Variety (Oct 1938)

^Tednesday, October 26, 1938 VAUDE-^NIXE CLUBS-BUBLESQUE VARIETY 4T GYPSY, (MO OK M M STAGE two of burlesque's ace strippers, Gypsy Rose Lee and Ann Corio, have successfully marked their stage re- turns. Miss Lee, who, as Louise Hovick, was under contract during the past year to 20th Century-Fox, is currently heading .a vaudeville unit. Handled by the WiUiam Morris agen- cy, it opened at the Golden Gate theatre, San Francisco, Friday (21), and hypoed the house's gross to $20,' 000. Figure topped only by Eddie Cantor and Burns-Allen at this house,' She works her way east, and may go into another Broadway Ziegfeld Fol- lies production. After a five-week tour of eastern houses latter part of last season, Miss Corio took an eight-week vacation in Europe. She's currently starring with Izzy Hirst's 'Girls in Blue' bur- ley unit at Werba's, Brooklyn. It's the fifth week for this road show, which opened in Washington, D. C, then went on to Baltimore, Pitts- burgh^ Philadelphia and Newark. Opening night, Sunday (23), Werba's sold out for first evening show. FIBBER McCEE OPEN FOR VAUDE BOOKINGS LAST HURLEY HOLDOUT IN M. SOUGHT BY BAA Only one burlesque house In New York, the Republic, remains to be signed to a Bxirlesque Artists Assn, contract after three weeks of . reor- ganizing activities of the group. Gaiety was the first to sign for one year, effective Oct. 7. Following that, the reopened People's inked a 12- month contract, effective Oct, 20. Star, Brooklyn, accord, is operative Nov. 1. Eltinge's tentative agreement needs ironing of minor difficulties before becoming effective Friday (28). Republic's operator, Joe Wein- stock, is holding out for a two-year agreement, which the BAA refuses to grant. People's theatre, on the Bowery, formerly operated by Tony Miccio, who once also operated that and the Irving Place, is now being run by Miccio's son. Backing is said to have come from the latter's wife, Babe Cummins, a former performer. Weinstock, incidentally, comes up •for trial today (Wednesday) on forgery charge preferred by his son, Harry Weinstock." Latter operates the City Hall theatre, a downtown picture house. Elder Weinstock is out on bail. Chicago, Oct, 25, Fibber McGee and MoUy (Jim and Molly Jordan) air show being sub- mitted for vaude throughout the country. Will carry complete radio show, including Donald Novis as warble an^ Billy Mills' orchestra. Expect some 12 weeks, from Kan- sas City into Boston and other east- ern spots. Globe, Bridgeport, Returns to Vaude Globe theatre, Bridgeport, operated by Loew-Poli, resumes one-day vaudeville Nov. 13 as trial basis toward expansion. Name bands and name acts policy will prevail, as last year. House plays Sundays only for starter, with Henry Armetta being dickered for as ice-breaker by bookers Al and BeUe Dow. Lloyds Again Take Over Detroit Nitery Detroit, Oct. 25. Following six-month absence, the M. B. Lloyds, Sr. and Jr., have again taken over the Oasis nitery here, which they founded several years ago. Under new policy, spot presents two floor shows nightly, highlighting Gonzalez and Sterbenz, dance duo; Mona Martin, vocalist; Madelyn King, blues piper, with Lillian May's Musketeers providing music. Alton, Clarke to Join H'wood Doubles'in Phifiy Pearl Alton and Charley Clarke arrive from the Coast this week to join the 'Hollywood Doubles' show opening at Fays, Philadelphia, Nov. 4. Others of the cast arrived from England last week, Troupe will work to the Coast. Booker Guilty in Kid Labor Act Violation Detroit, Oct, 25. Pleading guilty to booking femme dancer, 13, into local niteries, Charles Burns, of the Michigan Vaudeville Co,, will be sentenced Friday (28) for violating state chil- dren's employment act. Two other agents charged with tije same offense by the state labor board, Harold Browe, Amusement Booking Co., and Leo Curtiss; Cur tiss Booking Co., pleaded not guilty when arraigned last week. All three agents, meanwhile, are out on $500 bail each. Charges grew out of reports by Stella McLeod, state investigator, who testified the juve terper had danced in local niteries for months She pointed out that agencies were required to have birth certificates if talent's age was doubted. Philly's Horatio A^er Philadelphia, Oct. 25. Quick rise has been made by Charles Smith, 22. Couple weeks ago he was a busboy at Jack Lynch's nitery here. Lynch heard him singing on the job and had him get in front of a mike. Last week he went into the show as 'the sensational young tenor' and is getting three air shots a week from the spot with the band. - > ^-1 ^ / \ " ' >' THIRD Ark. Endorsement Jonesboro, Ark., Oct. 25. Editor, Vametv: Folks here in Jonesboro, Ar- kansaw, want you to take good care of our boy, Carl 'Deacon* Moore, who has gone to the big city to open at your Village Barn on Monday Night, Oct. 24. Deacon isn't up, in city ways and you can h^blp him a heap. Arkansaw folks arc mighty proud of Deke and his music makers. H. J. Bosler, Mayor, City of Jonesboro. PHILLY NITERY, AFA REAd ACCORD Philadelphia, Oct. 25, Following affiliation of the United Entertainers' Assn. here with the American Federation of Actors sev- eral weeks ago, a concerted AFA drive is being made on all niteries for closed shops. First closed shop contract was signed over the week- end with the Open Door Cafe, op- erated by Joseph Siomoni. Mini- mum wage set is $30 a week for singles, about $2 above what was be- ing received. About half-a-dozen other spots are being negotiated with and are expected to ink termers be- fore the end of the week. AFA local now has 245 members on its books. Mass. meeting to push drive will be held tomorrow (Wed- nesday). Dues and initiation fees go up for all those not members by Nov, 1. Present scale is $5 initiation and $1 a month dues. New rate is $10 initiation and $4.50 per quarter dues. BIA(XDUEINN.Y.N0¥.5 TO EYE ACTS FOR EMa George Black will arrive in New York from London around Nov. 5 to join Harry Foster, currently seek- ing acts for the London Palladium's 'Crazy Show' for next season, Foster came in couple of weeks ago. Black, just out of hospital after a minor operation, sails. Oct. 29. Likely that Black will only stay about a week, seeing N. Y. shows and niteries. Foster will remain for an- other month. He has many acts set but njunes cannot be divulged until contracts are signed. Conventions Boost I%lit Club Biz In Cleveland, While Vaude Slumps Cleveland, Oct, 25. Despite slump in vaude houses and dancehalls in this territory, niteries are catching their biggest crowds in three years. Heavy schedule of con- ventions is the hypo. Reopening of Golden Glow by Philomena Renello, with strippers, is giving burg another new spot. Eliner Waxman also came out of re- tirement to baptize his UbangiClub, patterned after the former New York den of the same name. Lotus Gar- dens expected to be opened before. Christmas by Joe Becker, Buffalo operator and former manager of Eddie Payton's Pittsburgh. Lenny and Daffy are dropping femme impersonators at the Chateau after Art West leaves next weiefc, substituting larger-sized gal shows. With the fold of Cedar Gardens, due reportedly to mismanagement and poor location. Jack Hech's Cedar Gardens has become the top Harlem club with 30 colored acts in revue, topped by Zeta and Sherman N. Dud- ley, Freddie Meyer's cafe, getting the prize downtown play from conven- tioneers, is building up its unit with the Keller Sisters, inked in for four weeks. It's the local nitery bow. Eddie Brandt's Orchestra, from the Neil House, Columbus, came in Mon- day (24) at Hotel Hollenden's Vogue Room to succeed Sammy Watkins, who's touring DeWitt hotel chain. Statler Hotel signed Pollard and Martin, two of Arthur Murray's 'Champagne Hour' dancers, to a year's contract in Vogue Room. Incendiary Soug^ht In $20,000 Mich. Fires Rochester, Mich., Oct. 25. •Incendiarism is blamed by state police-for series of fires which de- stroyed the Avon nitery and a pavil- ion at Bloomer State Park near here last week. Nitery's loss placed at $5,000 and $15,000 for the state park. Because of fires in other areas, police believe the blaze of incendiary origin. Phllly's Expansion Philadelphia, Oct. 25. Bitz-Carlton Hotel on Friday (29) will put in orchestras and shows, despite local nitery biz drop of 20% over last year. Crystal room at the Ritz will be converted into the 'Club Merry-Gro-Round,* and circUs atmos- phere will be provided, Johnny Creighton, composer and stick-swish- er, will handle it. He'll use his own band and provide the show. Spot will be open only Friday and Satur- day nights, Bellevue-Stratford, in its Burgun- dy room, is departing from precedent by providing entertainment other than an orchestra, Arthur Murray dancers are giving lessons there, and Cliff Hall is thumping a tiny piano, Frank Juele's orchestra is providing dance tunes, while ar arty trio dishes up the lull music. Name band -policy, under consid- eration at the Benjamin Franklin, has been abandoned. Instead, Roy Comfort's Crusaders have been in- stalled. They play dinner music nightly from 6:30 to 9 and are aug- mented for supper dancing Friday and Saturday nights. Hotel Philadelphian, West Philly, whose nitery was shuttered last sea- son, has reopened the spot. It will be managed by Bud Crawford, who also manages the hotel. Joe Fraset- to's orch, which went from -the Phil- adelphian to the Adelphi last year, returns to the Philadelphian. Herb's 1412 Club shuttered last week after a three-month existence. Herbie Frank, v/ho managed it, has transferred to the 1214 Club, which h;; given up the sepia J^olicy it adopted at the beginning of the sea- son. It is back to the ofays. New York Shifts Reopening of the refurbished Hol- ly wood Restaurant, New York, sched- uled for tomorrow night Cniursday), has been deferred for another two weeks at least Setback caused by refusal of N. Y, building inspectors to okay certain structural changes in the spot. Report that Lee Shelley's orches- tra, which had been named as one of the three crews going in was out fol- lowing a squabble, has been denied by officials. Band closed at Mur- ray's, Tuckahoe, N, Y,, Monday (24). After a 10-month shutdown (via 77B), the Hollywood will be again under Joe MOss' supervision, with a Bobby Sanford revuie, 'Holly- wood Revels of 1939.' Elinore Troy, Rob Russell, Pepper January, Hal and Honey Abbott, Baby Alyce, Collegiate sextet comprise the show. Lee Shelley's ban'' and a rhumba combo roimd it out. Jack White, impresario of the long established Club 18, becomes the sole swing lane entrepreneur to simul- taneously operate two spots adjacent to each other on 52d street and thus compete against himself. Labeled the Club 20, Frances Faye shuttles over from the Casa Manana to head- line the preem on Nov. 7.- Quiz fad, rampant on the air, in- vaded the nitery field for the first time Sunday night (23) when Marion Cooley, mistress of ceremonies at N. Y.'s Hotel Pierre Neptune Room, introduced 'Cafe Society Quiz.' Knotty questions were tossed at the audience and prizes awarded for the best answers. Detroit, Oct. 25. Fred Ireland, former manager of the United Detroit chain's Riviera theatre, will manage the Club Fron- tenac, which opens this week. Ireland, while pUbting the Riviera several years ago, also managed for a time a night spot across the street WEBER INSISTS ORCH ACTS JOIN THE AFA Chicago, Oct 25. All singers and jperformers work- ing divectly with an orchestra must be members of the American. Feder* ation of Actors, according to an order sent out by Joe Weber, presi- dent of the American Federation 6f Musicians, to orchestra leaders in the AFM. It marks a. step by the musicians* unions to cooperate with thfe AFA as a co-affiliate in the American Fed- eration of Labor. HiHr Units Tour Cincinnati, Oct 25. The units of the Boone County Jamboree show, which broadcasts from Emery auditorium on Friday nights, took to the road last week for personals in WLW territory. Pa and Ma McCormick and the Brown County Revelers head one troupe, which filled a two-day engagement at the Lash High School in Zanes- ville, O. In support are Charlie (Dameron) Wayne, vocal m.c.; Helen I Diller, Canadian cowgirl; Lafe Hark- I ness, harmonica; Lazy Jim Day, ' Ralph Woods and his Southern Stars, j Date was sponsored by the school's ! Rooters club.' ! Second outfit played its first date ! at the Coliseum in Richmond, Ind., j Saturday (22), under auspices of the i Y. M, C. A. Men's club. It is topped by the Drifting Piooners orch and Judy Dell, vocal. ' Bookings are handled by George C. Biggar, WLW-WSAI rural pro- gram supervisor. His field man Is Jack Bell, lately of WCMl, Ashland, Ky. JIMMY MILDRED 14 Featuring the Only GIRL RHAPSODIST OF THE HARMONICA' ING SIX SUCCESSFUL WEEKS IN THE EMPIRE ROOM or THE PALMER HOUSE CHICAGO Rep.: East—BILL MILLER West—MAX TURNER Variety Says— "A sure-fire novelty for anybody's radio program." —Gold, Variety.