Variety (Feb 1939)

VeJneeJay. February 15. 1939 VARIETY HOUSE REVIEWS VARmtY 47 CINE ROMA, N. Y. CarXo Burt, Mllto & 5h«o, The Casanovoi, Fmir Fantinos. Patricia Lunne, D^amatie troupe rCorradtno FotSiH, dfuplteltno OnqfH, Piertna Delfc SonMwJ. Adetai<fe Brunort, AUs Immelia, Vucy Franzese). House S-ch (10). conducted by Nick jiversano. The two-arday vaudeville being tried at the Cilia Roma (In itseU a misnomer since It's sans film), Is t)est described as ah antlpasto. A lit- tle of everything, a lot ot nothing, with Carlo Bull (New Acts) the dressing. . . Alternately, ah Italian vaudfllmer, ■traight film house and next (In two weeks) a site for an imported op- eretta troupe, house Is currently of- fering Buti' as headliner of a corny and tedious show that takes up three and a half hours at a $1.65 topi Only • patriot can sit it out. After appearances for Gotham's 1,000,000 Italians, Buti takes himself and his international recording rep., on tour of some other leading Ital- ian-populated towns for about two weeks. He returns to this house for another week before sailing home. Later, house returns to pol- icy of showcasing Roman films with Italian government in role of par- tial angel. After a very windy and cornfed overture, show, gets underway. 'Dream of an Artist' ballet routine opens, with 12 American girls alter'* nately posing and prancing in Greek gowns while G. Onofri, the artist, sleeps; L. Franzese, fattish, LatinJsh girl, tries to sing and the Casanovas, adagio team, dance. Sleeper awakes, end so does audience, with curtain. Working 'in one,' Mills and Shea, Yank knockabouts in sailor figs, work hard doing a few unusual turn-. bling tricksi but don't put enough flash into their turn. Cav. Dino Bolognese, biUed as 'celebrated comic,' talks indefinitely, sings comic songs and then goes Into a couple of antiquated comic dance tieps. ■ He's nice looking, works in tails and has-some personality, but effuses too much. Casanovas, blonde girl and Latin inrtner, go through a hybrid ball.> room-adagio that's fast. Speedy spins of girl on partner's shoulders and. overhead standout Before closing with a Mardi Gras number ^ith .girls in Gypsy cos- tume, tiie Fantinos, mixed trapeze- acrobatic quartet, run through a series of click stunts, making for one ot sho.w's few socks. Middle-aged woman handles single high bar as- Elgnment, hanging by legs while ottier three twist, turn and flip on suspended cords, from, her iron-jaw. Each does solo work of one-arm sup- port acrobatics while dangling from old girl's ivory. Younger girl does • marathon one-arm cross-flip. Mardi Gras number features Pa- tricia Lynne, lanky tapster. Girl Is fast, but awkward. Costumes ac- centuate her length for further lack ot grace. Gaping facial expression also no asset to enhance a dancing ability that might well get some- where. The line lends the show some s.a., being a rather pretty and well rehearsed collection of girls. Following playlet in Italian Is a domestic comedy of sorts wherein the ballet girls make an appearance for no apparent reason. All .talk and no action, except for some wild gesticulating In best Italian manner, makes It little better than 75 min ntes ot ennui. It seems to be a fam Uy mixup of daughter and hubby feuding, over supposed extra-marital activities of the groom, ma and pa Intervening, Buti's entrance following this ■cene picks up the pace.- Coming as he does after such an admixture of show styles, the singer still man- '§?2 to hold his audience tightly wiUi his top-notch tremolo singing •no Continental personality. But «ven his bit takes better than a Mlt-hour," which again demonstrates the poor pacing and over-production ever present in European theatricals. Whether fllms or stage fare, and Which contrasts so sharply with Vank style. . Audience here takes itself very seHously, hissing and .shushing any- Wdy making slightest noise. Hurl. morgue for an interesting study of events In the Pontiff's life. Next to the refugee clips other strong subjects Include shots of a figantic Australian forest Are Pathe), a brief clip showing army planes over the Sierras, with the mountains an Immense and impres- sive backdrop (U), excerpts from talks by Hoover and Senator Bark- ley on neutrality laws (Pathe), a goofy bit about prizefighters hexing each other (Par) and a couple of lively Ice skating races (M-G and Fox). Rest Is pretty much the ordinary newsreel filler material; including a two military school commeincements (M-G and Fox), a bloomin' British comedy, sequence about Valentine's day, not too funny (Par), the season- al shot of the Wyoming elks being fed (Fox), several so-so sports biis of varied release and the usual pub- licity plants of obviously staged stuff. It's really a tepid week in the reels, since the strongest subject Kobe. APOLLO, N. Y. Andy Kirk orch (15), with Mary Lou Williams & Pha Terrel; Moke & Poke, Wilton Crawlev, Mary Bruce Dancers (20), Vivian Harris, Jimmie Baskette, Johnny laRue, George Waiiams; 'Big Fella' (British made). Apollo has a solid aggregation in the Andy Kirk, crew this week and needs little else. For the current stanza^ house is giving the regular line a rest an'd brought in a combo boy and girl troupe of 20 to handle the dance assignments. They're the Mary Bnice Dancers. Line is tal- ented, fresh, and displays several excellent unison efforts, notably the fadeoff. Midway, bit, though, in which terpers do challenge work in pairs, is too long. Kirk's band, featuring Terrel and Mary Lou Williams, latter at the piano, is reaUy the soqk portioa_of lacks action and the rest-is-definltely the 85-miiiule ' layout c!rew is a humdrum, ti-i.- . .. EMBASSY, N. Y. (NEWSBEEL) Outstanding subject in this week's newsreel bill at the Embassy is the gnval • of Spanish -refugees in "ance, covered in Universal and r^J^ount dips. No printed words m the tiew.Qnnrtpre nan rnnvpv the . the newspapers can convey the •neer heartbrealc.as. forfiefpfly .as yiese scenes of ragged and exhausted «)yalist sympathizers trudging over .jreezlng mountain passes, crowding *nrough narrow French village streets and scrambling pathetically lor chunks of dry bread. The utter •wpelessness of their outlook and the tragic eagerness with which they "ling to.ltfe make thcso-*eeIs-jmud evidence of a hideous facet of cur- rent history. . Following the death of the Pope, varied dips were called from the KEITH'S, BOSTON Boston, Feb. 10. Gil Lamb & Tommy Sanford, Kim Loo Sisters (5), Dr. Hoffman, Gine, Duffen & IiCtois, Marjone &■ Jimmy Grtmlev. Eddie Aosentoald's house orch; 'Newsbovs' Home' (U) OTid 'There's That Woman Again' (Col). Gil Lamb saves this show from swerving below the medium grade' with his clowning and eccentric dancing in the next-to-close spot Gets good assistance from Tommy Sanford and - his harmonica. Lamb offers more chatter than he usually gives out Gilbert Bros., two new faces, open tbe show with a short, but socko routine of horizontal bar aero stunts. They encore with some slow risley muscle maneuvering that clicks. Dr. Hoffman is still fooling em with his magic drinks, rang- ing from brandy to chocolate soda, and he picks up the pace of the show in the trey, following the dancing and vocaling of the Kim Iioo Sisters in the deuce. Opening precision - dance by three of the girls is the best bit Gine, Duffen and Lewis ' rip off some good comedy acrobatic stuff in their burlesque ballroom turn, while- Marjorie and Jimmy Grimley, Jitterbug Champions of New Eng- land, close the layout with a rou- tine that has become rather fa- miliar locally. Fox. STANLEY, PITT Pittsburgh, Feb. 10. Eddy Dtichin's orch (13), Letu Sherwood, Dufelle Alexander, Stanr ley Worth, Johnny MocA/ce, Ray & Trent, Burton Pierce, Tophatters (2); •They Made Me a Criminal' (WB). From the getaway to a sizzling orchestral finish featuring 'Stormy Weather" with lightni.ng effects, Eddy Duchin's show is in the groove for both jitterbugs, and antis. Early shows have all the former out and yelling their approval, while the more sedate night crowds respond with more subdued, but solid en- thusiasm. , ' . Displaying smart showmansnip. Duchin has whipp«d up an hour of entertainment with elements to please all classes of patronage. Tal- ent runs from two acrobatic turns to classy hoofing a la Fred Astaire by Burton Pierce and pleasant vocaliz- ing by members of the band, and fe- male vocalist Durelle Alexander. As always, Duchin sticks to premise that they like the tunes they know and gives out with top flight num- bers of today and yesterday, not at- ' tempting anything new. Band whams out two well-played numbers for a good start—'This Can't Be Love' and 'What Have You Got' Durelle Alexander, cute trick with good delivery, arrives with 'Jeepers Creepers,' 'Umbrella Man,' 'Ole Man Mose,' and encores with 'My Heart Belongs to Daddy.' Girl registers solidly and crowd asks for more even after four tunes. Burton Pierce follows with two exception- ally accomplished hoofing turns. Pierce, in style, is a cross between Clifford Webb and Fred Astaire and his classy terpsichore rings the gong. Lev/ Sherwood counters with some swing interpretations of 'Volga -Boatmen"- and- SDark—Eyes'-on..bis. trumpet followed by two vocals by baritoning Stanley Worth, who does well by 'Deep in a Dream' and 'Two Sleepy People.' Tophatters, formerly billed Betty and Jimmy, offer a fast rolter-slmting routine, nicely cos- tumed, for good, results. Johnny MacAfee sings two songs well, one a comedy parody of 'Beautiful Baby' with assist from Miss Alexander, Show is -Wghlighted by the su* perior muscle work of Ray and Trent who mix effective comedy touches with their lifting and toss- ing. Three medley piano solos by Duchin go home for solid audience approval, Duchin, throughout, is self-effacing and very pleasant in ha ndling the show and band. Biz somewhat dampened by heavy downpour throughout afternoon opening day (Friday), but good nevertheless. ■ ot Roxy, has effected tieup with WSB, Atlanta Journal's station, for series of weekly programs featuring talent from Roxy's stage. Lucas held f-n spot on program aired Monday (13). Luce. EARLE, PHILLY PARAMOUNT, L A. good, seller on records and, except for a one-nighter at the Savoy BaU- room, has never been located in New York, or reached any. real prominence. Where or how the crew has been missed can't be told, but there are few bands in.its class that are better; Though Miss Williams is spot- lighted at the keyboard throughout she's wisely held under wraps. Does fine-work; but too much of any one instrument. can hurt Kirk brings standout men down to the mike for solo breaks, and near the close in- troes Floyd Smith, electric guitarist, for a dick session. Opens with 'Song of the Islands' and winds up swing- ing out like a hot clarinet He's out- standingly clever. Crew's style is not the usual noisy output confining itself to getting out solid rhythm, sometimes sweet and sometimes jump-sending. Mixture blends neatly. Pha Terrel is very popular with Harlemites. Does three tunes. 'Hurry Home" is n, s. g,; Won't Tell a Soul,' is right up his alley, and an original, 'The Ghost of You' is not for his voice. Piper shines best in sniooth ballads, Uke his second try. Moke and Poke follow an opening number by the house comedians. Pair of colored boys work in spontaneous style that gives the impression they were rushed in from a street comer. They tap, sing, tell old gags with an apologetic cringe, and in general pull eccentric stuff that has plenty on the ball. Ifs nutty, but cleverly planned stuff that has much audience appeal in Harlem. Wilton Crawley Is a darinet solo- ist, interspersing barnyard imitations with a balancing trick. He plays the licorice stick, too, from a position on the floor, supporting himself with his head and feet Juggling Is done with glasses on his head and a chair bal- anced on his chin while terplng. Show doesn't hold much comedy. Johnny LaRue and George Williams, .straighted by Jimmie Baskette and Vivian Harris, manage a few laughs. The few sets used in show are heat Philadelphia, Feb, 10. . Bennv Goodman's orch, Martha Tilton, Zi00V Elman, Lionel Hamp- ton, Teddy Wilson, Jess Stacy, Chris Griffin, Walter 'Dare' Wahl & Jonie Trama, Betty Keene; 'Mr. Moto's Last Warning" (20fh). ' Benny Goodman is playing a re- turn .engagement 'at the' Earle, but failing to cause the riot of last Febr ruary, when windows were smashed and reserves called to quell, jitter- bug enthusiasts. On opener caught there were some empty seats in au- dience, apparently due to heavy downpour. Strong-arm ushers pa- raded up and down the aisles to pre- vent impromptu shagging that marked band's last appearance, but show was nevertheless marked by the stomping and hand-clapping that has become ritual here. Goodman's crew opens with 'Blues' medley, with maestro getting in his usual sock solos on his licorice stick. Crowd really gets off its hands when Ziggy Elman starts going to' town on his trumpet At this show, he was kept on stage for 10 minutes jamming everyUiing from solid jive to Yiddish troelichs. Betty Keene, clever little hoofer, does, a combination shag and comic routine that's entertaining. She has a 'nuts-torthe-audience'^ attitude that's infectious, (xoodinan gang then swings out with 'One O'clock Jump,' which brought on the stomp- ing and a few would-be shaggers were squelched. Martha Tilton socks with 'My Heart Belongs to Daddy,* 'Won'tcha Hurry Home' and 'The Cuckoo In the CHock.' She encores with 'Jeepers Creepers.' Walter .'Dare' Wahl and Jonie Trama, Mutt and Jeff combo, insert really clever comedy acrobatic routine at this point and then Good- man gets hot with 'Hold Tight' Goodman trots out Lionel Hampton and Teddy Wilson and working as a trio, the boys really send with a whole raft of tunes, wlndlru: up with the 'Umbrella Man,' Hampton is punchy on vibraphone, while Wilson, piano, and Goodman get in some hot licks. Show winds up on all cylinders with 'Wrap It Up.' Paramount, Newark ROXY, ATLANTA Atlanta, Feb. 11 Gae Foster Roxyettes (16), The Rutons, Beatrice Howell, Ken & Roy Paige, Nick Lucas, Mike Segal's house bond (11); 'In Hot Woter* (20th). Rudolf Friml's 'Rosie Marie' med' ley, marred by sour tooting by house band, opens this show, which is clocked in 52 rains. Layout how' ever, is a pleaser, getting off to a good start when Roxyettes, in star spangled blouses, shakos and shorts, prance on for military drill to med- ley of stirring march tunes and finish beating oversized snare drums. Rutons, man- and wife team in sec- ond spot, put four canines through pack of tricks that score. Pups show plenty of intelligence and training, difficult balancine stunts being par- ticularly good. Personable Beatrice Howell, Rudy Vallee program grad- uate, also dicks with her 'Reel Satires,' impersonations Of film folk A looker, femme's mimicry is built on the comic side and is effective, Ken and Roy Paige follow with a wow combo comedy dance and turn' blihg act that tied up -show. Lads, particularly Roy Paige, have a stren uous routine, spending most of their time on floor, Roy Paige's headlong dive into pit and subsequent bits set a new high in noisy nonsense. CuS' tomers didn't want to let boys go, but -they-hranaged-ta-get off- -when—twa Roxyetters, gairbed as nuthouse keep' ers, surrounded Roy and dragged hini into wings, Roxyettes, in flowing .filmy gowns and carrying. pink paper hearts to carry out Valentine motif, eu through a rhythmic routine to 'Day After Day.' striking pose at end to bring on Nick Lucas. Troubadour warbles 'Jeepers Creepers' and "Umbrella Man;' strumming-his own guitar ■ac- companiment. Also sings 'Tiptoe through the Tulips' and 'Mexifali Rose.' encoring with 'Greait Ameri can Home,' which he introed on Al Pearce's radio hour. Lucas had dif- flculty getting off, finally bringing on Roxyettes for closing number, a tap hio-shakine routine to Von Suppe's 'Poet and Peasant,' Biz on show caught, last on open- Ine tlav Saturday (11) was full up. M. J. Baranco, managing director Los Angeles, F<>b. 9, Bert Lynn, Art Tattim, Gifford A Peorl, Myla; George Boitjte, Fon- chonettes. Rube Wolf, orch; 'Beach- comber (Par). Stage show runs heavily to South Seas and Hawaiian motif, as atmos-. phere for main screen attraction, with couple of other twists throwTi in for good measure. Toppers are two musical turns, one a straight piano act the other a novelty that runs the gamut from jazz to classics. Art Tatum, colored pianist, is in next-to-close spot following Bert Lynn and his vibrolyhn (electric. .•;uitar), but overcomes this tough opposition by his artistry. Tatum, with impaired sight, has been unable to read a note of music for years, yet his retentive memory results -in a masterful demonstration of,, the ivories. Most of his numbers .are glayed with his own interpretation, ut it's class aU the way through. Lynn's performance on his own in- vention, the vibrolynh, is surefire au- dience stuff, and he performs with dexterity. Most of his renditions are various sound effects, but he also plays several Hawaiian tunes as well as pops. During one of the Hawaiian numbers he is backed by the Fah- chon.ettes doing a native dance, and Myla, featured dancer, tossing her torso in the South Seas fashion. Rube Wolfs orch is on stage throughout playing under a South Seas setting, first routine being a number by the Fanchonettes wearing native costumes. Orchestra accom- paniment is a bit too brassy for best results. Novelty interlude is a ren- dition by four saxes played as steel guitars. Sequence winds up with a tuba solo by Geprge Boujie, which is well done but hardly .entertain- ment Gifford and Pearl, mixed team ot comics, offer a burlesque ballroom routine and a ventriloquial bit tliat's fuU of hokum, but diverting. Closing ntmiber by the Fanchonettes is a ball routine, femmes being garbed in beach attire. Plenty of audience ap- peal in fairly well-rounded bill. Edwa. UNIT REVIEW Newark, Feb. 11. Louis Armstrong's orch, 5onnv Woods, Midge Williams, Nicodemus, Biff-Time Crip, Jimmie Rodgers & Freddie Gordon; 'Persons in Hidinti' (Par;. The Paramoimt and the Shubert have been alternating on their band attractions lately. Last week Him- ber got the jitterbugs at the Shubert while the Paramount featured the Folies Bergere,' This week the Paramount has the only name band in town. Louis 'Satchmo' Armstrong promises to give a good b. o. account of himself, but better Harlem shows have been staged at this house. The jovial Armstrong ambles on after his boys get started and then whips up the crowd with several of his better known recordings. He gives them a breathing space when diminutive Midge Williams plain- tively sings, 'What Have You Got That Get's Me?' -The crowd made her do a couple of encores at this catehing, ahd then one-legged Big Time Crip galloped on with a sing- ing ahd whistling introduction, fol- lowed by a clever interpretation of the Lambeth Walk and the fast-step- ping Boogey Woogey, Armstrong brings his boys to the fore again with 'Brother Mose,' doing a hot on the trumnet Sonnv Woods, pleasing tenor, sings 'My Own' and a half dozen requests from out front Nicodemus, late of Hollywood and the Eddie Cantor air show, acquits himself creditably with a lazy inter- oretation of a torch song, followed by what he facetiously calls 'A Gravy Dance Under a Pork Chop Tree.' ^ Jimmy £Qdgers..and-£rcddy.-Got> don, in green and yellow suits with red ,<!hoes, wham with their comedy dancing, and Armstrong ends up in fine fashion with a jam session of 'Jeepers Creepers' and 'Tiger Rnse,' Dalz. N. Y. Promoters Seek Phflly House -for Burley Philadelphia, Feb. 14. A group of New York promoters are reported to have made overtures to the Betz estate, owner of the Nixon-Grand theatre, for the purpose of renting the house for burlesque. House was closed three weeks ago after a two-month run - with sepia vaude show under aegis of Sam Sticfel and Eddie Sherman. REVUE SWINGEROO (CAPITOL, ATLANTA) Atlanta, Feb. 12. Myles Bell, Vicki & Kay, Nolan A Kenny, Nan Bedini, Jean fiedini, Vic- toria lb-Frank, Enrico Leide's Copt-- tolians (7) & Earl Morse's unit band {5);'King of the Underworld' (WB). A. compact show, this one ..owes much to Myles Bell,- m. c., who knows how to build up acts to the point where even mediocre ones stand out Unit was produced by Jean Bedini, who digs back into his burlesque-producing days for bits and business that stamp the show as being different from run of the mine units' that have been playing south- em time. Overture by combined bouse and unit bands has gyp^ theme. Maestro Enrico Ijelde working in organist Bob Hess. Bell comes on to get things going, singing parody to Strike Vp the Band' as various char- acters In show troupe on and off bearing cards to Intro themselves. Vicki Bell and Kay Arthur, sister team, then offer a swift rSythm tap and make way for Nolan and Kenny. in a jitterbug dance. Both acts score. Bell and his wife. Nan Bedini, niece of the producer, slip on for, comedy chatter and hokum in front of mike, including old burle.<!que baseball bit modernized to fit a vaudeville situation. They finish with girl doing a comedy dance. Jean Bedini then does a magic dice bit with Bell. Victoria and Frank, man and wife equilibrist team, follow. Pair work atoo small turntable, Nolan and. Kenny return garbed as West Point cadets, for a military tap that gets across, Bedini, again assisted by Bell and niece, does his bottle and plate-jugglin<! act in cab-' aret ,^ettlhg. He doesn't have to doff, his skimmer to anyone in juegling business. Bell gets the laughs in this bit --Vicki-und "Kay-return for a fast ' icio dahce routine and .^ge is set for flnale, which gets different twist when B!!dlni and Bell each choosovj half the house ahd half the perform- ers for a contest betwpen the old .<ifvle and modem entertainment Show is clocked In 59 minutes, but management chonped out seven of ihere on second .'how by eliminating Bedlni's magic dice bit There'.'! 15 in febmoany, "including five tooters. Costuming is neat and clern. Shows that plav. Can for. seven Ha.vs are also filling one, tv;o and three-day dates at Rov-il, Columbus: ■Ritz, Macon: Lyric, Waycro.'.s. and Bijou, Savannah, all Lucas & Jenkins hou.^es now hclni' booked bv Harry Clark, L, & J, is also planning vaude fllm nnl'cy at Piilace, Athcn.":, and Wrtie.'k'. Au»u5ta, Riz at th's viewing, opener .•?iiiK'ay (12), was capacity. Luce,