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46 HOUSE REVIEWS Wednesdaj, May 14, 1941 PARAMOUNT, N. Y. I Lewis get in their innings during I same scene and also click. Lewis' I piano work is solid and Turner's « i,A^ ci-»<,fc'vocalling awakens some interest Atumo Reu Orch (14) wtfh Sheets tjjQugh jfs not a popular style. Both Her/urt, Dicfc Morgan Kmg SisteTS,[^^^—^^ .^^^^^ Sxii ot the Cafe So- The Du/ri.iw (2). Eddie Brocfcen.^j^j jjQ^ntj,^„ Aooj. ghow. Edna Jack Leonard, Chicle and _ Lee, singer-dancer, not very ef- •Reachinp jor the Sun' (Pot), re- viewed in Variety, April 9. Alvino Key's comparatively new band, the King Sisters, Eddie Bracken, Jack Leonard and the rest ol this stage session make up a fairly entertaining hour. Show is long on comedy turns in addition to the film, in which Bracken is featured, and he strives for giggles too onstage. But anything that can father lighter momente in these times can't be Bracken is re fective at either, also cuts into this portion. Apollo has booked the Sinclair and LeRoy pair before. Two tee off with nice enough routine of unison taps, then diverge into anything and everything to go over easily. One blows a fair enough trumpet in imi- tation of 'Bunny Berigan and .Henry Bucse, then the other half does a so-so imitation of the Inkspbts' tenor vocalling 'If I Didn't Care.' Earl Bostic orchestra of eight First shot at'this house shows the band in none too good a light, but it has a rhythm and sends out orig- inals in the driving, brassy style so well liked in this section. And so from that angle it does okay. Bostic triples from clarinet- to sax to trum- pet. Billy Daniels, fresh' from a stop- over at Kelly's Stables, on mid- town's 52d street, exhibits neat vocal chords late in the setup. Using 'I Understand,' .'It All Comes Back to Me Now' and 'Diane,' he displays a nice stylef and intelligent phrasing. Voice isn't very powerful, but it has adequate range and smoothness. Tip, Tap and. Toe exited the Broadway Strand theatre Thursday (8) after a month there with Jimmy Dorsey. Turn can help any bill, and this is rio exception. Unison and cKallenge terps, all In an entertain- ing groove, have no'trouble hitting the Applause' jackpot. Dusty BTetcher and Jimmie Bas- kette, with Vivian Harris, eke out okay returns with a long comedy bit that has been done here several times before. Line gets in one good inning based oh 'Walkin' by the River.' Wood. BROAD^ COLUMBUS labelled off balance Bracken is re- nieces, including the leader, is from viewed more extensively under New l^all's Paradise, Harlem nitery. Acts. . .. - Key's ' combination of three trumpets, two trombones, four saxes and four rhythm, headed by his own special electric guitar, hops to the Par from a long stay at Qie Rustic Cabin, Englewood Cliffs, N. J. Re- mote air pickups from the spot and recent recordings have done a lot for the stock of the band, and this date should further its Value. It's a care- fully rehearsed crew that earns warm reaction with a setup of tunes calculated to show its ability at various pa(es. The 'William Tell Overture' shows oft best the band's able sax-brass •sections and the solid, but not over- bearing, beat, of the rhythm four. Close behind In effectiveness, and at the other extreme in muted brass portions and Rey's humorous guitar break, comes 'St. Louis Blues, highly appreciated by this audience. Only unimpressive bit the band does is its opener, 'Romantic Guy I,' with Skeets Herfurt vocalling. It's hardly worth the teeofl spot. Incidentally, Herfurt and Dick,Morgan, guitar, who combine for comedy song se- quences, are not- used here together, probably because of the abundance of giggle stuff. King Sisters, part of the band lay- out, afao show up neatly. Girls start with 'Whatcha Know Joe' and secondly with 'Java Jive.* Maybe a rearrangement of their numbers for night shows might prove better, as the reaction on 'Wednesday night (7) to the two above, both rhythm tunes, was not nearly as healthy as the outburst accorded encore of *My Sister and I,' a ballad arrangement. Too, 'Java Jive' and *Joe' are a bit dated. Quartet has 'Lilac Tree' and •tBers to substitute. 'Everything Hap- pens to Me' brings on a fine solo by Alice King. Vocalist Jack Leopard, headed for the Army after finishing here, is former singer with Tommy Dorsey and now on CBS sustaining 'and ~ Okeh records. Ijeonard doesn't try to go beyond his limitations and winds up with nif^ appreciation for 'Ama- pola.' 'I. Understand' and an encore medley of 'Once in a While," 'AU Things You Are' and 'Getting Senti- mental Over .You.' He gets excellent backing from the band. The Duffins, girl and boy turn that has been around for some time, open. Mechanical doll routine, .during which the gu^ manipulates the pliable blonde into all sorts of flips and poses, is okay, but not an ex- ceptional^ warming turn. Chick and Lee are the weakest portion of the layout. Two start off with an amusing takeoff on two radio entertainers at the mike of a southern station at 4 ajn., and there- after decline rapidly in effectiveness. Pair bomes up with a flock of ma- terial, but little ol It Is worth the Par. Bowoff bit by the band, the Kings and Eddie Bracken, who sleepijb^ slouches on toting a lighted candle. Is one of the best finales the Par ever concocted. Based on Rey's - click arrangement of 'Nighty Night,' which is a natural for lighting and effects, the elevator drops leaving a strong taste for what had gone be- fore. Rey's bowoff speech and handling of himself throughout the ■how suggest much, jpersonallty Im- provement. Wood. APOLLO, N. Y. Willie'Bryant, Meade Vtix Lewis, Joe Turner, Edna Harris, Sinclair and LeRoy, Dusty Fletcher, Jtmmie Baskette, Billy Daniels^ Tip, Tap and Toe, Earl Bostic Orch (8), 'Dead Men TeU No Tales' (20th). Columbus, O., May 12. Bob Crosby Orch (21)', with Liz Tilton, Bobcats (8), Bobolinks (4), Ray floiiduc, Noppy LolVfare, Eddie JVfiller, Bob Haggart,- Gil Rodin; Cass Daley, Bob DuPont; Abram Ruvinsfci's House Orch; 'Roge in Heaven' (M-G). Far too long, for its few values, the Apollo show this week runs around an hour and 40 minutes, Too little happens to justify the- overlong session. Opening act alone ran ap- proximately 50 minutes when caught (last show opening day, E^riday), which quite probably is a new rec- ord for lengthy scenes at this house. Quite a few of the cast lineup! are cleared away in that spot, however, which relieves the time somewhat Willie Bryant occupies the stage for a good port of that opening sceife, cutting capers which go over strong because they're of Harlem character and things from which I<enox avenue hepsters can derive the utmost satisfaction. A little of It is blue, of course, but Apollo patrons demand such stuff. Joe Turner, blues singer, and boo£le-'woogle pianist Meade Lux For the current week the Broad has a bill that will ke^p the joint jumpin', with marquee' magnet. Bob Crosby, piillpg the 'gators for a profitable run. Wisely, unit depends upon tried'n true faves in music and vocal departments to pace show, while real star is that screwball of screwballs, Cass Daley. Dixieland rhythms, always ok here, are now turned with such finesse that even the longhairs are being satisfied with hangup entertainment, i.e., solid orchestral numbers, topnotch singers and just enough hokum to .keep things moving with Interest. FoUowng theme, 'Summfertlme,' which audience recognized despite radio, Liz Tilton, band's charm division, comes on to sell BMI ol terings, clicking ttlcely with 'Ama- pola.' A blonde looker with sensa- tional pipes, she could sell, anything. Next is Bob DuPont, juggler, still plenty all right with locals despite routine too' famllar from previous dates. Com being all' the rage, Crosby has inserted comedy bit that would bring premium prices in the grain mar- ket Yet the cash customers ate up the hilariously funny burlesque by bandmen LaMare, Miller and Haggart of Sally Rand's fan dance. Six other horn tooters augment the prima donnas for a line number that shouldn't worry the Rockettes. For his own part the maestro Is well content to stay in the back- ground. Assisted by the Bobolinks, he sings but two numbers, "No. 10 Lullaby Lane' and 'Dolores,' both rating nice hand. Nappy LaMare deserts his guitar long enough to give out wlm swingerob of "Brown Jug.' Instrumentally, the high spot is the slot set aside for the eight Bobcats, jitterbugs nearly taking roof from staid old' Broad when boys gave out, instrumentally, with Ray B&uduc's 'Smoky Mary.' Encore had Bauduc, drums, and bassman Bob Haggart with 'Big Noise from Winetka' bring- ing down the house. Musically, the entire band is far above par, behind the scenes director Gil Rodin keep ing crew well In the groove. To dose, a cyclone biits the stage. Miss Dalev, rough and rowdy come- dienne, sells songs lU^e they've never been sold before, singing vocals in anything byt the accepted style. In- diUglng in eveiy bit bf horseplay from mugging to simulating an linder-slung corkscrew; . she whips through comic bits ranging from a parody on popular hits to the laun- dry number. 'Whirlwind act clever material and the dynamic personality kept the audience breathless, red bloomer finale knocking them com' pletely out Biz, at show caught sood enough. SaTM. STRAND, N. Y. Tommy Tucker's Orch (12) vith Amy Amell, Donald Brown, Kerwin Somerville and Alan Holmes^ Victor McLaglen (2), The Del Rtoj (3), Three Swifts; The Wagons Roll at Nights (WB). reviewed in .Vabieiy, April 30. The Strand's current pit show is distinguished, if you can call it such, by the poor act of Victor McLaglen (New Acts). In at $3,000 per week for his first personal oil Broadway, McLaglen hardly shows in person the talent which has brought him plaudits in pictures, including an Academy Award for his work in ■The Informer' a few years ago. On the other hand, two vaude acts contribute greatly in saving the rest of the show. First, The.Del Rios, (wo men and a girl, sock with their novel acrobatic-balancing. This trio is cashing in on an original way of presenting a dumb-act routine. Other click is the JuggUng Three Swifts, who rotate among the vaude- filmers'year in and year-out without apparently changing a single move- ment or line in their act They evi- dently are firm believers in the old axiom, 'leave well enough alone,' and thus far have been proven correct. As familiar as their routine is, audiences still go for it. Band headliner currently is Tommy Tucker's 'New York Pot o' Gold Orchestra.' Latter billing was earned via Tucker's commercial broadcasts for 'Pot' on the inde- >endent-ASCAP licensed stations in >Iew York not carrying the Horace Heidt network program. This radio buildup has naturally enhanced Tucker's rep, especially in the met- ropolitan area, but despite this and the co-headlining McLaglen, business was not so forte opening night (Fri- day) at the last show. Rain may have hurt. Tucker, who appeared at the Strand a' year or so ago, has a nice band of 12 pieces, five reed, four brass and three rhythm,, but he should exercise greater care in intro- ducing the specialties. When he comes to the names he appears to be racing to get the sentence over' with, leaving it up to the customers' to get the billing out front It' doesn't appear merely coin- cidence that Amy: 'Amell should adopt such a.childish timbre in her vocalizing, making her sound some- thing like Bonnie Baker 'with Orrin Tucker. The baby squeak is evi- dent in her"-delivery of Time and Time Again' and the novelty'Papa's in Bed With His Britches On,' but it's noticeably missing in her finale duet with Donald Brown of 'She's Coin' ing Around the Mountain.' Brown is the' band's other non-musician vocalist a baritone with very studied facial expressions and movements. He's fair with 'High on a Windy Hill' end .'I'll Be With You in Apple Blos- som Time.' On the latter tune, the band joins in as a choral group, using the very comy effect of having am- ber searchlights pinpoint their faces. Tucker's best specialty is sax- player Kerwin Somerville, who sings two novelty tunes, "The Man Don't Come to Our House Anymore' and 'Seven Beers with the Wrong Woman.* Another nice bit is con- tributed by Alan Holmes, also on the sax, who plays a variefy of jnstm- ments in much the same maniker as Benny Meroffi's specialty. Very little music is contributed by Tucker'^ band on its own. The maestro makes capital of his latest recording, "You Walk By,' as a band number, but it winds up as another duet by his mixed team of vocalists. Show Is on and off in one hour, but doesn't appear that fast' . Scho. a- subdued 'Hawaiian ^ar Chant' Then it's Don and John Reading In a mixture of eccentrla softshoe steps and adagio aerobatici in a satirical vein. Reading act registers well enough with this kind of work with- out their switching to the broad fan dancer burlesque that is out of the tenure of their turn. Todd then has his interlude with the jukebox faves, 'Amapola,' 'Berk- eley Square' and 'Dolores,' besides the cinch oldies, 'Stardust' and 'Som«! of These Days.' In the closing niche Ted Waldman ha^ Susie foiling to his fooling with the mouthharp and wii\ding proceedings in a Ughter. mood. House take is down a bit from previous week. Quin, • KEITH'S, BOSTON Boston, May 8. /no Ray Hutton Orch (14) with Stuart Foster, Carr ■ Brothers (2), Dandnff Starrs (2), Don Rice; 'Scat- tergood- Baines' (RKO) and 'The House of Mystery' (Mono), Built around a click band, the cur- rent offering-has the added Interest of three vaude acts to hold the at- tention of those who would get fidgety during a whole session of orchestra entertainment Ina Ray Hutton appears-on this stage for the first time since she shifted the gen- der of her personnel, and while her solid sales ability has not dimin- ished In the interim, the band music has improved. As a team the' boys are solid, and among the standout Serformers are Paul Russell, piano; lanny Cappi, tenor sax, and Ralph Collier, drummer. Miss Hutton takes • three vocal spots for herself, registering equally well in 'Some Changes Made,' 'Angry' and 'Man I Love.' Featured male vocalist is'Stuart Foster, whose baritone timbre is excellent but his croony technique tends to dispel an initial favorable Impression. Foster, who makes a handsome appearance and has okay stage presence, vocals 'Hear a Rhapsody' and 'My Sister and I,' then duos with Miss Hutton in 'Angry.' Top piece of the band numbers is 'Man I Love,' showing off some glee club arrangements and solo specialties by Eddie Zandy, trumpet and Jack Porcello, guitar. Don Rice, next-to-close, keeps the laughs rolling with his fast gagging popped up with a good drunk im- personation that doesnt run too long. Does caricatures of Ted Lewis, FDR, Willkie and John L. Lewis. Rice has trimmed his routine so that it's a continuous succession of laughs. The Cart Brothers, deuce, click in their clever hokum risley. Com- bining skill and comedy with' ace timing, the Carrs have no trouble getting a bid for encores. One of these is a serious feat of strength and skill that's pimchy and ap- plause-worthy. Novelty combo of magic and ball- room dancing is the forte of the Dancing Starrs. While nqthing sen- sational is attempted in either de- partment the net effect is very sat- isfactory. Fox. STATE-LAKE, CHI TOWER, K. C. Kansas City, May 10. Dicfc Todd, Ted Waldman ond Susie, Johnny. and Don Headino, Bud Carlisle and Rosa; Mildred Duncan, Lester Harding, Herb Six House Orch; 'Mr. Distr^t Attorney' (Rep). Offering is embellished by Herb Six house band on stage and Lester Harding m.c.ing straight. Temporary layoff of the eight linegirls was fig- ured to be In lieu of a better mar- quee name. In Dick Todd as a head- liner the marquee value is upped with the name of the coin-machine and radio warbler, but as far as stage show is concerned he's just another act. Under the heading of 'Pleasure Cruise,' the 38 minutes rely on Todd for the pimch next to closing, but it's too much of an assignment without any girls or a flash act to round out the shov. While Todd is there with plenty of romantic barltonlng of pop songs both old and new, he gives them little personality or gracious- ness and seemingly is indifferent. It's a curious coincidence that the Tower has in Harding a singer of the Todd Calibre, but in deference to the headliner Harding uses his pipes only to speak the straight lines of the m.c. He calls out Bud Carlisle and Rosa, following an opening by the band, to spin off a few minutes of topnotch rope-twirling and whip- cracking, and keeps show moving with Mildred Duncan, 14-year old amateur night entry, in cute tap to Chicaoo, May 10. Willie Shore, Dave ApoUon, Dicfc and Dot Remy, Lucienne and As?iour, Ben Berl, Ruth Petty, Anne DeVelle; 'Mr. District Attorney' (M-G). Boasting a fine collection of acts, this show looks great on paper but somehow loses punch through bad production. While lacking name value, the layout falls due to bad spotting of the acts and a general lack of continuity, Willie Shore', night club favorite, and Dave ApoUon share top bUUng as m.c.s. Both work throughout the show with fair results. Shore is a much improved performer since his last showing here. Unlike most night club comics, his material' Is clean, and with the'exception of OC' caslonal over&cting, his delivery is good.' ApoUon, as usual, scores weU with his mandolin specialty, but is badly spotted. Outstanding is blonde Ruth Petty, whose several numbers show her to possess fine pipes and neat show- manship. Arrangements are In ex> ceUent taste ~and display her voice to best advantage. 'Mean to Me' is especially soeko. Lucienne and Ashour, Apache team that employs an unusual twist in that the girl throws the boy around, and Dick and Dot Remy, ac- robatic turn, are both holdovers from the recently closed Ed Wynn show, 'Boys and Girls Together.' In the latter act. Shore and ApoUon combine with ZSO-^pouiid f 6mme, Miss Remy, to present a comedy baUet which offers iiosslbijlties but gets no- where. Here again is an example of ordinarily smash acts not getting the results they should because of poor production. Rounding out the bill are Ben Berl, clever juggler who works in the comical vein, and a shapely tapster, Anne De VeUe. Beri has little trouble keeping the audience amused. Miss De Velle is a fair hoofer but lacks personaUty and salesmanship. An augmented house band plays the show well. Busme» good at last show Friday (6). Gold. STATE, N. Y. John Boles, Masters and Rollins Salici Puppets, Alphonse Berg & Co.; 'Men of Boys Town' (M-G). Five minutes short of an hour, the new stage biU here la compact, fast and reliable. It Is long on novelty mainly through the booking of Salicl Puppets, but also has a vocal sock in John Boles, who headlines. So far as comedy Is concerned, it has strength there, too. with Masters and RoUins arousing plenty of lusty laughs. Draught Is principally based on 'Men of Boys Town' (M-G), tbough it was no big draw recently on first-run ait the nearby Capitol, plus what puU Boles possesses. WeU' established on personal ap- pearances over recent years. Boles jwent over big here when caught and came close to stopping the show. He looks good and his rich, fuU voice sells him weU in a routine of ju- diciously - chosen numbers. After 'FoUow the Sun Around' tees him off auspiciously, he follows' with 'Song Is You* and his old standby, 'One Alone.' The comedy novelty number, 'Waiting at the Gate for Katie,' closes him stoutly. Boles goes into character as a yokel for 'Katie' and encores a chorus of the number, with the audience asked to sing it with him. On 10 minutes and makes all of *em count The SaUcI Puppets foUow the singer to close the show, doing 27 minutes. An extra fine stage offer- ing, about the only fault that could be found, is that the scene with the pianist and prima donna is much too long and, on one vocal occasion, the singing is unnecessarUy loud. Puppet show has been around for some years, but continues to be sure- fire 'entertainment, especially for kids. State ads have emphasized the child appeaL The wacky . mixed double of Mas- ters and Rollins are spotted second. They're actuaUy of nextno-closing calibre for any show, but the make- up'this week left them nothing but the No. 2 slot Comical impression of a dance team, planned entirely for laughs and getting them in bunches, sends the Masters-Rollins pair over soUdly following t>Ienty of monkey-shines and miscellaneous talk, hoke, etc., up ahead. Masters' soft-shoe terp session bogs down a little because it is- too long, espe- ' cially the slow-motion portion of it. ActuaUy, though, there's nothing wrong with his dancing. Should be , a place in pictures. for this nutty team. Alphonse Berg, who drapes cloth around three models in record time, using nothing but pins, opens the bill, same spot he had when last here. An especially unique novelty act. Berg is theatrical to an extreme because of the way he hops around as he performs his routine. He goes over tnough. - Good house on hand at show caught. Char. 20TH CENTURY, BUFF Bu^alo, May 0. 'Stars Over Hollywood' with Shirley Deane, Senator Murphy, Ross and Pierre, Lester Oman, Mercer Brothers, The Martingales; •Sis Hopkins' (Rep). They're calling this 'Stars Over Hollywood,' but if these are the stars over Hollywood, they are de- cided misnomers. 'Which means no offense to fiedgUhg Shirley Deane, veteran Senator Murphy, or, indeed, to any of the rather 'B' talent mak- ing up the rest of the personnel. It means only that to assemble a group like this and package it under a Hollywood stellar label Is such shortsighted showmanship that there ought to be a law against It. There iatrt a Ufe-size star, Hollywood or otherwise, in the entire galaxy. Young Miss Deane heads the group unmistakably and Is allotted a liberal singing and dancing chore. As a chanteuse, replete to the col- ored kerchief, she reveals a cloudy contralto, her eagerness to please more than making up for her pouty deUvery and vocal shortoomlngs. Her dancing contributions are also neatly slotted and she gains a-high- ly favorable xeceptlon. Senator Murphy Is deUverlng his faraUiar, stereotyped monolog which seems to fit In .well enough here, but might have difficulty In. faster com- pany by reason of its longevity.' The rest of the performance Is on the niterjr side. Frank Ross and Anita Pierre are biUed in 'Comedy and Mimicry.' Ross' vpcal Imitations of brass and strings is excellent but lacking in novelty. Miss Pierre's French sounds phoney and the patter Is dis- tinctly corn-fed. Lester Oman turns in a neat marionet offering, differ- ent in technic but with not much ap- propriateness to thes6 proceedings. The Martingales - are just another adagio team and the contributions of Mercer Brothers in taps and com- edy are neither better nor worse than most of the acts of the type. Production is better mounted costumed and Ughted than most of its forerunners at the house, and there is noticeable Improvement In the mike arrangements. Business good at supper show opening day (9). Burton.