Variety (Nov 1938)

44 VAIUETY WtdnenAmy, November 30» 1988 MUSIC HALL, N. Y. Rolf Holbettt, Art Frank, Beatrice Joyce. Robert Weede, Henrietta Schumann, Ballet, Glee Club, Rock- ettet, MVMie Hall Symphony, Erw> Rawte, conductor: 'The , Cowbw. and the Lady' (UA), reviewed in Variety, Nov. Imagination, taste and skill have gone Into the current stage-bill, 'The Four Seasons/ at tlie Radio City Mq- 3ic Hall. There's nothing novel in the theme, nor in its division into four parts. Distinction of the ^ow lies in the way It is presetted. Ser- gei Soudelkine'a settings and intro- ductory tableaux (employing the titillating lyrlc$ of Albert Stillmari), plus the Wlll^ Van and Marco Mon- tedbro costumes and the routiiy'-'" <-t the whole. If s a continuously en- tertaining' presentation. / . „ . Opentog -with Henrietta Schu- mann's ^owJttanly solo with the symphony orchestra in a Tschailww- sky piano concerto, the bill offers the ballet corps in a dance represent- ing spring, then a Uvely outdoor scene climaxed by Holt Holbem's in- genious magic sign, on which he paints all sorts of figures that im- mediately come t9 life. Act -was pre- viously seen at the French Casino, --Y,, now-Billy Rose's Casa Man- ana. It's nice^ spotted-here and the mystery of how the trick is done is enhanced in the present showing by the ia<A that the- sijfnboard Js not backed up againfet a dark curtain, but is' placed in the center - of a well- lis^tt^ stage/ ■ . ^ « _i ToUowing. a solo bit by iiobert . lUTeede, Art Franl^ in. the old gfeezfir " xvS>Q getiq> he's been using, in vaude • for a couple of . decades, offers his familiar and, amusing 1>lt of hoofing, • vrith a timely windup' commentary, on presentirday hotcha* singers; Glee . Club backgroiinds the sesfion.Jwhicii: is supposed: ta-represent f^lt Finals as the vriotec steae brings the Rock*- ettes. in an arresting^ number^ conj- dyded by their familiar but. stiU electrifying precision step, and then • g«ij^ |Dta.it:>lonnatioh-to--represent; a Christinas tr^ with varl-colore*; lights pn their costumes. Soudeifci Jcfce'ft tableaux, which take the form of pldt <diromos.-wlth SMUinan-sclevec lines'spoken by t>layets wbpse fapefi are the only animate part of the pick lures, give ,< piquant -introduction < to . the', four seasonal portions of the' • irtagesbQw.. , ■<• ' r - Also on the- Music Hall bill is the latest Walt Disney color cartoon; . Terdiiiand, the BuH' .from Munro - I^eafs- popular comic ■ fable,. Pit whicfi was originally feature length, ' now runs only, nine 'minutes. Among:- tbe parift whicb, wound up on the cutting'room floor is the 'F«rdinand' title song; Unusual angle is that it i& accompanied by ia narrative on the •sound track. Although it i» admir-. ably read, 'there is^ittle more to it than Leafs original. And -whilej •Ferdinand* makes - a fairly amusmg cartoon sUbject, there's little more to it than there K In the Leaf vol- ume, .mich is to say it's good, but not up to^ the usuja Bisriey standard _^ 4 ^-..t^™. Kobe. thing to Sle^nor Powell. For jin encore she t«p» out a Jam sesKton with drum aeconipanlment tliiit's smash. Hodgson steps down again for his old hick trumpet bit to break up the -hoofing section of the show, with Wieire Bros. (3) following him to moi> up with tl^elr clever dancing pantomime. Boys first came over with 'FoUe« Bergere* unit four years ago and hav€ since added sev- eral bits which iiave improved what even originally was surefire. Ptyor moves in once more for some glee club work en 'Smoke Gets in Your Eyes' and his first-rate imi- tation of Bert Williams. Foran, of films, aings 'My Little Buckaroo,' 'Night and Day' and 'Melancholy Baby.' Mob wouldn't let him off when caught until he returned for 'steenth time and shyly admitted he didn't khow.any more times. Orches- tra, takes over again for some amus- ing band imitations, preceding Miss Sullivan. It's really a homecoming for her. Just 18 months ago she .sang for coffee and c»ke money in a booze-club here. She.tore tue rafters apart with her swinging of this semi- classics. Does six numbers and could stick around for as many more. Pryor closes with his themer, 'Whistler . and His Bog.' Pave Broudy's band, in the pit. overtures Debussy's 'Reverie,' not the modern version. Biz capacity. Cohen. STRAND, N, Y. ll'ed .Lewis, £ddie Leonard. SheU ton Bro6k$, Danny White, Gale Sex^ tet, Charles 'Snowball' WMtHer, Vera Ellen, Lorette Lane, Ted Lewis Quintet; ■ 'Angels with Dirty Facet' (WB), reviewed in VASirry. Oct. 26. of brilliant fanta^. STANLEY, PiTT. Pittsbttryh, Nov. 26. Roger Pryor Orch (13),, MasAne Sullivan, Dick" Foran, Ann Millerj Red Hodflson, Lane Truciiiale, 3 Weire Bros, 7 Fredyions; 'Tl^cre Goes My Hearf (UA). What should have been a socJe show here went a little sour open ing because. Roger "Pryor, m. c.'irtg .the layout, didn't have situation -well enough in hand.. Trying to pad the proceedings beciuifie seven Fredy- sons, driving in from the east^ were . caught in a -snowstorm and didn't turn up iintil latier in the. day, he overpadded. He let a minor ap- .. plwse • claque qf kids,. .the. usual thing here every Friday afternoon, slow presentation down to a trot, with turns coming back repeatedly for larcenous bows, with result that flsch section ran close to 8^ minutes, or .''bout 20 overboard. Entertainment value Is present, however, and on<Se Pryor takes com- mand, B« he 'Can and could have easily with a bit of pressure yester- day (Friday), layout should develop ■into''one of theatre's slickest in some time. Maxine SuUlVan. Dick. Foran and Ann Miller are on hand, too, all of whom deliver solidly. Supporting acts are also helpful. ■ It's Pryor's second visit here in last 18 months and he returns with a considerably improved band, albeit on^ that still hasn't hit its right stride. Reformed 4ctor has devel- oped into a sqave maestro who seems to know what it's all about music- ally. Should check up a bit on his gags, though. One he opened with here is the same he used last time here. Following some amusing cross- fire with Red Hodgson, orchestra swings into 'I Got Rhythm* and then Lane Truesdale, femmejpianist. steps to the mike to chirp 'What Goes^On .Here in My Heart? N.s.h. vocally, but gal has enough s.a. to help. That brings on Miss Miller, smart- ly outfitted In black sequlu pajamas, for two routines that are tops in iaps, Femme's .about the nearest Ted Lewis, plus his. numerous spe- cialists, Eddie Leonard and Shelton Brooks, were at the Casa Manana, New York, earlier in the fall, but ih'ej';fsame j^how isn't being dohe by the- gfoiip here. This one has been. ;DerroutIned for the Strand, with the irudntng time held down to 41' min- ,ul:fes. -Harry Gourfain,' house's." piroducer, hps giyea the show-excellent stag-, ing, '-with the pres6nt4ti6h^ heing ojfie;9Jf'.th^ best' t/er put on in any pi(¥iiirie - Ijpuse, Everytiting!s skill- fully,: knit-for imusual smoothness. V'li&wis Js^at his best and so is bis bUiSn^'-V^hich inciuaes the vocal qu}n-.i t^tj'spotted'^ in the band; the little .^colored' teilOw, Charles 'Snowball' /VMUixierf i&e Uale Sextet of dancers; 'jjanny' .White, pantbmune-dancer, ana. the single dancers. Vera Ellen and -Lorette Lane. Band indudi^ 13 jtnen-uanct^.;works expertly: under Lewis- has.-a unique opening, a ^birthday-., number built around his iclaoneW'With £t lit birthday cake ^Plaptedi dcftigwtage. The vocal group ttiU)e4..as xthfr' Ted jLewis Quintet, is rwidrkeAt.iixtO! this and most of the other numbers for background and effect, as are several of the specitd- ists. In the 'Ix>ck My Heart' se- quence'foUowIng the opening, Lewis and the quintet sing and Miss Ellen makes her first'appearance m a brief dance specialty. 'Messagefrom Mars' number brings out the-iQale>Sextet (three couples) in ^ jbst; bayllroom routine. Sextet also wpears .filter, in one of Lewis* .inore^elaboxatet^productions, doing an Oriental ..dance that lacks the „Far Eastem..tov|ch» As settitig for Leonard and Brooks, 'Celebrity Nifi;fat at Rector's' back in the gbp4 01a; days is staged. With fables ai^b^ckground. After a show- qianly.in^o^ucti^ji for Leonard, the vieteran minstrel, who doesn't look his years and still can put 'em across,, goes into floly^ Bply Eyes' ;State; n. y. Jac^ Denny Qrch, JHechiani troupe (7), Vox A Waltert, Mildred Law, liorrafne Sisters (3), Cro«8 ^ Durin; *Jf I Were Kj,ng,. (Par).. Jack Denny's orchestra continues to rely on soft music and trim in- strumentation for its appeal. Denny has Mildred Law, cute brunet tap-, stei*, and the Lorraine- Sistersr har- mony swingsters, with him for added lure. Show, when caught, was running over the allotted 60 minutes but never seemed to drag. Opener is the veteran Picchlani troupe of teeterboard experts. Val- entine Vox and-Emily Walters, two veterans who at one time were in separate vehtriloquial acts, are to- gether in the deuce. Vox a number of years ago played solo with his dunimy^ 'Happy.' He retains best, features of old. turn, including cigaret smoking and drinking tricks with Miss WtUters' i&miliar diminu- tive girly dummy and sobbing baby routines neatly dovetailed. Imitation of a ieryihjj; infant, while appearing to be the di^.essed mother, is plenty^ tax^ on vocal chords. Both are aided by trim patter. Cross and Dunn's straight ballad- ing, comic songs and .piarodies are solid. Start wlUi 'Meet the Beat of My Heart.' Follow with their ver- sion of 'Staying in Own Backyard' for, laugh returns. Then do sad parody that's set to tune of ♦Ti-Pi- Tin.' 'Music, Maestro' offers excuse for neat cohtrastihg of old clasklcals and preient-day . swing. Encore brings on. novelty in which they imitate fat dieticians, with pointers in hand to describe grotesque fat- woman sketch on chart. Inclined to be off-color, but funny as they han- dle it Denny's orchestra is still excel- lent. Crew opens to 'Under the Stars,' its radio. theme.- 'Serenade to a Holdup' seems lightweight com- pared with what follows, 'Sophis- ticated- Swing' is'the band's dee number^.scoring..with smooth muting by two eometists 'and: trombonist. Finale .is typical series of Denny imitations -of popular ~orchestras, namely Henry Busse; Hal Kemp, diiy Lombardo and combo of t6p swing bands. Micfiy gaite<l. Employ Tiger Rag' for swell closer. Miss'Law, fetchingly .garbed in dancing ' costume, gets under way slowly but then cleans up as shC encores .with routine 'that Bill Rob- inson taught me.' Alipe Graves, harp ^loist, brings a chatige of pace. Three- Lorraine Sisters, whom Denny 'discovered' while pliying the Drake hotel, Chicago, dnd Who are set for pictures. hug_the mike in putting over 'Flat Toot Floogeev' 'I Used tp be Color Blind' and "Way Down in New Orleans,' Idst being particularly ' standout. One girl coraies- forward to do an imitation of ■ Clyde- McCoy's 'Sugar Blues' theme song. Satisfaictory but not essential since the blonde lookers score anyway. They wear white gowns, but makeup and costumes fail to cash in oa their potentialities as lookers. Biz excellent for last stage show Friday (25). Wear. prances over to front, mike to give ^m 'Kaodfull. of Bbythm,' 'So Help Me' and 'Old Mah. wfose/ latt«v |(et- ting swell bond at start and stopping show cold at finish. Gal, broui^t hack following "hit at'samv'^<l>use four weeks ago with Jao Gtrfoer's band, makes no attempt .to top IMose' with same type tune, switchhig in- stead tOk. sentimental.' mood, ana en- coring to solid hand with ^My Rev- erie,' Program finishes off. with burst of noise and commotion from the line, and march music in the pit. Biz good. Craig. HIPP, BALTO and 'Ida? his two most famous hum hers. Leonard tops With his sand dance, and although some of the younger faps .may not know the old- thriter, he's going across powerfully. Brooks, Who wrote 'Darktown Strutter's Ball' and 'Sorpe of These Days,' also packs plenty of punch. A Williams and Walker routine, as done by that team years ago, is of- fered by Brooks and Whittier, this preceding Brooks' stint at the piano an which he does songs, he authored. It seems there isn't enoUgh of Leon- ard «nd Brooks, particularly so does it seem that-way to vet yaude-fol lowers. White gives 'Darktown Strutter's Ball' punch by doing k Joe Frisco dance that also has nostalgic charm. This portion draws- the presentation up to its close, Lewis signing off in a clever appreciation special as the dimmers go into play. White Up ahead does a couple of other spe- cialties, including a Jimmy Savo type of dance, while Whittier also figurei in some soft-shoe hoofing. ! 'Me and My Shadow' number em4 ploys VHiittier ahd an unbilled col- ored girl effectively, while another bit of good staging is built around •My Baby Smiles at Me,' with Whit- tier and Lewis. One of Lewis' best nUmbers is the 'Musical Magical Man' production in which he does a ctite bit as Tos- canini, White and Miss Lane fig- -ure here in a. diverting doll dance, Show« plus 'Angels with Dirty Faces' -(WB), which looks like a strong money-miJier, gives the house its biggest p. o. to date under re* eently uiaugurated combination pol- icy. CJwr. EARLE, WASH. .Baltiniiire, jNTov. 28. Major Bowes 'Third ,Annit>ersar{/ Revttc,' with Ted Mack, Byron Brosi (2), 3 Harmonica Dees,. Concert Ser- fnaders (4), Duane Sisters, Neva Amet, Bert & ■ Betty, &tmw\>tTr^ Russell, Jean Clark, Roy Richards, Sol Strausser: 'Peck's Bad Boy With Circus' (RK6>. Major Bowes' Third Anniversary Revue' hjls all the familiar attributes of a typical Bowes unit with some- what more finish and leu snap than recent -Bowes combos .previously caught here. Ted Made mx.'s well. Fast opening by Byron Bros., two hoofers, sets nice pace for Three Harmonica Dees, next with okay, ar- rangement ■ of pop medley. Concert Serenaders, mixed quartet,- give out with operatic selection. Duane Sis- ters follow with acrobatics that get over; Neva Ames xylophones 'Gypsy Airs' to cliclc solidly. Tough for Bert and Betty who follow, but kids have decided novelty^ hanging drumsticks while hoofing. Interlude of finger-snapping by, hoy, is good. Should eliminate finish, which has girl wearing a cymhal on heaid. for rhythmic vrtiacks. by partner during dance sessiim, off* the cob; Taking .hold for sonie faUp gagging with a couple of audience stooges. Mack then follows with 'St. Louis Blues' on the clarinet. -Followed by Strawberry RusselL • . sIow>talking Negro, who. manipulates oQe*strihged cigar, box for good, results, getung some real laughs and an encore, which he ^uses for- hoofing. • Jean Clark, next, okay with whistling and bird sounds. ■ Ray Richards gives out with good impressions of Armetta, Sparks and a particidarly strong version pf Paul Muni in 'Zola.' Cohduding bit, in which he handles a spot of ventrilo- quism in simulating Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy, socks. Richards is hard to follow but Sol Strausser, rotund tenor, .whacks out a bit of 'Pagliacci' to good returns and leads Into the. finale which re calls all the principals for nice cur- tain. Biz just fair. Burnt. EARLE, PHILLY PALACE, CHICAGO Chtcaoro, Nov. 26. Dixzy Dean dc Bob EUton, Bilt- mprettes,, Grdcie Barfie; Ross & Stone^ Tomack 6 Rett Bros.: 'Hard to. Gef (WB). This week is just a hole in the cal- endar so far as the box/ot&ce is con- cerned. Dean an^ Bison (New'Acts) bring tp the- stage a baseball and ether rep, but that rep is adding no. lustre to the front gate. Dean and Elson are pretty well khown around Chi. And from appearances^ maybe too well known. Perhaps elsewhere they may do better. Their cros«-talk is mostly, a rehash of what everybody already .knows. It's strictly a tirhe-fiUer. With buatoess way off^ the other acts are having a tough time of It, which is a. bad break, since all the others are standard turns knowing what they're on the stage for. They did the best they could to entertain the handful- of customers in the house, but the silences of those rows of empty seats put the damper on everything. Biltmorettes are an excellent tumblihg^ and- acro- batic turn, with the girls presenting a fresh and . clean-cut appearance and executing their work with style and manner. Grade Barrie is a surefire' singer no matter where caught, night club or theatre, and In this haunted spot she seemed even to make the-empty seats sit up and take noticci Fine pair of pipes, and a real flair for showmanship. Maxine Stone's whlat-the-hell man- ner was practically the McCoy here, but'^the 'show must go on, so she kibitzed « while with^■Benliy Ross. Then^ they both walked slowly off the stage. Toughest assignment went to Sid. TomacK and the Reis Bros., who- .had to work throughout the show. And according, to their rou- tine they have a Beq.uence in which they start a comic rcvolutioa against audiences who won't laugh. Some- where towards the, bade oi;]ttie house somebody laughed. That Was a, cop who had ]been called.in because the usherS' iWere^ getting & little fright- ened by the awful empthiess. Business, by the way, wasn't so hot at the last show Friday. Cold. STRAND. BROOKLYN Washtnpton, Nov. 27. Keene TuKns with Vic and La- morr.. Four Dudleys; Wllliej West if McGinty, Patricia Nonjum, Sixteen Roxyettes; 'Angels with Dirty Facesf (WB). Another smart example of house policy of fitting vaude to mood of picture Is clicking this week with regular line of girls backing up four acts against a detailed full-stage sidewaiks-of-New-York set. Curtains open as couple of line gals dolled up as ragamuffins heave tomato at strolling cop, who blows his whistle; and bulk Of line, in po-. lice coats and night sticks, busts onto" stage for a fast tap routine; Most of line melts off as Keene Twins and Vic and Lamarr enter to take over with speedy tap and acro- batics. Quartet works together at start and finish. Two b^./s and two ghls get full stage alone for sepa- rate double specialties. Collect nice hand for gamut, of standard dance timibling highlights. , Four Dudleys next warble 'Coming Round the Mountain,' 'Old MacDon- ald Had a Farm' and ''My Blue Heaven' in great style, Negro quar- tet has the facial expressions and the pantomime to go with instrumental effects and smooth rhythm; ahd went over nicely at show caught. Line's collection Of tappin- truck- ,ing and vocal outbursts-to tune of 'Christopher Columbus' installs Willie, West-and McGlnty in the scaffolding at rear of the set. Steady stream of mishaps such as sawing through wooden horse, stepping in buckets, mixing up lunch boxes and other perfectly timed carpentry slapstick pantomime is a riot as al- ways here. Fact that paraphernalia blends into set makes it all the more uhexpected and lifts act to biggest band ever. Tooting of auto horn offstage di- rects attention away from boys' necessary cleaning up of stage, and Patricia Norman's appearance driv^" itig a real auto onto stage takes «v«r the ovarytw^ekerfl by lurprir Stopped by cop. she bounces Philadelphia, Nov. 25. Jan Savltt Orch, Erit Blore, Ethel Shutta, Carlotta Dale, Jerry Taps, B&n Bon, Topper Trio, Dick it Leota Nash, Stella Stein 4k Sonny Borish; 'Thanks for Memory' (Par). Witih late cahcellation by PhiUips Lord Qf .his 'Gangbusters,' skedded for their first vaude appearance at the Earle, hoxise got £rlc Blore^ Ethel Shutta and Dick and Leota Nash to replace. Blore (New Acts) hasn't the proper material. He's given top bill- ing, but is spotted far forward in the show, while Miss Shutta. billed sec- ond, is reserved for the closer. Of five numbers Miss Shutta war- bles, 'Do It With a Twinkle in Your Eye/ Two-Family House' and 'Little Lady Make Believe' are ns.h. Final, 'She Was One of the Front Row (7als,' catches niftily and she has to encore which she does with a bur- lesque of 'Music, Maestro.' Providing -chuckles are Dick and Leota Nash (New Acts). Kids knockabout, dance, play with ropes and ge.t off fair gags. Biggest dicks are Stella Stein and Sonny Borish, winners of jitterbug contest con- duced in Warner theatres in con- junction with the Philadelphia News. Remainder of the show is Jan Savitt's unit, including his neat 12- piece awing orchestra.. Crew, part of the KYW, Philly, house band, has been appearing at the Arcaidia-In- ternational nitery, taking, a week off from there to work at the Earle. Combo is a good draw for the jive- nutty Earle. This Is its second en- gagement at the house in four months. With Savltt is Bon Bon, scat-singer, and Jerry Taps, hoofer, both Negroes, Bon Bon, with pleas- ing personality and nifty pipes, catches big. Taps, tall and lean, clicks nicely but fails to get the maximum out of his turn because of sameness in his routines. Carlotta Dale warbles with the band, doing 'Reverie' and 'Can't Give You Anything but Love.' Much im-- proved over her former trip here, she's still primarily a radio chlrper. Three Toppers, two boys and a gal, swing-sin« 'Sweet Varsity Sue* well. "■ ' " " -*d' You "*le. Teddy King house orch, Midgie Fellows, Billie Boy Friends (5), Carlton Emmy, Hal Le Roy, Molly Picon, Gil Lamb; 'Gangstefis Boy* (Mono). From the marqiiee thts bill would indicate entertalnmept In capital let- ters, but in its playing there are only two acts that keep the show from dodcterlng. Molly Picon is the headliner, and rightfully, for the little comedienne^ recently back from a six-month tour of English and Paris vaude houses performs smartly with her character sketches;. Then, too, there's Carltoa Emmy and his standard dog act which is sock with this audience, as always. Hal Le I^oy and Gil Lamb are also on for possible name value. Actually, though, it's Miss Picon whom the large Friday (25) night audience came to see since here it knows her as the Yiddish legit's most talented, comedienne, who was afalQ to steer her capabilities into a more fruitful field when that • entertain- ment took a nosedive some years- ago. She's garbed in an old-fash- ioned evening gown that might be. a little too conservative for her type of presentation. Her first number, 'Hands,' is good, detailing the sug- gestions that hands- convey in their daily use. (the number is not kin to that of the same title employed by ZaSu Pitts. in the letter's recent vaude tour). Miss Picon's best-sketch characterizes the daily life of a working girl. Particularly clicking are the gestures. Le Roy does a couple of taps and is later Joined by an unbilled dark- haired looker for whom he foils in some comedy patter that's n.sJi. He's still tapping to 'Lady Be Good' and makes an attempt, too, at singhig, but it's mild. However, the audi- ence vrent for his dancing opening night (25). Lamb has his moments in which, he tickleis the payees but after a while his comedy dancing gets pretty pale. He's also playing the har- monica a bit. Still does his old stunt of feigning swallowing the instru- ment and having it play while in his stomach by pressing different parts of his anatomy. An unbilled partner harmonicas on several instruments of assorted size, but it's merely a stage wait while Lamb cools off from earlier, strenuous dance efforts. Billie and her Boy Friends (5) are four males and a gal doing aero terps. The males are in tails, some- what uncomfortably attired for their strenuous type of entertainment, while she's more appropriately cos- tumed In shorts. , etc. Only fa>r. Though they work*hard enough, tne audience gave little Indication of ap- preciation. ,^ Teddy King's house orchestra 19 still around for its one spot, a mea- ley,.of college songs. King m.c. s ana is improving though he has rdort-ior more of the same. Midgie Fellows is * • ■'viallBt and swings one number.