Variety (Aug 1940)

■ I.- ;ff m , lii-i,- i F 'i' 41 iNIClit CILUB Wedliesday, August 28, 1910 t!.!l Jly JACK PITLASKI Saratoga Springs, N; Y„ Aug. 27, ."Wittv the : thernioinetet hovering lowr, the Spa is taking the worst; beating since the lid was clamped, oii ti-ife gari\e^ rooms: three years ago. Thlfe: night siiots. are all closing heav- ily , in the red; and the: perforriiers wohd^ir 'how they are gettitig paid', off. Here and there sneak gixnh I i ng. ^oes oh and the cops have heeiv raid- ing the joints. Only clubs doing anythuig like .real busine.ss are the. Meadowbi'ook- and Mother Keliy -s; and even tliece; the custbniers haye; been attending only on late week nights/ An-audience of 50 i.i regarded as.bk'ay; during chilly: August. So few people, have been.- on hand at other resorts that no per- forin a hce^ - given there, some ^evcningis:.^- Atrowhead dtiew the biggest one- h ig h I house Thursday (22), the oc- casion . being the turl writers' annual affair, but on Saturday (24) thei club folded up.- Race writers thought their party would flop because of the fir.st year of mutuels here, but it was a sellotit regardless. ..All entertaih- ers appieared, ihcluding Eddie Davis, a fugitiyie from 52d street, town for- the races. Turf writers party was handled by Frahk Qrtell of the N.y. World-Tele^ grarti, Charles W. (Chiick) Connors of .Racing Form, Eddie Farrell,..Tony Betts of the N. Y; Post; and Freddie Capaselli, an'ahntouncer, Gross and. Dunn, faves Ih Sjaratogfli, warbling at Meadowbrook, and the .titiiah-haired Tetry;LttwIbr at Reil- ly's Lake Hoiisei are. easily thetop performtrs at the resort/Duo's songs, 'We're Two yof Three Men on, a Horse' and, Xydia' (the tatooed girl), are their standouts; and' both excel- lent, Eddie: Weber is at the ivories ior C!ross and Diinh. . Spot has How- at-d Lally's band, the dance team is Rodrigo and Franciae, .while Norman Mendelsohn is an ambitious singer who; prefers to earn .a living that way and not depend on his father's wealth. . In. the grill are: the Four Freshman, instrumentalists and.war- • biers: . ; ■' Arrowhead . cut .expensed and dropped Josephine Huston,, subbing with Wilma Cox, Holland and. Hart also being there along with Ernie Hoist's band. They named a horse after that leader,.and it was supposed to be a good thing Arst time out. But the niag ran out of the money. At Piping Rock, Yvette; called the 'French; girl froiti ..Brooklyn' is the principail entertainer, along with the Four - Oxfords and Ted Straeter's band, which,- With 11 men, is the .largest in town.; At 'Reiliya,. too, . -Were Ramon and :Renita, The. Nel- sons, Deane: Janis, but the -show was dropped, though Al JTahkj's band: is giving out the dancexinusic. He is an Albany lad and so is Francis Murphy; Who conducts at .Kelly's. Miirphy was-with the Si Fabian out- fit ^d also played at the Ten Eyck hotel,-Albany. Kelly's has beeri sportin;g a line of girls, the only cafe in town with chorines. Club Felix, which was the Villauova last year> also had a girl line, but the plade closed abruptly after the first week of ;ttie month. At Nevi^mart's Lake House the entertain- ment consists of Bernle Collins', band. Attendance at the track Is ohly _8[?9d _on_Saturdays»:: j3ick_^ where, the tote is Computed for the mutuels, is one of the most interest- ing sights at the Spa, Not generally known that the bettinff odds are fig- ured on paper much the same as when bookies operated, .despite the j maze of electric gadgets that make up the mutuel system. . tip to yes- ' terday (Monday> $67,092,394 was state's share being over $3,628,274. This doesn't include the Commiji- ' sion^s share of $6,707,680, nor thfe state's share of breakage, which is $548,868. , ■ :■ There are stories around about broken-hearted jockeys. Unable to ride any; longer,: they are trying to drown their sorrow at various bars, then attend the rabes. It would seeni that they like th© roar of the crowd when cbmihg; down the fitretch and though ~ several are known to be well off, they are carry- ing the torch for what they prefier to call a profession, but one at which they can no longer practice. This . season, has been unusual ip one way—there are very few Holly- wood people; at-the Spai - OHIO ViLlA; cleve: every inch with tables; at minimuitt. of $3.50, th ey. hit a top a t teh d a rice of 550 .oh third night. . - . ' . Dialectician', ; hot seen here for, :y6ars,.. dbesh't have, to sell himself. Fiom the first oi'ange-j.uiCe; gig he has, 'them layiii| ; dowiV their svlyer- warie .iquictly, a rare cbmpliirieht liere at the dinner hour..,He takes adyan- tage of: it by 'Stringing oyt his yayns. with much ;seegar-jugglihg business, but socking the pbirit of windy anecidote with hilarious finesse. Since they go. big for Yiddish dialect humor ^in this Oasis lor. heayy-spenders, Holtz puts it ;on thick and expertly in racetrack quips to their satisfac- tion. Two song piarodies he does are well worn but the. stinging twists he puts into them, are what cburit.mbst, . Lee Barteil and her high swing- time voice are nicbiy .grooved for this: type of :revue,' aided by ' her fbrceful personality. ..;.; ■■ Ballroom terpin.g ti'avesty. of Nor* hnan* and McKay; is a curious combo of cleverly grotesque pantomime and hbrseplay that isn't always well timed. Gal perhaps muggs it too hard.. Liveliest, work is their Indian cymbal dance, burlesque. Six, Virr ginia Manck dancers do; more, than okby in vivifying the rising stage with smart • costumes, semi-bajlet hiimbers and t»eat^gartxe. .- ; ;:; Maurice Spitalhy band,; back frbm Pittsburgh to supplant Atistin Wy- lie's.bahd, cues show ;as sharply as he did; viaude bills at Palace here. In darisapation, it's rich-toned, smooth with heat orchestrations. Pullen. Hawaiian Blue Rooxn (ROOSjEVELT HOTEIi, N, OO .; jy^cw Orledns, Aug ; 18/ : Hal Kemp's Orch,^ Jttiy 5tarr, Bob Allen, Poncho and DQloresi Floretta and ' Boyette, JRobbins Bros., and Margie, Jack LeMaite, Jaiiet Blair. ■ Town's top nitery cbritinues to dish but; first-rate, entertaihtrient.v Both band :and show rate highly in their 60-minute turn,. . . Hal . Kemp and; his .musical crew scored hit with both youngsters iahd oldsters on first ;night by dishing out ia restrained tyipe of swing. , Orch's brass section^ while large, iS'^kept so well under cbntrol one.is never pain- fully aware it's domihating the band. Kemp aggregation also adds a great deal of the ent^rtaiinment to the show proper.; Bob Allen is featured singer and . registers with several tunes, princlpially -liemeniber Me' and .'Never ;Smilia Again;' , Femrhes go. fbr bis warbling in.;big way; Jack LeMaire, ialsb of the band, as- sumes a falsetto and wig to bring laughs in several comedy numbers^ and Janet Blair proyes she cain sing as' well as she looks, which is plenty. < : Judy Starr,;wife of one of the band members, volunteered her services closing night of Phil Harris* engage- niient here.. Seymour Weiss, of the ..hotel's management, heard hei* aiid promptly signed her for hew-show. Petite singer drew plenty of ;palm- pounding from crowd, contributing group of old and neiy tuhes. Unusual aind clever. are Florette anfl Boyette, mind-ireading stunt which had *em :gue.«!sing. Male tours tables and has his blindfolded part- hervdescribe .objects-he-points .-to: She also calls names. Gal is looker. They offer free chathpagne : cocktail if they missj which they didn't at opener. . Panchb ,.a;rid Dolores are smooth ballroom dance team. Got several encores. The Robbihs Bros: and Margie drew nice response lor their whirlwind acrobatic; dapcing. : Show, despite the many in it. Is not too. long and stepped up tb a fast tempo. Nitery should dp big' busi- ness fbi: next lew weeki until it is clbsed after Labor Day lor'^;redeco;- rating.;. '• Liiizza. NIXON CAFE, PITT Pittsburgh, ;Aufll. 23. Al Mirstco Orch; (8), Raul aiid Eva Reyest Wiiniet Sistirt (3), B6f» 'Carter. '" ■■.; Gal's a sex-appealing little dark- skinned beauty and Raiil has enough to give the ririgsidihg lemmes pitty- pats. their stuff is all class and they have a pack of novelties that's in the qohga. groove. The. lieyes rhumbas are cljckily routined, and they have; a Cuban version of 'Be^ guine' that's mighty near the tops in this sort of thing. Fox- encores, they have several briefies, with 'Shoein' the Wild Mare' arid 'Cranking the Ford,', bbtli . sexy but in excellent ta.stcV their best. . Nixon crowd couldn't get enough of them and the Reyc?ie.s cbUld have: situck arburid; ad infinitum. :;. ; ; " •" ' ■;::;: Other turn, Winter Sisters (Ne Acts) , - Is; also in the terp: line, but almost entirely on the acrbbatic erid Three blondes hold up thciir. part of the '■ show neatly :'\vith ., some backr breaking; stunts. Carter, 'Who does the in trod uc.t i pus; pi clt^a; good . mid -' way spot foi' his plattei^Jf songs ifind- sella a flock of ballads-in flhe. style. Al Mai^sico's band continues; to dish but dansapation. ■ . Nixon Cafe fashion, which m;eahs ; the :; old straighteroo arid •very; little hot; and does a great job ;on the show; even satisfying the Reyeses;; who claim nobody but Cugiat can; play their music;;.. ■' ■■, ■; ;Clibk of current layout will keep Conforti bn same policy, he says, throughout . season; . with : possibly another act: or two being added with opening of fall and winter; season. :Choru!ses are out, and he's goinig to use only' featured turns; along presr ehf lines.- ■ Cohen. ;- > ♦ t»f»»»♦»♦ >»» » t ♦ ♦» 4 »» > ♦ »»♦ ;♦ ♦ ♦ ♦»♦ » »♦ f ♦ > > ♦ ♦ ♦ f ♦ »♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ff »t ♦ » ♦ > ♦♦♦» ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ f ♦ ♦ r » H ■ Mitchell Ayrelp '(in to Wy iiead'-^'Deep In Heart, .Dear' (Bluebird 10814) Ayres treats 'Head- to several tempos, a hovel method; before settlitig. into an attractive slow tempoed arrangeipent_6f the crack tiihe.' His vvi it- ing is a neat job, well played. ;Reverse is nothing to speak of; laggy terial that;rouses ho .eivthusiasmi //v■ ' ' iTommy i)brsey, ;Aug. 30,; Ssilem, N. H.; 31, Linnfield, .Mass.; Sept. 1, bid <)rchard, M^ .2, Naponset, Mass.;. 4-7; Cahaldiah Exposition; ;Tb- ronto;. 8, Lake Gompouhce, Bristol, Cbhh.- ll;; CarrbUtown, Pa,; 12, Edsel Ford party, Detroit; 13, Youngstown'r O.; 14, Columbus; 15, Cleveland; 18, Rotiiester, N. Y.; 19, Harrisburg, Pa/; 2(), Rbseland B , N.: Y ; 21, Pottstovirn; Pa.; 22, Savoy Bl., N. Y.; 25, Aineri- can Legion Ball; Boston; 26, Astor H., N. Y,5 27, Johnson City, N. Y- : ;aI Donahue,; Aug- 31,: Lakewbod Park; Mahanby' City,; Pa.; Sept. 1, Pleasure Beach, Bridgeport, Conn.; 2; 6 days, Totem Pole B;, Auburn- daie,''Mass. Gene Krupa, Sept. 3, three weeks; Dancing Campus, lAforld's Fair, New York.. ;--..- Bill Carlsen, Aug; 22-Sept. 2, Elitch Gardens, Denver. . ■ Lou . Breese, Sept, 6-8, Meado'w- brook, (Zedar Grove, N. J.; Sept. 13; two weeks,. Beverly Hills C..C. New- port, Ky. . ■ ' Henry. Btisse, .Sept. 9, Civic;Aud., San Jose (Talif,' Del Courtney, Sept. 13, .Ayd., Paris, Tenn.' ■• ■' ':■ . '[ Duke Ellington, . Aug. 31,; Lake Shore C- C , Chicago; Sept. 12, Club Dunbar, Gary, tnd; ; : Claude Hopkins, , Sept;. 22; 20th Century Club, ;Cambrldge, M(l..; ; Joe R:eichman, ..Aug. 30, . State Lake, Chicago^ Bill Roberts, Sept.; 7, Broadmoor hotel; Colorado. Springs. John Kirby, Sept 9, Hipp, BaltU more;' . •'•":. Jack Meakin, Oct.' 6, indel,. Blue Gardens, Armonk, N. Y. Jack Teagai:deh, Sept. 7-8, Man- hattan; Beach, ^N_Y. . ...:_;:. Pancho; Sept. 26, indef., Beach- comber, N. Y. Casa Loma, Sept. 7, Sunnybrbok B.; Ppttstowh, Pa. Mike JRiley, Sept. 12, three Weeks, Dancing Campus, N. Y. World's Fair. Harry James, Sept. 13, Eastwoodi Gardens, Detroit; Sept. 27, indef., Brunswick hotel, Bostoh; Mitchell Ayces, Seip»t. : 21, indel., iChatterbox, Mountainside, n; J, Guy Loihbardo, Sept. 7, Steel Pier, Atlantic City; 13; Chicago theatre, Chicago; 20, Palace theatre, Cleve- ■lahd.. ;■.; ~ . , ClevelUnd, Aug. 24, Ivorinan and McKay, Lee Bdrteil, Virginia Maiick's^ Dancers . C6>'' Lou . Hdltz, Maiirice Spiialny's Orch. Every sort of record the Ohio. Villa eviir had is being knocked; down ;by 'L6[i Holtz, whoise. phenoifienal power ill .dra\ving.:crowds twice as large. a$ the seating capacity. (450 >; is byer- Wbrking the .waiters into a state of physical collapse. . ' . : : Hb^tz :had 'em selling Standing •robm ..the first three day^, , with plough ;tUrnaway at each show to fill the spot agaib. By ;jamming. Tony Conforti has finally gotten around; to the idea that quality is more • desirable: than quantity . in nitery entertainnierit. In the past, his floor .shows have run-mbre than ah::hour, arid invariably half of them were, dead wbod.; - This one clocks just 34 minutesi and it's pirbbabiy the best package he's ever wrapped up for his Nixbri customers. . • There are only two acts and Bob Carter,';;band's featured singer who also/doubles as m.ic,; but the pair of turns are., honeys and they ;break.;up their appearances in. two; sectibns to give layout a look 6f variety. In Raul and Evi Reyes/ Nixbn has: probably the: ■ best. cohga'-rhumba team ever to ttim up in a floor show in these parts. Last time here they: were at Stanley, WB deluxer, with Xavier Cugat, whom they'll rejoin in October for a theatre and hotel tour. Couple have evprythingl,. looks,;ap- pearance, taliint and persohatity. : .P.eorji • ;Dunlny cleffed tv/6 pop tunes for the Kay Kyser oi-ch: Ditties are 'Why Cry; Baby' and 'Trees Turn Green.' . ■ ; • Rapul Krashasr drew the musical director' • : assijghnient ' ' 'Melody Ranch' at Republic* ' : ;': Ben .-Feld, ;musical director,: and .joel: StoVali; mUsifi ; arranger of the KMOX, St, Louis, .orch;. have had their first song, ^Lbvely As Ybii Are,' published by M; M. : Cole Go., - Chi- cagb,; .-: / ■ ■ Johiihy . NoM^ flohg- smith-njiestro, ;<lue: in Los Angeles from- Honolulu Sept': 6. . Victor Tounf ^irig the musical score ior the W.e.'jle'y Ruggle.$ pictured 'Arizoha;* at Columbia.;. Bchny,; Goodman ^Dreanilng- ;Out toud'—i-^Caa't Resist Toii' rfepl. 3^514) ^ One of the last, two: sides cut by Clbodniain before' the leader's foi;ced tempbrary retirement, 'ResisC Is almost all ian excelleht vocal by Hejen Forrest-; Rest of the; aiTahgement. apparently got little attentibtt, ; Oiufside b'f the jeader.'a dariheting and one or two:short bursts pt^^^ the band,, little is; shown;'- Same :c^ reverse,: Band;iiaitg Isolid but fades sharply.: pooi- sldes by Goodman aye few' and far betweeh bi|t here's 'tw*o.^ ''- "/ ■ '■. v-...;' ' [ -.^ '■ Olehn Hardmaif "Trio "Sliadca. TwJliifhtVr-''6hce .iia ;LovetlniLe'' .'(C6I. 35579) ' Vocalist Alice. O'Conneli; with Glehn Ilardman's^ . miited trumpet, push 'Twilight', to click, prbportibhs. She's the; sister bt: Helen O'Conneli, vocalist, with ;Jimmy^Dor.sey,: and ;a.;suiger;'with a warm and interesting, voice.: She occupies ; mbst;; of , the Sifle. Reverse;: at ;^loweiv tempOi. shows her oflf jjestter end gives the; instruments more <ihaik'e^ Hardman gets in a. neat lick. - , . Aleic Teoipletoii 'Body and Soui'—'IVtary Had ;a Little Lamb' ( Victor S«668) 'Jbhnny : Gree^n; a pianist,. wrote the; lasting standard. 'Body and Soul* and Templetoh plays it .'in a manner hard to equal. .Player variei th - tempo ih differerit choruses; taking off in concert and popular style. Either way:is highly acceptable.; Reverse. i.s a npVelty arrangement Of the juy« tune; it^s labeled a musical cariciature. Pianist plays and sings it iii hili- biUy, German; and rhumba-style,; Smart stuff; : Red Nichols 'Meet Miss 8 Bfarr^'Overhlght: HopV (Oke^^^^^ 'Miss 8 Beat' is ^sizzling bit of boogie-woogie driving by the cleart add brisk piaymg Nicholas bahd. It's a good side, but coupled to i plec* grooved in the sanVe tempo, second ruhhini through Sock clarinet and trumpet breaks and fihishing under, muted brass. Makes a nice inipres.. sion^-too.-.■■•:.'■; ;'; .::r.'' ■■';;;•■■ ;■.• :'■.. : •.: ■:"■■■ v^-. ' DukiB EIIiofton 'Dixie Roadside Diher'-^'Greatest MtstiikiBV (Victor lj«71>) One of the too infrequent popis cut by Eilingtbn, 'Dixie' side gets th«v! full benefit of his arrangihg. It's a colorful job, at good tempo and the, usual objection to an lyie Anderson ypcal splitting ais stuff can't be Jiiad* as strong as ..in, some past;.performances. Solid ensemble is broken by sax arid trumpet. Muted trbmbohe .arid sax, especially the former, stand out on the.reverse, ah equally crack job. . ; . lohn KIrby ^emptaition'—'Jiimpiii' in Pump ROom* (Okeb 56«t) Kirby coritihues to markist smart sides. Tills arrangeme 'Tempta- tion,' set at, slow tempo, neatly treats the melody-lull tune. Clarinet and sax bits make the striaU combo sound full size, 'Pump Room' is speedier listeriable .pOrtion of jive. * . Emerson Gill and his ' orchestra set for :^ug. 24 through L-abbr Day at the ;Palomari Lansirig, Mich. Jan Sav|tt's orch will play threes day date at Hamid's M;iilion Dollar Pier, Atlantic City, starting Saturday (31).. •■;.:■'■■■;. : ■■■ Paul ReedyV orch filling a return engagement at the Centennial Ter- i:ac«i near.Toledo. Glen Gray and Casa Loma band playing a full week at Cedar Point; Lake Erie resort hea:r Sandusky, O. Opened Friday (23),; GtwgB King back for an ihdeftr nite stay at the Mansion, near Youngstown. Earl, Williams' orch playing; at the newly opened .Cjjcbatmt Gi bve near- Toledo. 'Henry Bu»ie opens a .week at the Orpheum, tbi Angeles, Sept, 18, moving later to the Palace hotel, San. Francisco. -—Joey -Sinis'-bandHnto- West^tew Park, Pittsburgh, for , Labor Day vveekend, curtain ringing down theie after that. fiddy Dttchlii moved out of the Cocoanut Grove, LA., for a tour of one-nighters along the Pacific Coast. ; Jack Teaffarden band set for its flrst try at the New York' Para- mount.' Opening date riot definite; but probably last week in Septerti- bei^'; .:' Jim Peppe, manager; of Samnrty Kaye,: jipenit few days in New York hospital last week driving off bron- chitis attack, ■ V. .' • ■' Ray Demarlii band, whichi recently; finished stand; at Battle: House; Mo- bile, Ala.,^dis^'aridea. Ray Heatherton barid. replaced at the Rainb;b\y Room, N. Y., last week by the rieturning Eddie LeBaron; gets.; another shot; at the spot, In tuvn replacing LeBaron In January. ben Eaton's band remairis iti gHtl of Bu.ckwobd Irin, Shawheei^oh-Iiel- aware; l>a:, .until Qctbbier.; Florida spot in offing for wiiiter Jseason..' WJUard ; Schilliriffer'« music^ closes the.;seasbn (at the Tenni.s Club of The Itun,;Buck Hill Falls, Pa.:, ■ Leu Breeze band , set for a thre^. day .stay . at, Meadbwbrobk; Cedar Grove, N. -J... Sept;. .8-3. .Follo;ws with two weeks at Beverly Hills C. G., Newport, Ky., Sept! 13. Eddi* Serruto's orch; from PhiUy coritihues until October at the Glen- wood Hotel,' Delaware Water Gap, Pa.- Glenn Miller and his band mov« into a featured spot on, the next Jack Votion-SamVCoslow production for RKO. : Lawrence Welk orch opened eight- day engagement at Kenny wobl Park, Pittsburgh, Mbnday ;<26), He'll wmd up spot's season. Howard Beck«r, who went Ihtb Pines, Pittsburgh, lor two weeW h\ May and stayed the entire summei', will close there Sept. .7. Max Adklns* Stanley theatre crew in P»ittsburgh has lost first violinist Charlie Riley to KDKA, and truni- pet player Johnny Mariiio to Nixon (legit) house band' , Pleasure Beach, Bridgeport, Conii.. closes; :seasbri ; Sunday (D- with Al Donahue one-nighter.:. ^Tonimy Reynolds band, winding up this, week; at Playlahd; Rye, N. Y,, pne-hites ; Sunday' (1); at take Compourice, BristoJ, Conn. .;. Jack Meakin band replace.s;;the Mir-' Farland Twins outfit at Blue Gar- dens^ Aiitribrik;Nv Y^; Oct. 5 or 9, Rolio Buhdoek.leaving the bass joh w;ith.Gleen Miller. ; : Ray McKihley; [d rums; .Freddi* Slack, piiano, and Dbc Goldfcierg, bafw; lorm a new singing aind, irtstrb- merital combination from vlrilhin; th Will Bradley band; ■. ; Luna:. IParki,- Qbney-vIsland, ^N... Y./ name band; :eQncessiori -folded and went; into bankruptcy. Meeting bt; creditors Sept, 20^ Ernie Flbrlta s^^^ D'Artega as conductor at Shea's Biiffalb theu' tre, Buffalo,, with WEBR serieii. . George iSaplenia rumba band at; Sagamore hotel, Rochester, with. WHAM wire. ■ HiiAiMiliiUiiilliil