Variety (Aug 1939)

42 VARIETY VAUDE-HIGHT CLUBS Wednesdaj, August 9, 1939 Night Club Reviews n AINRnW ROOM N Y Ibreakln. Written by Miss Stanley, it JKAIINOUVV R.W/m, I. serves the purpose adaqualely. giving Miss Dooloy opportunity to Al Donahue orc/i with Paula Kellv, Jack Cole Ballet with Lcfitia Jde, Eleanor King, Fe Alf, Ernestine Day, George Bockman, Gali-Goli, Anne Gerard, Eddie LeBaroji ovcli; $3.50 table d'hote, $1.50 and $2.50 convert (Sat.) after 10 p.m. The class Rockefeller nitery atop the 65th floor of the. RCA Bldg. is starting to. show the tourism influx, although, paradoxically, the upped August business is due most strongly to locals. New show isn't the an- swer, not that it's deficient, because, it anything, it looks better than its budget However, it's the institu- tional draw rather than the attrac- tion, because the lineup is no special lure. It's a worthy but quite modestly payroUed setup, highlighted by Jack Cole's 'Ballet Intime" (but sans Cole, who comes back Sept. 12 with the new show), Gali-Gali, Egyptian magico, and Anne Gerard, a classy looker, at the Steinway. Miss Gerard is ah uncertainly-aged, rather Gains- boroughesqiie personality in appear- ance, making for a very distmgue front on the revolving floor as she and her baby grand traverse the room. She plays a pop ballad med- ley in drawing room manner, and is a nice entr-acte touch to the pro- ceedings. Then the Cole Ballet, lour girls and a boy—Letitia Ide, Fe AU, Elea- nor King, Ernestine Day and George Bockman—open with a West Indian number to a beguine rhythm. At- tractively costumed in a clever char- acteristic getup, their ballet clifks. Highlight is the magico Gali-Gali; with his chickens, cards, sleight of hand and intime abracadabra. He's been in Paris, London, the Florida spots and New York, bowing out in- termittently for inunigration ■ pur- poses. Back after a yeiar's absence ne's as suave and ingratiating here as in a more al fresco spot. Brief show finales with the Coleites reprising the 'Georgia Revival Meeting' number their ballet master first introduced here over a year ago. Per usual, Al Donahue and Eddie l.eBaron give out socko dansapation, respec, on the straight and Latin terps. Donahue has the very photo- genic Paula Kelly vocalizing, her pleasing voice parring her classy chassis. Both maestros. incidentally, have been in the socialite columns of late because of their blue-book ro- mances and marriages, Abel. EMBASSY, PHILLY make some of her father's faces and exhibit some of her mother's voice. Follows with "This Is" No Dream,' 'Cubaii Cabby.' "Hurry Home' and mimicry of Hichman, Noel Coward and Calloway. The. Villa sisters, are attractive in the weighty Mexican manner, with flashing teeth and flashing eyes against an olive skin. . Celia, the older, is the less vivacious but more striking of the pair. She does a couple of songs in Spanish, but takes it lackadaisically. Picking the proper tunes aiid developing her sad and quiet manner, she could be built up. Panchita docs a pair of Mex dances, both in costume. First is a peasant affair, second a rhumba, latter see- ing her in a revealing costume. She's rather vivacious and knows how to sling her anatomy, although her talent is limited. M.C. George Clifford, formerly of the ballroom team of Clifford and Wayne, provides the major portion of the entertainment with his booby comedy. Doesn't do .anything much but dance and sing, but the way he docs it is solid for laughs. Plays horribly on trumpet and trombone for more giggles and gives a neat imitation of Louis Armstrong. He's aided in his comedy by Betty Brodell, who also does a song-and- dance turn on her own, and Eileen Cunningham. Virginia Renault, large blonde, does a trio of vocals for ordinary results. . Pedro Blanco's four-man crew sets the pace with Latin-American music that the customers find highly satisfying for terping. It's also strong for the show. Herb. Philadelphia, Aug. 4. George Clifford, Panchita Villa, Celia Villa, Mary Dooley, Virginia Renault, Betty Brodell, Eileen Cun Tiinifham, Pedro Blanco orch. Hawaiian Blue Room (HOTEL BOOSEVELT, N. O.) New Orleans, Aug. S. Clyde McCoy orch, Romo Vincent, Enrica & Novella, Royal Whtrluiinds (3), Jane Claire, Edna Joyce, Ben- nett Sisters (3), Wayne Gregg. Embassy C1 u b, Philadelphia's closest approach to the swankier bistros along New York's S2d street, has achieved considerable success in these hard nitery times through the adroit showmanship of operators Herb Smiler and Sam Silber. Un- able to afford any really important name draws because of the small size of their layout, they have capitalized on comparatively low- priced talent with large publicity values. Current show Is an excellent ex- ample of their technic. It includes 17-year-old Mary Dooley, daughter of Yvette Rugel and the late Johnny Dooley, both of whom were Phila- delphians, and Panchita and Celia Villa, daughters of Mexico's famed bad man. While the show, from a cold entertainment standpoint, is practically insignificant, the names make it interesting if for nothing more than curiosity's sake. Smiler and S'lber likewise Intro' duced to Philly the debutante entertainer. They had three socialite gals working at different times dur ing the- past winter. Blue-book fcmmes were awful short oh talent, but their friends liked it and the rest of Philly came to take a peep at the tony set at work. Stunt did wonders to build top carriage trade, .much of which has stuck, Miss Dooley's entertainment back ground adds uo to a total of 10 weeks. She opened with Ben Bernie at the Hotel Pennsylvania, York, and stayed there two months. She was later at the Mayfair Club, Boston, for a short time, and did two one-niters a couple of weeks ago with Rudv Vallee. . Resembling her mother In her ttniness and her father in her flair for comedy, blonde gal promises to go far. At prcsint she suffers greatly from inexnerience and lack of con- fidence But she's getting voice training In N. Y. and is being coached and managed by Aileen Stanley, herself an erstwhile name in vaude. She does the same turn here that she did at the Pennsylvania, althouih routined differently. Opens up with a patter song of introduction, tellinl of her mother ,and father, her birth In a trunk, their desire to keen her Band and show in this swank air- cooled nitery rate high in their 60- minute turn. Following Phil Harris puts Clyde McCoy in a tough spot, but his crew handles itself nicely regardless. . ^ Although critics of modern swing have pointed the finger of 'corn' at McCoy's style of trumpeting, ha- bitues of the place seem to draw no such line and freely applaud his solos, particularly his wailing trum- pet version of 'Sugar Blues.' He is backed by a good band which has a lot of standard tunes that are well- arranged, plus a good repertoire of new pops. Rotund Romo Vincent, m.c, billed as "The Magnificent Obstruction,' nicely handles the show, possesses fine pipes and cleverly impersonates Charles Laughton's Captain Bligh of 'Mutiny on the Bounty.' Enrica and Novello, old favorites here, are among the smartest dancers to play this room. Crowd was reluctant to let them go at show caught. They did snappy rhumba for encore. The Royal Whirlwinds, two men and girl with eye appeal, show some thrilling spins on roller skates and patrons like them plenty. Jane Claire warbles pops, makes a pleasing appearance and sells her- self neatly. Has nice pipes and was called for several encores at this catching. Edna Joyce, aero dancer, performs lithely and gracefully to get her share of applause. Bennett Sisters, attractive trio, warble nicely and sell themselves quickly. Wayne Gregg, good-looking tenor with the band, is also a winner. Liuzza. able young leader who may come along promisingly with his rather small-sized band. '. In.addition to a line of eight girls, one of whom, Bobbie Drake, does specialities, the show includes Gloria Whitney and Wilma Novack, singing singles, as well as the piano-vocaliz- ing team of Newell and Stager, all covered as New Acts. Joyce Lane is. an additional vocalist who works at the. bar and was formerly at the Drum, Miami. Miss Lane,, a tall, striking brunct, has a large rep of old songs but also sings pop stuff, in- cluding special arrangcnicnls. Char. Cocoaunt Grove, N. Y. (PARK CENTRAL HOTEL) Willie Fanner orch (13) with Linda Kectie. Willie Farmer has an entirely new band and a change of style for this date. It's tho first time Farmer has been at the head of a styled outfit and, while it isn't a group that will scale the band list with a rush, it makes nicis listening and provides solid dansapation. He tags it his 'Farmer in the Dell' music, using the tune as a theme and working it into the arrangements. Outfit's decidedly sweet, composed of four sp.x. four rhythm and three brass split two and one. Add to that an occasional electric guitar, an intermittent lead clarinet, a varied number, selection and the vocals of Linda Keene, and the result isn't hard to take. Domination of the four saxes gives a style not unlike Sammy Kaye and other bands along that line. It's smooth and rarely monotonous in view of the manner in which Farmer mixes 'em up. However, he could unleash the curtailed bra.<;s section more often, as its size precludes any objectionable blare. Arrangements, done from within the band; are at times good and oc- casionally dull and unimaginative. Latter fault isn't often apparent, the best portion of the tune.'; being given a neat lift that draws .the customers on to the floor. That's the only pur- pose of the band here, there being no show to play. It's the first time in a long while that the Grove is going without some sort of floor show. Reported that the management is making plans to re- sume its name band policy In the fall .which will also return flesh, BABETTE'S (ATLANTIC CITY) Atlantic City, Aug. 5. Earl Lindsai/ Babette girls, Beth Cliallts, JVf a n 71 o n and Strafford, Honey Murry, Eric Correa orch. This spot's.mainstay is the wife of the owner of the club, Babette, who officiates as mistress of ceremonies. She opens the show by introducing Earl Lindsay girls in ensemble num- ber, 'Peaches at the Beaches,' parade style, with punch finish showing 'Miss Atlantic City' in costume of the Gay Nineties. Honey Murry follows in a high- hat tap routine that is well received and encores with an Eleanor Powell impersonation. Mannon and Straf- ford, ballroom duo, open with a waltz and then into a. carioca. Bur- lesque the new dance crazes for a snTash finish. Lindsay girls corhe back again with novelty number, 'Let's Change Part- ners and Dance,' inviting male part- ners from tables to dance with them. Beth Challis, in next-to-closing, uses routine numbers and, though she's a little off-color, the crowd eats her stuff up. Big finale. 'Wedding Bells,' em- ploys the entire cast and ends with a swing wedding with everybody do- ing a single together. Hill. BLACKHAWK, CHI MOTHER KELLY'S . (SARATOGA SPRINGS, N. Y.) Saratoga, N. Y., Aug. 2. Gloria Whitney, Wilmo Wowacfc, Neiuclt & Stager, Joyce Lane, Bob- bie Drake, Ray Menking orch.- A new night spot of moderate size out near numerous other lake rp<!orts in the Saratoga area, and opr - n to Piping Rock, Newman H .<s well as several other late ».„jrts which draw the boss bunch but, so far this season, is without gambling as an attraction. This has resulted in the practice of economy in the setting of shows at the start, but as and when the bars come down 'name' talent will be brought in here and el.sewhcre. Operator of this w e 11 -1 a i d out establishment is Mother Kelly (man), whose place in Miami Beach is rather . well known by the bon vivants and re- sort followers. Ray Menkin.g's orchestra, seven- piece outfit which proves a good dance as well as a show band, ODCncd the season here a week ago, Numbers are mostly from the pop counters, including the softer dance tunes for waltzes as well a.^ the hot- ter ai'ticle. but never does the band fhrealen to break the eardniTis. Even sitting on top of it doesn't give CLUB HARLEM (ATLANTIC CITY) Atlantic City: Aug. fi. Larry Steele, Estralita, JVfyra Johnson, May Joy, Lois Deppe, Helen Penn & Pennettes (6), Cooke & Brown, Detroit Red, Hardy Bros. Orch (10). Chicago,' Aug. 4. Johnnie ('Scat') Davis orch with Betty Van, June Glory, Bill Oiucii, Jituniy Barnes. The Blackhawk has picked a win- ner in Johnnie ('Scat') Davis orches- tra. Former trumpeter \vith Fred Waring, who has gained something of a picture rep with his work, in several Warner films, has sur- rounded himself with, a Coast or- chestra and comes hei-e with an ex.- cellent chance to build a. strong ether and dance following. Davis is a hard and smart worker, particularly for the younger nitery mob. He bubbles with' entrgy and drives home a rather breathless per- sonality, shouting his songs and trumpeting inexhaustibly. The only detriment is the paucity of material with crew forced to re- peat tunes frequently. But person- ally he has what it takes, his long vaude experience standing him in great stead, Betty Van warbles with the band and she's okay. Has a modern style of selling with an occasional flash of the jitterbug to break it up. Bill Owen displays capable tonsils with the pops. Floor show, outside of Davis and the two singers, is meaningless, be- ing composed of a couple of single hoofers, June Glory and Jimmy Barnes. . They are youthful and en- ergetic, but both indicate need of experience.. Cold. VOGUE ROOM, CLEVE. (HOLLENOEN HOTEL) Cleveland, Aug. I. Bill Millar orch, Margie Knnpp, Haskell, Pierce & Roland. BROOKLYN CLUB (BROOKLYN, ILL.) r.-^ r,.« Broofclyn. III., Aug. 5 Fifi D'Orsay, Dr.-Marcus, Norma Mitchell, Cliff Winehill, The Brook- lynettcs, Joe Winter's orch. FiQ D'Orsay is heading a show .that 5 among the best presented here this season. Helen Morgan reported- ly is to appear soon, indicating that the management is sparing no ex- pense In lining up name talent ■ Cliff Winehill, formerly with the King's • Horses, in.c.'s arid wins ap- proval for his wide talents. He war- .blcs, burlesques a strip teaser and doubles with Dr. Marcus on the lat- 'cr's magic stuff. The firooklyneltes (4), house line, open show well and close the 45-minutes with another routine. Norma Mitchell, agile aero t-orper, executes some difficult steps in the small working space. Miss D'Orsay, carrying a little more avoirdupois than when she per- sonalcd at a St. Louis film house several years ago, has lost none of her popularity with natives. She clicks in warbling 'Sweet Nothing But Love,' 'Hello, Mugg,' and 'Je Chante,' the latter reputed to be a current Paris hit, with her customary hip shifting. Dr. Marcus, also billed as "The Mad Magician.' scores with a fine assort- riient of tricks. He also docs a lot of double talk. Winehill, at show caught, had to beg off after he had warbled 'As I Turn the Pages of My Family Al- bum,' 'The Lady's in Love,' 'Sly Old Gentleman' and 'Road to Mandalay.' Joe Winter has a smooth orch and judiciously keeps the music softened, in keeping with the atmosphere. Saliu. Considering it's bidding for fam- ily trade, HoUenden Hotel's Vogue Room has a fairl;^ amiable floor show here without going far on the nut. It has plenty of youth with more synthetic gusto than real sllckness. Ringsiders miss terse m.c.'ing of Sammy Walsh, who bowed out after a smart run of six weeks. Margie Knapp, once of Irving Aronson's outfit, is in the strongest spot; she's in schoolgirl dress, has vigorous voice and some appeal. Not much on looks but occasionally sbunds something like Judy Garland when in a swing mood. Trouble is she's a one-style songstress who lays the jitterbug heat on too heavily al- though 'Crazy Rhythm' medley and 'All Right' are sold hot enough to rate two repeats. But she needs a little more variety. Haskell, magician, has a bag of stock tricks that are timed nicely. Stunts with steel rings, eggs, bird and cards are more or less A-B-C. but he has an affable personality plus a line of glib patter that holds polite interest for nearly 15 minutes. Pierce and Roland breeze in for ballroom work that's brisk and graceful. However, they rarely dis- play any fire. Cleverest number is a rhumba to one .of Debussy's classics. Bob Millar's cueing steps up the show considerably and' band's dance rhythms are as catching as Millar's piano solos. Pull. away from the stage and finally her > a headache, Mcnking is a person The. midtown Club Harlem, sepian nitery, has a mob of acts cur- rehtly. Fast-moving show hinges on the ever-busy Larry Steele, m.c, who handles the. long show excel- lently; He also terps and gags, do- ing the former particularly well. Featured is Lois Deppe, baritone, whose voice is above average though his choice of tunes, 'Old Man River,' etc., seems out of place in this strictly jitterbuc show. More in the groove are Cooke and Brown, who are plenty entertaining with their knockabout' dances and acres. The swell pipes of May Joy forced her to beg off when caujht. Estralita, stripper, is okay, while Joe Brown does a roller skating tap and dance that's plenty good. Helen Penn arid her Pennettes, the chorus, have good routines, but do' them somewhat ra.ggedly. Detroit Red, who has played clubs here for years, still draws the laughs with her double entendre jokes and 'onns. Mvra Johnson sings 'Back to Back' nicely. On the bandstand are the Hardy Bros.' swing band, which I plays well for show and dancing. PLAZA CAFE (PITTSBURGH) Pittsburgh, Aug. S. Jimmy Peyton orch (S). Palmer & Morgan, Roy Howard, Chicquita and Her Marionettes. Vet local hands in niterv biz, Freda Pope and her husband, Eddie Hess, are currently operating this down- stairs spot and makmg a go of it with their direct appeal to the tired busi- nessman and conventioneer. That appeal takes the form bf' 15 hostesses (more than all of the other clubs in town put together), all eager to see that the stag-doesn't get lonesome. The policy is paying dividends, since the Pope-Hess combo doesn't believe in expending unnecessary cash for talent, and the entertain- ment is no lure. Plaza had a checkered career prior to the time Miss Pope took It over 17 months ago. It has been a consistent If hardly spectacular click in her hands \yith atmosphere designed to attract spenders on the loose. There's a cover charge of buck a couple, but Its seldom put on bill for the dough boys. Show is merely an addenda. Cur- rent layout has a magician, Roy Howard, who's pretty clumsy with his trickery and needs a much better line of gab to hide his shortcomings: dance team of Palmer and Morgan, hardly average in their waltz and modified apache numbers, and Chlc- auita and her Marionettes. Last is the Plaza's b?st bet. She uses tiny men puppets and has One of 'em dOr ing a drunk act. at and around the piano, that's okay. Should -be scis- sored a bit, however, since routine's much too slow for a cafe. Works without a spot on the marionettes, top. which is another mistake. Jimmy Peyton, one of town's vet- eran musicians, has the band here and It's an altogether comoctPnt eight-piece outfit, with Pevton dfs- patchlng the m.c. duties well. too. Cohen. 15 YEARS AGO< (From VarietvI Negotiations on for Maude Adams to return to the. stage in George Bernard Shaw's 'St, Joan." B. C. Whitney took over the show. from the Theatre Guild and was preparing a tour. H. H. Frazee's musical, 'No, No,. Nanette,' and the Duncan Sisters' 'Topsy and Eva' "^were experiencing such success in their Chicago tryouts that their New York appearances w6re held up. Lew Leslie's new collared revue, 'Dixie to Broadway,* starring Flor- ence Mills, opened in Atlantic City and showed need of judicious doctor- ing before it could hit Chicago for its intended run. Looked as though Eugene O'Brien was through as Norma Talmadge's leading man. Wallace MacDonald chosen to play opposite her In 'Th« Lady,' which Frank Borzage was to direct. Beverly Bayne, formerly starred in pix with her husband, Francis X. Bushman, returned to the screen, op- posite Monte Blue, In Warnei-s' 'Her Marriage Vow.' Political opponents of New York's Mayor John F. Hylan decried the use of the municipally owned WNYC in competing, with , city funds, against privately operated radio sta- tions. W. C. Handy, the great Negro songwtciter, completely bliiid for sev- eral years, had entirely recovei'ed his sight. Paul 'Whiteman's band was set to play a concert at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York, then was to sail for a four-week engagement In Paris at the invitation of the French Academy. English acts headed for America and Germany, particularly the ior- mer, were on the rise. Nitery Followup ' Joe E. Le.wis is one of the few surefire nitery zanies around who still has that lure for the cafe bunch in search of a laugh. Lewis pulls 'em across the George Washington bridge to Ben Marden's Riviera, Fort Lee, N. J., where a snappy Chester Hale show is a svelte setting for his wacky comedy. Lewis' pseudo-acad- emic analysis of the lyric, 'Hold Tight,' should become standard, as he can do the same with each suc- cessivo screwball pop song. And his Catskill parody on "Took a Cruise to Havana' is eouallv funny, albeit not for the Mehitabel trade. Mary Raye and Naldi have pol- ished an already well-turned terpsi- chorean routine and are clicko In this vast room. The Frazce Sisters do their rhythmic vocalization in big league manner. Ted Fiorilo'.'; banc'. Is nifty for the hoof. Abel.