Variety (Apr 1939)

48 VARIETY VARIETY HOUSE REVIEWS Wedoesdaj, April 12, 1*939 LYRIC, INDPLS. (Contined from Page 45) ing .in the closing number for the final curtain. Show opens with band's theme to bring on Tucker himself as traveller dis^bloses bandis and singers on the stand. First nimiber is 'Hold Tight,' with vocals by Lorraine Sisters and Gil Mershon. 'Dixie,' which imme- diately follows, also runs to voice work as much as it does to straight music Vera Fern, acrobatic dancer, comes on as one of the two added acts to do about five'solid minutes to good returns. 'Deep Purple/ "This Can't Be Love/ 'I Cried for You' and socko comedy number entitled "The Lyric Blues' are in the next group of offerings by, the band. The first is mainly music, with a. vocal chorus by GU Mershon, tenor. For the following numl>ers, however, Tucker brings bis four male singers and eight musicians down, who perform in glee-club fashion. They .vind up their, last ' number with a socko dancing routine done in a stumblini; comedy manner aping a line of girls. 'Fly and Fiddle,' a straight musi- cal number written by and featuring thp band's violinist, is next It in- cludes a neat toe dance routine in interpretive style by Melba Cortez. Next, on a blackened stage, Tucker presents his 'Lights' number. As the various instruments in the band play successively,' colored' lights in the shapes of musical notes of different sizes are illuminated and form con-, stantiv changing patterns in syn- chronization with the music. This number also is used to depict the different styles of music played by name bands. Considerable comedy is worked- into the Idea. Bonnie Baker more than holds her own in the next spot. She is tiny, has a small voice, but she has a sell- ing personality. She was forced to do six numbers at show caught, and she still had to beg off at the finish. Carter and Holmes follow with 10 minutes of knockout comedy, and the show winds up with a band number. Biz good Friday (7) at third show. Runnmg time 49 minutes. Kilev. KEITH'S, BOSTON = , . - Boston, .April 6. Buck Ic Bubbles. JRichards-ildn- enne -DonccTs (3) & Doris Dupont Vox & Walters, the Kituro* (3), Kampus Kapers (7), Eddli Rosen- wold's house band; 'Gvnpa Din' (RKO) ond Walt Disney Revue <RKO). this spot' will Vleteimine tht future course for the UD circuit. Latter chain formerly ran stage shows in the Michigan, another .of its four downtown nouses, but dropped idea last summer in face of brutal biz. While effects of current Aesh at Broadway-Capitol are not apt to influence resumption of vaude at the Michigan, nevertheless it'll decide future course for flesh at the Capitol. Opening night (Good Friday) naturally is a poor test for current lineup, bat the Major Bowes unit appears better than his run-of-the- mine predecessors. It's chuck full of talent (12 acts in all), but only a few are better than the average, notably the Three Bhythmettes, femme songbirds who have cuteness plus okay pipes as assets; Quinn Sisters (2), who turn in a nice skip- rope and tap number; and Bryce Santry, whose nice appearance adds to his warbling. Show flows fairly smooth, with house band (10 pieces) situated on stage and directed by Barry Mirkin, who also m.c.'s in acceptable, though not exceptional, manner It's both- ered somewhat, however, by lack of scenery. .' Besides the three standout acts, there's also the Three Chords, who mimic all instrument, plus cymbals, etc., in a fairly gopd rendition of pop tunes; Ruth Rice, an acrobatic hoofer; John Stanton, cowboy jug- gler and noise-maker; Five Jives, sepia . hariiionizers; Three Marion- ettes, directed by Charles Dasch, with puppets representing Mrs. Roosevelt, Eddie Cantor, et al; Henry Janis, above-average mimic, who takes off nunierous ether and film stars; Skeets Simmons, "hobo' imi- tator of animal talk. Fair attendance early' evening show Friday (7). Pete. RIVERA, BTCLYN Buck and BtAbles get a warm wel- come after a few months' absence, and a well-balanced bill gives satis- faction this week. The dusky duo retain most of the surefire comedy dialog, and some of the comic hoof- ing and piano playing ttiat always clicks: and they've replaced the vo- cals heard on their last visit by more current tunes. The business surrounding them Is practically the same, except for Bubbles', presenta- tion of 'Ain't Necessarily So.' Richards-Adrienne Dancers fol- low, closing the-show. Their rou- tining is poor, th^lc first ballroom number, though well executed, being a letdown in tempo. Then, too, the solo tapping. of. Dorjs Dupont, as a specialty In this actt Is that of a girl less experienced than her immediate predecessors on the program. Closing number, an adagio with the two male partners tossing Adrlenne and a sequin-covered disc, is the highlight of the show. Some of the throws and catches, compli- cated by a loose disc which is caught by one of the dancers, are startling end call for extremely close timing, Kitaros, Oriental risley artists, open with their usual clean-cut de- livery and i>reclElon acrobatics. A drop by the top man from three boxes to the feet <rf the upside-down- ground man is a thriller. Vox and Walters present a rou- tine now familiar with the regulars and register well with their brand of ventriloquism. A drinldng- bit by Vox .and the baby-crving specialty by Miss Walters are stUl good. Some of the chatter is not Kampus Kapers, an harmonica band of four, with Stubby Kaye as leader, fill the deuce adequately. Kaye does okay with Impersonations of screen celebrities woven into his vocal of 'First .Aflair.' T^e four boys, alone, please with a gypsy air. 'Who Cares?' duetted by La Rosa Sisters, practically keynotes the re- sponse^ to- their efforts. Fox. B'WAY CAPITOL, DET. Jack Denny's orch (12), PWl Be- 0an, Dick SUme, Southern Sisters, Dick & Dotty Remy, Masters & Rol- lins, Shirlev Rust; 'School ior Hus- bands' (Ind). With a buildup that he's been at the Casa Manana and Manhattan de- luxers. Jack Denny has the pulling ■ to get 'em in. -An added b.o asset is Phil Regan, former Brook- lynite, who unleashes a lengthy ar- ray of ballads. They bolster one of the most satisfying shows the house has had on its week-end name vaude policy. Denny hasn't varied his routine much since he last played Loew's State on Broadway. Probably figures it as a winning formula, so why meddle. There^' that 'under the Stars/ radio themer, and the ever- popular 'Sophistocated Swing.' He has slightly hoked up his imitation of leading bands, old and new com- edy additions catcliing on nicely. Denny also has 'One o Clock Jump' and 'Begin the Beguine.' Dick Stone is on for two songs, 'Penny Serenade and 'I Have Eyes/ begging off be- cause of bill's length. Shirley Rust is doing her familiar speedy tapstering, but better than the last time out. She's developed thos<^ twirls on her tapping feet to near perfection, Phi^ Regan offers virtually the same song lineup that he did recent- ly at the Brooklyn Strand. Only new entry in balladlng repertoire is' 'Masquerade Is Over/ which proves okay. Included are his opener, 'I Cried for You/ and theii down the line—'My Own,' 'MiSs Make-Believe' 'Wild Irish Rose,' 'That's How I Spell Ireland,' 'All My Life' (from his latest Aim)- and Thanks for Everything.' Masters^nd Rollins, first attracting notice about a year ago in Brooklyn, have developed their turn into a real audience-pleaser. Not so much mug- ging, with the stronger points im- proved. For ins^ce, jnale of mixed duo has built that slow-motion dance into a sock specialty. The long armed and limbed femme has a bet- ter sense of comedy timing, too. Thie grot^ue, roughhouse tan^o remains a neat climax. Dick and Dorothy Remy (New Acts) feature hahd-bilancing and acrobatics of circus, type, with a touch of comedy. Southern Sisters (New Acts) seem to have the mak- ings of' fairish turn, their unison stepjping being best . Biz near capacity at first show Saturday (7). Wear. ROXY, ATLANTA Atlanta, April 6. Gae Foster Roxyettea (16), Jim Penman, Jeanne Kirfc & the Clou- tons (3), Carol Bruce, Ben Blue It Co. (4), Mike Segal's house bond (14); 'Annabel Tofces a Tour' (RKO) and four Walt Disney car- toons (RKO). With emphasis on production, Roxy's Easter Week show rings the bell, with headliner Ben Blue and Roxyettes, prime favorites with local vaude devotees, closely pressed for top honors by personable Carol Bruce, warbler of pop tunes. Easter motif is carried out in the overture, featuring Ifoxy's. new or- ganist, Richard Gordon, and Foy Harris, a singing usher billed as 'phantom voice.' Show starts with dimly lit cathedral setting, Roxyettes in Easter finery, including picture hats, behind scrim, seated on stage as U in church, with Harris, singing Lord's Prayer.' Jim Penman, so-so juggler, is on next and had to beg for his applause. He keeps up a running fire of chat- ter that falls flat and resorts to blue stuff to get laughs. He was guilty of cons'_3rable muffing with balls at this etching, but better with the Indian clubs. Jeanne Kirk and her two male partners, the Claytons, in a nifty rhythm tap dance, follow after a line routine. One of the Claytons theA does a solo aero dance, with the fin- ish as a trio. Line then d6es a rou- tine to an old pop medley. It's nice- ly worked out. Carole Bruce, spotted next, is a looker and has a food, voice. She sells her-songs beginning with 'You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby/ 'Begin the Beguine/ and encoring with 'Umbrella Man' and medley of George Gershwin tunes. Called back, she offered 'Born to Swing' and finally had to beg off. Ei^t Roxyettes intro Ben Blue with an 'A-Tiskef parody. Blue gets laughs with some hoke card tricks with Harry Pomar, violinist, subbing as leader of pit band in absence of Mike Segal, out temporarily witii a backfiring appendix. Blue .wen does his standard taxi dancehall bit with blonde Betty Kean, assisted by Jim- my French. Blue also clowns through a comedy Russian dance and is then joined by Miss Kean and Eddie Hainley in his burlesqued min- uet It scores. Finale is fan dance' routine by Roxyettes, seated on steps, with Foy Harris, offstage, doing vocals over p. a. system. Show is clocked in 65 minutes and is well paced. There was half a house at this viewing, second of four shows on Thursday (6), patronage being obviously affected by Holy Week. Luce. Detroit April 7. Barry Mirkin, Five Jives, Edith Rntherjord, Quinn Sisters (.2), Henry Janis, Ruth; Rice, Bryce Santry, Three Marionettes, Three Rhythm- ettes,John Stanton, Skeets Simmons, Three Chords, house band; 'Cowboy and Lady" (Par) (3d run). This 2,500-seat spot, which several years ago bad a first-run vaudfilm Solicy, i» currently harboring its rst flash in many years as an ex- periment of the United Detroit the- atres chain (Par), which recently revived vaude in. several of its key nabea as a biz booster. What Major BoWes' •World's •J'air WevUfe' does' hf Nkery Notes NEW ACTS ABTHDB TBEACHEB With Jaek Norton Comedy !• MIns. -Fox, Detroit , . . i,. ' First apparent asset of Arthur Treacher, English butler froni films, is his utter naturalness in initial ven- ture before footlights. While liis comedy patter with Jack Norton, screen 'drunk,' could stand some bol- stering here and there, Treacher nev- ertheless has avoided the pitfalls of most film artists by not trying to do something he knows nothing about, and by not Confining his. stuff to Hol- lywood gossip. As on the screen, Treacher is inter- rupted by Norton as the 'druiik' who rants about this and that, receiving barbs from Treacher who neverthe- less remains the 'perfect valet' While the 'drunk' angle may not be liked by the mothers whose children flocked to see Shirley Temple's 'Lit- tle Princess' on the current show at the Fox, it's toned down much more than ordinary. Treacher's discourse on 'I'm a Ref- ugee from the Cinema' gets over nicely, as does majority of his stuff. Some of patter is a bit dry while a little goes over the audience's head. Concludes about nine minutes of zip- py chatter with a short rendition of song-and-dance he did for Shirley Temple in 'Princess.' Pete. . Nhery Reyiews Cocoanut Grove, N. Y. Mary Bsye and Naldl, ballroom terpers, open at Ben Marden's Ri- viera, Fort Lee, N. J., May 4, when spot reopens for season. Others in inaugural show include Faith Bac'bn, Joe K Lewis and the Chester Hale Girls. Betty Borden and Play Boys moved from Town House, L. A,, to Victor Hugo, Beverly Hills. Blackstone booked for RKO time in Iowa, then follows with Great States dates through Illinois and In- diana. Calls it a season June 1. Seger ElUs combo with Irene Tay- lor opened ' 22-day Netherland- >Pleca •hotel' stay- 'Monday" <ll».i " • (Continued from page 42) the two singers are part of the band and Three Peppers are between dence set entertainers, should spell business for the room. 'What Osborne is offering, beside his danceable music, is essentially the same as the routining, of 'his re- cent theatre tour. Draws attention to his style via a tune tagged 'Lis- ten to the Glisten of the Slide Trom-^ bones.' Number spotlights instru- ments that are a cross between cor- nets and trombones, while leader ex- plains their use. . Entertainment' end leads off with Lynil Davis, band's femme piper. She's rare in that she combines a good voice and delivery with an ex- tremely attractive appearance. Does 'My Heart Belong to Daddy' neatly and off. She's followed by madcap Richard 'Stinky' Rogers. He comes up with 'Hold Tight' and 'Dinah/ last done in various accents and capped by takeoffs of Hitler and Mussolini Both vocalists elicit fine response. • Enrico and Noveilo are holdovers from the previous sho.w. Their smooth terp work is the sort that never becomes tiresome. Routines haven't been changed. Femme half has switched from white to rose- colored costuming, which enhances and adds luster to Iter appearance. Three Peppers abU flU in between band sets on.piano, guitar and bass. They're neat diversion in the lulls. OsiKtrne's output, quiet as a rule, apparently fits into the dance scheme with customers. Proof of anything is in. the test, and the band gets 'em onto the floor. It's an Impressive outfit on the stand. The two vocal- ists also work in the dance sets, which also bring Osborne to the mike for okay vocalizing. COLONY CLUB, CHI Chicago, April 0. Connie Boswell, Jose Manzanarea' orch. Lew Fidler's orch. Colony club has just about cement- ed its relationship with the Chicago public and won itself a special niche in the Chi nitery field. It caters to a small and select audiente who can afferd> the pM.tf ^tiff>tat-lB; and. has DOBIS BHODES Songs 6 Mlns.; Mike Strand, New York Doris Rhodes' billing is 'the girl with the Deep Purple voice/ after the pop hit of that name, since she is credited with having, first extract- ed the basic strain from Peter de- Rose's suite that ultimately became the No. 1 song of the day, After she used it as a humming theme strain, on her CBS sustaining series, a lyric was ultimately set to it. Miss Rhodes is from vaude,. having worked in that field with her first husband, Sammy Cohen. She has a basically worthy style of song selling. In person she reminds a bit of a younger Belle Baker. However, Miss Rhodes should train down some of that excess poundage although a rather full sartorial creation further emphasizes that aspect She clicks- well with a nicety as- sorted repertory of songs, including of course, 'Deep Purple/ She . heats it up with "Tain't What You Do.' and 'My Heart Belongs to Daddy,' and opens with a nice arrangement of 'Umbrella Man.' In 'What You Do' she works in some nice comedy busi- ness with the- Lombardos. Abel. SOUTHERN SISTERS (2) Dancing 6 Mlns. Rivera, Brooklyn Two tall blondes have a standard high-kicking dance act that needs further polishing before it will mean much. Comety sisters work nicely together both in high limb tossing and with cartwheels. Pair returns wearing a'bbreviated garb for some tricl^ somersaults and aero twists. Girls are attractive in both costumes. Turn needs smoother pacing. Neat for niteries. Wear, DICK Md DOTTY BEMT Aorobatle Novelty 7 Mins. Biveni, BreektyB Youngish looking lad and fat femme vie for laurels in a series of hand-balancing and trick acrobatia stunts. Pair works like veterans, agiU ity and vigorous splits and balancing of realty hefty femme member being all the more reinarkable because of her size, ahd weight The two don't appear entirety acclimated to vaude- ville stage thus far, comic patter be- ing extremely lame. Male balancer uses a pair of roller skates for some of his flips onto his hands. It's a novelty that could be further developed. He does a. dance on his hands that also indicates fu- ture possibilities. Team has a wealth of material which needs further grooming. Switch in wardrobe-also possibly would help. Combo looms as night club bet. Wear. SUNNY SCBUYLEB With VInoent Lopes Oreh Songs SMins. State, Hartford This lad was formerly with Abe Lyman and Paul Whiteman on the Chesterfield hour. A tenor, he has a nice range. Puts on a nice mike front and has an easy, going stage appearance, an indication that he's been around. At show caught he was making his first appearance with the Vincent Lopez unit Sings only ballads, and these to good returns. . Eck. GENE SHELDON (1) Panto, Gnltar 8 Mins.; One Strand, New York Gene Sheldon must have been around but isn't in the New Act files. He's a deadpan, constantly-amazed pantomimist, reminding of Buster Keaton, whose forte is guiter-strum- mlng, but who gets even better re- sults with the comedy afterpiece. Therein an unbilled femme foil as- sists in a bit. The guiter warmup business la overdone in the forepart, until he gets into his socko instrumehtaliza- tion. The denouement is o'bvious, and he could cut it a minute or two to advantage. The business with tha drummer—bumps, gestures, ete.— seems the comedy mainstey. He's a nice interlude. Abel. BABB and ESTES Cemedy, Dsneing 9 Mlns. Faramonnt, N. Y. Blending pantomime and comedy dancing, Barr and Estes shape up as a very good No. 2 type of act Suit- able for any field of the stoge, legit vaudeville, picture houses and night clubs. . Man Is unique comedy type veer- ing a little to the low. He pulls for the laughs while doing comical dance routines, aided capably by his woman partner. Her dancing is more along legit lines. She's a looker. They clicked well here when caught Chor. managed to prove to these people that they are getting value for their coin. Sonny Goldstone and Nick Dean are operating the spot carefully and wisely. Their policy of using only a single name attraction as the en- tire floor show has worked out well. Currently Connie Boswell Is the show. And she is. She holds the floor on her own, and does such a job that the audience lets her go Teluctantty after "she has sung some 10 songs and done about five or six encores. Miss Boswell's voice seems to get better each year, and her style and manner are such that make her a winner wherever <and whenever caught Unquestionably tops as a seller .. of modem songs, . she .puts them -over without overdone ar- rangements. Manzanares' orche-ttra plays for the rhumba sessions, while Fidler's group tosses off the standard dansa- pation and also does, a fine job of accompaniment for I^ss Boswell. Gold. Hotel Roosevelt, N. Y. Franfcie Maaters Orchestra (12), Marion Frances. This is the first time east for Frankie Masters, long a standard a round Ch ica go, and t he personable "Tliy lliuilu maestro (not—swlngo') should fare well in the politer hotels. He's at the Roosevelt only for a month, pending Guy Lombardo's hiatus in theatres, latter coming back into the Roosevelt's grill in time for the World's Fair-influx. This in it- self, incidentelty, is a departure. Masters then shifts to a Boston hos- telry. Maestro impresses well on his New York debut For one thing his crew of 12 (four reeds, three brasses, ete.) is- smooth yet dance-compelling. He has.« nice touch of fhownansliip with a patented lighting system, a series of baby spots on the musicians, as occasion warrants. The • twin baby spots, alongside the mike, ia another bright idea, obvious and one wonders why not done before in that manner. Marion Frances uses these for her,mike vocals; also Masters in specialties. The band does concerted numbers like '10 LitUe. Bottles/ in the course of which the "bottles' illuminate via a unique flashlight system.' Band is of modest proportions that flts nicety into hotel rooms like tha Roosevelt. The instrumentalists come forward for qecasional special- ties. Jay Matthews,- trumpeter, par- ticularly featuring a sweet horn. Abel. Laosaime's B. 0. Idea Lausanne, April 1. City fathers in this Swiss city are planning construction of a thea- tre containing two halls, one with a seating capacity of 1,200 and the other 2,800. To cost over $500,000i City presentty has no large concert hall, and theatres- are closed during the fall and qiring, when tourist trade is high. When completed grab would be made, for such concerts as Paderew- -ski,-Toscanini,_Bruno-'Walter,-«tc.— Returns to Stockholm Stockholm, April 2. Gustav Wally, dancer, who was in Holtywood for a Parainount test but secured no job, has returned to his native Stockholm, where he has put together his own revue at the So-> dran.. He's son of Sweden's Rockefeller. .WaUei^fg. Vifi banker. - -