Dugan and Raymond with their near flying machine, gift tree and apples planted the laugh punch for the second part of the show, appearing seventh. There are several new laughs in “An Ace in the Hole.” One came when Dugan decline the dinner invitation, saying he had a “date to go to the automat to get a ham sandwich out of jail.”The dropping of the solid “apple” brought the heartiest laugh.
The laughter was a long time coming, but when it did arrive there was an outpouring – that provoked by Al Lydell and Carleton Macy, who offered their comedy classic, “Old Cronies,” down next to closing. The old soldier’s bragging claims of his pep when the girls were mentioned brought a roar, and there was a continual bubbling until he danced off.
Faulkner and Ward, a two-man comedy talking act, held the next-to-closing spot. Ward was seen around here last season in a single as the “Hebrew Dough-Boy.” These boys are well paired. Faulkner doing straight to Ward’s comedy. Their talk is all centered on automobiles and safety first, otherwise “A Lesson in Traffic.” Their talk is wise-cracking and delivered with a punch. They blocked all traffic and had to signal for the show to proceed.
Morgan and Gates came next and proved the laughing hit of the bill. These two artists dished their stuff out to the audience in showmanly style and just made ‘em howl. For an encore, they impersonated two old-time dramatic actors, that proved themselves performers of the first waters.
: 22 Mins.; Full Stage. “An Innocent Bystander” Homer Miles, with “An Innocent Bystander,” has given vaudeville something is the way of a distinct novelty, a skit, surrounded with all essentials of success and one that left a reminiscent impression to the average patron, principally because of the unique method employed in its production and delivery. The scene shows a corner in New York City with the Night and Day bank in the foreground. Two men approach the bank, one remaining without while his friend enters on business. Considerable byplay ensures in quick order, the main complication arising through the theft of an old lady’s purse and its transfer from one member to another. The theme develops around the idea that something happens every minute in New York. The individuals, particularly those featured give an excellent performance, although the young man taking the thief could inject a little more of the “type” into his work. The setting is attractive and prettily built.
12 Mins.; Three (Exterior; Special). “Spooks.” An act that proved a novelty Tuesday night. Bayone Whipple handles the role of a smartly dressed widow who carries on a conversation with the house painter, a comedy role capably acted by Walter Huston. That the widow may benefit by her husband’s will, a portrait of the deceased man must be painted on the front door. The house painter volunteers. He draws a head, which comes to life, the movements of the eyes and face in the door panel giving Miss Whipple and Huston a chance to sing one of those quaky, shivery, ghosty numbers in floodlight. Huston had nifty and timely remarks that hit the house amid ship.
13 Mins.; One. Two boys, in black face, singing and talking. Will do nicely on any small time bill. At the Union Square they were the hit of the bill, through the program being shy on comedy and they being the one act that had any kind of material that got over. One of the boys is a wounded soldier while the other is doing a female impersonation as a Red Cross nurse. Some clever talk at the opening and three songs.
27 Mins.; Five (Office Interior – Special Set). Joseph Hart presents Hugh Herbert in this sketch of old fashioned and modernized Hebrews written by Geo. V. Hobart and Mr. Herbert. That Mr. Herbert wrote and inserted most of the typical “Yiddish” lines and actions is as easily believed as it is seen that he wholly holds up the piece, in his character of retired merchant, who left his underwear business to two growing sons. In the father’s absence for three months, the boys, after having incorporated the business, become involved. The “old man” returns in time to save from a receivership, by an immediate advance of $50,000 and a promised loan of $20,000 more. The sons (the parts are played by Thomas Everett and Arthur Thalasso) are the modernized American Jew boys, sharply contrasted in appearance, ways and language with their orthodox Hebrew father and his lifetime companion, Speagle (Gustave Hartzheim). The sons are too loud, too noisy in fact, for their roles, but that may have been a matter of rehearsal. The story is not over strong, has no sympathetic strings, and is made blustery through the introduction of two “women” (Adelaide Folger and Carol Parson). These girls call on the sons at their place of business, to ay they have sent some goods C.O.D., I unless paid for on delivery, “everything is off” between the two couples. It is while the young women are at the office the father returns. The presence of the young women begets horseplay that distorts such of the story as then exists, and the entire portion of the sketch that this section discloses could be removed, also removing at the same time the “women” from the piece. Suggestion regarding them would be as effective, if this phase must be dragged in. The elimination would reduce the running time and make the action swifter. The earlier part of the playlet drags. Mr. Herbert is doing a fine bit of playing as the father. Audiences will like him, Hebrews among them, even if the latter will not particularly relish the act itself, as at present constated. For one thing, it gives the wrong impression of the American born Hebrew. But as an act, Mr. Herbert will make good in it, and will make it good.
12 Mins.; Three (Exterior; Special). “Spooks.” An act that proved a novelty Tuesday night. Bayone Whipple handles the role of a smartly dressed widow who carried on a conversation with the house painter, a comedy role capably acted by Walter Huston. That the widow may benefit by her husband’s will, a portrait of the deceased man must be painted on the front door. The house painter volunteers. He draws a head, which comes to life, the movements of the eyes and face in the door panel giving Miss Whipple and Huston a chance to sing one of those quaky, shivery, ghosty numbers in floodlight. Huston had nifty and timely remarks that hit the house amid ship.
13 Mins.; One. Two boys, in black face, singing and talking. Will do nicely on any small time bill. At the Union Square they were the hit of the bill, through the program being shy on comedy and they being the one act that had any kind of material that got over. One of the boys is a wounded soldier while the other is doing a female impersonation as a Red Cross nurse. Some clever talk at the opening and three songs.
