Variety (Jun 1930)

58 VARIETY VAUDE HOUSE REVIEWS Wednesday, June 4, 1930 PALACE (St^ Vaude) Strong performance Saturday mat. A bill o£ hits. At the peak of the wallops Willie and Eugene How- ard, next-to-closing, were forced off because the pit band ran out of music, and even then Willie had to do some begging. Impression given all the way was that this, as a straight variety layout with all the necessary Ingredients in, is the best bill here this season. First Palace show under the new ■ booking regime and a classy start for the new sixth floor bunch. The Palace Is now booked by Arthur Willi, like the other R-K-O book- ers, under Charlie Frcelnan's di- rection. Of the nine acts, all but one are of and from vaude, though three have been splitting time In revues of late. That's also unusual for u Palace bill. Frances Williams and Jans and Whalen, both acts out of the late "International Revue," came back together later in the running for a seven-minute "es- sence" dance routine from the show, . giving the bill an extra and 10th show-stopper. Another from that revue, Radaelli, the tenor from Italy, gave the program a Lew Leslie flavor, but the talent which failed to draw for a $5.50 looked awfully big on the stage of this $2 house. Rosy start with Robbins Trio, roller skaters. Runs only six min- utes and ultra-speedy. "A whirl, a twirl and a girl" is the billing, and that's it. Novelty deucer, Carr Lynn, his barnyard imitations well done and the act sailing over solid- ly. Lynn's idea is the delivery of animal mimicry with comedy in- tent, and it's not a bad idea for Lynn or the Palace No. 2. Dressed in golf suit and later declaring he's never been on a golf course, he works easily and surely, blowing a whistle to halt applause, saying he wants to save up for the finish, and never lets the basic childish- ness of the imitations set the bet- ter of the argument. Lynn Is okay vaude. Best way to describe the trey "feolngs-on is to say that Chic York and Rose King, h.olng, repeated their smash of last week, and that's plenty. Opening slightly, changed and same rest of way. Rose King Is one member of the old laugh- grabbing school who not only kept pace with the times but steps out far ahead. Her eccentric comedy is framed In gold by her husband's straight and the support from daughter. True, and three boys. Radaelli (New Acts) was as ner- vous as a dozen fingernail biters during the first two of his three songs, while a 1910 tuxedo and atro- cious facial make-up were addi- tional handicaps; but the Radaelli pipes counted In the end, to let the boy from" Milan hear them switch from silence to applause and then, here and there, "bravos." Jans and Whalen were the firSf part next-to-cloeers, dishing out the third ration of comedy in the early section and again experienced the' probable thrill of one-two punching a. Palace audience all over , the stadium. .The double uke and dance stuff serves to keep memories of Clayton and fidwards alive, but there's nothing like It now around, and for Jans and Whalen it holds the key to vaude sockdom. On top of that, and previously, they get maximum with an old roughhouse bit in which a third man, unbilled, helps out. Whalen's dancing seems to show an Improverhent whenever seen and this boy now can step with any. ■ Four, maybe five, bouquets were passed over the foots at the finish of Frances Williams' (New Acts) song and dance turn, a hit with or without the flowers. Miss Wil- liams' 23-mlnute full stage holds mostly a fast series of songs by herself and a polite cooch closing to a song from the late and costly revue. Ballroom team, Jack Hol- land and June Knight, dance twice to change the pace for Miss Wil- liams. Leo Feiner and Harold Ar- len are teamed at the pianos. Deno and Rochelle's double danc- ing, opening . second part, came pretty soon after the team In the Williams turn, but It was notable that the few confllctions on this bill did not tend to place anyone at a disadvantage, as everyone seemed capable of following every- one else. Deno and Rochelle have dolled up their past routines with new trimmings and the turn Is bright and shiny. (New Acts.) ^ The Wllllams-Jans and Whalen afterpiece was spotted here and the Howards followed. Cut from usual In the Howards' straight har- mony, the legit vocal stult held for the finish this trip and the rest of time devoted to comedy and Willie's Imitation—what comedy and what Imltdtlons! To his 'Cantor, Jolson and, Warfleld, Willie Howard has added one of George Jessel that's so good they could almost bill Jessel at the Palace this week, and an- other of Chevalier that's as faith- ful. Willie recalled his messenger boy character to lots of applause durlngr the talk session, with the Howards building their gags' on the reporter characterization of CllfC Hall. They were ready to give up when the Howards finished. The On Wah Troupe, Jap family, lost many au- ditors before getting started. Those romalning were more than satisfied. Business should be good for this one, weather permitting. Bige. JEFFERSON (Vaudfilm) Better than usual bill here the first half, with the house sensing as much and giving oke responses. Biz was way off for the second show Saturday, orch was only so-so occupied and upstairs was practi- cally vacant. At this house it was up to the stage show to draw, for the feature picture. Par's "Texan," wasn't even billed on the marquee. Judgment is questionable for westerns are strong in this neigh- borhood, especially when of the first run quality as is the "Texan," with a name like Gary Cooper to bill. Both vaude names featured outside were without much value. One of these, Princess Agrenev Slavlansky, might have been Impressive, but nothing else. Scott Sanders was the other featured vaude name. Bill opened with Bradley and Tierney's Revue, small flash and ap- propriate for the opening notch. One boy and a blonde girl, appar- ently the names, were featured Boy Is a good stepper, but doesn't Inject enough vigor Into his wbrk. His dances are put over in the manner of a chorus girl's. Blond femme mixed Oriental figures with high kicks and handsprings, with the Oriental work the strongest. Four girls support with chorus legmanla and a sister team with weak kicks and a bit of vocaling. Rich and Adair (New Acts), mainly a comedy crossfire mixed duo, dueced. Princfcss Agrenev Slavlansky and Her Royal Russian Singers treyed and did well. At the start, the exotic Russian tunes caused some scattered restlessness, Lut the house soon settled down s^nd listened, at- tentively to ths remainder. Mixed choir of about 16, with the Prin- cess on a small platform and lead- ing. A strong vocal combo and though the majority of the tunes were unfamiliar, they were pleas- ingly delivered. Just one song In English, "Ol* Man River," sung by the basso and backed by the re- mainder. Finish Is the highlight. Three men and one girl do fast native steps to the ensemble sing- ing and hand-olapping accompani- ment. Maddox and Clark (New Acts), two femmes with a fast line of chatter, held the fourth notch. Scott Sanders' monolog material was a cinch here. Started out as a passe actor reminiscing about the days .of yore. Keeps a serious face, but consedy lines disclosing that he was a terrible actor, get the giggles. Drifts Into Imitator of Sotchman, kidding the thrift of the Scots and the wife and kids he left behind him. Some of the stuff was too fast for this audience and many a good gag flew by unrewarded. Also In- tersperses sortgs, mostly comedy. Max and his Gang, the gang five small dogs, rounded out. Different type of pup act and a good closer. M$.x, Eton dressed man, is a neat acrobatic dancer. Dogs are well trained and work along different lines. R-K-O (Vaudfilm) Los Angeles, May 29. Four-act unit ran to 80 minutes this week. Running time of the show was cut down after the flrst performance, but no one had a kick coming on the length of the bill, for it's good vaude from every angle. Unit consists of Zastro and White, Joe Termini, Faber and Wales, with Leber and Belle, and Bob Albright, appearing in the order named. Vaude cost Is $3,300. House was standing them up for the first show. According to the way the locals are taking It, the four-act bill with pic- tures Is Ideal entertainment. Zastro and White, flash dancing act, opened and went big. Six peo- ple in the act, all young, fresh and well groomed. Two-girl harmony team starts the dancing to good ad- vantage. Joe Termini scored neatly with his comedy music. Wljthout any talk he manages to hn a bigger laugh than mbst comics who do the same style of stuff with' gab. Faber and Whiles, next-to-shut, and on any bill. They have the fastest line of smart chatter dls played here In some time. Assisted by Leber and Belle. Miss Wales Is a looker and a comedienne of abil- ity, and should attract picture of- fers. , ~ , Bob Albright closes the show with his familiar routine of songs. As- sisted by two femme piano players, who are kept In the dark, and Snow- ball, the colored hoofer, he went over to a strong flnlsh. Albright could well affoid to work with the stage lights on. A man of his build and appearance doesn't need a spot for every number. "Soldiers and Women" (Col), and a Pathe news clip complete the bill. STATE-LAKE (Vaudfilm) Chicago, May 31. East and Dumke, out of the radio realm (New Acts), are the sensa- tion of this bill. Before they evei' saw a mike they were Just another small time harmony pair. Now. they have trsmendous draw over WGN and are topnotch performers. Spot- ted No. 3 here, this pair pepped up a lagging six-act bill. Opening, the Great Rolle, midget magician and three girls did not thrive In a black art act varied by song and dance, Rolle Is not con- vincing and the stage Is too dark. In the deuce, the femme team of Howard' and Newton started well with gags and hoke on two brides- to-be, but diminished in effect most of the rest of their six minutes. Then East and Dumke, who were show stoppers, followed by Ken Christy's skit, "Ex-Wlfe," with two' girls. Christy, and another fellow, who is a flne tap dancer. Idea of a husband meeting his former frau and his new wife renting their apartment to the old one has Its laughable moments, but is only mild entertainment for the State-Lake. Best thing in It is an eccentric soft dance by Christy and the "ex." Next ':o closing came Jack Oster- man. In 15 minutes he was a cinch to get across with chatter and mu- sical melange. A Chicago draw, and a flne entertainer. He sang only one number. Closing was another smash act for this house, the three Diamond Boys, and a girl who does a' short. tap dance. Act's opening was slow to follow Osterman, but' the turn was high after the sailor pair start- ed bumping each other around. AU though last on a six-act bill these boys, who are as rough with each other as the three Schnozzles, held the strongly populated house. "Born Reckless" (Fox), two shorts, "Mickey's Whirlwind" (Ra- dio), and Judell Horoscope, com- pleted. Business was thriving at the opening show, with 50,000 Me- morial day excursionists at large on State street, contributing their share. Loop. 86TH STREET (Vaudfilm) With "The Texan" (Par) on the screen, the vaude show was seem- ingly unnecessarily trimmed to four acts. Picture runs only 79 min- utes, with plenty room for a flfth act, as usual at this neighborhood business-getter. When some 100- minutcs pictures have been here, there has still been room for at least four turns on the stage. Either "The Texan," which got good reports when at the Para- mount recently,, or the sister team of filmltes, Sally O'Nell and Molly O'Day (New Acts), drew them in Saturday afternbon, with lower floor fairly well filled. It's not much of an act the O'Nell-O'Day combination have and It's clumsily done, with the "blurb" stuff laid on very heavily. Spotted next to closing on the four-acter, the turn proved one of the weakest this house probably ever had. Hav- ing little substance, the act has to get by. If It can, strictly on the strength of the O'Neil-O'Day names, which since talkers edged into pic- tures have not meant as much as before. Molly O'Day has done less than the sister who has the differ- ent Irish patronymic, but the O'Neil of the combination has not, on the other hand, stepped forward far enough to mean as much to vaude box offices as others of filmdom re- cently out with acts. Val iand Ernie Stanton, best act on the bill, closed. Lately on four- act bills the offerings that should be in next to closing have had to wind up the proceedings. Here's another case where stage limita- tions did not stand tti the way of placing Stantons In the penultimate slot. The film stars, with their full-stage turn (In that position apparently to make It look like an act), would have fitted better on the end of the bill. Stantons work between "one" and "two," going to latter for a couple blackouts, including the phone gag well known around. They close In "one" with a musical number and at the Saturday mat were let down lightly, their act not seeming to register as It should. Next to shut It might have donfe better. Same may have been true of the O'Neil- O'Day act, which received little en- couragement from the audience. The Starlight Revue (New Acts) opened. -It Is a flve-people song and dance, the punch of which lies mainly In the acrobatic specialties of one of the males, unbilled. Bal- anc€\ of act only mildly entertain- ing. ' Some zippy material, coming either under the heading of "dirt" "or "gplce"., offered by Frank De- Voe,. No. '.^. ■ One has to do with the powder sprinkled on lullabies In connection with the speclarbath- tub number. Audience got Idea of gag quickly and chuckled. DeVoe has fairly good material, well sold, and just blue enough in spots to register unfailingly In neighbor- hoods of this type. The special number.a scored easily, but at Sat- urday mat the encore De'Voe did was on the slightest encourage- ment. He was on, as a result, 21 minutes. Maybe that's why they don't put In flve-act shows here when the picture runs a few min- utes over the usual time, There was room for Will Gllroy's organ recital, and that a little longer than the ordinary. To stir up greater Interest in the organ programs, Gllroy, like some other organists. Is throwing gags on the screen used for song lyric slides. He Is using a half dozen, some worth a laugh. One of Gllroy's numbers is a specially written paro- dy of antl-prohlb flavor calling for wine and Jjeer. Pathe Sound' News also on screen. Char. LINCOLN SQ. (Vaudfilm) Not a bad layout for flrst half at this pop priced neighborhood. Five acts and "The Divorcee" (M-G-M) screen feature for 40 cents top. Biz good Monday night. Happy Dlers, acrobatic clown, copped laughs with his tumbling In opener as' well" as registering after going legit and flnlshing with the pyramid table tumble, still a thriller. A femme assistant appeals in sup- port but with little to do other than dress the stage. Shaw and Brunet, male duo, fol- lowed with a harmony singing rou- tine that got returns. Six numbers, mostly duets, comprised their rou- tine, with their Irish medley closer sending them off to a happiy flnlsh. George Niblo and Co. tickled them with a mlsflt army skit In which the comic was supported by two men and woman. Niblo doing pasty ec- centric and an associate comic dding dead pan stooge, both in khaki, pro- vided what there was of the fun. As detected deserters they are grabbed by their superior officer and put through a gun drill burlesqued and bringing most of the laughs. All four go into a dance finish. Esmond and Grant, mixed team, are back again with the "pants" act which got a measure of laughs, but not enough to warrant the next-to- shut spotting. Girl handles comedy and cracks wise throughout at the boy friends balloon trousefs. Gets some laughs but carried to a point of monotony. Boy does nifty step- ping and that's tht act. Marguerite and Gill,.mixed dance team with male baritone, mopped up with their dance routines In closer. Opening with Quakeress number with girl overdressed, she pulls the strings and is revealed in scant attire for a zippy double. A waltz, Spanish, French and Cuban dances round out the routine and are handled with sufficient grace and finesse to make the couple a class hit on almost any bill. The singer has a pleasant baritone and spaces the dances with a couple of vocals, with the combo spotted well and blending nicely. Edba. ALBEE, BROOKLYN (Vaudfilm) Albee in Brooklyn seats 3,256. Within a radius of a few blocks are the Fox, 4,050; Paramount, 4,100; Loew's Met, 3,600 and Strand, 2,800. With all averaging four and five shows Saturday, it takes some por- tion of Brooklyn's amazing popula- tion to keep them filled to profit The Albee, at Its first Saturday show, was capacity by'4, Vaude uncorked some amusing entertainment and made an impres- sion with the audience. Admitting that Van and .Schenck were here, and they are favs over there, it was chookful of the type of comedy, rough and understandable, that the Albee crowd wasn't slow in show- ing its appreciation.* The bill looked just plain and ordinary In layout, with doubt that one or perhaps two of the acts might not get a tumble. Yet all did surprisingly well, which had the entire bill running to sweet satis- faction. Therfe's a Fashion Show }his week. Hearn's store supplying the gowns, displayed by Gamby Girls. The Gamby chorines didn't do much work In the special attire, although one number showed their training. Brems-Fltz and the Murphy Bros, are still together. They show the effects of doing a foursome that has had plenty of practice with the style of very rough and hokey com- edy as a male quartet. The turn had a good spot and made the best of it. Next was Ann Seymour, and it looked as though Miss Seymour was going to bump into the hardship that confronts any woman depend- ing upon the recitative manner of putting over songs in a big house. Yet Miss Seymour managed to do very well, the results hinging en- tirely upon the lyrical twist of her numbers. Miss Seymour has made several changes In her act since debutting on Broadway. She still retains the tandem number with Harry Sey- mour and the sneezing bit. The ap- plause at the finish was sponta- neous. Easy for Joe Morris and Flo Campbell to register here. Morris- has sawed off some of the former drawnout bits and has the act wofking smoother and faster. Van and Schenck closed tht show. That they had appeared earlier In the season at Loew's Met didn't count. On the screen, "The Texan' (Par). Markt PALACE (Vaudfilm) Chicago, May 31. Vaudfilm! Sad words, according to the boys who dropped a tear for the passing of straight vaude at this spot last week. But this week the answer is—oh yeah? After weeks and weeks of empty houses, this spot came back with a picture and five acts. But what acts! Speedy full of class, paced excellently; a line-up of acts that can't miss. The press department gave the vaude end a break, and the box office showed the results. At the end of the flrst show this house was at absolute capacity, and was holding them in the lobby and all the way to the corner out on the street. Maybe the enthusiasm should be tempered somewhat with a couple of buts. In the flrst place, why the crowd so suddenly may be answered in the tremendous and expensive ad- vertising campaign, and the perfect theatre weather on this week-end holiday. The acts were good, no doubt; but perhaps their tremendous success this afternoon is due to tl^ fact of the capacity audience, since. It is an axiom that no show looks good in an empty house. Today, the acts were not only good in them- selves,- but were getting results. Opening was the Uazeed DemnatI Troupe, 11 Arabian tumblers and pyramiders. Fast, with some oke stunts. Perfect for the spot. Sec- ond were Vox and Walters, man and woman, ventriloquist act. The weakest of the lot, but managed to' get across with this holiday crowd.- • Fritzl Scheff, headliner, followed; and was assisted by nine men. Five line hoofers, an eccentric dancer, vocallzer, and pianist. Miss SchefC sang three numbers, all modern pop.. "Kiss Me Again" was used as an accompaniment for the dancing. Johnny Burke, subhead, is doing his dumb doughboy routine and. doesn't miss. Opens with the chat-. ter and closes with some piano work. A solid click. Both Burke and Miss Scheff got receptions, which were rare things at this house in the past. Last was Roxy's Gang, five, two men and two women, vocalists, and a femme pianist. Full of class and plenty ritzy, with arias from "Rigo- letto," but over big with the mob here. "On the Level" (Fox) feature. Loop. 81 ST STREET (Vaudfilm) Summer schedule has gone in here, with bills chopped to four acts Instead of the former five. First half bill well laid out, playing even, but nothing of a wallopy nature carded. Biz light Saturday after- noon. Fi-ancois, Densmore and Co., two men and two women, opened with acrobatics and dancing. Set a speed pace and got over. Three McCann Sisters, from "In- ternational Revue," followed with harmony singing and dancing. Gals have likeable personalities, sing well together and planted a tap pre- cision in a manner which would' alone have sold them for this spot.' Harry Holmes, nut comic, had the laugh-getting division exclu- sively and made most of the break. He planted his nut stuff on piano perfectly and added with aid of audience plants, one cha;slng up the aisle with a luminous skeleton and another tossing a femme dummy out of an upper box. Plenty of hoke, but they go for it. Signor Friscoe, toplinlng, spotted in closer for his xylophone routine, backed by a male irarimba band of six. Friscoe alternated between baton wielding for the marimba outfit and soloing on his own, get- ting across heavy in both spots. "The Texan" (Par), followed as screen feature. Edba. 58TH STREET (Vaudfilm) Not a bad neighborhood layout for a four-act bill, although "Rin-Tin- Tin" disappointed in not being per- mitted to go through his usual rou- tine. As Lee Duncan explained it, it was because the canine film star had a tooth pulled the preceding day, hadn't eaten anything for 24 hours and was out of sorts. An- other 24 hours, promised Duncan, and "Rin-Tin-Tln" would be better than ever. Seeing the far-famed dog seemed enough to please the majority of those out front. Roth and Shay, knockabout acro- bats, opened pleasantly. Both boys wear dead pan expressions and go through their routines in experi- enced manner. Body lifting hoke came in for lots of laughs. Could back it up with a stronger encore as present comedy dance and pan- tomime much weaker than the body of the act. "Co-Eds," mainly comedy skit with songs and dances interpolated, make an oke deucer. Hopper and Catcher .filled the trey. Although the boys still wear their army uniforms, the act has under- gone quite some changes since la^t caught. Have done away with the two or three other boys. Kept the same femme and the same Inn scene. Majority of the patter is new, al- though some of the crossfl'-e, pi"'' the closirig song, "Horses," is rr- tained. On the whole, shapos up a wee bit weaker than previously. ■ Entire vaude took exactly one hour. Par's "Texan" feature.