Variety (Oct 1941)

Wednesday, October 8, 1941 HOUSE REVIEWS 47 STRAND, N. Y. Jan Savxtt Orch with Alan DcWltt, Valerie Than, Harry Reso, Hx Lo. Jack and a Dame; Btllw Reye; 'Mal- tese Falcon' (WB), reviewed m Va- BirTY Oct. 1. , Jan Savltt's orchestra and torn ffood acU provide a strong 56 min- iites Band, comprising six brasses Vevenly aplit). five reeds and four ihvthm p)ays seven numbers in Sav U^' Characteristically blazing stvle Given the high spot and slaved with pulsating beat is the Sutflt's newest disc click. 'Chatta- 'Sooga Choo Choo.' It's built to a genuinely rousing climax. Band opens with a barely recog- niMble numbe.- from the opera 'Car- SiM- offers a bullflddle solo of ^Dnrktown Strutters,' a clarinet ver- sion of 'Stardust' and finales with a boiling version of RnchmaninoR s Trelude.' All the Savitt numbers tend to bury the melody, but all possess an infectious beat Instru- menUtion is generally well balanced, with the brasses agreeably held un- der control. Alan DeWitt, baritone, vocals 'World on Fire' and 'Dream the Rest' in 'romantic' fashion. Among the supporting turns on the bill are three covefed among New Acts in theatres.. They are Valerie" Thon, Harry Reso and Billy Reye Also on the bill is the radio vocal quartet. Hi, Lo. Jack and a Dame. They offer four rhythm-har- mony' numbers and are on for nine minutes. They're okay on perform- ance and have a pleasing appearance and manner. The lone girl is a nifty looker. They need more stage ex- perience, little things like the boys taking crosses in front of -the girl suggesting their unfamiliarity with footlight work. Boys should also get new shoes all alike. Business was capacity at final show Friday night (3). Hobe. ORPHEUM^L. A. their standard turn in 20 years, ex- cept the three poodles that work with them in their satisfactory enough clown acrobatics. Lou Hoffman went over much better than the other vaude numbers with his smart jug- gling. Business was big at opening. Show runs 56 mins. GOLDEN GATE, S. F. Los Angeles, Oct. 1 Ted Fio-Rito's Orch (15) toith Candy Candida, Allan Cole, June Haver, Three Chicks, Jimmy Zito; Morjorie Dayc, Gandsinitfi Bros. (2), Lou Holfnuin; 'Scattergood Meets Broadway' (RKO) ojid 'Hiirrv, Charlie, Hurru' (RKO). The same customers who have proved loyal to a .succession of hot bands give every Indication of solid satisfaction with Ted Fio-Rito's siveet offering. The maestro key- notes his smooth style, both in the billing and from the platform, by designating it 'Skylined Music,' in- spired by propeller's hum, engines' throb, the wings' deep whisper. Aside from all this, the outfit offers a pleasing and varied routine. It's the same combination this group has used for years. Candy Candido, with his bullflddle and trick vocals, toplines again. Jimmy Zito, . 18-year-old cornetist, is new. So are Joe Marsh, playing hot tenor sax, and Ernest 'Red' Varner, a Texas boy who's good with a guitar. Allan Cole takes the vocal after the band opens with 'San Antonio Bose,' with a good arrangement of sax, trumpet and guitar backing him up. Cole later baritones with the . band 'You and I' and 'King for a Day," June Haver, a new acquisi- tion, is fair enough singing 'Kiss the Boys Goodbye' and 'Charlie My Boy.' To a bright arrangement of 'Irish Washer Woman,' a hot sax works in front. So does-Red Varner with his guitar, to excellent reaction. The Three Chicks are introduced for a three-trombone specialty from position. Jimmy Zito is also given verbal billing and goes over okay with a muted trumpet solo. 'No, No, Nora,' written hy FIo-Rito about 15 years ago, gets a plug from the maes- tro, fine delivery from the orch and • good hand. The audience acted as if it had never he^rd Tchaikovsky's "'Piano Concerto in B Flat Minor' before. Either that or It's become such a favorite that they go big for it out of current habit. Whichever, they gave the maestro a big cheer at to- day's opening show when he flour- ished through a swell arrangement Ji the public domain sock hit. Allan Cole interpolated with the lyrics used in Freddie Martin's sheets, 'To- night We Love.' The standout applause getter is Candy Candido, working down to the mike without his bullflddle. At uie opening show, they wouldn't let him stop, and he got pl»ity of big laughs with his 'Jumpin'Jive,' 'Three Trees,' *Ma. He's Makin' Eyes' and Tie, Myself, and I.' The orch pick- JJPs on Candido's mad leaps from nigh falsetto to deep bass set off the turn, as does the performer's smart use of the mike. Band carries a new backdrop, sowing a high perspective country- Jiae, across which flies a two-mo- tored plane. This drop uncurtains just for the finale, the band finishing «fl with Its 'Skylined Music with Aeroplane Effects.' '.Spotted In between the band num- ners are three added acts. Marjorie "aye, shapely and well dressed, nances, does contortion bends and Mntrol kicks. The two Gaudsmlth orothers have changed nothing in' STRAND, BROOKLYN Shep Fields Orch (tl) with Mor- ton Downey, Ru/e Oavis, Danny Drayson, Ann Perry, Pat Foy, Trixie; 'Mysterj/Ship' (Col). San Francisco, Oct. 2. Ardene DcCamp, Fetch and Deati- ville, Charles Irxvin, Walter Dare Wahl (2). JWorro and Yaccanellt, Peggy O'Neill Line (12), Charles Kaley, House Orch (13); 'Porachute Bottalion' (RKO). With even house staffs lurking near loudspeakers carrying the World Series, opening shows played to near-empty auditoriums this week. Talent had more chance to register at night performances, however, which were stronger. Ice-breaker is a KFRC amateur hour winner. Ardene DeCamp, vio- linist. Gal is a looker as well as a capaple fiddle-wielder. Saws out two numbers, 'Russian Lullaby' and a light opera encore for okay results. Second slot is allotted to Petcli, and Deauville. slick acrobatic tap^ team, who tear off a couple of fast routines whioh incorporate enough pantomime to give continuity and hold interest. Get over easily. Home band takes over next for a military arrangernent of 'Til Reveille,' with trick spotlighting of various instruments. Rex Baker vo- calizes with choral help from the rest of the boys. They hit a few rough spots en route but overall idea is nifty and lands nicely. Morro and Yaccanelli follow, clowning with ggitars. violin, accor- dion and hnrmoiiicn. one working strictly deadpan and both affecting exaggerated Mexican costume. Pair are okay comics.'USing the Mexican motif to capitalize on the Latin- American trend, which, however, will do nothing to help the good- neighbor policy. Those sympathic to Mexico may resent the implica- tions: otherwise, they pack plenty of chuckles. Another type of humor is offered by Charles Irwin, broad-A monol- ogist with a music-hall flavor to his patter. Has a swell delivery but at the show caught audience was apa- thetic to his material. With a crowd to get the laughs started he should collect plenty of dividends. Closer goes to Walter Dare Wahl find his unbilled stooge. Wahl's all- panto comedy routine is grounded in Basic laugh elements and. al- though it has been seen around here before, including a season at Billy Rose's Aquacade, it remains a sock guffaw item. . House line cushions the bill at both ends. Biz mild at early, show caught. V/ern. STATE, HARTFORD Hartford, Oct. 8. Louis Primo Orch with Jacfc Powers, j47in Corroll; Tip, Tap and Toe, Ken Murray, Judy Canova. Bob Evans, Sam Kaplan pit band; 'Gen- tleman from Dixie' (Mono). It's blue ribbon entertainment this sesh with Louis Prima's orch and four outside acts. Prima was last here about a year ago and has since enlarged band from U to 14 pieces. Past year of stage seasoning has done well by the band personnel, from a personality as well as mu- sical standpoint. With its main ap- peal still directed at the bounce ad- dicts, band has cut down its blaring brass. It's more solid and dishes out current pops plus a couple of originals. Outfit consists of four rhythm, four sax, three trumpet and three trombones. Maestro has loosened up considerably and puts on a better mike front. He does a couple of rasp vocals, is showmanly, engaging in legwork while batoning, and when not doing latter also joins bandboys for some socko trumpeting. Band's two thrushes. Jack Powers and Ann Carroll, have an easy time selling themselves. Both appeal to the opposite sex and are quite im- proved over their last trip here. He dees 'Marie Elena' and 'I Under- stand.' Gal warbles 'I'm Yours,' 'World on Fire' and 'Daddy.' Latter was duoed with the stick-swisher. First turnout are the colored Tip, Tap and Toe. Legwork and chal- lenge work of the three is skillfully executed atop an oval platform. Ken Murray takes over for some idle chatter and humorous audience insulting. Has an effective line. Ihtroes first Bob Evans, ventro, and later Judy Canova. Evans does some selling vocal-throwing with a plastic dummy. He has a nice front and strong material. Miss Canova does the same type of turn she did on previous trip here. Attired in hillbilly clothes, gal does three songs, injecting into them some of her yodeling. She's effective. Her sister Anne accomps on piano and is whitelighted for some classical ivorytickling. Miss Canova then joins Murray for a simple dance routine. . , . At show caught opening day (Fri- day) biz was slow. Eck. This four-day weekend bill is well- rounded and excellently presented for those who prefer the softer tem- poes. Shep Fields has . a band of well-trained musicians capable of summoning beauty of tone without losing quality or rhythm. Layout plays Field's arrangement of Brahms' Hungarian Dance No. 5 and the An- vil Chorus from 'Trovatore' in just that fashion. No trumpets or trorh- bones are included in the orchestra. Pat Foy, baritone, was not in par- ticularly good voice at show caught (Friday). He had mike trouble at the beginning, but surety and knowl- edge carried him over the rough spots. He sang "I Don't Want to Set the World Afire' and 'For You.' Danny Drayson. tap dancer, was one of the setup's mainstays. Trixie, girl juggler, repeated her familiar act, and was in top form, concluding by manipulating five large balls. Ann Perry, band's blues singer, does 'Jim' and 'Music Is Sweet.' giv- ing way to Rufe Davis. Latter has a top act, with his imitations, which run from airplanes to pigs. Sings 'Mama Don't Allow,' a standard hill- billy tune, with him and was called back for several encores. Morton Downey rang down the curtain with numerous tunes, with the tenor in his usually top voice. House about two-thirds filled at this catching. EMBASSY, N. Y. (NEWSREEL) Despite new (but ordinary) clips from the European war front, it re- mains for U. S. army games in the south, the World's Series in New York and launching of football sea- son to stand out. Paramount's grid coverage is foremost, while the handling of army games by Par also tops array. Shots of 131 parachutists in a mass leap, work of dive bomb- ers and tank maneuvers also are im- pressive among the difficult reelage. Novel closeups of the crowd at the Yankee iStadium furnish trim intro to the first game in the series. Pathe covered neatly, showing all scoring plays. Par handled the Michigan-Michigan State grid con- test, which had numerous spectacular plays as caught, including a 74-yard touchdown run that helped Michigan in. Clips from the war front are a peculiar assortment. Universal doing the best it could with the Russian material. Reel makes up for this with fine coverage of the Minnesota football win over Washington and Tulane's victory over Boston College. Other war material includes Par's shots of Russo-British' officers look- ing over new supplies for the Rus- siar-German front, British troops contacting Russian forces near Iran (Pathe), RAF rescue boats (Fox), tanks from Britain destined for Rus- sian front (News 'of Day) and U's pictures of American seamen being brought into Iceland after their boat was sunk. Launching of 14 merchant ships and naval boats were trimly covered by Fox, U and Par. Latter reel shows a new 'mystery' merchant ship, but It's still a mystery just how It looks or why It is 'better' than other boats. Weor. Paris Aimis. ^Continued from page Unit Reviews Sweater Girl Revue (STATE-LAKE, CHI) Chicajjo, Oct. 4. 'Swcotcr Girl Revue' unit with Kim Loo Sisters i3), Peter Lind Hayes. Dick Baldwin, Borbora Pep- per, Mary Hcaly, Cecilia Parker, June Preisser, Peggy Moran, Taylor le Stowc. Waller Davidson House Orch; 'Spooks Run Wild' iMono). gaudy and abbreviated costumes of yore outlawed. Cycling and roller skating In- creased in popularity. Some of the dancehalls have been trans- formed into skating rinks. The famed Palais de Glace on the Champs Elysee was reopened re- cently to the skate'rs. Enghien-les-Bains, with its large lake, wooded surroundings, casino, golf course, ajid racetrack, returned to favor. 'Mysteriously abandoned for many ye%rs despite its attrac- tions, it was again crowded. Boat- ing, swimming, hiking, cycling, skat- ing, golfing and tennis were the prin- cipal attractions. Horse racing continued right through the summer in Paris, with the Deauville Grand Prix held at the Longchamps track, with 15 starters and 250,000 francs in prize money. The annual Paris fair was opened re- cently as in past years. For the first time in many years the Opera and Gaite Lyrique re- mained, open although the Come- dle Francaise shuttered as usual. In all, about 10 legits shuttered and per- haps half dozen pic showcases. Mr. and Mrs. Harry Link (Feist) announced engagement of their daughter, Elaine Elizsfoetti Link, to Peter Gordon Brown, of Wyckoff, N. J. Another one of those units with a flock of minor Hollywood monikers, this time all women. But at least it's something for a theatre to bill and talk about. There are lots of names for the ads and generally it sums up to something that can he sold to the public as satisfactory vaudeville. Peter Lind Hayes., is-on.c. and works hard throughout the show, teaming with the others for numer- ous bits and then winds up on his own for impersonations. He teams particularly with Peggy Moran to do an excerpt from "Night Must Fall,' which turns out to be much too long- winded for vaude. He clowns with Dick Baldwin, who later comes up with a bit of fair enough pop singing, latter also dueling with Cecilia Parker on 'Cecilia.' Mary Healy (Mrs. Hayes) went over smasho on appearance and vocal ability. She walloped home sharply with two singing sessions and proved a real winner with this mob. Barbara Pepper is on late for some love-making clowning with Baldwin plus Taylor and Stowe. It's run-of-the-mill stuff, with plenty of gags taken right out of the book. But it gets by. June Preisser talks through parts of the show but finishes with her own tumbling and acrobatic bit. It went over well. In the wind-up all the girls are on with sweaters. Opening the imit are the Kim Loo Sisters, trio who scored sharply with an excellent modern and pop vocal set. Taylor and Stowe are nitery- looking comedians who have a string of ordinary comedy chatter and a certain aggressiveness. Between 'em they manage to make the grade for this audience, which Is notoriously easy to please. Biz great at the last show Friday (3). Gold. MEMORIES OF PARIS (BROADWAY, CHARLOTTE, N, C.) Charlotte, N. C, Oct. 3. Henri Therrien, LaVernes (4), >ldrionna, D^lninr, Loonatrix (2), Carl Ritchie. Line <a). Bond (5); 'Too MonjJ Blondes' lU). A fast-moving unit that sticks to its French pattern tliroughout is 'Memori'es of Paris!' Built around tenor Henri Therrien. 'Painter of Songs,' show gets away from the standard unit acts and Injects a real pre-war French flavor. Therrien's fine tenoring is abetted by his pleasing personnlity. He had the house with him from his first song. 'Questa O Quella' from Verdi's 'Rigoletto.' Although this was a trifle high hat for the soldier-dotted audience that had come to see fem< ininity on the hoof. Therrien scored solidly with 'Donkey Serenade' and his own version of 'Last Time I Saw Paris.' spiked up with an injection of the French national anthem. He encores with pon ditties and comes back in the final to score rousingly with his own composition, 'My U._, S. A.'. The La Vernes clicked solidly with a niftv Apache routine which devel- ops out of a French cabaret scene. Work of the quartet is plenty realis- tic, with feminine member taking plenty punishment from the three males. Delmar Is pleasing in a pole-bal- ancing turn in which he does all the balancing with his toes, usually while in a pretzel pose on the floor. His best bit is balancing six poles on the sole of his foot from a prone position and pushing up to a hand- stand. The Loonatrix are fairly amusing with their zany comic rou- tine, which includes burlesque aciro- bratics. .soft shoe tops and gags. Carl Ritchie Is laughable in a drunk monolo£, . Adrianna convinces in a bat dance,' backed by the line. Latter is fair with so-so routines In three standard appearances. Band"'b'ackt up show pleasingly from pit. ' Fair house, well sprinkled by sol- diers now pouring in from flrst wee^ of Carolina maneuvers, on show caught. Just. New Acts in Theatres HABRT RESO Pantomime \ 8 Mins. Strand, N. T, Recently in 'Hellzapoppin,' at the Winter Garden, N. Y., Harry Reso is obviously en old hand at vaudeville, but he doflsn't appear In Vabiety's New Act file; so, this review Is for the record. Reso Is a natural for any vaude house, niteries or a legit revue spot Wearing sloppy togs, horn-rimmed specs and slappy shoes, he opens with some goofy abdominal muscle gyrations and a sliding soft-shoe routine. Then offers his best stuff, a juggling pantomime, hil&riously underlined by rolling eyes and a lu- dicrous facial expression. After a bit more hoofing, he does some dizzy pantomime of balancing a long hair. Latter business is very realistic. Eight minutes of solid laughs. Hobe. BILLY RETE Juggling, Comedy 12 Mins. Strand, N. T. English-accented lad has a dry style of comedy delivery, juggles expertly and makes a nice appear- ance. It's a strong act for any vaud- film house and a bet for legit musi- cals, 'Would also click in niteries. Starts as If for 'straTgh'f~comedy monolog, adds a bit of juggling al- most as if an afterthought and ulti- mately combines them neatly. Sort of punctuates his gags with juggling tricks and then shows how such names as Boris Karloff, Garbo, Sally Rand and Kate Smith would juggle. Also tap dances while juggling and finally does a so-so Charles Boyer impersonation. Hobe. EVELYN BROOKS Songs 9 Mins. Hippodrome^ Balto, Sultry-voiced singer is a decided possibility for radio. Having a legit voice of low contralto timbre and utilizing fairish arrangements, she sells well enough in p.a. here as one of the acts on a straight vaude lay- out. With the right buildup and possible accompaniment of strings for torchy rendition of adroitly se lected numbers, gal could build. In stint here she does 'You Knaw,' 'Jim' and a shouting version of a spiritual, all nicely handled for good effect, The deep, rich tones of her voice give it a quality that places her apart from the average run of femme vocalists around. Burm. VALERIE THON Dancing 5 Mins. Strand, N. Y. Tall blonde looker does a nlae high-kick and aero routine, particu- larly for a gal her size. Something darker than the light yellow duds she wore when caught Friday night (8) might be more becoming to her hair and complexion. Gag of doing the brief danoe in long . skirts flrst, then doing the whispering business with bandleader and having him undo the di'ess tot her to step out in short garb la a good touch, but the whispering com- edy to-do with the maestro could be developed, Hobe. Miami Gambling —Continued from pagt Z jyjmjuJ from police and sherifTs gendarmei. Biggest of the new alliances Is the one headed by Louts Cohen, former Pittsburgh operator, who was in- dicted here with 70 other defendants on Feb. 27, 1941, on charges of using mails in a lottery racket. It is re- ported that Cohen has already ac- quired 17 bars in the Miami area. Most of these bars are reputed to have been bought under diiTerant fronts, but Cohen is associated ao- tlvely. with El Bolero, the Mayfair and the new Tobacco Road. Interesting sidelight is the an- nouncement thfft Glen Billlngsley has purchased an- interest In the Mayfair. He operated the Key West Stork Club last winter, selling out in May. Next in importance among the newcomers is Jeff Lanier, who bjaa been reported as being backed by a Kansas City combine. He has also been linked with the Dick-Evans- Melvin Nelson operations at the Is* land Club. This swanky layout hag been open off and on for the past month, and so far has received no official visits from the constabulary. M. L. Yarbrough, who at the mo- ment allegedly supervises extensive horse parlor interests here. Is ex- pected to conduct extensive gam- bling operations, and the 'home boya' syndicate, which has for some yeart more or less operated at will, again expects to exercise their option on the Royal Palm, the E^squlre and the Ball.