Variety (May 1938)

Wednesday. May 18, 1938 VARIETY MUSIC HALL, N. Y. Mario & Florio, RosaTio OreUano, Jun Peerce. Ines LaxiriUino, Theodore V^ebb, Ballet, Glee Clicb. Rockettes, Richard Leibert, M. H, Symphony, with Emo Rapee, . conductor; 'Aobiu Hood' (WB), Tevicwed in Variety, April 27. Current Music Hail- shbw, af usual. Is sight and flash, without humor. Colorful and handsome baukerounds. Mario ^nd Florio, ballroom dance team, are exhilarating, providing a tasty climactic amusement tidbit. Jan Peerce, Vfith a fine tenor,, sings *A Serenade in the Stars' admirably but the song seems too .<timple for him'. Peerce precedes the.-dance ieami and is al.<io in the finale,, a glittering Shubert caravan. A hori- zontal chandelier, from vaude's archives, spreads, over the stage and .lighted, stars: drop from above; with the Glee Club, in full dress, in the fadeout. * Not a very stirring finale, but the Rockettes carry the burden in a jiext-to-closing sequence. Under the 'Mercury* title, with a flying femmc background, the . Rockettes, under Russell Markert, producer of the cur-, rent show, go through., a frisKy pre- cision arm and leg movement.. They, are In colorful Robin Hood outfits. It segues into the WB film in ap- propriate fashion. Ahead of them, there's 'Satellite,' with a huge, sombre-colored stage- dooir curtain, and Inez Lauritano, in' trousers' a.nd jacket, running, dfl a vibrant violin solo. Glee Club's posr ture isn't what it should be. It cho- ruses about war. and peace hot very, articulately. ' Theodoi-e Webb, bari- ton, solos with, the outfits - •'The' overture is. The Pines of Rome,' by Ottorino Respighi, under the baton of Erno: Rapee. '' Instead of following with a. strong, vibrant number, the M. H. goes into a soft, white ballet number,' imder the heading of *Vehus,' in a setting of Gre^k columns. It's excellent, but' a letdown. Rosario Oreliana's soprano is well trained, but light Richard Leibert organ solos to begin the stage pro- ceedings. Business swinging high, with,'Robin Hood* tWB). Shan. FQX, K. C. Kansas City, May 15. Besser A Royce, Zang & Todd, Spec & Spot, 'Hen' Smith, Frederic &■ Yvonne, Jiidy Conrad's orch, House Line (12); 'Kentucky Moon- <hthe' (20th). Four double acts, ciirrently In. a bill that zips well until Besser and' Royce, male zanies, who headline, let their okay start drag. They' accelerate to good, finish, however.. Joe Besser, who wallops his partner around, hasn't added much jn gags, but: pleases most ot the. time.. At show caught, he kept up a-n annoy- ingv private, conversation with the band boys.. Lee Royce-fe^ds and closes .with some-pleasant 'cariarying that fetches a good mitt.' Royce ih:c.'s,.tod, but it's all from ofT-stage. probably accounting for. the genciral epeed ot bill. Spic and Spot are unicyclists, one lad as a druiik, the other with tongue in cheek. Usual shoulder Etand for a finish. Zang and 'fo.dd. mixed hoofers, go in for' rough EtufT. Gal.is cute, but lad walks off with his flips. 'Hen' Smith steps from the band traveler for some parodies that are grooved for the high school trade. Bill finales with .Frederic and Yvonne fronting the line (12) with ballroom steps. Youngsters , work easily. Line has its big chukker in .the /opening spot, when they ate seen . In a well costumed hotcha melange, while the bandsmen do "Rock It For Me.' First .showing Friday (13) eve to comfortable house. Hoyt. PARAMOUNT, N. Y. Bunnv Ber!0an's orch, Ca£.t Dalev, Gene, Raymond, .Nichob & Robbttis; 'Stofen ' Heaven' ■ (Par) reviewed in Variety,, April 27. The jitters run heavy during the 50 minutes allotted the stage sho'w but they're pleasurable, and high- powered. For youthful swing ad' diets, there's. Bunny .Berigah Jn his Initial Broadway theatre date. Iii the blonde-waved Gene Raymond the dames have an inspiration for a good' case of the trembles, while others are wobbled - plenty by the nut clowning of the up-and-coming C^ss Daley. As added starleis. Nich.r. ols and Robblns do band.somely. by the jitter motif. 'Their contribution- is a fast, graceful .shag., Berlgan (New Acts) may not have what it takes in per.sonaIity but he certainly knows his way around modern dance masic. His hot trAfm- pet and surrounding note mi.^ers lend enough personality though; It's a combination that jives excellently. Brightly .routined, the band builds with the out-fronters as it. goes along. One item that's geared highly is the .aggregation treatment ot, a .couple of Scottish air.s, plus 'Joseph, Joseph.' While they don't stomp Into the aisles, the kids come back at Berlgan with vocal assent and rounds of salvos, 'Frpiii Gepe Raymond (New Acts), spotted next-to-closing, the custom- ers get good looks, a genial dispo- sition, several songs and a bit of strumming on the uke, The croon- ing is pretty ;much offside but it's good enough to stir the femmes to frantic, applause and .strident cries for more. At show caught a couple of girls down front undertook to make- it an intimate occasion by. telling him what they wanted him to do and. also cracking back at some of the screen player's palaver. Cass Daley also sings but its not her best card. The scatting is just an introducer. Once the girl cuts loose with her reedy figure, grim- aces and distorts her mop of hair, there's no stopping the laugh.s. She's a hard worker at lowdown comedy .and the knack for results-is evident from' the moment she goes into her routine. Odec. Roxy, Salt Lake City salt Lake. City, May 15. . Gordon Aftller, Roy Dove, Smith, with Rogers It Eddy, Large & Moriier, Ru-ssell & Crystine, Bill Floor's house orch («), Peggy Taylor & Co.; •Luck of Roaring Camp' (Mono), 'J Was A Spy' (GB). .'Excellent vaude is shown here by Peggy Taylor & Co., gal anti two male hoofplogists: Remainder of the S2-ininute bill tepid.'. Miss Taylor gives them top gam flinging, while her nattily-groomed escorts .are dandy in all types of dancing. Trio starts with a sojtt shoe and then switches to- fast tumbling. While-act.ls slightly garnished with hoke falls and splits, it's a refreshing novelty for a small time u it..' - Bill Floor's six-piece house orches- tra manages to accompany the five acts fairly effectively. At show caught, flesher tried signaling band to. fall in line. 'Very brassy group has two stints. ■ . Billed as appearing through cour- tesy of -Universal .Pictures; youthful Gordon Miller ni.c.'s in Sunday school style. He handles his chores straight. . -Also sings three ditties, 'Stardust' grabbing the lion's, share of customer approval. Scoriis'mike. in middle of the stage .during an- nouncements and his voice is missed in the rear. . _ Roy Dove, juggler, opens easy spot for a single straight specialist. Gets amjple- palm-patting by juggling simultaneously a tophat, cane, rub- ber balls, and Indian clubs. Russell and Crystine, mixed team, first play a sax and squeezola, later rope ^kip- ping while instrumentalizing. Finish with a couple of dogs performing standard routines; which boosts the act.. -Smith. Rogers and Ed.dy, two dead- pan hoke hoofers, aiid a femrne,- round put the bill.. Males cavort for the greater portion, arid .their mix- ture, of slapstickery is effectively routined; Gal is a very pretty bru- net who can hoof and doiible on straight work.- , ' Large and Morner billed but failed to-appear at show caught,' Biz o.k; Guss. CAPITOL, WASH. Washlnofon, Mat; IS. The' Robbtns, Carroll & Howe, Betty Bruce, Phil Regan, Sybil Bow- an, Phil Lampkin's house orch; 'Stoleii Heaven' (Por). It's straight yaude this week with no attempt to make it anything else. With Phil Regan and Sybil Bowan to wind iip the show, it needs little else. Show was planned with orches- tra on stage, but lack of space forced it into pit after first day. ' Result is' that band number pUnyed for Betty Bruce's change of. co.stume -;s done as a misplaced overture, which .ge]ts by: .as novelty, but isn"t any- thing to be copied. Most of bill is top-heavy with hoofing, The-Robblhs open adequate- ly with- aicrobatic. taps and cart- wheels. Carroll and Howe pick it .up somewhat with patter and gag chal- lenge tapping. Miss Bruce brings in the- first touch <of class with her smooth ballet taps, returning after band . number to clinch .with snec- tacular Spanish tap in sock black lace; pajamas. Pit's contribution is straight Irish' medley with swing version of 'Annie Lauri ' bringing down, the'house for the finish. Regan begins With 'One Song', and gets nice reception as curtains open on center, mike. Comes onto rHTiip to get .over handily with 'I Can Dream, Can!t 1,''Please Be Kind' and clicks best with 'Irish Eyes.' Way he handles situation created by me- chanical; trouble backstage, at show caught, piroved he's master of im- promptu patter, without resorlins 1o standard .trick.s. Audience ob- viously, was doing its clapoing as much for his smile as his voice. Encore of 'Sweet As a Song' leaves 'em still at a peak. Miss Bowan nriaintalns Fame mood through ooera diva bur- lesque, the grey-haired flirt, and the oldrtime picture star; Mr.'. D. at Girl Scout' rally, as usti;il. eels her of! riotously.' iz bad. raiv. STATE, N. Y. Shep Fieldis' Orch, Vic Hyde, Shea & Rayrtiond, Lydia & Joiymco, Bill Stanley & Phyllis Kenny, Sal Gioe, Johnny Sperry, Ruby ZxiierUnn's house orch; 'Bluebeard's Ei(/hth t/c' (Por>, Shep' Fields.and his 12 bandsmen, phis specialists on stage, are giving Ruby Zwerling's pit brchcstra an easy time.this week, the house bunch being around ' just for incidental usage. Fields has a imit show that provides 50 minutes of diversion, al- ihough the finale seem's too abrupt. Couple of. turns are more or less new to. the outfit biit. they rhakegood. Standouts are .Shea, and Kayrhciid,. comicis; Coming near the close', the teani' ciiiches the.' house, fiurley tango ties up matters although the lads registei: best with hoofing, Bill Stanley and Phyllis: Kenny, singing duo, who recently joined, could be given more. Fields claiins no additional stuff : had been' pre- pared. S*.anley, with ' Sentimental Side,' Miss Kenny, with .'liipsy Doodle,' and their dUeting of 'Ti-Pi- Tin' constitute the team's contribu- tions. Vic Hyde, with; his one-rriah swing band, works hard. In the finale, Hyde proves he can serve a real hot cornet. Lydia and- Jorescd, with a smooth ballroom routine, are dis- tinctly, pleasing. After waltz and tango, they earn-a third number. On'the band end. Fields , has ear- marked his 'rippling rhythm,' novelly introduced and effectively worked in several times. -Humoresque;' as waltz, jazz, symphonic, sweet and swing, is a capital arrangement. Again the bandsmen deliver with •This Little Ripple Had Rhythm,' from the' 'Big Broadcast of 1838' (Par), featuring' Sal Gioe at the piano. Fiddling :ot Murray .Gabrol attracts no little attention. He's a crack p«rfprmer but for some reason isn't billed;, as are two others -in Fields' crew. He'- uses two'violins, one for deep tones, which sounds' bass-like from the' microphones. For the finale, Johnny Sperry ac- cordians 'Flight of the Bumble Bee' with the other players also using music boxes. As- the curtains are aboitt to be drawn, the men are shown standing with their regular instruments. Might have been best to have closed with all hands still holding accordians, for the -impres- sion is :that' another number is to come. At that, another dash of rippling rhythm would be. okay. Thursday (12) last show saw the house packed. ./bee. STATE-LAKE, CHI Chicago, May 15. Lewis, with Conti fc Little. £ddie White, Medley t Dupree, Paul & Nino Chezzi, Atint Jeminw, Venie Buck, Sweethearts: 'Lone Wolf in Paris' (Col). Five acts that shape up better than average vaude bill, added to some of the best routines ever turned out by the State-Lake Sweethearts choru.s. Aunt Jemima headlines .solidly. Does well particularly with old song.s. The.Ghczzis (2) are top hand-bal- encers and jvork with plenty- of showmanship. Finish with their up- side down Big Apnle (it used to be Black Bottom) still sock novelty.' For lowdown. comedy, there are Medley and Dupree. Eddie While's standard comedy patter and flag- waving song finale is always a cinch with family audiences. Excellent openers are Lewis. Conti and . Little, who do singing, instru- mentalizing and acrobatics, the latter by femme. who demonstrates consid- erable ability. Vocalist good and sells. - Line standout this week, rst do- ing' an excellent precision routine and returning latier for .sDcci:'lty work that has audience pounding palms. ' Biz good supper show on Fri- day (13). Gold. LYRIC, INDPLS. Indianapolis, May IS. i4rfhur te Fletir & Mary Le Fleur, Oxford Boys (31). ATi.<ifoera(.< (12>, Buster Shaver with Olive & GcoTiie. Floyd Christy & Hal Could; 'Rascals' t20th). . Five standard vaude acts,- tinder moniker of 'Hits and Bits,' has gocid Variety and few weak spots. House orchestra back in pit for week. Arthur Le Fleur .opens with .clow trapeze -work, breaking up his ap- pearance by spotting Mary Lc.FIcur, who. does aero work on .floor. Ho gets. by solidly when he spins by teeth from trapeze. Followed -by Oxford Bo.vs. vocal trio, with one member Drovidiii,'! .'4uitar accompaniment. Do 'D.TrIc Eyes' straight for encore, and 'Mickey Mouse's Birthday. Poily.' with novelty effects, for boK-o(f. Aristocrat?, si.x boys lind six nirU, split their turn into two appcnr- ances. First do flirtation diincc ;ind then close .-Jhow b.v displayin;; th»^ir versatility with ballroom, acroh.itic; tap and adagio dancing. roii.<,hcd OLSEN & JOHNSON (PALACE, CLEVEnAND) Cleveland, May. 1,S. 0}sen-& Johnson, Radio iluuiics '/3), Reed with Dean & Reed, Ro- \ berla & Ray, Bill Adanis. Waller i Nilsson, Funchaiiettes, Gardeni ' Wtntcrbottbm; 'iSinners in Paradise' (Col.). ' There's plenty of meat in new Ol- sen, and Johnson' unit and little ot it misses fire. After some judicious pruing and a pickup in pace—this is only its third Week on road— Iheir 'Hellzappppin' Revue' iihould stack up better than any ot their, previous units. For' a change, two comics don'i monopolize. They've got several 'Rood skits of their own, but give more play to: several other corking turns. Result is smooth. Gags also seem fresh. Unit got in early for some poli.sh- ing, so management turned it into' rehearsal—open to public. About 8(10 showed up at 9:30 a.m. opening cur- tain. Stunt carried out further, by ha'ving it open minus scenery, O-J break Ice neatly with breezy, typical repartee, Olsen doing his floor-giggling bit fpi: howls. Three stagehands come In-for some ribbing in: their explanations of the bare stage. Team's best in its travesty of a bedroom murder,, revamped, yet okay, in . which Olseh' again shoots, the awakened- 'corpse' after goihc ;on the make, for his wife. Smash example of tomfoolery, in his takeofi of Charlie. McCarthy, on Johnson's knee,'while an unbilled blonde does a' swell impersonation, of .'Mae West. Duo revives its original pis'nd- violin act to good' advantage, helned by three balcony hecklers. New edge given by stoutish Gardenia Winteibottom, amusing hillbilly fid- dler. Topnotch line of Fanchdnettes, in deuce, is backbone of. dhow. All lookers and smart kickers in some particularly clever routines,.' Ap- pearing;, in costumes of Gay. '90's. they, partially peel 'em otT to ex- ecute a commendable number on unicycles. Can-can, dance is an- other flasher but not quite: as ef- fective as a modern precision tap ensemble. ^ Following the girls' wheelin.«!. Walter Nilson, In tpphat, repeats his usual cycle tricks briskly in a 'logical spot,' .Reed, Dean and Reed hit the mike with hotcha harmonv. mixing in a dash of step.^. Bill Adams is a dusky half-pinter and rhythmic taps are excellent. Doesn't gel enough time, though he smacked the hoiiSe'is fancy, so heavily when caught that Johnson, had to interr riipl chorus to give, him well- earned encore. Robci-ta and Ray, Cleveland d.hnce ttani, get two breaks and make the mo.st 6( them. Standouts are Radio Rogue.s (3), whose irripersonaiions are exceptionally lively, humorous and sla.mii)gly exact. Last visit w»s ju.ct six months ago yet m.-vterial hiisn'l lost its power. While' cur- tain-cIoFing by (DIsen and Johnson is fairly conventional, it satisUed a packed Saturday (14) crowd. Pwlleii. Night at Lake Placid (Colombia, alliance, o.) Alliance^ G.. Mat/ 15, Al Klein's Orch,, Eddie Kelley, Jeun Frelick, Cliarlos; Jerry & Eddy. Baron & Baroness Emerson, ' Kelley, Lois Lee, Larry, Russell Gee Ballet. :Conceived and directed bv Eddi Kelley, former Olympic skater, thi ice revue is a combination of hokum> exhibition, novelties and speed. Synthetic ice ,1s use'", adaptable: for ivaudfilmer* but it doesn't mattelr with the audience Since it looks like the McCoy 'glacing anyway. The 45-mihute perfprmanct- shapes u well; tod, clicking'isdlidly.- Kelliey appears several times, but doesn't monot>ollze. An excellent six-girl line, opeqs ,ith a hockey routine, very effeative. ' The maestro then comes oh for some comedy antics and Charlbs does an aero con- trol turn that's plenty good: Larry coaxes hot tunes from .his'banjo to :heavy applause. Kelley, then using ■a stooge in the. audience,-gets a lot of laushs With his beginner's bit..- A seml-military turn is'done, by the' line in' its second appearance; ihen Jean -..Frelick's -barrel-leaping follows as one of thn-^bill's best turns. Charlos , returns for ..a diffi- cult Russian dance, and Jerry and Eddy hold: down the hext sjMjt with 'fancy skating. Lois .Lee-then croons low into the mike. 'Red' Kelley, in tux, flgure skates, and the Baron and Baroness Emfersons get by with their comedy juggling and chatler. Director Kelley ,on for speed:, skating, followed b^- the line in' a military drill. Entire company on for .a sock flnish as the. unit leader returns again for some 'spih.s. Al Klein's "'t band i :companies the show well. .act with boys and girls working td- gether smoothly. Buster Shaver plays piano for singing and dancing ot George and Oliv^ midgets. Shaver doubles in ballroom dance, with-Olive for ef- fective contrast in size. Floyd Christy and ~ Hal .Gould liext-.tdrclose spot with comedy acrobatics. Christy, gets most of his laughs by pretend- ing to becoo\e .irate when his part- ner starts the thicks too soon. Audi- ence, ready for laughs by tirne their turn, is spotted and, give the muscle hdnsehse healthy patter. Show runs 52 minutes. iz light at last show Friday (13). ilev: Embassy Newsreel, N. Y. Well-rounded bill this week wiUi heavy European coverage. Firstrate editing, too. Bill also has March, of Time. 'Varied shots Of Continental hotspots reveal Hitler meeting Mus- solini and boy soldiers of Italy on gtiard in Rome (Movietone). Pathe' covers' the London riot resulting from Oswald ' Mosley's speech; also Thomas Mann's arrival in New York with his statement he'.s becoming a U. S. citizen. Paramount catches the festivities attending the birth of Princess Juliana's child and Univer- sal has France's Daladier en'route to a confab. Also the crisis in Czechoslovakia resulting from Nazi ambitions. Still other International events have ing Zog's wedding'and Uni- versal's 'piece on American refusal of helium to Germany., Other sub- jects covered are Pathe and Movie- tone's slum' clearance, Arherican war planes, submarines and President Roosevelt's return from his vacation (Pathe). Sports include Helen Wills Moody, speedboats, wrestlers, a marble i-on- le.st. Max Schmeling and Joe Louis. Others include a train wreck, tunnel drilling,, discovery of a radium .sub-' .■ititute, iring of Chicacjo's 'mercy [ murder' operation, a Maine log jam: ' the- u^uar fashion piece and a Lew ' Lehr item. Latter, standard and] okav. Parade of Chinese in N, T. on 'humiliation day' is a special ;),s: is covcj'cpe of the fireworks dcrrionslra-1 tion at the, N. Y. World's Fair; f'rounds. New Internatidn.'il C.nsino. N. v., ^;Kalil)g show slipp.t^d in. Which, in spite of the pi'iblieii.v break, fits much, better"than nio,st of the other items, March of Time Is in two ojiil,',. First covers penal reform and ,>-rc- ond deals with the Nazis in An.'iri.'i. In this part, NBC is.crodilwl v,ilh a ,'Conp, showing the NBC's ih-hhik ncl al work. LOEWS, MONTREAL Montreal, May 15.. Buddt/ Page's Orch, Eddie San- bom's hottee orch, Jackie Fields, Dick Shatp, Dianne GuTitler, Billy Irons, Roy. Davit, Fisher & White, Bobbv & Dotty Edvaards, -Intercol- legiate Shag Darwers (4): 'Look Out /or Love' (GB). : This ajor Bowes production ban 10 acts; speedy;. smooth and smartly handled by, m,c. Buddy Page. Nearly every turn gets a call and .some .sev- eral. Good house opening night (13). " . Opens to campus drop that stays,. throughout show, with co-ed band, conducted by Page, ,ahd house or- cbe'sira.' with Eddie Sanborn batim- ing, '.n stage, backgrounding the acts, . Pnge; who Intros each act, pat- ters and wisecracks during most of the TiO-mlnute revue, Dickie Sharp, of Montreal, rope-spins and yodels in cowboy - costume, after -Jackie Fields opens with, harmonica and tapsi Both get call. In the trey, Dirhne Guntler, with personality end fair voice, gets across to a.tri le call. . Billy Irons, colored rdllerskater, who taps on skates, too, gets good welcome, followed by Page planning 'Body and Sdul,' Roy Davis, im-ner- sonator; Fisher and White, knocka- bouts, and Bobby , and Dotty '-Ed- wards, clever tappers, also help the sho-v's fast pace, ' Intercollcciate Sh»'i» T>rnccrs close show to hot step- ping'that earns repeated calls. Z^ane.' MICHIGAN, DETROIT Detroit, May Mfrle Ctarfc, Edliard. Werner's Itouse orch; Three Maxihaltauiit.'i, Jnv & Lou Seller, tommy. Tri'ul, HhilUps & Kohl BiltntorettCj i3j; •Robin Hood' (WB). aylime Frolic,' -swung together in few day,s after house decided to Ipnipornnly extend .stajle. show.s, of- ferf five li/iht but effective turns -n 40 inlnulcis, .No mrtrqijec strength, but t-ntert.-.ining anyway. L;i; I h^'lf of bill; is a swine fo^- ,<,i()n, with, Phillips and Kchl, the HiM orcHes (.3). and'Jay and I.oii .Sc-ilir .th.irin,'.'. irst namr.d, -ifsl and. fr-jirnv. f'f> hotfha-sha/; medio'', v^'iile IIk Mtnioi-ettcs, conriel.y fcmni"- (urn in nifty acrobatic: boolin '.>ntinucd on page 52)