Variety (Oct 1938)

44 VARiETY ^NITE CLUBS Wednesday, October 19, 1938 Itnion of Club P A. Lensers Sought in N.y. to Regulate Payoffs An attempt is being" made in New York to organize Gotham's cafe pub- licity photographers. One of the prime backers of the movement is Charlie de Soria and action is. being inspired by .the recent organization in N. Y., under the Theatrical Man- agers, Agents and Treasurers* union, of nitery press agents. Night club photogs lense celebs, etc., for nitery praisers to distribute to publications. Their aim, they say, is to work in closer harmony with the unionized p.a.s ta insure payoffs for their worx by managements, and to eliminate price-cutting, chiseling and kindred evils. Among the problems are commer- cial photogs who accept fees only if pictures are pqblished. Those in the drive would stipulate payment re- gardless of publication. RKO Theatre, Dayton, Schedules Five Orchs Dayton, Oct 18. Bands will be the mainstay of the BKO Colonial's stage entertainment fo? the next few weeks. In turn, starting Friday (21) will come Carlos Molina, Pepper Martin's Mudcats, Jan Garber, Count Berni Vici and Don Bestor. B'tdyn Burley Opens Werba's, Brooklyn, reopens Sat- urday (22) as part of the Izzy Hirst burlesque wheel. Jules Leventhal, who was going to-operate a small burley circuit of his own,.with the "Werba", Hudson, Union City, N. J.; and two more out-of-town spots, de- cided instead to use the Hirst shows. Opening unit is 'Girls in Blue,' starring Ann Coria and managed by Emmet CaUahan, Miss Corio's hus- band. SLATE BROS. SET FOR 1ST NITERY BOOKING Pittsburgh, Oct. 18. In show biz for more than a dec- ade, 3 Slate Bros, will make their first nitery appearance at Beverly Hills Country Club, Newport, Ky., when they wind up in Wayne Mor- ris-Johnnie ('Scat') Davis unit in Cleveland this week. Faye Carroll (Mrs. Henry Slate) will go into club with them. Meantime, Morris goes back to the Coast to report at WB for 'Roaring Road,' remake of 'Crowd Roars' he'll do with Pat O'Brien, while Davis, with no immediate film assignment in sight, may remain east for a cou- ple more weeks of personals. He'll let the Billy Baer orchestra go, how- ever. He's been working with that outfit, billing it as his own, in Phila- delphia,' here and Cleveland. WILLIE and EUGENE HOWARD Neal Gets 1-4 Yrs. in Gun Assault Upon Spouse Detroit, Oct. 18. One-to-four-y«ar sentence in Jack- son Prison was meted out to Edgar Neal, ex-police censor, balladist and songwriter, for firing two- shots at his estranged wife in Blue Lantern nitery here July 27. Judge Edward J. Jeffries passed sentence late last week after a jury had found Neal, who quit police post in huff last year after he failed to get chief censor posish held by late Lieut. Lester Potter, guilty of feloni- ous assault. While arguing, with his wife, Esther Dorey, formerly in bur- lesque, Neal fired two wild shots but was captured on the scene. PRYOR, SOTHERN AND HERBERT SET FOR Prrr Pittsburghj Oct. 18. With Roger Pryor's band, Ann Sothern and Hugh Herbert tentative- ly set for week, of Nov. 18, Stanley, Warner theatre here, i set for flesh through Thanksgiving, with excep- tion of Nov. 4. Chick Webb-Ella Fitzgerald .are current, with Ted Lewis' new unit coming in Friday (21), to be fol- lowed by personal of Freddie Bar- tholomew, with h:)use building show around him. Horace Heidt set for Nov. 11. Pryor-Sothern date isn't definite yet, salary holding up book- ing. Although Pryor's band has been around couple of times before, this is the first time Miss Sothern, of the films, who's also Mrs. Pryor, will be included in act. RKO Palace, Cleye., Returns to Pictures Cleveland, Oct. 18. After five weeks of vaude, RKO's Palace is dropping flesh for at least a fortnight, and perhaps longer. Con- ditions slowly improving here, but, according to Nat Holt, zone exec, there aren't enough available stage names, which are demanded by locals. House going back to straight pic- tures at lower prices. . 'Straight, Place and Show* (20th) booked for Friday (21), followed by 'I Am the Law' (Col), Oct 28. Hollywood Hotel'* Revue • TOVRING Fuller Circuit, Australia Per. Address WM. MORRIS AGENCY NtW YORK - AL SUBNET Dressed by SIDNEY FISHER 75/77, Shaftesbury Avbnuo PICCADILLY, LONDON, ENG. Fay's, Prov., Reopening Providence, Oct. 18. Stock damaged to the extent of $30,000 is rapidly being replaced at Fay's and spot is scheduled for re- opening Friday (21). New seats in- stalled in orchestra, new carpets laid, orchestra pit and stage, both of which were under water, have been replaced, and the entire house has undergone complete redecoration. Stage draperies and scenery are also new. " Will redjpen with 'Slfaight;'Place and Show' and five acts of vaude- ville. • 15 YEARS AGO • (Trom Variety ond Clipper) Vaudeville benefits for sufferers in Japanese earthquake netted $204,210. Vice society moving in on Shu- berts and Earl Carroll for alleged nudity. Had representatives at the theatres. Sophie Tucker in her third en- gagement in Los Anseles within a few months, and a new act each time. Straight act "look 27 mins., but she encored for another 14. Eddie Miller's Unit Eddie Miller, radio singer, has or- ganized a 16-peopIe imit for club dates around New York. Miller maintains his own radio and vocal studio, hence limitations to the N. Y. zone for bookings. The THEATRE of the STARS BOOKING AGENCY GENERAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES LOEW BLDG. ANNEX 160 WEST 46TH ST, NEW YORK 9'7S0O J. H. LU B I N aENERAL Manager SIDNEY H. PIERMONT 0OOKINO MANAGER Jay C. Flippen dropped his comedy sketch for a straight talking act, and pushed it over. ' ][rene Franklin was the clicker on the stage and at the b.o. at the N. Y. Palace. On for 30 mins., plus encore. Jerry. Jarni^an. at the piano. Hugh Herbert not so hot at the Riverside, N. Y. Palace, Chi, had 22 men on the bill against only eight women. New acts all seemed to run to male support. Nitery Reviews RAINBOW ROOM, N. Y. AX Donahue Orch, with Paula Kelly, Eddie LeBaron Orch with Ruth Nigey, Alec Templeton, Eltzo- beth Tolbot-Martin, Aurelia Colovio, Volta. One of the poorest talent lineups at the Rainbow Room, saved only by the redoubtable Alec Templeton, on a return engagement. The clever, blind pianist-comedian almost off- sets everything else. Show doesn't register on the se- quence of three single acts—Aurelia Colomo, Elizabeth Talbot - Martin (New Acts) and Templeton, in that order. Senorita Colomo is a per- sonality Spanish songstress, who does three numbers, two in her native tongue, and Gershwin's 'Summer- time.' Of these her rhumba chanson is best because of her personality. Miss Talbot-Martin is a mimic. Templeton. still escorted to and from the Steinway by his father, never once trades on his affliction, and if anything, plays away from that constantly. His clever improv- isations on themes suggested by the audience and the satire on the Italian tenor, and soprano are sock comedy. •Pardon Me, Madame, Do You Do the Rhumba?' is another novelty and his Mozartian medley tops to big re- turns. The Donahue and LeBaron bands hold over and dispense the terp mu- sic as effectively as ever. Biz good, so much so that the ab- normal influx of customers may have h^d some effect on what usually is impeccable service. Possibly the many large parties for the Ballet Russe that night at this class room threw the staff off keel, Abel. 'Money scarce on the Coast, and producers being held up plenty for loans. Had to hock the entire prod- uct to get needed coin and pay top interest and bonuses. Helped by the World Series ball games, 48 B'way theatres did better than $700,000 on the week. Three shows beat $30,000 each. With a Co- lumbus Day mat, Music Box went to $30,000, 'Greenwich Village Follies' nabbed $32,000 and 'Artists and Mod- els' did almost as' well. SHOW BOAT (PITTSBUBGH) Pittsburgh, Oct. 15. Jack Peck, Line (6), Sherry Lane, Hartzell & Benson, Ragtime Moun- taineers (3), Al Marsico Orch. (&). Biz at John Maganotti's spot on the river can invariably be reckoned by quality of show. And things aren't so hot of late. It's strictly low-budget fare and just a filler. Outstanders are Hartzell and Ben- son (New Acts), singing team and good anywhere. Jack Peck m. c.'s and just about covers the ground. He has personality and might be able to put over a song, too, but his gab is way out of line and those imitations of Ted Lewis and a repfer bug are pretty corny. Boat has a good-looking line In the Bee Gardner Girls (6), but they're making a mistake in that Ghandi number. Gals are all easy on the eyes and cover 'em with gruesome Ghandi masks and outfit- ting them in dirty, safety-pinned sheets is abortive. One of the line, Sherry Lane, steps out for a fair aero number, and the other two -ensemble-routines- aren't-bad. -- Next-to-closing. Ragtime Moun- taineers (3), youthful looking lads, have possibilities but so far are underdeveloped. They're a cross be- tween a hillbillies and a below the Rio Grande combo. Efforts of one of them to be a comedy announcer fall fiat. Use violin, guitar, accord- ion and a rigged-up washtub that serves as bass fiddle. Better instru- mentally than vocally, but they need a showier presentation. Al Marsico's orchestra Is in sec- ond year here and for an eight-piece outfit it's one of the best in town. Marsico's a theatre veteran and knows how to play a show in addi- tion to keeping dancers contented. Cohen. In its 47th week in N. Y. 'Abie's Irish Rose* topped its record, taking in $16,797.50. Edna Wallace Hopper was making a personal appearance tour to boost her cosmetics. Women replaced the regular theatre staff as she took a demonstration bath. Now and then they caught a couple of Peeping Toms in the projection booth. Eva Tanguay tour went bust In Huntington, W. Va. She was under management of Fulcher & Bohan, concert agents, and quit when pay- days grew irregular. Professional amateurs talking of a union under Federation of Labor, Some got only 50c a night. Wanted a buck. Thomashefsky planning a Yiddish vaude circuit. Claimed to have 12 spots lined up. Just a bright idea. Cort theatre, Chi, on the block. Asking, price was $(t00,000. Had made $100,000 psofit the previous season. CASANOVA, N. Y. Dave Apollon Orch, Horacio Zito Orch, Senor Wences, Dario & Diane, Milli Monti. " Dave Apollon Is now In the nite club business. He's the conferencier, host, m.c, prime podium' attraction ■—and the boss. He qualifies in all, excepting probably the idea of put- ting up his own bankroll to run a nitery. If it clicks, and there are indications it may, it will have been a long shot come through. Apollon, of course, is standard in show biz. He's been a sock touring attraction with his Filipino biand and his di- alectic comedy; now he's a straight dance maestro and all right, too, with that, What's more, he has an almost .fool-proof show around him. Milll Monti, just closed at the Savoy- Plaza, N. Y., is the class chanteuse J="*® ballads in English with her French chansons. She's eschewed almost wholly her native Italian now. Dario and Diane are standard ball- roomologists, equally socko, and Senor Wences is a ventriloquist who may well ride the crest of the Ber- gen-McCarthy cycle. The Spanish voice-thrower was seen before in America, a few years ago, but he's considerably improved with his two duinmies, a little girl, and a male heckler. His stuff is clever, well- paced and consistently clicky. Horacio Zito's tango tunes are standard and withal, Apollon has an effective setup. It's a new tag for an old spot, at Madison and 54th, which Haiigf Kannen built for Helen Morgan and called the House of Mor- gan. Nick Bates since had it for his Merry-Go-Round bar, and still conliEpls that (front), but the inner foom is 100% maestroed by Apollon, on a deal with Bates. Abel. GOODMAN, TOM DORSEY SET FOR PHILLY RETURN Philadelphia, Oct 18. Benny- Goodman and Tommy Dor- sey, who ran up phenomenal grosses at the Earle last winter, will make return visits early in 1939. Dates have not been set yet, but negotia- tions are understood to be virtually completed. Bob Crosby also coming in, undated as yet, too. Inked at present are Freddie Bar-r tholomew and Herbie Kay on Fri- day (21), Henry Busse and Ella Logan, Oct. 28,- Horace Heidt, Nov. 4, and Jimmy Dorsey, Nov. 11. MCA Sets 3 Bonos Bros. For Chi; 1st of Imports Chicago, Oct. 18. Music Corp. of America has sched- uled severial European turns for America. First to arrive are the three Bonos Bros. Open imnjiediately in the College Inn of the Hotel Sherman here on a four-week guarantee. FRANK PARIS AND HIS MARIONETTES PARADISE CAFE NEW YORK Exrlnslve IffnnngreniMit SHERWOOD & MATHEWS Direction: INOAI.rS Ss DAVIES Best Coffee in England QUAUTYINN Leicester Square LONDON, WEST-END ROBINSON TWINS Just Completed 6 SucceNsfol Week* Rn'IERA, M. J, Now—Beverly Hills Countrv Club, Newport. Ey. JACK and JUNE BLAIR On Tour Fuller Circuit, Anntmlla with "Hollywood Hotel" Revue PAUL GERRITS NOW IN SECOND WEEK CASA MANANA, NEW YORK GUEST STAR, Thursday Evening, October 20th RUDY VALLEE HOUR (WEAF) Still Under Direction of M. J. LEDDY 1270 Sixth Avenue. N. Y. C.