Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-07

~ ROADWAY'S revue skies are red
- dened with the angry tints of a
civil war between Mr.. Ziegfeld
and Mr.. Earl Carroll. The cause
of the shindy is Eddie Cantor,
who, while working for Mr.. ziegfeld in
"Whoopee," composed libretto for Mr..
CAROLS Sketch Book" and is now ap-
pearing in it via the Phetophone: Re
luctant to share Mr.. Cantor's genius
with brother Snowman, Mr.. Ziegfeld
leaps gently at Mr.. CAROLS throat and
scolds him for that most heinous of the
seven deadly crimes, an infraction OF
Broadway ethics.
Meantime the impish Mr.. Cantor en-
Joys himself as he surveys the ruct1on. A
philanthropist rather than comedian,
he delights in extending his benehcent
offices as far as possible. It pleases him
to be able to do good in two theaterS
instead Of but one, and he grins at Mr..
ziegfeld's discontinue. knowing that 1T
is necessary to the Broadway veal. I
suspect that his heart beats more
rapidly for Mr.. Carroll than for Mr..
Ziegfeld. The Sketch Book" is Mr..
Cantor's own, and in it he can express
himself as they say in the art schools,
both as author and actor. It gives his
talents fuller play, besides TRIPPING his
income taxes with little or no exertton.
Mr.. Ziegfeld's advertisements of WHO'D
pee" announce that Eddie Cantor will
not appear at any other theater; But
he does appear in Mr.. CARROTS Sketch
Book" and you can see and hear him
as he sings the plays theme song. bal
lad Of his own chaSte composition en-
titled Legs, Legs, Legs"
The function of revue, 1t Is said, is
to fire at the follies as they fly. In its
best manner it is as Will Rogers is,
sharpshooter. hitting If not wounding
the stuffed shirts of art and statesman
ship. Mr.. Cantor's Sketch Book" is
not interested in satyrizing Dawes,
Whalen, Jimmy Walker, such Senators
as Hefiin and Pat Harrison. or such
Representatives as Nicholas Longworth
or Mrs. Ruth Mark Hanna Mccormick.
The Sketch Book" devotes its honest
ironies to making fun Of sex.
Mr.. Cantor's part in the sketch
Book" is mischievous. His fleet BLACK
out" sketches illustrating the infidelities
Of the females to the males almost con-
vinces one that matrimony is but a
subterfuge. Mr.. Cantor once threatened
me with a suit for libel because I had
limited that his performances upon the
boards were not always decorous. He
boosted that he was family man, dedi-
Gated to the suburban virtues, and he
was angered when thought that some
Of his public jokes were not Of kind he
would tell at home.
Mr.. Cantor's Sketch Book" Hbretto
Is smart at times in its laughing at in
fidelity and the social evil. 1t is big
and beautiful sex show, full Of per-
formances q report of which would bar
this gazette from the United States
mails.
In the sketch Book you can suffer
with Will Mahoney, for instance. as
he goes through his dull and gymnasium
antics as the leading comedian. It is
altogether a naughty show for the
naughty booberie, whether they come
from Pittsburgh or the Bronx. Jokes
are few In the Sketch Book" but the
comedians who make them are unafraid
and the background provided by the
dancing girls Is enough to establish
the Sketch Book" as one Of the wicked
est, Of the seFenth- avenue. oFgiess