Vitaphone Vaudevilles

[donnie]

I thought I'd make a thread for the Vaudeville acts that were filmed with the Vitaphone sound process at Warner Brothers in the late 20's. I think a lot of these are very interesting and give good idea of what live entertainment in the old days must have been like—and some of them are quite good.

I'll start off with the musical comedy routine by Ray Mayer & Edith Evans, "When East Meets West."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKdfr57H14E (embedding disabled)

[donnie]

A fine singing group, The Revelers, filmed 1927. They have a great blend, and the last song with that typically '20's novelty number sound is especially catchy and delightful. The bass (standing on the right) has a particularly magnificent voice. The lead singer on the left reminds me a little of Conrad Nagel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzSbql15FMs

[Kitty]

I'll start off with the musical comedy routine by Ray Mayer & Edith Evans, "When East Meets West."

I liked this one a lot, especially Edith. I liked the way she sang her songs. She isn't performing per se, she's just casually singing. I like the way she uses her eyes and that she is casually leaning back, singing beautifully with seemingly no effort.

Ray, on the other hand is just fine. I like his pants. Maybe I'm one of those grandma types But the whole routine is overshadowed by his nasty gum-chewing (which you can hear on the recording sometimes, btw) and then when he gets ready to sing he takes it out of his mouth and puts it on the bare piano. Furthermore, if that wasn't repulsive enough, he puts it back into his mouth when Edith is singing. I had to force myself to avert my eyes from the piano while he was singing so I could focus on the show.

Overall, and despite Ray's habit, I loved this. It is interesting how the makeup in these shorts is so different than silent film makeup. It's like when sound came in, a whole new sort of filmmaking was created.

[Kitty]

A fine singing group, The Revelers, filmed 1927.

This one gave me so much joy! I'd have to watch it at least five times to get the full effect, since every one of them has such a lively and expressive performance. I wonder where this was filmed? I'd have loved to see that magnificently large painting that hangs in the background in its entirety.

These are professionals, and they are having so much fun up there. This doesn't seem like the fake fun that people usually have to manufacture for their performances, but they all really get into it. I would love to see more of them. The guy all the way on the right reminds me of Bela Lugosi.

[donnie]

Glad you liked these!

She isn't performing per se, she's just casually singing. I like the way she uses her eyes and that she is casually leaning back, singing beautifully with seemingly no effort.

Yes, that's a good description. I think that's what makes her singing so charming.

But the whole routine is overshadowed by his nasty gum-chewing...

Yes, it is pretty unsanitary. The gum in and out and on the piano, etc., seems to be a part of his comic routine. Mayer and Evans actually made two of these shorts (I actually like the other one a little better, but unfortunately it's not online), and the gum thing is in both of them.

It is interesting how the makeup in these shorts is so different than silent film makeup. It's like when sound came in, a whole new sort of filmmaking was created.

Yes, and Ray appears to have lipstick on, doesn't he?

This one gave me so much joy! I'd have to watch it at least five times to get the full effect, since every one of them has such a lively and expressive performance. I wonder where this was filmed? I'd have loved to see that magnificently large painting that hangs in the background in its entirety.

Yes, isn't it great? I've had that middle song "Dinah" going through my head all morning. Almost all of these Vitaphone vaudeville-type shorts were filmed at the Warner Brothers sound studio in New York. So my guess would be these are just studio props. I know that early sound equipment was so cumbersome (cameras in booths, etc.) that it wasn't mobile enough to transport around much to other locations.

The guy all the way on the right reminds me of Bela Lugosi.

Yes! I knew he reminded of somebody, and that's who it is.

[Kitty]

Yes, and Ray appears to have lipstick on, doesn't he?

Thick lipstick. He's almost ready to join a glam band.

I've had that middle song "Dinah" going through my head all morning.

Whenever I hear this song, I always think of the way Danny Kaye performed it. (I'll just put the link here, so that only vaudeville shorts are embedded in this thread.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MJswruiUjE

[donnie]

Whenever I hear this song, I always think of the way Danny Kaye performed it. (I'll just put the link here, so that only vaudeville shorts are embedded in this thread.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MJswruiUjE

Now I'll never hear this song the same again.

Here is a curiosity, Dooley and Sales from 1929. The poster of this makes the comment, "...the humor in this short might strike some contemporary viewers as elusive." I'm afraid I would be one such viewer. You might just want to sample this one. You can watch all the way through if you want, but it never really gets any better (weirder, but not better).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFUqvLIpnBY

[donnie]

I found the other Mayer and Evans one, "The Cowboy and the Girl." Yes, Ray still has his chaps, his lipstick—and his gum, which makes a starring appearance in this one. Some very good singing and fancy piano work.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pL73e_qmnxI

[Kitty]

Here is a curiosity, Dooley and Sales from 1929.

Just watched this one in full out of morbid curiosity.
There's a reason why vaudeville died, and here's a shining example. Also, unsurprisingly, this is the only time that they committed their act to screen, which might mean this was their only routine.
On the other hand, maybe filming this was just the nail in the coffin. It's hard to believe that they were actually that popular, as there were thousands of acts in vaudeville, and some I've seen are way better. This act was created with the impression that the audience is stupid, and Sales' random laughing like she's high or drunk shows that.
The act doesn't hold up well at all when not in front of a live audience. The cringy ethnic jokes most likely were old fashioned even in 1929. I did absolutely love her dress, though, a perfect dancing dress if I ever saw one.
I guess they'd fare better performing in a House for the Inebriated.
I love seeing these. Keep 'em coming!

[Kitty]

I found the other Mayer and Evans one, "The Cowboy and the Girl." Yes, Ray still has his chaps, his lipstick—and his gum, which makes a starring appearance in this one.

I like their routines! I sure hope he wiped his piano after every use.
I thought the kissing his booboos thing was cute and then she was like I'm NOT kissing that last one.
One question though - what was that comment he made about her fur stole?