Variety (December 1954)

50 VAVORVILLB XJllf.VMjl Wednesday, December 8 , 19S4 PAT MORGAN Songs 25 Mins. Gatineau Club, Ottawa Pat Morgan’s been singing pro- fessionally for some years but his recent hypoing via winning an award on Canadian Broadcasting Corp.’s television show. “Pick The Stars.” not only made him w.k. to Canadian audiences but seemed to cue considerable improvement in his stage savvy. Morgan has socko personality that moves easily across footlights and floors to garner big audience acceptance. Equipped with pipes that rate high in quali- ty, lad handles them with more ease and ability now’ and that, combined with selection of tunes to fit, sets him in a top chant posi- tion. Morgan has topped some expert talent in the preliminaries and semi-finals of the CBC video slow ventional mufti. Even the “Street Singer” had to come in off the rues ; when a radio sponsor beckoned. Incidentally, speaking of flexible 1 showmanship, ex-hoofer Billy Reed ! is a good sampling of maturity ! that comes with experience and j an eager awareness of public stand- i ards. He now makes with the I cuisine like Escoffier, even unto a : dinrer-of-thc-month gimmick in , varying nationalistic idioms, along ! with an elastic concept that where once he tpund it sufficient to see the Little Club as a guys-and-dolls haunt, since then he has fortified it with solid groceries. There are such little but savvy bonifaceing tidbits like Faconi’s svelte fiddling. With Jules Kati’s assistance, and j Rudy Timfleld tickling the ivories from dinner on. Reed’s prime problem some nights is his limited | capacity. Abel. HAPPY BURROWS Dance, Impressions 12 Mins. Club Savannah, N. Y. Harry Burrows is a good colored performer who can sing fairly well, do a good job of emceeing, tap out a routine, and top it all off with impressions. All of them are fairly well done. As a matter of fact, he seems to dissipate a lot of his tal- ents by failure to stay in any one bracket long enough to register a degree of excellence. Burrows’ most promising mo- ments are in the tap vein. His two numbers in that category indicate that his cleats are fast and clean and he seems to be on the verge of an individualistic style. How- ever, in his second tap number he reverts to something more or less surefire by miming Bill Robinson. He does a vocal impression of The Ink Spots’ Bill Kenny. Toning down of his exaggerated garb would aid his cause. Jose. MARGOT & MALLIE Dance 5 Mins. Club Savannah, N. Y. Margot & Mallie seem to be refugees from a classical troupe who have gone in for commercial routines. Negro couple have blue- printed an Afro-Cuban item with sexy overtones to fill the require- ments of this spot. Male is one of the speedier danc- ers around. He has ability to do some amazing leaps and some diz- zying spins. At times, he seems to slow up in order to permit his partner to keep pace with him» However, it doesn’t mean that the girl is a slowpoke, but it would be an extraordinary femme to possess the speed of Mallie. Their single number is well received, but rou- tine as displayed here would have to have large portions of it scrapped for work in tonier soots. Jose. RICHIARDI JR. Magic .30 Mins. Olympia, Paris Though surrounded by six help- ers. this Peruvian magician bills himself single-o. At a carioca tempo he runs through all the w.k. tricks but performs them with a nonchalance that makes them in- triguing again. Things disappear and return at will, pretty girls vanish from chairs to end up in trunks brought out by two fey aids, and so it goes. Piece de resistance are two levitation bits that look real and enticing at closest scrutiny. It Vs fun to be fooled with this young, bouncy prestidigitator, and this sort of act is always a welcome interlude on any vauder, nitcry or tv show. It has distinct U. S. pos- sibilities. Mosk. RAY ROMAINE & CLAIRE Acrobatics 7 Mins. Palace, N. Y. Ray Romainc & Claire, who have worked theatres and niteries on the Coast prior to coming east, dis- play varied routines of tumbling, acrobatics and hand-to-hand bal- ancing. Male, an unassuming lad. is dressed in sport coat and slacks while his femme partner is more appropriately clad in a white leo- tard. Well executed, their feats excite visual interest and the duo appears to be good tv material in addition to the vaude and nitery media. A sequence, in which the femme kid- dingly holds up a sign with the legend, “No Applause.” while her partner is performing, is ignored by the customers who applaud any- way. Gilb. COMEDY MATERIAL for All Branch,* of Theatricals FUN-MASTER THE ORIGINAL SHOW-BIZ GAG FILE (The Service of the STARS) First 13 File* $7 00-All 35 issues $25 Singly; SI.05 per script. • 3 Bks. PARODIES. per book $10 • • MINSTREL BUDGET $35 • • 4 BLACKOUT BKS., oe. bk. $35 • • BLUE BOOK (Gags for Stags) $50 * HOW TO MASTER THE CEREMONIES $3.00 GIANT CLASSIFIED ENCYCLOPEDIA OF GAGS. $300. Worth ovor a thousand No C.O.D.'s BILLY GLASON 300 W. 54th St., Now York 19—Dept. V Circle 7-1130 TIIE ORFATIS (3) Aero 10 Mins. Olympia, Paris Garbed in flowing parodies of Arabian Nights costumes, this bouncy trio docs a scries of bal- ancing and easy manipulating in the aero' category to make this a fine opener or filler. Looks like a nice bet for U. S. nitery or vaude spotting. Mosk. FRAN GREGORY Songs 12 Mins. Charley Foy’s, Sherman Oaks, Cal. Fran Gregory is a singer who could happen. She has all the nec- essary equipment, including a well- trained voice, looks and figure. On the basis of her stint here, she’s a welcome addition to any nitery show and a possibility for records and tv. Sole drawback at the moment Is a tendency to oversell. The arm and torso waving need to be toned down because they detract from the overall effect. Other than that, however, she makes a good im- pression and earns plenty or re- sponse. in addition to warbling such standards as "Will You Still Be Mine?” and “The Thrill Is Gone,” she goes in for vocal carbonings of Lena Home, Marilyn Monroe, Jane Froman and Marlene Diet- rich. The Horne is excellent and the Monroe better than average, particularly on "Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend.” Knp. (Beauty and fhe Least) A mw not* In Glamor Comady 8ta*«d by Msrvyn Neljon Currently (to Jan. I) PALUMBO’S Philadelphia LOU ELLIOTT Songs 10 Mins. Club Savannah, N. Y. Lou Elliott, who lias graduated from the ranks of band vocalists, is an interesting singer. Although hip in the manner of modern day singers, this songstress brings in some of the characteristics of her Negro forbears. There’s a touch of spirituals in some of her tunes. It’s a highly interesting style that en- tices attention. ?»Iiss Elliott is an attractive look- er and well-gowned. Her tunes are standards that are easily assimi- lated hut her offbeat treatment makes her an item for attention of the uptowncrics. Jose. WHEN IN BOSTON If s the The Home of Show Folk Avery & Washington Sts. TRUDIE MASON Songs. Dance 17 Mins. NCO Club. Omaha Trudie Mason is a vivacious red- head looker with stage moxie who may be headed for big things. She has personality, a Betty Huttonish energy, and a style of comedy not too unlike Martha Raye. There aren’t many dull moments when she’s on. Miss Mason opens in a baggy sailor suit for “South Pacific,” winding up with an okay tap ses- sion. Then she strips the uniform, revealing her in a low-cut formal that displays a trim figure. After a brief gal) session, she socks over a Jolson impression to w ind up way ahead. Act could stand some reroutin-, PATRICIA LORDIER "Just Returned from the land of Manana“ Currently Appearing CHEZ AMI, Buffalo Thank You, MAX luOVELLE and NOEL SHERMAN tag and tightening to make even more use of Miss Mason’s talent. But it’s still a solid offering. Red- head is a good bet for any medium, especially musical comedy. Trump, BOBBIE K1MBER Ventriloquism 8 Mins. Empire, Glasgow Experienced English vent act has potential for the U.S. vaude mar- ket if pace of act could be speeded and sharper finish evolved. With lengthy hair and a puffed- up feminine face, male performer, with aid of makeup, could easily pass for a genuine distaffer. He’d be a wow if he would finish act by discarding feminine trappings and revealing himself a man, as he did at this vaudery on a previous trip. Ventriloquial talent is high. At show’ caught, he sat between two suitcases, with dummy on each, and contrived to create effect of one doll being the vent, the other his dummy. Act tends to become slowpaced in spots, and gags could be fresher, but overall results are good. Winds by creating dummy “Jen- ny” from hand and fingers with aid of lipstick and greasepaint. Cord. MARGUERITE & CHARLES Comedy Acrobatics 5 Mins. Empire, Glasgow Mixed duo are pleasant aero workers with strong element of comedy. Male throws his distaff partner into air. catches her, then engages in ballroom-style dancing with her while she treads around on hands. Lifts and graceful posi* tionings also merit applause. Male also circles the femme round and round in rotating man- ner by holding hand under hei armpit. He is garbed in lounge suit and soft felt hat; she's shapely young blohde. Possibility for U.S vaude. * Cord. Java Spots —^ Continued from page 1 could live there on modest means, no longer can afford the prices now prevalent. Perhaps, these conditions have brought on the coffee houses. Like Bohemianism, it’s a development brought over from the Continent. With liquor prices being what they are, and many having been taken over by peculiar kinds of delin- quents, these seem be the last refuge of the Villagers w’ho still cling to the vestigal Bohemianism in the sector. The atmosphere is pleasant, the prices fairly reasonable consider- ing that the customers linger over the coffee cups interminably, and the beverage and the conversation stimulating. Indeed the Village trend can be seen during the weekday nights when the nearby NYU lets out. The scholars bypass the strip joints despite the doormen-barkers, they steer clear of the saloons and go into the coffee joynts. The matriculants have been transformed from steweds to studes. The coffee houses, with wide as- sortment of Italian pastries, can be expensive too. Some types of cof- fee go to 50c per cup but that’s for the carriage trade. It is a fact that the coffee houses hit the upbeat as rougher elements took over in the Village. The girls with muscles and the soprano boys- have retired to new haunts, with one exception, a spot that mixes the breeds. The espresso coffee house vogue has spread into the *50s. At one of them, the after-theatre crowds line up waiting for space. Indeed should the development become more widespread, it’s possible that a temperance form of cocktail lounge will be on its way. It’s not unreasonable to assume that they will install strolling players as competition becomes keen. As a matter of fact, Wiere’s a strolling group in the Village that makes the round of the coffee houses. After a set they pass the hat. So a start in that direction has been made. 1LE DE FRANCE BOOKS BILL FOR CRUISE PREEM The lie de France, which be- comes a cruise ship for the winter season, will make its first trip of the season Dec. 23 with a full com- plement of acts aboard. Among those signed to entertain on the boat are Don Tannen, Paul Duke, Gregory & Strong, Sid Gary, Sylvia Karlton and The Renards. James J. Grady books the tal- Myles Bell Inked For London Palladium Myles Bell has been signed for two weeks at the Palladium, Lon- don, starting March 17. Comic had been working with Christine Jorgensen, but split the act about a month ago, to resume solo work. Bell played one week in England with Miss Jorgensen, several months ago, and while there played three weeks of vaude stands as a single. Pair split when the duo returned to the U. S. Lee Wyler has re- placed Bell in Christine’s act. Christine and Bell are both repped by Charles V. Yates. Omaha Union Council To Promote Aud Show Omaha, Dec. 7. First signing of a club date for a union in this part of the coun- try was completed last week when William J. Mattey of the Carpen- ter’s Council Union inked Don Romeo of local Paul Moorhead Agency to produce a show for his outfit at the city aud next month. Romeo will bring in the Eddy Haddad, Skeets Mahoney and Lam- bert Bartak orch’s, eight-gal line, the Darling Debutantes, plus Helen Boyce, Karl Wayne and the Two Checkers. Miss NAOMI STEVENS "Chants With a Chuckle" Currently: ESQUIRE RED ROOM DAYTON, OHIO Dir.: JIMMIE HUSSON 119 W. 57th St., Nnw York SHE'S DYNAMITE! KAY MARTIN KIRBY STONE FOUR Currently LATIN CASINO Philadelphia Dir.: Mat.: WILLIAM MORRIS WYNN LASSNER Agtney Aiscc., Ine. "Cab Calloway proves at every . .. turn that he is one of the great song stylists and showmen of all time." HY GARDNER in Herald Tribune, Nov. 29 Mgt. BILL MITTLER, U19 Broadway. New York