Variety (Apr 1937)

Wednesday, April 7, 1937 ▼ARIEtY HOUSE REViiEWS VARIETY 59 ALHAMBRA, PARIS Pari^, March 25; AithoMgh touted as the big Easter Khow this one falls short. Two acts are billed as Americans. Alio ai^d YVette Ojpen with some tfbod balancing. Working with chairs on top of a high pole they draw good returns. Okay number for this spot, which starts things off with movement, Baymohd Bbur follows with gags and songs of the sort vvell liked by the French. He then offers several imitations of French dramatic, actors for plenty of laughs. • GeaikS and Geaiks do a variety of first-class imitations. . One, of the duo does most of the imitations, in- 'terspersing them -with zittempts to sneak a drink. Imitations include dogs of all sizes, birds and a barn- yard Arariety. Act closes with the clown turning straight to whistle a inarch in front of the curtain: Draws plenty of laughs throughout and ia/ good hand at the end. Lalage, girl acrobat, provides, a nice break. Doing jnost of her. work hanging from oni arm. she uses, rings, ropes, and a single-hand grip, on which she executes a. difficult routine with grace, and ease. Well liked. ^ Harry Reso, comedy dancer, opens his act with some fancy whistling, which doesn't catch oh too well; due to the Geaiks' eiarlier competition. But his dances are a different mat- ■ ter. His loose sliding shuffle makes him iapjpear completely disconnected in the stomach. One of best ap^ plause catchers of the show. Comedy sketch closes the first half. Armand Bernard, w.k. on the French stage and billed in the lead, was sick the night caught. Saturnin Fabre and Charpin, who are both khowii in French films, and Fef- nand-^Rene, a legit actor, take, the remainder of the liead parts.. Comedy situation is brought about by four men being: invited to give a string quartet concert, but none of them, plays the instrument he carries. A radio program,: broadcast as: they pretend to play, isaves them, and the host is satisfied, ieven though , the "fake musicians do have some trouble imitating the brasses in - the radio band with . their fiddles. .Skit has some good lines iand is > well; acted throughout. ' Marie Hbllig, billed as 'the Most Beautiful Star of HoUywopd,' is the first Aipericah to appeai-j opening the . second half.. Her- . acrobatic dancing is smooth and the most dif fi- cult-parts Of hei- routine are exe- cuted with .pase. Localites liked her polish ^nd ^Ipijownianship.. Spadqr4>i .ls,;;^.finother of the French music haU; st9n<^-bys, who has a rou- .tine similar to the rest, a few gags, some songi:^and' few imitations. He garners best results with his mimick- ing of different types: in the audi- ence. Finishes by burlesquing an opera, singing all the parts himself. Roy; Lee and Dunn, three Ameri- can, dancers^, are next with some stepping that is fast and amiusing. Trio opens with a tap routine that has nothing unusual, but its speed helps. Two follow with a drunk dance which does not go too well. Dummies representing women tied to their shoes and held while they dance prove good enbugh for the act to finish well. Acts with the speed of this one ate rare in France, and it took the audience a few monients to catch on and follow the fast action. , Five d'Oxford. three women and two-men, close with ian act that fur- ishes. a weak try at some soccer While riding. bicycles. . A .couple makes up each team and the extra woman acts as referee. Ball is han- dled with short sticks. Act is tjhin; Nothing approaching any spectacu- lar riding is produced and the motive for action is poor. Fred Mele is back in the pit; Mile. Regine Grandes announces prne:ram. Hugo. ■■ but dreissing in show caught io6 ma- ture. Should go in for beanna Dur- bih, junior rniss type of fashjon. Ri msky Korsakoff!s involved 'Flight of . the Bumble Bee' gets a very flashy presentation here with Murray Golden, band's accordionist, going after things in masterful style. Boy really goes to town on the squeezebox and cliinax of number with entirei band playing accordions plenty good, A tough spot to fbllowt what with the lingering applause, but Fritz and Jean Hubert stepped out with their stew knockabout pan- tomime and tied proceedings up' tighter than a drum. Team ;is work-, ing much faster than when caught here. biefore and added comedy after opening plenty sock. ■ . 'Swampflre,' vOld standby, closes matters, nicely, band getting, off in stimulating style. with clever ihstrur in^ntation and pace. Plenty of . ap- plause iand ample cuftaihs. Fields has a musicialnly combo, with Lou . Halmy on the single trumpet and Syd Green on drums outstanding, in addition to Golden; accordionist; Film is 'Devil's Playground' (RKD) ailohg with current issue of 'March of Time.'' ' Bufvi. HIPP, BALTIMORE Baltimore, April 2. Biggest opening crowd in ^months greeted Shep Fields artd presentaltion at Hipp this Week and lapped up every second of the 44rminute -ses- sion. No doiibt as to draw ,pf Pippilef audience greeting' every tune an- nounciement: with sizable applau?e and ovation on final curtain! Three acts, added to Vary orchestral doings, spotted icely and give change of P?*-* to setup. House set used, with Fields as. m.. c. and acts workin in front of band. Steteopticoii shot of moving Waves, on slowly parting curtain and signa- ture precedes opening medley. B.ob Goday. giving out With th6. vocals, and very nice. Next, 'Humoresque' played as waltz. Dixieland, sym- phonic, sweet; swing and' rippling. Good arranging here and Fields' in- troductions, s m both 1 y presented. Sunny Rice,' diminutive tapper, on next with briief hoofing isession, fea- turing some'lightning spins tor sbcko finish. This gal, a graduate of the Radio City Mu^ic Hall (N. Y.I ballet, uses her classic technique to good advantage, particularly in. the use .of her hands. .n,*^^** rnore nuTiibfers by the band, . Moonlight and Shadows' and 'That's a Plenty,' follow with individual members of combo contributing- solo spots. Marilyn Miller, local juvenile Singer, recently out of radio kiddie clubs, takes hold here_ with three songs,, all capably sold in her sultry contralto and scat style. She is okay CENTER, DENVER Denver, April 3. The draw on the Center, stage show is Pinky .vTomlin, singing songs written by himself, and some others, ^n: unassuming chap, plays his guitar with one foot on a chair for a brace, and sings into the house mike. He gives a big money's wotth-^chirpihg eight songs .when the house demands that inany. Songs get over, ahd . are •What's the Reason?' 'Love Bug Will Get You,' 'Objeet of My Affections,' 'Sitti • Bull,' ?Brand Baby,' 'Porter's Love Sbng,' 'Pappy' and 'Teched in the Haiid.' , - Most of the rest, of the show is good suppbrt. for Tomlin. Ruthburri and Co., man and two. femmes, do i diversified ^rnusical. Verne Ruthburn plays several ihstryments in heat fashion, with Peggy Anderson .doing a. nice singing job via the house jmike, ith other femme handling the. piano. . Three roller skaters, Three Rolling Raniblers, put oh a fast act, with one of them skating around the stage several times holding the skates with his hands, feet in the air. The heavy hplds the other two in a. long spin.:- ■' Bill . "Telaalj Co., latter a red heaid femme, do a fast line of chat-, ter and fallabput stuff.' Center is being redecorated, new: carpets are being laid, and the house given a general going over. Already the effects i»re showing, ^nd they are needed, as not much has been done to the house for years. It was closed for several years, and, before reopen- ing some work was done. Bud Bur- ton, formerly with the-Dancing Bur- tons, brother and sister act in vavide,- is house manager,: and'is giving pat- rons a money's worth with a double bill, stage show, and a short or two, Iasting4hree hours, for a top. evening pricie of two bits." RpsCi STATE-LAKE, CHL Chicago., April 3. State-Lake audiiences to whorii a. show is the: one. big treat of the week have built up the idea of a good time in their minds, until it i^ SO big that they are ready to receive , al- most anything enthusiastically, but, when something exceptionally socko comes along, they know it, and how. This is shown currently by the ap- plause given Dick and Edith Barstow and their tap . turn. They do three toe tap routines, and all three are such that the act stands way above anything else oh the bill; This is especially true with the Russian stuff' done up and down the stairs on the toes, and the toe leaps. Second hohors go to Reis &. Dunn, who have a knack:of stringing songs together and of doing, parodies that click. Act is: short,, has plenty of speed, and finishes .with a pip of a parody. Bob Eastoh;. who' isri't a newcomer around here, seems to have re- vamped his act a bit. Still works with Ondee Odette, good looking midget .performer,, and one who has everything it/takes in Singing and dancing, beside being able to read lines. .Act opens with; midget in baby carriage smart cracking an-swers to Easton and his .woman partner. Re-> maihder is. given over .to Odette girl soloing ia tune, and dancing exhibi- tton-foutihes with . Easton.' Latter should break that straw hat up sornetime. Also," it might not be . a bad idea to change the curtain speech; . blurb about beln? on the way to Holly wood.for their .first pic- ture begi ing, to be remerii- beredi , j Darie and Yfates are coniedy handr. tb-hand balancejc,Si wobth nothing more than family-time bookings, but they're okay for that. Arm and leg mix-ups, and the. regular tricks of; such an act comprises the routine. Bill opens with Don Alvin and Girls, four of the latter. Turn is too long, and has too. many people. Acrobatic routine done by one of the girls would have been enough, and saved time. . , , ^. , • State-Lake Rwoethearls do their, usual two routines, but the last one was far too.slow to follow Dick and Edith Barstow. Glo.ses^ show with a let-down.. . ■ , , , Whole bill, including picture iin- gerous Numbers' (Metro.*, in for only six days, ith house opening SJ. LOUiS, St. L. . St. Loui.s; April 2. Two new policies have been in^ atigUrated at Fachon &; 'Marco's .sole combo house, St. Loui.s theatre; showing -first-run pix and starting week On. Friday, instead of Thurs- day.' Hoii.se also has installed new set piece for Joe Winters' ork. Cur- rent show has lots of quality but i.s entifelyj too draggy and Whole- bill that ruhs 70 :mins, would be bene- fited by pruning. ■ Bill opens fair enough with Rpxy- ette^, in pairs; coming through cen- ter of. curtai and reciting; an in- t.rbduction for Johnny Perkins, who appears to be a permanent fixture at- this house. Perkins gets .a nice hand and gags with line.! ROxyettes then- go-into their fir'st routine, 'Or- gan Grinder Swing,' which wins, a hand, making way. for Adair & Rich- ards, who score witii their balhooin dance;, routine. .Perkins' Teturns with more of the .stories customers li and calls on Jack Prince, 19-yearrold: arbler. This is Prince's fourth con.secutive week and he clicks with 'Miirgie' and 'Some of These Days.' ■ Floyd Chiristy and;; Al Gould, in next slot, hav. an entertaining cbmr edy acrobatic act that includes some slbw-mption, stuff, but . action ., isi slowed, down by. too much gagging before Gould sings 'I'm Goihg to Write; Myself ai Letter' in acceptable style., -Roxyettes are back With an Under Seas routine, during . which Adair & Richards return for-a .sock adagio . thiEtt; goes over bi Next cbme .Ki King and Ki . . trio that knows ail the tap .stieps and boys, in tails, score, with their Rhythm routine and challenge tap dancing, .which seemingly includes all the steps devised to date.: . Action slows down in liiext. isiot, .which finds Stone. & Lee .. in a com edy-rhu.sical-tialking; act. Storie. pulls too many old gags, and his interview, .by Lee, the dumb Camp Girl reporter, ;" unniecessarily. ragged but. Brightest bit comes when Stone, aboiit to do: a trombone solo, asks gal. fbr a piano and unaided, she shoyes ai music box on. stage. .Biall'-walking Routine that ight gals bf line did ■ last week is re- peated ;with 12 on the spheres and Margaret Lund, blonde looker, has become so proficient that she wows siftees with her fake trouble in maintaining her balance.. .Bill comes to. an end as Perkins calls each act onto the apron and has each ap- plaud, the succeeding one, custom ers joining in for everyone; Screen offers 'The Devil's Playground' (Col) Biz good. Sahu. Unit Reviews TED LEWIS UNIT EARLE, WASH. . , Washington, April -3. Cap Wai-her house 'giying Bert Granoff, former pit vocalistj his long-^ promised break this week and he is coming through. A strong tenor who can handle pop stuff also, Granoff spent' year in overtures without a chiance tb tbp a stage arr ray. After season in midwest hotels, he's back to headline five-act bill, one which could easily overshadow him but doesn't. Makes ' entrance thrbUgh center curtains to do .'Goodnight-My Love' and" 'Goodnight Sweetheart' in one. Uses mike, but fapt th^tt he can stand three feet back and' make, rafters ring lifts him definitely out of crooner class.. Introduces Dean Her- rick and curtain opens to full stage, organist going into Gershwin medley under overhead spot. Next on, after' similar introduction by Granoff, is Carolyn Henry, soprano, who mixes prettiness and stately bearing nicely. Need.s to loosen up a bit, but gets by well with 'Where Ate You?'. Sock comes in. two: last numbers. Show Bbat medley: and 'May I Have Next Romance with You?': which finds two people who can sing opening up full- blast : with organ and pit providing background that would force a.hand froni a deaf mute, Granoff's m.c'ing, perhaps, goes over here a.s big as it doe.s becau.se he's home town lad, but with a little care on hi.s lines hie should, be. able to handle the chatter anywhere. Act, call<ed 'Mfelbdic Mo- ments;' is distinctly class without be- ing arty. .' Other four turns get under way with Ray and Trent, smooth slow-: .motion hand-.stand specialist."!. Who rate two encores..' Harry King and Sinclair Twins follbv^ with collection Of rhythm taps. One':splo by King, a; double by gals and two number.s by full team. Granoff foUpw.s .with Art Frank arid Vivien . Peterson.- next, to wow 'eni with/trick-legged old gent and the tall handsome femme angle backing up ability to hoof plenty. Eaton Bbys rint? down curtain, ' bobbing thrbUgh 'Wahob' and .'I Want My Rib,' leadirt» into version of 'No. a Thousand Times No.' in which they shoot the works and leave 'em all but cheering. Audrey Sleber, house mistre.ss of ceremonies,, still ;pre.ttie.st thing pn a local .staee. and her parade of spring gowh.s sati.sfics the femmies. Maestri) iFreddie Clark dispen.ses with pver- tiire in view of long bill, but gets rated bow after-Henry; Kirig tn.s.ses verbal bouquet to band for accom- paniment. Pie .is 'Swing Hi ing Low' ..(Par)'.and biz.fine. Cr«ij:;. ('Rhythm Rhapsody') .. (STATE,-N. Y.) ^ Ted Lewi.s, with his high hat and clarineti heids a 'moderately enler- taining and acceptable; band unit, but it's not as modern. nor as amv hitioUs an orchestral r brgahization : as many contemiSbrary outfits in cir- culation today. It is rnpre reminis-. cent Of . another day. When , Lewi.s was at the top arid: we didn't ha.ve the Benny. Goodmans, Ray: Nobles and others as oppbsiiion,' most of them with large air f6ilowing!5 and, n.b dpiibt, better box office draught than he has today.: 'When You're In tbve' (Col) is the picture, and . probably Will account for the major portion of,, the lalcc cyrrentlyi Business Thursday night, at the-first show, was pietty good but house, wasn't filled, at fl o'clock, LeWi.?' specialty entertainers iii- cliide the, Radio Aces ti-io, the. Hi-. Hatters (another three.sOme),: Gha.s.; ■Snowbali' Whittier and two single dancers, Lita Leide arid Ruth Daye, These- people are billed in the; .lobby, but-they get no mention from the stage, Lewis bringing: them oh With- out any introduction at all; : He is somewhat unique in this respect,- virtuially all band-pleaders these days giving the help a nod to Ihcir'au- diences. ; Radio Ace.s, .singing trio spotted i -the band, and Whittier, colored, are Lewis'principal assets; oth acts work , hard and click satisfactorily without s&tting aiiythihg 'on flie. Lewis : himself is mo.st of the 41- mihute unit, and he's in evidence at all times. Always, . showman, he derives the maximum^from the ma-- tt^rial his band show, compo.ses. His bpen.ing number, 'Jiltisic Is Magic' is particularly well done.' He sings , if fbr air its value, on the sec- ond chorus bringing out. tlie tvusty clarinet. This is a rather swingy tUnS; ichi in turn., is follbwed by a sbng special frorn Lewis that brings on one of the- iris and the Radib Aces. Latter are on frequently, , their, most impressive numbier being ^Serenade In The Night,' as both Miss Lede.and Miss Daye c'to a sister dance. Whittier dance.s,, sings and; figures in clowning, with Lewis, His fir.st number, fair ehbugh soft shoe step- ping, windS: up with- the three Hi- Hatters making,-it a foursome; Later on, when Whittier is singing 'When My Baby Smiles At Me,' Lewis is clowning, the number up for fair results, "fhe special-arrangement of .'unfinished Symphony' is almo.st en- tirely an'effort by Lewis and cohorts to draw- laughs, The singing trio tops thiis with a Rusislan classic that is given swing treatment for an effective finish. 'I'm The Leader of The Band* is another pleasing number, well sold by. Lewis and topped by the Aces. Lewis and .Whittier work on 'Me and My Shadow.' an oldie that could be replaced. Hi-Hatters figure here again in ia soft .shoe dance, okay. The vocal trio get additional exer- cise on a Cuban number* which, works lip tp 'Peanut Vendor' and ha.s Whittier wheeling a large cart onto the stane from which Lewis tosses peanuts into the audience. This is the best number in the- unit. Unit is nicely set on the stage: The musicians wear, red jackets, which is a bit different. Char.. RUDOLF FRIML, JR., Orchcstr* French Casino, N. V.' Rudolf Friml, Jr., ipg a ne\9 dance band under the aegis-of Con- .solidated Radio ArtistSj brings ah illustrious name and a highly enr. gaging. personality into the- dance' band field.. Young, Friml,. who has bee^n fooling around as; a sbng- plugger, quondam tUrle-fashloner, etc., has surrounded, hihiself with an /expert dance combo which is already reobrding fbr the new Master disks, is slated for shorts,, and is. currently bn its debut nitery engagement at the Frieinch Casino, N. Y,;. Th(E boy is ibotit 22 or 23, has a screientest personality, and was gi.veri a strong sendqff on his French Casino' bow-in via an. NBC 'conversation' with his rioted composer-father, from Hollywood, where he is filmusical composing. Incidentally,, for the trade, , it's the first buildcr-iipper from pere. to flls, as Jr. heretofore got' rio suppbtt frbm his father. . His band as a dance, combo is OK .save:.that he rriust learn to riiix iip his dari.<;e sets a bit morie. They'rie riot suffifcleritly .varied, but that's a trick of maestroing; that cbriies with .seasoning^ Musicianly and for dancer ability- the' cbriribo's there, as is Mildred Windelle, his featured vocaliste, who handles a pop; chorus nicely as bccaision.ari.sesi .Abel. among the lop low .songs Wow DWIGIIT FISKE Planoloc: 10 Mlhs. Savoy.Plaza, N. Y. Dwight Fiske is chansoneurs whose the high-hats of Manhattan, London and Palm Beach. He's undoubtedly the : most literate of the. naughty sorigalogers, writing his: bwri very clever verses which, per se, wouldn't mean as much In printer's ink as When dPne by Fiske, fortified by that dynamic .Stelnway accpmpaniment which really dramatizes the lyrics. Fi.skc, of course, is by . no moans a New: Act, but recorded herewith for the files. It's the Fiske salesmanship fir.st that registers as,.he prbjecls his verses; the words, sans the music, don't mean . as much without the songster's' effective showmanship. Other than'that, - the Cafe Lpunge of the: Savoy-Plaza, offers the crack Emile Petti dansapa.tors, a Conti- nental combo of terp rinuslcians who know how to dispen.se it and com* mand plenty of hoof-appeal. Abel on Fridays hereafter. Busine.ss good, with first show of the week neat' capacity. Loop. STOP, LOOK & LISTEN (ORPHEUM, LINCOLN) Lincoln, April 4. talented opus to arrive here in any season, 'Stop, Look and Listen,' manages to keep-its head above water by dint of comedy labor of Joe Chri.sty. Besides him there's only the old stiandard act, Four War- ners. Roster of other turns consists of Ann, Andierson, Scandinavian ac- cordionist,, who also sings; Frances, Burdick, aero; and the line of girls, the Five Betty Co-ed.?. Show managed to cbme out .with 53 minutes, Christy drivipg hi .self to frenzied lunacy for 25 minutes or more of the running time,;. He opens, .quarters, halves, arid clb;se<;-^ the latter his piano beatings. .Hi.s bid fav, imitation of the femme tak- ing; the,, bath, calises minor -cpnyul- sions iri the house. . Only five gals, in the chorus, ut there's, the equivalent ' weight bf .seven. Pari ian sleev.e . number cos tume choice was. the best, since it called for a flowing skirt ranees Burdick's number, on early, is a fair sbrt of backbending routine, although every stunt is known and aged. The Anderson girl play.s a fair squeeze and foiled nicely with Chr|sty when the duo 'Dream Boat Conies Home.' Warners, pop, mbmv son and daughter, Ls yaude pf the old .school. Parents open, pulUrig. gags out of which the snap was gbne two dec- ades ago., Kid.s are better, the; gal singing and the lad, cream of the act a .dancing violinist Girl is okay,: but coi/ld ..stand belter dressing and faster song. Show .Was produced for the Wilbur Cu.shman circuit by Al We.ston jind is handled on the road by Frank Warner. Time varies with Chii.sty— can go 10 minutes either way from the normal 50 minutes running time. Also, without Christy there would be no show. Barn. ELINOR SHERIDAN (1) Songrs 6 Mihs. Rainbow Rooin,. N. Y. Elinor Sheridan is ari added starter at the Rainbow Room, coming in .somewhat' suddenly to replace Renee' de Jarnette. Miss Sheridan's a nicely shaped femme With a cute person- ality arid; a somey^hat Weakish voice, which^. under normal circumstances, wouldn't be mentioned considering the mike technique so generally ac- cepted almost anywhere but at the Rainbow Roorri. This top-ofrthe-towri nitery; while' no intirrie ■ environment, isri't too large riot to insist that its:songsters don't camouflage their, personalities with microphone obsttuction.s. Es-- pecialy if they're as smart-looking as Miss Sheridan. It's a wise policy which Managing Director John Roy insists upon and, while Miss Sheridan is one -who might take advantage of the amplification, she manages pas.<>- ably well'. However, considering that her. lyrics are okay, the mike would be a help almost any where else. Her rifiaterial is specially .fa.shinried, although in like vein-r^the sophi.sti- cated, hangover motif. The opener, about New York being the best spot after all, is a cinch for the domoytic trade. 'The.se Wacky Things' is a ;parody bri 'These Foolish Things'arid 'My Man Is Funriy That Way' I.s a polite-nance tagline for another sbng, 'She's Funriy, that Way,' Mi.ss Sheridan, hbwever,. evidences good song salcsmariship on form, delivery and general .style. With grooming she'll db nicely iri the smart spots, Abel. HtlLOISE MARTIN Dance, talk a Mins. Keith's, Boston B'way nitery performer and Dr;: U. co-ed makes her flrst vaude ap- pearance since her nbtorious shov/er bath under auspices of Nils . Orah- lund (N.T.G.) i his , girlie, rbugh- house unit. She's due to return. to the. Hollywood restaurant <N. Y.) floor show later. First flash brings on Miss Martin in a red Cellophane wrap, and not much else, to chat briefly with Gnm- lurid at the mike.. Costuming is .the most interesting element of that bit. She gets, a chance later to redeem her.self, and does so admirably in a cute toe tap number in very chic costume that resembles a .skating rig. ., This satisfies the CU.stomers that she has talents not reve.iled in the tabloids, and thesy like it Miss Martin has smart stage pre.s- ence, a: .striking brunette personality that projects, iand a cultured voice that overcomes eyen the sill.v lines handed her for this as.sig:iinent. Fox.