Variety (Apr 1939)

Wednesday, April 5, 1939 VARIETY HOUSE REVIEWS VARIETY 45 CAPITOL, WASH. Washinffton, April 2. • Hudson yfonders, Poul Svdell, Edwin Steffe, the I«mbertons, Sibyl Irfn's hot«e orch; 'Sergeant Madden' <M-G). With four acts standing to gain by intimate presentation, towns blg- Sest house forgets all about town^s Ingest stage this week and serves biSk of current revue from orch nit and ramp. Innovation should prove okay where talent is adapUble. Starts without overture or an- nouncement, with travelers openmg on spangled multi-colored sunburst drop and bare half-stage. Hudson Wonders, two gals, appear for swift rhythm tumbling and boneless aero- batlcs, highlighted by somersaults through hoop and flash double cart- wheels. Pit floor is then raised level with ramp, which extends all. way around orch, and house maestro Phil Lampkin takes over m.c chore by Introducing Paul SydelL Dog man and his pup, Spotty, old favorite here, deliver tricks in slow, smooth tempo and finale, with pup balanc- ing on Sydell's borehead. Is a sock.' Encore, for which Sydell uses an- other dog, is comedy smash built around dog's insistence upon dou- bling up into a knot on paiin of his hand. Edwin Steffe, local radio baritone. Is in his stage debut Mike worked badly at show caught, marring first two numbers, 'Song of the Open Road' and ' Got Plenty of Nothing,' but strong, clear voice offsets slightly •tiff stage presence and, in finish, •Road to Mandalay,' he scores solid- ly. Orchestral interlude, in which house band works out pop waltz medley in lieu of overture, gets re- sults. The Lambertons follow. Pit drops to standard' level as couple •weeps onto stage before sunburst drop. Man in tails and gal in laven- der chiffon, both young and attrac- tive, \iln audience completely with ■low waltz and modified swing strut, highlighted by smooth lifts and good timing. Pit rises again and Lampkln brings en Sibyl Bowan to work at pit mike. Explaining 'I'm going to skip the movie stars this time and do some people we all know,' she discards cape, dons blonde wig and jumps Into imoersonation of 'a debutante, who thinks she is too good for you muggs, making her debut as a pop ■Inger,' in which she warbles In the Still of the NighC gets into a row with Lampkin, the booth and finally Is drowned out by the band. Follows with Cockney beauty contest winner; •a girl of the First World's Fair,' embracing Little Egypt with hefty padding to Sally Rand with ostrich San, and Almee Semple McPherson, In red, white and blue robes, reciting X^harge of the Light Brigade.' She ■ocks with each. Personality-boy Eddie Peabody bounces out of wings next, brings his smile, his banjo and his stool to ramp mike and tears off 'Little Sir Echo,' in which he imitates two ban- Jos simultaneously. He fiddles Us- ten to the Mocking Bird' and then comes back again with banjo to rip «ff 'Hold Tight,' which wows 'em. Biz fair. Craig. RIVERA, B'KLYN Benny Rubin, Three Sailors, Edna Jonis. Afarh Bolero, Ginger Harmon, Zinn Arthur's house orch;' 'Mysteri- •us Miss X.' (I/) . Except for one or two instances, this hour-long offering is satisfying throughout House now has the Zinn Arthur orchestra as a house crew, replacing Ted Eddy's aggregation, and the switch Is for the better. Leader sings, too, adding two or three neat pops to the bill. Benny Rubin m.c.s and his dialect comedy scores, but when he tries to toss 'em straight they topple. Edna Janls (New Acts) gets the lineup off with a bang. Her tap rou- tines are excellently done, and she's tastefully costumed. Rubin's back •gain after Miss Janis to take over Arthur's'baton while the leader .ton- sils 'Masquerade Is Over' and 'Deep Purple.' 'Voice is okay, though he has occasional trouble with the high notes. Arthur and his crew may become nabe favorites. The 10- plece band behind him plays the ■how nicely and on its own at the opening with 'My Heart' Belongs to Daddy' which has the kids in the ehelf exercising their palms. Ar- rangements, however, could be Im- proved. Click Impression is continued with Mark Bolero, mimic, who has been around. 'Vocal Impersonation of Fred Allen is maintained throughout the turn to introduce various apings. He does "It Willi "a~bTt "eriJrDiduetlonr relieving the usual manner of just calling %m and giving them. Audi- ence didn't want to let him off, de- manding and getting encores. Rubin slips in a tap' bit done from a chair and a girdle bit aimed at the femmes. Does an original tune in prayer style to good returns, also. Next spot is a letdown in the per son of Ginger Harmon. Rubin gives her a buildup about her pictures, etc., and the net result of her time is a lot of noise. Liked by the kids, for she's in their groove with her jitter- bug vocals, but all of her songs are delivered In the same shouting style. She's an ear ringer rather than a bell-ringer. Does 'Begin the Be- guine,' 'Or Man Mose' and, for an encore, 'Hold Tight' and 'A-Ticket' none with any degree of rhythm but like the rest loud. Three Sailors- close. Their fam- iliar hoke whams here, laughs roll- ing up one after the other. No changes In the turn; it's the same slapstick, capped by the rope skip- ping bit that gets 'em off handily. Rubin tosses in a dramatic bit be- fore the finale In talk-sing style labelled 'Oh Lord, Please Help Those Refugees.' The predominantly Jew- i<:h neighborhood here accounts lor it Arthur's band could be given mOre time for a couple tunes In between turns. KEITH'S, BOSTON Boston, March 30. Watty A Verdyn StapUton, Tommy Trent, The Oxford Boys 13), Lor- raine & Bognari. The Honeys (S), Eddie Rosenwaii's house orch; 'Star of Midnight (RiCO) and 'Lost Pa- trol' (RKO). One of the surprise bills that gains momentum as It unfolds,'wlifding' up in a blaze of gloiy and an ovation of applause. It is the type of show that should stir up a pack of word-of- mouth during the four days It runs here. Wally and 'Verdyn Stapleton open with tnree Ideas in ballroom taps, accented by comic touches. Some of the comedy just misses with the morning trade because It's on the 'cute' side, but the routines are pre. sented in a showmanly way and this duo finishes with hefiy plaudits. Tommy Trent puppeteer, brings back bis familiar act still fresh and distinctive in its line. His puppets look new, with Punch looking bug- eyed like the guy on the 'Esquire cover. He's on and off with his snappy turn In short order and reg- isters well as the deucer. A rhumba dance duo with puppets in an X-ray spot Is a good encore. Most extraordinary act on the bill is the Honey Family (three boys, three girls), who close. Dressed in formal clothes, the sextet start off with a precision tap number and finale this with Interpolations that are neither straight acrobatics nor conventional aero dancing—all done in time with the band tempo. From this point they sock with a whirl- wind strai^t acro-tumbling session that clicks. With good-looking girls as groundmen and the boys top- mounting, the result is sure-fire. Much of their repertory is vastly different from run-of-mili stunts for this type of act Perhaps the best one is a standing backward somer- sault by a boy from the shoulders of one girl to the shoulders of an- other, starting and ending In the same position. . „ Jeanne Lorraine and Roy Rognan, next to closing, offer a nonsensical sequence of gags and dancing. A solo by Rognan is a subtle eccentric dance getting good response; and a holtum ballroom number ties up the show. Both have a swell sense of restrained burlesque comedy; how- ever. Miss Lorraine sells it better. She looks like a good picture possi- bility for rough-house comedies. Oxford Boys (and a guitar), in the trey, stop everythmg cold. Skilled In mike technique, they rip off a series of band Imitations, ol which Kay Kyser, Horace Heidt Wayne King and Clyde McCoy rouse up a heap of spontaneous applause. En- cores of 'Dark Eyes' and a 'Mickey Mouse Birthday Party' also sock. These boys go light on comedy, lay- ing emphasis on their solid harmony, which is a relief In comparing them with other such acts. Roy Rognan is a capable m.c, also forgetting the comedy and remem- bering the names of the acts he in- troduces. A special nod goes to the scenic department this week for an attractive band car and set. Fox. NATIONAL, L'VILLE Iiouiavtlle, April 1. O'Connor Family, Betty. Jack & Karl, Betty Saxon, John Elliott, Ro- berta, Line (10), House Band (11); 'Scarjace' (WB). This layout produced by Anton Scibilia, is badly in need of rou- tining. With a UtUe tightening up it could be classed as passable stage fare, but as is the comedy comes on too soon. As the bill progresses the pace slackens, bringing the show to a drab finish. Line (10) is first out for some passable terping, then come on later Jor four diflerenLrflutines and regis- ter In fair enough fashion. WilUe and Jack O'Connor indulge in ^ome comedy gags and the boys have enough on the ball to click in faster company, given better material to work with. Their nut stuff was liked by a preponderant male audi- ence. Betty Saxon pipes a pop over the p.a. system with a resonant pair of pipes, and then steps off a toe-tap, plenty okay. She is also on later (Continued on page 53) UNIT REVIEWS NEW ACTS WORLD'S FAIR REVUE (STANLEY, PITTSBUBGH) Pittsburoh, March 31. Barry Mirlcin, Johnson Five, Quinn Sisters (2); Harry Janice, l;thel Rutherford, Bee, Hive It Honey, Brice Santry, Ruth Rice, Rhythmettes (3), John Stanton, Three Chords; 'Ice FoUUsT iM-G). .'Round and 'round go the Major Bowes units and when they'll stop, nobody knows. This is the 'ump- teenth to play WB deluxer since the gongster first started sending them around and, from the loolu of things, it's only the beginning. Audience re- ception opening afternoon (Friday) indicated the simon-pures have any^ thing but worn out their welcome. Pew-payers' enthusiasm^ however, isn't exactly unaccounted for In case of 'World's Fair Revue,' for it's one of Bowes' top-notchers. Current show capitalizes heavily on novelty. At least three or four turns go in for the unusual, the unusual for the most part being pretty corny, but that's precisely what sells it Just the sort of stuff that only a Bowes show can get away with. World's Fair motif is carried out by a double-decked curtained back- drop in which the flags of all nations circle the globe^ and again in finale as principals march out in League of Nations costumes while a huge Amer- ican flag drops from the flies. That's practically Ziegfeldlan for a Bowes unit Dave Broudy's house bond- (15) Is on the stage at opening, with Barry Mirkin doing the m. c.'ing. Latter is a nice-appearing lad, but inclined to be a little too wordy in his an- nouncements. Show starts with Johnson Five, colored Instrumental quintet that's just fair musically, but snappy enough to get show off fast Quinn Sisters follow In attractive tap-dance-rope-spinning number for a good flash and the inevitable mimic, without which no amateur collection Is complete, comes next He's Harry Janice and about par for the Bowes course. Ethel Rutherford's grand opera warbling Is only fair but spot's just a prelude for her later appearance in puppet turn, as a bosom-heaving diva, in which she's socko. Bee, Hive and Honey (there's a name for you) land solidly with their knock- about comedy hoofing (two men and a girl) and Brice Santry keens the pace going with brisk session of sound-effects vocalizing. She has a nice personality and shows possibil- ities. Ruth Rice (New Acts) has a show- stopping turn in her acrobatic stunts, and Rhymettes do fair In undistin- ruished harmonizing, with one of the three gals at a piano. John Stanton, in cowboy get-up, gets music out of a tooth-brush and a oalr of bel- lows, juggles three billiard balls to simulate flock of different horses, and swings out on pair of ordinary tablespoons. Marionette show, next-to-doslng, is a definite novelty for an amateur unit but needs some scissoring. Too long at present Mirkin, Janice and Miss Rutherford handle the voices for Eddie Cantor. Bing Crosby, Jifnmy Durante and the anonymous prima donna, with latter ringing bell the loudest Three Chords close and slam home a stretch winner. Male trio is an- other of those non-instrumental bands, so favored by Bowes, but In this case worth the trouble. One of 'em is at the piano to peddle the melody, while other two "play* trum- pet bass flddle, drums and even cym- bal with their mouths. Finale's that garb-of-all-nations flash with the Stars and Stripes, a regular George M. Cohan ta-ra. Cohen. HIGHLIGHTS OF 1939 (CAPITOL, ATLANTA) Atlanta, April 2. George Boston, Fitz & Carroll, Lois Mazes, Dave Tannen, The Three Olympios. Enrico Leide's Capi- tolians house band (7) and Milt Henfcen's unit boTid (5): 'Bum 'Em Up O'Connor* (M-G). The Three Olymplas (Donald Hammond, Rollen Johnson and Rob- ert Owen) display the flashiest triple parallel bar act Capitol's customers nave laid eyes on in years and they score.big. Lads are young, clean- cut and turn in a workmanlike job. Their trlclcs on. the bars are defi- nitely sock stuff. Shjw starts with George Boston, assisted by Evelyn Cheret in a 'Rhapsody_li>_Rags' act. in which he forms pictures "on a Targe easel. It's a distinct novelty and particularly pleasing to youngsters. Boston then takes over the m.c. duties and introes Fitz and Carroll, mixed dance team, who click with eccentric challenge hoofing and clowning. Spotted next is Lois Maree in her 'Dance of the Cobra.' Femme, a looker, does an aero control dance to a special arrangement of modem tunes and gets over. Dave Tannen also clicks in his pantomime turn. TONT GALENTO I With Joe Jacobs, Milton Frome (2) 1 PasUistlo 10 Mlns.: one and toll stage State, N. T. Appearance of the next opponent to Joe Louis for the heavyweight championship Is remindful of Ham- inersteln's' 'Victoria, .for' Tony. Ga- lento Is a freak attraction, few of which appear at the State. Usually a fighter goes on the stage after he wins a title but here it's Uie reverse, because of Galento's Crude color, principally built up by sports writ- ers. This time the bruiser'is taking no chances and is getting $2,000 plus a percentage. Through the amplifier the noise of the crowd at a big fight is heard and a voice announcing 'the Orange orang-outang—Two-Ton Tony,' who hails from that suburb of Newark, where he conducts a saloon when not appearing as the most comic socker In the ring. Galen to is addicted to referring to all other fighters as being bums and sums up all opponents saying 'I'll moider dat bum, so it is not unex- pected that the first line on entrance to Milton Frome, m.c, is 'Howya bum.' Dolled up hi- a canary yellow bathrobe and full length green tights, the 'mattress' on the fighter's chest is hidden. ' Answering Frome'a questions, Ga- lento says he has been fighting 12 years and was never knocked down (although he has been defeated). .Tony adnata he kayoed the 'last 14 guys I met' but doesn't answer, when queried, if he ever got licke^. It is the cue for his manager, Joe Jacobs, to enter. I^atter is the fight, manager who once yelled, 'we wuz robbed,' when another of l^ia pugs lost a match, and at another time he observed, 'We should have stood in bed,' because another defeat was chalked up. . Adorned with an extremely long cigar and a beret Jacobs made a speech, showing little nervousness, for he Is used to facing crowds from the pugilistic platform. Concerning the fight with Louis, carded for June 28, he said one of his fighters (Schmeling) had knocked the champ silly and he' bad seen his man punched loco by Louis (the same Schmeling). However, he stated, no one can foretell the outcome of a heavyweight contest—'and that's the truth'-^indlcatlng that any man with two good hands can bring home the bacon. His remarks are directly aimed at the general opinion that Tony will be eclipsed by Louis. The fat boy from Jersey is on the stage about three minutes. After Frome delivers 'Ranger' in a stroni; baritone, Galento appears in full stage punching, the bag, at which he is something of a master. He then goes a short round with One Stanley Ketchell, sparring partner, who ap- peared ready to drop after 'receiv- ing' one of Tony's vaunted left hoolcs. Galento mentioned something about "being an actor now.' His prin- cipal training is bag punching and hoisting large glasses of beer to his lips, according to his own words. He probably won't break any at- tendance records . but will attract Jerseyites and maybe divert the average customer at the Loew house. According to reports yesterday (Tuesday), Galento Is abandoning any future career as an actor. He was scheduled to play Newark but that date now looks off. State's gross is disappointing. Ibee. BVTH BICE Aerobatle Danolng 4 Mins. Stanley, Flttsborgh Unusual to see a comparatively big girl, huskily framed, go in for acro- batic control stuff, but Ruth Rica makes It look plenty good. She 'ap- pears absolutely boneless and body seems made of rubbsr. Gal packa a wallop in practically every trick, . and turn has novelty, too, inasmuch as she resembles more the strong- arm type thaii the mistress of the muscular. Femme's attractive and has s. a. in spite of weight she car- ries. . Act begins In regulation fashion, with the ordinary tricks, but quickly develops into something socko as Miss -Rice throws herself Into flock of pretzels. Finish is a wow. While her face is looking out at the audi- ence, chin resting on floor, rest of gal's body is skippmg around stage in circles at mile-a-minute clip. Looks for all the world like a headless whirling dervish. Over Dig here and she had to come back for a thank-you speech before mob would let her get away. Cohen. ,IUNE CABK,an4 'O BOLLO Comedy, Dancing 12 Mins.; One FlBtbnsb, BrookiyB June Carr came to the front when teamed with Dave Schooler several years ago. Subsequently she acquired an assortment of partners, one of them Harry Martin (Mills, Kirk and), and now she's with Jo Rollo, a young, capable straight for her comedy. . As a dancer, Rollo is only fair in his one-solo, but he's a capable, nice- looking foil for the cute little blonde. Her routines are quite standard by this time, but she's added a comedy fan-dance in long drawers that's sure-flre for laughs. She's Including her burlesqued adagio. The team's opening session of crossfire could be given stronger material; also a slight bath. They click handily here in what approximated the opening slot in a stage-band show. Scho. THELMA NEVINS SODgS Top Hat Clab, Union Cits, N. J. Despite a fairly appealing person- ality and effective togs, Thelma Nevins disappoints as a songster—at least for this spot She might b« more effective in more intimate sur* roundings, but even with a mike sha is inaudible in all but her strongest tones, while her enunciation Is mur- derous. Instead of singing a song andi letting the lyrics tell the story, she emotes like a thwarted trage- dienne. In all fairness, however, it must be added that when caught sha was stymied by a brutal sound am- plifying system. With a few vital changes In tech- nique, spotting in a small club and givin a passable mike. Miss Nevina might get by. Hobe. GERTRUDE BBIEFEB Danehic Top Hat CInb, Union CHy, N. J. Young hoofer is on for two turns (besides a briefie finale with the en- tire company), the firdt a fairly im- pressive tap routine and the second a rather skillful high kick-acro num- ber, and both dressed up with strlk- InK finishes. Dancing is just normally proficient, but what puts the act over is her at- tractive manner, tasteful costuming and, above all, her showmanship. Hobe. featuring undressing of a maid of the gay 90's as compared to the way the gay young modern peel before hit- ting the hay. He also Includes a comedy fan dance. Boston, again assisted by Evelyn Cheret then does some small magic that proves tiring, with the Olympias following. There's 14 in the company, count- ing unit's five tooters. Starting Friday (7), Capitol will switch from Sunday to Friday open- ings. Units that have been playing this spot, have been, breaking in.for two days at Royal, In Columbus, which is also operated by Lucas & Jenkins, Inc. In future, Uiese units, which are assembled by Harry Clark, Chicago producer, will break in cold here. They will then jump to Co- lumbus and from there travel to.L. 8t 3. houses in Macon, Waycross and Savannah. Biz at this catching, first show Sunday (2), was full up. Luce, SWING SCHOOL (HIPP, BALTIHOBE) Baltimore, April 2. . Dave Barry, Four Jitterbugs, Two Swiss Rascals, Jack Murry, Boyle Ttoins, Joe and Marie Smith, Bill Boadway^ Lynn Lawrence, O'Brien & Goldberg, Felice lula'a house orch. (11)1 'Fisherman's Wharf (RKO). Nice, fast moving Major Bowes unit this, with the Inevitable bell ringers, prima donnas and' baritones, happily missing. Utilizing special eye, emblazoned with swing termin- ology, to back up house orch moved from pit to stage, unit gets off to speedy start with Four Jitterbugs going to town in hectic st^le. Dave Barry, m.c, is worklne in straightforward style and contribut- ing some okay impressions of film and radio wJc.'s. He paces the lay- out nicely. Brings on Two Swiss Rascals, brace of dusky scat singers and comedy rhythm jivers.'for fast-' moving comedy and musical sock. They have a hard time getting off. Jack Murry, who follows in imita- tions with name bands, Is adequate and in keeping. Boyle Twins, hoofers, utilize pair of miniature steps and drunk bit for dick interlude, which holds up in good shape with subsequent vocal contributions of Lynn Law- rence, who gives out with 'Having a Heat Wave*^ and 'Ol' Man Mose.' Marie Smith, In session of' okay hoofety, brings on her Pop, Joe Smith, rotund heavyweight, who de- livers an old-time buck and wing and joins offspring In challenge dancing. There'a some novelty in contribu- tion of Bill Boadway, boy soprano, who essays "duo "Of-unusual numbers for his type of voice, 'Gia Nina Mlo' and the Italian Street Song,' both flashy and earning a beg-off. Comedy Is supplied by O'Brien and Gold- berg in some funny announcements, a bit dated, but good for ample laughs. A strong hoofing bit takes them off. Finale -reintroduces prin- cipals for series of strong curtains. Biz okay., Burnt: