Joe Laurie Jr. breezed through to the hit of the last half in his near monolog. Joe was over and in with his wise cracks before he introduced his stage parents for some kidding. That insured him doubly and he was forced to a speech at the finish. Laurie has one of the most interesting talking acts in vaudeville and he can handle talk with the best of them.
Grace Nelson followed in the sanest selection of songs that any prima donna has sung to a vaudeville gathering lately. Miss Nelson had all the high class effects – a black velvet drop, a pianist in evening clothes, etc., but she only sang one heavy number. The others were “Your Eyes Have Told Me So,” “The Sunrise Reminds Me of You,” “Buddie” and “Hiawatha’s Melody.” She put them over in a clear soprano of power and was accorded generous applause after each number.
Kranz and LaSalle opened after intermission and got them early with “Typical Tipperary” and “When Their Ain’t No Jazz.” The dancing of La Salle at the finish, however, remains the strongest part of the turn. A comedy song title “Every Day Is Yom Kippur for Mrs. Swiney” should be eliminated. Another act pulled in this week at another big time house and it received in apathetic manner. In an Irish neighborhood they might resent it.
Joseph M. Norcross the oldest living minstrel basso in active service assisted by his wife, Nellie, slammed over a sympathetic appeal that cresendoed [sic] into waves of applause at the cake walk finish. The appeal of the sweet motherly looking Nellie and her old partner is sure fire in any house.
Bobby O’Neill in “The Joker,” a Herman Timberg production scored strongly following. It is one of the best acts of its type seen around and O’Neill has wisely surrounded himself with some clever girl assistants. Mabey Ferry, Dorothy Godfrey, Fay Tunis and Babette Busey are the lookers who help the general effect. The girls can sing and dance, with Miss Ferry’s personality registering. The act is prettily produced, and O’Neill is fitted with a vehicle that will stand much mileage before it is ready for on overhauling.
Eddie Foyer found the Royal a soft spot for his monolog and poems. He has brushed up his toe opening talk and interpolated several new laughs, but the punch remains in his rendition of poem requests from the house. He pulled several standards, but ducked “the Kid’s Last Fight” in favor of Kipling’s “Boots.” He went over strongly.
Merritt and Bridewell in their piano and song offering were deucing and got over with some excellent solo and duet character songs. The girl is an excellent delineator of the negro character and the girl at the piano, assists cleverly. Both make a neat appearance.
19 Mins.; One (Special Drop). Harry Kelly and Louis Wesley are presenting a comedy talking skit in “one,” entitled “Small Town Chatter.” Kelly is doing his usual “deacon,” while Wesley is the straight. There is also a dog. Wesley is the “city feller,” and Kelly, “town constable.” Constable suspects “city feller” and is on his trail. The talk is fast and choc-a-block with laughs. The act was down next to closing at the Royal and kept a mighty hard audience laughing from start to finish. Wesley is a talking straight and makes a capable feeder for his team mate. Kelly does his usual rube song and a bit of eccentric dancing that is a scream. The act is one that can be used to advantage on any bill to get a lot of laughs.
17 Mins.; One. On in an early spot at the Royal Tuesday evening, and suffering from a dual handicap in the matter of an inferior song routine and a frightful orchestra, Miss McDonough had rather a hard time of it. Miss McDonough is far too wise in the tactics of the theatre to continue with her present repertory of songs. Using “Rose and Tulip” for her opening number, she got away to a poor start and was unable to retrieve until her closing number. “Hats Off to You, Mr. Wilson.” While a heavy applause number, only got the merest ripple. The “rag” she is using to close with is by far the best song in her act, as far as she personally is concerned. As a single turn Miss McDonough could easily stand for two songs of syncopated measure and achieve a great deal more than she does.
Francis and Kennedy were third in a song and dance offering assisted by a pianist (Roswell Wright) who contributed a double voice solo between a change. Kennedy is a clever dancer and can put over numbers, but the girl will hold the act to early spots. She is extremely awkward and her costumes are in poor taste. In a solo dance she does a couple of acrobatic stunts that reveal her firmer activities. Despite, this Kennedy held the turn and it was well received.
