Variety (May 1941)

44 lUBVlBWS P^SSSBffff Wednesdaj, May 28, 1941 Night Club Reviews CHEZ PAREE, CHI fixed. Music's by Archie Tarsbls band, with Shirley Heller, sister of the proprietors, doing the vocals. She's a cute kid with a nice voice— must run In the family, for another Chicago, May 23. John Bolet, Paul Whiteimin Orch. (16), Marianne, Dolly Mitchell, Jack sister is a singer, too—and orch. Cole & Co. (3), Fred Evans Girb , now In second month at Yacht Club, (16). is coming around alter a faltering —: I'start. Cohen. Figuring on the Whiteman orchi ' ^„_. and^oles for boxoffice, Joey Jacob- RAINBOW ROOM, N. Y. Eon and Mike Fritzel decided that ' comedy was not an essential Item. — As the result, the show runs deadly Borry Winton Orchestra (12), dull for the average nitery mob. It Agnes de MtUe urith Hugh Laing, shapes up as a concert suitable may- i Billy de Wolfe, Sigrid Lassen, Mayla, be for Orchestra Hall or the Opera Clemente's JRhumba Band, Dr.- Syd- House. 1 "ev Ross; $2.50 minimum dinner, $1 Out-of-towners who may visit the ond $2 cover. ritery probably will be mighty Im- pressed by the staidness and dignity New Rainbow Room show has the of the entertaimnent. But the regu-1 mafcln's but as disclosed on its lars won't find much zing in a show j premiere it was an overlong tedious which goeis Into spirituals for its big affair. Slowing It up, particularly, finale number, or for tunes such as i were ballet dancers Agnes de Mille TUgrim's Chorus,' 'Hungarian Rhap- ; and Hugh Laing (New Acts) whose sody No. 5,' Ravel's "Bolero' and prime terpsichorean t>enchant ap- •Valse Vlennois.' I pears to be for the concert platform. Tllere are two dancing acts and, Comedy highlight and boff savior of two singing acts, all of which adds, the show is Billy de Wolfe (New up to a sameness which no amount Acts). of individual quality can overcome. I Induction of the summer policy, Marianne is a little dancer with a meaning that you can come in mufti short number. Pleasant enough to and dance until the formal' policy watch, but no audience-awaker. Jack'goes back again in the fall, sees Cole, with Anna Austin and AUce' Barry Winton with an augmented Dudley, no doubt were expected (o | band shifting over from the Rain- ruin this mob with their strictly'bow Grill. Wintop also emcees the ■modem' dance Impressions, but their striving for effect goes over- board. Had opened with the 'After- noon of a.FaUn,' but this proved, too ar^ a pill and was withdrawiL Now they bavd settled ioi some 'Bolero' and wind up with a dance based upon Negro spirituals, with some Impressionistic Holy ' Roller stuff tossed in. John Boles Is the male singing star and for the matrons'his'is'a' name with .considerable voltage. He makes B' great appearance, comes over the speaker with good personality and handles his audience satisfactorily. His vocal routine is practically identical with the stuff he does in vaude, including even the blow-off •Wafting for Katie* bit " Other warbler' is Dolly Mitchell, here with Paul Whiteman. While not a self-assured sing^. Miss Mitchell Indicates a load of vocal and personality potentialities. She has a new twist to her tonsils and the future for her' In show biz should be plenty promising. Then there Is Paul Whiteman. "He has stature in show business. He is the one and Only Paul 'Whiteman. He handles the m.c, job and does -the. assignment neatly. Cold. YACHT CLUB, PITT show. His larger band now numbers 12 as against eight men usually the limit in the twin room, the Rainbow Grill. With Winton is. Stgrld' I<assen, blonde songstress, who has been around in the class cafes. She gets a solo assignment with 'Jenny' and 'Say Yes' in between vocalizing with the orchestra. Mayla is another band _femine_.^wlLo,_Jor_jtbt..Mpi(er. sessions', gets. the~ spotlight with the Latinesque vocals but, meantime, is at the helm of Clemente's con- garhumba combo of five (Band Re- views). Clemente's is a pretty thin tmit, not as zingy as the Velero Sis- ters group lust preceding. Abel. New Acts m Niteries Pittsburgh, May 22. Lou HoUz, Little Jackie Heller, Kurtis Marionettes, Ryan Sis (2>, JJobefte WTierlev Girls (6), Archie . _ Tarshis (>rch (8), 'Shirley Heller; | three formed their own ballet com- AONES de MILLE with BUGH LAING ; Dancers Rainbow Boom, N. T. Agnes de Mille 'dances with Hugh Laing* reads the billing, she getting the emphasis. Daughter of play- wright William de MiUe, niece of Cecil B., and dranddau^ter of Henry George, the 19th Century American political economist, this choreog- rapher has made her mark with the Ballet "Theatre group and ifi kindred platform circles. Hugh Laing received his training in London at Marie Rambert'a Ballet Club. With Anthony Tudor, the PAUL WINCHELL 'Ventrilaqnlst 8 Mins. Paramoont, New York. Paul Winchell is a youngster worldng with a ventriloquial dummy that he calls Jerry Mahonev. As is inevitable, he reminds of the Ed- gar Bergen-CTharlie McCarthy style of performance and, in truth, is well nigh as showmanly as the No, 1 voice-thrower. -Winohell—wisely-mentions-Bergen- by name, through a pseudo-vexation by his dummy with (Tharlle Mc- Carthy, and ' that automatically seems to inspire neighbors to ob- serve, 'Wincheirs almost as good' as Bergen.' Thafs probably the best summa- tion. He has a deft style of work- ing. Like all ventriloquists In the modem idiom even if the customers see an occasional movement of the lips that's relatively unimportant if tlie comedy material Is there. Win- chell'*^. Jerty Mahonby is appropriately a 'fresh' automaton outrageously flirtatious (utilizing a bit with 'a -down-front customer to excellent ef- fect). In between Lionel Barry- more, Donald Duck, 'Oh Johnny' (Bonnie Baker) and kindred tfike- ofls ensue. The 'Hold Tight' rendi- tion is also Inade to take on extra values. Young Winchell, heralded by maestro-emcee 'Vaughn Monroe as from the Coast, is a cinch In any- .body's theaUe, nitery or class hotel room. Abel. $1.50 and $2.50 minimum. The Yacht Club, which teetered on the brink of 77B just a couple of months ago before - Little Jackie Hellex and liis brother, Sol, oper'- ators of the river cafe, decided to shoot the works, are continuing their b.o. policy In the Lou Holtz booking. In for two weeks, Holtz has been the biggest draw of the names here lately, who have included Maxie Jloscnblodm. and Belle Baker. Last Saturday (17), for Instance, was the biggest night club ^bonanza all over town In years. Reason was strictly Holtz. 'Yacht Club, after , turning away more than 500, finally locked the door? and the overflow drifted elsewhere around the burg to All up every spot in the downtown area. The poppa of the Lapidus legend Is still a rare tdler of dialect stories and for iidore than half an hour, twice a night, sticks his nose into a mike in. the middle of the floor and keeps 'em coming. He isn't telling any new ones for a very good rea- son. Crowd wants to hear his hardy familiars. After warming up couple of minutes, Holtz .asks the customers what they'd like to hear, one of the few comedians who can do that, and the requests boom from all parts of the room. Seemingly, there isn't an anecdote he tells that hasn't been heard In-every barroom and parlor from Broadway to Pitchfork Cor- ners, but it still hasn't been toM until Holtz tells it, for he's In a class by himseU a« a big bnilder- upper for little letdowns. Rest -of the show is a series of minor preliminaries with the excep- tion of Jackie Heller, who whams across a number of songs in his - usually soeko maner In addition to ni.c.iog. Kurtis Marionettes, two men operating the wooden like- ' nesses and one of the fellows with . a swell flair for vocal finpersona* tlon, would be a smash act if it were In slightly better taste. Line Is the . six Bobette Wherley firls, and they're a fair enough en^ semble, both In looks and terp, with* out being ansrthing out of the ordl- ' nary. Couple oi we fenunes, Ryafi Sisters, step out. aa tiielr ovm4if^ifig. show for a tap specialty. One' of 'etn, incidentally, would be a dead xQigei tor Constance Moore, Par pany which toured England success fully for some seasons. He came to America in 1939. This finished terpsichorean back- ground is not to be lightly dismissed but Judged at the Rainbow Room, oh its cafe floor show values, it's some- thing else again. Even working in a Rockefeller nitery. entails certain mundane requisites, and these the team lacks. Firstly, personality charm appeal is always a -prime need. The Parisian cafe scene,' .to Offenbach's music, Is not without its sight values; but is a slow teeoff. Their second number, later in the evening, after a costume change, and made more difficult through folIoW' Jng Billy de Wolfe's strong comedy click, is a country dance,' in Tyrolean 'costume to Beethoven music. That, too, somehow misses. Transplanted ballet dancers Into cafes are not new, and have been knowii to click in the Intimate close- up of a nitery. Bttt somehow Miss de Mine and Laing don't quite make it Abel. BILLY de WOLFE Cemedlan 12 Mins. Rainbow Room, N. T. Billy de Wolfe is a relative new- comer.among cafe acts although he's been around a season or two, notably on a vaudfilm tour with Eddy Dochin. Spotlighted at the Rainbow Room he Is coming Into own. In high, as an impressionistic comedian of high ord^r niio win go places. Re's quite a mime and satirist, and easily the best thing in the new show at the RR. Given a hokum-serious Intro as 'the fourth winner of the Metropoli- tan Auditions' he comes on with exaggerated triple-wing hoofology; thence into a. seml-coocn routine to accompaniment of weird Oriental music, and next a Karloff scarer. The takeoff on the show at the third-rate Cltib.Swingeroo, with im- pressions on the corny emcee, the tired showgirls (the 'boss' gal, who dogs her routines; the rlt^'One; the one In love with the spotlight man, etc.) Is gem of caricature, and finally his contortive dande for a strong floaile. ,. De Wolfe haa a fine sense of audi' ence values and fits In nicely in any- body's bistro, class or ntass, EauaHy actress; it she'd liave liflr.,U«tIi.^<aaUla.ia£MstEam.«pp«aLv.iU«lM.. Niew Acts m Theatres DENNIS MORGAN Singing 12 Mins. Strand, N. T. Dennis Morgan has become a figure in Hollywood since Ills former days in the midwest as a singer mi- der the tag of Dennis Momer. One of the bands he was then attached to was 'Verne Buck's, and, it's re- ported, he took operatic lessons on the side. On the basis of his per- sonal here, day and date with h" starring role in 'Affectionately Yours' (WB) on the screen, Morgan indicates that he's neither forgotten how to sing nor handle an audience ingratiatingly. He's as fine a good- will emissary as the Coast could jjos- sibly send out as contact with live audiences. Tall, good-looking and definitely a guy to attract dames, Morgan also has a wealth of vocal talent, as yet hidden on the screen. He sang three numbers at this catching—'You, You Darling,' 'Gypsy Baron*^ and a new patriotic pop, handling all of them equally welL Sandwiched in be- tween is some by-play with Wayne King, whose band is on stege, not heavyweight material, but passable as they neatly handle it. Ifs not often that film players making personals combine both tal- ent and b.o. draughts, but Morgan is IT. Scho. 4> »t»»»t»«»«i»«» M »» »♦»♦♦♦♦»♦♦♦»»»♦»♦»♦♦«♦♦♦ >>>♦»♦ The Good Old Days Herewith appears a Vamett review of a N. T. Palace" bill of 20 years ago. The intention it to reprint these weekly using the relative tueefc of 1921 with the current date of issue. No special reoson in reviving these ■reviews other than the interest they may have in recalHnir the acts which were playini; at that time, the manner of putting together a big time show (booking), which radio stations fnay find pertinent, and as a resume of the style of vaudeville reviewing of that iay, {Reprinted from Vabiett of May 27, 1921) PALACE, N. Y. MAftT DOOLET and 'VIKINGS (5) Songs 12 Mins. Boxy, N. T. / Mary Dooley, of the Dooley family of vaude and legit, previously seen as a single, is here teamed with four Ben Yost singers for a harmony vocal act They're all tremendous gu^s and she's Just a vest-jiocket edition, so It provides an effective combo frpm a visual stendpoiat What's more. Miss Dooley is a pert looker with a barrel of animation. But the group needs better arrange- ments and polishing. ' As it is, they do none of the distinctive effects that should be ob- tainable with such a unique setup of Voices. They're much too Joud for any sort of expressiveness or tone- shadfaig. Hobe. SCOTT ft SODJA 'Mnslc, Novelty 9 HIns. Eoiy, N. T. Scott and Sodja are apparently new to Broadway. 'Ehev have the m'akings of a forte act out need to' sharpen it and build a punchy finish. Scott Burfoank supplies the comedy and novelty of the turn, doing a goofy bit at the piano and th^ at the xylophone. To do the former he sits on a choir perched on a table, and, while playing two trumpets at the same time, also thtmips the piano by means of gadgets-atteched to his feet His xylophone playing Is less ^jectacular, the clilef Variation being the way he juggles the hammers as he plays. Besides providing an accompa- niment and a solo bit on the electric guitar, Joe Sodja joins his partner for an eccentric hoofing routine for a bow-off. Whole act needs dressing up, but his good prospects. Hobe. I — BEATRICE KAT Sonbcet JO Mins. ' Parameiml, N. T. " Beatrice Kay has come Into her own with radio. Her mauve decade type of exaggerated heart-rendering balladeering, notably on . Joe £ Howard's Gay Nineues revue over CBS, catapulted her to . prominence and a snb-beadliiie spot at the An unusually watchable bill and one of those rare Palace weeks when taps Is blown at 11 sharp. Santley and Sawyer (New Acts) in 'Kllck Kllck,' a class triumph in production, apparel and delicate effects, opened the. three-act second half. Two populous acts had preceded It If Hassard Short bad searched the world for a couple of goats to show up, be couldnt have selected two more perfect than 'The 13 Sirens' and the Courtney Sisters—not that they lack merit hut they are typical of'the durable old homespun type of presentation, while 'Kllct Kllck' Is the apotheosis of the ultra-modern and effete in the smart spirit of Washington Square transplanted to Broadway. Frank Dobson, leading the aforesaid 'Sirens,' stood up wonderfully well, considering the support—and perhaps .becatise of the support in contrast Except for the comedian, the little near-Truex, ^e company looked shop- worn and very Kansas^ity._HqwLauJcUju>m.aci^^ point dl the Big Burg; a few weeks ago thb reviewer spolce rather gal- lantly of the femlnines in this turn; Tuesday night, in the Palace (New York) they looked distressingly bush league. Dobson, however, stood the geographical transformation' nobly—a red-blooded leading man, a vigor- ous dancer, a masculine comedian. He sustained Hie Sirens' almost single- handed. The times have passed the book, the production, the wardrobe and the methods of it by. -The Courtney Girb, thougli, looked Just as they did in Chicago—only fair. Coming'forward to Hnock vaudetdlle dead with five boys who exe- cute 'chamber music' in 'interludes, did not seem to Impress. The sisters were generously token In their songs, despite a palp4ble cold which im- paired Fay'a extraordinary voice. Florence, the Ingenue, seems to have polished her work up considerably, and runs a. strong competitor to her deep-voiced partner. The girls' repertoire in order and complete tells the story as well as anything: 'Japanese Sandman,' "Home AgaUi Blues,' ^Mq^^nJ^^ .'.fi^^gyll}lJtoJ;.Jte^ Robc'.. reads like a music publldtier's Jubilee. . Thee> big exclusive ballad which Fay sang at the State-Lake has been omitted; also any encore work. 'Broadway Rose' starts as a single and goes Into a showmanly double to the high spot of the turn. Tlie Benson orchestra is, as It was before, a meritorious quintet for lyceum or parlor work, not Importont In vaudeville. The turn went satisfactorily, but not sensationally. Rome and Gaut, doing a bare 10 minutes next-to-doslng, got nothing on entrance but everything there 'was after that One Is a little fellow, the other a tall and cadaverous chap. It looked as though they were trading on this combination. Maybe they were. But either could do a single in the same spot and clean up; both were a panic. ' The wee one is an eccen- tric stepper with a sense of himior In his funny feet, the toll bimbo is Just as funny all over. Working without subtlety but without offense, either, the pair tore off low comedy that landed them with the applause wallop of the engagement Their spot was changed after the opening matinee. Fred Lindsay, the Australian whip manipulator, justified the Palace slide advising patrons to stay in for the closer. Rln^ng up on a pretty wood scene production with simple but effective lighting tricks, he was as spec- tacular as his super-poUte announcer was soft-spoken. Only an announcer, a butler or an ambassador can be so grandiloquently polite that it doesn't matter whether his dresssutt bags or not. Lindsay has two charming girla assisting him and he is a dashing feUow, defiantly handsome, who makes the whips hiss and crack and go crazy. It held and hit.' WlUie Solar, seeon^, didn't seem to do over about six minutes. Three fast numbers got him- off. He made many amushig sounds in bis songs, and a very brief dance, attempting no furore in keeping with his rather flamboyant program matter—"The international musical comedy star.' If modesty Is a virtue In' a vaudeville comedian, Willie is the soul of virtue during his performance, He drew the usual reward of modesty and aU other virtues—next to nothing. A. Robins, the hokum Instrument imltotor with his breakaway props and his inexhaustible pockets, knocked it off for a bang and an encore. Pete and Paul, a diffident mule aptly brought on in a parlor set, looked all framed for a slapstick hit. Xatt Buff Theatre Absolved On Unit's Short Payoff Near-stranding recently of the 'Stars Over Hollywood' unit in Buf- falo was no faulty the 20th Cen- tury theatre, where, the unit played. Show, according to R. T. Kemper, managing director, was in on a flat guarantee and not a percentoge, and the theatre's b.o. results had nothing to do with the Incomplete payoff to the performers. It's explained by the American Guild of 'Variety Artists in N. Y. that there wasn't enough to pay off In full in Buffalo only because the unifs manager, Josephine Earl, had drawn in advance. Although in at a flat guarantee of $2,500, the unit only had $1,623 when the date ended be-' cause of Loms to the theatre. ^roadway Paramount. . -In Maewestlan getAt);'' ii femuetlicb strains of 'And the Band layed On,' she goes into 'Curse oL an Aching Heart,' 'Harmony Joe' (as an early sample of ragtime); a 1941 satire on a tired songstress at S a.m. in. a third-rate bistro singing 'You're Driving Me Crazy* follows; and a pseudo-torchy rendition of Tisket A-Tasket' next Finale Is a war song of the Spanish-American pe- riod, and the lyrics prove anew tnat any period of national strife seem- ingly reemphasizes U. S. patriotism in song and story. Considering the material. Miss Kay gets plenty of value out of each effort For the torch routine, a real comv ballad, instead of Tisket' would be a better Idea. But her mugging and exaggerated iiostalgla dick atrongljr at the Par. JOteiT Saranac Lake By Happy Benway Saranac Lake, May 27. Jimmy Young, who has been bed- I ding it for a mess of time, all hopped up over his okay for a downtown visit Bob Cosgrove, legit actor and ozoner, has added so much jiound- age that he anticipates looking for a strong-man job after his discharge from the Will Rogers. Joe Bishop received such a perfect report from his medico .that he is planning to rejoin the Woody Her- man band this fall. Jerry Sager, who bedded it for a spell, got ah okay report and expects to resume publicity work in the near futiue. Outstanding news of the Colony is that Alice Carman Is pertlng up and feeling like her old sett. She hasn't seen anything but bed for years. Al Brandt picked up after the tm- announced visit of his frau. He Is at the Northwoods San. Elsie Pllser, dancer of. other days, showing a l-want-to-go-home' re- covery. Mary Heams, former dancer from Radio City Music Hall, sporting good reports and giving her spare time to good-cheering cithers at the North- woods San. Thanks to Jack Frazer and Walter (Juggling) Nelson for their good cheer and reading matter to the Colony. Harry Stuart (& Martin) has pro- .gressed much. Leonard M. Snyderman, an Actor Colony product, extracted for bal- ance of season for a Sunday program on station WNBZ here.^ Write to thoae •mh» mtt 111.