Variety (May 1939)

Wednesday, May 3, 1939 VARIETY HOUSE REVIEWS VARIETY 45 ROXY, N. Y. Art Jarrett, Dick, Don & Dinah, Frank Paris Marionettes, freddte Craig, Jr., Evelyn Dawn & Julius DarroWi Gae Foster Girls, Paul Ash oTch; 'Return of the Cisco Kid' (2Uth), reviewed in this issue . Art Jarrett, who was here only about a month ago, an4 a tumbling- acrobatic act, Dick, Don and Dinah, top the bill at this house. Show is baclced up by two slick Fanchon & Marco production numbers, with the Gae Foster girls in the limelight Jarrett measures up to his reputation as a singer without overdoing it, while aero trio are a surprise entry that wow£l 'em right at the opening. Jarrett starts with 'And the Angels Sing,' then comes 'Begin the Be- eulne.' Caps this regular appear- ance with It's AH Yours' with special lyrics referring to the fair. He takes tiie side stage for vocalizing during the Foster , girls' finale. Two male members of the D-D-D trio get underway with zig-zag dance, ending with tumbling. Femme starts real aero routine, young looker be- ing the foil for numerous balancing and fancy feats. Introduction of giant rubber ball offers a twist to familiar acrobatic and balancing tricks. There's a three-person stand- ing climax that is tops for this type of work. Frank Paris puts his marionettes through familiar paces, starting with a rhumba dancer, including Astairf- Rogers, Dopey, Bobby Edson and again clicking with .the skating rep-, resentatlon of Sonja Heinie. Varies little from what he's been doing for the last year, or more. Freddie Craig, Jr., introduced as the lad with Uie index brain, gets a big production layout and giant blackboards. Remembering words, numbers and writing them in disor- dered sequence topside down Is the basis of his mental work. Rings in the stunt of naming streets in prin- cipal cities while doing calculations Just to complicate matters and'dis- play his skill. He does this for the rather involved climax to his turn, when he uses addition, division and spotting of headline words all at the came time. Evelyn Dawn and Julius Darrow, attractive baUroora dance couple, are brought on by the Gae Foster flrls modernistic dance floor produc- tion concept Graceful pair stress the ease with which they do cus- tomary frills of ballroomology. Fos- ter line starts show with tap-stepping number, wearing toppers and carry- ing the Churchill umbrella in front of a No. 10 Downing Street set Biz only so-so. Wear. EMBASSY, N. Y. (NEWSREEL) With popular interest in Interna- tional military affairs still acute, the March of Time's two-reeler 'dealing with Japan's attempt to conquer China captures chief honors on this week's bill. Due to length of this featurette, balance of program has been trimmed down to 41 news and magazine clips of average quality end appeal. Time, carefully prepared and ed- ited, Is timely and intensely absorb- ing. It presents both sides of the picture, dwelling on Japan's aims and the ruinous cost of Its Man- chukoan and present campaigns. Commentator, however, reiterates throughout that China is far from conquered and holds out hope that Chang Kai-Chek will turn out to be the saviour of China. Production is a credit to the producers in photog- raphy, lighting and editing. Rest of the program is short on comedy and humor. Topical news events in the world of politics, avia- tion, military conscription, etc., vie with novelty subjects from various parts of the world. May Robson's vSth birthday celebration at the Warner studios in Burbank, Cal., is a touching (Universal) topic, with tte noted actress delivering a Stir- ling appeal for world peace. Biirn- Ing of the S. S. Paris in Havre is rhown, with excellent land and air chots. Scores for Movietone as a good piece of reporting. A Metro bird's-eye view of the n. Y. World's Fair and ground shots of ni'ht illumination of the buildings and fountains, as well as a miniature railroad exhibit, are good. Scenes of Secretary Hore-Belisha's appeal for army volunteers in London (Movie- tone) and Paramount's shots of J-zech and German refugees enlist- ing In the French Foreign Legion in Fans are topical and arousing. Comedy laurels In the program go to Paramount's jazzed skit of Clifl wazarro and Jerry Colonna, who at- ^Ptto explain daylipht saving to oill Thompson (Nick Depopolous), Greek stooge. Of the two Movie- Jone-Lew Lehr supposed laugh-get- Vt^' "Either one is outstanding. His cnunpanzee suliject scores over that or bathing cutles building a giant crab-meat salad in Oregon. An- other stiurlous comedy item (Metro) is thoroughly Inexplicable and with- out any point whatsoever. This MOWS Olsen and Johnson. Broad- way zanies: Gene Tunney, Bob Rip- «y, Joe Connolly and J. Edgar woover, with guns drawn, opening a door from behind which emerges a midget rat-ta-tatting away with a machme gun. That's all and no ex Sanations offered. Other meritorious magazine-type topics are developments of the sugar industry in Hawaii (Pathe); a motor- cycle hill-climb in England, with plenty of spills (Movietone): Cuba's program of developing youth in In- dustry and military training; Japa- nese conquest of Nanchang from air and land (Paramount); good slow- motion scenes of girl divers: Italian takeover of Albania. Program has two Paramount News subjects which plug their feature, Union Pacific' They have no place In a news compilation. Other topics Include (General Goerlng's visit in Tripoli; Gen. Hugh Johnson testify- ing on neutrality bill before Senate Committee, and working of the N. Y. Curb exchange. Other clios of varying Interest take In a West Point review by General Hugh A. Drum; training of aviation students In an Albuqueroue high school; two fashion subjects to in- trigue feminine fans, and other as- sorted items. FLATBUSH, B'KLYN Happy Felfon's orch, Henny Youngman, Wini Shaw, Slate Bros., Fay Gorroll, Sinclair Sisters. Ken Nealy, Lorraine Barre, The Mount- aineers. , Louise Dunne, Btllv Gal- hraith, Marty Snerd, The Swingd- roos; 'Pride of the Navy' (Mono). Shows are running long out here, but the customers eat it up just the same, as well as all of Henny Young- man's old stuff. Youngman would wear out his welcome were he on Broadway, but out here, where a lot of 'em probably never saw him on a stage, all of his material clicks. Even when he stalls around toward the last actually doing nothing, they still love himi The Happy Felton orchestra works hard, giving the neighborhood folks about all they can stand, but again they eat It up. Winl Shaw is doing an arrangement of two pops and an interpretation of "FDR Jones.' She doesn't explain what's wrong with the number as originally written. She scores easily, as do the Slate Broth- ers, comedy. slapstick trio. Latter could dispense with the herring talk, however, and stick to their last. Well rounded show also Includes the Sinclair Sisters, tap dancers, whose work Is relieved by a bit of acrobatics. They're okay; Billy Galbraith, an Irish tenor, is carried by the band. He's not a wow, but gets by all right and has a very in- gratiating personality. Another with Felton's crew Is Louise Dunne, so- prano. She sits with the band boys until called upon toward the last but should go on ahead of the Slates rather than follow them. It might also be better to earlier put on May Erickson, the chubby girl who does a number with Felton for the close. There is somewhat of a letdown at this point Lorraine Barre, singer, is on early and o.k. Business was very good Friday night (28) at the last show. Char. APOLLO, N. Y. FOX, PHILLY PWIodelphla, ilpril 28. Tony Mortin, Jimmy Joy orch with Gai Moran: Dale Winthrop, Gene Sheldon, Charles Carrer, Adolph Komspan's house band; 'Return of the CiSco Kid' (20fh). Pigmeat, Vivian Harris, Sandy Bums, George Wiltshire, I<eRoy Williams, Willie Lewis, Dr. Sausage & Four Pork Chops, Pete Nugent, Erskine Hawkins band, with Ida James, Avery Parrish, Line; 'Woman Doctor" (Rep). First part of this show Is a stage wait but the last half finishes on a crescendo when the Erskine Hawkins band takes the spot With a band that's much improved since its last showing here several months ago, Hawkins can now proximate the top colored bands for musicianship, al- though the maestro will have to ac- quire just a bit more polish. For in- stance, that bad diction. For solo vocallng he has with him Ida James, light-skinned looker, who hasn't much oS a voice, but whose personality and demeanor were suf- ficient for her to draw two encores opening night (28). Then, too, Haw- Icins has several of his boys stepping on their own, chief of whom is the nimble-fingered pianist Avery Par- rish, who had difficulty bowing off. In this section, too, there's Pete Nu- gent (New Acts), a smash tapper. First half sees the Hawkins band playing the show from the pit, with the maestro not in attendance.. There's the house's quartet, Pigmeat, George Wiltshire, Vivian Harris and Sandy Burns in the burley black- outs, slightly more ent'-taining than usual. , „, Also, there's Dr. Sausage and His Four Pork Chops, quintet of assorted musicians on assorted instruments. They're In hayloft garb, in keeping with the early production setting, but draw few plaudits, though they work hard enough ■ in the swing Idiom. Also, there's Willie Lewis, who twirls a mean baton from every angle to fairly good returns. Appearing in shirtsleeves and opeh collar detracts considerably from the turn, how- ever. LeRoy Williams Is a baritone and only fair. He appears first in a solo spot, then switches to a spring prod- uction setting, in which the line, in sheer dresses, etc., appears out of sorts. Towards the end of the first half Wiltshire and Pigmeat go into a negligible song. It's obviously a filler to permit the band setting on the stage. Following the surprising click he was on the Earle stage last year, Tony Martin is brought back to the territory this week by the Warner circuit for an appearance at the Fox, Return trip, of course, is always somewhat, of a letdown from the original, as evidenced by the b.o. this, sesh and the diminished line of femmes at the stage door. However, Martin's just about the same on the boards as he was the last visit Martin is billed as wanding 'his Own Hollywood band.' Anonymous crew which he fronts is actually Jimmy Joy's, with the real leader in the-reed section. As m.c, Martin is fine as long as he sticks to prepared Introes. He's ill at ease when some- thing arises to take him off the beat- en path and has a bad habit of talk- ing away from the mike, making-him sound weak and even unintelligible at times. Greater defect, however, is an inability to time encores cor- rectly for the acts, frequently per- mitting the applause to go too long before allowing a bow or calling for the repeat after the hand-patter is dying away. Martin is the tops in.his own sesh of warbling. With swell looks, nice personality and very acceptable pipes, he's socko with 'F.D.R.Jones,' 'Deep Purple,' "Thanks for Every- thing,' 'Married and Angel' and 'I Cried for You.' Finales on the clar^ inet with 'Sweet Sue,' good. Joy's brch consists of five, reedsi four brass and three rhythm. Held pretty much to the background, it Is more than satisfactory for its pur- pose. Maestro himself, completely unbilled, exhibs some smooth work on two clarinets at once for a nice novelty. With the band is Gai Moran, femme chlrper. Gal's actu- ally more of a comic than a warbler. Apparently determined not to be just a singer, she works hard at sell- ing, pulling a floor mike comically down across her knees to be sung to, dancing around it and such.. Has fair enough pipes and frequently uses a shouting style. Does novelty versions of 'Ain't What You Do,' 'Melancholy Baby,' 'Ragtime Band' and 'Exactly Like You.' Also a driink number that's overlong. Goes over smartly, but must learn not to appear to be working so strenuously ■for effect Gene Sheldon provides real laugh bang of the show with his panto- mime. Introed as hick amateur, he looks like the part as he comes in with his banjo. Gets guffaws with his foot swinging in time to his strumming and getting his fingers stuck in the banjo. Latter part of this could be shaved just slightly to speed it up. Winds up with his bit of sewing his fingers together with an invisible thread and gets In some pret^ blue stuff 'good for solid laughs at his bows. Dale Winthrop, distaff tapper, ex- hibs some pret^ nitty routines that are standouts for a terper in the deuce spot Charles Carrer, juggler, rounds oiit the bill. Teeing off with stunts with his hat and cane, he goes Into a flock of unique bits with vari- ous equipment from a cocktail bar. Gets eight balls in the air at once among other things and finales with a nif^ of dropping four eggs into four glasses by pulling a tray out from under the eggs, which are held above the glasses. Herb. New Acts ELEANOR rOWELL DanoliiK 26 Mlns. State, N. T. When she wetit to the Coast four years ago Eleanor Powell had a mod- est reputation as a proficient dancer who had appeared in units and musi- cals, . occasionally in featured spots. She return^ as a star (tieing readied for a picture with BYed Astaire), fillin| nearly half the running time of this stage bill and carrying a ma- jor share of the boxofflce load. She Is now not only a virtuoso hoofer, but has an Ingratiating blend of modesty and assurance. In short she's a resounding click, both as to b. o. draw and entertainment At the final show last Thursday night (27) she held a packed house for 26 minutes, finally bowing off with the audience still demanding more. After a long Introductory spiel, she stepped into the meat of the act three tap routines and a barefoot hula. Although eight min- utes of unblushlngly naive I'm-so- plad-to-be-back chatter and undls- tlnqulshed Impersonations are over- board for a dancer. Miss Powell's enthusiasm and obvious sincerity oartlally redeemed it And when she began to dance she captivated the house. The dancing Itself Is, of course, ex- traordinarily effortless. Inventive, versatile and showmanly. The tap routines are naturally much more exhilarating than the hula, but even the latter is skillful and effective. She has one costume change. First outfit Is a . simple white one with a fatrlT short pleated skirt—quite be- coming. Second Is Hawaiian style. Si^e Is attractive looking, and has a nice chassis. Hobe. Arbitration (Continued from page 3) workability as well as legal angles. Every effort will be made to deter- mine arbitration machinery that will prove effective but at the sanie time, be in accord with laws. Including those governing arbitration. A majority of the states recognize the arbitration functions of the American Arbitration Assn. which has been very active In settlement of labor disputes, among others. The American Arbitration Assn. numbers among its members several produc- Ing-distributlon companies, including Metro, Paramount Warner Bros., Columbia, RKO and Universal. Other show groups are. also members, such as Actors Equity, Screen Actors Guild, NBC, CBS, American Fed- eration of Radio Artists, American Guild of Musical Artists and New York Theatrical Producers. Rodgers is due back from Detroit toaay (Wed.), at which time he may get the first report of the lawyers' committee on arbitration procedure, together with suggestions on which he may further huddle with ex- hibitor and distributor representa- tives.. He is anxious for a lot of progress without delay. 'Sonny' Jim Botlomley, former manager of the St Louis Browns, will assist Johnny O'Hara as base- ball analyst for KWK. T. BBADLET MARTIN Matrle 16 BOns. State. N. T. Standard magic, with usual stuff done well enough but In the usual way. Has the virtue of being pro- ficiently presented, without undue hokus-pokus and conversational frills. Wearing the required soup- 'n'-fish, Martin pulls the customary coins out of the air, produces scarfs and ties and unties them, extracts a live dove from his duds, manipulates cards, changes a wad . of paper into an egg and winds up with the dgaret trick. Works solo. T. Bradley Martin sounds more like a banker than a magi. Act would be better for nlteries. Hobe. GIL and BERNIE MASON Dog Aot 8 Mlns. Paradise, N. T. Two things stand out In this act First is the youth of the mixed team;, secondly the use of tiny Mexican Chihuahas. The tricks have been done before in other dog acts, but rarely by animals as small as uiese. First bit Is for laughs, with the use of a la^ bulldog. Then the pair bring on the midget animals for hand-balancing. The fact that they securely held a noisy opening night crowd attests to the excellent show- manship of the Masons. They scored handily. Scho. BOB PARKER Comedy Dancing « Mlns. Paradise, N. T. Bob Parker has the basis of an ex- cellent comedy specialty, but hasn't yet achieved the nest timing. When that comes he'll be a surefire sock In any setting. In top hat and tails, Parker goes into a straight hoofing routine, but soon switches to a rope-skipping turn that entails a plentitude of hoke. He prattfalls, and his clothes come apart but he hasn't yet mastered the art of making it all appear casual, with the result that the broad comedy gets only light laugh returns. For the blowoff, Parker switches back to straight dancing and he's plenty forte on the hoof. Scho, ^•ETE NCGENT Dancing 6 Mlns.; Fall Apollo, N. Y. Pete Nugent Is an excellent'colored tapper, who seems a better bet for the nlteries than vaude due to the Intimate type of his work. He's garbed appropriately, in summer evenlnfT wear, and has a sufficient repertoire. Interspersed with com- edy taps, that suggest considerable background. However, he doe.sn't have the per- .«onallty, thourh he's nice looking. That grin of his, for Instance and .slovenly walk should be given at- tention. They went for him here, however. HENRY BUSSE ORCHESTRA (18) With VI Mele, Diok Wharton, Docky Tonnr Paramount, N. T. . . New band which Henry Busse has built around several key men from his old band has what it takes. Busse recently relr.^sed the biggest por- tion of the band he was leading in order to substitute with members of New York Local 802 of the AFM. The Paramount Is this outfit's first date outside of the Hotel New Yorker, N. Y., which It exited last week In favor of Jan Garber. In size the band is unusually large. Five reeds, five trumpets (In- cluding Busse), three trombones and four rhythm, which, on paper makes It sound like a powerful earbendlng bunch. Familiarity with the Busse arrangements, however, should make it unnecessary to point out that It isn't. Major portion of the fine ar- rangements in the band's tiook seem- ingly call for mutes and those that don't still aren't obtrusive. However, one change might be in order, i.e., to shift the style of the. drummer. Ih almost every number it's either too loud or the . beater la monotonously pounding oh a cym- baL Isn't noticeable at the start of a tune but as It continues it drums Its way into consciousness and throws the rest of the outfit off bal- ance to a listener. Using a brush In lieu of a stick probably would make it less glaring. Busse doesn't call for much solo- Ing. preferring to handle that him- self. Ajid when he piclcs up his .trumpet it's something to look for- ward to. In one or two Instances another horn takes the spotlight Band's theme, 'When Dav Is Done,' is repeated soon after the opening and IS good work. Entire outfit choruses with exception of trom- bones which are muted, then Dick Wharton, guitarist, comes down for his lone try. He's okay. VI Mele doesn't get much chanc* due to the abundance of outside tal- ent on the Par stage. She vocals but one number, 'Angels Sing,* nicely but It's too confined to really judge her scope. Ducky Young, trumpeter, tosses in a pair of nov- elties along comedy lines. Does the ■Three Little Fishes' as a kid would do it and 'Jimmy Had a Nickel' with new lyrics. Good for many laughs although he goes a little overboard at times on the mugging, making It look siUy Instead of comical. Varied arrangements and tunes Busse's using here Indicate the out- fit handles sweet or hot style equally well. No wild cheering greet either style. Just quiet but solid ap- greclation. With or without his horn iusse looks okay at the lielm. TITO AND HIS SWINGTETTE (5) Rliylhih 16 Mlns. State, Hartford This quintet Is presentable and with careful handling should go places. Consists of threie accordions, guitar and bass violin. Billed as Radio's Outstanding Swingsters,' unit leans away from the car-weary type of music to something that ia ^eek and smooth. It's the initial stage assignment for this aggregation, which has been on 1TBC as a sustalner andguester with Benny Goodman, Paul Wniteman and CBS Swing Session. Also recently completed an engagement at the Blue Room of the tilncoln hotel, N. Y. - Band's assignment consists of three numbers. , . Unit is obviously experienced, but yet has a lot to learn about playing before a visual aud Instead of over the air. Starts off slow and works up to a ost tempo. Arrangements satisfactory, Eck. JANIS ANDRE and VALTA VAL- ENTINOFF Ballet 6 Mlns. Paradise, N. Y. This team carries out the title of the current Paradise nitery show, 'Venus on Parade,'.but their one bal- let routine, tagged 'Birth of Venus,' is not quite the shocker the billing may Imply. Girl is stripped completely to the waist and wears little below, but her routine. with Valentinoff, an ex- tremely husky toe-twirler. Is not of- fensive. It's more or less stral.ght ballet, except for the epidermis dis- play, Valentinoff taking the part of Adonis in what is supposed to be a renrise of the classic fable. Production and execution are quite classy. Miss Andre Is an excontional looker. Scho. •SUSTER and BILLY BRONELL Daneing 16 Mlns. Paradise, N. T. This young mixed hoofing team Is one of the standouts of the new Para- dise production. They're young and personable, with plenty of ablhty in the toe 'n' heel work. Their best is a takeoff on a couple of collegiates doing a shag-peckin' dance, also clicking nicely in front of the line with an original, 'Doing the Bimlny Stomp.' Scho. VICKI ARNOLD Dancing 5 Mlns. Paradise, N. T. Miss Arnold gives out with two routines in this show, but could eas- ily dispense with the second. It's a weak followup for her opening acro- hoofing. First dance is basically rhythm tapstering, but she mixes in enough acrobatics to lend novelty. Second routine is something of a ballet plus high forward and backward kicks. It's anti-climatlc. Her appearance Is sood. Scho.