Variety (Sep 1939)

OUTDOORS VARIETY 85 Nitery Reviews ^Cobtimied {rom page 4S_ RAINBOW ROOM, N. Y. be a very dull 9:30-10:30 stage-wait; table tcnnisers, Balinese ballets, ventriloquists (meaning where Eld- gar Bergen was first given big league showcasing ia a New York nitery), mimics, et al. Newest bill sees the returo ot Jack Cole and his clicky Balinese terps (against a S2d street rhythmic back- ground, on occasion) and another exnerimcnt in the form of The Re- vuers (5), a talented voung group from Greenwich Village's Vanguard cafe, which is indeed a far .'cry, in its informality, from the tophatted Bninbow Room. Originally captioned the Vanguard Players, the Revuers quintet, com-, prising Betty Comden, Judith Tuvim, Alvin Hammer, John' Frank and Adolph Green, are post-graduate youhgsters of the 'Pins and Needles' school in .their satirical songs' and slcetches. Since the preem they have cur- tailed and smoothed out their stufi so that they are registering better than the first time out They satirize Joan Crawford fan clubs, perennial juveniles. Queen Victoria, Liiicoln and Wilde, last season's hit. play characters, the N. Y. Fair, etc. Some of it now appears dated, but their basic talents are manifest. It's a cwift, kalaidoscopic cavalcade. Cole, aided by Anna Austin and Florence Lessing, reprises his hunt- ing niimber and then does an East Indian rhythmic dance, both very effective. Changes routine for the supper session. He's again a stand- out with his unusual terps and Balinese costuming. Al Donahue, besides featuring Phil Brito vocally, has a new femme songstress in Peggy Nolan, also okay. Per usual, Donahue is very o.k. for sound and hoof. Eddie LeBaron con- tinues with his tiptop tango-rhumba sessions; Anne Gecjird, handsome pianiste, is a deft entr'acte with her . Steinwaying, in drawing room man- ner, on the revolving dance floor; and Dr. Sydney Ross, amazing card manipulator, is back with his table routines. The magico Doc is a Rain- bow Room fave of several seasons. Rainbow Grlll'i Click . Gali-Gali, Arabian roagico, has shifted across the hall to the in- formal Rainbow Grill, where, with the popular Michael and Marlynn— now in their 80th week of doing ballroomology and pacing-the cham- gagne hour—and Barry Winton's and, that room ia doing turnaway trade, Michael and Marlynn take up the slack to give the band its hour off, and this circumvents a re- lief combo, all for the price of the free wine or free dinners to the win- ners of the audience dance competi- tion. It's getting to be a favorite drop-in spot, just for that hour alone, and Peter, the maitre at the door,.is -oft embarrassed by the audience pre.<!sure. Francois continues in skillful command of the more formal room, and Josef is the general major domo over all service in both rooms. Thus, what started as a bit of a gag with Nelson Rockefeller is quite a big busine.<;s. He's very much active In the R.C. project, incidental- ly, and a favorite quip between him and his former tutor, Roy, is the transition of the latter^ from the faculty into a bistro boniface. That it's all done on such high calibre lines is unque.stionably the keynate ot the success of all the bigger noc- ..lumaL places ...today, whether, hotel, class nitery or Rockefeller-con- trolled. Abel. Mother Kelly's, N. Y. Don DeVodi, roith Craziella Pnr- oga. Duke Daly and JeiTy Livingston Mother Kelly's Miami Room, on East 58th street, has undergone one more change. It has been Belle Liv- ingston's Salon and the Park Ave. Club of prohibition memory, Joe Zelli's Royal Box, El Rio and lots of • other things, experiencing a . succes- sion of changes in motif arid decor. Perhaps its most attractive, periods were when 'the boys' had it under the Park Ave. tag, with drinks at $1 a copy going across the ornate onyx bar as if they were nickel Coca Colas; and later, when it was alter- nately a Streets of Paris and subse- quently a Cariocan street scene in its decor. Now, as Mother Kelly's Miami Room, the tag bespeaks the jifiolif. lis .<;ynUietic palms and its huge blow-ups of Miami Beach panels seek to re-create the wintry decor ot Mother Kelly's, a fave Florida spot. Mother' is actually a male, and has since bowed oiit. Leon Jabaly is the new boniface. He's a Miami coutur- ier who, impreR.>!ed by the click of Kelly's in Florida, is taking a flyer in New York nitery management. The show is ba.sically a three-ply <3ance combination. Jerry Living- ston, song writer-maestro, heading n)."! Young Men ot Manhattan; Duke Dalv and his Caiifornians; and Don DeVodi and his (Taballeros, featuring Graziella Paraga, Latin songstress. are a succession of terpsichorean giver-outers. It's a dance spot primed appar- ently for those who want to do plenty of dansapation road work. The band music is a marathon, from conga to the blues. Lombardo's Idea .Continued from pace 1. actions. Then, the bandleader went to the various state motor vehicle commissions and to the governors. Results were surprisingly ■ enthusi- astic. Though 21 governors were on vacations when written, favorable replies from 25 state heads were re- ceived. Typical replies from the governors were like New Jersey's Moore, who said: "The idea might not be a' bad one. Imagine what a delightful sound would emanate from cars fro^n all the states passing through a big city if they all started to play their state songs at one time!' Governor Miles of New Mexico said: 'I'd par- ticularly favor the plan of making such horns sta;idard equipment for cars and trucks that pass the man- sion about 2 a.m.'; and Governor Bottolfsen of Idaho wrote: 'The whole thought excites my imagina- tion. The plan is novel and worthy of national use.' From North Caro- lina, Lombardo was told by Governor Hoey: 'You've got something there, and I think any change would be welcome. I jump every time I press the button on my own car!' Most interesting reply was from Nebraska, where word was received favorably and a suggestion returned by the Motor Vehicles' head who of- fered to Maine, free of charge, the idea that they use Irving Berlin's 'All Alone' in case they could find no official music. OBITUARIES AGVA/B-C SHOWDOWN DUE ON PACT, CLAIMS Chicago, Sipt 10. Showdown Is due locally on the non-union operation of the Barnes & Carruthers fair booking office, with the American Guild of Variety Artists determined to bring the B.&C. office into line, not. only as a closed shop but also to force B.&C. to adjust a flock of claims filed against it by various acts. There are 11 claims registered against B.-C. for defaults on per- former contracts. ARENA CIRCUIT SET; HARRIS ISPREXY FHIL FABECLO Phil Fabello, 39, orchestra leader for many years conducting RKO house bands, dropped dead Thurs- day (14) in Staten-Island where he was conducting a music school. He suffered a heart attack. Starting on the Keith circuit as conductor at the Coliseum, N. Y., he later maestroed the pit at the Albee, Brooklyn, remaining there until the house switched to straight films about four years ago.. Surviving are a widow and a child. Arena managers in 14 cities in the east and midwest have banded to- gether to form the Arena Managers Assn., with Johnny Harris, of Pitts- burgh's Duquesne Gardens, as presi dent Association was formed to pro vide a clearing house for ideas and a circuit of multi-seated houses over which shows can be routed. Association plans to produce all types ot shows from ice layouts to sports and already has three or four on the. fire. Idea is. particularly ap- plicable this season because of the doubt over whether or not profes- sional ice hockey will get going. With Canada at war with Germany and most ot the hockey players, even those on American teams, being Canadian citizens and . subject to draft, the hockey outlook is dark. Besides Harris, officers of the out- fit are: Walter Brown, of the Boston Garden, treasurer, and Louis Piere, Rhode Island Arena, secretary.. Member arenas are: Boston (harden, Boston Arena, Chicago Stadium, Cleveland Arena, Detroit Olympia, Hershey Arena, New Haven A., Omaha Auditorium, Philadelphia A., Pittsburgh Gardens, Springfield, Mass,, Coliseum, and the Syracuse Auditorium. Association has set up offices in Radio City, New York, headed by E. F. Leland, formerly with the Frost Advertising Agency ot Boston. HEAT WAUOPS R-B&B emeus ON THE COAST GEORGES PITOEFF Georges PitoefT, 55, actor and theatrical producer, known particu- larly for his Ibsen productions on the French stage, died at his home in Geneva, Switzerland, Monday (18). Born in Russia, PitoefT was first an engineer, then a lawyer, eventu- ally turning to the stage. With his wife, Ludmilla, he became one ot the best known manager-actor at- tractions on the Continent, notably in Paris. CLARENCE J. A'OGEL Clarence J. Vogel, 46, Wellsville, O., building contractor and chain theatre operator, was killed Sept. 12 when he fell 25 feet from a steel girder of a theatre under construc- tion at West View, near Pittsburgh. Vogel and his two sons were in.";pect- ing the building when the accident occurred. Widow and three sons survive. Hollywood, Sept. 19. Terrific heat, reaching a six-year high at 100 degrees Sunday (17), didn't help the Ringling-Barnum & Bailey trick in its five-day stand. Take was $70,000 for 10 perfornv- ances, just fair for the big topper. Only sellout was Saturday night. Circus moved on to Long Beach and San Diego for one night each. Confabs held over the weekend between John Ringling North, Harry Ringling North and S. L. 'Buster' Cronin are believed to have been concerned with release of the Al G. Barnes title, which Ringling now controls, and revival of the Barnes show for Coast tours, with Cronin and associates operating. This setup would keep the Ring- ling Circus in the east. It is not likely they would come west soon again anyway becau.<:e of bad biz on the current trip. Cronin was for years manager ot the Barnes outfit. ISAAC GARSON I.'saac Garson, 82, former picture producer, died Sept. 10 in Los An- geles. With his ."ion, Harry Garson, deceased, they set up their own com- pany and produced independently. He leaves a son and two daughters. Oscar Brachnian, 52, Milwaukee real estate man interested in the construction and operation ot a number of MiUvaukee nabe houses, died in that city Sept. 12 after a long illncy;. Loul.ii Jule Crairo, 39, repertoire actor, died of a heart attack in Mer- | rillan. Wis., Sept. II. Survived by | his parent.'!, a brother and a s.ister. i Lawrence O. LInd. father of Lloyd Lind, assistant to George W. Weeks, i general sales manager of Monogram ; Pictures, died Sunday il7) in West-, port, Conn. I MARRIAGES Betty Sherwood to H. Lyndon Kent, in Cragsmoor, N. Y.. Aug. 28. Bride is a 20th-Fox player; he's in the banking biz. Grace Larsen to Everett DuPlante, Sept 2, in Seattle. Bride is secre- tary and traffic manager of KOL. Leah Bolivar to Jascha Zayde, in New York, Sept. 10. She's a radio and concert soprano; he's a concert and radio pianist Lilla W. Perifleld to Louis_Vofiel, in Portland, Ore., Sept 9. He's op- erator of the Nalatorium Amus. Park, Spokane. Ruth Gersen to Melvin B-nrrett. in Pittsburgh, Sept 17. He's with Par exchange in Cleveland. Isa Miranda, Italian film actrc.<;.<;, to Alfred Guarini, her. manager, July 1, at Tuscon, Ariz. Margaret McClymonds to Phillip McKnight, sales manager of .Mation KANS, Kan.sas City, in Walton, Kans., Sept 16. Ida J. Reed to Jona.s Rosenfield. Jr., in New York Sept. 20. He is with Warners home ofTice adver- tising department Name Bands and 40c 8 P.M. Gate in Biz Area KayoesN.Y. Faff s AGdway Ops Toronto Fairgrounds I With free dancing to name band.s, Ac r*oU«<i:»_ T> i,„ 1 now set to begin next Friday (22) in AS (./anadian iSarraCkS the main exhibit area, and40cadmis- Torohto, Sept. 19. With close of Canadian National sion to become effective the same data after 8 p. m., concessionaires on N. Y. World's Fair midway this week de- Exhibition, which saw 1,626 000 ""bed the whole proposition as the clicking the turnstiles for the an-: 1"*.'. **" .^"P*^ ^'''^ nual two-weeks' show, buildings and grounds have been taken over by the War Depairtment for accommodation of army and air force. Units will be quartered there during their early training period prior to departure for France. CrNE attendance dropped 30,000 under the 1938 figure of 1,656,000, but crowds were heavy spenders. Because of hostilities, the Royal Winter Fair and the National Motor Show have been cancelled, buildings to be used as barracks. BEER-BARREL GALENTO ROLLS OVER LOU NOVA A 40c gate, as early as 7:30 , or 8 p. m., had been sought by midway show operators ever since they saw how difficult it would be to get crowds to the amusement zone (less ' than a month after .the exposition opened). The same group has urged free dancing on a large floor in the midway, ever since name bands were introduced in the amusement area. 'Now that the powers-that-tte have decided on both suggestions, made months ago,' said one irata conces- sionaire, 'we find that the lowered admission is tied in directly with big bands playing for crowds In a build- ing miles from the arhu-sement zone. That's all we needed to make the midway a complete buiit. 'How any person with any knowl- edge of conditions on the midway Rv lATK Ptir Aciri ^""^"^ approve such ' a cockeyed ay ruLASKi proposition is beyond me. V/hy didn't Tireless Tony Galento they're . they put a decent dance fioor in the probably calhng him by now. He • deserted Wild West show enclosure? rolled out the barrel-like body that | And why didn't they close that show every sports writer kidded about and la month earlier and use the coin took It But relentlessly he waded : saved for regular installation of in towards the javelin throwing Lou bands and a real dancing place?' Nova, of California, in Philadelphia other concession people en- last Friday (15) and won going away, visioned bands in the Textile build- George Blake, the Coast referee, ing, later renamed Hall of Special mercifully stopped the slaughter in Events and now the Mardi Gras Ca- the 14th round. The now gray-| sino, cs drawing a certain percentage 111'!! i!".'"". have^so^actedjoi people with an early admission ""~ " " fee of 40c. They feel there is small when the bout was only half way through, but the collegian pleaded that he have more chance to show his stuff. Fought in Philly's municipal sta- dium, the match was one of the most sensational heavyweight upsets in ring history. No one figured the curious battler from Orange,. N. J., could go the distance, but his ex- hibition clearly proved that he is still the menace- to Joe Louis' title, chance of pcUin" I'lce cVvn to the midway when they can dance free in the exhibit area. Edward L. Bernays has been set as Fair's p.a. for 1940. Easing Whalen Out? Grover Whalen, president of the Fair, sailed Saturday (16) for Eu- rope to attempt to lin'" up foreign participation for 1940. It,is no .secret that many foreign nation.s, in .the He took a hundred blows to the i.Fair this year, have threatened to pull out next year. This is natural with countries currently at war, but numerous others also have indicated -they will not be around-in ifl4 n im . less there are nemerous readjust- ments made on the labor front 'and elsewhere. It is possible that foreign nations, forced to abandon (he exposition in' 1940, will have their exhibits main- tained by groups of natio-ipls in ihis country or operated, in some cases, as business enterprises. The Whalen sailing is seen by .some to be a means to have him step down altogether. Harvey Gib.son now heads the fi- nance committee as board chairman. The midway was still hanging oh last week, but with hint<i that there would be further casualties soon. Globe theatre in Merrie Ent;land Village now has reverted to show- ing old-time motion pictures. It started with condensed Shakespear- ean plays and then used a 'Holly- -wood-Stars Doubles!-sbow. Old Atlantic cabaret (up.stairs table portion where old variety arti.sts are presented in Old New York) was re- ported operating on a week-to-weck basis. stomach without flinching and forced the fight throughout Galento's left hook brought home the bacon. His prowess in that de- partment is testimony ot his manner of trajnihg, Tony being the most expert bag puncher among the ring- men of today. Relentlessly the port- side mitt clipped the lad from Cali- fornia. Lou's' right eye was so badly cut that ringsiders wondered why the doctor did not climb through the ropes and examine him. It was thought that' Nova's vision would be impaired. Galento, too, is an easy bleeder, but his principal injury seemed to be a cut on the chin. Sports writers from New York dotted the front rows and there the betting odds varied widely. Before the fight the price was three to one on Nova, with some layers making it even higher. In the fifth round, after Lou had hit the deck, he still was liked by the wise guys, who wagered, eight to fiv e on his chances. It was evident by the eighth round that the only way that Lou could win was by a kayo, for impartial ob- servers credited him with copping only the first round. But it was not until the 10th round that Galento was quoted at three to two to win. Why Phllly Snagged Bout From the stadium, which is five miles from the center ot the city, all traffic after the fight was one way —to the north. At nearly every cor- ner there were crowds ot residents standing by to note the procession. Why the match was not spotted in a I more convenient ball park was not divulged, but the reason for the bout being held in.Philly wa.s well known. Muggsy Taylor, the local promoter, released Oiilento from a contract so that Mike Jacobs could match him with Loui.<:. and Jacobs in return cooked up the Nova affair. When Nova came east last.season .some of the in.siders thought he was being brought on loo fast.for his a-je. He then fooled the experts by de- feating Max Baer,. but everybody had been doing that. Expectation was that Nova, in eliminating Ga- lento, would be the natural con- tender for the hc.ivyweight title next summer in New York. Result knocked Over the apple cart and the boys will h.Tve to figure out an- other .set-up. That may be clearer i Mr. and Mrs. Victor Kirk, daugh- tonight (Wednesday) when Louis | ter. Sept, 14 in Hollywood. Father and Bob Paster meet in Detroit The is technici.in at Universal, champ is favored three to one and Mr. anci Mrs. Merle Pitt, dnuihter, should eafiiy'come through, despite in New York, Sept l.S. Father Is the fact that Pastor stayed 10 rounds i musical director of WNEW, N. Y. with Louis at their first meeting. Jacobs wa.t quoted .saying he ar- ranged three major battles outside of New York becau.<!e the World's Fair was too tough an opposition, but that sounds screwy. Chances are that the gate for the Loui.s-Pas- tor thing would have tjeen very light had it. been booked for the me- tropolis, while Detroit is the champ's home town and real coin is ex- pected. The third match will be held in Pittsbur.'.'h next week. Billy Conn meeting Melio Bettina, whom he de- feated' for the light heavyweight title not long ago. There a.^ain it is home-town stuff. Conn hailing from the Smoky City. There were complaints that Ga- lento wa.s too rough, but it seemed he performed just as Jack Dempsey did' on many occasions. Professional boxing' is no pink tea and not once did the referee take exception to Tony's .style ot fighting. BIRTHS