Variety (Jun 1941)

Wednesday, June 18, 194] HOUSE REV1KW8 47 GOLDEN GATE, S. F. San Francisco, Jum 11. 5ophi« Tucker, Ted Shapiro, Ross and Stone, Lionel Kaye and Co. (2), Miller Bros, and Lois (3), Three Kinos, Peggy O'Weill Line, Charles Kaley House Orch. (12) j 'Devil Dojrs of the Air" ( WB). Sophie Tucker, grand ot gal of red hot rhythms, Is doing another smash this week as topliner on the new Gate bill. A sermon of show bl^ could be written around thls.act, for here is the essence of true show- manship.. The way Sophie sells a song is something they don't learn any more. Her brilliance and b.o. magnetism may be equalled for short periods, but few mdeed have the staying power, the what-it-takes of La Tucker. It's a wrench to realize that her billing as 'last of the red hot mamas' is more than literally true; she's one of the last reminders of what made vaudeville great. Miss Tucker isn't kidding about the 'red hot mama' stuif, either, using considerable of her night club ma- terial, some of which is enough to burn the ears off the family trade. But mob here eats it up. Occupying a long closing spot, run- ning better than 20 minutes at this catching, she bowed on to a hearty welcome, going into a rhythmic greeting as soon as'house quieted. Ted Shapiro at the piano cues the house band through the wide range of mood music from 'Auld Lang Syne' to patriotic. Some of it only La Tucker could get away with, urging the femmes to take care of the army and navy boys, etc. Then switches into 'Last Time I Saw Paris', with special lyrics, which dampened many an - eye. Turned laughs on again with 'Why 'Go To Havana?', which wouldn't exactly do for a Sun- day School picnic. With spontaneous bursts of ap- plause greeting each tune, she then works backwards through«'Melan- choly Baby', 'Darktown Strutter's Bair and 'Let Me CaU You Sweet- heart,' which audience sang with her, to 'Some of These Days'. Gives this number a terrific build, display- ing original copy. When she went Into the number she practically tore the roof off. For a finish, she uses another ditty with torrid lyrics, 'Never Too Old to Fall In Love'. Supporting talent Is okay this week, too, although overshadowed by Miss Tucker.' Three Kings, two gals and a boy, are opening acros. Lad works in nude torso and makes an okay muscle display while tossing the femmes about. Trio reveals se- rious effort to break away from routine lift and balance stufl and clicked solidly. For a closer, lad bal- ances gal on pole via his chin, then knocks pole away and catche's part- ner. Deucer is Lionel Kaye, who resem- bles a thinner version of Paul White- man. Pretends to be a fill-in for a missing magician, dishing a smooth line of - comedy patter while slelght- of-handing,'Which Is plenty okay. Aided by redhead'ed. femme m strapless gown. Finishes with gag of pouring various drinks from same bottle, then revealing a pigeon liT- slde. Miller Bros, and Lois, sepia step- £ers, follow, .Novel twist is using Igh, narrow platforms for cyclonic steps. If they ever miss it must sure- ly mean a broken neck. One routine is on the tops of cutout letters spell- ing Miller. That's tougher than walk- ing railroad ties. They're socko and had to beg off. Ross and Stone precede Miss Tuck- er, offering a distinctly eastern style of sophisticated patter, deadpan clowning on part of the tired femme, and bluish gags. Work Is polished and fits nicely as spotted. Biz good at opening. Wem. HAMID'S PIER, A. C. (EOPPODBOME) Atlantic City, June 16. 'Crazy With the Heatr unit with .Willie Howard, Diosa Costello, Sylvia Froos, Peggy and Morrow, Afattheto ' Smith, Jane Hoffman, Wilma Homer. Al Kelly. Phil Kintr, Male Sextet, Chorus (10); 'Gay Vagabond' (Rep.). First-time Hippodrome has put on a unit and uses it to mark official opening of season's entertainment '(Srazy With the Heat' is the Broad- way Revue cut to 45 minutes, with WilUe Howard holding spotiight aU the way. In addition to skits, which feature the comedian, there Is Just enough singing, dancing, specialties and chorus numbers to make a nicely rounded biU. When caught Sunday afternoon (15) the big hall was tbreequarters. filled. A sunny day kept many outside at other Pier events. Howard is in for six skits. His impersonation of Al Jolson sing- ing 'Sonny Boy* and the Frenwi teacher giving a radio lesson went over big at show caught Biggest •laugh and warmest applause, how- ever, came from sketch in which he visits U. S. Medical Examiner's office, mistaking it for health bu- reau, preparatory to obtaining mar- riage license. Another mirth-pro- ducer was the soapbox oration num- < ber, when he called the working people to revolt. Dlosa Costello scores heavily with her congarhumba In which she dis- plays amusing hip-swlnglng contor- tions and fiery steps. The chorus Is colorful In gold and sliver metallic costumes which gleam under colored lights. Their well-timed routine is accompanied by drum beats. Sylvia Froos, blonde songstccss, puts over a clever adaptation of 'Chloe,' adding 'Oh Johnny,' 'Ma, He's Making Eyes at Me' to an apprecia- tive audience. Her vocal of ^Set to Music,' with chorus In long black evening gowns and wearing short gold leaf capes, is outstanding. Her other appearance as singer, with male sextet and Jane Hoffman sup plying comedy, also okay. Peggy and Morrow, smart and sophisticated dance team, do a grace- ful ballroom number, with girl in pale pink and her partner in mid- night blue formals. They encore with fast Spanish tempo exhibition that's climaxed when the girl is diz- zily swung over her partner's head. Other principals do well In their specialties and chorus and group work is excellent Costumes are freshlooking and colorful. Pier also has outdoor circus, fun houses, and outdoor sports. Herby Woods' band plays for dancing in Ballroom of States. Carter. EMBASSY, N. Y. (NEWSBEELS) Strikes in the current news and a house reel of Tex McCrary, editor- ial writer of the New York Dail}4| he Mirror, head the Embassy's lineup of clips this week, and the combi- nation forms an Interesting insight into the difficulties of the country's defense plans. Paramount's clip of the shutdown at the California North American airplane plant and the Army's injection into the dispute is nicely reported. Walkout at a Cleveland tin plant is also given notice. McCrary's spiel outlines the re- sults of such strikes and points out in clearly written and forcefully de- livered talks, how much of a weapon such activities are for the Axis, He relates how numerous strikes have cost this country heavily in produc- tion. To get' off the war and defense track, -which weaves, as usual, through the entire hour bill, Pathe comes up with a humorous bit on a tennis' match played by 'quiz kids* John Kieran, Franklin P. Adams, Boris Karloff and Deems Taylor um- pired by Clifton Fadiman, all from radio's 'Information Please.' An other equally digestible and light bit is Fox's focusinj; on a herd of cir- cus elephants disporting themselves in California surf. Rest is pretty much routine sports, fashions, etc. One short, a James FitzPatrick visit,to 'Suva, Pride of Fiji,' occupies the final 10-15 min- utes of the bill. It's a presentable piece. Wood. TOWER, K. C. Kansas City, June 14. 'Prize Winner^ with JVfinda Lang, Curleif Williams, Lennie Gale, Michael Dore, Dorothy Zane, Rhyth- meers (3), Three Topps, Jeannie ojtd Al Thompson, GeoTfiie <3illette; Herb Six house orch; 'Singing Hill' (Rep). Combo of a Bowes stage unit with Gene Autry film is a winner for the 'Tower this week, and house is seeing biz way up. Week will likely see more admissions paid- than was gar- nered last week by the Ted Lewis unit but money may not hit as high a total, as current show Is at a 30c straight against sliding scale 30-SOc for Lewis. Best example in two years of Barney Joffee's operation as to what the Tower devotees de- mand and what can be done with a thoroughly attractive family-type program. One of the best grossers, it's still not an overly expensive show. Intertwined with the amateur win- ners are some standard acts and be- tween the two a fairly good stage show results. Like most Bowes units quantity is ever a more prominent ingredient than quality, although both are found in the 50-minute show. Work of xylophonlsts Jeannie and her Father, Al Thompson, roller skating Three Topps, tapping Rhythmeers, sax-playing, rope skip- ping Dorothy Zane, and violin-twirl- ing Michael Dore are all adequate but not especially outstanding. Most of these are overly long and happily are routed In the first half of the show. Better footing is gained with George Gillette, who makes some- thing out of odd sorts of musical In- struments, and by series of impres- sions on radio screen and public figures by Lennie Gale, also doubl- ing as m.c Finish Is socko and re- deems earlier lethargy with throat- whistling of Minda Lang ringing out nifty arrangements of 'Glowworm' and 'Star Dust,' and closing whirl- wind roller skating tap atop a small table by dusky Curley Williams, get- ting to the customers for heavy- hand clapping. Williams is a standard act, while Miss Lang's turn is tip-top, and Gale's work of high rating. Fjnale employs whole cast of 14 in a patri- otic number. .... Quln. CHICAGO, CHI Ch<ca0o> June 14. Glenn Miller Orch (18) with Modemaires, Paula Kelly and Ray Eberle; Paul Regan, Lorraine and Rognan; 'Night in Lisbon'. (Par). With a picture that Indicates box- office power and the Glenn Miller wallop for the hep mob, this week looks like a money-maker from any angle. First night brought the jive juves In by the bushel-load and it was only the dominant austerity of this house which prevented them from kicking out a few licks In the aisles. But they were vociferously enthusiastic for every note of the slip-pump, every gurgle of the saxo- phone and every drum-whack. Miller's gang works just inform- ally enough to make it appear whole- heartedly spontaneous. The drum- mer and bass-fiddler chew gum con- stantly, the musicians* wardrobe was just unpressed enough and Miller is casual enough to sell it to this mob as an earnest jam session. Miller's band does a good job of the -modem tempo and do^ best with the items which strive for modern treatment such as the 'Anvil Chorus.' This type of material will impress any audience. In all. It re- mains a fine modern musical aggre- gation that knocks the 1941 style. Ray Eberle comes up with a good assignment on the straight vocals, putting them across with the least amount of fuss or fiiry. A straight singer with basically good pop pipes, registered here. But strictly weakish side are the Modemaires, and Paula Kelly Four guys warble with what they apparently call showmanship. Miss Kelly is prob- ably all right, but she's over- whelmed by the tonsUs of the four- some. They are one of the poorer vocal groups, and are especially futile because of their attempts to be hotcha, which is on the comical side for gUys of their size and age. Two acts on the bill both rang the bell with this mob. Paul Regan started with a -limp and woOnd up speeching himself off. If Regan would start his impersonation act about half-down the line he would be dynamite. But he starts under a severe, and distinct handicap with his- attempt at being funny on his own. He has no material and no piersonal delivery. However, when he takes on the vocal color of Barry more, Grant, Robinson, Horton, Willkie and others standard and known to the public, he achieves decided per- sonality strength. Lorraine and Rognan ruined them here with knockabout clowning and dancing. Miss Lorraine has a screwy comedy approach which is develop- ing rapidly and will sell her any- where, any time. Rognan is more or less straight at all times and rates as an able assist Night Club Reviews MARDEN'S RIVIERA (FOBT LEE, N. J.) Alan Cross and Henry Dunn, Terry Lawlor, Georges and Jalna, Lane Bros., Chester Hale dancers (16), Showgirls (8); Pancho's and Carmen CavaUiTo's Bands; $3.50 and $4 min- imum, no cower. Business fine at last show Friday (13). Gold, New Act in Nitery BOB and THE TWINS 2800 Clab'B Showbar Dayton, O. For this ultra-swanky new spot, Harry Condon has a trio that blends with the, surroundings. Layout is tricky, entertainers working on what amounts to an elevated back bar. Club is pulling the carriage trade, and Bob and "The Twins are being credite'd for a good share of the booming business. Personnel of trio is Bob Ryan and the StauSer twins (femme), at one time airing via NBC as the 'Vocal- aires. Setup Is new, one-that should take them to the top in short order. Gals, both blonde lookers,,play spinet grand pianos, boy hammering vibes and the solo-rimba. Utilizing pol- ished arrangements they're mus- ically plenty OK; vocally, trio more than holds It own. Daphne Stauffer sings the ballads, Doris Stauffer the rhythm tunes, with the trio socking the novelty numbers. Trio plays and sells everything from Bach to Ber- lin, waltzes to boogie-woogie, congas to corn. Arrangement of Ravel's 'Bolero,' playe.d in its entirety,* is of concert stage caliber. Other socks Include 'Dolores,* 'Beguine'- and two novel- ties, .'Sidewalks of New York' and 'Grandfather's Clock.' Sa7t5. New Act in Theatre' FOCB POLKA DOTS Harmonicas 9 Mins. Boxy, N. T. (Band Set) Four young lads play the har- monicas well enough, but they need considerably more experience to give the act polish. Played three tunes when caught, all widely different in type, but played In such same style and tempo that all might as well have been the same number. Act probably has possibilities, but it'll require shrewd thought and loads of hard work to develop. It's merely a passable turn at present. Hobo. Business at Ben Marden's Jersey showplace has been especially good since its seasonal opening four weeks ago, so the show budget has not been tilted. However, this layout is evi- dently better than the opener and, If the draw Thursday night (12) at dinner time Is a criterion, the.-high- powered names are not being missed as yet Purely and simply, if discounting the Chester Hale dancing (16) and stationary (8) beauts, this is a vaudeville entertainment—and good. It could play Loew's State on Broad- way intact and give a good account of itself. But one thing is lacking, though, and that's an announcement of who's who as they - come on. Marden doesn't like m.c.s (excepting Joe E. Lewis) and also is of the opinion that off stage Intros are too cold, but nothing could be colder, for instance, than the entrance' on this show of the crackerjack acrobatic Lane Brothers. They follow the line's first routine, one of the boys making his entrance like an m.c. rushing to a- mike. In- stead he hoofs a bit and many cus- tomers don't know what's cooking until the second brother- comes on and they swing into the ac^batics, Including- extraordinary rope-skip- ping from risley positions. That they sockoed at this catching was a strong testimonial to their talent and ability to capture an audience from a fiat- foooted start Terry Lawlor is working here un- der the handicap of a p'aiilfully in- fected foot, a recurrence of an old ailment but It isn't affecting her voice. The red-headed good-looking graduate from the old Hollywood Restaurant on Broadway is doing four numbers, but one of them, the Hibernian 'Same Old. Shillelagh,' doesn't fit her voice too well. She sings it to prove the Irish in her,' but that evidence is unnecessary, and she's much' better with the pops, especially "Yes, My Darling Daugh- ter' and the jived spiritual. Headlining and scoring are Cross and Dunn. They've got two' new specials, the "Five O'clock Whistle Stop' and one ribbing the Pepsi- Cola soft drink, that are surefire. The former, set to an operatic medley, sounds like a natural for theatre ap- pearances. The vet charaqter singing team, incidentally, were on the open- ing show of the Riviera -four years ago and are as standard now as they were then. There's good reason for that in their continued policy of hunting new material—to the extent that they now have an exceptionally, wide repertoire out of which can be culled a routine to fit almost any type of amusement place. Other acts could find In them an object les- son, on how to retain popularity. Georges and Jaiha are this show's ballroom team and ditto a click. They made but one mistake opening night, that being the use of their weakest routine, a modern gavotte, for an encore. Their four previous dances, however, got heavy re- sponse from a fairly well-filled room, leading up to the Insistence for the encore. (tester Hale's line and showgirls are costumed as they were in the seasonal opener, very pretty and colorful. The dance routines are nicely varied. Scho. GONG, BUENOS AIRES Buenos Aires, May 27. Hans Leid and Orchestra, Oscar Aleman Quintette, Lalo Skalis & Tipica, Juan AhHta. Strictly class Joint with emphasis on sassiety, this B.A. spot has moved to quarters formerly occupied by the 'Faisan d'Or,* and is packing them in with as much of a show as any smart spot here permits. Ehnphasis is on swing, with both Leid and Ale- man, especially the latter, dishing out plenty snap and yet not too much oomph so as to scare off the localites, who don't care for Jitterbugging save when Mickey Rooney does it on the screen. Leid, a Viennese who plays the ac- cordion, handles his. outfit nicely keeping them from ^[etting out of hand and overwhelming the intimate room. Has a new stunt in swinging old French tunes, those in which the audience joins being a specialty. This is smart showmanship here for the socialite crowd used to steamer to Pari^ regularly before the war and is only now getting into the mood for New York and its type of rhythm. Rendition of 'Sur le pont d'Avig- non,' for instance, had the house joining in with a kind of hnir let- down that Argentines—known for their high jinks elsewhere—rarely exhibit at home. Arrangements on standard Jazz items, while a season or two behind the States, get away from that note-for-note copying of waxed hits so frequent here, Leid also does quite well with the congas, rhumbas and Brazilian sambas. Ha9 a trio with himself, Julio Braftt on comet, and Aquilles Feraressi on first sax, producing some of the best three-man rhythm ever, caught here. Oscar Aleman who takes over be- tween times is a one-time accom- panist to Josephine Baker, Sepia guitar player doesn't come up to his claim of being the best in the world, but he's pretty good and his boogie woogie on the string would be more than passable in any 52nd street ,(N. Y.) jive joint Featured singer is Jusn Abrita, an Argentine long in Brazil, who uses Leid's backing for his tropical rhythm. No male Carmen Miranda, he nevertheless has an infectious quality in his handling that warms the palms. Local tango filler from Lalo Skalis, heading his own unit from the keyboard after some years with Oswaldo Fresidi—originator of the modern tango—is okay If you like tangos, which most of the inter- national cafe-going crowd doesn't. Roy. TERRACE ROOM, N. Y. (HOTEL NEW TOBKEB) Johnny Long Orch (16) With Helen You-ng, Bob Houston; Monte Proser'S Copacabana Revue, Estelle and LeRoy, Rosita Rios, Fernando Alvarez, Victoria Cordova and An- dre Villon, Samba Sirens (6). Closed for two months due to dif- ficulties with electricians and musi- cians unions, the New Yorker's re- decorated Terrace Room comes back with a bang. Johnny Long's capable band and Monte Proser's Copacabana floor show stack up- as a working combination that should account for as much play during the summer months as the hotel's winter ice shows. Long's crew, which made a sur- grising jump from the Roseland iallroom, N. Y., to this spot, is a neat combination of four sax; six brass, four rhythm. It dispenses dance rhythms in brisk teimpoes and fre- quently goes into novelty numbers using the full band in chorus. Makes for .a well-rounded musical Job that found strong favor with the almost capacity house when eaught It keeps things under tastefully written, muted arrangements during dinner, of course, but after the a la carte Is cleared it dishes up the style and tempo that appeal to the supper crowd. Long himself is an amiable, confident pillar up front, who lends his left-handed fiddle to sweeter numbers. Poser's revue is biillt around six line beauts. Running about 45 min- utes, the interludes are pleasantly conceived and .colorfully costumed for a distinct click. Rosita Rios, whose vocals have the ability to still the myriad of dinner'noises almost to dead silence, Is the star of the piece. She delivers crack Jobs in .Spanish on Terry boat Serenade,' 'Amapola,' etc. EsteUe and LeRoy handle excel- lently routined and executed ball- room and semi-Jitterbug bits that go over handily, Fdr an encore they work up a conga twist with a bur- lesqued finale that relieves the serious aspect of the opening steps. Victoria Cordova and Andre Villon weave in and out at one point com- bining to tackle 'I Hear a Rhapsody.' It's a little weak, and the fare could be brought more up to date, too. Fernando' Alvarez m-c.'s, making ■ announcements in Spanish and wind- ing up with the point of each Intro In English. Nice touch. Room Is refurbished In military style with- out being too remindful of head- lines. Wood, N. Y. Nitery FoOow-Up Gene Anstln with his zlngy quin-< tet is bringing plenty of uptown trade to the Village Bam In (Green- wich Village. The 'Blue Heaven* virtuoso, with his ultra-modem rhythms to his self-accomp at the piano, has two guitarists, a mandolin and a femme drummer, Doris SherrlU, to round out his whlppoor- - wills combo for dansapation. They're in the Matty Malneck idiom of ad- vanced stylizatlon. The .rest of the Barn show is so much hors d'ouvres although the 'musical .chairs,' pogo races, racing turtles and kindred bucolic hokum Is great b.o. for the city slicker trade that the Bam lures. Abel. Doke Daly band, set for'summer at Rye Beach, N. Y., Playland, signed (jeneral Amusement booking Of^ntrafit