Variety (Nov 1941)

Wedneaday, Ptovember 5, 1941 HOUSE REVIEWS STRAND, BROOKLYN Blanche, Georee Rogers lean ^rJ. r '.i.. /-^i™- r«mi. (14) loUh Sisters (3), 'Jean Who,' with notable effectiveness and turn out a good job on 'Java Jive' and 'Hey, Doc,' encoring with 'World on Fire.' Boys close show with 'Star Spangled Banner.' Jon. Kris, cLrreV-STiowMV Whif- J^Fbrced lAinding'(For). Louise Glenn, June Ted Lewis Is projecting a unit of '.ntertalKmcnt here that's pretty SShthe same, ^''^P* for jevwal of £. acts, as the one he used r .t!Sw's State, N. Y. It's Si<toirbright in spots and dull n ^^ mBSthi^Vy steered by Lewis' TaXaf SI- oneK^rrecently Kw's State, N. Y. It's a_,fair Sanly handling, • >rhe leader seems to be kidding his «m more every time he's caught, fflng opening bit he tosses gags S himself frequenUy. and at one I ISnt munches his clarinet like it ! Wan ear of kernels. His band of I™ sax three trumpets, one .trom- "Sone Md four rhythm neaUy ade- ■^te for what it's called upon to do, Spcupies a good portion of the tee- JffSinutes on 'St. Louis Blues," vari- ■ ous men coming down to the mike for solos. 1 , Dorothy Rogers, singer, pops 'Let s Be Buadies' and 'My Mother Would Love You' (foiled by Lewis) in fair ! iolce and okay delivery. She's fol- lowea by Louise Glenn, ballerina, iriio earns nice response with rou- l ^es geared to Viennese waltz ac- J (ompaniment Much more effective, though the let starts out weakly with a Ixirlesqued ballroom routine, the George Rogers Dancers click solidly. Bverything goes with this trio; they tKS the girl member in all sorts of throws, spins, etc., some dangerous, ind generally knock themselves out. Us a good turn, but that opening Dttdit to be lost. Jean Blanche, high- Uck, graceful aero dancer Is okay. Hef blt is fairly short Lewis works his standard 'shadow' toutibe with the dusky Charles Whit- tle after first Injecting timely £tiodlc lines relevant to always i^etiag the job of leading an army tand. It abruptly segues into the duo with Whittier and, while there's DO liookup between the tiyo stints, the transi^on isn't jarring. Whittier thai gets off his 'Bojangles' tap Imi- titlOD. June Edwards presents one of the Bost amazing stunt turns. She first mkes a career out of shedding an mning gown on a platform, then ft^ws with a series of average, lODUejointed poses, etc. It Isn't un- tUihe shifts to a specially built plat- fmn that her talent really shows. Ihe does a couple of trlclis In lower- ing and raising her body that seem llfflost'Impossible. They have to be Mn since they practically defy de- iMptloa Ijnalfe is a Latln-tempoed flash .Kinging on practically the entire tut It lacks punch. Wood. ADAMS, NEWARK Newark, Nov. 1 IrsWna Hoicfcifb Orch (16) with m 'Jam«9, Avert/ Parrish, Jimmy WteheU; Moke and Poke, Red and Cwlv, The Ink Spots; 'Flylno Blind' (Par). Current aU-colored bill, first of AuiDs' new all-week vaude policy, turles a terrific kick and Is proving ' «» of the most solid b.o. tuggers to gsy this house since vaude's heyday. fOMness over the weekend was tl- giuc unaffected either by rain, Hulowe'en or tUted admission prices, Wh boxes and lodges scaled to 99c, linoBt unprecedented here. 1 ^?iPF share of the marquee lure U divided between Erskine Hawkins' wjheslra and the.Ink Spots, both of wnom garnered solid response. Add JO this setup three punchy all-colored lets. \_ Hawkins' crew Is made up of six fWg^four rhythm and five saxes, •jnyllsh outfit welded smoothly and {fared for pace, .delivery and hot, }ow-down rhythms. Orch's aborlg- tempos are titiUating and torrid, JWh every man In the band knowing MS .business and basking In a share M tte spotlight iS*'?.**'* off to a fast start with «dy Be Good,' and follows up with P.»«orded version of 'Kola,' f eatur- «« ttie electric guitar and with solo •j™ by the tenor sax and trombone Wers. Hawkins then brings on Ida Chi Dailies' Battle HIPP, BALTO > Baltimore, Oct. 31. Jav & Lou Seller, Bob Dupont, Ben Yost's New Yorkers (8), Bums Twins & Evelyn Price, Felice lula House Orch (12); 'Little Foies' (RKO). ContinDed from pag« 1 newsstands and the Second Class privilege. Trib has had the morning field to Itself for the past two years, since Hearst's Herald and ' Examiner merged' with the Evening Amer- ican. . Thirteen ' Chicago papers in all have gone out of business or been merged since 1661 to give the Trib its present free sailing, Grant discloses. 'I am going to end the un-Amer- ican monopoly now enjoyed by the Chicago Tribune—I am going to es- tablish an honest newspaper in Chi- cago.' Field declared in announcing his new paper. Grandslres Curiously enough. Grant points out it was Field's grandfather, Mar- shall Field I, who loaned McCor- mick's grandfather, Joseph Medill, the coin to buy a controlling inter- est' iii the Trib back in 1874. So the coming struggle^the date of the Field paper's first Issue hasn't been set-rbetween the autocrat of the Tribune Tower and the playboy turned philanthropist New Dealer and social thinker will have a^ unique historical background. . Times recognized, in an editorial printed with the start of its series last Wednesday (29), that it was breaking with old newspaper tradi- tion in going into inside stuff about other newspapers. It said: 'For a reason that puzzles us— must puzzle most newspaper read- ers—^newspapers rarely print the big local news of their own craft. In advertising columns we blow our own horns about circulation and ad- vertising achievements, promotional activities, news scoops, public serv- ices—all "box office' stuff. But the thing In which readers are most In, terested—'inside stuff" within the newspaper industry—has been al most taboo.' Backcronnds In a comparison of the two men personally. Grant pointa out that both were born in Chicago of old Chicago families, McCormick 61 years ago. Field 48 years ago. McCor- mick was educated at Yale, got law degree at Northwestern and was active in politics until he joined the Army in 1916. Field was reared and educated in England, at Eton and Cambridge. He was also in the war, having seen action at St. Mihiel and Meusse-Argonne, coming out a cap- tain. He has lived In New York and liong Island ever since and is now married for the third time. Trustees of the Field estate, ob jecting to exaggerations of its size, provided the Times with figures. They reveal that Field has with, drawn from the estate since 1920 about $IOO.OJK),000. When, in two yeprs, on his 50th birthday, Field comes into the entire principal, varl ously estimated at from $80,000,000 to $100,000,000, he will have the largest personal fortune in the United States Held down because of length of accompanying film (The Little Foxes'), stage doings this week fail to measure up. Quartet of acts on hand are fair enough but an out- standing turn is lacking. A fast- working emcee is needed to hold things together. Fast opening by the Burns Twins and Evelyn Price, two nice appear- ing lads' and attractive femme, in- clude some swift tappery embracing good toe stuff by gal. Iliey produce satisfactory results. Ben Yost's New Yorkers take hold of the deuce slot Mixed octet pos- sesses uniformly good voices, start- ing with a musical comedy medley after which a college conglomeration and a swingy arrangement of 'Be- guine' serve to earn a series of bows. Make way for Bob Dupont's nifty standard juggling sans conversation. Jay and Lou Seller have tough assignment closing. Lads try hard with gagging, hoofery and solid maneuvering of semi-circular skiis. Earn a return bid which is utilized for clowning with capes a la Spanish and in bringing back Yost's aggre- gation for "The Star Spangled Ban- ner.' EVenrbody tries hard, in toto, but stage divertlsement doesn't help much due possibly to near-complete absorption in the heavy film. Biz just fair. Burm. J—---", uciB uo 11 ana jun. uai ™fs her numbers with plenty of fflS! assurance, backed by swell W{«s. Got a strong sendoff. si^^ J'"^ 'St. Louis Blues,' with •jaay MItcheU, tenor saxophonist *? °^'^y scat vocal, following ^leh Avery Parrish piano solos his ?«mg of 'Alter Hours,' a sock num- V" Wat had the - audience begging ijfi'nofe. In the entra-act spot, Red liLi^jy' hangup terpers, do a i«Vi> 1°''^ °* tapphig out rhythm SSl^*° drum-tempo. Act Is plenty for terplng and novelty, boys gpg forced to beg off. Moke and i?H °ext with fast patter fi" hoofing ,, that evoked salvos, "iff re around too long, though. sLTrS? I"* Spots, atthred In their gaaoard white outflte, take over the S!™g spot In whammo fashion. 7S'.,!?S£!"<"'lzes their old speclal- Stm Without a Sweetheart' and with the exception of Henry Ford's Grant states. Field's Interest in Marshall Field & Co., the Chicago department store In which the vast fortune originated, is only 17%, officers.of the estate dis closed. Trustees sold the company to the officers then managing it some years ago. Otherwise, Field's hold ings are divided about equally be tween stocks and bonds and Chicago real estate. Tribune Co., on the other hand. Grant shows, in addition to the paper with Ita more than 1,000,000 daily circulation, owns: the 38-story Gothic tower, costing $8,500,000, which it is housed; the Ontario Paper Co., Ltd., controlling 4,000 square miles of wood pulp forest in Quebec and two huge Canadian paper mills the News Syndicate Co., publishers of the New York News, which has the greatest circulation and probably the largest annual income of any American newspaper; the 40-story skyscraper housing the News on New York's 42d street; the Chicago Trl bune-New York News Syndicate, one of the largest newspaper feature syn- dicates in the field; a Canadian sub Sid owning 17 cargo ships used to carry pulp wood to its mills and paper to New York and Chicago; and radio station WGN, housed in an- other monumental structure. In ad dition, the Canadian company owns three small cities which serve its timberlands and provide port facili- ties. Night Gub Reviews BEACHCOMBER, N. Y. Jerry Cooper, Chandra - Kaly Dancers (3), Jwinlta Juarez, Leaner Sola, Eight Beacharmers, Machito's and Barry Winton's bands; no mini- mum or cower. Shubert, New Haven New Haven, Oct. 30. McFarland Twins'Band (12) with Norton Sisters, Don Cornell, Jack Holmes; Little Toiigh Guys (2), Emmett Oldfield Co. (3), Grace Drysdale, White & Carroll, Wesson Bros. (2); Harrj; fierman House Orch; Newsreels and Shorts. This is bill No. 3 on the Shuberts' now-and-then four-day vaude policy. When caught on last show opening day (30) the gang seemed weary, and with customers trooping home- ward throughout the bill, show failed to click, although the entertainment was there.' McFarland band, with maestro twins fronting and alternating as m.c.s, turns in a pleasing account of Itself. Goes In for novelty, both in Instrumentals and vooals, latter in- cluding a choir (8) which aids solo numbers with glee club arrange- ments. Norton Sisters (3) are In for har- monizing, Betty Norton leading the gang in a variety ditty. Don Cor- nell's baritone registers okay . .in Bells of St Mary's,' 'Shepherd's Serenade,' and 'When Day Is Done.' Jack Holmes, newcomer, sings one song which pleased this audience plenty. In the vaude lineup, with acts scattered throughout the band num- bers, Tough Guys hold down fea- tured spot Pair display so-so gag- ging, one lad clicking vocally., Grace Drysdale opens with a novelty marionet dance turn and Wesson Bros, have something a Utile differ- ent in mimicry. Both acts went over, Emmett Oldfield and Ernie Ware click with comedy aero routine, while White and Carroll, mixed team, fail to Impress with chatter and terps. On the basis of reception here this pair should get a new gag writer or stick to the hoofing. Harry Berman's house orch is in for over- ture only, and Instead of a lull- length film filling in between shows, several shorts are used to plug the gap. The done-over Beachcomber, now giveit the extra billing of 'new,' and subcaptioned as 'not connected with any other establishment' (for tech- nical and legal reasons that stem from a pending Hollywood Beach- comber suit) has become a quick click on Broadway. Under Joe Moss' managerial direcuon, fronting for a syndicate,' It's a pop-scaled cabaret where table d'hote dinners start at $1,25 and relies on mass capacity for gross. It's getting it. New lineup includes two excerpts from the Rainbow Room, the Barry Winton band (8), with its siiave dansapation, and the Chandra-Kaly Dancers (3) with their East and West Indies style of terpsichore. This Is now a standard act that registers lo all types of cafes, and fits 4n al- most anywheres. New topliner is Jerry Cooper, a Bingcrosbyesque type of barytone whose ballads are as letehing as his personality. He runs the gamut ol the'surefires but sells them with dis- tinction although, by now, "You and I,' 'Jim' (with an announced posy to Dinah <5hore), "Don't Want Set World on Fire' and 'Daddy* are pretty familiar. He was featured with Ed Wynn's musical on groadway last season. Juanita Juarez Is a Cuban cutie with her torchy style of songalog, and Leonor Sola cuts a nice rug In the terp department. Beacharmers line looks well Individually and in ensemble; and the Machlto rbumba and Barry Winton straight dance bands round things out effectively for the hoof. Abel. 365 CLUB, S.F. Son Frajiclsco, Oct. 16. Ruth Craven, David & Jun« Hacker, Vfanda & Collins, Whirling Co-Eds, Pomerou line (6), Joe Mar- cellino's Orch (5); minimum $2. PANTHER ROOM} CHI (HOTEL SBEBMAN) Chicago, Nov. 1. Woody Herman Orch (18) with Caroline Grey, BilHe Rogers; John Tio, Wilbur Hall, Dorothy Byton Dancers (8). Two sock acts carry the load on the new lineup at the 365, upstairs room which continues to do a steady biz here. Stoppers are Ruth Craven, nifty piper, and the Hackers, guffaw- getting terpers, who debuted to ca- pacity house, with more waiting for tables. Sesh kicks off with five line girls tapping tambourines, with the sixth, Lee Dell, whirling in later for a Castanet specialty, paving way for the Whirling Co-Fls, femme skating duo from Chicago, on their first local date. Gals, okay lookers, do fast spins, one lighting a match held in her teeth when swung near the floor and later climbing through a string- less tennis-racquet -while in flight earning hearty returns. Wanda and Collins follow with ballroom routines built around 'Fare- well to Arms.' 'When My Baby Smiles' and 'Mademoiselle,' after which the line returns in a ballet mechanique. Oddly patterned black- white-red costumes make 'em look like totem-poles and effect is above average. Ruth Craven then takes over for her third return to this spot, having played 16 weeks previously. Recep- tion Indicated her popularity here Is greater than ever. Gal makes an, eye-pulling appearance which is' backed by an ear-easy voice. Tees off with a newle, 'Tenements Sym- phony,' an okay cavalcade; tiien swings Into 'World on Fire' and 'Mama Y Caro' for socko returns. Changes pace with a slick novelty, then encoring with 'How Did He Look' and 'Ozarks Calling.' Could have stayed longer, but show was already long, so stopped after six ditties. Polishing off are the Hackers, whose pantomimic satires on the d-aw-nce had 'em roaring here. Third appearance .of.the line termi- nates a busy 50 minutes. Wem. EMBASSY, PHILLY Woody Herman orchestra is right in the groove lor'this night spot marking a quick repeat for the top- flight ITve outfit Business outlook is bright for the lour-week engage- ment Herman's - band remains funda- mentally strong, with a real musical wallop and sock to its renditions, aided by uniformly excellent ar- rangements, all keyed to thfr ultr^ modern niusic tempo. ' Herman gets off a few neat licks on the clarinet while his vocalist Is Caroline Grey, who has plenty of eye appeal and good delivery. Femme cornetlst Billle Rogers really hit It out on an Instrument that Is normally too tough for a girl. On the floor show are the Byton girls once more, and they do well with a couple of standard type num- bers. John Tio, the talking parrot went over in good style here. Wilbur Hall hasn't altered his act at all, either. The long sEoes and the comedy playing of "Pop Goes the Weasel' on the fiddle remain the core of the turn. Gold. Biz only fair on opening, with rain a contributin g factor. Bone. EMBASSY, N. Y. (NEWSBEELS) Women In the news—that's some- thing which the headline writers ap- parentiy haven't been cognizant of until recently; But an international defense program has changed all that It's no longer just a charming bit of femininity that might have stepped out of Vogue or Harpers Bazaar. The newsreels have amplified the 'Front Line Women' of late and this week's protram is typical of the change in trends. Reagan (Tex) McCrary's special narrative on women's place In the headlines emphasizes the part they re playing all over the world in the de- fense program, but more specifically in the United States as the American Women's Voluntary Services. Mc- Crary's 'Front Line Women' shows In both pictorial and narrative form how American women are adapting themselves to all modes of hazardous jobs that normally would be the tasks of men in order that they might take the place of• the latter, should the U-S. become actively em broiled in the war. Also falling into line with the 'women In the news' setup is the study by midwest coeds- of aviation ABC's including the assembling of a plane (Fox). Rest of the layout deals with the usual clips, defense and football topping the supoorting 5rogram. NaUa 2 O'clock Club, Balto Baltimore, Oct 31. Al Schenck, Faith Bacon, Pearl Williams, Jerru & June Borton, Al Norton's Dancing Starlets (7), Milton Lyons Orch (.«); Minimum $1-$1.50 weekends. Faith Bacon has hypoed this spot back Into important money. Feeling the division of patronage brought about by opening of new spots, all of which have been going big for en- tertainment this pioneer cafe has been battling to get back into its former profitable groove. Miss Bacon supplies the necessary touch; smart handling of two distinct spota holds crowds until closing. -Al Schenck marshals the works. He is a veteran at this type of assign- ment beating out fast vocals, patter and heckling hecklers. Uses too much Yiddish stuff, however. Ver- sion of 'Brother Can You Spare a Dime' is good enough though dated. Pearl Williams is a hefty singer of smiitty songs, self accompanied at the piano. Lyrics show little subtlety or wit Has good voice, pleasing per- sonalty and delivery, and given clever material cotUd make the grade. Expert hoofery by Jerry and Jane Barton makes for a' highly pleasing turn with closing bit by male part- ner on tiny stairs a sock. Duo is nice looking and know their way around. Faith Bacon, who gives out with her version of a bird of paradise in the first frolic, strips down to the G in the later fan number. Line of seven rounds out the show with throe num- Phllodelphta, Oct. 30. Luba Mallna. Gloria King, Carlylt Sisters (2), George Clljford, Cliff Hall, Chtcho & Domui, Fernando Rhumba Orch (6), Eduardo; no cover or minimum, dinners $1.50 up. Star of the latest offering pre- sented by Sam Silvers and Herb Smiler Is brunet chanteuse Luba Mallna, who has appeared here In, past seasons and never misses.' Miss Mallna Is a looker with continental fiavor, just naughty enough without exceeding the bounds of good taste in mannerisms and lyrics: She mixes repertoire nicely with a couple of Spanish pumbers, a French ditty titled 'Je Chante,' 'Minnie from Trinidad,' 'Chi-Chi-Castenango' and 'Darling Daughter,' latter in English and Russky, Other canary on the bill is Gloria King, whose forte is the torchy ballads and swingy stuff. She's plenty competent The Carlyle Sisters, a couple of teen-age youngsters with plenty of zing in their terp work, go from modern to Latin rhythmics without missing a beat. They're still a little rough, but youthful verve whis over the customers. Chicho and Donna continue the tropical mood with a series of south- of-the-border dance routines. Chicho is a local dancing teacher. Donna (Wilson), a Latin-type looker with swivel-hips. The team could use a few fiashy routines to dress up their turn. Cliff Hall, planologlst, fills lulls with sophisticated ditties and boogie- woogie ivorylng. George Clifford, perennial m,c., handles show in great fashion. Music, both Yanqui and Latin, Is supplied by Fernando'* band, Eduardo (husband of stripper Waneeta Bates) filling in troubador- style with guitar. Room filled to overflowing at show caught Shal. DEE BOGEBS Dancer Bolton ifalcl, Harrlsborg, Pa. Here is an act that looks like it's been cut out for a class room. Miss Rogers, young, personable and a looker, shows good taste in selection /Of material. Opens with an in- terpretative top specialty to Gersh- win's 'Rhapsody in Blue.' Turn indi- cates training in ballet and modem technique. For tempo changes, ar- rangement fades into "Blue Danube* and 'St. Louis Blues.' Nicely costumed, Miss Rogers, in response to an encore request, zips off her skirt revealim; elegant gams, and gets into the groove with a rhythmic tap sequence set to a bers and Milton Lyons handles . . orchestral support a bit- on the loud I medley of musical comedy faves. side. Buriii. I Sh-il