Variety (Sep 1939)

Wednesday, September 27, 1939 VARIETY HOlfSE REVIEWS VARIETY 45 STRAND, N. Y. Artie Shaw Orch, The Heillej/s (4), Dick, Don and Dinah; 'Espion- age Agent' (WB), reviewed iii Variety this issue. Artie Shaw, one of the authentic artists In this bounce band thing, raises his clarinet in a steaming hot salute to the altar of wah-wah. Thereby, he promises a lot of busi- ness for the Strand. Seen Friday night (22), he managed tO' over- come the undoubted handicap of the Jewish holiday. Yum Kippur, to All Ihe house. The standees were ex- pected from Saturday onward. Shaw works hard and so do his boys. The drummer,! Buddy Rich, is especially prominent with a sus- tained rhytnm of infinite variation: and eclat that makes the percussion i department the spinal column of the' band's nervous system. 'Donkey Serenade' is a gem of sheer orchestral abandon and a half dozen other prolonged musical marathons show even those who might be luke- warm to swingeroo that there is something extra special in its line. "The crazy singing of saxophonist Tony Pastor combined with a this- Is-fun sort of attitude on his part is an individual standout in solo. For the most part the members attract attention not by any single spot- lighting, but on contributions to teamwork. The brasses are, of course, the bulwark of the organiza- tion, but intermittently there is oc- casion to take note of the dynamics of the guitar-whammer, the string bass slapper and the attakoy piano. . Shaw relies on his music and his labors. Without pushing the per- sonality equation, his modest man- ner is on the whole very pleasant and he makes a neat appearance. His announcements are fairly good and his diction dear. No stunts, no comedy, no trick dressing or other devices, the formula followed is one of giving fo'rth lots and hot. Helen Forrest, singer, Is acceptable, but no showarrester. Ray Mayer and Edith Evans were billed, but failed to appear at this show. The four dancing Reilley kids and a trio bearing the vague name of Dick, Don and Dinah con- stitute the vaude portion. Both turns helped the show. The Reilleys, with eccentric hoofing and speed, registered without trouble. The other act piled up laughs on knockabout acrobatics. Dick, Don and Dinah date from 1936 and were good when they started, according to the VARIETY flies. By now their routine is letter-perfect, their vari- ous excellent evolutions, from hoof- ing to prattfalls to adagio being ex- amples of imagination and perspira- tion. Neatly dressed and big timey throughout, the turn can play the world, passportsjpermitting. Land. STATE, HARTFORD bers and clicks heavily. Attired in a lavender gown and accomping her- self on a tin guitar, the former spir- itual singer does her stuff after some crossfire patter with Calloway. Spot- ted twice is the Jumpln' Jive Line, three boys and three gals. Their terping is nicelv done. Biz Sunday (24) strongest for that day in the history of the house, five shows being run off. Estimated gross of about $5,000 shattered by more than $600 record previously held by Kay Kyser. Eck. MINNESOTA, MPLS. hartfoTd, Sept. 25. Cab Callouav orch, tuith Sister Tharpe, Top & Toe, Cab Jivers (4), Cozy Cole, Jumpin' Jive Line (6), Tanva, Savx Kaplan house orch; 'SOS Tidol Wave' iRep). The State this sesh Is the first stop for Cab Calloway's ■ Cotton Club (N. Y.) orfh on a 12-week theatre tour, including four weeks on the N. Y. Brandt circuit. It's a fast mov- ing, well paced colored show and is one of the best all-around produc- tions put across the boards of the State In sonie time. Program is split into two. First half is devoted to the band dishing out popular jive faves. Second sec- _tion is_the Cotton Club Revue, prac- tically intact except that~3ill Rob- inson and a line of girls are missing. Robinson is pre-occupied with 'Hot Mikado,' at the N. Y. Fair, which is skedded to tour shortly. Following an overture by Sam Kaplan's pit band, a house unit, the Calloway aggregation emerges from behind closed curtains. Stickweaver fronts band throughout the first half, canaiying every other tune, an- nouncing the numbers and generally ingratiating himself with the tjayees, Maestro features his recent record- ing, 'Ut Za Zoy.' Arrangements of 'Avalon* and 'Dark Eyes' are superb. •Ut Za Zoy,' 'Moon Love* and 'Jump- in' Jive' to excellent returns. In this half. Cozy Cole, drummer, beats away at the skins for a frenzied 'Hatamajah.' Registers with, the jive nutty youngsters as well as the old sters. Second half gets underway with the Cab Jivers (4) swinging out. Boys, all from the band, are in the groove with 'After You've Gone,' Unit consists of a sax, drums, guitar and bull fiddle. Next follows Tap and Toe, tappers Boys ring the gone atop a platform, Indulge in lightning fast stuff and conclude with challenge work and have to resort to a beg-off speech. Had formerly been Tip, Tap and Toe, but one of the boys stepped out on his own. Set in a Chinese opium den, a skit, 'The Ghost of Smokey Joe,' is next, with Calloway in character of Joe. Nicely executed. Tanya, in- terpretive dancer. Is also spotted here, as the <!lrl who haunts Joe. Shapely and a looker, .ihe wins the hand batter with her contortions and dancing. Sister Tharpe canaries four num Minneapolis, Sept. 22. ■ Jack Jtfalerich's orch (18), Joe Griffin,. Lew Brock, Patricio Wynn Dancers (12) (house line), Johnny Sannd, Pat Henning & Betty Raye, Dot & Dick Remy, Bob Hall; 'Irish Luck' (Mono). Suggesting ^ leaf from the Olsen- Johnson book, including some of the 'Helzapoppin' insanity ideas. Man- aging Director Gordon Greene calls the current offering 'Crazy Week.' The show leans heavily toward danc- ing and acrobatics, but packs suf- ficient nuttlness on and off the stage to qualify its title. They use the business of the usher shooting the crying baby in the audience, etc., and It aU adds up to effective hilarity. f-!' As usual, the standard house turns —Jack Malerich's 18-piece orchestra, Malerich at the organ; Joe Griffin, vocalist; Lew Brock, m.c, and the 12-girl line—uphold their end of the entertainment in the usual satisfac- tory manner. And, in its entirety, it's lots of show again for a smaU admission. Malerich conducts the orchestra on the elevated pit through a flashy medley, which includes a swing ar- ranfiement of 'Narcissus,' snatches of 'Parade of the Wooden Solider' and '18th Century Drawing Room,' winding up with Griffin tenoring 'Wines of France.' For his organ specialty, Malerich wears an assortment of hats and plays selections associated with them. Brook introduces the acts and par- ticipates in the clowning. The Wynn girls, in clown attire, start the show proper with a fast aero routine. Johnny Sanna, in an idotic getup, cuts dance didoes, his handsprings, whirls, spins and taps registering solidly. Pat Henning, assisted by blonde Betty Raye, fans more laugh- ter with his eccentric dancing, acro- batics and all-around nonsense. Miss Raye also is a skillful terper. After the orchestra scores with a coipedy rendition of 'My Mother Told Me,' several musicians taking a hand at the funmaking, the beefy Dot Remy and her brother, Dick, go over big with their comedy dancing, acrobat ics an d rbllerskating. Con- siaerlng her ffemehffdus 'KeffT "Miss" Remy is amazing in her ability to perform splits, acros on rollerskates and handsprings. Improvising rhymes about the cus- tomers and composing songs to order. Bob Hall is smash though it's familiar stuff. For a finisher, the Wynn dancers are on again in abbreviated, color- ful costumes for a speedy routine. They escort the other acts on for a final bow. Lower floor almost entirely filled and balcony partly populated at first Saturday night (23) show, Rees. ORIENTAL, CHI Supercinema, Rome Rome, Sept. 15. Dare & Sorelle Grey, Pablo, Short & Long, Nati Morales with Angelo Ferrara, Alle sandro Derewitsky Orch. Two American acts, Pablo plus Short and Long, bolster this Super- clneitia offering to make it one of the best short vaude shows seen locally in some time. Opener, Dare and Sorelle Grey, are doing the rounds in Rome and was recently viewed elsewhere. The one man, two-fcmme dancing combo shows a little more polish and better precision than when previously caught, but the man is still ragged on the femme ■ catches, especially with one who Is slightly too heavy for this kind of work. They open with a song which is weak, and fol- low with good precision tapping. Waltz next is fair, but closer, man twirling two women, shows too much strain to be affective. Pablo puts over his rhystics with showmanship. .From, his beginner, making his cane disappear, to the closer, pulling lighted cigarets out of the air, he has the audience with him. Some good card palming and tearing up paper, then unfolding it showing it untorn, completes his repertoire. Crazy antics and some deadpan dancing catcl}, Short and Long one of the best hands of the night. Long's realistic nantomine sewing up of his hand pulls plenty as does Short's imitations of a chimp. Spaced in two appearances, with guitarist Angelo Ferrera holding the stage with some fair fingering in the interval, Nati Morales has.both good showmanship and artistry. First de- pends more on personality—and the eal posesses a good amount of that— for the sell, with some lively steps to castanets also going over, Allesandro Derewltsky's pit or- chestra offers a medley of tunes as an overture. Hii0O. HIPP, BALtO BaltiTnore, Sept. 24. L€u> Parker, Clare & Sanna Sis- ters (3). JViek Loni7, Jr.; Helene Faye, Cappy Bdrra £jwemble (7); 'Golden Boy' (CoJ). Chicago, Sept. 24. Jack Fulton, Sid Pane & Co., Four LaVemes, Sanderson & Wanon, Flor- ence Hin Low, Frank JVfadden, House line-(20)i Verne-Buck-house-orches- tra; 'Behind Prison Gates' (Col; and 'Good Girls Go to Parts' (Col), dual. House built this unit, with its line augmented to 20. Girls turn in good routines, especially in the opening Apache scene with a can-can item. Serve as excellent mood-setting for the initial act, the LaVernes, in knockabout Apache and adagio which score solidly. Foursome are hard-working and turn in some really crack adagio stunts. Une is back later for two other numbers, a picture item in the center and a military flag-waver closing, In keeping with the American Legion convention here. Sid Page m.c.s and settles down next-to-close with his own stooge turn. Has added a couple of new bits and gags, all effective variety, with the femme stooges proving clever both as comics and as dance specialists. Standard also is Florence Hin Low with her excellent contortions. San- derson and Nanon make good with their musical clowning and nonsense, topped by Sanderson's playing three clarinets simultaneously. From radio comes Jack Fulton to score niftlly with his smart vocal turn. Coast-to-coast ether buildup, good appearance, flne pipes and a smart choice of numbers make Ful- ton surefire any time, any place. With some. Irish tunes and pops, he whammed home when caught and had to beg oft. From the weekly amateur show Is Frank Madden, an oldster, who does all right with his novelty bone- playlhg. Business okay last show Satur- day (23). Gold. Nice layout here this week, with Lew Parker, assisted by his stooges, weaving In and out of the show to good effect. Adroit selection of stand- ards combine to make for highly en- tertaining bill. Fast opening by Clare and Sanna Sisters, solid rollerskatihe act em- plbying fast spins and flasny lifts,' is in the groove, after which Parker brings on Nick Long, Jr., for brace of tap routines that are smoothly sold and executed. Impressions of Buddy Ebsen and. Eleanor Powell, followed by more - swift hoofery, are solid- earning well-earned benas. Smart change of pace next with Helene Faye and her violin contrib- uting a pleasing interlude of legit fiddling in which she does 'Gypsy Airs,' 'Serenade,' 'Hungarian Fan- tasy' and 'Moon Love. Nice ap- pearing youngster makes strong au- dience impressipn. Stepping into a made-to-order spot, Parker takes hold here with his deadpan stooge who gives out with impressions of RIchman and Arliss and assists In a phoney sketch, constantly heckled by an added brace of stooges- in the boxes. Laughter is plentiful and the ma- teriaL-utilized-has--been-Icept up. to scratch to good effect. The Cappy Barra harmonica en- semble close the setup and mop up cleanly. After opening vocal, ooys sell series of mouthorgan selections to the hilt. 'Flight of Bumble Bee' and 'Have a Heart' follow to strong response, after which Parker and one of bis stooges join for a session of funny clowning that earns a beg- off and an encore of 'Tiger Rag.' Ap- plause continued through Parker's closing sendoff on show caught when biz was entirely okay. Burnt. CENTURY, N. Y. factor why the house should ulti- mately get by with the new policy. Heading the show opening Friday (22) was Roy Gobey, radio baritone, who clicks with this mob. par- ticularly with the announcement that this was his old neighborhood. Rogers and Lewis are corny Italian comedy dialectltians who get a fair response, though their gags have long -since become familiar. Packard and Dodge, billed as 'two men from the' garage,' are dressed that way. They get music out of odd contraptions, including a tire pump, a rubber glove, etc. It's strictly amateur night stuff, though this audience, when caught, was favorably responsive to their efforts. The 6 Girl Wonders were five in their opening dance turn, with the entire cast present later for a second offering. Specializing in high kicks and posing, theirs is an ineffectual routine. Patsj^ Shaw is a scat singer, rather plumpish, which a black, re- vealing velvet gown enhances con- siderably. She's too much in the same swingo vein, all four of her songs being in a like idiom, a factor that made her turn somewhat un- intelligible to a considerable part of this audience, constituting, at Satur- day night's last show, an older, con- se'-vatlve group. Bee-Hive and Honey are two. men and a gal who start hoofing legit and then drop into hoke stuff whose main redeeming feature is in the trio's hard worfc. McDonald and Ross are a mixed hoofing team that goes over, Harold Goldman, unbilled, handles the offstage introes. Son of Moe Goldman, --who operates the house with Jack Rovinger, he handled same chore last week onstage. APOLLO, N. Y. Claude Hopkins orch (15), with Orlando Robeson, Beverly White; Pete & Peaches, Edward Sisters, Five Hep Cats, Eadie Edwards, Btng WilliatTis Johnny JVfoson, Sandy Bums, Johnny Vifjal. Vivian Harris; 'Inside In/ormation' (V). Show is entirely too long here this week, running up to approximately 100 mins. Most of the overboard time is handed over to Claude Hop- kins band, where it doesn't belong. From the start, though, with Hop- kins in the pit, through the various turns to the band's shift to the stage, this colored show is" very satis- factory. From that point, it starts to drag, finally slowing to a. walk. Hopkins is in here with an ex- tremely mediocre outfit. Occasion- ally, the band seems to function as it should, namely, when the leader takes breaks at his keyboard. Poor impression can be attrbutcd mostly to. .oflensix.ely..lo.ud Jarass. : Roy Gobey, Rogers & Lewis. 6 Girl Wonders .Packard & Dodge, Patsy Shaw, Bee-Hive & Honey, McDonald & Ross, Maurice Shaw's hotise orch (7); 'Women of Glamour' (Col) and 'Streets of Missing Men' (Rep), dual. Teeing off around the Yiddish holidays, the Century's split-week I vaude hasn't been functoning so well 'at the b.o., since this nabe. Second ' avenue and Eleventh street, is domi- nantly Yiddish. Saturday night (23), with Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) ending at sundown, the house was still feeling the effect con- . siderably. However, with eight acts of vaude, two feature films, subse- quent-r-un, and newsreels, all for a 110-2Sc. admish week-days and a 30c. top weekends, it's difficult to fathom how the house can ulti- mately miss, despite the fact that its bill Is a far cry from Broadway standards. A short budget Is another Date marks the return of Orlando Robeson to Hopkln.s' crew. Vocals of Robeson were once heavily fa- vored in Harlem. Audience gave him an excellent reception this catching (last show opening night, Friday) and he responded with five numbers. He seems to have trouble with high notes and puts to much emphasis on each word. Beverly White is well liked; she has an ingratating style and nice range, doing three numbers, two ballads and 'Dear, What Can the Matter Be.' Rest of the show is worthy, fairly well paced and neatly dressed. High- light is the hoofing of Pete Nugent, who has returned coupled to Peaches, formerly of Pete, Peaches and Duke, team having been split for awhile after the death of Duke. He recently played here as a single. His lightfooted, excellently rhythmed taps can be taken in double-doses -without- palling,—^He- works once with Peaches in a close, unison routine, set into a timely naval setting using the line and six chorus boys outfitted as seamen and officers, respectively. Chorus boys shouldn't try unison stuff behind him without more rehearsal. Nugent breaks into the band's turn later with a single, well-routined and ex- ecuted, that, stamps him as being topflight. The Edward Sisters are holdovers I from last week and have a changed routine. They're now doing a unison and challenge bit on a set of stairs. It's favorably comparable to their other good work and In the same speedy groove. Follow with a rhythm bit that was lacking last week. , Off to a solid hand., Eaidie Edwards (no connection) handles ' several chances at vocalizing and I tapping competently. Bine Wlliams, 'singer, works in the naval bit with the line and Pete and Peaches, doing military songs. Incidentally, the line In that bit does some of the best work it has done in some time, do- ing military taps. I Five Hep Cats are set into the opening turn, a, barn dance. They're I a tramp band and vocal group, using I two guitars and two bass fiddles i made from inverted wash tubs. , Quintet is okay as used but isn't strong enough as a single'. Arrange- ments and delivery are lifeless. Comedy gets a spot all its own in a ' series of blackouts under the head- i ing 'Time Marches on in Harlem.' : Covers the various phases of life in I the uptown belt, managing to draw ; laughs with the short skits. Johnny Mason, Sandy Burns, VIvlian Harris I and Johnny Vigal take part FLATBUSH, B'KLYN Andrews Sisters (3), Milt Brit- ton's orch with Tommy Rafferty, Rosalind Govdon, Five Elgins; 'I Was a ConvicV iRep), This Is only a four-act bill, but with sufficient elasticity to stretch to 64 minutes without lagging either in entertainment or audience apprecia- tion. Latter, in fact is the outstand- ing feature of this Brandt theatre's vaude revival. Either the customers here are starved for live talent or they're pushovers, or both. To them every act is the nuts and worth two or three encores. Opening night (Thursday) the mob was plenty voluble. It whistled, clapped and talked and shouted to the actors. For instance, it forced the Andrews Sisters (3) into a sec- ond and ver^ reluctant encore—and made 'em sing the song it wanted, 'Hold Tight' With the inclusion of the Milt Brit- ton band—even though it's not up to its former zany calibre with Walter Powell missing—this show Is in- sured for a pretty good measure of laughs. Band is a quieter nightmare now, with much more stress oh straight musical arrangements, but there's a sufficient amount of rough- house hokum for comedy require- ments. With Powell out Tommy Rafferty, excellent eccentric dancer, is how the act's comedy mainstay. He's handing out and taking most of the mayhem. For the marquee draw as well as a stage sock, the Andrews femmes also are what the doctor ordered. They're not getting the best musical support from the Britton band, which isn't exactly geared for much more than comedy, but nevertheless, wham over tlieir swing harmonizing In the next-to-closing frame. 'Jim, Jam, Jumpin' Jive,' Be!»in the Be- gulne' and 'Beer Barrel Polka' are their first three songs, but then 'Well, All Right' was forced on them at this catching. One of the girls then tried to quiet the audience with a long speech, even pleading a sore throat but after about three minutes of applause, whistling and yells, thev had to. come back for 'Hold Tight' Other two acts in the show would usually be strictly fillers, but here they are smashes. Opeiier comprises the Five Elgins, whose hat and In- dian club juggling has been around, a long time, as have been the two femmes' extremely unattractive gowns. Latter should get Immediate attention. It's the only bad feature of an otherwise well-done novelty.- Deucer is Rosalind Gordon (New Acts), a fair hoofer attractively dressed. Britton retains two comedy stand- bys. He is still swinging the old masters, with the musicians donning -wtg3 —SHd—IffaTds~to - -inipefsona te~ Brahms, Sousa; Liszt etc., and wind- ing UD with the knockabout delivery of 'Poet and Peasant' In olace of Powell, Rafferty is now taking the slu?s on the conk during 'Peasant' . Biz was very good for the last stage show (21), but most of 'em did not stay for the picture. By the time the latter, a prison story, was half over there weren't 100 oeopl* in the house. . Scho. KEITH'S BOSTON Boston, Sept. 22. Allen <fr Kent (4), Novello Bros. (2), Art Jarrett, Milton Doufilaa with Priscillo & Perry Mayo, Gra- celle Dancers (4); 'Smuceled Cargi/ (Rep) and 'Spellbinder' (RKOj, dual. Medium grade bill, sagging in the middle, has its higblights. Art Jar. re.tt geta-'top billing, but hardly top honors: In the midway spot he vocals 'Moon Broke My Heart' 'If I Had My Way,' 'Begin Beguine' and 'It's All Yours,' a flagmver finish. Of the four 'Beguine'Its, the best bet, but even this number suffers from a harshness that must be attributed to the singer's overloud delivery or the controller of the p.a. system. Jarrett handles himself modestly, however, and his personality is ingratiating. Milton Douglas m.cs smoothly and in the next-to-close offers the only smart comedy of the show. Brings back little new material, but clicks all the way with his rapd-fire comedy banter with Priscllla and Mayo Perry, two smart stooiges. Douglas' timing is aces, making some of the gags sound better than they are. Allen and Kent, the opening dance team, offer a surprise. Younger couple start off with some conven- tional precision and challenge taps, then turn over the rostrum to an older, unbilled pair who buck-and- wing Jn the old time manner. From the minute the older woman starts, dancing the act is ever solid. Her partner also solos a fast buck and the two finish in unison. Younger duo return for .some Jitter steps and when the mixed teams blend for a jive finale, the customers howl with glee. Novello Bros, please with their aero and risley work while sawing on fiddles, but click less with the bird-whistling bit which closes the act This type of novelty whistling (Continued on page 47)