Variety (Aug 1939)

40 VARIETY VAUDE—NIGHT CLUBS Wednesday, August 2.3, 1939 Probe Fair Restaurants .Continued from pase 1_ so bold as.to inquire about a tabic, he was curtly told by some mad moujik at the tape, 'You vant to eat. no? Veil, you vait!" (These are direct quotes from actual experi- ences >. Like sraiidstaiid-quarterbacking at a tootball game, perhaps this second- ijuessing seems simple now, but the restaurateurs hope to salvage some- thing worthwhile out of these and other experiences. For instance—to desert the class eatery zone a while—the Fair did better in the first month from the native New York crowd than it has since. Reasons are simple—there was always something new yet to be seen after dinner, so far as the native New York spenders were concerned. Now if one decides to dine on the Fairgrounds, what to do thereafter? After you've seen the Aquacade or Jessels Little Old New York, or taken the Parachute Jump, or fiUcd yourself with Heineken's Holland beer at the Zuider Zee, you're through. The jyobe shows that the sales resistance to 'showing the Fair' to visitors has mounted, chiefly be- LORD& STEWART Tailors of Today — And Tomorrow LONDON: 19 Albemarle Street FICCADILLT, W. 1 NEW rORK: 660 FIFTH AVENUE Four Step Brothers THIS WEEK CADILLAC TAVERN PHILADELPHIA, PA. Vl« X.AT XAZARBO NEW YO.KK cause the natives are f£d up with the general sameness. Midway Blank The midway, all concede, holds nothing for the sophisticates or oth- ers. That will come in for a major reconstruction suggestion. The side- shows, nudity and stuff are fa- miliar; most of it has been done time and again at spots ranging from Coney Island to 42d street, and back. So it has resolved itself down to the fact that going to the Fair, of an evening, really means a 75c couvcrt charge (gale admission fee) per person on top of a rather fancy dinner check. None seemed to mind this 30 much at first, but the way biz has dropped off in the fancy restaurants started this unofficial probe. On weekends, particularly, thei-e's plenty of room in the class restaurants. | The pavilions themselves, in the : main, lacked ingenuity to properly j put their best perspectives to the fore. Too conscious of the fact that I their embassies or commercial at- taches are bankrolling them, some of { the exhibits put loo much emphasis on merchandise, according to one criticism. This runs to two ex- Iremes—either there's too much ! space for the nationalistic souvenir i shops, or there isn't enough. In j the latter instance, displays are j made, but—as at the Argentine Pa- vilion, which has one of the best ; restaurants incidentally—if you're interested in an Argentine cowhide style of shoe, you can only buy it in Buenos Aires. Where New Yorkers Helped , Speaking of Argentme, that res- taurant is unique because a prac- tical New York cafe man was called in. Ditto at the Chilean pavilion. Felix (Fefcl Ferry from the Monte Carlo (N. Y.) was just called into the Romanian restaurant (Ferry is of a Bucharest family). The Brazil- ian pavilion flew a crack Rio de Janeiro samba band north and then got Jerome Zerbe from El Morocco to run it. But for the rest, It has been catch-as-catch-can, with rare exceptions, Parring the French pavilion for expensiveness, the Italian Line runs MARLYNN and MICHAEL DANCING STARS Ceorge Ross, World-Telegram: Can compete with any other dancing couple v/e know. Gfite Knight, Jottrinil: Light, gay and infonnal is the entertainment in Rain- how Grill, chiefly responsihie for this happy situation are Marlynn and Michael. Dorothy Kilgallen: Cold Star to Marlynn and Midiael and their mighty Polka sessions. Malcolm Johnson, Sun: Marlynn and Michael do an exceptionally graceful cx- hihition of dancing. the restaurant in that building, but despite the average American's at- titude towards anything fascistic the Italian Line's ultra service success- fully merchandises- its restaurant through a number of things. One of them, for instance, is an exaggerated cordiality; another is an Italian 'na- tive wine sampling room,' which is actually no giveaway, at 25c a copy for a gill of native vermouths, mar- salas and the like, but it does move a lot of vino out of the casks. The French Grab Policy The French really libel them- selves, according to the pretty rough take-'cm routine in that pa- vilion, where even the chasseurs shill you for 'a nice table, mon- sieur,' and then you have to start giving up all over again. This is emphasized as a signal example of a friendly foreign government hurt- ing itself, rather than favorably propagandizing itself. Belgium More Sentect The equally advantageously situ- ated Belgian pavilion, with its ter- race also commanding a superb view of the illuminated flreworks, is a shade more genteel, but a $2 stake to the headwaiter will get you a rail-side table 'reservation.' All choice locations are thus too braz- enly bartered on a pseudo-'reserva- tion' premise. Then there are the pavilions which parade miniature cavalcades showing the liberation of their na- tive women, such as at the Turkish, which otherwise is a very charming forecourt restaurant. But, with the not too steep dinner, comes a Meyer Davis band that plays a gamut of music that ranges from Dixie to Viennese, while in between parade models showing yesteryear's veiled' Turkish women and today's enlight- ened types, in Parisian attire. In analyzing each and every type of cafe, the restaurant men are basically concerned with this branch of the Fair. They likewise don't blind themselves to the fact that the Whalen spec is a whale of a show; that there is plenty to be-seen In ih^ free industrial exhibit area; and that a Swift hot-dog and a Cocs- Cola for 15c are much more within the means of the average fairgoer. But that doesn't attract the so- celled class trade. They realize that they're very essential for several obvious reasons. The idea is to woo them back, figuring that the added tone will interpret itself right down the line. Unit Review TED LEWIS REVUE (ORPHEUM, L. A.; ' Los Angeles, Aug. 19. Sylvia Manon & Co., Radio Aces, Shehoii Brooks. Charles 'Snowball' Whittier, Lnrliiie, Loretta Lane, Ted Lewis orch; 'The Flyiiio Irishman' {RKO). Ted Lewis is back in town, this time with his "1940 Happiness Re- vue,' and, as usual, packing 'em in. Lewis stage oflferings can be labelled anything, but it's the Lewis brand of stage fare that counts, and this is always surefire. Present offering has number of new personalities and some new routines, together with quite a little that's strictly Lewis, but without which a Lewis show would be lack- ing. Charles 'Snowball' Whittier, the macstro's shadow, is one of the familiar faces. New to these parts as units of the Lewis show are Sylvia Manon & Co., four-people adagio act; Shelton Brooks,' song composer and pianist, working in blackface; the Radio Aces, comedy and harmony trio; Loretta Lane, fast tapper and swell looker, and Lurline, jive hoofer. Show runs nearly an hour, with Lewis, as usual, working most of the time. Many of his quips and quite a few of his tunes are old standbys, including 'When My Baby Smiles,' which is worked sevex^al times during the act, and 'Me and My Shadow,' with Whittier playing the shadow in a perfect imitation. Radio Aces are reminiscent of the Radio Rogues and the Ritz Bros., but with a different style all their own. They click like nobody's business, as does., also the Manon adagio act, three males and femme. Edwa. • 15 YEARS AGO. (From VarutvJ New Act BOBBINS BR03. and MARGIE (3) Dancing, Acrobatics S MIns. Slate. N. T. A crack dancing and acrobatic act offshoot of the Bobbins Family, in which speed as well as clever angles in their line of work figure. Turn consists of two men and a woman, all of whom probably started out as acrobats and added dancing after- ward. Men open in a soft shoe acrobatic number, followed by Margie in a tao novelty, both routines setting them quickly and strongly. Num- bers are briefer than usually found. All three close in tumbling routines. Act has been around as part of the Robbins Family when it numbered five: also as a trio, per the current setup. Char. The Palace, New York, undergoing new policy whereby no act would be held over, unless previously con- tracted. There were a few excep- tions, however. LOOKING AHEAD Arthur Hopkins' Urst play of the Broadway season, 'None But the Brave,' was to have virtually an all- male cast, 19 men and one woman. Louis Wolheim and William Boyd had the leads. Billy King, the colored composer and actor, hit Broadway again, after a long stay in Chicago, with a new act. King was one of the oldest Negro actors in the game, having been on the stage continuously for 35 years. Home of James C. Petrillo, presi- dent of the musician.<!' local, was bombed. Petrillo and his family were asleep at the time, but none was injured. Adelaide and Hughes clicked at the Palace, New York; Paul Remos and his midgets wowed 'em at the River- side, N. Y., and Frank Crumit was the draw at the Keith's, Boston, along with Jans and Whalen. Irving Berlin sued Waterson. Ber- lin Sc Snyder Co., music publishers, with which he had been formerly as- sociated, for contract violation. Betty Bronson, piractically un- known to films, was selected by Sir James M. Barrie to play Peter Pan in his film play of the same name for Famous Players. Block bookings received its first attack at the Atlantic City conven- tion of Tri-State Regional Organiza- tion of the Motion Picture Theatre Owners of America. Liquor in John Gilbert's life made her sad, said Leatrice Joy, in filing suit for divorce against John Gilbert. Mrs. Gilbert was expecting bLrth of a child. Ky. NItery Buying Talent With View to CIncy World Series Beverly Hills Countr.v Club, New- port, Ky., !.<! beginning to buy talent with a view toward the World Sciries, which appears likely to be played in Cincinnati this year. Cin- cinnati's across the Ohio River from the Beverly. ^ Club has set the Clyde McCoy band for just that event, opening Sept. 29. N. Y. FAIR PAYILION CAFE OP BANKRUPT Bernardo Vizcaza, operator of P,i Cafe restaurant and bar at the Vene- zuelean^avilion at the N. Y. World's Fair, filed a voluntary petition of bankruptcy in the N. Y. federal court Monday (21) listing assets of. $1,515 and liabilities of $8,685. Among' his creditors are 19 employes ind N. Y,. city and state for wages and taxes, $729. Musicians are also owed $386 and the Venezuelean govern- ment $B87 for rent. The assets include liquor, linens and glassware. HILDEGARDE Playing to CAPACITY BUSINESS NIGHTLY SAVOY PLAZA HOTEL NKH' YORK Per. Mgr.—ANNA SOSENKO Ex. Rep.—JACK BERTELL Outstanding Comedy Hit of New York World's Fair WALTER DARE WAHL BILLY ROSE'S AQUACADE Recognized by all ai the Leading Tailors io Americans SIDNEY FISHER 75/77 Shaftesbury Avenue PICCADILLY, LONDON, W. 1. Best Coffee in England QUAUTY INN Leicester Square LONDON, WEST-END Chuck and Chuckles NOW PLAYINCS Tivoli Theatre, Melbourne, Australia VU N.*T NA/AKKO NKW TO.RK TheJHEATRE of the STARS dnmui. BOOKING AGENCY CZNERAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES LOEW BLDG. ANNEX 160 WEST 46TH ST. NEW YORK J . H . L U B I N GENERAl MANAGER SIDNEY H. PIERMONT BOOKING MANAGER