lacking com- edy. Otherwise colorrui ana okay for better class neighb. -Troupe takes in Will Howard, Mann Sis- ters, Walter Howard, Dave Robin- son, Will Newman and Mammy Jennie. Latter, brown face Jemima. Third on six-act bill. Just nice. It's a long cry from Healy's Bos- ton cabaret to the Hipp, but Mam- my Jennie is remembered as a bet- ter yodeler in those days than now. Mostly shouting here. Mann Slaters okay when high stepping and lariat swinging. Good to look at, but the pedal tapping not so forte. Setting Is desert drop with cov- ered wagon on the siae and four cowboys sitting on boxes strumming guitars and banjos. Usual routine of numbers follows except for one balloon novelty trick manipulated to give staccato sounds to the .ac companlment of the stringed in struments. NEW ACTS Gua Edwards producing a new act, "Hollywood Proteges," 3 0 peo- ple. Ec(ward3 will not personally appear l^i it. Jaclc AUmanj formerly working with Jimmy Hussey, and Nick Huf- fordi of Hufford and Chain, two act JEFFERSON (Continued from page B3) best they merit. With an Intelli- gent use of their talents they could fill a better spot. Vic Oliver is billed as a single. It used to be a mixed team. New bill- ing Is .'i!l that's new. Oliver still talks himself out of a good impres- sion and the girl does the hard work. Also he overstays. He talks with an agreeablu flavor of foreign accent, Russian for a guess, and if he had anything to say, could make It interesting, for he has the knack of quiet gagging. But with the line of stuff he has he.re, a good deal less would be plenty. The girl h&s talent, playing a violin solo nicely and doing a variety ot dance steps satisfactorily, contributing some lively stepping to the finish, which would ■ e dead without her. The Ada Gordon episode here (New Acts) was a quiet spot, leav- ing it up to Morris and Campbell to pick up th pace all over. Bee Gee Three, trio of rollerskat- ers, .made a serviceable closing Item. Two men and a small girl do some striking'whirls on the rollers, confining themselves almost entire- ly to that evolution and making it flu eight cr ten minutes interesting- ly. Nice flash background of col- ored draiJes frives It sight qualities. 'Framed" (Radio) on screen. Rush: 81ST STREET (Vaudfilm) Taken Individually and placed in its separate niche, every act on .this bill is class. There were five, and they were arranged In the only pos- sible manner with a draw center in Hal Skelly, but the big entertain- ment going through on a sirigle, George Beatty In next to closing. Hardly a depp chuckle until Beatty, who has Improved greatly since last seen. Chatter Is profi- cient and gaggy type. Everything he did scored and deserved the crash he made, staying on for 19 minutes without a 'dull mom.ent. Skelly showed in "The Chump" as of yore, with the Misses Hope and Sauvain. ■ But his best customers' bet came when he tipped the gals off stage to present himself as In the picture, "Dance of Life." This brought hini closer to the customers who now look upon .him as a film star, and that's something to live up to. Something also to think aliout with the many fiopperinos film peo- ple have been doing In vaude. "The Chump," which once rated, doesn't do so now. What Slips it over is Skelly's personality, which Is all there with the full dress and top hat fitting the title of the skit for this long-legged, good-natured entertainer. Practically all the dancing on the bill was in this act, but that -was less than half enough. Mild com^edy and no dancing about, sums up this program. Carl Schlchtl's marionettes, known as the Royal Wonderettes, opened with the usual fanciful miniature stage and manikin changes. A .crack bicycle sextet, the 'Vic- toria Six, sometimes also called Vic- toria Troupe, closed. Snappy combo, about every bicycle stunt known be- ing done. Four girls and two men. Callgary Brothers, Andre and Ste- ven, European due in pantomime trick stuff plus some contortionist work and comedy, spotted second. Boys know their stuff, but routine somehow doesn't hjive rhythm it should. Pair know and can do every trick from dancing to balancing plus the panto, liut ought to try to swing numbers in more smoothly. Feature was "Framed" (Radio), with Evelyn Brent. It's a draw around here, calling In the Amster- dam avenue fans. Vaude ran 71 minutes. Overture added five. The feature ran 63 and was part of a film end that Included Disney car- toon "Summer," Pathe Sound News- reel and seven minutes of trailer. Altogether the bill, took 163 minutes, just about enough. Capacity biz Saturday night. LINCOLN SQ. (Vaudfilm) This midtown west side clientele doesn't make any . special demand upon the show picker. A little side show entertainment and plenty of low comedy, spaced with a bit of singing and dancing, and they go home content. Picture's more im- portant. This week the screen has "The Girl Said No" (Metro), which hasn't broken any records, but has good comedy, so that was all right hei-e. Five routine turns made up the stage show and satisfactory to the 'mob, although it would have been better for more laughs. However, presence of a Lilliputian turn for the closer pleased 'cm. The little peo- ple are always good for the neigh- borhoods. This house dra\ys from a tenement district and probably the Midgets pulled at the matinees. Corelli and Jeanne opened. Act is a rather showmanly version of the "little magnet" stunt and cap- it-illy worked by the man ■who does the lecturing, handling the commit- tee and working in the audience. Nice looking girl docs the "unllft- nble" feat, with four husky youths from the audience going on the stage for the attempt. Good comedy In the committee attempts to raise the girl and falling, and nice han- dling of the .situation by the man Side show turn with pretty sure appeal to this grade of customers. Leo Fein and Florence Tennyson' personable mixed team of singers! who i-ather cumber their song cycle with an introduction lasting five minutes and having to do vaguely with a radio announcer with whom the •vvoman works up a flirtation. When they get down to their songs they do nicely, sticking to familiar- ize numbers such as "Rio Rita" and Fein's agreeable singing, of "Vaga- bond Song," also several Victor Herbert numbers done into a med- ley duet. Miss Tennyson, hand- some blonde, makes several costume changes and works in assured, con- fident style that helps. > Billy Batchellor and company have a whirlwind dance revue with good sprinkling of comedy, supplied largely by Batchellor himself, play- ing .a fake Russian operator of a night club. Dependence for support Is upon a plump pony size dancing girl introduced as Helen Carroll, who is distinctly there with the acrobatic and contortion stuff de- spite her roundness of figure. Pair of jnild harmonizing sisters who do not get an Intro to the folks and a dancing juve, likewise anonymous, help out. Batchellor's clowning is not particularly Inspired, but it Is energetic. and that serves well enough. Anyway, the act got over here unequivocally, grading well above the average for the type. Doyle and Donnelly seem to be riding on the rep of having written "Cottage for Sale." Couple of per- sonable young men, but they haven't anything to offer to justify spotting in next to closing. They gag along from memory, apparently. Such bits as using three fiowers for a trick- count of making three times three add up to ten. Another is finding of girl's bloomers and then having girl search for something and seem to describe the panties, only to re- veal for the tag that she had lost a ■pair of gloves. That sort of thing that a couple of parlor comics could frame In the tilxi on the way to a party. Pair Sing agi'eeably enough.^ Midgets closed. Series of songs'^ and gymnastic specialties, novelty perch bit and wire walking, but the prize item is a fiirtation song done by one of the two girls in the four- some, and the cutest thing Imag- inable. Tiny woman is a miniature Lillian Russell arid has a hoydenish manner of handling the song that Is killing. Neat little dance for the finish. Valuable act for neighbor- hoods, with reference especially to the matinees, but holding up Its end for adult customers as well. Rush. 86TH ST. (Vaudfilm) Above average show, with In- crease in gross likely because of presence of J'oe Daly and R'-K-O Discoveries on bill. Daly is an- nouncing and the theatre Is plug- ging a newcomer's contest for talent that might step out of obscurity to the Daly act. These contests and tie-ups often help a theatre's b. o. heaps. Picture "Framed" (Radio), an underworld meller that got the breaks down on Broadway and might be expected to attract in this neighborhood. Five-act show on stage opened by Gaudsmlth Brothers and their showmanlike French poodles. A standard turn for years, and actual- ly deserving of better spots than this on some bills because of th© fact It is a comedy rather than a dog act. Mutts are there almost en- tirely for laughs and together with Gaudsmlths get 'em. Peculiar billing placed Naughton and Gold, comedy team, on second and Fritz and Jean Hubert on third, while next to closing held Joe Daly and Discoveries. Naughton and Gold wowed 'em despite the deuce assignment, pep- ping up the audience. Here Is an unusual and a funny act in which the magician has a tough time of It with his two annoying plants, one drunk. The burlesque on two union laborers has been done simi- larly, but packs a big comedy wal- lop as offered by this team. The Huberts bear a similarity to Naughton and Gold In that they too do drunk stuff. Realistic stews, too, this pair. They depend on pan- tomime entirely, although they could deliver talk and on sight alone reg- ister without trouble. An excellent little act, well done and a good deal different. Daly and his IJ-K-O Discoveries are a great ballyhoo for the R-K-.O Circuit. Cast includes eight young people doing various types of specialties and most all of them ' good. Because of the annoujice- menta and introductions, act runs a little slow. ' This could be easily mended. Another fullstage act for closing, Theodore and Knrica (New Acts). This is not only slow in spots as preceding act but generally slow throughout. Band is only ordinary, but trio of dancers and prima donna who doubles for dancing, comprise talent- above the average. Closing adagio surefire and here actually re- sulted in' putting act over for a strong finish. All Theodore and Kn- rica have to do is to tighten their vehicle up. ,, Biz good. f