Variety (Jun 1930)

Wednesday, June 11, 1930 VAUDE HOUSE REVIEWS PALACE (St. Vaude) By way of showing wliat aid » bit of spotting anO Hxihg can bt? to a vaude bill, the current I'alarcr <!«•- veloped into ciuite a wallopy layi.ui bv Saturday night, after a bad Mr^t Berformance at the matinee. What the first part needed at the nnatlncc was comedy. They dug up Jay t'. jPljppen at the Friars and Klip, biu k in blackface, was what the dcn-ior prescribed. ' AVith the cornedy single added and Willie and Eugene Howard silU closing the first part, that section, after the previous shortage, became the laugh section of the bill. Sunday night, when caught, it all played smoothly, possessed most of the way with the power to sock, and doing so In all spots but one. Incidentally that one inferior turn, Princess Slaviansky's Russian Choir was the only act on the bill Inherited by Arthur Willi, the new Palace booker. Willi, booking under ITreeman, was responsible for the rest of the show. Van and Schehck are the head- liners and next-to-closing. Splitting second billing type are the Howards and Frances Williams, both hold- overs from last week. Palace, to overcome an obvious scarcity of name material, has been holding them over regularly lately and somet.nies the repeat stuff doesn't work. This week the Howards and Miss Williams are strong enough to placate and satisfy the returning cu.stomers, with the Howards even better (his week, which Is some- thing. Outside of that, nothing .much for the lobby boards In. the drawing way, but enough on the stage' for a good show. Van and Schenck are celebrating their l8th anniversary as a team and the song commemorating that lengthy partnership, tenored by Joe Schenck in place of the usual bal- lad, is a large part of the turn's suc- cess this week. Outside of that number, with' no other menll«n of the anniversary made froiia the stage, the customary V. & S. rou- tine in singing and type of songs used is adhered to. It's likely by now that any audi- ence can tell what sort of number will follow, and with that in mind it seems odd that Van and Schenck can so easily raise an audience' to a greater pitch of appreciation with each succeeding lyric. This is an old established firm and still going strong. The boys have given the rest of the two-man song turns 18 years to catch but no one's done it yet. Their current headlining at the T&Ht $2 big timer comes but three months after an engagement down the block at T^oew's 50c State. Did you ever see Joe Schenck with a marcel wave? Maybe that's what engineered this quick repeat on B'way p.fter such a recent week for the opposl.sh, with that marcel prob- ably worth to any audience, after 18 years of straight hair, the dif- ference between the State's and the Palace's tops. A few minor changes in the How- ards' routine. Major part composed of the strongest of last week's bits, and they remained plenty strong. After the first few show stops by Willie Howard on individual efforts, the knockdown count was lost. His Jessel, Cantor and Jolso'n were pan- ics and then returned and did it all <iver again with his Chevalier. They've got that Chevalier imita- tion billed so boldly in the outer lobby it looks like the Frenchman is on the bill: poster carries Maur- Icejs picture, not Willie's. Miss' Williams commendably changed most of her numbers, all of her gowns and the dance team for the second week. The cooch this trip, again the finisher, is done to a "Scandals" tune instead of one from "International Revue," but the same cooch, and result about the same as a -week ago. She is again rarticipating in an extra piece of biz, barber shop - blackout from a past musical, with Willie Howard as the victim in the chair and How- ard saved it with his playing. Bit was spotted la,te. up ahead of Van and Schenck, and gave the second part a few laughs that were needed. Four Karreys' contortion work, most sensational of its kind around, gave the buil a useful opening push. First stoppage arrived as early as the deuce, filled by Gordon and King, T'alaco regulars, who ho<ifed themselves into a smash. That made it that much tougher for the slow-starting Russian choir. This act has nothing but a Jot of unin- teresting group folk singing. . at which this generally polite audience frequently snickered, until one of those round-up dancing finales. And that's pretty funny, since this IS billed as a singing turn. It would die without a single mourner but for the speed ending, and even the ending looks good mainly in con- tra.^t .to what precedes. ^forris Gest sold the. plump prlnpe.«s and choir to the Palace about a year ago with a flowery speech about a foyal past. This time, as far as IK known, Gest is out. Flippen (New Acts), Miss Wil- 'lanis and the Howaid. in that or- "fr, comj.leted the first part. They ^<-vc hack to their seats when the sfund news (Pathe) had finished and Hal Jerome opened Part 2. Je- rome used to split his billing and Jie name was Jercime and G)-e>L ''i'>na Grey, blond and easy to gazf '•i. Is as good a straight as Jerome VARIETY 41 i.'- a luiiiif and is still the partner For .<-<.m«- reason the billings ni w '■ ' 111." Witlumt i-oiipins: aiiv ■ r<ir nicidi sty. Joiome' does ...V- iih.isant flip t.ilU with the fid- dl'-, ,ih(l hi^- work the piano at tiiii'-s ti nds to l•las^^ tills also as a (■(niiedy piano act. .Sunday nighi altiut <'ne-ihlrd of Ji-nmu/'s gaus Wert- trade and booking oMice stuff. It \\as noticed that the boys in the hack, most of them probably In on cheosers, laughed thcm.selves sick at Jeionie's trade talk, but th? lays who iHiri ha.sed tickets couldn't fig- ure it out. It can't be possible that J<r<mie would attempt that sort of chatter away from the Palace, but he'd better not permit a Palace week to get him into the habit. Even at the Pa'lace, with booking office jibts comprising 30% of the material, Jerome was wasting 30% of his time. Cnpt. Willie Mauss closed and held them unusually well with his motorcycle feat, "The Death Wheel," one of the most breath-taking stunts in vaude and needing a dare^ devil to perform it. Bige. HIPPODROME (Vaudfilm) Just a bit above par is this week's bill with two of the acts, both silent and one an opener, getting the best results. Rest of the acts fiuctuated between entertaining in some spots and going dull In others. Consider- ing that this house has no cooling system and that Saturday afternoon was sultry, the matinee mob here surprised in numbers. Vaude names featured most likely didn't amount to any box office pull, which depends probably on Par's "'Vagabond King," screen feature. Entire bill runs about three hours and 30 minutes, with the entire vaude using up 72 minutes. . Zelda Brothers make a corking opener for any bill and did unusually well here. Both boys are unusual contortionists and perform preUsel bending feats with ease. Open with floor work contortion and then take to a small trapeze, where they dis- play their twisting feats on the small bar. Three McCann Sisters, late of the "International Revue" and previous to that playing the same vaude time as now, deuced. Their debut in legit musicals has not changed their routine except to include one song. "Sunny Side Up," which they sang in the show. Major portion of turn is harmony warbling with their de- lively of "Mississippi Mud" best. Then take to dancing of no out- standing quality but nicely diversi- fied and pleases. Deliver with pop. . Felovis, the ace juggler, featured here, had it ea.sy going in this large hou.se where entertainment which appeals to the eyes goes better than that which appeals to the ears. Adept at all forms of juggling. De- votes most time and especially prac- ticed in balancing and juggling a large rubber ball on small sticks. Quite a number of errors were spotted through the routine, appar- ently excusable on the ground that the routine was difficult and mi.sses made it look more difficult. Hooper and Gatchett, also fea- tured, were in the wrong place here. Material is best suited for a neigh- borhood gathering. Turn is without fire and punch, with a strong gag spotted only here and there to lift it out of the rut. Majority of the chatter takes too long to get to the point, which Is often lost in the build-up. Close with comedy war- bling. Not .«;o good. Brems, Fitz and Murphy Broth- ers were a much needed laugh act. Not because they were unusual, but becau.se they packed comedy in which the remainder of the bill was weak. Attempts of the four boys to warble, both comedy and straight, simply a filler and time killer. Main pillar is the hoke bit while one of the bovs is dressed as a cop. Be- cause of the warbling, the start was slow. Finish made up foi* it. Helen Denlzon and Co. (New Acts) was a pleasing closer. Nicely pre- .sented and with Miss Denlson prov- ing a personable dancer. Two boys and'six gals .support. 86TH STREET (Vaudfilm) Joe 'i'oung, from burlesque, pum- mels sufficient giggles out of an as- .sortment of thoroughly exploited bits to be rated a good hoke act. But Scott Sanders, from the English music halls, ingratiates himself by what still ought to be called "talent." The one is a "comic," the other a comedian. Comics have their value. But it's the comedians of light and shade that give vaudeville what prestige it has. I Present bill makes what m;iy lie . regarded as a very nice adjustment . between the two schools of (.(imfdy, ] and may reasonably be considered a i working pattern for four-act bills. I ■Opening. Furman, .Sharkey, and I Lorraine (New Acts) offered singing with a comedy angle. This oiled up th« gigjile springs for Joe "i oung. who iiicroahed the smiles l>i guffaws. : .Sanders then added the embroidery. ; Mever Golden's arresiingly force- . ful se'mi-nude adavi" balb-L broutrbt j the bill to an impre.-^.-ive cc.ncli;M('ii. "Dance Fables" ,is reliable vau'K- I ^'"Sbow Girl in Hollywood" tFNi for th<- sc reen. Matinee light. , STATE (Vaudfilm) Nicely paced four-act program ami great in playing at this late .Saturday night performance, even if ilie attendance was below par. c;ai>s in the usual downstairs capac- ity, although early showers should have drivvri In the strollers. Dilficult to apiM-ai.se the box office value of what >\as on sale. Screen had "Ladies ti£ I>eisure" u\il) di- rectly frcni the ('apitol, and a first rate title, il.-irquee lights divided the names, Uuby Norton and Art Landry, two items of dr.aw value hard to figure, but undoubtedly class on the stage. Not the least of the nice appear- ance of the show in its playing was due to the comedy punch of Frank t.^onville, clown of unquestioned value in the Ne. 2 siiot. but open to some criticism for the extent to which he goes for low comedy laughs. Pattern of the bill also gets a lot from its opening with the Kitchen Pirates, trick title, for the familiar adagio foursome. Their merit as an acrobatic adagio turn ha.s been abundantly commented upon. De.^ vice of a fast and comjielling opener and then a punchy comedy No. 2 set the show. Miss Norton Uiking the next to shut sells an eyeful of feminine blonde beauty and a great soprano voice, but there is nothing partic- ularly smart about her -audeville arrangement. Idea of opening with an announcement by the pianist Clarence Senna, makes for a dull start. Besides Senna has to fill In cu.stume changing gaps later and should be in the background at the oxiening, which ought to have some sort of entrance flash for Miss Nor- ton. What puts the slatue.sque over for complete value is her nicely handled impression of Sophie Tucker, elaborately worked up and costumed to the queen's taste. Art Landry completed the bill. Landry has a neat trick for the opening. His baqd opens unseen behind the drop in -"ne with a selec- tion—"Man from the South" In this case, heavy on the brasses. Then when the drop flies it seems that the principal contribution Is • being made by his five violinists. Surprise here that starts him off nicely. Landry has been doing a good deal of picture house m. c.'ing and it shows in his handling. Comedy specialties of the boys are ■ rough, but resourceful and they keep the fop s|iinning for good results In a house of the State grade. Hush. ft»d chorus of 5>0. Girls douVilo on baby uprights Ih a very novel fin- ish, well staged and carrying (>ut the title idea up to the linale. Viitll then it was mainly fla.'ihy scent ry and .\ubrcy"s sjiocialty, witli the four dancing boys handicapped not !i little by the similarity in stylo of the four prceoding boys with Ml.'is Hand. Miss Webb, be- sides announcing, has a specialty for a stew «ons;- that is niuch too long and full of holes. Her ohar- aetorization itself Is good but needs lilenty of help in form of a more helpful lyric. Mixed couple in the unit' fini.-^h strong but not until al- most fiopping, the build-up being 'way below the finish par. They do an old fashioned bridal coviple to ciiion and slip into the traveler for a quick .change to flap attire. Nothing counts until they wblsMe off. The whistling is what sells them, for after a regulation duet, they waltz while whistling on each Oliver's fingers. Girls' piano .fini.sh conducted by a middle aged and .-iiirittd fellow ct the centered grand. Aubrey was doing his single routine Saturday and stopped the show, suggesting all the while that his sort ot turn would fit snnglv iiiKi the present day form of short and sn;ippv vaude bills. Some silent picture shots of In- dia and elephants, acoompanied by Jliss Webb's .singing, starts the unit and from- there the action switches to an ivory market scene, played dimly behind a serlm, a comely pic- ture. Black spangled backdrop al- tern.ates with a painted one the rest of the way, until the finale. "Arizona Kid" (Fox) picture for •irst half only. Business In the heat at the first show Saturday extremely weak but around mid-afternoon the sudden rain seemed to be driving them in. Bige. ACADEMY (Vaudfilm) Current bill ot six acts, closing with the 24-minute F. & M. ';ivory" Idea, has its good moments, but is so long on dancing and so shy of comedy that, in entirety, it's pretty bad. Not so much that the d.i.ncing is so voluminous, but that it is mostly of the same type, with each tap or time stepper sufiCering through following another and others. Comedy scarcity partially due to the fact that the first'laugh turn, Drohan and Dupree (New Acts), No. 3, didn't come through very strong at the first show and show- ed little evidence of doing much better later on. Ward and Van got some snickers with their fiddle and harp In the four spot, but more applau.<«e than laughs. It's peculiar with this bill that most everyone fishes for laughs and few land. It was late in the running when Will Aubrey appeared, doing his specially as part of the F. & M. unit. Afl his comedy topped the bill in that department, he was a cinch for heavy response, socking them second only to the "Kings of Rhythm," on just ahead. This col- ored five is the Norman Thomas Quintet under another monicker and with two, or maybe three, changes in the linenri. Drummer and singer are Iv^ldovers from the Thomas turn and the strength of this one. Carr Bros, and Betty nice opener and standard in va.ude.for that sfiot. Carrs do the w'ork. Miss Betty hold- ing up the decorative end with ai. kick specialty between the boys' two numbers. Their opening com- edy acrobatics are not so new and no riot, this item just building them up to the second ajipearance, in which the boys do balancing in straight sport attire. Leg lift, clos- ing stunl. is a honey. •Sally Rand, with her male sup- port ctJt to five from the former nine, played the first ."how in front of hou.se sets, the Rand act's own trappings f>robably b(-lng too much for' this slftire with the "Ivory" unit's heavy hangings. Ml.ss liand, without the scenery, .c.<it by satis- factorily on her dancin;.' and the sufiport of her five gf,od looking .-ind well dres.sed boys. This, as en- t(-i i.-jntuenf'. value, is about of aver- a.i.'(. dan'f- flf-f-i (lass, but may hf;ve an eriL'f in the fih/i rej« juss'^'-sf-d l-.v t)i(' lead, altliouL'b .Mis.H Hand or v r rri'-ant enough in the pir-tur*-s to give the "in ji'ison'' Ijilling any iniporLiiit I'Ullirig powtr. "Ivory" Idc-a has as principals tf.i-idfs Aubrey, a girl rri. c. and rriab. Iroriersonalor, U<!tly I^ou VVfbb; r/iixed team f<iur dancing bf'yp, toe Oaneing g)il pianist (man; PALACE 58TH ST. (Vaudfilm)- Drawing possibilities of first half *how not so forte, although six acts have been put on instead of former policy of five with feature, overture and organ number (latter last halves only). Picture "Show Girl in Hollywood" (FN), which may attract more busi- ness than some features going In R-K-O houses, but at Saturday mat evidenced no great strength. House only one-third filled. The rain just before matinee time apparently did not react as a benefit. In adding one act to vaude show, idea is to offer a bill of six aver- ■age acts rather than a strong head- liner for next to closing and attrac- tions for biscuits in other spots. Current show is genuinely enter- taining without delivering an out- standing punch and the cost Isn't very great. The Six Orellys, mixed troupe of acrobats combining skill and speed in a routine characterized by novel- ty, in - the Initial spot. Did very nicely. No. 2 spot held Raymond Balrd who calls hlm.self "Young Sousa" and features sax numbers. Baird has improved as a showman, with his act benefited accordingly. Hav- ing good stage presence, the youth builds up his sax work into a dis- tinct plea.ser. Act is a ne.at fit for deuce In intermediate vaudfilm. William J.-Kennedy and Co. third. Miller and Peterson fourth, and Foley and Leture in next to end. Better routining than this could easily have been arranged unless Foley and Leture -w'ore promised next to closing spot. Miller and Peterson for that niche would have seemed better through similarity in substance' to Kennedy. Kennedy's offering Is the "Arrest Me" sketch w. k. to vaude audiences through being around for years. It's a straight comedy sketch throughout and surefire most any- where. Miller and Peterson, following, are low comics in ml.sflt clothes. Both acts are thus similar in appearance and to ah. extent in matt-rial. Team Is propped with sure-hit cros.sflre- and mugging, relieved by some dancing and instrumental bils. Over very strong In view of .«ize of audi- ence Saturday afteriirjon, Eddie Foley and T>ea I..eture, household names on Keith's, scored as decisively, gathei-ing laughs all the way and winding up with sub- stantial applause. A well routined and nicely sold act. A not unusual but well mounted and agieeablo fia.sh, Bradley and Tlerney Revue, on the tall end. Played a trifle slowly, jxis.sibly through an effort to cram a lot Into the routine, but oth'-rwise a pleaser Viilh some of the individual num- h(-r.s ;ibove average. The flash eats up ]fi minute's and is another indication of thfi tendency of fla.'-hcs to run too lonu.. If cut only ibre<! or. four ini/iules, lis. ( rf'-ctlvf-iif"s would be heightened. CiXii- of the en.'^cnibli- numbers by the four girls eould b( b ft f,u'.. f^iclievlra overture-, built up by l.avid .Moidecai throut:h nj«-d|ey of (ilfl * numbers and sjK-eial llghiting effects; I'alhe Sound .N'ows, ii<-ii;il l^aii'ts and an Afsoji's Fable slmrl "Ooni I'ahpah'' (I'aihe; olhei imil-- o^ jirogiam. (Jhiir, (Vaudfilm) Chicago, Jtine 7 Another substantial bill the >;ec- oud week of this theatre .is f<iur-a- day, with 110 luintites of tlesh show and "Movietone Follies" tl-'ox), on screen t)peninp. Maurice Colieano and his family, three boyfi ;ind three girls,- wore 'as warm . as anything anil heavy on r(>sponse As u.-iual. Mau- rice's double sonier.sault fini.-^h wa-'s the satisfactory climax No. 2 -was the kid from picture.s, Scotter lAiwry, alone, with stnig, dance and gags. I-ittle fellow looks and acts like a future showman and leans toward dancing. In this thea- tre at the first show he was cold, playing to a wise and unsympavhetie audience. But perfect for the State- Lake, which i>acks yotingsters. Aunt Jemima, heftiest of the blues -sobbers created no small comment with her act, new . here since "Show Boat." Here is one mouner whose voice fits the personality, and w-ho sells straight from the shoulder all the time. Separating three good numbers with .a comical little dance was a good idea. Called out twice and finished with a quick change to her Aunt Jem costume and croon- ing "'I Ain't (>ot Nobody," she was a hit. In "one" with capable un- bilb>d pianist. Just the proper spot to follow came Joe Marks with his standard hoke act, assisted by a girl and young fellow, lie got another vic- tory. Little Yld Joe, climbing cur- tains, etc., sold his old gaga and burle.-^que sniffles for top value. Dancing finish good with the un- billed b<}y doing some nice eccen,- tric soft work. As usual, the "All Right" business with two pianos, stormed." Closing was that novel act, "Ingen- ues," band of 19, girl toe dancer and Mina Smith, violinist. This bunch worked a fast 36 minutes, and with all doubling, tripling and quadrup- ling on brass and strings, put over some effective work. One defect Is lack of snap, due probably to no leader t,o take bows and separate numbers. Miss Smith's contribu- tion to the program -was negligible, with one classical effort. Girls are shy on comedy and rather strictly technical, avoiding the natural ex- tempore. An exceptional rendition of "Cryin' for the Carolines" with heavily shadowed lighting and choral work topped. Business began slowly, but by the opening of the second sho.Wi main floor and the smoking mez sold out. Ixiop. STATE-LAKE ^ (Vaudfilm) Chicago, June 7. Alma Rubens, headlining five-act bill, cut her act in half at the first show today due to laryngitis. She did only a short speech and her comic "Ethel Barrymore" skit. Bui from what was caught. It is evident that Miss Rubens will have to bring some of her wise talk down for th« nobs out of New Tork. As It was, It took them some time to warm up to the farce Idea In the bit. Theli only real reaction came when MIsi Ruben.s mentioned her recovery, She is, however, the only draw this house has this week, Hnrrlman, Swan and Lucille a« nice and fast a..danclng act as can be found, opened the bill and seni it away to a start. Marge LaMarr and Jlelen Bolce followed with some fair talk as night club hostesB(jH, and good warble of "Hallelujah" by Miss Bolce, who was -in "Hit the Deck" out on the coast. Talk needs a faster pace, with -waits too long at present. Miss Rubens followed. Bob Hope next with old and new gags, and some good showmanship. Tills act flows right Into Harry Webb's turn, so that It Is impos- sible to fell where one ends and the other begins, with Hope In both. Harry Webb Is carrying a band of ni-'c, three girls and a colored boy noofer. Act Is rather me.ssy in routining, but the audience liked the general jumble. Ann Gillcn led the band and contributed a few steps; VI Maye did the class vocal work. Bob Hope and Harry Webb had a lot of fun together. "Kiinaway Bride" (Radio) screen. Business good first show Satur- day, Loop. 81ST STREET (Vaudfilm) Good playing show for first half, but with nothing In the act division of magnetic consequence for the box » office. Light biz Saturday afternoon. Whatever draw may come later must bo <-redlted to the screen fea- ■ ture, "Show Girl," rather than the stage show. This neighborhood, more oi- less of a white elejiliant foe several .sejisons, was figured to get the long-.iwaited bre.'Pk when the Riverside, further up town, folded, but ('Xpectalior.s in that dii-r^etlon have f.'dled. The ."ilMt Street, is getting U-v; If any of the former JiiverHidf- (-lierit(-le. Ari.wwer .s'-einingly ix t'l'at oni-e they board suif.'i'e r;ir or subway they iid(. iia'<t the hist .sirei-t to Times H((U.ire. With bill cbopped to (our acts in- .••le.-id of live for Kiiinrner, Kilei-n aiid Maijoite, acrobalic slst(-r team, got ((,'ontinned on page (iO)