The Morton family were third, giving the show real timber right where it was needed. Mr. Morton worked like a Trojan, pulling every known bit of hoke in the catalog, but it all scored for bullseyes. Whenever the proceedings threatened to lag Morton senior pulled a fall or a bit of eccentric stepping that made ‘em howl. The children contributed a full share of the fun, the boy especially, working up the comedy bits for full value.
Amelia Stone and Armand Kaliss was the headline act and was easily the class of the bill. Their musical novelty, “A Song Romance,” was placed third and did much to set the pace, well carried from that spot on. Kaliss had a clever number with “Ragtime Romance in France,” which probably was added after the act originally opened.
On paper Burt Gordon and Gene Ford were the hit of the bill, and they were in reality. Most of the comedy got access, but it was distinctly noticed that Gordon’s singing lacked the power evidenced usually. So the house acoustics might be the matter. Several weeks ago this team was sent into the Palace after Monday to strengthen the show, and it landed with a wallop. It looks good enough to repeat anywhere.
Mr. Cooper held down the next to closing spot, and John Guiran and Marguerite doubling from the Hamilton closed the show in their dancing classic and held every one with the sheer artistry of their opening efforts. They are one of vaudeville’s best dancing combinations and the departing throng buzzed about their talents.
[Fallon and Shirley] passed nicely and Sybil Vane hung up the hit of the show closing the first half of the bill. Miss Vane was never in better voice and was forced to sing her full repertoire and some old melodies for an encore. An excellent piano solo with some clever fingering was contributed by her unbilled pianist.
[New Act] Comedy, talking, singing and dancing. 16 mins; one. Jimmy Fallon (Fallon and Brown) and Marjorie Shirley (Shirley Sisters) in this new combination. Miss Shirley does a clever straight and contributes a couple of solos, one the “Singing Waitress” that resisters cleverly. Fallon does nut and also the Bert Fitzgibbons imitation, which is a faithful copy. The crossfire and gags are a mixture of old and new material, most of which is sure fire. A clever song and dance at the finish rounds out a nice offering that will pass on the early spots in any of the big time houses.
Lorimer Hudson and Co., a comedy and trick bicycle riding combo, took full advantage of the third hole and registered solidly. It is a two-men and two-woman arrangement with one of the males doing a tramp. Barring a Joe Jackson entrance he used a routine of material pantomime and trick riding and hung up the hit of the act on an elevated wheel with some clever turns and twists. It’s one of the best acts of its kind. This act was programmed to close the show but was programmed to close the show but was switched after the Monday shows.
Patricola picked the running up instantly after the intermission and the Topical picture which made a break requiring an especially strong number to generate speed. Patricola’s routine gets away to a fast start and works up nicely to a climax in the Irish number. They called for two extra songs Monday afternoon and then didn’t want the singer to go.
Mel Klee goes after his audience promptly and has them with him from the get-away, even if he has to step across the footlights to the top of the piano to accomplish his purpose. His talk is all bright and pointed and his numbers score unmistakably. He has a robust voice for rag numbers and makes use of a sympathetic tremulous break on rising notes, effective for ballads. The ballad about midway of the routine was a bull’s-eye, coming as it did after the rather rough kidding of the rest of the acts on the bill. Some of this stuff is going to get Klee in Dutch with the rest of the bill one of these days.
Leo Burns and Thomas Foran were the first of three teams who began their acts with lyrical descriptions of why they were present and what they would do. Their dancing needs no introduction and the song about themselves does not especially recommend them. They had much better begin with the dance and let it speak for itself. Their stepping is abundantly able to do that.
