Variety (Jan 1938)

178 yAU0EVIL|.E Wednesday^ By Ep# W. Sctrg^ht .His overcoat: \va^ of ari^vi'm tage and;: clearly jntendiecV : for. the. . early'. .days ;'.;of 'talJ.' ' ,Tlie.;-•wnids ' whipped •..crUejiy 'aboii^^ thin -And: somewhat ft"£<yed':.trp'iisprsi^^^ there was a. wariTi; IpO'k in;:.h.is .eyes; and''a .tender smi'ie; around the' :corri.ers^ of h/S 'motith^ as he "turned ..to-.- his.: corn-, panipn . the. Beaqii; in fi'ont of the Palace, and: de ho.w'd. ypa.'like ■tp'..pl?iy the''.OrpheUiTi, time?' And. .iClarenGe> haM ^face- ■ Softened a.' trifle .ai\he^ • iirk<idV .'Dbn't brcEik my hcart.^, For. a; moment th.ij. two : meii .forgot th^v cpjd and .the. discomfort-pf'a gnawing sensationiMn.; the regibn' of the^tbjinfich. They were baick . in .the;. .land; pf. -ronrianGie arid sunshirie r big timers pliay^ing the .G C;- ■ pheum..;.time. ■ ; ■ And ; pl?ying ' the^ .brphe^^^ was jSi, gay;;adventure,' •back., im. the , last: days; of the pld . centufy ■ a beibre thfe' fire; ■■it was the. npne'plus xiltra of vaiideviIle ;;bookinjgv' arid it ■isll -only-to the :b^^ The OrpheTurri circuit' then -had ,;a practical monopoly qi vaudeville on thie Coast, 'with; its- chief-houses in San Francisco arid Los Ahgeles.. No on^-, els|6 could: get a .. Ipok-in . and Alexandier Pahtagos' vvai s'till Shining shoes . furtjier; up; the Gbait. But' Morris -Meyerf^ld w?is too. shrewd. to talte^ advantage . of, .tJiis -corner- aiid ,sell .cheap :^cts.; He wanted-^arid :gpt r—the ' best; fb^lb\ving . ,thei". lead pf' Gustave Walt^rj: the fouhder. There. • yfias ai brief . venture , in jistpck another in. Denver, but the prpheum circuitwas-''Fris<:d;i^nd Los,Avith .a stopover at. Kansas .City on the -way b^ck. Later,' Qiiiah'a wiaSv added, and a; spot ill Indiana as- far " he ever came to .realising. dreajm of; 4 soliid chain of. houses froih; the Pacific to the. Mississippi. Hi Used; rip liilers and each act, iri its turn.'hesdiiried: its.firsi,^^^ then tapered off as new acts came .in,; most turns playing from two to. four.' weeks, but always .with some , new I material :ea^^ -Playing the tiine .meant: losing two, -orT^thr'eeTtWeeks-in^-j^^^^ was taken care pf .in; the salary paid. *rhei hbuse; also, paid Ta fares. .With this, all, taken care.of,.the date Ayas a delijghtfui experience ; and bookings .w;ere:eagerty,sb Morie than ohe oldtimer still thinks tend-, ^erly of the booking;, Spme would give much to be jaible to; reip^aty But repeats are no /.Ipri.cer.: ppssible arid prpbably. never :will bej, ior ihe •Pfisctr.'bif today is mol^e staid-%an .the- town of .'before the fire,, arid the prphetim is .'' just . another i)il:ture theatre.-;■.■..;-':■.;; -.. '- ''' . . The old place was a rattjetrap of a barn which stPod sadly' in- need, ci repaii* or replacement, but :Meyer- feld did not dare shut dowri; ieven. briefly, : fbr renovation, and build- new house.was; bu^^ , question. It would leave the old to; ai possible coftipetitor.,. One of the iribst important and profitable of the .bid vaiideVine i hd^ it Was. also ^ one ; of . the; most disrepiitable, even, in a day when Keith's Bbstbn Was still the only de;luxe theatre. The fire^ettled MeyefifeW^s prbtt^ tie had to rebuild and there was. no place ;for a : competitpr to .locate. A new arid .haridsbriie: hoiise was erected; profitable for a time, until the iarfivai;^ of ■ the picture theatres, but it was . the old bf phcum. :, ' ■ A ' Lark . Air the. Way .:\ ■. /: Most acts made- a picnic s of the thfee-day trip by train.- As; a rule two orMhree acts would be gpitii.i» out, and usually :.th.ey .;got togetih'er.' Spn^etimes, iVespecially . .sumrrierv thsy used:: the tourist . sleeperv' a single ;car .;on the end-.of .the' trairi.i resfaircled, as- .ihore . coriifortable ,■ be- cause. the..uphplstery was. rattan i.nr stead; bf " .hot ..piush. ' This.,; co.nrioariy was rather triixed, with ah pccasipnal Mexican./'pePhaps an ;indian^^ ways a ;;Sectiori . bf. ihe..- '^grea't, ;-' : SvasKedy .taking .the cheaper;service thrpugh necessity jnstead of bhPifie; ."but -the' >Ctoi:s.-.d.id-.riot :have tn-n^^^ a>^.d •; cotnd - ;h.a'ye: a': woriderfui time all by 'themse.iyes. :Many.;fast .:and lasting ;frierids.hi'Rs .were- dated'.-^^ft^^ ih.-^^pVisheum tpiiiv:';. . ;\' . ;.v; - '- ;' • . The overiarid' arrived- iri [Oakland■ In, early evening,; in .:iDlenty ,of time' .to. vpermit the, travelers, to;, select a 'iibtel or lodging hbUse.; Soriie pf the; acts, piit: up at -the; Baldwin ■Hbtbl.. ' thehy'the favored .theatrical;-house; Xyhei-e Johri;Morrissey,'gdrieraT;^^m^^^ ager /- of;.. the Orpheum, made ^his . hbrrie. ;Most, hbweyer; ;sel^ted;\iess- . c spots, recbmnriehded hy .frierids. Few,; sought boa rdin^^^.'^h^^^ • -^Wanted ".to .eat;'around.....'' -.i''. ■ Bright and early the -next tnpfn- Irig the first order of business was to I call at the Orpheum. p'/fice ari'd .touch the box off ice;,; ■'.'The'..a'c't; ri'iight;:npt; need the money, b'ut; it \vahte.d to kh'o.w that it'was .there, arid the ca.shie.r : who, iiad been treasurer of-.a Ci?ntriil American, republic u'Htil a royblutiph W-\viis.,dVsa'ppoihted if the roll, call, pf riew- am.V.als was not.^ cbmpletc' be.- :foi"e-noon.'.-:'; '• .•■;:'.• '■■-•.' •;' '■■ . .A'flor- that there was npthitig tp:do.': .but to a\yait the bpening,. ^ahd ;mean- tiriie visit the Clifl.'.House, the adja-. ^ tferit'" Sutro :Baths", then -the rlafgesl- riatatbriuri^ in thb! coxihtry, arid-make■ ,the-: .trip - "Up . IVit, Taiti i 1 plais on:-; thP; funny ■ little . triclf -.;...'r;ail'\V.ay' \vhich. crossed and recrbssed. It?.: pwh trail; i its; .ejlbir'ts ^to find a surmountable, grade;'.;..; -^f ;■■.-.'; ..-v. ;."■ i'^; •'•; ■;..:;'■'■ ■■piVersions:'-;;-;:/';- ';; /;/^';;•. •.This - .dpne,;; there ; Were. .. s.tvll . the, restaurants,-and . of. these . the su^ was practically: inexhaustible. There: ;>V.ere a: dbzen, of famous places, '.s^^^ as, the. Puppy; Dog, :but - there; :Xvej.e scores of lesser spots: where .the:c.ui-: .sirie .was '.as gopd aiiid the:: priced. cheapfer.;.v '-,■'■■■,■■/.-.; •;'' '■■■ ■■'■-r^ : ;it;was pbssible to play, foiir weeks; at the house, never; repeat an' eating piace,.' -and rieyer .to. .get ■ a. -poorly cooked- meal, veitherv . .W^ shows; a day; ;there was; plenty.;/ bf tinie fbr leisurely dinirig. betweeri" matinee and night shows, and plenty of ^tiriie^and attractions—aftier, the. show, ■■. :There was > the • .tour. bf the; Chiriatown. .district for: brier riight, ; with ; the ; real Chin^atowh,.-that V'was; wiped o.ut;;by..the; fire tO ibe ;replaGed with'; the present syrithetic; prqdlict, Theirie was even a:'lep.ierV^t frorn; a safe; ;distarice: deherally ; it was some ' poor. ■ devil. in'. the last .stages of syphilis, but ;the: toUristi '.;watched with .ba]ted breath-; and felt safer .when':'they had.;passed. ; There . Vas ' the ;ishoW ; at ■ the. Mid- way.,to be-caught, the direct d^scerid-; ant : of; . once infarnous Bella; Union, with ; junie McGree arid Matt- Trayef .as the- stars; arid -a. burlesque show thiat was.;about as broad as, .it was long. Not even the Standard, in St; Lotiis, could ..approach ;.the;^spbt for dpwnri gHtfflRiv^ sp /much of /a . n^^ these days, for spriie of;: the New . York, shows have; closely apiprpached;; the. old Standard for fllth, and. gbne far 'be- yprid: in nudity,- 'that: was one pbirit ori which the old-timei-is were ad.a- niariti • The girls had, tb keiep reason- ably :*bvered;,up, ;arid nbt eyeri the- toughest libus^ in the cbuiitry would' . Timie. pasesd alrinbst tbpf. . quickly, and then canie a,more quiet week: at rLbs .Arigeteis, still;- nothirig:more than ari; .overgro.wn iivillagie tryin.g very hard to.- act; like a'; fiiHrgrown city, and iriprdiriately prbud; of • the fact it at last had a modern hptel, the Van Nuys.; , ^ .-:';;•.- • ■: ■ ;;..'.•■ L.:A^ Then, ais'Now'- , There was lesis night, life in. Los Angeies,; arid . the chief, dissipation' was sqqabs .after, the shbw^ They called then 'dovebV, locally;;and ap- parently they. .raided th^rn by the ;millibh, tO; ludge: fr6ni the flbckis of birds to be; seen almbst; everywhere. • Then, unwillingly; enough, t^^e acts headed for, Kansas City and hontfe. Gerieraiiy the:iSanta Fe was.the road eriiployed; ■ with the .ttaryey ; refstu- vants dotting the :plainSi It was an; odd experience tb roll up to. a sta-^ tion; cprisistirig .chiefly• pf ,three -pr four uripron^ising lbbkirig.shacks, and to: be treated to as welivcbbked a riieal as, could be ;ha<i ' any. gbod city. ;, restaurant..; :The ,.;\yater;. ;may havie ;been brbught; 50 mifes pr .rnbre. arid,; rip brie; ever -hgured but boW .they ;gPt the ;ic.e for .the ice. ci-eami but it was ice crearii for .diririer' arid; •supp.efy, and the;.; whole , nieal. ;was only 50c;pr 75c. ;.';':.J.■.';;■• ''■:''■.:; :; .Getting back; tp Kansas; City^ was a; sort of vanti^-clirnax.:' It, .was; a • r,e-f turn . tb the • everyday.- yaiid.eyill'e jagai . The party .was oyet^ meriiory still; lingers on.. : , ■ Mesntion it.'at. the• Percy;, 'Wiinarns ;hpriie;ari.d;;sce the. old faceis light :up. It^s ;'; '- of the .thi'ijg's ;'yp.u-. carinoV take - h-,om .theml:.' They - play ed; (he Orpheunt .time ./Wheri-^-T-^^"^^^. • We^itis' Chi B<^kirigr I Is Advanced taJ^ -.;.■ ';.■ Chicagb,, Jan. l; ■piate of Ted ,Weerii,iEi .band, and unit for the Balaban; & .Katz Chicago has .been rrioyed ;Up -six days; to; Jan^ 1 arid will, ruti^^f^ day^ in dbrijuric- tJo:ri; with 'Weils F'argo.' , : / ; ; This shift:;; riiecesisitated: shifting Georges and Jalha date tb:;jan. • 28 • The V; By Jbhii Hurley< ,; \ . .The 'arnateur' buslriess ...this:.past year .AvaS'. in a bad -Way,' ^yen.; the Etowes; organization; is feeling the pinch, ^ Trie radio: .efforts . ;of ;the. Bowes shop, his pwn persbnality 'ahd shoyiTianship ; afforded ^ ah impetus :. vhit, .wll 1', •■ naturallyj -.take ;mbre: 'ti^ , tb ; pet ; outv; However, .; this' same radio.iriyasion bf the business,; which. .brou&'Iit ariiateui' ;;.consci tb .every - field open ;■ to -exploitation, paradoxibally brought it; to;, its ,Ulti^ ■iTiaite'^'collapse.- .., ,;; ■ : The once / profitable biisiness /has reached 'such a pointof saturation; that its brigihators rio Ipriger use: the label, .preferririg anythirig. else. The b.'. 0. has guided the ;ani-p;uryey.6rs; in lhe ;Strand Theatre buildift^ iri discarding the ;trite ;amateur label. They I ^hpuid knpwTr-thie^ started . .it,. These -sjiriie bookers; are now c.^Ulng their, -shows, - or ;.What's left; of; 'eiri, FUtUr,e:/Sta;rs, Vaudeville'Reyuesi «tc.; In N.:. v., the pjnce flourishihg ;;:biz ■ is qilmPst;«xtiriqt. ' The; Strand build-. -Irig-- has becpVrie .a;;:wa^^^ Wall> ..Lir ..cei>se departmeriVs^ n^ two type? of jperfprmer^,; riiusical. arid vocal, frbm ;perf brmirig at urilicerised theatrps ; has:, added tp; the wprry. :]\iariy; housips ;have be,en lost, due; to .the- lack :of -dressing :;rbQms,-';:Stag^ space,;, backstage ;exits; ,arid .th;e Sres;- enbp; .'of ..fire hazards. > ;Suryiyprs, are ■'getting 'by'^^.'with T but alsb; slotvly dj^iri^ -along; .;with yaude,; Of which the rack^et is- the hali-baked. stepchild.; Hpiises .and; bpbkers were -linmblestiEid.; / under j : old /. political regimes, but ;the cpmbipatipn ; -of techriicalities;. - brbught on '.by the present; ,;n.: : V.' • adriiinistratibn^ - has- prbved ,too; nriuch tp-buck. ; ; -•;• ,: The national; picture fbir ; theatre perfbrrnihg iams is; rio; :hetteK .There are spbfadic revivals; 'arid qbpy-cat- tirig," biifr hp degree Pf perrnarience or earriings. .Where there were bnce; a score ;Qr; mprie Bowes units, on the; trail, 'there; ;' now only . threiB.; CPuritryv as; a whblie,, is pretty much' fed up pn'the stuff, it seems. .Bio.wes bffice. -brushes off. .the deolirie ■ virith the.-statenierit that they have vvblun-. tariiy. cut.; do wri jindoare . picking their- spots, . Iria'smiich a^?th'€!';patflt; is; a -business prganiiiation put. to -get -all it; .pari' plus the fafct that' what- ever ;;'tim6' lieft is beirig; played by~ somebody regardless of the ;takei this doesn'fc:;ring exactly vtjrue. :Per age -policy of .B&wes;;tro\ipes would' certainly , encourage ;;playirig; aili available toXvris; in; 'vieW; of : lp\y nut of showsl :'; ■ ■ :'■ ;\Vith ihe-T^am^THDhee^aying-^^ 500 possible' dates in .;N'. V.; and ;its; feriVirb,ns;; the;5,total now is less; than 20;; i- T\yp - • biggest ; alleged; sirtipn purees are the;Apollo; in Harleril and; Fox theatre in BrPoklyn, Remain- jrig ■ lot are spread all over th6 larid-l scape and are .not explbiting the tyro idea. . They are using- the 'i»r.ipfes- siopar setup pf reyue^ arid, kindred ,talent ,collectibris arid , are ; flhdihg still a' hard-jpb. ■.■■.;-;;. .^';.';' ■- That the genuine aril; is ;ft^ ishihg ;Arrierican is ; prpven in ■ the SOS ;cail^ by the ;remairiing prov gi-ams ■ and. roaders -tp ; agents; arid; bookers fbr;talerit.-Part: of the; small- tiine bookers'.1 income is deriyed frpni supplying 'ams* for the. current radio shows. Recruiting ' fbt; rpad shb.ws has . not been, over-lobked either;;:-; ■• ',:.■. Iri the case of am uriits, it is kriowri ;that : acts.' were ■ bboked frbni the; streets arid, offices, ririirius: any radio tirifie, : arid ushered into ' the stage preseritatioris for the roadi This is; a further indication that the arii qiies- tibn. has reached its riaturai eridT-the ::return ; ;tp ;,vaudeyille fbr; coritinued talent;;siipply..-.; ;; ■.;: r-^-J ■The ariri supply ;has not diminished ;says th.e; Bowes bffice;. claiming, the books; and ; ifiles; are filledv vl^i probably. .trueT-in'r.eye'rse/ .the aril, thing ha!?, beeri labeled and hbbbdy ■ cai'es ;as i.brig .as;-t.hey get a good show, the; alriipst. inexhaustible -rbspurces of riegular; arid ; .irregular theatricals aire ; wide' bp'eri fpr use. Everybody can ;:ge.t.. a. charipe/; -This, nieiris that, it's;' not amateurs spefc-; .irig -a; fultfre;:' but: pro; vaude; arid nitery. talent .Vir.ho ar.e ;^^^ call. ; These; , sarrie perfprrners are \ism^ theatres,;'radio pr.ograniis .. and 'all else/opien'to fox :the .Wblf;: ■ :j5alaii:les Clipped'' - ; ;. Saiariy; staridairds, g^ arris ;h;aye drpiiped. qPrisiderably arid cbri.sisteritly. Acts: forritieriy ^ g^ $5 arid riiore, depending:; on their value, aire now offered as little as. $l for dates; ; poubli.rig dates have . also increased, and the>u^ is being wbrk?d ragged. Latter con- dition, however, is;nbt true of Bowes. Salaries iri latt^i:, group: have either; MUSIC HALt, Nv Y. The' big Hall is' presenting; a ;fast, colorful 3D-miriUte 'flash that essen- tially lives, up to virhat expectations are arbused by. iis title-r-*.Carnival;' . . ..biperis Avith ' Florence' , itpggCT :, T'Utined: ; b .a^l 1 e .t, •^prps /.praricing through: a;/ riurhber: in; which the lassies are ;suppbsed ,tp .be wheeling through , tricks dpne. , by the fbui^- legger.s - at a hoss show. Glee club vis ;rhifted riext, backirijg hiues bawler Alice Dalvri. in a long'vocal blendiriR bf Cole Porter's 'Night and Day' arid 'Got Ypu ;lJnder.-; My: Skiiri;'.. -Miss Dawn's \pipps are riipre. atturied to-a sriiall, intirrie atriipsphere. The bbys,' in just . backing her up, .;take away ;most;bf the-playi: ''.- ■•■..':'■-.-- ';,•■■ .■■ , Oil the heels of the vocalists, and against the sarrie ririirrored mbdernr >Tii)tif setting; ; uayb ball^obrir^'daricers.. Georg6s; arid;;Jalna; whipi. thrpugh a; pair' bf . rbutinies;;. : While, both. num- .bers are. srtiartiy executed, ;Georges; is still a ■ l i ttle too' pb.sturirip iot ■ such'.a , ;chpw.. His work looki; different in a class nitery. . biit the focus is; off wTien ;bn ;so huge a stage. "The finesse ;is -lost. iri distarice, with-, only the out- lines apparent. ';.'. Paul 'C>ei:riti;' srriart skatirig-mOno- idg. fits :ti.sht; irito; the rribod: .of the sh iw ,ahd rii'eets ;theiMusic. Hall audi- ence . reo uireriients. Turn; has liatel.y: beeri boffiri.g 'eni in slicker aft(er-.dark .'spots; foljb-wing lbrig .- period "of ;; rbla-. ;'tiye. obscurity^nd Xiriappreciatioh: in: hinterlarid vaude. It is orie of; finger- count of acts with: merit; and brigi- na^'ity, which four-a-day has pro- duced since^ bpprii - days. ' ; .V. ' Rollicking ; windup.-; has. •the; 48^ ■T\ ckettes dpirifit the.cari-cari- as it was 'legged :and .waved; when ;Paris, was: shocked by it when intro'd in ;i840. Gal? ;wear the birigirial type of tpgs and their, precisibri; prancing .really gives spin to-the dance." . Erno; Rapee's;'.wiridjariimers play the whole 10; iriiriutes bf 'Rhaipsbdy in. Blue,' as an overture, HenriettJi Schumann; ;sblbs ;in' the-; vvhite . si>ot thrbUgh. the t)acing :;passages spbred .for'pianb.. .■/■■■../;. '• ; On screen, ;'Tovarich* :rWB), whiqh was .revlewpd in VawexV; Dec, 0. Biz was blazing ppenirig ;(Thursday). riight with a.lobby-lockout wreathiog a griri ori .the rrianagerial phiz; ;- .■■ -.Bert.-';.. upped or ;remained .at. a good, ayer-. age ; figure ranging;;; f^^^ $40 fbr unifeers, ;and ;$1.0J :iand :Up. ifpr; radio, bit; Bookers get |5; per for spptting these acts. '...■■■. '; . Birppklyii Fox theatri^rWMCA: ar- rangemerit. is still the" laUgh-igettirig type, of - am; show. and rtearly cpini- ple tely alo ne. 'Lik e ;bth;ers'; arpund. ICis probably cai^ied albninsh^the .Strerigth of Bowes'program/a nolinceir; Don Kerr's own'"local fbl^- lowing. Same cart/be Said.of WNEV7's Irish sessibri. Jay G, Flipiperi on WHN. arid WMCA*s: .lightvveight colored .shpW;; ''■[:[; ' :,; .-/■ ' ": ;. Foreign language; stations,; once hot' on the arh; ti<eup,;;are 'all ; .out, Film; shorts of .artis are now passe,, as arie contests,, ' erigageriients, ;etc,i,; orice fpurid flburishing . f rom ; niteries.: tP inagaizines. There is now prily one network-showT-^Bbwes'.;.;: ;, Bb>yes,: dropping the 'irisult' lheme .enfiirelyi' has riow built up a; particu- lar type of eritertainrinent of no mean quality, ■which accounts- fbr his con-; tiriued popularity. Prbigrarii has beeri: improViriig steadily arid is nbw pretty -near: pro air '.entertaiririient,. arthough still.;. pre;dicated- bp. the , anri;- setup.; Relegation bf the, gbng arid; v^histle is .laid;.tb- beefs- pf friends of, per- fprniers,: but facts speak Ipunder .than hypbtheticaL squawks, of listeners. Bpwes will not-be: bUriied along With his CQntemporaries ifpi:' this .^reason and the added : aid. Pf 'faVprable press • prprinpted by persbrial iriendr ships'arid partly: to heavy adyertisirig; in newspapers by his' ', automotive sporispr.; ; ;':.'■;■■'■'':.;•;. .'.;■,; ,; HbW; riiUcHT Ibnger any of it. will last id: stiU a matter Qf corijecture. Bow;es radio cpntract was renewed last suriirtier for orie year.; Hbwever, hiis js rib longer , (or ever was; altbr gether ); a bona . fide amateur'; shbw; arid ; now- a ..speQialized; type that might - cbntinue; loriger: thari .any; cail; guess,.': ■..-■ .'■'::;;. / ;' Badio elevated; the aririateur' bxjsi- riess to a mpre ■ d iigriified plarie and certainly hypoed it . 'to a ainique arid ' prbfitabie .isipot;'; ..theatricals.; .Ra.dio brbiight. with; it't^^ cbnspicuoiisness; that, r eicpp^ed ^ the racket ; ;Radib -andy^ licity ' spread it. arpund until it. .was .^hlh as .cellophane, and,: radioV Has dropped it rig.ht back:;where itvwas picked up four years,agpL ' CRA-F&M Apart Gbrisbl idated Radip: / Artists , has I stcurcd :a . release . frorri its associa> ' tibn .W'ith Farichbn & ;Mar.co,; because it was dissatisfied; with th^^^^ thousb tl - d*?*I had:., several years' .to go.; Nature of the • dissai|isfaction ot what directly lead. Cbrisolidated to break away from iFanchbri :& Marco h?,5 not beeri niade kribwri' ..' . . But the deal is now dead; V PARAMpUNT, N. Y. ' . Here last year : thte year^^end holiday -showj;'; Fred. Waiting : an.d. hi Pennsylvaniaris. aire bick.,again.: W^ '■Weils Fargo': ..(Par) on the' screen, there is ;;a-good charice,;;that.:a new;.:^ high; iriay be -set under ,th? "pre'sferit," pit-band policy.. *Fargo' was-reviewed . in Variety ;Dec. 8..-. - ■'.■'■'•■■ ■ ■-. ':/■.-■ ; Because, bf the length pt the fea-\ tUre, '.waring, is 'dbing .53 miriutes. . ■; Even then tUrribver: is difficult, .Vi'ith, ; the whole shbw/.includirig brgah in*- •terlude,^^ newsreel arid; a.:-Popeye car- ■toonj;; riinriing a:' little pv er ;;.;three ; hbuiPSi^;':■:■"''•.--•■:'v'.'^ ' Waririg provides strong eritertainr^: , mierit ■ punch; with ;:his-: prcheStra ■ and . specialty perfbrriieirsi but bri;this trip.,; he isn't, quite, as gpbd as a year . ago. . Here> arid .there are tendencies to ;lag, with.a couple: bf hi specialty : people drooping, /althbugh: Scptty Bates, ; .coriiediari, ;Betty Atkinson, : ■dancer, - and; Charles Newman,; har-.. ^riionica .player,. get: over-:;bkay.-.;;:. ■.-; • ■ Miiss; AtkiriSPri, who:'Vpperied Sat- : iirday flight , (25) at . the Hollywood restaurant; is doubling frorri; there while.ori this erigageriierit;: Her drurii ■ major/military tap, ;a slick..number; ; is close tb: tops-and . Thursday, riight, . when'..caught, got-; the'. best han'd .; among the specialties.;Newniari plays., 'Bblero'.:oh his harmbnica, a difficult: ; nunvber 'tb handle, but he .dbes it exr :ceptiorialiy well. ■- :;..■■. 'v:-'-: /„;;■::■- ;•'■..'■'■■ :Terrific purich for laughs: is the; istirit reridered -by ScPtty Bates, here . With -'Waririg last Christmas;, yfork- •irig:-unshaven and in; slouch clothes;; his' pantoriiirhe .of a riiugg who's "got ■: bugs is .very fUnriy/ ; '■■ ,.'-; -■;:/ ; 'Waririg: ishpw starts; off . : 1 ittle slowly, with-his glee cliib' dbiwg 'Bbi Mir Bist Du Schoen/ .biit-liked here; when caught; Frorii this poirit .War- irig; erigages iri; riiiich sporadic talk,' with barid mertbers heGklirig hirin; iri. - a good-natured but highly effective- mariner. - ; Somethirig' from : 'Varsity . Show* KWBOr-in—whiehT^the-3tatu)S--ba2i^^ appeared durirtg the past yeari .is in- evitable. Trio :"(Rby,; Paul and Craig); do number frorii picture, 'Working Oiif Waiy Through College.'.; . .Feriimb; specialists iriclude E.thelyri Williams, Dorina Dae arid a violin-::' ist who; bills h'erseif as Ferne.- Miss - .Wiiliami;s has a nicej. sweet voice' that - should be bkay. for; the.,: air but she lacks. sellirig ' petsbh ci 1 i ly., Is doin g\. 'Once iri a ..While' bri this engage-.; riient. Ferne, .also :,d6ing "ori.e.; sbU), plays,'Caravan;'^ rather: wenv-;Pei*SbJii- :: able Miss Dae. r.virigily-. ' 'Big ; Boy Blue.' •:-Pbley MdCliritpck.-; .■it.'iridb.y of-.-.the 'Waririg. band, is aga.An v.fery. ari^using .'■ with his; comiGalities, clowning^; bass ivoice and the number.featuring' hiriij 'Sing Like ■Birdies' Siri.g.': •Birdies*, was part of the -show- last year,, a*- was ,the still older .^Dominoes' arid 'Tambburine>,*. :■.■.■• ■■'/'.■.'■;;.;■ No effects whatever are used bri; the. backdrbp : this ;week. Chaf . ;/-,:'^:;;;$tAte,:^^ ■ With fbature,;'The'Firefly' .(M : ruririirig /138; minutes/, and; quick ; turnovers. required • for the holiday thrbngs, stajge .' eritertaiririient ' this - weeik is porifined ;to; a singe/act,;;d'irrir ,. mie LiincefOrdls band.' AVhen caught early T;h u r s d a y J evening, ;; turn / cibqfced orily ;i7 minutes and, :;ap-.;; pareritly,; because a lot iand the: best had . to be squeezed into this tinie,; it was sblid,: ,speedy, iclicksome di- versibn. from, start:to finish. Luriceford : and ;• his aggregation.:-; kno.w how to sell. the swi nger-ob' ar- ticle to a faretheewelli ,They keeip it ,, sizzling,; except fbr a couple Of mor ;' nierits,- when Dan ; Grissori,; band's baritone, rhoves to the niik.e for /« slow 'bit of balladizing of 'Price - in ; a While.V .;' -^ ■■■■•. :•; .■':.:.■;.•'.:■: ;■ : ■ •.■:'/'.' ;^ , Fulr of Slick . swirig; .byplay.... is the; . Luhcefbrd cre'w's - treaitrrient,; bf 'In the Shade of 'the Old Apple ^: Tree'; - arid Cy Elber's 'brigirial production, - *Fbr; Dancers Only./; Iri- the, fbrrrier ; numbei* ; brass: sectibri takes; sweet V Ibll on ;both; the -tootsi.es and the.;, spine, .while " the ;;El,ber . fantasy ai-- lo-ws: the drurrirrier .to;: denoteeriir phatiealiy the. closeness' of -the ab- originiB; kiriship tb • swing.; Another smackeroo inning;stems froriri ;a:janri;': session; supplied, by fiye/rtiemb^rs of - the: troupe. , :;' -■■'•.'■■-:,■ ..;■ Willie Smith proved 'a. flbor spc-' eialist of : marked ability,, ingratiat-/ ; ing; hiridself in a big way with a: scat iriiprovisatibn ori .'Posin,' and aTso.. making ' sipniethirig;. wbrthwhile ;of a , harmony treatment of ;'Bob. White.' - -Two others' frorii -the band are in on that 'Bob Whiter vocallty but ifs.the : Srinith:-ease at approach.: arid sales- .. manship-; that makes :< the ' riuniber particularly engaging/ •:■■ ; House; <.was stacking thepi in at .v this performance^ Odec,