Variety (December 1954)

VARIETY BILLS WEEK OF DECEMBER 22 llimirl „ in c*nn«c 1 t«a •*«» MHt *•«•» Indict* *g*nlng day *f «*» Num# wh«th*r full *r t*lit ***k in-MrMtkdSM indict** circuit (I) Independent; (L> L—w, (M) M«w r r.-imt—<«> «R®' *» «T» Ttv.ll; (W) Warner nEW YORK CITY Music Mall HI M Shirlr* Kmmonj (Irorfit Sawt*U* W illism Upehaw Edward Powell SneUie FarreU Eric Hutaon Clausons tamou* Bears Ramses Rockettra t'orp* de Ballet S»m Ore Palac* <■> 14 Kovaca Stuffy Bryant Leonardo ft Anita Michael Chimea Sybil Bowan De Mattiazzia Frankie Marlow 4 Comet* CHICAGO Chic*** <l*) >4 Don Cornell Mambo Jet* lee Kev Ted Straeter Ore Mark Monte Ore AUSTRALIA Melbourne P rincess <T) 34 Jean Sablon Chris Cross Cuss Bro* ft Myrna Ron Parry 3 Hellos Irvin* ft Girdwood Eddie Lynn Dale Gower Show Gills Dancing Boy* Tivoli (T) 30 Roy Barbour T Fontana ft B Vaughn Margaret Brown Julian Somers Nina Cooke Eddie Edward* David Eadie John Bluthal Llovd Martin \ oral Octett* . Male Dancers PERTH His M*|*s»v*« (T) 3B I Michael Bentlne ! W Latona ft Sparks Buck ft Chic Cathy ft Blair Shirley Lind* Weidemanna Polo Perk* Twin* Jimmy Caesar Eileen Carroll Ray McIntosh B Dears ft Don* Frankie Masters Ore Palmer Hows* Hildegarde ft Jack Whiting Howard Senton Gene Bone Robert Norrla Empire Eight Charlie Fisk Ore LOS ANGELES Dager O’Hai gan ft H Stead 2 Myrons Francis Van Dyk Seyler Heylen Max Blake Irene Bevan* Ballet Girls SYDNEY Tivoli <T> 3ft Jerry Lester Howell ft Radcliffe Harry Jacobson 2 Chadells Atele ft Latu G Dawn ft F Cleary Singers Dancing Boy* Ballet Girls Ambassador Hotel Joyce Bryant Ryan ft -McDonald Harry James Ore Band Be* Mickey Katz Larry Green Trio Bar of Music Happy Jesters <3) Jacqueline Aares C Callinicos Freddie Katz Eddie Oliver Ore Biltmoro Hotel Sue Carson Gal. Gal. Cheerleaders (5) Yillenaves <2i The Derwin Ore Hal Derwin Ore Cl re's Jack Durant , Jan Valerie | Manoia Mera Trio Fayes ' Dick Stabile Ore Bobby Ramos Ore Chaney Fora Gil Lamb BRITAIN ASTON Hippodrome <l) 3# Sor.ny Dawkes Jack Lewis east ham Oranada *1) 20 B Breen ft R Jeffries Port on* Hobey Buckley Maurice ft May FINSBURY PARK Empire 'Mi 20 Plnllis Dixey Alfredos \ area Models Louise Pets Jack Tracy Iris Sadler I>el Gorlina Lionel King GLASGOW Empire <M> 20 Dickie Valentine Bonar Colleano Jits Bops P ft P Page J Laycock ft M K ft A Alexis Ballet Montmartre , Wendy Murphy B ft B Adams De Vere Girls GRIMSBY Palace (I) 20 Wilton Family ! Billv O’Sullivan | SOUTHAMPTON Grams (•> 20 ; Bob Grey J ft B Patton Sheila Atha ! Billie Roche Del Rosa Dancers WOLVERHAMPTON Hippodrome (I) 20 Norman Stanley Prince Nareda Terrie ft Watt* Jack Reed Sid England Sabrina ‘ Jackie Allen ft B YORK Empire (I) 20 Dawn White Co Sandra Dawn Alexandra ft Devens Jimmy French Fran Gregory Tommy Dugan Charley Foy Mary Foy Abbey Browne Ore Crescendo Arthur Lee Simpkins Choo Choo ft Arlene Moca m bo Andre Philippe Paul Herbert Ore Joe Castro Four Moulin Rouge Frank Libuse Margot Brander Szonys «2) Miss Malta ft Co Doubledaters (ft) Mme Ardelty Jery LaZarre Ffolliot Charlton Tony Gentry Gaby Wooldridge Luis Urbina Eileen Christy Bob Snyder Ore Stotlor Hotel Xavier Cugat Ore Abbe Lane [ ed vigilantes to make such deci- sions. That’s totalitarianism.” “It’s not up to the networks and agencies to decide who is ‘accept- able’,” Quinn added. “A man’s poli- tics are not his qualifications for a job. There is too much area for mistake when you make this a measuring stick. The people in the so-called ’gray area’ are those who suffer most. They don’t even know the charges, and there are no ac- cusers to face. ‘‘TV is too tcared of these pres- sure groups. They get three dirty postcards from a vacant lot and yank the show off the air,” said Quinn angrily. Quinn then suggest- ed that the three network prexies and heads of the top agencies get together and burn the "blacklists.” Hush-Hush Tactics House Reviews t'hlrago. rhl Chicago, Dec. 17. Don Cornell (with Jerry Car- retla I, Mambo Jets < 2 *, Ice Re- vue produced and staged by Truly McGee, with Jeane Matthews, Jim McAnany, Douglas Duffy, Jack A Jean Page, Tom O'Horgon, Mar- lene Lind. Deicers (8>, Louis Basil Orch; “Young At Heart'' t\VB). After a nine-week layoff owing to the length of “Star Is Born,” the B&K flagship returns to stage- shows auspiciously with an eyefill- ing ice revue and the headline he makes the most of ’em with brisk gabbing. Despite many years in England. Colleano has a vibrant transatlantic accent which teen- agers like. His travesty of an op- era is a standout, and also his im- pression of a man trying to keep from smoking. Paul & Peta Page, mixed two- some. score solidly in clever pup- peteering. and Johnny Laycock St Maureen are a bright musical pair. Dickie Valentine (with Don Phil- lips at the keyboard) closes the second half in a 30-minute songa- log of pops (See under New Acts), and also joins with Colleano in a Bobby Dowds ..MOU-..UOU A Btma , I1IK Jvc icvuc diiu me Hnnl RrtHhv TVkiL’ric *•>.»« «!•**«• I tot- orch showb«cks with effi* frankly 7 of the blacklist modus op- erandi, were insistent on anonymi- ty. They said the clearance machin- ery is all operated from N. Y. on an extremely hush-hush basis, and nobody is permitted to so much as admit the existence of such lists— not openly. In this weird world of the “black- list” are complex factors, and pro- ducers are baffled as to the who or why of much of it. For example, one actor who appears regularly in major pix and on tv isn't accepta- ble at the vidfilnieries because one of his kin is “unacceptable.” lion clicks for lightheartedness and flash and shapes as an appeal- ing entry for the Christmas season. Cornell, figuring importantly in the current record splash, unloads a raft of seven tunes in his spot, most of which are resellings of his Coral etchings. Guy has relaxed presence, a virile approach to the ciencv. and the Marie De Vere chorines add a fair degree of femi- nine cheesecake in colorfu’ lines. Gord. Palace* X. V. Gay A Harry Wells, Tanya, . . Terry Bennett, Townsmen *4), ballad, and showmanly ways about Coo ,: & Broun. Van & de Rorart. — . 1 1 LUL/’v IV Ul l/U ft ft*#* « mi nvi the nuke. Rep is pegged largely p^die White, Agramontc; “Port of for the teenage element, as it should be, and impact is felt most strongly on his spread-eagle deliv-1 ery of his record biggies. “It Isn’t Hell” (AA >. The Palace layout isn’t one of ■ .. , .... the more brilliant d solays. a fact Fair. “Hold My Hand and I m t ba t' s accentuated by the compara- \ ’ „ . . *9 Ii./vxhn 4 U A n 11/1 I a \ ours. Cornell works the audi- tive’y sparse pre-Christmts attend- a* *, mm. _ n 1 « • V* mm 1 a a •/>/) V* *1 • 1 ll A U r —. m mm m ante. One of the unarual facets of MIAMI-MIAMI BEACH .ence smartly between numbers , -IIVC . WI1C U1 lllc uua * ua . This actor isn’t the only one in but spends slightly too much time the ourre nt stageshow Res in the such a singular position. There are i selling records. He’s accompanied fa(>t t | 13t lhe bulk of the p er form- handily by Jerry Carretta at the , Club 22 Paula Watson Clover CtoD Sherry Britton Luis Torrens i Three Peppers Betty Ford | Club Echo Tony Lopez Ore I Jayne Manners Selma Marlon* Lin* Bobby Byron Cabaret Bills NEW YORK CITY BIRDLAND Count Basie Geo Shearing Sarah Vaughan Lester Young Jimmy Rushing Bon Soil Tony 6t Eddie Jimmv Daniel* Blu* Anqei John Carradine Pat Carroll Mint Sahl Susan Johnson Bart Howard Jimmy Lyons Trl* Chateau Madrid Ralph Font Ore Mava Ore Belmont Flax* Joan Bishop AI Castellano John Barney Hotel Ambassader Quintero Ore Saikozi Ore Hotel Pierr* Demse Darrel Stanley Melba Ore Copacabana Frank Sinatra De Marco Si* Joey Bishop R"b Sweeney Peter Conlow Je«n Stevens *• Uurso Ore Frank Marti Ore Gale's Alan Gale Jackie Heller Warner ft McGuire Larry Foster leddv King Ore No. 1 Fifth Av* pub Downey Harold Fonvill* Ha/el Webster Hotel Plaza De Marcos Jenny Collins T.* d . s * r *«ter Ore Mark Monte Ore Hotel Roosevelt Lombardo Ore Hotel St Regis vnit* oi. d < J"It Shaw Ore "«y Bari T M «H*f 1 4 J Dorsey Ore v . M *»l Ta« '■ncent Lopez Or* W .. L .a. #, *L •»•**•* “*re Bros Chiquita & Johnson Bas Sheva .Ashtons Debonairs Jet Sharon Ralph Young Piroska Art Waner Ore B Harlow* Ore Le Ruban Bleu Julius Monk Irwin Corey Turtlenecks Norman Paris 3 Dorothy Louden Melit-> Little Club L'Apache Faconi Jules Kuti Rudy Timfield Two Guitars Kostya Poliansky Misha UsdanofT Lubov Ha ms hay Aliya Uno Versailles "Bon Voyage’* Paul Gray Louise Hoff Tommy Wander Margaret Banks Rosemary O’Reilly Carl Conway Betty Colby Ann Afeidre Rain Winslow Danny Carroll Danny Desmond Don Dellair Jim Sisco Salvatore Gloe Ore Panchito Ore Viennese Lantern Helene Aime* Dolores Perry Bela Bizony Ernest Schoen Paul Mann Charles Albert Village Barn Hal Graham Senna ft Gyl* Jack Wallace Givens & Ferri* Mary Ellen Trio ! Larry McMahan Piute Pete Weldorf-A*f*rl* Jose Greco Dcrs Nat Brandwynn* Mischa Borr Village Vanguard Stan Freeman Sylvia Syms C William* Trl* Woody Woodbury Leon ft Eddie's Lois De Fee Toni Rave Rose Ann Rita Marlow Charlotte Water* Nautilus Hotel Larry Storch AiUone & Ina Sid Stanley Ore Black Orchid Jo Thompson Richard Cannon Count Smith Sans Souci Hot# 1 Fecundo Rivera (5) Del Brcece Sacasas Ore Ann Herman Dcr* Anne Barnett Saxony Hotel Hurtado de Cordob and Co. Perez Prado Ore The Havdocks (2) Tano ft De* Nirva Freddy Calo Ore Johnny Silvers Ore Bombay Hotel Phil Brito Nelida Peter Mack Sandra Barton, Johnina Hotel B S Pully Sam Bari Harry Rogers Ore Bobbie Lynn DiLido Hotel Bea Kalmus Patsy Shaw Four Joes Wally Waneer l.ine Fausto Curbelo Ore Vanity Fair Pat Morrisey Havana Cuban Boys 3 Tones Jerry Brandow Satin Dolls Grade Scott Mikki Mars Ray Sindino Trio Bar of Music Bill Jordan Hal Fisher Beth Challis Harvey Bell Fred Thompson Five O’clock Bell Barth Hal Winters Don Ostro Ore Islt De Capri Ruth Wallis Holly Warren Eleanor Luckey Charlie Carlisle Caprician Trio Wally Hankin Ore Copa City Peter Lind Hayes Mary Healy Tony Bennett Eileen Barton Step Bros. June Ta.vlor Line Red Caps David Tyler Ore Fontainebleau Vaughn Monroe The Belmonts <2) Richard Havman Ore La Plata Sextette Yal Olman Ore Beachcomber Martha Raye Vic Damone Jack Carter Novclites Len Dawson Ore Casablanca Billy Daniels Myron Cohen Kramer Dancers Jacques Donnet Ore Balmoral Hotel Hildegarde Jack Whiting Emil Coleman Ore other actors, some in the top- bracket. who although they appear ^eys^ regularly in major feature films, are never “cleared” by agencies to whom lists are submitted by producers. One w.k. actor is on live tv regularly but isn’t “acceptable” for telefilm. Mambo Jets prepare the house White and Agramonte are for the chanter with some nifty ; known here from previous visits, flash footwork in south-of-the- Gay & Harry Wells. Tanya. Terry border tempos. Good-looking Latin Bennett. The Townsmen <4> and lads offer three routines in snapp> y an ^ de Rovart are further dis- cussed under New Acts. White is a vet of many years’ stand’ng in the vauders around the country. He hasn't changed his style since he worked when there was a lot of b : gtime. and sometimes there's the feeling that he hasn’t changed h : s verbiage too much. White has a lot of familiar lines, but they’re delivered with authority. A pa r of comedy tunes at his close give him a strong exit. Cook & Brown, duo of comedy dancers, similarly get their mes- sage across. They work energeti- cally and create an air of excite- ment. In the closing slot Agra- monte. working the s’ack wire, does a good assortment of aero work. Although his tricks are fair- ly standard, he dresses then^ up ers are new to this house. Of the entire session, only Cook &. Brown, synch, climaxing with a step called the “Cha Cha Cha.” and bringing Producers have virtually stopped 1 a good mitt for each effort. ' ’ - —“ 1 Truly McGee's ice package, corn- asking why there are such incon- sistencies, and assume it's because each series has a different agency prising the show’s second half, scores for quick pacing, diversity and sponsor, and each has a "dif- : ferent attitude.” as one put it. One producer who said he'd been unsuccessful in trying to get okays on certain "unacceptable” talent said he asked his eastern contacts what would happen to those peo- ple, actors who have never even been accused publicly. “I was told it’s better that they suffer than that any harm come to the show,” he said. is done in skating vignets based on “Up In Central Park” but with Windy City adaptations in the lyrics, which are sung appealingly by Tom O'Horgan and Marlene Lind. Canadian figure skater Jeane Matthews gets the spotlight on two occasions for a graceful solo terp and burns up the ice on “Bumble Booeie.” Jim McAnany’s nimble acros on the blades provide the , thrill ingredient. Comic side is Same producer says he always j Douglas Duffy's, who specializes in prattfalls and who has an amusing submits his cast, writer and di- rector list to his eastern ad agency j moment spoofing apache dancers fo. clearance. “What the clearance machinery is, how it operates, is Jack and Jean Page has proper unknown to us. I've done several smoothness and ease in the lifts, series, and some people okayed for cight-pirl line fills the one series were not approved for backgrounds and interims hand- with a rag doH. Adagio work of ^ ^ow manship. His drunk reel- 1 ing on the strand is the best part of his turn. Jo Lombardi showbacks with his usual precision. Jose. LAS VEGAS, NEVADA Flamingo Kay Star Alan King Silver Slipper Sally Rand Buddy Baer Kalantan Hank Henry Oeserl Inn L Walters' L U Rev Sahara Marlene Dietrich Last Frontier Dorothy Shay Shecky Greene Cl Cortez Rowan ft Martin Vicki Young Golden Nugget Gas Lights ft Pink Tights Sands Vic Damone Louis Jordan El Rancho Vegas Sherry Britton A1 Bernie Barr>\ Sisters Thunderbird Lecuona Boys Choir Sahara Mae W est another.” Same producer said. “Two years age it was terrible, but this past year there has been a slight re- laxation of the list, and we can use some people we never could before.” Producers generally agree the “blacklist” is toughest when the sponsor is one who sells directly to consumer, rather than where a sponsor deals in merchandise not bought by the general public. Louis Basil emcees and conducts the house orch adeptly in cutting the show. Les. L. A. News Continued from page 2 Empire*. (*laKgotv Glasgow. Dec. 20. Lew & Leslie Grade Ltd. presen- tation of vaude show, “Wonderful Time.’* starring Dickie Valentine and Bonar Colleano. Also Bill & Babs Adams, Ballet Montmartre. Jits-Bops < 61 . Paul A Peta Page, Johnny Laycock A Maureen. Ken A Anna Alexis. Wendy Murphy, Marie de Vere Girls (14'. Bobby Dowds Orch. Staged by Albert J. Knight; dances. Marie de Vere. ‘Oklahoma’ Continued from page 1 RENO CHICAGO - •lOCR Orchid Robert Clary Aiello-Lark* F<»omi Steven* _ An#*| Calvpso fhvlli* Branch J "unt DaviU* Lily Tina JWbodi Dcr. A1 D Lmf Quintet B| u* Met* Chez Pare* Crow ft Dunn Tommy LeonetU Richman ft Mannequin* Brian Farnon Ore C 1*4 tier Inn Ruth Price Laurie Allyn Ralph Sharon Ac* Ham* Dick M*n Johnny ITrUjo Mapes Skyroom Joanne Wheatley Sonny Howard Donn Arden Sky lets E Fitzpatrick Ore i Rouen ft Martin Larry Logan Will Osborne ore New Golden Romaine Brown Roinaines Riverside * Mary Kay Trio Starlets Betty Joyce Bill Clifford ore HAVANA Troplcan* Tex Mex K. Straus of the Macy family took an option on the property, but finally dropped it. contending he could get no local group to go along with him in keeping the paper going. Sale of the paper came on the eve of a Daily News Newspaper Guild unit meeting to take a strike ! vote. Distressed by the purchase of the name, goodwill, circulation Youthful vaude layout is a worth- while experiment at this house, which has featured so many sing- ing acts, both British and Ameri- can. throughout 1954. With new teenage and youth proportion in audiences, house is aiming to con- Murat Theatre. Indianapolis. Thurs- day-Saturday <30-31'. Show had intermittent bookings for the next three months, but producers were unable to fill in the vacant dates. Approximately 15 scheduled hookings have been cancelled. Musical was supposed to move into the south following its Indianapolis stand. During its entire road run, “Oklahoma” has played more re- peat dates than any other show in modern legit history. Limited strawhat rights to the tuner were released for the first time last sum- mer. The Todd A-O filmization of the property is in its final stages of production. The musical, adapted from Lynn serve this patronage with a new- D . , f „ style vaude bill of a modern flavor, t ^88* 5* Ie j n . le Customers with a craving for " as Produced by the Theatre Guild singing marquee names can go for an ^ opened on Broadway in March, Dickie Valentine, young English 1943. The Guild’s road company disk and vaude star, while Bonar bowed in New Haven, the follow- Colleano. New York-born come- ing Oct. 14. and except for sum- dian. supplies the slick Yankee Montmirtr* XoveUos I^go Si*trr. h . cucio j D . Ruff Q ua r t et Romero Salvador Levy Nancy 4c Rolando C Flay a Orq Fajardo Orq Tropicana Ballet ; S de Espana Orq A Romeu Orq S Suarez Orq layout is on the youthful side. Ken & Anna Alexis are a stylish terping duo. scoring mainly in their second-half spot In a farm- land scene and prior to finale cur- Telefilm ‘Blacklists’ lists and features of the News. 1 s tyle patter and comedy. Rest of lawyers of the Newspaper Guild are trying to mastermind a scheme to revive the News, under another title, preserving a Democratic paper for this increasingly indus- trial burg, and the jobs of the 450 stranded staffers. Guild is also demanding details of the sale to the Chandler family, on grounds McKinnon owes nearly in mer layoffs continued until May 2, 1953. Rodgers it Hammerstein ac- quired the rights from the Guild during the summer of 1953 and another road tour began Oct. 5, 1953. after a five-week break-in at tain. Youth and bright garbing tb e r .tv C on ter NY „AA ♦ r, Hon/tino talent in neat ti.-.v* l ° e '~ Il > tWlle r. IV I That tour continued through last add to dancing talent in neat two- SO me. Solid hit of the first half is the French cancan as danced boister- ously by the Ballet Montmarre May 8. Rights for the present tour were then acquired by Mayo, Mathias and Barrere, all former Continued from pag* 1 notice and severance payments as the “blacklist” is as tough today covered by contract. Guild wants as it’s ever been, declared “if all books audited and is furious that the agencies and networks burned first news of sale came Saturday their lists nothing would happen in a terse typed announcement except that they’d get a few letters , dumping employe! just before from crackpots. It s un-American | Christmas. to keep anyone from working be- | News survived 31 turbulent years . ^* 11 ** of their political beliefs. We in a town which now has but two J have ample policing agencies and publishers. Chandler and Hearst. .gainst sub- This is the third or fourth, aa UITtwo group, an English act making head-1 stage managers of the New York retioactive wages, plus two week. way c j oses a "C’Est Paris” and touring companies of R&H’s scene which hits an authentic Gal-. “South Pacific.” Besides its lie note. Into it zoom the six Jits- lengthy U.S. run, “Oklahoma” was Bops, a group of jiving youngsters a record-breaking hit in London • three males, three femmes) direct • and on tour in England and has ■lu. M*t* c*£rU Lu. Th. e„, rt to luard against sub- This is the third or fourth. R 0 *ffg JHerSSa Ore » Vti »ion. It isn’t up U> acif ®PP® - * * P •• “Y* .■■•***•* • • • * from Paris, who put a large amount of energy into three min- utes of jitterbugging, and then proceed to Invite members of au- dience to join ’em in the jiving. Colleano haa a relaxed Ameri- can-style manner In comedy. His sketches lack strong taglines, but been produced successfully in Australia. South Africa and nu- merous other countries. Financed at $90,000 when origi- nally sent out on by the Guild, show 7 has earned over $9,000,000 profit since then.