Variety (Mar 1937)

50 VAmTY V A H B E ^Nl YE CLHS Vejhesdty, March I937 tJmi Reviews CASmO PARISIEN (cmtAGO, CHICAGO) CK^ciagg, Feb. - . This Unit comes in direct from the Casino Parisien. ttitery. at the Morp , rison hoteji, the local haven of the French Casino circuit;'' The show "was week enough as a flcor show} it is considerably weaker as a stage oittraction. It is 'mvip^ below the : standard of the French Casino shows . '"Which have previously been unitized ■•These shows, hitting ,, the theatires lately have gotten .• weaker arid ' "weiaker,' and it is imperative that vsbmethin^ be dbrie quickly to strengthen uhitrshows to. Iheir for- jher. b. . glory, • ., This .unit is going - to prove a boomerang both in wbrd'^ofTmotith pand in b. o., since it is not giving the people whit thfey've, been led to expect. The only thing Frehchy about the show iis it's title, and that s. not so hot, either/ . There 'was bniy a bit of .B^hch Susie for the opening. The rest :of e music was plain pop stttff; and completely unsuitable for a French . Casino r&vue. No unit scenery at all; .-the backdrops and set pieces ' to'mlng out of the Balabah . & Katz 'warehouse, and previously- seen in the B. & K. vaude houses. They didn't know what , to , do . .about .the nudity stuff. It was. Han^ died prQtty badly; at the nitery; but , it's, even worse , here. . Costumes and watdrobe good out nothing to. excite 'elm in a house which' has always had the tops in costiiming, and the isame goes for the dance routines^ with Frea £vans do- • ihg i better job week in arid week, dut than: this onerti.me unit:, shot. \ bhly ^ntertainmeiiit :eom$s from the indiVidiial acts; And most of these Jabts have beeii played around. ; Paul . Kirklantt • wa& a last-mthute . ihsert,,-ahd he's as; French as Han- dolph street with his ladder J»alanc>> ,.ing .and novelty and papier juggling. Goes" over ^Hrell however. itest of the acts are froih the floor show.4nd all- do: bang-up jobs. It's tf shame they didn't have the proper hackgroiind. A. Hoblns is hei^e with a hew. set of coistumes and- tricks, and still a- flne novelty' for any : house- with' hi$ bottomless trimk; :(George Canipo a cirich with his panto comedy and burletque Apabhe. That comedy backdrop remains sure- fire for laughs. Eileen :<0'Connor> toe dancerj shbuld put dn more weight. Jerome \ Aildrews. Managte a i^uple of grace- ful, leaps acrbiBs the stage In classi- cal banet fashloti,' while i Jack Whit- ney" tosses iti. a. Spanish 'specialty. Carmen Romero opens the show with e pleasing Castanet nuhiber. Acrobatic act • of' Anderson and "Allen is fine, exhibiting aome of the hiftiest 4 hand-to-hiind extant. But they still are retarding their progress with a cheap, ivaurdrobe. . Ballroom team of Mary Raye and Naldi go over solidly here, and can stand a build-up since the country Is now more b&llroom 'dance cori- ' scious, and this one is excellent, both on . appearance and execution. They .tare followed on the stage by the strong knockabout, rbughhouse hall- room team. of Grace and ;Nico.. The gal is ah eye-appeal winner in every ;-re5pect, and tops with ' burlesque daricing. Fine act for 'any house. ' Songstress Sara Ann McCabe sings loud anyway. Her appeafiince is -* prime'excuse for her presence. Gold; senting iScotland, and garbed ap propriately; Joan Zepper, who gives a satire . on ballet terping; Huey Kong, who's been in other Bpwes linits and whoY supposed to sing in Chinese as well as English (the Chinese sounds oke); the Caperettes, three ferrime tappers* for Canada; Eva: iMoore, torch piper from Michigan, who, wears' a flashy red go-Wh; Signor Toni, for Spain, with funny noises-made by a -fire exa- -show, has - every thing ..a-.nianager BOWESVINT*L REVUE (MICBIGAX, DETROIT) Detroit, Feb. 27. But for its 'internatiohal flavor,* this new unit tastes just like other Major Bowes efforts.." Plenty of fodder for the uninitiated,-and plenty of headaches for patrons -who know ^b-£;';te.r.', . it's sub-titled 'radio amateurs,'. so , it maintains b.o, lure but riot much else, There are 11 acts, more'or less, cohiposed of about 20 ams, and each turn is labslled as representing soriie country or pai-t of the U. S. Only one: of theses , is certain, Eva Mobrei warbler, who represents the midweist arid ,haiiis;f rem Grand Rapids, Mich, . FortDnately, 5.0-miriute revue flows swiftly , aiid is offered'in a smooth setting. Liiatter consists of a. huge world globe, diased in center of back portion .of stage, alongside-.whichljS- 'sea'ted 'pit orch. Flags of . various nations, which; acts supposedly repre- seht, are grouped around, the realistic iiflbbe. ,Fpr .the finale, 'Miss Ariierica'' is lowered frorii ceiling .just above the globe, , and two panels,. one ;con- tainini? fife and drurii players arid the other a girl typifying the Statue of Liberty, are opened in backdrop on either, side of globe; r . Couple of the acts stand, out above the others, but that isri't exactly complimentaryi In the 'select' group are Diahny Drayson, who puts on some better-class tapping; Jonny and Julius, real and synthetic trumpeteers, ^9rid William McCarty,: Swiss bell- .Tinger. While these three turns score iibrie of :'em' are any better than riin-of-ttie-mine. ... Otheira Include the Wendel Sisters, Jiarm6i»y warblers ^uiiposedly ipepre- tinguisher, inner tube and tire pump; Three Flat Tires, sepia wiarblers, and Ralph Lawrence, adcordioriist, abetted by three femme toe hoofers, for Russia.. Jack Squires, rii.c, does the best he can with material at hand, arid even gets. oifif, a. few jokes. In keeping with the unit, overture, under baton of Eduard Werner, pro- vides several; roimds of pop swing tunes. Feature of this is Rosa di Guili, formerly with Chicago Opera Co. and now pri WXYZ staff here, who coritributes. a nice senti-classic song.' .•• House well-filled show caught, Pete. (CARipiLINA, GBEENyiLLE, S< C.) Greenvi , &.C;, Feb. 28;, Most unit revues' catefihg to thie acetylene-circuit arei given to perpe- trating rust-ridderi. ibutines on defenseless flesh-hungry cash cus- tomersi Not so the'1937 Swing Show' which played .CaTolinii' last' week. . I^ow opezis up dn a business note with hot swing music by 10 piece all-girl band, ironted rwith -well- schooled line of nine phoriries, arid moves rapidly^ Outstanding is the fact thai not a single naughtly gag is attempted.. . Clever dilmce bit is done by Myers and'Si Jx^nl for the most part: acro- batic hokum stuil and later in bill an iinnamed lad does ^ really first rate double-jbihted single dance'rbiitind; Ttvo decidedly pleaislng .stand-outs of the show were Maxlne &nd Bobby, a dog act which clicked big, and Steven Bros, and Big Boy, an outfit of loonies and a big bear. The pup goes through an amazingly clever slpw-mbtibn ^ routine. B^ar -act is mostly slap-stick coriiedy with black- out build-up on who: will wrestle bruin. 1 Costumes, for. the most part, are attractive but stood but mainly be- cause they appeared clean which, most .^ow apparel coming here doesn't. Show boasts several/ other spotted rovttines including an acrobatic Violinist, Eric Philmdre jygglers and a male singer. Gym. G. V. SdANDALS (ORPHEUM, MfNNEAPOLIS) Minneapolis, Feb. 27. In mariy. respects, this cl«ksses as one bf the very best ol the less pre-, tentious unit shows to hit here this season. It boasts a liberal amoiirit of first-rate talent, a dandy line of 15 girls who have looks and hoofing ability; enough production to afford the proper degree of flash and, in Mitchell •& Durant, Peter Higgins and Dori Cummirigs, ari approach, at leasts to names. What it lacks is the zip arid snap that usually go with a smooth Tunning arrangement. The breaks from one riuriiber to another are too- abrupt, creating an Imji>resr sion, of .awkwardriess. and depreciat- irig the material's -value. Ari^m.c. uri-. doUbtedly would go a lorig way to remedy this situation for the 'Green- wich Village Scandals.' show has drops and hangings in grefusion and impressive costuming, lecause of an evident desire to capi- talize rep of the stars, Mitchell & Durarit, a Hollywood atmosphere has been sought. . The opening scene de- picting the outside of a studio find's Harry Pollard on a rostrum vocaliz- ing to introduce the girls who go through ' their first dancing paces. Helen Miller, a -personable torch singerj works in one, scoring with two. pop numbers. Don Ciimmings also has what it take- in perspriality arid : looks arid his rope Spinning stunts, and gagglng;:land solidly. One of his stories, Strikirig the only blue note..in -the entire show,- however, well could be; briiitted. A flash production, number 'With eight' bt .the_show:Ugirls.,jn-_striking. attire is noteworthy for the oppor- tunity that it gives each to do a bit. Harry King and the Sinclair Twins introduce enough difficult steps diir- ing thei - tap hooflrig to justify their presence. As for the featured. Peter Higgins, the years apparently have dealt kiridly' with his pipes and, working behind a .mike, he: leaves 'em pleading fbi: riiore, the Irish numbers, :;as usual, particularly panicking' the customers. A chorus precision and jazz contribution paves the way for Mitchell and Durant. If anything, this pair is better than ever. Mitchell's impersonations of Clark Gable arid Herbert, Marshall take down the house. . Durani's mug- ging aiid the'pair's tomfoolery and acrobatics all come under the head oi ace erifertalnment and cop merited latighn And applaviic : . Sees. GREATtESTER REVUliE, . . . . - Atlanta; Feb.-2^ v ' Jam-packed house; With standees, holds its collective breath. While Noel Lester guides a huge biizz through thei body of a -girl draped with a sheet and strapped to the framework holding the whirling steel toothed disk arid.>its Of cloth fill tlie air. That is the sockp finish to this unit arid it holds Cap's cus- tomers So spellbound arid'rigid they forget to applaud! ' Unit, which is really a twp-in-bne could wish for to 'please his patrons. It has shapely girls, who can sing and dance, and the suave, smooth- Working Lester doesn't have to take his hat off to any of the riiastei* ma- gicians, It boasts comedy, too. Since Lester , needs. the whole stage, 12rpiece bar(d, foiir. with unit work in pit and Lester^ comes on iri one arid ciirtainis part and he goes right to work, startihg bff with a few preliminaries in balancing on the slack wire. He juggles , some while seated in. a chair on.-the wire and then hauls up a table that he places in front of him. On it sits-a duriirjiy,' which gets plenty of laughs. Lester carries. on :an imaginary eori- Versatiori with the dummy arid does some' water 'color changing tricks while, maintainirig his precarious balance oh the wire. His wife; Alice Lester; is his assistant ,, Lester then produces Lenka Toldi out of ari empty box and the girl doe^ an acrbbatic darice that gets over big. The maglclari is theft back on. in brie With two girts fbr the. old ihterchangeabici xuribrella and hand- kerchief trick, brit.it still riiakies Cap Eatroris yronder and gets a good arid.. Lester makes a few' incaritatioris and fires a gun and petite Diana Rivers pops out of a doll house that doesn't seem big. enough to hold a kitten. Clad in a neat^ferise dress, she moves to the mike find- does a number arid theri taps out a routine. The three-secorid . trunk . escape* beautifully handled, is next with Alice Lester and Ollle Campbell changing places Inside and outside the strapped, locked trunk.: Aifter a moderriisUc dance by Miss Toldi, XiOster, working with two stooges from the audience and a quartet of small boys,, goes thrbugh a routine of . small magic, including severirig and reuniting rope and an 'expose' of the old sawing a womari in two trick, using a small open sided box and orie of the stooges' tie. The Trevor Sisters, blonde arid brunette, present a creditable tap dance and are followed by the R?- kPmas, man and wife, whose act is novel, corislsting aa-it does of cori- tortion work arid difficult handbal- ancing with some huge aoools on an old wheel chair in which, he is wheeled on and off stage by his assistarit Wanda Trevor then does a toe dance while the stage is being set ibr the buzz saW number. Lester nroduces Diaria Riveris frorii an Egyptian mummy casket and she doe^ a brief aero routine, including a back bend .and twist, arourid stunt in picking up a handkerchief with her teeth. She then disrobes, in silhouette^ behind- a screen and everything's all set for the spell- binding crux of the show. Lester tests out the. apparatus by sawing a plank in two. The trick is terrific. Not'*arig's hidden, the big saw ap- parently goes right through girl's body arid then back. Curtains close and Lester comes out to take bows. While show is essentially one of prestidigitation, and legerdemairi, it carries plenty Pf novelty and variety for those who dori't .c.are for the magic men. Show is closed in .S3 minutes.;and company consists- of 18 persons, including. Clyde Jordan, business manager. Unit is working Southeastern Iboos until March. 25, when, it will hop to Lexin^tton, Ky.. to start a swins PTOund the Shine-Shay-Butt*;rfield circuit Lttcchesc. Saranac Lake y Happy Beniway Alice ;-Garman,, .jifter. trying that California :<ozone for. three weeks, is back here cottage'ingi Teddy Bpdell Shot iri heire as, a iiew arrival frorii the Lenox Hill hbspital, New York. Bill Robinson (riot the dancer) came back, here after riiastering the i'lb-Qp i a. New York hospital.. ~—Armond-Monte^(Pardi-aridMprite),. who has been and is strictly iri bed taming canaries, has mastered bird ■ talk. Ruth Hatch, an ex-NVA-ite, came to town to 'hello' the gang, Doris GaScbi Underwent minor op. '■' -. . Gladys Palmer surrburided by a lot of Chicago relatives. Pai-amount pictures taking over the Bob-Run at Placid for picture scenes.^ Among the tarariiounters here are Director Otho Loverlhg; photographers Harry'Perry and Bob. Rhea; technicians J. Garland, J, Critchey.and F, Alless. (P.S.: They are still .waiting for snow). ' Write to. those that yott know In Saranac and elsewhere who are stch. Nan O'Reilly, golf editor of the N.. Y. Eye, Journal, who died Fpb, in N. Y. after two days' illness of a heart ailmeht, was considered some- thing of a 'guardian arigel^by Leon Enken and Eddie Davis, who lend their names to Leon & Eddie's,. N, Y. nitery. , This dates back to the-pre'-repeal days,'when Miss O'Reilly (Mrs; sil^^s Itf. Newtoa ,ot, the Essex ^pu»^ private life) :dug up a- fresh harikroll for the then struggling riitjeiry. at a time when it'needed .flnanoi&i succor most Since then she's been in for a 10% ciit in the nlte spot, and has long been a personal pal and intimate of the' nite club managers. Loew's Washington o^ice is/j>Utting plenty behind . scheduled debut of Red Skeltpri; Canadian m.c„ at; Capitol there March 5. He is booked i fbr two corisecutive weeks, with options. It's plairined to use pit band on stage, give Skelton a batott and surround him with 60-mlnute revue. First unit opjening March 12, will include Jack PbWell, Sue Ryan, Marllyii Marlbw, Four Kii^addocks, Talbot Haslett and Jay arid Lou Seller.- Washington is heirig deliiged with baliy on Skelton a la mystery formula^ playing boy Up'as a neW'sensation for femmes. Something of a record for a yaudfr booker in distance covered and shows caught within lour days was set late last week by Harry . kaicheim, of Paramount in I^. Y.' Leaving for Boston last .Thursday (26)/ Kalcheim coritinued on to Springfield,. >Iass„ Chicago, and then Detroit on the way back to New Yorki Iri the four tbv/ns he cover<ed five riew stage shows arid -visited six niterieis: in a search for new talent: Wa^ back at his desk Monday morning :(i ).,' M Niterie^ Switciiiiig Orksr StabiieVic^ . Pittsburgh, March 2. Couple of music Switches due here this month .In night spots/ Count Biasie's coloired swing ibutflt pulling out of William Penn hotel's Chatter- boii. \bia weekrerid to make way for Dick Stabilels crew Friday (5) and Sammy Kaye quits Bill Green's road- house iri couple of Vreeks after six- month stay to; open cit Arcadia, PhiUy, -where he replaces Emerson Gill, who yras in Chatterbox spot be- fore Basle came in. No-repiaceriient. set yet for Kaye, although Bobhy Meeker has bcfen mentioned promi- nently ^ . Herman Mlddlennan sticks: on hi Nixon cafe, where his optiori ha& been picked up again until Decora- tion Day. With return shortly of Etzi Covato from Florida, latter will likely stick his crew back into Plata cafe, where Al Marsico is noAv hold*' ing forth. Covato is one Of Plaza's co-owners. . Stabile booking will mean same music, and resuniption of floor shows, for both, WiUiam Penn's Chatterbox arid dining room: During Basle en- gagement he's played orily for danc- ing, management vetoing sepia out- fit for diners. " Upstone's Eiiro|i$an Trip To Put Kalcheiin on Bike Chicago, March 2. Lou Lipstone, Balaban & Katz booking manager,, sails with his frau. for a six-week sojourn in Europe April 6. ^' • While on his vacash, the local bookings will be handled by Harry Kalcheim, who will commute' back and forth between here and New York. Will sperid about three days of each week here, the rest at his desk in the New York Parambunt booking office. Benny the Bum's Old Joint Still Haunts Him Philadelphia, March 2. Charges that Benjamin 'Benny, the Bum* Fpgelman operated a dis- orderly place were dropped in Quar- ter Sessions court here last Week. At the time the charge was brought by neighbors, Benny -was located at 1508 Pine streetr He has since nfibved,- largely because bf neigh- bors' complaints.- Assistant .district Attorney-Earl Jay Gratz agreed to nolle prosse the case when Fogbl- man consented to pay the $20.13 cost of prosecution. Trouble between . Benny the Bum and the Musicians Local, which started when the Bum took his flve- piece-tarigo -band- to-a- party" iri "the Governor's Mansiori, ended with the canning of the band Saturday night ■ (27)., ■ , Band allegedly has a termer to run until' next September, and the union threatens to picket until it re- stored. A settlement riiay be worked out at a confab with A. A. Tomei, prexy of the union, tbmbrrow (Wednesday), New Versailles SHow fcross and Dunn, Minor and Root and "Virginia Verrill Will -comprise the hew show going into the Ver- sailles, N.^ Y., March 11. Paul Small, of the William Mor- ris office, agented the trio of turns. liickq^ N. X Ptodiicer, Soe$ Canadian Booker i^r$7^(NldnM^^^^^^^ Winnipeg, March i Through his lawyeirs, Steinkopf,. Lawrence -it Freedriian, John Hickey, New 'STbrk producer of the 'Cuban Follies' unit, is suing Frederick Ship- nian,: Canadlah booker,: for $7,200. 'Case is i^led in court of King's Berich. iHickey alleges Shlpmah contracted for 12 presentations at an agreed total pirice of $7,700.' This was: to be paid iri five separate installments, the last payment coming" due with the last , showing on December 18, 1936. Accbrding to Uickey, %h6 12 shows W4^e played with Shipnian orily paying $500. Show played this tbwn twice, once at 3,500-seate'r Civic Auditorium and again at the Orpheuih.. yeDayisOffiY.me Roaline for Par Pii Spot . Rufe Davis, tripling from the HoUy.wood restaurant, N. Y., the Broadway F'aramourit arid on the RCA 'Magic Key' air show, left suddenly for the Coast Mbriday (1) to report ior 'Mountain Music,' the next Ring Crosby-Patamourit film- lUlcal which will also have Martha Raye and Bob Burns in It Davis, who does a 'billy' specialty, had to . effect douhle release, from the nitery and the picture house. At .the Par; Jack. Gifford jeplaced him for the flrial two days, Monday and Tuesday.- Fields Back at H'wood Benny Fields returns to the Holly- wood, Restaurant, N. Y., spot which catapulted him on the comeback- trail early-last year, for a run, start- ing March lOi Crooner originally came to the Broadway cabaret from the Chez Paree, Chicago, at a salary oif $440. His new contract calls for $2,000. Fields Is currently at' the Holly- wopd. C. C„ .Miami, closirig there Saturday night (6), along with the general folding for the season of that nitery. Mary Lee*s Tag Going On Padlocked Philly Spot Philadelphia; March "2. " Mary Lee, writertai , will fi'^nt for the fbrmer Latimer Club, which will be reopened tomororw (Wednes- day) as 'Mary Lee's fjl htcap' after year of darkness. r-BrRT-^reported -to' bff'Spahlsh Mix' Bearilan, ex-prbprietor of Garfield Club, next door to' Latimer. Lati- mer was padlocked^ Mary Lee is a limited partner. With sister Billie, Mary has been chirping in local clubs fbr past.year. Billie, now Warbling at BeifeVs 1523 Club, and will remain there. WlMBISHrSAin)I£B HOOKUP l*aul C. Wlmbish arid Phil Sandler,, agents, have a wbrklng agreeme'iit. Not a partnership, hut will inter- change talent. Also share offices.-— Wimbish, formerly With NBC, handles bands, with Frarik Whaien arid Nick Shafer assisting. Sandle- books acts.