Variety (Dec 1939)

18 VARliETY VARIEXY HOUSE REVIEWS rWcdiiesdtty, December 13, PARAMOUNT, N. Y. Allan Joues, Mary AJdrliii. Joliiiiii; : Crceii oTclxeslra (17) icilli Jack Smith. ATutnil Bros.. i2l, Melissa Mason; 'The Crvat VIclor Herbcn' (Pnr), rerleiccd in Vaiuf.tv Dec. 6. In person as woU ;is on Ihe screen | in 'Great Victor Herbert' (Par) for a j double sock and draw, Allan Jones and Mary Martin head one of the best stage shows ycl at this theatre, since it adopted the present pit-band policy. With them, in addition to; two other acts, is the Johnny Green | orchestra, which has come along I with remarkable strides in a few 1 years. The band played this hoiise I in the first year of its present policy ' four years ago when not as well known and seasoned' as now. Or- chestra has been on radio mostly. Together with the Jones-Martin team, phis the picture and word-of- mouth, the house can't fail to hit home strongly. The whole booking attests to the flne .showmanship that exists in the operation of this thea- tre, pioneer in the so-called pit band policy, so well established by Bob Weitman, managing director: Harry Kalcheim and aides, that it's been widely adapted since. Miss Martin, making her ftrat ap- pearance on the screen in 'Great Victor Herbert,' also makes her bow as a picture-house stage perj^onality. She played the .Rainbow Room after clicking in last year" "lieave It to Me,' legit musical, while .she re- cently was the victim of another musical's closing on the road, Larry Schwab's 'Nice Goin,' withdrawn Bfte.- its Boston tryout. The 'My Heart Belongs to Daddy,' gal socks across here with the same number, done under somewhat dif- ferent circumstances. Her others are 'Havin' Any Fun,' 'My Prayer,' 'Care . Nome' (swung) and a Victor Herbert duet with Jones. She has a little difficulty with the coloratura open- ing of the 'Care. Nome' aria but that is of relatively minor importance since it's the swing rendition that counts. Allen Jones (New Acts) registers handily. A standard on stage and screen, he's new to presention houses but obviously a draw on his film rep. The close of the show offers a unique twist, Jones and Miss Martin doing "Thine Alone' (Victor Her-, bert), starting it legit, then as Jones continues singing the number straight Miss Martin begins swinging it Two other acts on the show are Melissa Mason, comedy dancer remi- niscent of the Charlotte Greenwood style, and the Arnaut Bros. Miss Mason registers nicely in her two numbers, while the Arnauts thunder down the stretch in their familiar routine. They are doing the same act they, or others of the family, did 30 years ago, including the violin acrobatics opening and the love-bird sequence closing. The Variety files of Aug. 13, 1910, show they were first caught as a new act under the bill- ing of Arnaud Bros., then making their first appearance in America. The notice indicated that the Arnauds did acrobatic work, includ- ing tumbling, while playing musical instruments, and also a whistling bit. Comment concerning latter, which no doubt developed into the clickful love-bird flirtation, was that it could be cut. Arnauts at that time dressed as clowns, while now they wear tails for the opening violining, doing the bird thing in feathery costumes to suit. The turn they now do is sub- stantially the same, although about 10 years ago they changed the act somewhat adding their sister Nellie and putting her in a bird-cage for production buildup. Green's orchestra, in.itself a good show band, cracks through power- fully when artists are not out in front of it The band numbers 17, larger than most featuring vocalist Jack Smith, who figures in 'I Didn't Know What Time It Was." He has a .<;oft-toned but pleasing voice. Emphasizing the brass a little at times. Green's orchestra is notable for its lilting swing and painstaking orchestrations. There is fine coordi- nation among the various sections, one of which includes four violins. A medley of Green's own coinposi- tions, with the maestro at the piano, including, of course, his 'Body and Soul, is standout. For a jam ses- 5i(5n. with eight of the orchmen, the oldtime 'Sheik of Araby' is included. . ChoT. LOEWS STATE, N. Y. Gwi/nne, Rita and Ed Oehman, Franklyn D'Amore, Cookie Bowers Jiicjc Jenney's Orch with Meredith Blake, Frank Bond, Ga Iherine West- geld, The Tune Twisters (3), Rubi; ZwcTling's House Orch; 'At the Cir- cus' (M-G). overboard on singing within a 20- minulc running time. Jenney's orch and specialties' are further reviewed under Now Acts, as is the: dcucing Rita and Ted Oehman, mixed .wii.e 'n' dance team. Remain- ing three acts are all so .standard here it looks like old-home week, but they're clicko nevertheless. ' Show's .standout is the ncxl-lo- clo.'-injj Cookie Bowers and his funny character delincalion.s. notably the bit entailing a man eating an apple and trying to give direction to the World's Fair site at the same time. Not far behind this in finc.s.sc of exe- cution and laugh response is Bow- ers' mimicry of two fcmmcs dipping themselves in a Coney Island pool. There's a lot of showman.ship in Bowers' turn, not the least of which is his brief flay, leaving the audi- ence begging for more. Gwynne. the magician, and Frank- lyn D'Amore, topflight acrobat, are also farniliar faces at the Stale. Gwynne opens and his illusions and tricks are neatly put over by his fine stage presence. His top trick, as usual, is the goldfish bowl routine. The Oehman.s space him and D'Amore. who's also in the novelty line. D'Amore is working with a shapely, good-looking blonde, but in the early part she's disguised as a man and brought on all folded up in a laundry bag. She's as neat as the topj-mounter in the hand-to-hand balancing as she is in looks, with D'Amore's difficult b.nck-bend lift over a chair still plenty pinichy as the act's finale. Show remains within a 60-minute running tirne and that's very fast for a combination band-vaudeville lay- out. Biz opening night (Tlun-.sday) was fair. Scho. ABC, PARIS PtiTi.'!, Nov. 2S. Rinn Kelly, Jack Wilson, Frnn- coiiuy, Tliomp.ton's Doff."!. Crockett, Bill]/ Suy, June Stick, StcUo, Nudia Duuly. Jack Jenney, his trombone and his orchestra, but with very little devel- opment as a stage personality, is the lail-end support of this variety show Latter is a reprise of a frequent for- mula at the State when the band is not of name calibre, i. e., a four-act layout played by Ruby Zwcrling's sterling pit crew, with the booked-in band as the closing fla.sh. It's usually an entertaining idea and doesn't miss this time, though Jenney''s end is way MINNESOTA, MPLS. . Minneapolis, Dec. 8. Clyde Snyder, 12 Minnesota Co- Eds, 7 Great Faladas, Stevens Bros. & Big Boy (4), Fetch <fr Deuuille, Wallv Vernon & Co. i2). Jack Malerich House Orch (18); 'Girl from Rio' (Mono). Current show is under the theatre's par in quality, but still affords con- siderable entertainment at the 40c top. Dance production numbers, uti- lizing the 12-girl line and Glyde Sny- der, dancing m.c, are stressed and for the first time the orchestra plays the house show from the pit instead of on stdge. The 'nathe' headliner, Wally Vernon, is apparently of little or no boxoffice value in this spot. Jack Malerich conducts his 18- piece orchestra in a showy, stirring performance of the 'II Guaranay' overture. Then he illustrates' the various effects possible on the Wur- litzer, Snyder, producer also, employs a circus idea at the outset. In a big- top setting, the 12 girls trot out as prancing ponies while he cracks the whip as ringmaster. There are indi- vidual solo bits by the choristers. This paves the way for two more cir- cus acts. The first is the Seven Great Faladas, six men and a woman, who catapult each other around via tee terboard, and perform some thrilling and difficult balancing. They work fast and efficiently, finishing sensa tionally with one completely-blinded member propelled from the teeter' board to the high perch created by tour of the men atop each other's shoulders. Another act with a circus tinge is that of Big Bov, trained bear, with the Stevens Bros. There's mild amusement created by three stooges and the trainer who wrestle with the animal, but the fun seems forced and the offering too slow and long. 'Inviting kiddies from the audience for a ride on the bear's back may be all right for the youngsters, but adult customers find little enjoyment in this. The Co-Eds, In flimsy dresses. plea.se with a semi-ballet number, and then Snyder, as an old broadway and 42d street dance-.shoe cobbler, reminisce.s about famous dancers. This gives individual choristers a chance for impressions of such nota- bles ss the Dolly Sisters, Eleanor Powell, Gilda Gray and Ann Pen- nington. It's moderately effective, with the girls performing on a raised backstage behind a scrim, but could be improved by the elimination of most of Snyder's explanatory patter. Fetch and Deauville are a man and woman who do well at tapping and acrobatics. Their cartwheels, som- ersaults and handsprings are difficult and well executed, but" the act lacks the showmanly touches and direction needed to make it click strongly. Vernon, more recently from pic- tures, clowns, dances and .spills some gags and storie.s. He cleans up the story of an 81-year-old man who married a 17-year-old girl and, upon being awakened after the pill treat- ment asked if it was time to go to .school. The yarn's still out of place in a theatre catering to family trade such as this. Vernon's nonchalant dancing is fair enough, and his bur- le.sque of a strin-tease artist a nifty. His 70-ycar-old dad, remarkably apile. al.-in is brought on for some niffy hoofing. For a finale, Snvder introduces his dancing gals in abbreviated attire for a lively militarv marching number to the .strains of 'I Love a Parade.' Busine.ss light iii the opening Fri- day matinee. Rees Allhmiyh lacking the variety and ; all-around caliber of the opening ! .show, this .second ABC offering ot ; the sca.son has some brightness in a spolly program. The show's chief fault is too much singing, with .seven out of 11 acts turned over to songstcr.s. Some are good, others very good and poor. With one exception, the four remaining vaude acts fall down. It's mostly a French .show, with only two of the 11 acts ' including foreign talent. Po.ssibly thi.s is going to be one of the chief characteristics of French music-hnll entertainment during the war, and may go a long way towards developing more home talent Jack Wilson. Biiti.sh warbler, docs .some bi-lin,^ual singing and is so-so. The hit 'We're Going" to Hang Our V/ashing on the Siegfried Line' is done in two languages and, as is to be' expected, garners a harvest of applause. Heading the ' program is Rina Kclty, French radio singer. .She h.ns as fine a voice as has been turned out here in .some time as far as the lighter sliifT goes. A repijrtory of topnotch, catchy tunes also .sets her high with the house. She lacks sta.ge presence as yet however, due to in- experience. She does five numbers, with 'J'Attendrai' ('I'll Wait'). 'Ser- enade Sans Expoir' ('lIopele.«s Ser- enade'), and "Les Ro.ses de Mantille' ('The Roses of Mantilla') the best heard around here in many moons. They're the rage all over the coun- try. Crowding Miss Kelty for top honors is the old trouper. Franconay, who sings and mimic.sv.French stage notables excellently. She not only impersonates Elvire Popcsco, Lys Gauty, Mistinguett, Raimu and others but puts the act to bed with an imitation of Maurice Chevalier mimicing a Russian singer. Thompson and his dogs. Bill and Arno, wind up the program on a dull, it patriotic, tone. 'The animals are handsome but fall below th« average intelligence of stage canines. Asked to imitate Chamberlain and Hitler, one picks up an umbrella and others sits up and snarls. With such an atmosphere created, the or- chestra plays some patriotic airs and all go home generally pleased. The first half of the program isn't up to the satisfactory second-half standard. Crockett leads off with a juggling act and goes over the quota of misses allowed professional.s. Billy Say follows with dance imitations of Fred Astaire, Eleanor Powell and other Americans. There is no re- proaching her taps but her act is badly presented. She sounds timid and amateurish, but this should be remedied in time. Jane Stick, vet hot-spot songster, shows little voice but plenty ot put- over in a number of racy airs a'bout boulevard girls. Romeo Carles sings and shouts plenty of witticisms in a raucous voice, and they catch on. Stello. Montmartre singer of another era, sings about drinking and eating to win a lukewarm reception. Nadia Dauty closes the first half, singing much the same songs she has been doing for a long time. Audience likes them, however, as she puts them over in her Opera Comique-trained voice, which is weakened, however, by too much tremolo. Ratio. holds are unique items among his tricks. 'Oh, Johnny' is used by Mi.ss Knapp as a come-on for the Foster girl.s, this time in.high hats and tails for a rou- tine that is suitable but not to be remembered. Production number serves as backgrounding for Uarri.s and Shore, who.se ballroom and adagio burlesquing Is rather effec- tive. Miss Shore contributes all of the act's comedy. 'Voung colored boys. Stump and Stumpy, go in for a lot of clowning. Act does have some fairly amusing moments, notably the Donald Duck impression and some of their hoofing. Shorter of the two lads appears to some have more on the ball. An over-stres.sed flag-waving fin- ish is the closing scene, in which the routine of the Foster line is topped by an. unfurled flag upstage that stretches all the way acro.ss the large rostrum. Singing of 'America' by Miss Knapp leads the girls into a number to the patriotic sti'ains in which they maneuver them.selves around on top of balls, red, white and blue. Line does, admirably, but hav- ing the girls on top of the rolling spheres is getting prett.v olH stuff around here. Chnr. EARLE, WASH. STANLEY, PITT ROXY, N. Y. Worman Harris & Sylvia Shore, Slump & Stumpy. Allen & Kent. Du Val. Margie Knapp. Cue Foster Girls, Paul Ash House Orch.; 'Barricade' (20th). reviewed in current issue of Variety. Fanchon & Marco has been putting on the cautiously-budgeted shows for a long time here and they seldom vary from a set production routine. Thi.s week's contribution is no ex- ception, and while it pas.ses muster for the Roxy trade, it is without any particular punch. Settings are stand- ard, while there's one that's too springtime to be accepted at the mo- ment, one with a cottage plus the girls in their airy, Easter-like cos- tumes. Acts include Norman Harris and Sylvia Shore, who have danced at the swank Rainbow Room, Rockefeller Center; Stump and Stumpy, doubling in here from the nearby Cotton Club- Allen and Kent, with papa and' mamma, an oldtime vau(Je turn, and Du Val, sleight-of-hand artist. Mar- gie Knapp, singer, is used for pro- duction numbers. The Gae Foster line opens to pro- vide atmosphere and backing for the Allen and Kent act Youthful team figures in modern buck and other types of dancing, while the folks contrast with oldtime styles in the hardshoe line, all winding up big- appling. A satisfactory audience act that's typically vaudeville. Du Val follows with his silk han- kies and other implements of the legerdemaih trade, going, ever okay. Using hi.s fist as n pipe and getting .„ pu.isnes on smoke into a gla.ss which an as.si.stnnt bill. Biz at opening fine Cohen, Washington, Dor. 8. Gautier's Bricklayers, Olinc While Charles Bulterworth with Jiid); Sltirr and Eddie Kane, Five Ma.wUus, Don Rice; 'Ruler of the Seas' (Pari. With spot's regular line not due back from six-week vacation until next week, this one is straiglu v;ui(le tied together by an m.c. and stooges. Highlight is hcftily ballicd pcisdnjii of Charles Butlerworth, whose act with vocalist Judy Starr and .stmighi. man Eddie Kane is a miniature re- vue in itself, but not slrong cnDugh to force the Five Maxcllos out ol Ihe wind-up spot traditionally reserved for the acrobats. Exemplifying house's .swin.:: lo more elaborate overtures. l)f;;un with recent installation of shining pit, show begins with pop medUy featuring a liouse fiddler and nut votal of 'Scatterbrain' by a trum- peter. Don Rice bounces out in tux to begin m.c.ing with cracks .'iboiit 'the picture I made in Hollywood for the F.B.I.' and going to dinner wiih his ma-in-law and havin.;; 'ecild .shoulder and tongue' Acts get under way with Gautier's Bricklayers, revitalized dog revue with complex, full-stage .set' ot Iwo- story building under constnielion. Pittsbiiroh. Due. 8. y Orch (15i. HeU.. O'Connell, Boh Eberle. Bcltw Bruce.-■ j- . ,- other in elevators and, Anally, one 'worker' getting beaned by load ot cement bags. Latter brings on trainer, .. T> ■ who leads canines through ambu- Jimmy Dorsey s crew has been • i.ince and weeping-widow ga-.;. Fla.>:h steadily on the rise during the last I finish has dogs leaping from window Ji»i.»!/ Dorsey Orch "(ISi Helen ■ ^''T' r J'''P ''I''''' '"'-' '-- mWI. Bob Eberle, Bclt„ Bn/eell^""' carrying hod.s. slag,;;er- Joc * Jnne McKenna. Max Adkins House Orch; 'Disputed Pu.ssnnc' (Pnr). ' couple of seasons, recent replace ments are working out handsomely and Dorsey himself is learning that it takes more than musical wizardry to establish a name batoneer. He's relaxing more than ever before and generally ingratiating him.self with the jive public. In the past he's been recognized merely as a sax artist with a good band; now he stands a real chance of developing into a definite per.sonal- ity, " ■• • lo swinging platform, then to second platform, followed by another leap to opposite window. It getv pasp.<:, laughs and sock applau.se. Rice is then out for more inci- dental patter and introduction of Olive White. Pleasant brunet in d.nrk blue ruffled gown, sings and ;;uilars effectively through 'South Anierir;m Way,' warbles 'When Mi.sehn Ptn.vs his Violin' and fiddles 'Play CJvp.^v _- ^, r- - Play,' finishing strong with vocal <if Even the orch s ab.sorbing .some I'It's the Rhythm In Me' Rice then takes it for .so-.so gagging with stooges scattered through the .nidi- ence and turns show over to Butler- worth, brought on as "that fanious of his new unbending, and lea(jcr and his men seem to have something in common instead of just an em- ploye-employer relationship It's essentially a swing outfit but I after-(iinner .speaker.' Butlcrwdi th Dorsey's smart enough to keep his arrangements sufficiently modified so that it doesn't take a Sigmund Spaeth to isolate the melody. With five saxes, his own included, three trombones, three trumpets, guitar, piano, bass and drums emphasis is naturally on the brass but that top- heavy section never gels out of hand. Unit carries a crack drummer in Buddy Schutz. and that's important these days in the modern dance idiom. "Two other assets are voca- lists Helen O'Connell, .sex-appealing blonde with bettcr-than-averagc pipes, and Bob Eberle, a good-look- ing lad who knows what to do with a pop ballad, and does plenty. goes right into smart binles<iuc speech, beginning with 'fellow Ro- tarians,' and gets howls with every repetition of 'real peppy fellows' and 'fellows with both feet on the ground.' Eddie Kane, dolled up a.s super - Hollywood script writer, strides on for amusing herc's-lhe- script-for-your-act busine.'-s. Left alone again, Butterworlh piek.s up phone, asks 'Is there a convention in town?', thus gets Judy Starr and in- vites her on. Cute jitterbug warbler wa.stes time tearing up $20 bill wilh Butlerworth, but wows 'cm with 'Apple for the Teacher,' with Bnlter- worth simultaneously doing panto- mime of artist .sketching her. Pair Opening sends band right into the "^^^^ together lo r( jk middle of a hot version ot 'Shine on Pnoney film mags, 'which drag.'^ but Harvest Moon,'and it follows with a " il"?*^;.^"1' * crack novelty in 'John Silver.' Mi.ssi ^"'^^ '"^^ O'Connell then gives "em ''You Be long to Me,' 'My Mother Told Me,' backgrounded by vocal obligato from stand; 'All of Me' (her best) and 'Especially for You.' Her exit brings down one of Dorsey's trumpeters with some blazing tones on some- thing called 'Shoot the Matzos to Me, Pete Boy' and a lot of tooting fireworks on a solo of 'Honeysuckle Ro.se.' Unbilled, he's a young whiz with a horn. ■Next spot reserved for Betty Bruce, dancing star last season of Broadway's 'Boys from Syracuse.' Gal has plenty on the bail, style, ability and an exotic appear- ance, and brings the mob sharply to attention with her ballet-edged tapping. It's strictly high-cla.s.s, may- be a bit too-high-class for the usual deluxe film house presentation, and she might drop something a bit more commonplace into the middle of her smarter stuff. For cafe society and Broadway, it's great as is, but she's taking chances with the unruly type of audiences that seem lo inhabit the deluxers in the afternoons these days. 'Cherokee' is a bit of a letdown for Dorsey,, and show's sole soft .spot; he should ;go right into Schut/.'s sock drum specially after Mi.ss Bruce. Drummer cleans up and so does Eberle, who follows with first-rale 'South of Border,' 'My Prayer' and 'Night and Day.' Dorsey gets an Inning next with his neat sax play- ing on 'Flight of Bumblebee,' which he's presenting showily nowadays, with a baby spot from the fools throwing his shadow on ' the back- wall. It's Joe and Jane McKenna next-to-closing, and niche is a push- over for standard boy-girl knock- about dancing team. Everything they do is surefire, from Joe's drunk routine to his hoke adagio wilh sis- ter Jane, so surefire, in fact that it's a shame male 'half of team has to strike up even an occasional ac- quaintance wilh an off-eolor anec- dote. He emphatically doesn't need For finl.sh, band does a sizzling ar- rangement of 'I've Got Rhythm,' Dorsey taking the lead and doing plenty with it Overture by Max Adkins' hou.se crew polishes off the smash hand. Rice follows with his speei.-illy, Trying to make audience Iweel like the birdies and getting a squirt in the eye via prop telephone when he asks for 'Spitalny' falls pretty flat, but his whirlwind imitations a la 'We the People* of Ned Sparks. Al Smith. Landon, F.D.R., Mussolini, Hitler and Chamberlain sock. Five Maxellos, three youngish guys and two .sur- prisingly attractive gals, appear in trim grey pants and waistcoaU for smart risley workout, lop stunt find- ing two flipping together from feet- to-feet joined by third and trio flip- ping to floor. Rice, after comic session with Maxellos. does neat thank-you speech lb strong aoplause as curtain closes. Cruiii. FLATBUSH, B'KLYN Bob Crosby's Orch with Bobliv Haggart, Jess Stacy, Ray Beaiutiie, Eddie Miller, The Bobcats. Nappy Lamare, Kitty Lane: Frances Fuye- Rai/mond Wilbert, Marion Belelt & English Bros.; 'Stunt Pilot' (Mono). Though Bob Crosby's orch and as- .sorled specialists are the marquee lure here this week, it remains for one of the lesser acts lo garner the major laurels. Frances Faye, hefty, bouncing and plenty jivei'oo. is the outstanciing sock on this generally neat program, a nifty mixture ot variety, outstanding band arrange- ments and comedy. Band still remains one of the .smartest sweet-swing oulflts in the biz, fronted by the unassuming Crosby, who at times is completely shrouded by the splendid musiciiui- ship of his bandsmen, collectively, as soloists, or in groups. There are, lor instance, the Bobcats, assorted in- strumentalists, who're in one num- ber, and the quartet of Eddie Miller, sax; Jess Stacy, piano; Ray Bcaudiie, drums, and Bob Haggart ba.s.s, whp're on for a spell after being in-' troed by the rilacstro as Paul While- man's selections for his all-Ameriean band. His new vocalist is Kitty Lane, neat to look at but .sli.v on vocal ability, a factor that's partieu- (Continued on page .46)