Variety (Aug 1940)

>6 MUSIC y^edhesday; Aug^ust 7, 1940 Night €^ Revievps VICTOR HUGO Beverly flfiils,.July 23. Xoii HoUx, ' idilton . Bet-lie, Jack Benny;- Phil. Baker,; Jacfc Qwynnep Sid Gordon, Jaiiice Charnhers, Matty ;f jW<ilnec7c : Orch . • (12 . rmnimurn, ' Saiurday a:nd. Sunday, ■ $2;, pthcr nights $1.50, .V. . Sunday, iiighis' along th^ sector, have been ^hat Woixld ^)t)e equivaleht toV.the: cmemai's 'bpxpfflce poison'. It iW,as just a slou||h\night arid no ohe .made anjr bones abdut how; bad biz could be. At one time Earl Car- tbli was- all tor closing down on the Sabbath, trqde dropped to such a. low ■ level. Theri cime- Grace .Hayes with « rhodest pitch in the valley.' By the .' siinple expedient of calling on the ' professibhal. talent that happened, to drop ■ in, a " vogue was created -that was io make the dread Sunday hight , the top coin-getter bl the week. • So, Walter Giiz^airdi, boss Pf the Victpr Hugo, went: bn . record ..Ss . 'that's., for us;* ■. Now it's a trick' to •get into the- bistro p£ a; Sunday i un>- less: you're , a. biggie in films pr you've ^ phpned in your reservation . plenty -nearly,-, : ']. ; - . Oh . this catPhing tipu Hbltz was emcee, and taleht grabbe^r. .Idea, is ,.:; to iPPk airouhd; ahd go Into a build- . up tor ■ thP;, qusirr^^ Holtz didn't . have to lopk. past ringside to single out. MUton Berle,'-. Jack'Benny and' Phil Baker.. Son^e others, were bid - den. " to thev flopr, mike . but; begged: : ot[.\ Ppr dpirig \his. pwh turn - and - 'kriowirtg - people, Holtz was' paid . a guaraatee of $350 against all covers.' / Spot hPlds 550, which leaves riPt mtich roprn to !uhiimber the ■ riethers. . Jxist in case there .aren't enough, perfprmers .arouridTor. they shy away from the. metallic monster, the house has hanging arpurid the edges,i; fe!W turns to keep the. mob amused.. This coterie, aU pf whoih performed, ih- •cludied- Jack Gwynne,; magician; Sid GPrdpn,; .cpmedy Addler who even gets ntii^ic but of the box by picking the strings with his: teeth; Janice Chambers, moppet singer, ."jo round but the • show Matty Malneclc puts his sextet out'on. the flopr for a few numbers 'pppularized by his .record- .;, ihgs.-, ■'';•,■.■. .■; ■■■•: . ■• ' Berle and, ]daker really pitched in to help, out: Hbltz, ' .Benny cracked •you'd: think we come here fPr . that purpose- If Holtz is hot here neit Sunday I'm not coming;'^: It was the • Jello comic's secbhd Sunday in a row at the spot Berle got Pff a slew of gags, fast-like, and then .w:eht into; ah hilarious istrip tease with Holtz, ;.bpth (peelihg to the waiist with .all the: w<Jo-woo gestures. • Baker gave . kn imitation, of . Charles Boyer ad-, dressing a lamb chop and finished ' with his. impressions of chorus girls In various frames, of jmind. . . Oh nights when ; biz is slack, usually Mphday ahd ■ Tuesday, the main diner is closed and all activity , traasferred to Paragon rbom juSt off the Iprig ' bar.. Auxiliary ■ site seats 200,: . Helm. BON-AIR, CHI appearance: and a good sense of ballroom comedy. Rose Blane does not participate in the floor Show, hiit Still does a bang-up jpb pf .warbllhg with the Lyman band. Dbn Sterling prchestra iis the band ilUer while the Lyhiaih grPup ^ests, It .turns in tf comp'eteht.job. . Then there is Sammy Rose and ;his.- produclibh ■ numbers; moth-featen and corny stuff that's comt)letely oiit of . place ih the BPh-Ai^ and looks particularly, sad Svhbn tiied in with a floor; show .;sb full of real and, mod; erh talent. ;: Gold. or five years. Burt Harger and Charlotte Maye are a neat ballrooni team; Valya Valentinoff, Russe terp specialist; Charles Barhes, vocalist* m.c; plus a ballet, a line of ponies ahd SIX showgirls; . Miss Rand her- self does the fan and bubble special- ties and, for her third (2 a.m.), show there's an al fresco: 'rhumba rum- pus' wherein all let their hair down. Chicago, Aug. 4. Abe LyVnan Orch. (16) ^ Marty May, Betty Bruce, Grace and Wifcfco, Jone Ffontan^ Roise Blane; Don: Sterling Orch (6), .Sammy Rose Line (16) . Situated. 25 tniles north of Chi- icagO, thie Boh-Air country club is an putstandihg dining ahd dancing spot, .with a: nifty show current. There is holhihg around here this summer to. cbnipare with the Bon^ Air for atmosphere and yaluei Abe Lymian . .prchestra is ; making its first appearance in the nitery and, as always, ; is solid, with the leader's personality ever-preseht.. ■ :■ Unite, plays a. neat session :of daiice music, as well as.splendid; show.' ac-. cOmpaniment. Xyman's violinists . give his orchestra fine melbdic qualir ' ties, this being particularly nPtice- able ; ■ the- band's . accompaniment Of Jarie Fromian's .'sock vocal .ses- . sioh; Latter is the .lieadliner .of the floor show, and, rates^ it. She ties hp the . perfprmahce : completely, ahd had to encore repeatedly to .'satisfy this in- :sistent: audiehce.. Miss PrPmah has cpme : a Ibng way.: since^ herearly ' radio days and has :'a genuine: stage presence: that sells;her immediately upon arrival' and adds a fine flavor, to. each of her. songs. .:-:.: in the same . type pf 'legit groove, "isBetty Bruce, . a • darncer': with ; a staridout ' style. vMixiiig taps with ballet styling, she's a real clicks Par- ticularly 'impressive, .about .'Miss •. Brube is the :'way she uses her hands.: ^Mahy ,dancers, dbn't. know what- to . do 'with: their hiitts, but Miss- Bruce j^ihalces them .ia jgenuine^ asset, r . JMfar{y~May^T^^ pblishbd looking: worker, with ah ■easy and breezy manher. May .al- ways has indicated greit pi*omise . but sbrtiehow has never. quite ful-: filled those expectationsi He has the basic qualities of tbprlihe rating, but Shows a glaring heed of material. Gr^ce and Nikkb are a comedy ballroom team ;wiih an air that is a surefire selling factor. They have VOGUE ROOM, CLEVE. - (jflEQTEL H^LLENPEN) ^ . '. .■ dlevieland, Att0. 1..: Poitl liosini,: Parker and Ffed^ ricksi /Bdrhard and Barry Leslie, Grace 'Motgdh, .George Ihtffy Orch (IIX; :n»TiiTTVti7rt $1.50 and $2^ . This is :George Duffy's ihitiai hotel date in his home town, after ah ab-^ sence of hearty three years,, but the young Cleveland/ pianistTnaaestro dbmonstrated that he's still;. ia tpp fave here by, making his opening .;week ,the sockiest money-making stanza Vogue .:Rp6m hais had; this semester. One attributable, point is. that Dick Marsh, manager pf the Thep DeWitt de luxe casino,' isn't ecbnomiizing on floor- talent. Current setup iswell; chosen for muggy dog-days and new orchestra leader cues it sniartly, giv r irig Some standard acts a refreshing zip. '' .■ V : V . It's a good summer bUy but it's the band, hpt the show, that's getting biggest play from. dancers., Outfit has improved, immeasurably in last three years since last local date, at bid. Mayfair . Casino. : He's . biiilt a corking three-violih sectipn that dovetails: smoothly with . brasses which seem sweet even when riding bff-beat rhythms, Another innova- tion ' is ensemble vocalizing,. high- light ing excellent work of Charlie Scarle; . Morrey Dradge and Dick Strayer, latter whamming crowds with his Hawaiian accent. ' Leader himself, tagged Cleveland's Duchini doesn't let • his. piano dominate the crew but he warms it with some high and fancy key-j ugglihg at mid- night sessions.; ;; >■ ':■ :■•; ^;.'.. . Heavy-set baritone half of Parker and. Fredericks fills in; as rn.c. just fairishly, being inclined to repetition and. being a bit nervous in introduc- tiPris.: As a singer: he's ' nearly the whole, act. Not only has swell-vocal personality but also a load of golden notes that win the. audience when he tackles 'Donkey^ Serenade/. Fem*; me partner's ori the shrjill, .colorless side. "; .'■;. ,■. : ; Paul Rosini, a semi-annual visitor, breaks a'way fronni^ old turn • of magic by , develbpihg a new technique of sleight-of -hand; in waltz time. De-r iayed delivery -best illustrated in.^his cigaret palming, adding laughable element of surprise to an overdone trick. Other stunts from stock, too, but he knows how tO slick them up. Barbara and Barry Leslie • in formal attire earn their" money, in- this hot weather with -their energetic ball- rppm terping.' Both suave and per sbnable, they' get away from stereo typed adagio stuff by punctuating, it with neat knee and hip twirling, managing to maintain air: of coolness throughout. Interlude filler is Grace Morgan, who; personalizes a piahO While going torcheroo. Pullen. Nitery Fpllowup John Biickmaster who came to at tentioh at: the: Hotel Algonquin's Supper RoPm (N.Y.) with Greta Kel ler is now esconsed in the Hotel Sa voy-Plaza's Cafe Lounge (N.Y.), and more than holding down the solo assignment in a tough spot following Hildegarde, ,Dwight Fiske, et al. Ybtihg English cPmediah. has a fine sense of comedy values, his satirical delineations opening with impres- sions of the different song' s^lists with 'Time On My Hands' as a theme. The French,swordsman; the- 'restaurr ant trouble' sequence, contrasting Gallic and American service stan- dards: and 'I'll Be Seeing You,' heat ballad, done straight, round: out- a strong . program. Emile Petti, pier usual, dispenses the expert dahsapa- tion. v- .. ■ : ,-. ' ; Sally Rand has been, given a-new deal'atop the Parle Central's roof,: Cocoahut Grove (N.Y.). In lieu of 15% of .'the; gross and all the covers, a '$2:; and $2.50 minimum has dis- placed tha cover charge and her pei:- centage qf everything upped. She has "'a sinart floor show with; heiv which; .were it, not for the tOo; tough weather opposition, would command ■fast 'srttentrPh^^ season the fanner would 'cPme but with plenty on her end.:; She gives both the hotel and the customers mUch value with: an elaborate revue Wherein ■ Dora Maugham, with her saucy material, is a comedy, standout. It's been years since Miss Maugham, Once a topflight Lohdon favorite,- has been around Broadway, having been mostly on the Coast for the past four Hotel Edison's Green Room (N.Y.) is making a mistake hot air condi- tioning itself. Mrs, Maria Kramer, femme boniface of both the Edison and . Lihcblh : hostelries, who: prides herself oh her showmanship and band-entrepreneurship, undbubtedly finds that the Lincoln's Blue Room, which is airconditioned, does better than, this spot, although Gray Gor- don's band is on the crest of quite a vogue at the moment. Gordon's 'Tic Rock Rhythm' is proliftcally ether- ized and his tiein with the Victor re- cording of 'I Am An American' gives him (extra values: It's a-heat sweetr: hot band Pf 13 -with Art Perry and (Miss) Meredith Blake handling the vocals. Four reeds and five brasses, with four rhythm, under Gordon's batoneering ■ make for. a brisk setUp. Network Plugs J AJH. to 1AJU FoJloioing is a totalization of the combined plugs of current tunes on NBC (WEAP and WJZ) and CBS iWABC) computed for the. week from Monday through Sunday {July 29'Aug. 4). Total representit occumulated performances on the two major networks from 8 o.m.:to 1 o.m. Symbol denotes film song, t stage musicals, all others are pop. Parenthetic numeral after the titU indicates how many iveeks the song has shown up in these Ustirigs. : . ;: ' ■ ;■'• Tommy Dorsey continues boffing them .at the Hotel Astor Roof (N.Y.) with his versatile bandshow road company augmented 'by Floria Vest- off, corking tapster. She's been around the niteries since the ebb of the, prohibition era but somehow hasn't cOme into the recognitibn due her.; A personable, shapely hiiss, she hoofs with the best of- 'em. Dorsey, of. course, is the prinie draw along with Frank Sinatra and Connie Haines, featured in his aggregatibh. Bunny Berigan. his first trumpeter, is relief n^aeStro wheh Dorsey is off the stand arid he; along' with. Buddy Rich, get solo , opportunities,'; . Biz terrif. , Abel. FRENCH REED MFR. SUIT IN N. Y. ' TITLE'■ All This, and Heaven Too (7).; .♦ATAHT..;.., Fools Rush In (10)......,.:... . ....;:^;/.\,. I'll Never Smile Again (8)... .V. ............;. Orchids for Remembrance (5) ...'......;.;...;,.». You Think of Ev'rything (2);..tAquacade..... ^Wlien the SwalloWs Come Back (6)......., . Sierra Sue (13),,;. .,„...;,..v. ,. ,>..,.. Fable of the Rose (6) ...;............. .;..... ■ Nearness of You (8). *;.. ^.;vv.... Hear My Song, Violetta (11);. ....:........... I'm Nobody's Baby (8). ..."Andy Hardy Meets Deb,,Feist I Can't Love You Any More (14)......".;;.......Olman .. Mister Meadowlark (7)..........-,. .■.... .:.■....'. . . Mercer ;. Dahny Boy (13)..,......; .v...;.: ...V.,.. ..American Six Lessons from Madame La Zohga (8) ......,,.;... ..BVC . ■,, Breeze and I (14) ..... ...,;.....:....Marks Meet the Sun Halfway (13). . I Had My Way ., .. Santly Pi:actice Makes Perfect (1)..-. .> ...........BMI *.. Blueberry Hill (4).. ., . '. -.....',. ; , .... Chappell You're Lonely and I'm Lonely (12).-. . jLa. Purchase.. . Berlin PUBLISHER Remick ► V *»• BVC- ■ ,, i,, I f. p • • Sua • i« .....Miller ....... ....Robbins ...... ....Witmark ..... , . Shapiro ,; ... WHarms ,«:. . . ... .;. . Famous ...;-. Crawibrd QRAND TOTAL 38 «' • * « '« Playmates (18). I'm Stepping Out with a Memory Tonight (8);... PoUcadots and Moonbeams (6) : .. .,..;.. «;. , . . I Can't Resist You (11)...;.;::... V It's a Lovely Day Tomorrow (4). ...tLa. Purchase. We Could Make Such Beautiful Music (5)... Make-Believe Island (15) i................; >.. ^v:. ... Call of the Canyon (1)..;:.:..:;..; '.•;,. Devil. May:CTare ;(10) : ;...;..., <;;..;. There I Go (1)..; . . , . . v. ; . ; ...;.. .. Tonight i(i2). .^v.,....:.. i...v..,.^ ;. Where Was I? (18).. .'"Til Wti ^taet Again..;.,, Down by the O-hi-o (6),..,. :\ ..;:... V;... .; Moon Won't Talk (1).: .......... ...... Seems Like a Month of Sundays (2 )..-. And So Do I (1),;.-,...:;;.....,..;., . ...;.. I Can't Get Indiana Off My Mind (1) .. ..Santly Robbins ■ •. • A^G.. , • i .-.:,,'Ager .■... .'■rf-, . .. .. Berlin , ,,,.BMI ....... .... .Miller .. ..,,. Shapiro ...i. Witmark .... ■..:.':.v-BMI ........ .. . . .Southern ; . . r..,.Remick .... .... ..Forster Regent;;-; ;;■;:•. V'.^:.;v Marks., . . Santly ., ..' .. .• Suit of Mario ..Madcaferri. niu^ reed manufacturer, against the Musi- cal / Instrument ■■ Exchange, Inc., -yvas dismissed yesterday; (Tuesday) by N. Y: supreme court J'ustice Kenneth P'Briert. Suit sought ah; iiijUnction against the. defendants, plus $20,000 damages. -: Action asserted plaintiff conducted his business, in iPrance up to Jan, 15, 1940, when a U. S; manufacturing plant was opened. ; Immediately thereafter, 50,000 circulars advertis- ing a; reed called 'My. Masterpiece' \yas sent to, dealers throughout;the. country bearing a picture of Jimmy DPrsey opening the manufacturing plant with the sfnashing of a cham- pagne; bottle. It. is claimed, the de- fendant sent out similar circulars to the same dealers cutting the plain- tiff's price oh the reed: Ted Fe.tter, composer of last year's Aquacade, hit, * Yours for a Song' and producer of the strawhat. musical, 'TwP Weeks ; With Pay^' which opened the season at the Ridgeway theatre. White Plains, N:. Y,, is do- ing the lyrics for Frankie lidasters' new number, 'Poker Face.' - Robbins Music •will publish. . ; ; ; : Buck Ram, composer of 'Bpog It' and 'Slow Freight,' pacted to a two- year contract with • Adyahce Music Corp. . :■■ Miller Music publishing two Ta- hjtian tunes by Augie Goupil en- titled 'Tau.Here' and 'Maroelle Va- hine.' Coupled [ with 'Islind ; Sere- hade,' Ray Kinney uses;the latter as his first 'Victor release, . Siemuitd Kriimffoid and Andrea Setaro.ebllaborated- on musical back- grounds for 'Rangers of Fortiine' at Paramount, ; : ArlWr .Kay is doing the musical director job. 'firypsy Cavalier' at Monogram; ' -' .'\ . .-■:;■...:■:- Franz Waxman is scoring 'The Philadelphia Story* , at Metro and ]payid Snell is dpirig a similar chore on 'Dr: Kildare Goes Hpme'. :. ■; . . Peter Tinturin: ifT^'.ritihg words ahd .music for huinbers.in Republiij's 'BorderJLegiotL^.. ■^■^^ - ' . - \'_ -'. Alfred Newman , cprnpleted ^ the Scbrihg. for; Waiter: W^ eign Correspondent'.. : Harry Warren collaborating with Mack Gordon on tunes for 'Tin Pah Alley' at 20th-Fox. You Can't Brush Me Off (10). .1 Louisiana Purchase;..Bbrlih Get the Moon Out Of Your Eyes (2); .-.-,•.'.:...... Paramount Imaginaticri ;(17;);.;: . r- v- r- - .. - ... ;. . ..ABC .. . , 'Love Lies fl,) .>.. i.i: ; j .y.. ..:,.,. . .FeiSl ;..... Oh a' Sitnmei*y Summery ;i5ay (1)..; .. .'.,.. .•...... Leeds .:;..-.'. Never Took a Lesson in My. Life (1) ,..,;..;;;... .;;... ABC ...... 35 33 33 32 31 30 29 29 -26; 26 24 24 21 21 ,20 20 20 18 18 18 15 15 14 14 14 13 12 12 12 12 11 10. 10 10^ 9 9 9 8 8 8 '8 8 GROSSES POORISH Biridgeport Beach' Is Not Doln^ So ; Forte Just Now ' -;..- Bridgeport. Aug. $, . ; Midseason dance , biz off. at Pleas- ure Beach, city-Operated park. •. Will Hudson drew about 500 at 55c, followed by Will Bradley-Ray McKinley, who did less than 600 at 66c, drop of 300 from stand earlier in season: Last ISunday was better with 'Tony Pastor, about 750 at 66c. . Jaii Sayitt and Charlie Barnet cbming up August 11 and 25, re-, spectively. ' .. -. '";'• Release Franco Ghiohe From Detroit Symphony ■-Detroit;. Aug.-:6.;.; ■ At the request of his manager, the Columbia Concert Gbrp.i Franco Ghiohe, conductor of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra since 1937, :ha3 been- given his release. Contract had a year: to run, Ghione,. native Of Italy, is at present at the Teatro • Colon in Buenos Aires, where he Is chief di- rector of Italian and French Opera repertoire. • No mention • of a successor has been made as yet. LOUIS DREYFUS ACTIVE, LOAD Louis Dreyfusy Lohdoh evacuee, is handling business details at Chappell during his U. S,' spjoUrn, leaving the Chappell of England firm in native hands. . Since Henry Spitzer left the. firms, Max DreyfUs has" been gen- eral supervisor, but now with the return of the bther •brbther it light- ens the burden, Spitzer, meantime, under contract through July to the Dreyfus firms, plans returning to the publishing business with .his own oUtfit. He's dickering to acquire a catalog as; m nucleus for ASCAP membership. Dallas Dance Pick-Up Dallas, Aug. 6. .For the, first time in years, local dine and dance patrons are being treated to a selection of tophotch bands and attractions as the major spots here vie with each other to at- tract^ the spending crowd. Buddy Rogers fronts at the Baker hotel's Peacock Terrace,, with George Olsen slated; to follow Aug. .8.' Abross the street .at , the Adolphus hotel's Cehtury. Room, an ice revue headed' by Gladys' Lamb and Rube Ypkum is the lure,. Mu.sic is. provided by Ligbn Smith's prchestia. Bobby Peters and his orchestl-a ai-e at the Plantation Club, ''[ ' Open-air spot with 2,500 capacity: Jinimy . Grier follows in Aug. 8. ; Erskine Hiawkihs. brought his all- colPred orchestra to the Showboat for a. pne-nighter Aug. 3. Freddy Martin is scheduled to appear for a one-nighter at the Dallas Athletic Club Aug. 9 as the first of a series of; name .band.s to play heie for one- night stands. ::■'.. . Alleges Infringement Of 'Let's All Sing Together' Alfred Music COi, Inc., filed suit Friday (2) in the; N. Y. suprema court against Bregman,. Vocco St <3fc>nn. . Inc:, Joe Audinb, Nick Dl Rocco, and .Bill ilCeeshan, seeking an irijunction, accounting of profits, and statutory damages against the defendant's publication iOf 'Let's All Sing Together,' claiming the de- fendants' song was cbpied,- from 'Valzer TrullaUero,' belonging to the plaiiritiff. ; \ •' . } It is asserted thiat the Italian isong was written in 1935 and acquired in 1938 by; the plaintiff. On Feb 1, 1940, the alleged infrihging song . pf the; defendants was placed on the market, and is asserted to be copied in -both lyrics and music frorii; the plaintiffs' sorig. pors^yV *My Par Mail —As_.a_igest.urjeito.;.Jo.eJVenu opens • at :Frank ; DaiFey's ; Meadbw> brook. Cedar GrOve, N. .7.. . Sunday (11), Tbniniy Dorsey is inking per- sonal letters to the trade to insurb the violin maestro .ia solid sendoff.; A standout musician for ybai's, the booking represents Venuti's first real break since forming his own or- chestra. Toledo's Juke-Box Tat Toledo. O., Aug. 6.; '.' Councilrrian John Kelly has intro- duced ah ordinance to license music boxes, designed to net the city of Toledo over $10,000; a year; The measure would require a $10 : fee for. each device.. Ft. Worth Bookings Ft, Worth, Aug. 6. Buddy Rogers band currently play- ing at Peacock Terrace in Dallas is scheduled for a three-night stand at. Lake Kbrth Casino here. August. 8- 9-10, •' Local Ad Club big annual d inner, dance, usually held in down - town $pot will; niove to. Casino for Rbgers music.. . • Nick Stuart, holder of attendance record . at Hotel Texas Den here,., closed ■■ a . week's engagement at" Casino ^; Tuesday. : . Jimmy Greei- played a. pne-night statid. Wednesday to fill, in between bands. : Val.'Valenti's orchestra, opehed at the Harbor Rest, Rockaway Park. L. I.,, last Friday (25)i Buddy Breeza Vbcaling. ;