Variety (Sep 1938)

Wednesday, September 21, 1938 VARIETY HOUSE REVIEWS VARIETY 47 STRAND, BROOKLYN Teddy King house orch with Jack Russell, Lindyhoppers (6), James vZans Art Frank, Andrews Sisters %T'B°V Meet s Girl' (WB). Full-week, major circuit vaude is hack in Brooklyn tor the first time in about three years. But that's where the huzzahs stop. It's sleepy- time production in a lethargic burg, the teeoff layout greatly- lacking the necessary zoom to wake up the church borough. Several factors are concerned in holding this debut stage presenta- tion out of the big-time class. First, the obvious penny-pinching; (2) the paucity of acts, and (3) the scenery- chewing of Teddy King, vet vaude pit-leader, who's getting a per- sonality buildup as maestro of the 12-piece house orchestra set on the stage. King was the baton-wielder here last season, when the house played vaude weekends only, but now he's trying too hard to match his personality to the publicity and billing. Result is an over-play of old-fashioned leader-hotcha. While the biz response opening day Friday (16) was quite good, the Strand will have to unloosen its bankroll in order to make the stage policy click and stick, As proved in the past, Brooklyn is too close to New York to give 'em anything but topflight stage shows. The na- tives hunt for bargains and when they can't find 'em, the burghers come over to Broadway's Para- mount, Roxy, State, Strand or Mu- sic Hall. Weekend vaude last sea- son was successful because .of the occasional names or near-names played; current show holds the An- drews Sisters (3) and Art Frank as headliners. Both acts are strong, but are not established marquee lure. On the other hand, if intending to pass by the high-salaried names, the Strand must give 'em more show. Four, acts, as are now on hand, backed by a non-name band, are not enough. Another point is King's diction in introing; it's slightly on the 10th avenue side. Opening turn this week are the Lindyhoppers, evenly mixed sextet of Harlem jeep dancers, billed as from one of the N. Y. News' Har- vest Moon ballroom contests. Their prototypes have been seen so much that the edge is now comDletely worn off. Result: only a mild re- ception from an audience heavily laden with jitterbugs. That the latter were there was clearly evident when the Andrews Sisters unlimbered their rhythm harmony in the closing slot. Tal- ented trio had a rough time getting off, when caught, even after five tunes, which included TuLi, Tulip Time,' 'Alexander's Ragtime Band,' 'Joseph, Joseph,' 'Bei Mir Bist du Schoen' and a medley. Another heavy reception is given Art Frank's a.k. delineation and hoofing. Latter really gets 'em, though most of his gab dies half- way back in the house because of- a faulty public address system. House could use more stage mikes and a mellower tone through the speakers. The p.a. system, in fact, just about kills the show's only laughs, Frank being the layout's comedy. His encore takeoff, of a strip-tease dancer is excellent. James Evans, foot-juggler, makes up the balance of the bill. He's on early, following the Lindyhoppers, and, per usual, his stunting is sure- fire, especially the finale bed trick. On its own, King's crew obviously needs time and polish. Would be better off sticking to the w.k. pops for the time being. King's 'Musical History' bit, though, is okay. Only vocalist in the band is Jack Russell, trombonist. Show in entirety runs 50 minutes. Scho. FOX, PHILLY is not especially notable, though it has the advantage of corking light- ing. A good part of it is done with- out musical accompaniment. Number is pretentious, but Miss Hoctor seems more at home in her more conventional waltz ballet, which she does with the Rasch girls to wind up the show. This is just the type for which she's best known and the audience likes it best. s Carol Manners supplies the vo- cals in the program and does capably, her act being sandwiched between Miss Hoctor's two appear- ances. She starts off with 'Now It Can Be Told,' follows with the 'Fire- fly* waltz, switches into a coupla of coloratura numbers and then 'L* Amour Toujour.' She has a pow- erful voice of excellent range, but it seems frequently lacking in warmth and sweetness. The orchestra's overture is a medley of Gilbert and Sullivan numbers, most of them from 'The Mikado' and 'Pinafore.' Waters. HIPP, BALTO Philadelphia, Sept. 17. Don Cummings. Albertina Rasch dancers (14), Galli-Gali, Harriet ioK\' .Carol Manners, house- orch U55) with Adolph Kornspan con- (WB) 9 ' ' Valley of the Giants ' show this week is smooth- running and not too long. It prob- ably won't click with the swing members of the younger set, but would satisfy the more conservative ■n ch ° osy Fox clientele. *.uu n Cummings starts the show off without much preliminary chatter, introducing the Albertina Rasch wno do a routine precision jJi mb u r that offers nothing new but isn t hard on the eyes. Girls are £2? ,* v $ y costumed and number is well lighted. Next is Galli-Gali, a magico off the beaten track. He's f?L speed y> eas y lines of chatter to » an y his tricks. Works with W ? 00ge . s fr0m the audience, oull- t" E rin a variety of baby chicks from various parts of their persons, -hail mmin gs then returns with fast for «ii S 4° me of Jt bluish - but * 00d D ° a r ni £ lent y of laughs. He accom- panies with some out-of-the-ordi- rono lyPPMB manouvers with a SrSwrti? 68 trjmmed his offering ^ wd > and it doesn't drag even bltfnnf 1 ^ Hoctor next in a" am- easv tl d i an ? e ' The R aven.' She's as seem ?„ lo ,? k at as ev er and doesn't vS, ^ av ? sl owed. Number in the c J ad J in b]ack to suggest we f amous bird of the Poe poem Baltimore, Sept. 18. Chester Morris, Joyce Bros. & Dean, Senor Wences, Frazee Sisters, Ice Carnival; 'AnnabelV (RKO). Ambitious layout, nicely paced and strongly routined, socks in spite of length (67 minS). With Ice Carnival utilizing full stage, rest of acts are confined to one, but to no noticeable disadvantage. Chester Morris is spotted for bill's highlight, while the other acts have much variety and flash. Joyce Bros. & Dean, two boys and girl, open in fast hoof session and set good contrast for Sen6r Wences in the deuce. He has a novel, ver- satile potpourri of ventriloquism and juggling. Punches out a strongly built spot with manipulation of spinning plates and comedy cross- fire, with two voices.'. Frazee Sisters next for pleasing arrangements of 'Says My Heart.' 'There's Lovelight in the Starlight' and 'Joseph,' encoring with smart treatment of 'My Heart is Taking Lessons.' Have legitimate singing style and look well, selling in show- manly fashion from the start Offstage announcement brings Morris on to big reception. Does a really good act, utilizing fresh ma- terial to give his ideas for pers'onal appearance stint of film stars and finishes with some okay magic via the Chinese box. Earns a good por- tion of laughs. Ail-American Ice Carnival is a good flash. Colorful full stage set backs up skating line of 12; Douglas Duffy, in some trick skating; Dick and Irene Meister in waltz and fox trot variations; Norman Waite, fancy .figures; Dot Franey and Frances Johnson, in speed skating and'Bobby Hearn, barrel jumper. Well routined, and nicely costumed, act is a nov- elty and a pleasing change. Floor is laid down in sections and cov- ered with composition, which simu- lates ice satisfactorily. Announce- ments of each number via offstage mike is possibly okay in arenas but tends to slow up matters on stage. Tightening would help considerably. Biz good. Burm. TOWER, K. C. H'wood Legions (Continued from page 2) onto 40 and 8 cars and taken around town, whether they liked it or not Boys turned on fire hydrants, habitu- ally pulled poles off the one-man trolley cars, and just had the fun that they like to at conventions. Chiseling Gamblers The sure-thing gamblers and cheaters, who infested the town for a week before the convention, found themselves pretty well frozen out They had planted themselves in va- rious hotels and cafes. The coin- machine boys had anywheres frc i 10-25 on display in any big cafe they could land, but the local Legion Pro- vost Guard pushed them around, and out of business very quickly. There were too many short-change gam- blers operating and within 24 hours after they opened the boys who thought they were going to mop up were mopped up by the Legion- naires. The department stores of the town are paralyzed for business. Women just won't go into the downtown area and shop. Legionnaires flood the sidewalks night and day, vehicles go- ing around, and bands serenading each other.-. The influx into Hollywood proper has been light up until today, but with the boys having attended to their downtown duties, it is figured that Hollywood will start getting the heavy play during the latter part of the convention. Downtown theatres have found it pretty tough going with good pictures and trade only fair. Paramount had a preview of 'Touchdown Army' at the Paramount theatre Monday night, but preview- ers asked that it also be shown at the studio for- them, that they didn't want to buck the downtown crowd, so the picture had two previews. Kansas City, Sept. 17. Benny Goodman Orch, Martha Tilton, Gloria Day, Johnny Woods, Lionel Hampton, Dave Tough, Ted dy Wilson; 'Freshman Year' (U) . The Tower has brought in Benny Goodman's crew this week to offset the local Jubilesta. Virtual capae ity biz for the house. It's, a grand slam for the local jit terbugs, and it appears the entire high school population of K.C. will see the < inside of the Tower this week. Most of the payees are young- sters.. Audiences are more raucous and roistering than any yet seen in the house.- Swing maestro leaves little undone and crams a mess of jam into 45 minutes. Show's well paced, divert- ing to the individual performers, and then mounts to the climax jam. The leader himself depends little upon his own personality, having a very quiet stage presence, but lets his instru- ments exude his showmanship. For the final jive, Goodman moves Teddy Wilson in at the piano and Lionel Hampton at the drums for a trio session, then brings back Dave Tough to the drums with Hampton at the vibraphone for a smash quar- tet. Martha Tilton, the band's song- stress, does three songs about mid- way and the spo' is wel? taken. Glo- ria Day for the only dancing on the bill. Variety is added by Johnny Woods' impersonations; his snappy routine is marred only by some needlessly off-color material. The ex r tra acts booked by Goodman him- self and paid for out of his cut,' al- though not a regular part of his show. Quin. Embassy Newsreel, N. Y. History unreels here this week. The Czechoslovakian crisis is head- lined, but the program also has -.some good stuff on pro and college football, boating, a train wreck, the Sino-Jap war, President Roosevelt the renomination of the 'purge' sen- ators, besides Douglas Corrigan, royalty and aviation. Satisfactory program despite little novelty. The only offside clips are the outright fashion plugs, and a suggested plant about debs going to a special makeup school. Movietone has President Benes, of Czechoslovakia, and Metro, the Czech Charge d'Affaires, in Wash- ington, giving the Czech views. In offering Dr. James T. Adams, on the subject, Paramount is guilty of vague reporting. There's also a pa- rade of the various principals in the crisis, including Neville Chamberlain and Lord Runciman, both of whom have been London envoys to medi- ate the crisis. Par has some shots on Hankow, showing pain and misery of the wounded. Par also has a good clip on FDR in Rochester, Minn., for his son's operation. Universal offers the three Demo cratic candidates for the U. S. sena torial nomination in Georgia, Law- rence Camp, Eugene Talmadge and the winner, the present Senator Walter George. In Maryland, Par presents U. S. Senator Tydings and his wife. Tydings was the winner in that state. Movietone parades royalty, while Par slips in King Zog, of Albania. Movietone has King Farouk, of Egypt, unveiling a monument; Queen Elizabeth, of England, and her two princesses in Scotland; also, Dowager Queen Mary, of England, all interesting personalities. RKO has some of the sports stuff besides the San Francisco clerks' strike. Also, the introduction of jai alai in New York. Shan. EARLE, WASH. Washington, Sept. 17. Ben Bernie Orch, Col. Manny Prager, Toy & Wing, Bobby Gibson, Shirley Lloyd, Harris & Shore,' 'Val- ley of the Giants' (WB). Three additional acts rounded up by house productionist Harry Anger fit perfectly into Ben Bernie tempo and total' adds up to snappy little revue. Show is easily dominated by Bernie and his style of presentation builds it. Band opens with 'Lonesome Old Town' and then into 'Flat Foot Floogee' to set smart pace. Col. Manny Prager hypos it further with 'A-Tisket.' Bernie brings on Bob- by Gibson, crooner, to wow 'em with 'Mother Nature's Lullaby,' 'Where in the World' and encore of 'Music, Maestro.' Toy and Wing, clever Chinese dancers, take over for American-stvie tap. ballroom and sock acrobatic tap finish. Shirley Lloyd, whose looks make up for a lack of vocal polish, makes 'em eat up 'Born to Swing,' 'Small Fry' and 'Storj Beatin' Around the Mulberry Bush.' Band goes into 'Di- nah' with spot on drummer, who goes nuts to get over big. j Bernie scores with 'Toy Trumpet' lvrlcs and Harris and Shore pick up the fast tempo with goofy ballroom dance that clickr big. Band hits the roof with Irving Berlin medley, fea- turing 'Alexander,' and goes into 'Au Revoir' theme as curtains close to big ovation. Biz good. Craig. Tibbett to Start Series In Ann Arbor, Oct. ^7 Ann Arbor, Mich., Sept. 20. Sixtieth annual Choral Union con- cert series this year will present 10 artists and musical organizations, with Lawrence Tibbett opening series Oct 27. Cleveland Symph comes in Nov. 7 under baton of Arthur Rodzinski, followed on Nov 22 by Jose Iturbi. Others include Kirsten Flagstad, Nov. 30; Boston Symph, under Serge Koussevitzky, Dec. 7; Josef Hof- mann, Jan. 10; Budapest University Chorus, under Viktor Vaszy, Jan. 25; Yehudi Menuhin, Feb. 15; Gregor Piatigorsky,. violin-cellist, Feb. 27, and Roth String Quartet of Buda- pest, March 9. Bills Next Week (Continued from page 45) Ralph Fisher fihet Campbell Jean Sargent Danny White Duanos Amea & Vivian Leola Taylor Hal Vaughn Oro Plantation Club Cecil Lee Oro Dot Solters finoolcs Howard Brown Belles (10) Ltthla Hill June Harris Dewey Brown Tandelayo & Lopez Powatan Paul Neighbor Oro Dr Arthur ; Marcus Yvonno Monoff Bennett Dancers Adorablea 8 Saks Lea Arquette Oro To-Jo Farms Phil Burnone Oro Carroll & Gorman Webster Hnll (Cocktail Grill) Art Moone'y Ore Tommy Martin Jean Shallor Rosemary Deering Henry Van Steeden Roger Hoffman Wonder Bar Dorothy Berlin Al Vierra Ore PITTSBURGH Anchorage Hughle -Morton Oro Balconades Tommy Carlyn Ore Bachelors Al Turner Ore Bill Green's Johnny Long Oro Lila Deano Carlton Club Ellsworth Brown Or Freda Lazier Patay Faye Club Petite Ted Blake Ore Tommy Tarshls Louise Dilda Joy Andrews Townsman 3 Cork & Bottle Jack Davis Evergreen Gardens Shorty Banks Ore Jerry Manning Hotel Roosevelt Andrlnl BrOs Hotel William Penn (Grill) Johnny Duffy (Continental Bar) Billy Catizone 8 Italian Gardens . Etzi Covato Ore Lincoln Terrace Jack Gamble Ore Mlrador LeRoy Bradley Ore • Judy" Lynn New Fenn Barney' Rapp Oro Ruby Wright Bill Smith Nixon Cafe Fran Eichler Oro Bob Carter White & Manning B & B Leslie Angelo Dl Palma Claire Ray Gls Nat House Joe Klein Boogy-Woogy Al Mercur Harry Nosokolt Crazy 4 Plaza Jimmy Peyton Ore Billy Cover Billy. & B JohnsoD Betty Benz Lenore Rica Riviera Baron Elliott Ore Show Bont Al Marsico Ore Danny Rogers Sammy Morris Hartzell & BenBon Sally Rice Bee Gardner Gls Willows Dick Gardner Ord Peggy Lawson UNIT REVIEW KARSTON'S FOLLIES BOXY, SALT LAKE Salt Lake City, Sept. 20. Joe Karston, Mario & Marina, Hays & Dey, Claire Davis, Audrey Garrity, Bill Floor house orch (5); 'No Man of Her Own' (Par). There's enough production and en- tertainment in this. unit, fancily billed as 'Karston's Follies Unusual' to frame two shows. Turnstile tug being chiefly exerted by Joe Karston's basketful of illusions. A cinch b.o. with Manager Andy Floor reporting heaviest daily grosses in five months. Unit began Saturday (17). Running close to an hour, 'Follies' magnet is six principal and numer? ous supplementary prestidigitations by Karston. Flanked by Mario and Marina, mixed dance combo, Hays- and Dey, man-femme comedians, line of seven, attractively costumed cho- rines and presentable props, unit is o.k. novelty that figures to satisfy. Bill Floor's house band (5) is aug- mented by unit's five-piece outfit. Orchestra's in the pit for the opener, floy-floying 'Chinatown,' with Kar- ston warming up on his first vanish- ing trick. Forsaking a mike, Kar- ston intros all acts effectively. Cho- rines, in costumes which do not re- flect economy, carry the burden be- tween tricks. Mario and Marina display edu- cated legology in two ballroom tan- gos, with exotic femme flashing a smile socko with s.a. After a call they do a jive version while band plays 'Alexander.' Karston next with a click baffler, mystifying the audi- ence as he places a gal in a cabinet, fires a prop revolver, and presto, she's minus her body. Briskly-paced routines by chorines sandwiched in, paving the way for Claire Davis, spe- cialty dancer, winning a couple ot bows for inspired soft-shoe work'. Audrey Garrity, from the line, al- lowed a two-minute solo before being joined by six other gals in a standard tap stabbing stint. Hays and Dey, spotted prior to the finale, get by on tepid chatter, but it re- New Acts HILDEGABDE Songs 12 Mins. Hotel Savoy-Plaza, New York Hildegarde is now definitely a cafe name. And of these there aren't many % If not a name in present b.o. socko, she'll be in short order. Song- stress of American nativity and slightly Continental account is. doing the same brana of s.r.o. in the snooty Savoy-Plaza's Cafe Lounge, as has Dwight Fiske. And that's saying plenty, because the naughty song- ster is the S-P's No. 1 draw and due back for the winter season. Hildegarde corrimutes between America, London and the Continen- tal spas, Paris, etc., working in the smarter rooms. In the past coupla years she's traveled almost as far in her professional deportment as must have been her mileage between Lon- don and New York. - Very much on the s.a. side now, in a smart Schiaparelli and sporting an arresting chassis,- clianteuse alsc knows her change of pace. For one thing, she wisely.gives the couvert charges a good hinge at herself by strutting in front of the Steinway for her teepff number. Thence to the ivories for her usual self-accomp, but alternating before and behind the pianoforte as occasion warrants. She does a takeoff of Fritzi Mas- sary, does excerpts from Noel Cow- ard's 'Operette,' mixes. in 'Mitzi,' 'Elizabeth,' 'Music, Maestro,' 'Gypsy in My Soul,' more Viennese chan- sons, and withal has 'em hungry. Judging by the • requests, the cash trade is repeating and knows her repertoire. Abel. ASUNCION GRAN ADOS Dancer Cine Teatro Alameda, Mexico City This smooth, natural and effortless performer of Spanish folk dances, a- looker, an auburn-haired, grey-eyed native of Madrid, scored an out- standing smash as star of the stage show with the discriminating audi- ences at the class Cine Teatro Ala- meda here. This house is popular with wealthy Mexicans, American and other foreign residents. Asuncion Granados has all the natural skill and grace of the late La Argentina (Antonia Merce), and even excels her in pantomime, neat facial expressions and telling hand and skirt manipulations. She is a born dancer and an excellent come- dienne, making the utmost of sharp- ly selected detail, yet with a nice restraint. La Granados has an in- nate gift for effective costumes; she enhances her art by a full under- standing of the coquetry of the snowy-white, be-laced petticoat and other snowy nether mysteries, and she can make the castenets sing. Madrilenian is particularly good at executing the La Jota, fiery, difficult dance of the whirling skirt, prodigal displays of snowy petticoat and high kicks. Miss Granados carries no scenery. A house orchestra Is used, her hus- band directing. She opens with a fine guitar solo, as captivating a guitarist as she is a dancer, but the musical number is so restricted as not to detract from her big forte— dancing. Dancer is widely known In Spain and South America. • This is her debut in Mexico where she will re- main until the late fall., Grahame. PATRICIA NOBMAN Songs 8 Mlns, Stanley, Pittsburgh The Norman gal has come a long way in the last few years. First showed here in 1934 with Paul Pendarvis at William Penn hotel and then just a cute trick-and a fair-to- middling singer of songs. Year and a half ago, she came, back with Eddy Duchin a definite improvement, but still missing something. Now. fea- tured with Jan Garber outfit, the lit- tle lady's a professionally mature artist and a half-pint of vocal dyna- mite. Miss Norman has looks and voice, with an s.a. quality in her pipes, but above all salesmanship. Puts over a tune, chiefly one of hot variety, like few others in the business and gives 'em plenty of allure in addition. Started off here with hillbilly med- ley in swingtime, followed with 'You Made Me Love You' and then split the aisles wide open with her slick Ole Man • Mose.' For an encore 'Alexander's Ragtime Band' and a pushover. They couldn't get enough oi her here. Cohen. mains for the femme to sell the act with a couple of swing songs. Man accompanies her on a capsule har- monica. Slick card manipulations, produc- ing of rabbits, silk hankies, et al., out of air, blend as preliminaries for Karston's final professional il- lusion, toy soldier beheading. Cho- rines in regulation dress spotted briefly for stiff-jointed terping. ^- U , nit »„ owned Jointly by Karston, pick Allen and Jack Markan. latter being the booker. Quss.