Variety (Aug 1941)

WedneBdd^t AuguBt 27, 1941 VAUDEVnUS 45 Vaude Back in Uville After Long Absence; Other Cities Prepare Louisville, Aug. 26. After a long absence from town, stage shows are coining back to the National, opening Sept. 5 with a policy o£ revues, tab shows and flrst- run plots. House has long been dark, passed through various bank- ruptcy hearings, has been used for hillbilly shows and sales conventions, and is now being readied for open- ing by Bert Smith, tab show pro- ducer, who operated the old Walnut several years ago. Smith, recently producing for the Interstate circuit in Texas, will have a line of 24 girls and well-known principals. Opening show will be a revue, with three shows daily and lour on Saturday and Sunday. House seats 2,400.. CIncy Shabert Reopens Sept. 5. Cincinnati, Aug. 26. RKO Shubert, burg's only combo stand, relights Sept 9 with Phil Harris' orch as the opening week's stage topper. Horace Heldt's band and Earl Carroll's 'Vanities' come in for the second and third weeks. It win be'the theatre's first get- away with stage shows. In recent seasons, following summer shutter- ing, the house ran pics for a few weeks before adding stage shows. Des Moines Season Des Moines, Iowa, Aug. 26. Edgar Bergen, heading a variety show, has been booked to open the winter; stage season at the Shrine Auditorium here Oct. 3, according to Mrs. George Clark, manager. Mrs. Clark is certain Des Moities will have more stage shows this winter than ever-before. Other bookings she has made in- clude 'My Sister Eileen' for Oct. 13, and Veloz and Yolanda for Oct. 21. .'Hellzapoppin,' which filled the Shrine to its 4,500-seat capacity last season, will return Nov. 13, and Tobacco Road,* which already has played the.aud on three different oc- casions, will return Nov. 23. Ed Wynn is,scheduled in 'Boys and Girls Together' lor Nov. 25, and Al Jolson's 'Hold On to Your Hats' lor Dec. 14. Dnnham-Day In Newark Newark, Aug. 26. When it reopens on Friday (29), Adams theatre will present Sonny Dunham's band and Dennis Day as its stage toppers. House will operate vaude weekends only (Friday to Sunday), though will run through Monday (Labor Day) this weekend. The second week vaude bill will include Rochester (Eddie Ander- son), Dick Stabile's orchestra and Grpcie Barrie. Eddy Duchin's or chestra is scheduled for the third •week and Cab Calloway lor the fourth. Ft. Wayne Reopening Ft. Wayne, Ind., Aug. 26. Palace will reopen with vaudeville Sept 5, following summer shutter- ing. Opening attraction will be Jan Garber's band for three days. Billy Gilbert will be teamed with Reggie Childs' band for three days Sept. 12. Tony Pastor comes in lor lour days Sept. 18, and Raymond Scott for four days Sept. 25. Major Bowes' unit booked in on Oct. 2. Harvey Cocks, general manager, says house wiU run stage shows for at least 40 weeks this season. Miller in Albany Albany, Aug. 26. Glenn Miller's orchestra will play a four-day engagement at Fabian's Palace, Albany, Sept 12-15. It's the first time in months this big theatre, originally built for vaudeville as well as motion pictures, has booked any live talent. Last live talent was a one-night appearance .of the Metropolitan Opera Company in May, the initial one of its kind here in 25 years. DeLories Ziegfeld Maps Winter Ice Show Tour DcLorles Ziegfeld, who puts on the ballet numbers of the Hotel New Yorker's ice revues, is at work on a portable Ice tank lor touring the hinterland hotels with a road com- pany of the revue which is now at the N. Y. hostelry. Doesn't plan going out on tour un- til after Jan. 1, as the current Ice show holds over until Oct. 9, when Benny Goodman succeeds Johnny Long on the podium. Latter is due into the Broadway Paramount Oct. 22, does several Paramount shorts at its Long Island studio, and then takes to the one-nighters. Soldier Biz Would Hypo St. L Shows Bonche Having Trouble Chicago, Aug. 26. Albert Bouche, declared unfair by the local AGVA, is evidently hav- ing difficulty In piecing together shows for his suburban Villa Venice due to the desertions of acts refus- ing to appear in the place as long as it's on the AGVA ban list Several of the acts, which have been working at the place since the ban are leaving the nitery In order to square themselves with AGVA. And the result is that the Bouche shows are being shot full of holes. All agents have been notified hy AGVA of the unfair status ol the Villa Venice and the agents are turning down bids Irom Bouche lor talent. AWAIT TUTHILL ON NBC DEAL WB Demand to Cat Pliy House Band Brings Snag With AFM Local on Pact Big Name Roster Set For CaL State Fair St. Louis, Aug. 26. A hypo to rescusitate stage shows in this burg is being mulled by Sam Reider, vet showman, and il his plans materialize, the Shubert, a ^,200- seater in midtown, will be the scene of musical comedies, imported from New York, and vaude. Reider, who recently returned from Cleveland, where he pinch-hit for the vaca- tioning manager of the Roxy there, believes the combo policy he has in mind will be a click since the nearby Jefferson Barracks, Scott Field and the not-too-dlstant Camp Leonard Wood, where approximately 100,000 draftees are in training, would fur' nish plenty of customers. A year ago Reider, who formerly managed the Grand, a downtown burlesk house, dropped an estimated $4,000 when he' attempted to open the Shubert as a burleskery. The lurid advertising posters with which he plastered the front of the house prior to the skedded opening aroused local clergy, and they raised such a howl that the house never turned the key. FINE WEATHER, GYPSY STRff N Y. FAIR RECORD Syracuse, Aiig. 26. The combination of perfect weather and Gypsy Rose Lee sent the opening day (24) of the New York State Fair here to an all-time record in attendance. Turnstiles clocked 33,663, against the previous record set four years ago of 19,211. Michael Todd produced the show for this year's fair. COPACABANA REVUE SET BY INTERSTATE CIRCUIT Dallas, Aug. 26. Interstate Theatres has booked the Copacabana Revue headed by Carlos Molina's orch. Also included in the revue are the Six Samba Dancers, Rosita Rios, Estelle and LeRoy, Tito Coral and Victoria Cordona. Show will open for a week in Houston on Aug. 29, then to San Antonio for a week starting Sept. 6. Dallas follows for a week, Sept. 13, then three days in Fort Worth start- ing Sept 21. Three days in Austin follow, opening Sept. 24. Already announced is a Clyde Mc- Coy booking for November, with Charles Freeman, booker for Inter- state, seeking a show for the month of October. WSIX's 'Country Store' To Tour in Vaudeville Nashville, Aug. 26. Apparently taking a cue from the successful road showing of WSM's Grand Ole Opry' unit Earle Mitchell, former New York showman is putting WSIX's 'Old Country Store' under canvas Friday (27) in Nashville. Unit will play towns where WSIX is heard. Joe Calloway, who has m.c.d the show for past five years, will handle the stage shows. Ine road unit will include Kay and Al Carvel, Texas Chuckwagon Gang, blackfacers Toby and Susie, the Dixie Drifters, Ten- nessee Nite Riders, Smith Sisters and Montana Buckeroos. Additional entertainers will- include magician, ventriloquist and marionets. Success of 'Opry' in vaude has been above expectations.' Show has grossed on an average of $4,000 weekly. Sale of the NBC ArUsts Service had Etill not been effected up to yesterday (Tuesday). NBC officials stated that they were waiting lor Daniel Tuthill, assistant head 61 the bureau and prospective buyer ol the network's booking business, to put up the required money. It was also said that the Music Corp. of America was not entirely out as a bidder and that if these two failed to buy the network MCA had a darkhorse pros- pect whose bid could then be ac- cepted. In putting the booking business on the block NBC first withdrew its package shows, which Include "Fib- ber McGee and Molly,' 'Informa- tion, Please' and 'Vic pnd Sade.' What the deal would indlude is the concert bureau, the Civic Concerts Service and the popular end of the artists' management In 1930 these three grossed around $500,000 in bookings, with the Civic division ac- counting for $200,000 and the popular section, $135,000. It is understood that Tuthill has approached Charles Green, of Con- solidated Radio Artists, Inc., about handling his band department if and when he (Tuthill) closes with NBC. Cafe Bouncer Has No Right to Eject Patron, Boston Jurist Rules Boston, Aug. 26. A cafe bouncer has no right to take the law into his own hands and forcibly eject a patron who has been banned by the management. Judge Joseph Donovan has ruled in the municipal court hare. On his own admission that he had pushed an unwanted patron from the Washington street cafe, where he is employed, William Zeesman, a waiter, was fined $10 on a charge of assault and battery. DALLAS' STATE FAIR BOOKS 1DCKER, ACT^ Dallas, Aug. 26. , Conversion of the norUiwest wing of the Automobile Bldg at Fair Park into what will be known as the Cafe Esplanade started Monday (25). George A. Smith of Fort Worth will be the operator of the de luxe night club which will run through the 16 day;, of the State Fair, Oct 4-19. Orrin Tucker's band with Bonnie Baker will be chief attractions. Other acts will be arranged next week when Smith goes to Chicago to confer with Hogan Hancock of Music Corp. of America. Oliver, Curbello Orchs Return to LaMartinique Eddy Oliver and Herbert Curbello orchestras return to La Martinique, N. Y., when Joe Frisco heads that cafe's reopening show Sept 17. Imogene Coca may also open with the comedian, or follow solo. Georgie Price is another probability. Bothe bands are at La Martinique; Long Branch, N. J., currently where bonifaces Dario and Jim Vernon have not had a good summer season; strictly weekend business. Name talent booking for the Call lornia State Fair has been completed with signaturing ol the Dave Rose orchestra and Tony Martin. Schedule of talent also calls for Ozzie Nelson, Aug. 29, 30, 31; Abbott and Costello, and Gene Krupa band. Sept 1; Susanna Foster with Sacramento Symphony, Sept. Orson Welles, Ray Noble band, Sept. 3; Gene Autry, Charlie Bamet band, Sept. 4; Vera Vague, Charlie Barnet band, Sept. S; Kay Kyser, Sept. 6, and Tony Martin and Dave Rose band, Sept. 7. Philly Tooters, AGVA Agree To Mutual Aid Pact Philadelphia, Aug. 16. A mutual assistance pact was worked out last week between of- ficials of Local 77, American Fed- eration of Musicians, and the Philly local of the American Guil^ of Va- riety Artists. Under the tetup, bandleaders at cafes will ask ell performers playing at the spots to show their AGVA cards. If the per- former is not a member ol the union, the batoneers will try to put on the convincer to Join up. If the actor shows outright defiance, the band- leader then may refuse to work on the same bill as the non-union en- tertainer. In flagrant cases the band may be pulled by the union. AGVA has agreed that none of Its members would play spots _on the AFM's unfair list. This is the first time lince the formation of actors' unions in re- cent years that there has been an agreement worked out with the mu- sicians' union. Up to now the mu- sicians had fought shy of making any. commitments to actors' or- ganizations because the latter had been in constant turmoil with bick- ering cliques and factions. The AGVA-AFM agreement was the result of conferences between Richard Mayo, AGVA business agent, and Frank Liuzzi, Local 77 prexy, and A. Rex Riccardi, Its sec- retary. TERRY LAWLOR HURT IN KY. AUTO MISHAP Cincinnati, Aug. 26. Terry Lawlor, songstress heading the revue at Beverly Hills, nearby Kentucky casino-nitery, sustained a broken collar bone and her piano ac- companist Bee Walker, escaped with minor head and arm cuts In an auto collision early Saturday (23) morning in Covington, Ky., oppo- site Cincy. Miss Lawlor was removed to St Elizabeth hospital, Covington, where doctors said she would be confined for several days. Philly's College Inn Hit by Liquor Board Philadelphia, Aug. 26. The State Liquor Board cracked down on Lou Tomasco's College Inn for the seventh time in two years, last week ordering a suspension of the spot's liquor license for 100 days. Tomasco had the option of closing for that length of time or paying a fine of $1,000, at the rate of $10-a- day, which is what defendants al- most always do. This is the second 100-day rap handed down by the board. Three weeks ago Carroll's, a midtown spot got a similar suspension. It has ap- pealed to the courts, The College In.i, near Temple Uni- versity, is charged with selling^' liqUor after hours and allowing eiu" tertainment past the Sabbath cur- lew. Philadelphia, Aug. 26. It looks like another stalemate be- tween Local 77, American Federation ol Musicians, and the Stanley-War- ner circuit over the terms of the new contract for next season. The present termer expires Sept 28. The union is seeking to have the present pact renewed at the same terms—28 men in the pit at the Earle, ^ith musicians working on Sundays at the Stanley, Camden. (Philly blue laws prevent Sunday shows, so the Earle layout have played Camden on the. Sabbath). Warners is reported to be stand- ing pat on its demand that the Earle band be cut in half. The circuit fig- ures that with 90% of all stage shows booked at the house being name bands, there is very little for the house crew to do. At present the band confines itsell to playing exit music. With both sides equally adamant and no new negotiations scheduled, observers believe that the house will be lorced to close down after the engagement o£ Jan Savitt, who opens Sept 26. The union will allow Savitt to fulfill his contract Whether the union will go so lar as to put Warners on the unfair list as was done last year during the contract difficulties, is doubtful. Instead, it Is believed the local will merely put the Earle on the 're- stricted list' which will make it im- possible lor any traveling band to play t^e Ei>ot without Local 77's okay. Last year Local 77 put the Earle and other S-W houses on the un- . lair list, then lought imsuccessfully. to get the projectionists to walk out in sympathy. At one point when the AFM International refused to back up the local In the Warner fight members talked about seced- ing to the CIO. The local had de- manded that the AFM call out mu- sicians at all Warner theatres and at the Warner producing lots at Bur- bank.- B-K CHI THEA1KES SET SEPT. NAMES Chicago, Aug. 26. Nate Piatt, booking manager lor Balaban jc Katz, has set lieadlineri for the B&K Chicago and State-Lake through the month of Sept. The Chicago during the week ol Aug. 29 gets Alvlno Rey's orch and the King Sisters, plus Tommy Har- mon, the all-American. Weeks of Sept. S and 12 wlU be headlined by tlie Sklnnay Ennis orch, coming In from a long stay in the Empire Room, Palmer House. Weeks of Sept 19 and 26 will have the Jimmy Dorsey Orch. Across the street in the State-Lake the booking sheet lists Cab Calloway orch lor the week of Aug. 29; the 'Funzaflre' unit for Sept. 5, followed in order by George White's 'Scan- dals,' Gypsy Rose Lee and lor the week of Aug. 26, the Lionel Hamp- ton orch, which will have just com- pleted a lour-week run in the Col- lege Inn for the Sherman hotel. Parker-Daniel to Doable Into N. Y. Musical, Nitery Hollywood, Aug. 26. The Mary. Parker-Billy Daniel revue, with six girls, from the Co- coanut Grove' here, is due to shift Into the Versailles, N. Y., this fall, at the same time the featured pair doubles from Vinton Freedley's Broadway musical,' 'Let's Face It.' Sonny Werblin, v.p. of Music Corp. of America, has just arrived and, among other of his Coast duties while huddling with company presi- dent J. C. Stein is closing the deals. Understood the Versailles also goes to a name-band policy with Emil Coleman. Bob Dancers Los Angeles, Aug. 26. Mitchell Leisen signed two dancers, Doublas Deane and Doodles Weaver, to replace Billy Daniel and Mary Parker in his subsidiary amusement corporation,,/Hollywood Presents, Ino.' ^ '.- ' * ; ;. ' ; ^Hay 'Bd<h''H&> 'lieMTi^okeil for 'two weeks at the Cave, Vancouver, B.'C.' 'JoeTJarirels'tooked" '