Variety (Apr 1939)

44 VARIETr VARIETY HOUSE REVIEWS Wednesday, April S, 1939 MUSIC HALL, N. Y. Richard Leibert, Symphony Orch, Louise Bernhardt, Jeanne Deve- reaux, Ballet, George Meyer, Morion llober, Robert Landrum, Choir, 3 Svnfts, Alyse Cerf, Valya, Valenttn- off. Vol Gueral, Rockettcs; 'The Storv of Vernon and Irene Castle (flKO), reviewed in this issue. Plenty of show this and next week at-thfe mammoth'Hall, The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle' (RKO) be- ing in for a fortnight, and the sea- sonal Easter trimming embellishing the rostrum portion. Per usual, now Its sixth annual repeat, 'Glory of Easter' is a lavish but tastefully mounted holiday spec, serving as an hors d'ouvre to the major stage pre- sentation. Louise Bernhardt and the entire Music Hall ensembles flank the mammoth stage, and spill over Into the side runways, making for a most impressive flash. The ecclesias- tic atmosphere is. super-Koxy, of course, but all kept in impeccable taste. This new Disney SUly Symph, •Ugly Duckling,' interrupts the stage sequence before Part Two of the •Easter Greetings' presentation is \xn- folded. CapUoned 'In Quaint Wil- liamsburg,' after the historic Virginia town which the Rockefellers rehabil- itated, Leon LeonidoS has produced a beautiful flash, harking back to Sre-Hevolutionary holiday festivities, inmo Maine's setting and Eugene Brsiun's lighting enhance the pre- sentation considerably. Marco Mon- tedero, WiUa Van and H. Rogge's costumes are likewise historically authentic and in general keeping with the decor. Gamboling at the Capitol Gates— WUliamsbUTf; was once the glamor- ous capital of the British colony of Virginia—the fa^lon parade l5 ap- propriately introed by Jeanne Dev- ereaux and the ballet George Meyer as the Town Crier segues into the Easter Parade, Albert Stillman hav- ing supplied a bright set of new lyrics to naraphrase Gilbert and Sul- livan In The Bonnets that Bloom in the Spring,' which Marion Baber, Kobert Landrum and the male choir (William Reid is the new director) feature. Billed as The Liverpool Trio, for some reason, the 3 Swifts, with their expert club-swlnglng and throwing, are next, a nice interlude. A patriotic finale by Russell Mar- kert's ever-socko Rockettes takes it off on the upbeat. The Music Hall Symph's chore fea- tures the concertmelster, whose per sonal violin soloini; rates the special calcium. Frank Nowlckl, incident- ally, Is a new associate conductor, along with Mischa Violin, under maestro Emo Rapee. Despite the-advent of Holy Week, biz was strong Thursd^ and Fri- aud's head. Since then, however, Lewis has built up a rep through a lengthy stay at the Walton Roof and he's added new material. So it's an entirely different story now. His ]Bngllsh music hall brand of humor tops anything seen from an m.c. here in months. In some spots the ma- terial could still stand some writing down to a vaude audience, but most of it is sureflre, including such stuff as a description of hors d'oeuvres as 'herring with a press agent' Much of the other Lewis stuff is al- ready, classical, includinc his 'Genus' bit and 'Sam, You Made de Pents Too Long.' He had difficulty beg- STATE, N. Y. Toriy Galento. Joe Jacobs, Lew Parker & Co., Beo Soxon, Bryont, Rotrtes & Young, Erskine Hawkins' orch.; 'HonoluW (MG). ging off. Hal LeRoy and Neila GoodeUe, singles, complete'the bilL LeRoy is the perpetual collegiate looking ter- per and as smooth as ever. His free- wheeling legs and eccentric bits rank him near the top for tappers; 'Jam session' to Venuti's flddllnjg of 'Honeysuckle Rose' is a pip, as are his own 'Say It With Taps' and his encore without music, which he tabs 'Ad Llbblne Around.' Miss Goodelle's returns were also fairly strong. Attractive, she sells nicely and gives a tonfllght rendition of 'Been Purple.' She has a rather high voice tor so the Fox mike makes, it sound), but shows good melody, range and flexibility in 'Shuteye' and 'Devil and Deep Blue Sea.' Herb. day. Abel. FOX, PHILLY Philadelphia. March 31 Joe Venuti's orch, Joe £. Letois, Hal tieRov, Neila Goodelle, Don Darcv, Adolph Komspan house band; 'Vm From Missouri' (Par), Flesh combO' at the Fox at the show caught had ihuch to overcome in the way of the p.b> system. The manner in which it sudceeded was a tribute to the people in the show. It seems hardly understand' able that after spendmg thousands of dollars for talent; the house lets most of the acts' good qualities es' cape through mishandling of the am' pliflers. P.a. system was turned, up so loud that it was not only shrill and deafening, but was feeding back and emitting a squeal during the en' tire show. Jce Vehuti, backed by his crew of 11 sweet-swingers, heads up the pro .ceedings. Opens with his addle, fea tured against the background of the orch, and continues to play nifty swing arrangements on his instru ment . throu.'?hout It's rather i pleasant ch=*ige from other jive ba' toneers with clarinets and trom' bones, or the tyne that carries a fid die but never plays it Venutl, him self, with his thick gargly voice, is a nice switch from the accustomed si'avity of band leaders. Orch keeps up a stiff visual as well as musical pace all the way. It' h'-;hly entertaining with a variety of stunts, outstanding of which is Its takeoff on the March of Time. With one. of the lads in the crew calling the turns In the manner of the M. of T. announcer, various other bandsmen do imnersonations. Venutl tees off with RubinoS and His VIo lin. Warbler Don Darcy follows with Carman tiombardo. Then the whole band takes part in the- old but still funny bits nf watching Sir Mai com Campbell whiz by and watching a tennis match. Nifty copy ot Bing Crosby Is given by Darcy,. and Vea uM -closes with a protruding jaw M'l-kSolini that brings solid guffaws. ■Vocalist Darcy-, with the crew, Isn't much on looks, but Is ultra on voice. His sv/lng version of 'Old 'Man River' is tops. Also does 'MaS' qu'^rade Is Over.' Joe E. Lewis serves t^s m.c. and comfc. Here at the Earle about year ago, he was pretty much of flzz. His line of patter was either toa blue or was too sophisticated and' passed right over the Earle ROXY, ATLANTA Atlanta. March 30, Gae Foster Roxyettes (16), Harrv Stetjcns, Fronk & Pete Trodo, Matter & Davis, Judy Canova, Annie & Zeke, Mike Segal's house bond (14); 'Breofcinfl the Ice" (RKO). Solid stuff ih this show is'concen- trated In classy routines by Roxy- ettes and Judy'.Canova, aided and abetted by Annie and Zeke. What goes on otherwise is not so good.' House band's overture consists of bits froin 'Connecticut Yankee,' fol- lowing which Harry Stevens trots on to take over m. c. duties. Opening line routine to 'Habanera' Is fast and colorful. Femmes make way for Frank and Pete Trado. so-so comedy twins', who sing a bit and dish up hokum and pantomime, which, tor the most part, proves inane. They get laughs tow- ard end of their act however, when one mounts shoulders of other and they appear as giant clad in long overcoat for some hoofing. Line re- appears for a chrome disk routine that's prettily lighted, and they then fade back to reveal Motter and Davis, hand-balancers. I,ads get fair re- sults, although Roxy custo'mers haven't much of a yen for this type of act. Stevens, who claims Atlanta as his home, does his act in this spot He plays banjo only fairly, and sings little better. He also attempts to cajole customers into some commtm- ity singing, with poor' success. His hoofing gets him nowhere, either. Jiidy Canova, Annie and Zeke draw a big reception and get right down to work, their first number be- ing the old hillbilly standby, "Blow the Whistle, Ring the Bell.' Trio bear down on 'Death of Jesse James,' with Judy giving full play to her voice trickery, good for laughs. They' en- core with 'St Louis Blues,' and then were forced to deliver 'Dinah.' Finale is a collegiate jamboree by Roxyettes to 'Mama Don't Allow.' Dance is speedy and girls are neatly clad In collegiate garb. Into this closing dance is worked jitterbug routine by Patsy and Billie Mc- Laughlin, pair of local youngsters ad- judged winners In series of jitterbug contests staged by Roxy for past six weeks. Show Is clocked In fraction over an hour, about 10' minutes longer than Roxy's customary shows, and this one could stand chopping. Stev- ens' announcements, tor instance, are unnecessary. Biz at this catching, second of four shows on openlne day (30), was not so good. Luce. ROXY, N. Y. Despite a pelttaig r^ln on the start- ing afternoon Thurs. (30). there was strong attendance for first two shows here, principally because of Tony Galento (New Acts) making his initial stage appearance. Show runs an hour and 10 minutes, but not be- cause of the tubby pugilist who is to fight Joe Louis for the heavy- weight title in June, as the 'two-ton guy' is not on long. Accompanying the appearance of the 'warrior' from Jersey, there arc window cards, replicas of the kind used to advertise fight shows. Ga- lento Is pictured with his hairy chest across which is a placard reading: 'Don't expect no Clark Gable in me—and Joe Louis ain't no Frankenstein to me either.' This is calculated to steam up Louis, accord- ing to the sometimes loquacious Joe Jacobs, Tony's manager, and the word is around that the champ objects to being called a 'bum,' by which term Galento, rates all opponents—and- others. The show Is spotty. Galento's principal contribution, outside of his use of pool parlor language, is a crack bit of bag punching. Lew Parker is the show's other comic and m.c. with a periodic routine that is only so-so. He has done better, but the main idea of the turn remains; that of getting laughs from the heckling ot stooges out front On with Marcella Clair, Parker starts slowly. His act follows Bea Saxon and Galento. It may have been that the amplifier was turned on too loud, but Parker sSemed to shout His turn with Artie Conrojr Paul Murdock, Miss Clair an^-Sid Gold is in trouble as regards a finale, biit he bows off by introducing Er- skine Hawkins. Milton Frome, with Galento, is also too loud. It is quite different when Hawkins and his colored bandsmen appear for the bill's best' entertainment Con- ductor, who specializes with the cor- net, ke^ps away from the mlcro- >hone knowingly after long.famillar- . ty with radio. The Hawkins bunch is mostly made up of brasses, but the hot trumpet stands out starting with "High and Migh^.' Bass sax then cues the whole collection of specialties in 'Taint What You Do.' ■ Art Jarrett, Poul Remos and Toy Boys (Z), Dorothy Crooker, Gae Foster Girls, Paul Ash orch; 'Alex- ander Graham Bell' (20th), re viewed in this issue. Art Jarrett heads one of the thin' nest stage shows this house ever at- tempted to get by with. It's Holy Week and that in all probability is the answer, supplemented by man- agerial expectation that 'Alexander Graham Bell' is going to do all the drawing there is to be. In addition to the receptive mood engendered by Jarrett's singing, the Gae Foster girls produce a beauti- ful spring effect In a swing routine; As usual, the line provides major backgrounding for the show. Other acts are standard—Paul Remos and his two midgets, billed as Toy Boys, and Dorothy Crooker, control dancer. Miss Crooker is novelty specialty, also not new. Length of the feature, 07 minutes, has reduced the running time ot the stage show to considerably less than normal. Newsreels and Vjrvyan Donner Fashion Forecast (20th) round out Chaf.' Ida May James is the band's girl warbler, a light-skin who takes her time. She-gives a leisurely rendition ot 'My Heart Belongs to Daddy,' lyric being different than the origl nal She has the same tempo with 'Good for Nothing But Love,' but the audience likes her. The Four. Ink Spots prove the bell-ringers of the band act The house whistled after "Peepers' and 'Big Two Feef so the aggregation went into, a jam session. Miss Saxon is the Individual hit of the show. Blonde torch singer warms up slowly with 'You Made Me Want to LOve You,' stepping it up with Berlin's 1 Love a Piano,' quite suited to her style, and then whamming 'em with 'Sixty Seconds.' Show opens excellently with Bryant Raines and Young in a routine of acrobatic, contortlonistlc and adagio dancing. This turn Is plenty good for the stage or night spots. Ibee. STATE, HARTFORD Hartford, April 2. Shirley Ross, Barbara -Belmore, Happy Felton's orch, with BlUy GaU braith. Louise Dunne, Ken Neely, Lorratne Barre, May Erickson, Sam Kaplan's house band; 'Love On Pa- role* (Mono) and 'Romance On the Run' (Rep). Shrine Circus this week Is keep' inj; attendance at the State to i minimum. For this same reason the house, which normally puts on a new bill on Wedpesday^ was shut tered until Friday (31), opening on that day with Shirley Ross and the Happy Felton unit splitting the mar quee lights. House was wise In spotting lesser name band here. this week, getting good entertainment value and practically the same b.o. returns a more expensive aggregation would have brought In. . 'veteran maestro is an expert showman and exudes a pleasing - personality across the boards. Felton's unit boasts more singers than any other band that has ever played here. He has five fea- tured vocalists, besides himself. ' Tee-off is a longwinded Intro of the featured members of the band, each going before the mike. Follows this with an imitation ot the styles of Calloway, Lombardo. Goodman, Whiteman and Wayne King. First vocalist heard Is Billy Galraith, an Irish tenor, who sings. 'Irish Mother o'MIne' to nice returns. Barbara Belmore, aero dancer, fol- lows. Gal uses a. tan dance as a novelty Intro to her aero offerings, dropping the fans when she goes Into the latter. She registers. Fol lowing a band number, Lorraine Barre vocaUzes 'Billy Boy.' Louise Dunne, soprano, impresses with 'Zing, Zing, Zing.' Besides naving a book of popular tavs on band, the corpulent maestro has no dearth ot comedy novelty offerings. Starts off with a cowboy number and follows with a hillbilly quartet mountaineers, Marty Snerd, cotoiedlftn, and a singing' quartet of hansom cabbies, appropriately at- tired. Ken Neely, accomplng self with accordion, sings 'I Cried for You,' and 'Star In My Blue Heaven.' Felton, In a comedy offering, uses for his foil a corpulent girl. May Erick- son. Both do a parody, 'Two Hefty ! People' Following a short spiel by Felton, Miss Ross appears on the boards, Film play<er sings a number of songs she has introed, or helped to Intro- duce, and clicks. She would do just as well by eliminating some useless patter with Felton. On opening day, at second show caught, house p.a. system went sour and set up ah in- cessant hum, hampering singer's vocal efforts. The band finales with a 'History of Swing,' in which various sections of the aggregation are spotted. . Eck, EMBASSY, N. Y. (NEWSBBELS) Newsreels hardly can be blamed if much of the screen material this week has that library-shelf glow. Virtually every reel leaned heavily on available material in rushing their issues out to duck any rever- berations or delays that might be caused bjr the lATSE strike or ex- changes. Considering such a situa- tion, the newsreel eds did mighty welL Universal is picked tor the lead- off spot with its treatment of the Spanish revolution. Graham Mc- Namee's trim narration brings it up to date. Photographic material is highlights of the conflict and recently received shots from Spain. Fox Movietone does about the same thing, showing scenes of revolutionary strife with pungent dialog to bring it to date. The 'Stop HiUer* drive and its ramifications give the reels full sway on several fronts. Fox covers the Prague angle and a Cordell Hull speech on foreign developments. Paramount shows marchers in New York's Antl-Hitler parade, with a vivid closeup ot Mayor F. liaGuardia lambasting the Nazi leader over a battery of radio mikes. Senator Borah speaking over NBC, captured by Pathe. and warning U. S. people to steer clear ot European machina- tions, brings the loudest audience re- sponse. XJniversal covers Harry M. Warner welcoming the son of a Czech leader to Hollywood, getting all pos- sible out of Warner's well-directed boot at Hitler. Meeting of English and French leaders to consolidate forces, with a review ot French forces. Is handled by Fox. Pathe dug up a British fleet maneuver, with Gibraltar mentioned. Lew Lehr, doing straight and ques- tioning winners without appearing on the screen, gets more lauighs than he sometimes gamers with six comi- cal' Interviews of Sweepstakes vic- tors. Rest of the clips are tmlmpor- tant stock, library or p. a. stuff. 'March of Time* (RKO) completes the biU. Wear, FLATBUSH, B'KLYN Rita RU/s orch (12), June Carr & Jo Rollq,_ Willie_ & Eugene Howard, Molly Picon; 'I (Mono). Am a Criminal' FOX, ST. LOUIS St. Louis, March 31. Al Pearce, Vince Sheehan, Arlene Horris, Andy Andrews. Everett West, Lyda Sue, Bill Wright, Vic Hyde, Randall Sisters. Carl Hof s orch (20); Tm From Missouri' (Par). His sole vaude engagement ot the year at Fanchon & Marco's S.OOO- seater Fox finds .Al Pearce totln' con- siderably more avoirdupois than on his appearance here last year, when he hung up a house b.o. record dur- ing a one-week stand. Incidently thu show, presented on the border of the orch elevator platform, is the first stage entertainment in a year, but despite a terrific bally won't approach the mark hung up last year. Pearce has a neat show; it moves at a swell pace within 65 minutes. With local tooters swelling the band to 20, show starts with Hoff intro- ducing Pearce, who returns the com-^ pliment, and then the Randall Sis- ters come on to click with 'Alex- ander's Ragtime Band,' one . of three numbers warbled. Pearce and one ot the girls do the 'Low Pressure Salesman' bit which doesn't measr ure up to the standard ot Pearce's radio chatter. Vic Hyde, talented performer once with Rudy Vallee, does a one-man band routine, but. his flipness is a distinct drawback. A little more modesty on Hyde's part would hejyD. Vince Sheehan, character screen- player, crossfires with Pearce. Lyda Sue, a looker, does a swell high- kicklhg and acrobatic dance turn, despite the small working space. Arlene Harris* customary rapid-fire chatter is slowed down a bit, but there are plenty of laughs in her conversation with the imaginary 'Mazie' and durlnga bridge game at home. Everett West tenor who came from Chicago to join Pearce'^ gang, scores with classical numbers, nciilently, .West makes his coast-to- coast radio debut Monday (3). Bill Wright and Pearce team up for thejr 'Eb and Zeb' routine and It Isn't any better, or worse, than heard via the radio. The comic singing of Andy An- drews, another tenor, ties up. the show. 'I Cry for You,'his third en- core, still had the customers yelling tor more. Pearce makes his cus- tomary 'I hope, I hope* spiel to bring the show to an «nd. Biz good, but far from sensational at show caught Sahu 'It you wanted to go to Hollywood, whose nose would you pick?' 'If I have to pick anybody's nosfe. to heU with it' nils is one ot the June Carr and Jo RoUo (New Acts) ga^s before the Flatbush theatre's family audience. It comes early in the: show, but later, Rita Rio, whose chassis is al- -ways on ball-bearings, takes the kids on another tack when her lyrics in ■I've Crot to Get Hot' include: 'I've got to be' shakin' To get my eggs and bacon.' It spice is the life of variety, then this show Is a cinch in material as well as marquee lure. In next to closing, Willie Howard does his bosoin inspection in the 'RIgoletto' bit and -If parents don't begin ask- ing, 'Is it vaudeville or is it bur- lesque?' then the b.o. will continue healthy, and all other odors must be laid to perhaps an oversensitive im- agination. Aside from the indigo, this is as food a vaudeville bill for which the latbush patrons, at 40c top, could possibly ask. It has names, talent and punch trom start to finish, with the show inside more than fulfilling the bluing out front With Rita Rio steaming up matters in front ot her all-temme orchestra, spotted on the stage, and Willie Howard on thrice in the layout, It's a laugh-filled bill that draws commensurate returns. Miss Rio is m.c.'ing capably as well as thigh-grinding, bumping, singing and maestroing. The orchestra fol- lows the tempo by watching her gyrations, and, along with the audi- ence, gives scant attention to the music. 'Which is just as well, the arrangements being quite mediocre, though the aggregation acquits itself creditably In playing for the other acts. For the femmes. Miss Rio con- ducts a one-woman style parade. She's changing her gowns- at every exit now, each one designed to high- light her figure to the extent that it's a ridiculous race between her aggres- sive routines and costume switches. She parallels Ina Ray Button's many gown changes. Carr and Rollo open the show after the band's first two orchestrations; then Into Willie Howard's sock French "Professor' routine. Subse- quently, Howard does th6 CSiamber- lain takeoff of Umbrella Man,' the lUgoletto' quartet including Eugene and two temmes, and finally the soap-box crackpot with a head-pan stooge. Re's a comedy wham. Molly Picon Is spotted In the cen- tre ot the bill, dome three specials, only one of which, 'Working Girl,' Is aimed for laughs. She's opening with 'Hands* and then into the high- ly sentimental 'Grandma's Shawl,' an easy, click in front of' an audience that probably knotvs her as well trom the Yiddish theatre as from vaude. Biz here opening night (Friday) was capacity at the last show, with standees still behind the back rail at the flnaM, but the management is having difficulty because ot repeaters sitting through two and three shows. The grosses are affected as a result, and a jack in the admlsh scale is be- ing contemplated. - Scho. APOLLO, N. Y. House line (16), Vivian Harris tvith George Wiltshire, SaTtdy Bums & Johnny La Rue, Babe 'Wallace, Sweetie He, Winton & Diafie, Teddy Hill's orch (14), with Lucille Tay- lor, DandHdge Sisters (3), Tip, Tap & Toe; 'Pardon Our Nerv^ (20th). This show is on the upbeat In comparison to recent layouts at this house. There's nothing in the way of marquee value, but the 05-minute show opening night (Friday), while overboard, hardly seemed to con- sjume that much time. However, there Is one mistake. In tbe booking of Winton and Diane, ofay team. The pair are sprightly tapsters and on looks and person- ality would do justice to a card downtown, .but herie, the duo are out ot place. Teddy HUl Is the maestro this week and again emphasizes the house's need for a name band to draw 'em. Hill Is personable enough and .the crew plays suffidr ently weU to get by. With Hill there's Lucille 'Taylor, shiger, who's hone too strong. This is announced as her first pro date, but the cus- tomers seemed to like her opening night. • Outstanding smash are the Dan- dridge Sisters, out ot the last Cot- ton Club, N.Y., show. They're gowned smartly, handle themselves with grace and put over a song well, too. Tip, Tap and Toe do their standard taps on- the-4arge- drum-shaped dias,° in imison and in challenges. They're a smart book- ing. IBabe Wallace m.c.s, sings an 'orig- inal' number pleasantly and introes the entire bill in the finale. Sweetie Pie is a singer-dancer brought back for her second straight week here. George Wiltshire, Sandy Bums, Johnny La Rue and Vivian Harris are In the usual comedy skits and. as usual, they're bordering on the hurley stuff.. But they get laughs. Biz off opening night