Variety (Aug 1937)

VARIETY MUSIC HALL, N. Y. Motif is French in the Music- HaU stage this week, carrying all the way through from the 'Gems from Gounod' orchestra selection to the finale by the Rockettes, one of the precision numbers from which that Paris ^Exposition audience probably hasm't yet recovered. It seems to be France's week in New York show business, with the French Casmo opening its new show, 'Emile Zola (WB) being biographedat the Holly- wood and the Paris stylists gettmg a bxeak in 'Vogues of 1938' (UA) at the Music Hall. Vive la France, or something. Despite the effectiveness of 4he spectacle portion of this Music Hall show, it's an old fashioned Punch and Judy turn that cops major en- thusiasm. Tommy Trent is the lad pulling the strings and the flipst por- tion of the act is the same old Punch and Judy business. If there were any doubt about the derivation of Piinch, this version ot the familiar routhie would dispell it. Punch is his old chilM>n-fihe-shonlder self, just as slug-dipi)y as ever andjust jB able to take it. F<a » flash, Trent comes from behind scefiery to dangle a Negro puppet through * truckm routine, with a neiat ending in a purple fluorescent spot which shows (mly the puppet. Best hand of the show. After medley of Gounod selections, show opens with an old-world min- uet by the Music Hall baUet, against a handsome garden set Effect is decorative, solfr weakness l>eing slightly garish color contrasts of the costumes. With the stage still loaded with dancers, Margarita Silva trills a song, with the customary flute ac- companiment. ^ Titans, balance gymnasts, on next and hold attention for nine minutes with extraordinarily designed and executed lifts. Stuff is .done much more slowly than most teams, the three lads thereby adding plenty,to the shQwmahsI^ip of the act. Much of it really tough. Nice hand. Locale shifts to French Algiers for next turn, the Glee Club offering an effective number as members of the Foreign Legion at a desert fort- ress. Handsomely staged and capably handled. Musical arrangeinent high- lights the act. ■ Bockettes, on last with a crowded stage, finale a Martinique number marked by extremely tasteful stage design and costuming. Color conr trasts are vivid and complimentary, whUe the enseinble grouping is ex- gertty • arranged. Rockettes are in lackf ace as Martinique native girls, with costumes accenting the reds and yellows. Routine consists of complicated formations.-first, then the usual long line, with precision kicks and gyrations. Fine hand for the finale, as usual. Film is 'Vogues of 1938*. (UA) busine^ near capacity Fridav (19) night. Hobe. VARIETY HOUSE REVIEWS Wedneaday, August 25, 1937 tion of a Tammany hall heeler, a Hebe pants salesman and a Greek lunchstand operator, bellows an en- tertaining soap box ballyhoo. His husky voice and animated delivery packed much entertainment,, even if a greater portion of his speech was punctuated with puns, and slightly off color yarns. His affable per- sonality helped considerably. House is minus revue trimmings, such as tried out last month. Line of girls and production numbers abandoned in favor of more potent, entertainment features. Pic is 'Super Sleuth' (RKO), Gttss. MOGADOR PARIS Paris, Aug. 13. Vnude-revue In two acta (30 scenes) pro- duced by Mitty Ooldln; dances by Leslie EnrI and Carlos Mnchndo; costumes, Max Weldy; orchestra direction, l^red Mele» At MoRivdor, l'*arl8. Orpheundiy Salt Lake Salt Lake City, Aug. 22. By Woodbury, band leader and m.c. dominates current footlight fare here. Fotir other acts shaped up okay, but so far as genuine entertain ment is concerned, band dished up the socko variety. AH acts work in front of Wood bury's outfit. During the entire bill, Woodbury, a personable home town young man, does some unobtrusive m.c.'ing. Despite fact that the band is billed next to shut, the outfit, numbering 13 cleffers, staged a unique 10 min- ute act built along' the King Cole nursery rhymes idea. Novelty arias contributed by a vig- orous chorus of eight bandmen which stirs deserved audience en- thusiasm. Number ends in fast • tempo with entire ensemble swing- ingly engaged in a hot rendition of the Cole chanteys, coupled with sub- stantial pipe workouts. Backdrop, incidentally, blends in with idea of stage numbers. First of acts, Is Prince and Prin cess Selaiidia, billed as azure blooded hoofers from the lands of the f.iords and kippered herring. Scandinavians, working in faultless- ly formal clothes, present not-too- original standard ballroom terp steps to the tune of Blue Danube waltz. Latter portion of their act clicks,, however. It is four variations of the tango as danced in London, Paris, Berlin and New York City, In each of their impressions, pair don meag- er accoutrement to enhance their rendition. Emery Epperson, band, fiddler, takes a bow next It's a house pol- icy to introduce some member of the band weekly. Violinist registers with'Fiddlin'the J'iddle.' Third in line is Manning and Mitzi. Latter is a cute black-and- white fox terrier, whose assortment of imitations wins hearty plaudits. It's a unique act, with Manning serv- ing as stooge for the pup, who. like his master, wears a full dress suit, fastened with a zipper. Dog's chores simulating a drunk garnered plenty of oalm pats. Manning gives his doc a rest while he taps. Bob Blackner, billed as a 'Cowboy ' Tonov' appears in a . candy suit, warbling a, couple of stiffly posed ditt'cs. His first, 'Koad to Manda- lav, lacked vitality, and his 'Home on the Range' was minus the appeal of the rolling plateaus. Senator Murphy, hoke politician, whose dialectic delivery is a concQC CAPITOL, WASH. Washington, Aug. 22. Five years of staging annual all- local revues has made, annual splurge quite an event and this year's 'Go- ing Native' is no exception. Gene Ford,- who has produced all five and -moved in as house director four years ago, has shot the works <>n this edition, even lising some of his own tunes, before leaving next month for New York and job on coast with MG. Show is dedicated to him in swank four-page program handed out to customers. Cast of 60 is short on sock talent, but array of ams and, cream. of crowd working private clubs and small niteries is good enough to get by without any excuses. Although .Gordon Hittenmark, Cap NBC spieler, gets top billing, he isn't used as m.c, announcements being made yia pit mike by non-entity, Plan speeds up show plenty. Also way tsdent is worked into numbers and smart transitions from one stunt into the next make for un usually smooth show. Outstanding is Dick Leslie, 19 year-old impersonator. Kid bounces out alone to work front mike in one, opening with sign-off of hick radio bit about station RSVP. Cioes into scrap in Hollywood cafe in volving (Charlie Chan, Ned Sparks, W. C. Fields, getting off to Sock hand with Joe Penner. Granting he only does four minutes and it represented his best, it was done without props of any kind and he held 'em without a lapse. ' Other standouts are Joe and Earl- ine King, one-armed ventriloquist using radio audition as setting for gags with dummy and pretty girl with pleasing soprano; Ward Duval, accordionist who 4id nice bacitoning of 'Gypsy Love Song'; Claire Gregorie, blonde warbler who lec opening a la Alice Faye; Mary Janes Zernia and Lee. O'Neill, each given a. chance , for a standard but. good tap routine; and Jack McCalley< chalk artist who does two palm- tree scenes without opportunity to demonstrate whether he has the other requisites. Hittenmark is introduced via com- edy ditty, sung by tapping trio with blackouts in background, kidding three ace morning radio chatterers. He. confines himself to pleasing how-do-you-do and presentation' of Helen Greene, Miss Washington of 1927, who smiles, gags a bit with Hittenmark and goes into satisfac- tory rendition of 'Sweet Sue' and 'Dinah.', •Washboard Blues,' sextette of colored rhythmaniacs, rip off a couple of fast numbers with kazoos, washboard, etc., getting oke hand but they were in last year and the novelty has-'Worn off. Three numbers, in which dance director Harry Crosley shows 16 hoofers off, to.,surprising advantage, used 'Getting the Hot Foot' toe tickling rhy'thmi piece written by Ford and Elwbod Wilson, house saxophonist; 'Venetian Skies' and 'Rain and Sunshine,' burnable ditties by Ford, First gives girls chance for smart precision work, second uses George Washington University Vocal Ensemble in bal masque scene and features Rae Russell in toe dance, and third brings on Vera Miller, toe-tapper, Cody O'Neill and Coke Homon, comedy hoofers, Hallie Mae Reed and Edgar Talley, straight singers, and entire company which finishes against lighted waterfall background. Pic is 'Wee Willie Winkie' (20th) and biz nice. Craig. Embassy Newsreel, N. Y. It's hot in New York and news is dead around the world. At the Em- bassy, .N.Y., there isn't much news to be seen via the screen, but it's cool and, at two-bits a throw there are perhaps enough customers avail- able no matter what. Starts, off like as if it's going to be. exciting, with the Chinese War headlined. But only a couple of mild shots via News of Day and Par, both claiming to be exclusive although almost duplicates. Movie- tone and Par give Spain a once-over lightly, N of D shows FDR making speech and the important shots of the day are over. From then on, it's strictly filler. As to the showing by the various companies. Fox Movietone leads with 11. U, Pathe and Par tie for second with seven each and News of Day only shows up three times. Kauf. Goddin again proves he knows just how much to put into a show to make it stand up. This one has only one outstanding item, its star, Mis- tinguett. Backing her up are a group of artists well enough known to draw, but only a few of whom may be classed in the top category. Although the first part of the show is really straight variety, the acts are presented in a fashion that fits in with the second half. Use of ia line of Blue Bell Girls and the Mo- gador Ladies add smoothness to this part. Girls do' little dancing, but costumes and looks are o. k.. Top- ping this first section are Drean, Mar- seille comedian, and Cirj Rimac's C!uban Muchachps. Opening is noisy, with too many people oh the stage. What is in- tended to be a lively send-off falls flat. Atlas Troui^ comes on at the end of the opehing song. Their acro- batics over only fairly; too slow and hampered by lack of room. Stetson follows, to click again with his top-hat and cigar box juggling. Last time seen, a few months ago, his act was a bit shaky and the com- edy was spotty. No changes have been made, it is just done in a more professional manner now. Symphony in Blue opens with parading by the Mogador Ladies and a few simple steps by the Blue Bell Girls. This is topped by the fast and limber step dancing of Carlos Machado. King Kong Perdue' and troupe are next. • Giant's lighted cigarette swal lowing in the midst of' tossing his pai'tner around, goes well. Followed by. another American act, Frank Libuse, whose piano antics brought him the best hand in the first half. Following is the Mar' seillaise accent of Drean. Like most French comedians, he sings almost tuneless scmgs and tells stories. Lat- ter is bis specialty, and his yarns don't fail- to please. Ciro Rimac's band is used for the last part of the first division.. Cuban rhythm he turns out is nothing less than torrid. Rimac's son, Charlie Boy, three girls, Latin American dancers, and the singer Marguerite Jade all get a good share of hand- slapping with the band. Windup, with all the troupe on, is again more noisy than necessary. Second half starts more smoothly than the first but has the same fault at the end—anticlimax. Stage is filled islowly and in varying manners o build up to the first appearance of Mistinguett. Curtain opens on An- dre Zibral, Al Kremer, (ieorges Lam- bros, Leo Kok and Bobby Vaisberg, who sing the praises of Miss. Five groups of girls enter, each singing a different song dressed to fit their :unes, led by Jeanine Baran, Mar- guerite Jade. Siizy Delaire. Suzanne Kelian and Sabine Earl. Mistinguett then enters, and from there on the show is hers. Her personsility is absolutely unique. In all her nine appearances there is only one time she does not stand out. She commands the eye almost every second she is on the stage. Her voice has grown a little more husky than befits ieven a husky voiced singer, but she is more than ever a showman. She is a showman of the kind the French like; she knows what her audiences want and she gives it to them. Outstanding is the scene 'Alone.' Here Miss is the discarded mistress, shunned by her former lover as he enters a night club with another woman. Revolving stage is used, to show scenes as she is picked up by a Dasserb.y and enters the cabaret with him. Fight is the outcome when the two men meet, and her lover is killed. She returns to the street to go into the French version of the song 'Alone.' Georges Lambros joins her for a duet, which, scores heavily. In another scene Miss does one number in En?lisji, 'My Darling, I Love You,' with the aid of Leo Kok. Al Kremer and tleorges Lambros. . Andre Zibral's scene with Miss, close to the end of the show, gets the best reception. He takes the stage alone and gives, a series of imita- tions of Chevalier in his lone chore at the Casino de Paris. They are all tops. Last is Chevalier's w. k. bum .song, during which Mistinguett joins him. They sing together, exchange clever patter and go into another song with Miss doing some fairly raw dancing. Capella and Veronique are sDotted twice in the last half. Both are smooth dancers and their ballroom numbers go over well. Bbbbv Vais- berg. moppet singer; gets a fair hand for his only solo. His voice is o. k. but there isn't enough of it. Geo. Dorlis is the only other single in the second part. He does some number one comedy on the origin of various dances, which is liked. Windup of show is a letdown; last scene is too short after the long stand of Dibral and Miss, Attempt to get house to sing, stunt which ha."! been tried in several revues here of late, falls fiat. .- Although Goldln opened In mid summer with a tough fight ahead to get back what the house cost him, he- has a show which should help him win, if anything will. Mistinguett on the marquee should mean some- thing to the tourists and, since prices are a notch lower than other big re- vues in town, it should pull well enough among the foreigners and provincials to hold up until vacation time is over in Paris. After that the going should be easy. Hugo. PALACE, CHI Chicago, Aug. 21. Probably the time will never come when the public realizes that it's the Slim Timblins, the Barto and Manns, the Adele Nelsons, -vvho make real entertainment, .and not Fluff Nosegay, arrested last week for socking her mother, or Jerome Hair- waver, coal miner turned picture star. If they did realize it, the crowd trying to g6t into the Palace this week would break the doors down. Nobody's eight or ten lengths ahead of the rest. Ifs about even, all the way, and swell variety enter- tainment, satisfying 'in every respect. Adele Nelson's dancing elephants get first crack at the audience, and it's a telling, sock. Three elephants, well powdered and with red enameled toe-ttails, go through a beautifully paced routine of tricks, not only the regular stuff, but class dancing—black bottoms, waltzes, Charlestons, and a fan routine. Then, to finish, a ball-game which is tops.' Details are all in, from pitcher-catcher conference to the slide for base. Stuff for the kiddies, but papa and mama'll fight to see who takes *em. . . In the deuce spot is Cass Daley. Sftie whams a click buncb of .blues right into the back row. Plenty good in voice and stage presence. Slim Timblin is third. The preach- er and the wedding in blackface. Still up-to-date, and still worth big billing. Barto and Mann in fourth and doing, right well with their hoofing and rough-housing. No need to change anything. It clicks. Helen Denizon and her American Rockets are the flash act. And plenty flashy.. Miss Denizon, herself, does only one number, a toe thing, but, in it, she pushes out enough charm to make anybod«r applaud. Nice work, nice smile, nice routine. The Rockets are six boys and six girls. They can and do dance. First is a Hawaiian routine that rates a cup for costuming and drill. Finale di- vides 'em into groups for corking adagio acrobatic work. House capacity at first show Sat- urday. Picture 'Love Uhder Fire' (20th), Loop. ORIENTAL, CHI Chicago, Aug 221 It isn't a vaudeville show accord- ing to the strict interpretation of vaude show line-ups, but it turns up as one of the finest and most enter- taining shows this house has pre- sented iii many moons. And that the public pays off on entertainment is indicated from the capacity business. They had been saying that maybe the Oriental was washed up. But that was only because business was soggy; and business was fiabby only because the shows weren't what the public wanted. This week proves that the Oriental or any other house is as live as its current show. And this show has plenty of life. In the first place, for the bargain seekers current line-up gives plenty. Lou Holtz, Helen Morgan, and Lillian Carmen came directly from the Chez Paree where the minimum was $2.50 per for a peek. And here they got 'em for 25c, Holtz works hard and well, run- ning throughout the show as m.c. and clown. Held the show together and had it running along at a fine clip. Still the ace story teller, he was as effective with this two-bits audience as he had been at the Chez, and here he wisely steered clear of overdoing the Bronx stuff. Ingratiat- ing performer that puts any audience at ease and makes 'em sit up and eat out of. his hand Miss Morgan is on towards the end of the show perched on the elevated piano. The tearful little ear- ful has tied herself eternally to the 'Showboat' tunes. Whether that's the wisest thing for Miss Morgan, time will tell. She was a push-over here, and could have stayed on all night, Lillian Carmen was the third Chez Paree importation. Plenty of ener- getic singing, with a fine, smooth de- livery and excellent salesmanship. Punches her songs over with pep and persqnality. Went well with this mob, and looks a cinch for any audience. Those Lorie. Bros, are recognized by many in audience since their ap- pearance in shorts and especially 'New Faces' flicker. Make a fine novelty act that will satisfy any- where with their Mexican instru- mentalizing, singing and dancing. Their half-pint size warms 'em to any mob, no. matter how deadpan. Dick Gary is only tapster and hoofer on the bill, and was okay. Picture was 'Mile From Heaven' (20th). Business capacity at the last show on Friday. Gold. FOX, DETROIT Detroit, Aug. 22 . Eddy Duchin and his band are do ing plenty to hypo gate receinta here. Payees, and there were gobs of 'em at early show Friday evenine (20), simply go nuts over everything Duchin dishes out for 'em. Which is plenty. Show, set in a smooth garden ar- rangement with nifty lighting ef, fects, runs about 45 minutes. Be- sides Duchin and band, there's Pa. tricia Norman, rhythmic songster* Stanley Worth, baritone; Three So- phisticated Ladies, knockabout hoof, ers; Mario and Floria, dance duo' and Miriam Verne, tapster. . ' While most of these turns would be a Credit alone to anybody's bill the show's still, all Duchin, with em- phasis on the aU. Hands out set of piano specialties which not only gar- ner .constant applause, but virtually has audience dancing in the aisles Pianist likewise paces band through several pop tunes, sock, and tops off with a wow arrangement of 'Stormy Weather.' Combine these with Duchin's Inimitable m.c.'ing and ydu've got sock all the way. ' Three Sophisticated Ladies, whose nice appearance belies their zany knockabouts, have the No. 4 spot and do lot with it. Two brunets and a- blond,, garbed in silvery gowns, forced to beg off after swift ses- sion of hoofing, acrobatics and non- sense. Patricia Norman, cute trick in blue, is bought out by Duchin for coupla truckin'-vocalizin' tunes which set welL Could have stood an encore. Deucer is Miriam Verne, who' as a tapper has plenty to recomniend her. Appearance in yellow flimsy is val- uable asset, and hoofing is plenty smooth and deft Mario and Floria, ballroom hoofers, have coupla nice numbers, including a rumba which, while good, doesn't vary enough from .their ballroom turn. Pair abounds in grace, however, and should do okay almost anywhere with a little more variety. . In absence of Sam Jack Kaufman, overture chores are in hands oi Herschell Lieb, who sticks pit orch through nifty rendition of 'Orphelus' abetted by violin solo. On screen, 'Love Under Fire' (20th). Pete. PALACE, CLEVELAND Cleveland, Aug. 22. Rather strangely spotted bill at RKO Palace, which carelessly mixes standard vaude acts and radio names, and by doing so takes edge off one of its topliners. Red Norvo's orchestra is merely a musical background, just stooging for Mildred Bailey and the others. It only does a coupla straight num- bers. Perhaps that's just as well, for localites never did go for Red's lickety brand of swingcopation. Not very flattering, however, is the fact that band's routine is abruptly in- terrupted by Vera .Fern and Radio Ramblers doing repeats. Former especially suffers from spotting. A tall, willowy girl, she opens bill in sUver sequined outlit doing some satisfactory taps. Work here is better than her last bow with band, doing conventional kicks and flips that only slow up the tempo. Change in costume necessary, but could be done more smoothly. Ramblers, as deucers, wallop tna bill mto high with sharply deliv- ered impersonatiqns and belly-laugh travesty. Trio's leader wins over house by take-off of Voice of Ex- perience, Boake Carter and operatic bit which are familiar but mora sure-fire than his Henry Armetta satire. Later , with orchestra fol- lowing femme dancer, they sell « smart Foreign Legion skit emphati- cally. Robust humor cops the loud- est laughs. ■ , ..^ Barr and Estes, on next, have tne slickest turn of taps and eccentric numbers uncorked here this sum- mer. A refreshing quality to their broken rhythms, with the lanky mal« partner demonstrating that leg-twist- ing soft-shoe steps can be more slyly amusing and fascinating than tne best of taps. Stub-holders wake up to his comedy ability when he does his 'how-I-learned-my-steps stunt. Girl also a fast hoofer. Stan Kavanaugh holds fourth spot capably as ever. Repeats his slow- timed ball and Indian club juggling gags, which are as fixed as a poli- ticians' campaign speeches, but mors surelfire in catching ovations. urday night reactions sounded as u vniinscr spneration hadn't seen him younger generation hadn before. . . , u:- After one blistering swing by n « orchestra, Norvo executes some swe'i xylophone pounding in swing tirne, throwing in hot licks and breaKs. Develops a fine build-up for Mildred Bailey. Plumper than ever Put m rare vocal form, all ber^ songs aie of the hotcha variety with exception of 'Gone With Wind.' Hoiise ex- pected her to revive one of her o o faves. like 'Rockin' Chair Blues, but she didn't. cu«.,,f. Vocalization of 'Stop. Your Shout in" is co-headliners' liveliest duty* •What'cha Going to Do?' coming next. 'Peckin' is old stuff by now, bu Mildred makes it a smash again m finale, helped by Red's and musi cians' clowning. One set throughout, but it's okay m *"'l5vc Under Fire- (20th-Fox> N pic; combination pleasing enough X|' draw packed houses ovei- weel^cj"' used otoi'-