Variety (Aug 1939)

16 VARIETY MUSIC HALL, N. Y. Nina Whitney, Nicholas Daks, Ivan Triesault, June Forrest, Chansonettes (3), Sunny Rice, Johnny Trent^ Bel- let, Roefcettes, , Glee Club; Sym- phony orch, under direction Erno Rapee; 'In Name Only' (RKO), re- viewed in currejit issue. Putting on all the shows in the absence of Leon LeonidifT, senior producer, Russell Markert this week affixes his signature to a presenta- tion document that is very much to the point, being compact, and holds the eye as well as the attention in a very satisfactory manner. While the show is brief due to the length of the feature, more than the usual number of individuals are sprinkled through it, including a re- turner here, Johnny Trent. His Punch-and-Judy act has also played panying, that's a nifty for close har- mony. The boys also try some sober comedy that's within conservative bounds as exemplified by the leader. Finale is the usual one, where the band recedes to the rear and - the whole show's participants come on for a bow. ROXY, N. Y. Rog- Cae click with the audience. Opening the Roxy nearby and elsewhere, and Del Rios, two boys and a femme, do thus is familiar to many. The i standout hand-to-hand and body bal- Buck & Bubbles, Lorroine & iinii, Del Rios (3), Edna Hall, Foster Girls (24), Paul Ash's house arch: 'Stanley and Livingstone' i20t;i), rcuicioed in Variety Aug. 2. A 44-minute stage show comple- ments the long screen feature cur- rently and holds up its end nicely dc.<ipite the curtailed running time. Only three acts are in support of Gae Foster's line, but the latter's versatility adds greatly to the illu- sion of bulk. Three acts are all standard and all dancing puppets as a topper is what cinches him for a strong finish. Stage bill is in three parts, four being the usual custom here. There are two production numbers, with Trent sandwiching as a turn in 'one.' Opening is what Markert tags 'Mariska,' a song and dance pro- duction effort that tells a familiar story about the gypsy dancer and her whip-slinging lover. A colorful garden set forms the background, with a group starling it out in a minuet, topped by June Forrest's well-rendered coloratura solo. The gypsies are brought on as assisting entertainment and a noble- man goes for the dancer, only to arouse the ire of her boy friend who in the end kills her. This is all worked out ierpsichorically, in- cluding singles by Nina Whitney, and her lover, Nick Daks. Matter's Russe number is flashy. Miss Whit- ney's toe specialty is backed by group dances (hpuse ballet) which adds impressive size to the scene. The closing features Sunny Rice. . crack tapping single, and The Chansonettes (New Acts), plus the Rockettes and the Hall's Glee Club. Chansonettes, femme harmony trio, stay entirely away from hot numbers or jitterbug vocals, being more on the operetta or chamber music side. Good voices and good harmony registeir them satisfactorily. Miss Rice sticks in a punch with two very cleverly and breezingly-performed tap numbers. Among other things, she makes very effective use of her arms in affecting a free and easy .style which refreshes. Glee club backs for the Chansonettes in one of their numbers and the Rockettes' finale dance formation again gets them top applause. This week the Markert line, in a number staged by Gene Snyder, is doing a tap routine. Business excellent Friday e"ening at first show. Char. APOLLO, N. Y. House Line, Jean Starr, Three Riffs, Babe Walbice, John Mason. Sandy Bums, Viuion Harris, Delores Payne, Jimmte Lunceford orch; 'Outside These Walls' (Col). This Is a snappy 70-minute show, whose forte is the Jimmie Lunce- ford band,. a quick repeat at this house. Crew was in a couple of months ago. ^The b.o. puU of the Lunceford crew was evident opening night (Friday) at the final show, with the lower floor and all decks jammed, with standees, too, in the rear of the orchestra. Show this week is running about 15 minutes less than usual; however, there's more crammed into this than normally, with the Lunceford band easily copping the duke as the prime motivator for the smart pace. Show, generally, is an indication of smart staging by Leonard Harper, who's once more at the helm after ancing tricks:. They're smooth workers, nice-looking and nicely dres.'sed in evening wear, but their opening is marred by the offstage and also off-key choral accompani- ment. It's- o good idea, but not car- ried through in first-rate style. Once passed this point,.,however, the trio acquits itself adrnirably, . Lorraice and Rognan, mixed com- edy pair, are given production at the Roxy, but actually it only slows 'em up. Their usually fast-moving com- edy is broken up by the inclusion of the Foster' girls with the male's solo hoofing stint, and it isn't until the pair's finale waltz knockabout that they get a fair measure of laughs. Show's-top click is registered by Buck and Bubbles' comedy, dancing and pianologing. Colored team had been hibernating in a Philly nitery when drafted for this date, and they come through in their expected punchy style. Audience at the last show Friday (4) kept applauding for 'em right into the line's finale rou- tine, but the team wasn't permitted to encore. Fbsterites stand out In their open- ing swing-tap to a modernized ver- sion of a classical tune, also giving the show a sock finish with a reprise of the unicycle routine. They're be- ginning to draw flattering attention, from the trade and public alike for a varied assortment of trick rou- tines, but something that's yet to at- tain consistent A-1 grade is their costuming. Those white satin py- jama outfits in the intial routine, for instance, are not exactly Ziegfeldian. Biz. good at last show opening night. Scho. STEEL PIER, A. C. (MUSIC HALL) Atlantic City, Aug. 6. JncJc Haley, Wynn Murray, Jack Poiuell, Zeller Bolcer, Joey Faye, Charlie Boyden, Ben Yost's Octet, Jimmy Jones Orch (12); 'Chicken Wagon Famili;' (RKO) STATE, N. Y. Harold Barnes, £ddie Rio and Bros., Sibi/l Bouian, Frarik Gaby, Leith Stcuens Orch, Jeanne Blanche, Eton Boys; 'Captain Furu" (UA). bugs. His vocalist, however, Mary Ann McCall, who's a native of Phil- adelphia and not so long ago was graduated from high school here, drew the neighbors and former class- mates in droves on opening day. It was easy to pick 'em out bcc-i^r.e .rJ- PARAMOUNT, N. Y. Frank Gravatt's Steel Pier, which houses some 18 other attractions along with the Music Hall's vaude- ville and first-run pictures, has been experimenting with different open- ing days for the latter's vaude shows with the result that this week's bill opened yesterday (Saturday); last week's~teed off Sunday (30); the next preem's Friday (11). Headlining is film comedian Jack Haley. Haley, who's assisted by the blonde musicomedy songstress, Wynn Murray, more recently of 'Boys From Syracuse', and an unbilled, deadpan comic, holds the spotlight for about 25 minutes. He stumbled a bit at this show while his adlib- bing almost played havoc with the speaking lines of Miss Murray. How- ever, the audience seemed to appre- bemg out for a while. However, this ciale his gags theatre's old bugaboo, the girl line, Haley's singing, with more of his once more lends a distracting mflu- adlibbinR, is demonstrated in hit , ence with its^sloppy work. Also songs from shows and films in which weak are the Three Riffs, males, who he's played. Starts with 'Button Up harmonize none too impressively. your Overcoat' and ends with 'How Opening portion is a presentation affair with the Lunceford band play- ing for it behind a scrim. It include.<; Babe Wallace, male singer: Jean Starr, a line girl who's given a couple specialties; a pair of sketches in which are Sandy Burns, John Mason and Vivian Harris, house standbys, and the Three Riffs. Wallace, has a fair voice, but his main point is his excellent appear- ance; Miss Starr sings, taps and trurr.pets, with her dancing being best. BurnSi Mason and Miss Harris are in some funny burley blackouts, a departure from their usual rha- tcial. Lunceford generally spots his band's numbers discriminately, but his glee club, working imrhediately following the moderately sweet intro band humber, would be more effec- tive later. As it is, the band doesn't identify its swing forte until the act is many minutes old. Then fol- lows 'Well, AH Right,' which is in its jive groove. , , . Lunceford wiseljr essays to stay in the background, giving band mem- bers ample opportunity to step out on their own. There's a singing quartet, with the mandolinist accom- I Hate to Get Up in the Morning,' etc.; from 'Alexander' (20th). Miss Murray delivers 'Ain't You Comin' Out?', 'Poured My Heart Into a Song' and 'Sing for Your Sup- per' last from 'Syracuse,' in great style and figures in some clowning with Haley in a takeoff on Shakes- peare. Haley also uses the stooge for a bit of banter. After Miss Murray's terping to 'Lady's in Love,' Haley returns and has to beg off. Another socko act is Jack Powell, novelty drummer, who's in black- face. He drums on everyi'iing, in- cluding the kitchen sink and stove. Ben Yost's Octet opens the show by singing 'Comes Love' and 'Deep Pur- ple' pleasingly. Their comeback with 'Wishin' and 'Stairway, to Stars' rales them high. The minstrel half of the show outs Charlie Boyden, Joey Faye, Dick Grant and Eddie Kaplan in gags and skits that are old here but still get a laugh. Zeller and Baker throw clubs around, but they get little response from the audience. Relly and Verna, novelty dance team, get by. House played to standees when caught. The Slate is okay for laughuig sounds this week. There's comedy in all the acts save the snappy opener, wire-walking Harold Barnes. The whole show unfolds easily and eveiily. Eddie Rio and Bros., three- man outgrowth of a. hoofing routine, begin the giggling exercises with a demonstration of actor-showmanship applied to the needs of big houses and the modern type of variety diversion. There's a lot for the eye to appreciate in their knockabout plus added seasoning of' verbal sat- ire, notably ; some spoofing refer- ences to radio. In the latter connection they be- gin by deploring their inability to get on the radio. They can't be sponsored by Luckics because they don't smoko; nor by Canada Dry be- cause they don't drink. Emphasiz- ing their rhyming affinity with drink, they suggest Lifebuoy would be their ideal sponsor. If there is occasion this week to draw a text for a few sermon-like remarks the obvious provoker is Sibyl Bowan. Both as an individ- ual jperformer and as a symbol of a type of performer it is refreshing to watch her work. The woman single, as such, is now so seldom encoun- tered on the boards that actually it seems like a novelty. Indeed it may well be that many of the drop-ins at this house have not seen a song cycle turn in years, if ever. Miss Bowan uses a variety of changes and makes them right before the audi- ence. She employs special material throughout. In material and presen- tation, she is 'trouping every minute in the old, but always new, manner and carryiag on the standards of professionalism in 'production values' which all too often tend to be neglecttd nowadays. These remarks should not suggest that Miss Bowan is antique or a museum-type acL To the contrary, part of the pleasure of her perform- ance is found in her up-to-dateness. She has edited her several numbers for punchiness. None of them is over-long. No unnecessary choruses. Even her least sock.v specialty, the 'study in black and white.' is a chanee of bace and, as such, plus its brevity, okay even though not as strong as the rest of the turn. What stands out in Miss Bowan's turn is her hard-hitting, hard-work- ing, straight-for-lhe-target combina- tion of ' impersonation, song and hoke. With plenty of broad touches in the latter. This-seems to repre- .sent a conscious quickening of her temoo which was once (some years back) rather leisurelv. If not tepid. None of that now. She has geared up the machinery to meet new re- quirements. In this constant en- hancement of professional authority and performer adaptability she seems an example of the best traditions of vaude. Another oer.former that works In the good old knows-how manner is Frank Gabv, who employs a ven- triloauial dummy and also a pert blonde male mid.eet to pile up a nice edifice of laughs. His light and shade, one or two .<terlous moments and disarming spirit of self-kidding keep him on safe ground all the way. In charge of the final minutes Is the Leith Stevens orchestra from Columbia Broadcastine's orecincts. Stevens has long been identified with a peaches-and-creamv sort of musi- cal arrangement His 15 men make a brand, of music for persons with normal nervous systems. It presents an attractive appearaince with the arms and le^s of the melody still att.iched to the torso. Stevens him .self speaks his announcements firmly and clearly. Several of his musl cians caoably demonstrate reason- able claims to the title of singer, Added item with the band is .Teanne Blanche, a girl hoofer whose taps are not only .sharp and distinct but remarkably numerous and varied in rhvthmic naraphrasin?. As she whirls, travels and rolls her cleats v/ith a relaxed, easy, this-is-fun sort of .style, she builds a strong case for a well-articulated attaeirl. Four Eton Bovs, also from the kilocycles, likewise work In with the orchestra. They wham across hot harmony with comedy touches and 10.39 blendings. Land. Phil Spitalny orch (30), featurino Evelyn, Maxine, 3 Little Word.<;, — w .Mlift'sV riirmer, Joannw Koy; 'Beau loyal hand-patter that brought her Qesfg. (p^,)^ reviewed in Vafietv back repeatedly. I /yiy 26. Two acts have been added this week, McDonald and Ross, terpers, and Paul Regan, mimic. Presenta- tion runs about 45 minutes. Herman's crew is extremely credi- table. Billed as the 'band that plays the blues,' it hardly sticks to that classification, mixing them up in usual fashion. It consists of four rhythm, six brass and four reeds, plus the reader's clarinet. Herman, in fact, is quite a virtuoso on his instrument. Arrangements are full and solid, plenty on the jive side. There is less than the usual amount of solo-taking, the band sticking to ensemble playing instead, with the drummer getting the white light most often. Herman m.c.'s, he's satisfactory on looks, and is strong at handling the reins. Maestro also vocals 'Blue Evening' and 'Ole Man Mose' satisfactorily. Miss McCall, okay on looks, does •SUirway to the Stars,' 'Tain'l' What You Do' and 'Blue Heaven.' Last is done best, with the others being very mediocre. Voice is rather plain with a slight tendency to hardness. McDonald and Ross do a tap terp tabbed 'Shadow Dance.' Gal wears a man's white evening garb and he's dressed similarly but in black. They go through the same taps, clgaret- lighting, etc. The idea, however, is better than the execution, foi: It lacks precision.' Team also works on steps for some good, if usual, effects. Fin- ish off with a challenge round and get off strong with a tricky bit of kicking between each other's lees. Paul Regan's mimicry scores strongest in the layout. He goes through a big list of radio and screen names, most of them pretty good, with his Walter Winchell tops. He makies the mistake of almost every vaude mime, howeiver, of caricatur- ing President Roosevelt. In the first place, it's the poorest bit-of mimicry of the lot and secondly it's offensive. Herb. Minneapolis, Aug. 9. Rudy Vallee orch (14), Gentlemen Songsters (4), Biltmoretles (3), John Callus, Grace & Nilcico, Joon Merrill, Bob Neller; 'Stronger Than Desire' (M-G). ORPHEUM, MPLS. FOX, PHILLY Philadelphto, Aug. 4. Wood)/ Heriruin orch (15) with Mary Ann McCall, McDonald & Ross, Paul Regan, Lou Schroder house bond; 'Each Dawn I Die' (WB). With 'Each Dawn I Die' given strong exploitation and considerably more important billing than the ab- breviated stage show, which is topped by Woody Herman's band. Fox this week had biggest opening-day (Fri- day) mob . since the spring.. Late show saw standees piled out to the lobby, while biz at.other houses, nit- eries and amusement places was ex- tremely weak. Herman's crew Is nfit entirely de- void of responsibility for a chunk of the crowd, although his name counts for little except amoiig the platter- Rudy Vallee heads a swell show currently, this marking his third ap- pearance at the house in little more than a year. Every act lands solidly As for Vallee himself, he tops every- thing with his sock variety, 'besides casting an added glow to the pro ceedings by his almost continuous presence as m.c. His dignified, friendly manner, a.ssurance, compell- ing personality and well-phrased in- troductions are greatly impressive. Vallee's versatility is displayed at frequent intervals. He's a singer, actor, dancer, comedian, imperson- ator, ventriloquist and musician, scoring every time. Show is run off in front of a stage band that's mostly local but entirely, equal to the occasion under the masterly guidance of Vallee's own conductor, Elliott Daniels, who also tickles the ivories. A coupla other key Vallee looters travel with him. He croons a medley of pops, the Gentlemen Songsters, quartet, lend ing vocal assistance to open the show. The Biltmoreltes, three femmes, run off. their acrobatics speedily, their difficult turn winning steady applau.se. Piece de-resistance are somersaults by one girl through a hoop which she herself holds. Fly- ing somersault and handsprings plus somersaulting a rope instead of jumping also aroused audience en- thusiasm. Vallee then takes over with his 'Plaza-3' number concerning the plaint of a Yale graduate who winds up as a personal escort. It registers only mildly. John Galliis, who fol- low, clarinets and juggles an indoor baseball on it simultaneously. He also keeps sevei-al balls bouncing while in.strumentalizing. A sock finish has him clarineting and manipulating eight girl marioncls in dances, all at the same time. After another Vallee vocal, Grace and Nikko, man and woman, hit the bull's eye with their comedy ball- room atid'adagio dancing. Then Val- lee toots a mean saxaphone to pave the way for Joan Merrill, attractive, husky-voiced songstre.ss. He joins her for some stepping to the quar- tet's 'Back to Back". After his im personation of an old soldier re- counting battlefield deeds, Bob Nel ler, ventriloquist, carries on. His material and business are new. Vallee does a bit of W. C, Fields' baiting of the dummy and then joins Neller with a dummy of his own to essay a bit of ventriloquism. A vomiting bit is far from refined but cops laughs. For a finale there's a hot band number, with the headliner going to town on the clarinet. All in all, a fast-moving, dandy show. House well-filled at the opening matinee. Rees, Following a cavalcade . of . the nation's cream bands into the Para- mount, Phil Spitalny again repeats here and not only duplicates his past clicks but tops himself. His present aggregation of femme musicians and varietur of talents achieve a show- manship presentation that skillfully blends the utmost in stage values. Spitalny's musical prowess is now- standard, as is also the fact that his is the No, 1 femme band and has been for sojne seasons. But in the current sequence the maestro seems to have tried for dramatic contrasts, change of pace and general versa- tility. Results are most satisfying. It calls for a bit of daring to have vocalist Maxine—a looker by the bye—scat-sing 'Taint What You Do' with Harlemesque glee club back- grounding, and then go almost di- rectly into 'Ave Maria,' with the same fenime choir assisting in .secu- lar style. Latter is further high- lighted by Evelyn's sock violin vir- tuosity. The same change of pace asserts itself right along, evidencing a de- liberate intent for a sequence of anticlimaxes until the final 'Be- guine' for the topper-offer. Evelyn does a killer-diller Joevenuti on the bow with 'Some of These Days,' and then sooths into 'Deep Purple' with a violin quintet accomp. She's th» concertmistress of the Spitalny or- ganization and responsible for that crack 'Ave Maria' arrangement, along with the others, As with Ginger Harmon and other novitiates whom Spitalny gave de- luxe Broadway-premiere opportuni- ties, he has three new tyro.s—Johnny Koy; dancer; June Lorraine, im- pressionist, and Gypsy Farmer, hi- de-ho songstress. Latter whams 'em, with 'Well. All Right' in the most advanced S2d street bounce manner, but had to beg off because of a sore throat at this catching; hence, she's not detailed under New Acts as are Koy and Miss Lorraine. But the lit- tle Miss Farmer sold for extra val- ues. She's just the right swingo vocal touch to the tout ensemble. Spitalny compresses a wealth of stuff in his SO minutes. His opening rhythmic recital essays to promptly belie the 'Hour of Charm' introduc- tory Bining. which Is in Itself good showmanship, since the Par. .cus- tomers have become addicted to the jitterbug diet. But after that Spitalny proceeds to charm 'em with the variety of his wares. 'Prayer of the Jungle' is a rhythmic barbaric piece wherein Mary McLenihan, probably the No. 1 femme drummer in the business, does a Genekrupa on the skins that rivals many a male stick- man's virtuosity. Tomtoming to a soft, contrasting . string -bass and clarinet combo, the 'jungle' number is a rhythmic voodoo. Comes Maxine with her photo- genic front and her 'Taint What You' vocal division, the Three Little Words also get in their innings with 'Beer Polka' and a hokum 'Trapeze* medley that too, has 'em begging off. .Then the Misses Lorraine and Farm- er's specialties and the finale. Rosa* linda and Lola are featured through- out on the Steinways. With 'Beau Geste' (Par) on screen and Spitalny sustaining the stage portion in big league manner, the Par is diie for three healthy b.o. weeks. Abel. MINNESOTA, MPLS* Minncopolis, Aug. .^. Jacfc Malerich's orch (18), Jo». Griffin, ■ Jack Maierich, Lew Brock, Patricia Wynn Dancers (12). BulUird & Vrae, Ted Lester, Mar fields (2), Harry Savoy & Co. (2); 'She Married A Cop' (Rep). This theatre continues to cra.sh through with sock entertainment Current show is best of three offered since 4,000-seater's reopening under local auspices, two of the four acts, Harry Savoy & Co. and Ted Lester, raising the quality. For pop vaude representing a very limited budget the layout sizes up as particularly acceptable. On hand, as usual, to provide addi- tional money's worth as well as flash, are the theatre's permanent features -T-the corking 18-piece orchestra, maestro Jack Maierich,- who's also »l- the organ; warbler Joe Griffin, m.c. Lew Brock and the 12 Patricia Wynn dancers. In recognition of American Legion's state convention Malericli and his musicians, in the pit, play, appropriately enough, a stirring medley of patriotic numbers, wind- ing up with 'God Bless America' as Griffin ably .-tenors. Malerich'.s organ solo and accompaniment for the au- dience-sing are also applause-gath- erers. ■ S . Brock confines this week's efforts to introducing the acts, which, per-- haps, is just as well, and he fills the bill unobtrus7vel.y if not with di.s- tinctiori. The three Wynn dance con- tributions, punctuating the proceed- ings, show improvement' over past weeks. Costuming again is credit- able. Sole production number has the gals -working with one of the (Continued on page 47)