Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-06-24
Coast Greets
New Version
e
Of Vaudeville
Streomlinioe Surprises,
Pleases Old Timers
By DAMON RUNYON

NdddtNliit Odt iitiN tiiC OpiNA
night and I think ii is excellent
better than 1 expected. In
deed, 1 believe it compares ia
vorably in most respects with
the old vaudeville and surpasses
il in some.
The pattern is pretty much
the same. but the Los Angeles
version discl loses a certain
streamlining that I think is an
improvement over the old style.
I am told that the local show
follows the lines of the presen-
tations in New York and lately
in Chicago.
The bill is made up of we'll
known theater and night club
performers. few of them sur
vivors of the old vaudeville and
familiar with the tricks-or
maybe / should say art--of the
vaudeville -stage,-whieh- WIS al
ways a distinctive form OF public
entertainment, with a technique
all its own.
For instance, George Jessel,
who heads the bill at the Bilt-
more in downtown Los Angeles,
is a veteran of vaudeville, in
which he started at an early
age. He has lost none of his
former knack of vaudeville en-
tertainment, and the same is
true of Jack Haley, who also
worked In the old vaudeville,
though he afterwards became
better known as a stage and
screen performer.
THERE are hundreds of for
Il mer stars of the old vaude-
vile still in the land of the
living but comparatively few
whose acts would not now be
considered too corny for public
consumption.
1t is from the few who. like
Jessel and Haley. started young
in vaudeville and remain young
enough TO keep step with the
entertainment times, that the
new vaudeville must be re-
cruited as the nucleus for the
bills that will have 10 be filled
out with newcomers.
l think If the new vaudeville
grows and expands. which is
quite possible judging from the
interest here and in the other
cities where il is being played.
its greatest difficulty for awhile
may be in finding performers.
The training schools of bur-
leSque and the old variety stage
have disappeared and while
some swell performers have
come up out of the night clubs
there are not enough of them
as yet 10 cover any considerable
circuit.
Perhaps I should not differ
entiate between the current
vaudeville and that of bygone
days and old and new. Perhaps
| should call this a revival.
But l think the streamlining
I have mentioned represents
sufficient advance TO consider
the present day version as an
other era. II it continues il will
find an audience of its own as
loyal as that of yesterday TO the
old style.
IT WILL eventually develop
Il performers of its own. The
old timers may complain that
they are not up TO the perform
ers they knew and loved in the
halcyon days and Albee and
Martin Beck and Keith and
Proctor and Tony Pastor and
Alex PantageS. but the new gen.
Grafton that has come on with
no knowledge of the old vaude-
vile will think them swell. Ev-
cry generation has its favorites
and recognizes no others.
/ had the good fortune 10 at
tend the opening night in Los
Angeles and in the audience !
saw scores Of once noted per-
formers of the big time. includ-
ing headliners who commanded
big salaries and who are now
living out here, working in pic
lures, or just waiting for the
final curtain. | talked with
several of them and without ex-
ception they were all enthusiast
tic about the new vaudeville.
There was no jealousy in their
comparisons of this vaudeville
with the old, except that few
thought a master of ceremonies,
which role was taken by Jessel.
was a false note. They said that
was not vaudeville as they knew
il but strictly a night club
touch.
However, I remember seeing
Frank Fay, one of the greatest
of the old vaudeville days, doing
almost precisely the same thing
at Sunday vaudeville presenta-
tons at the Cort or Vanderbilt
Theater in New York not many
years ago.
Those houses are so close to-
gether | can never recall which
is which. Fay used TO work in
the aisles and with the acts and
those acts were most certainly
vaudeville and with a capital
w" at that.
Copyright, 1912, by King Features
Distributed by International News Service
25 YEARS AGO TODAY