Variety (Dec 1941)

Wednesdaj, December 10, 1941. ROUSE RETIEWS 47 STANLEY, PITT Pittsburgh, Dec. 6, Johnnv Long On* (14), a Stoaget, Phil Reoon, Berry Brot. (3), Helen Young, Bob Houston; 'Unholj/ Port- iiers' (M-G). FrBctlcally Homecominj Week at the yfB deiuxer, Johnny Long got his first big break In Pittsburgh at William Penn Hotel, going from here to New York. His band was at Stanley often enough to call It home and same goes lor 3 Stooges. Only Berry Brothers are outsiders, and iudging from the way crack colored loolers go over, they're already adopted. Lay-out adds up to an okay show all the way 'round. Long's band has developed a lot since leaving here two years ago. His music has achieved, a ludi, satiny quality; better arrangements have brought out the latent possibilities and whole outfit, Long included, behaves with the poise and assurance that success brings. At the William Penn's Chatterbox here, it was Just a good Journeyman college boy orch. Now It sounds and looks like the real thing. — Long Is a personable lad himself, plavs fiddle with left hand, and has in Helen Young and Bob Houston a couple of vocalists who are decidedly assets. Gal has looks and pipes; Houston Is ditto except that he can acquire a bit more grace. Coming on from the win^s his walk Is un- gainly. He gives 'em This liOve of Mine,' 'I Surrender, Dear' and 'Shepherd Serenade.! all very good. Long band is primarily a sweet out- fit and he gets some stunning tones out of those meg-covered reeds and the muted brass. Following , couple of band numbers and two :or • three songs by Miss Young, show sizzles Into a ball of Are with entrance of Berry Brothers, colored lads featured recently in the M-G p(ieture, 'Lady Be Good.' The.v're sensational with whirlwind splits, taps and boogie ballet and had to come back at least four times In middle of Long's subsequent band number before mob would let 'em get away. Begged oft on account of complete exhaustion. Long's corking arrangement of 'Shan^town' precedes Regan, who Is launching his annual p.a. here. Former Brooklyn cop Is In fine voice, as usual. Gets the customers on his side with a wide Irish smile and a few asides, and then shoots over •Let's Be Buddies.' 'Nlsht and Day,' •You and I' and 'Iton't Want to Set, etc.' Encorc! with an original tune written by his accompanist Jimmy - -Rnle.-Tvhich -sounds ■ -promising • -and winds up with the Inevitable 'Wild Irish Rose.' Next-to-closing are. the 3 Stooges, with their familiar and apparently still very marketable mayhem. Some of their stuff Is .still on the blue side, but that's the . Stooges and anything else from theni wouldn't be In char- acter. Went over big again, al- though not quite as big as usual, in- dicating that something new added to their standard material might not hurt. Biz big at getaway and strong week looked for In view of .■;erle3 of marquee draws. Cohen. MICHIGAN, DETROIT Detroit, Dec. 6. ETsWne Hauikins Orch (16), 4 Ink Spots,- Moke It Poke, Red & Ctirley, Ida James, Billv Mitchell, Avery Parrish, Phil Breitoff House Orch (12);. 'Loolcs Who's Laughing' (RKO). Coupling two colored outfits which have plenty of pull as solos, the Michigan Is following up its initia- tion of vaudeville here last week with a second show that Is ringing the bell. It's a tossup whether the Ersklne Hawkins' band, blowing them hot and sometimes sweet, or the Ink Spots, doing.it Jive or syrupy, moves ahead in favor, but It doesn't matter, for there's a nice merging ot talent in the entire colored show. What come out pleases both the gal- lery and downstairs, also the jitter crowd and the elders. In distribution of the type of music, HawMns' crew takes care pf most of the Jumpln' music, with the Ink Spots doing the sweet rhythms. Oddity on tiie Dili is tossing in two song-and-dance pairs like Red and Curley and Moke and Poke, not widely separated in appearance, but they got away from too much simi- larity with the former's druih.-.and^ taps turn while Moke and Poke, one turning to femme getup, burlesquing the Jitterbugs. Working smoother and without overdoing it. Moke and Poke was in front in audience apprecia- tion. , ' Although It's a recent recording of the Ink Spots, the band uses 'Some- one's Rocking My Dreamboat' for a smooth number early, with Billy Mitchell putting his baritone to the lyrics. Following Red and Curley beating it out by drum and afoot, Ida James, singing with some of that babyish quality of Bonnie Baker, does 'Beau Night in Hotchklss Cor- ners,' This Love of Mine,' 'Let's FaU 'n Love,' with slick accompaniment ^iawkins band takes 'St. Louis ^lues' pretty far from the beaten "(th, spotting it to show off its bandsmen. Final orchestra emphasis cbmes with Avery Parrish, the pian- ist, contrlbuUnjt • fascinating 'After Dark". Following Moke and Poke, Ink Spots take over the last portion of the bin, being even smoother than their last time here although using some of the same numbers. With the house In a fine mood, they went for four encores, their numbers run- ning through 'Java Jive,' *Do I Worry,' 'Keep Cool, Fool,' 'World on Fire' and 'Didn't Care.' They finally had to beg off by going into Tuxedo Junction,' a blend into the band which took them all off. Crowds were standing In the lobby at the early evening show Saturday (6) when caught . Pool. NATIONAL, L'VILLE LoKisuille, Dec. 4. •Gay DO'S*, u>ith Tommy Honlon, Nellie Clnrfc, Al De CIcTcq, Allan Sher, Petti, Lester, Dowling & Davis; Exotiqtiea, House Litie (15), Jimmv Alnscough's Orch; 'Desperofe Cargo' (PRC). This Is final show of the current run, house advertising that players will take a ■ -^st until Chrijitmas Day. House goes dark Dec. 10 and re- hearsals resume Dec. IB afte^ re- vamp of the house sound system and 'necessary improvements in seating, etc. Motif this week is 'Gay 90's,' with one set depicting an old time va- riety theatre. Idea is good, and acts on the bill likewise are costumed to fit the Gay NTndtles ideii. Show gets off to a rousing start with line on for a Can-Can, then going into the bid familiar 'Ta Ra Ra Boom De Ay", and 'You're Naughty.' Followed >y an old time cinema scene, .players enacting The Eternal Triangle,' as this scene would appear when run through a primitive projection ma- chine. Plenty funny,-'and the au- dience liked it Sock number was the 'Boomps-a- Daisyi^'wlth^^an Sher, comic, In- viting the^ atidlence on the stage to do the 'bumps' • with the chorus gals,,-'Got a tremendous hand at finish. Plenty of volunteers among the males,'but when the m.c. called on the femmes from, the' audience to come up and participate, response was light , , t Petti and Lester, mixed-combo, were on with a row of musical bottles. Man wore a handle-bar mustache and bartender's outfit while femme played the accordion. Off to a big hand with his playmg of 'Bells of St. Mary's,' followed by the more pretentious 'Second Hun- garian Rhapsody;'- - Dciwling and Davis, dancers, tit Into things ideally, with their Gay Nineties getup. Snappy stepping, reminiscent of an old time vaude turn, was good. When they returned for a second number, male with dead pan expression and loose- Jointed style, and girl wearing shell glasses, hollow-chested, haU-dead appearance, response was hefty. Resident company contributed sev- eral funnv scenes. 'Flora Dora Era,' 'Outside the Lawv' 'Olden Love Days,' 'Remember the Bowery, 'Sextette from Lucia,' ala Gay 90s, and finale 'Gay 90 Salute to 1941, were all in keeping with the theme. Players came through Jn capable • style, appropriately cos- tumed, femmes with bustles and Merry Widow hats, and boys m datecf suits -and mustaches. Sex- tette from Lucia was standout laugh- Better At first show Thursday night (4) house was about two-thirds full. Hold. Arrest Nitze sContlDued from page 3s thorities were afraid they would shortly have to release the more than a dozen features and newsreels in their possession. That's all over now, however, with the Espionage Act and other laws which war auto- matically puts into effect giving U. S. plenty of legal basis for con- fiscating alleged propaganda films. German PIx B.O. Dozen or so theatres throughout the country which regularly play German-language plx are also ex- pected to be forced to shutter or change policy. Biz with them, as with UFA, has been very bad re- cently because of lack of fresh prod- -uct Thex!y.e. been playing reissues up to 10 years old. Nitze, always mild-mannered and exceedingly cooperative with the American press. In his endeavor to prove he was Just an ordinary busi- nessman and not a propagandist or Fifth Columnist came to this coun- try to head UFA two years after it was organized In 1924. UFA is a New York corporation and Nitze al- ways maintained that its only tieup with the Reich was a contract by which it distributed films made by German UFA — Universum - Film Aktlengcsellschaft. American UFA also had pacts to distribute films of other German makers, Tobls, Ba- varia and Terra, in the U.S MAINSTREET, K. C. ' Kansas Citu, Dec. 6. JacMe Green, Loie Bridge, Red- dingtona (3), K. C. Barber Shop Quartet, Charley 4c Dottie, Mary Graham Minor Girls.(16). Beef Trust Girls (6), Eddie Schulz House Orch, Gene Moore; 'Strange Alibi' (WB) Though the Mainstreet has been in operation only five weeks, this hour Shakes it old home week with'a mix- ture of nostalgia, memories and standard vaude turns as ingredients of the stage lineup. Lole Bridge, one- time favorite of local stock and vaude, headlines the Will Harris' f)roduction of 'GrandmoUier's Fol- ios' with the Barber Shop four and six beef trust hefties recruited local- ly. All bets are off in tagging this one in the class of standard stage presentations, but combination of standard vaude turns by Jackie Green, the Reddingtons and Charley and Dottie with local turns and house regulars comes off as good audience entertainment. Green holds over from last week to retain the job of coordinating the sho'W as m.c. besides contributing his. album of singing impressions of stars of yesteryear. Show gets a ruijning start toward the gas-light mood with Green leading the audience^thg-song to accompaniment of Gene Moore at the organ. Entire company holds a street parade in the aisles before tak- ing to the stage and completing the opening flash -with a can-catf from the line. Dick McVey, Bert Phelps, Ben Tranklin, Russ Hogan as the K. C. reps "brtHe-S^S^'P.-B.'s:-tS'S."** (American Society for Preservation of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America), get going on old time har- mony bringing on Green for 'Old Grey Bonnet.' Singing is okay and little more stage presence is all these boys need. Beefy hefties doing •Strawberry Blonde^ waltz is strictly lightweight corn. Miss Bridge takes her solo bit of singing, monologue. Jigging and clowning over the old days before bantering with Green and fronting the line's Floradora number. In the realm of com Miss Bridge's rustic rube impression takes well with the Saying patrons. Reddingtons have a rief turn at Jogging the trampoline and exhibit a neat number as June Reddington does her quota of front and back flips. Green closes with imitations of Eddie Leonard, Eddie Foy, Gus Edwards, Walter Winchell, Eddie Cantor and Al Jolson. Terp team of Charley and Dottie Joined show Saturday. Com husking and general nostalgia will keep the b.o. in its adopted light vein.- - - . Quin.- KEITH'S, BOSTON Boston, Dec. 6. Cab Calloway Orch (16), Anise & Aland, Honl Cole, Caboliers (4), Six Cab Jivers, Paul, Slim & Eddie, 12 Dizzy Feet' (6); 'A Date With the Falcon'' (RKO). Cab Calloway brings In the biggest company (33) and prese'hts the best show In his series of perennial visits to the Hub. Formula is a repeat of some of the sock numbers that sold solid last year, plus some acts new to his unit Brand new addition here is Honi Cole registering'with sweet rippling taps. Anothet- applausible addition to the company are Caboliers, capable male vocal quartet who have been clicking on Calloway recordings lately. Ac- companying the band leader in ■Blues in the Night' one of the best numbers in the show, and 'See a Million People,' a fast-selling disc, the combo goes big. Paul, Slim and Eddie, comedy hoofers, take the next-to-close slot and wham out a session of hot stuff that stirs up dust and leaves every- body limp. Fast-working boys of high and low altitudes interpolate aero tricks Into their eccentric routine, and the sock line of 'the show comes after the speed kings have been mopping up the stage for about five minutes, when one of the lad yells: 'Let's go.' Somehow they put on more steam for a finish. Anise and Aland, attractive and talented young dance team, are back again, doing their stuff early in the show. Couple have an Interest- ing terp routine and hold attention from start to a smart Jitterbug finish. Also assisting in the dance depart- ment are the Twelve Dizzy Feet mixed sextet of steppers who back- ground for Cab's delivery of 'All Reef a rich mixture of solid, band, original vocaling by the leader and snake-hips embellishments. Cab Jivers (Cozy Coles. Tyre Glenn, Milton HInton, Danny Barker, Jonah Jones and Teddy McRae) step out for their specialty jam on Twelfth St ,t Rag' and stir an ex- cited welcome. Soon after this rouser, Cozy Coles has his day drum- ming out a terrific specialty on 'A-G's Jive. The closer is a conga for the entire company. Calloway sings more than usual in this show, and sells 'Chattanooga Choo Choo' with a new twist, 'Nain Nain,' and 'AH Reet.' Opens with 'Minnie the Moocher,' ensuing band numbers being 'Smith. One' and 'Piano Coricerto' for change of pace. Hefty trade on the second snow. Foi. New Acts CLAUDE ALPHAND Songs 12 Mlns. Le Petite PaUIs. N. T. For some reason Claude Alphand, who Is & femme despite the first name, has become a somewhat ex- citing must-see personality in intime New York nite life circles. That she's potent b.o. is best attested to by the jact she fast put on the map an ob- scure West 56th street bistro, which^ trades by day as Lc Tricolor ('res' taurant bar Francais' says the >111- ihg),. and which becomes I«^etlt Palais' for the supper club^ssions when a $3 minimum tap obtains. That her b.o. is reco^iiized is evi- denced by her forthcoming engage- ment at the Hol^ St. Regis' La Maisonette later this month. That she's still a pu-Ior singer is evident when catchfng her stuff. However, she has.^j»>tentials. Mra^Alphand is an arresting per- sonality, mviting. comparisons to Jiucienne Boyer, Mllli Monti, et al. She is younger; has a com- pelling front; can do a French chanson that surges up plenty of nostalgia for the fugitives from pre- Occupational Montmartre; but for American customers she must (1) unbend and not Jambon (that's French for ham), and (2) she must learn some English. It doesn't, have to be 52d street Jive, but an occasional Kem or Rom- berg excerpt to break up the straight French paroles, becomes es- sential for U. S. commerce. The 75- capacity Petite Palais, in the Inti- mate manner of a yesteryear She- herazade, Casanova or Petite Maison- ette des Comediens Russe, which were famed Paris boites, can get away with its $3 tap to the limited socialite draw tiiat will support this spot for a couple of more weeks; but the three partners of this joint must also look farther ahead. For one thing, the average Ameri- can customer doesn't like to be pushed around; that seems to be a west seth street custom at this bistro. For another, he'd like to savvy a little what's going on with the word- age. Of course, if the Intent is keep the American Francophile some- wheres nearer the Stork and 21 belt that's something else again, hut the management will fast run out of customers on that premise. As for the rest Julian Fuhs, refu gee Viennese maestro, now tickles the Ivories as interlude music; dlt^ Duel de Kerekjarto (alias Albert Kerry, on Decca records) with his violin sblosrSuIa Lester on the other piano, and Oscar Karlweis as general conferencler. Atmosphere Is, of course. Free French and pre-Vichy. Mme. Alp- hand's husband was once Reynaud's secretory and .quit the Vichy regime to Join DeGaulIe. In London wn here he now is. She was prominent in pre-war French political and social life, where her parlor entertainment asserted Itself. As a pro in Yankee- land she has the mailings. And, on the strength of background, favor- able auspices, prestige andl, it can't be denied, a certain telent she may become. a personality. But it must be better produced for U. S, consumption. Abel. RENEE DE MABCO Dances Fete's Monte Carlo, N. T. The prettier half of the De Marcos on her own as a soloist, and Renee de Marco comes into her own with her dance presentation at Fefe's Monte Carlo, topflight class bistro. Unlike her very sotto voce engage- ment at the Ambassador hotel (N. Y.) which somehow can't put itself on the map, no matter how it tries, here Miss De Marco really zings. At the Park avenue hostelry, where she and Emil Coleman's music held forth, she was a secret; at the Monte Carlo the supper club trade is giving her strong support—at $3.50 per minimum tab. Dancing only after midnight and again at 2 ajn.—if trade warrants it— the looker makes an effective en- trance from the miniature stage, backed by a vocal quartet to 'Inter- mezzo.' Holding the floor alone .with a sans-talk routine, such as solo terp- ing, save for the occasional vocal interludes as background accomp, is a pretty tough chore even for a fan- dancer, much less a polite stepper like the De Marco gaL But she more than makes the grade and impresses that her ex-partner and husband, Tony De Marco, and his new partner, Sally Craven, will have Important namesake competition In cafe and stage fields. Her four numbers run the gamut from waltz and rhythmic to rhiunba. The boys, besides Intermezzo,' chirp •Romantic Guy I' for her rhythm number, and for the finale conceit they act as collective vis-a-vls. but the dancing department is wholly that of Miss De Marco's. Ted Straeter, who goes with Fefe Ferry and Gene CavaUero's lease on the Monte Carlo, gives out with tip- top society dansapatlon. He's ideal tor this room, and handles , the con- (erenciering In great style. The ad- joining Monte Carlo Beach, opened as a summer room, Incidentelly, con- tinues with Phil D'Arcy and Marcia Neil's music. Straeter's relief combo I is headed by Bob Knight. ' Abel. KITTY CARLISLE Songs 14 Mlns. Hotel Plaza, N. In a field thafs hungry for boS names, Kitty..^arlisle is a cinch to make her mark with the big league 'saloon'singers, as they're colloquial- ly caUed. Despite the inelegant trade terror the cafe circuit is a soft touch fpr the right people, of the Richman, 'Lewis, Tucker, HiUegarde, De- Marcos and kindred calibre. Thus, when Kitty Carlisle brings a radio, stage and screen rep into the smart boites, she's got something, especially when backed up by a sock per- sonality and an undeniable vocal talent. Miss Carlisle has improved con- siderably since her cafe debut at the Club Versailles, N. Y., a couple of months back. Now she's a fuU- fledged headliner at the snazzy Hotel Plaza's Persian Room whera, with Jack Cole and his Dancers (2), she more than sustains her headline billing. In striking yet simple black velvet gown, offset, by an eye-filling dia- mond necklace which, even if it's a Cartier's road company, looks like something that's not this side of Kresge's, she makes a fetching front Her song repertoire Is surefire, yet not overly familiar. "You Can't Have Everything,' Then It's Not Love,' a bolero arrangement of a Mexican air (in Spanish), an Irving Caesar lyric (announced) to •Caprice Viennoia (bv Fritz Krelsler, not announced), 'Blow Gabriel' are among her ex- cerpts. They produce a nice changt of ^ace and are expertly sold. Jack Cole and his' Dancers (Florence Leasing and Marion Lawrence), incidentelly, are better than ever, and, per usual, Dick Gas- parre's expert dansapatlon lends sturdy support to the floor show specialists and for the customers on the hoof. Biz here is big, which la surprising in view of Jean Sablon's exceptionally strong draw Just pre- ceding Miss Carlisle's advent. Abel ENTA GONZALEZ Songs 10 Mlns. Copacabsna, N. T., Monte Proser, who adventured with Carmen Amaya, taking % strictly concert flamenco dancer from Brazil Into a saloon, and mak- ing her an exciting entry at hii last season's Beachcomber, figured logically and well with Enya Gon- zalez, whom he Just booked Into his Copacabana'. She's a-Filipino diva, a personable, sloe-eyed soprano.' Al- most in character from the start sha perforce finales with an aria from •Mme. Butterfly.' But in the main her topflight sopranoing Is in the pop Spanish-Mexican idiom, to con- form with the general Latin motU of the Copacabana. ■Estrelite,' another Mex song "El Relicaro' (in faster peso doble tempo) and the aria make for an effective sequencing although, In justice to the diva, she might be better spotted. The burden of closing the show is a little too tough. Miss Cionzalez is distinguished in opera circles as a warbler, having chirped with some big league troupes like the Chicago Civic opera, and brings Into cla s cafes a nice vocal quality. That she will repeat the signal success that attended Car- men Amaya as a saloon personality Is unlikely, but certainly class niterles—of the Rainbow Room type, for example — can advantageously showcase Miss Gonzalez. After all, the Philippines don't spawn such distinguished songstresses every sea- son, and on personality values alone, coupled with her vocal prowess, she Is something for any class joint to shout about. The exotic young soprano was sent to America under the auspices of President Manuel Quezon of the Philippines and sane at the Whita House for the President and Mrs, Roosevelt. \ P.S.—She's doing good biz for tha Copa, on the heels of a strong threa weeks with Gertrude. NIesen. Com- ing: Joe E. Le.wis. Abel. HAROLD BABNES light Wire Walker 5 Mlns. Boxy, N. T. . Harold Barnes, Fanchon & Marco discovery, is an excellent novelty act for an^ theatre. A nice-looking. youngster just turned 18, he's as ex- pert on the tight wire as a booker can hope for. . Does all the sUndard tricks. In- cluding somersaults, without excess milking or stalling. As he gains showmanship he'll make them look harder and thereby create more ap- plause, but it's still refreshing to see an act of this type run' through a routine In business like fashion. A definite click here. Scho, SAIB LEE Songs Murray Boom, N. T. Miss Lee is a Canadian ghrl .wlth some experience in radio, mostly dramatic. Vocalizing is not her forte, pipes for the present lacking reson- ance. Needs much additional polish to overcome Indicated immaturity. She's on and off intermittently la this room, at her best with 'Raining Memories,' new Ruth Lowe composi- tion. Jlfori.