Variety (Dec 1941)

Wednesday, Decemlier SI, 1941 Bl STILL THE TOP!! "Greetings, Eddie! Eddie Cantor, that is. Mr. Cantor has decided to return to the stage in 'Banjo-Eyes/ which opened at the Hollywood Ic^t evening. This is one of the best de- cisions he has decided for some time for Mr. Cantor is a very funny fel- . low, indeed, and 'Banjo-Eyes' is just the sort of Broadway show to stretch around him. Any changes there may be in his personality are also for the better. Mr. Cantor is up- roarious. 'Banjo-Eyes' believes in humor quite far down in the dia- phram. Cantor is an excellent man for d laugh, song a^d good time in general. It is good to ma^e Mr. Cantor's acquaintance again over the footlights. He is a highly indi- vidualized song-man and buffoon." .. . BROOKS ATKINSON, N.Y. Times. "Eddie Cantor has come back after all these years, h^s eyes a-pop- pin' and his bounce as bright as ever to /-preside over an opulent musical. There was all the affec- tionate and. warming applause that has a special sound when Broad- way puts its heart in its hands. As one of the great personalities that surrounded Ziegfeld, Mr. Cantor was a notional institution long before he went into the movies or on the crir. No one else could touch the happy impishness of the little man whose wild eyes roamed around their sockets like a pair of lost , marbles and became the trademark of an authentic comedian and a perennial favorite. To say that Mr. Cantor is as good as ever is to. scry that he is still the top. 'Banjo-Eyes' is a lovely and spectacular show. The fact that he has returned is all to the good." . . . JOHN ANDERSON, N.Y.Joumal-American. JOHN ANDJERSON N.Y. Joumal-American "Eddie Cantor remains a remark- able*^rformer. He still claps his hands with the o\d alacrity and stalks innuendoes with his accus-' tomed frankness. His body is lithe, agile and frenetic; his spirit is gay; and it is good to have him back." ... KOHN MASON BROWN, N.Y. World-Telegram. "It is Cantor's show, and very amusing he is from start to finish.' His drunk scene in the hotel bar is particularly hilarious. When he be- gins the familiar Cantor, routine, sprinting along close to the foot- lights, vibrating • with energy and good spirits,, the audience is re- minded of the old Ziegfeld days." .. WILELLA WALDORF, N.Y. POST. "Lavish musical. Christmas gift for Mr. Cantor's admirers, a select group numbering hundreds of thou- sands and including this reviewer. Mr. Cantor ought to be enough to satisfy anybody and, come to think of it, I guess he is." . . . RICHARD LOCKRIDGE, N.Y. Sun. " 'Banjo-Eyes' brings Eddie Can- tor back to grateful friends. In blackface Mr. Cantor revives the old songs. These are happy reminders for the Cantor crowd, -and Eddie is as lively doing them as he was a dozen years ago." ... BURNS MANTLE, N.Y. Doay News. "Eddie Cantor is back again in musical comedy where he belongs. 'Banjo-Eyes' brings back to us one of the distinguished performers of the musical comedy stage and serves to. remind us of something which 'his activities on screen and wireless may have tended *to ob- scure— that Eddie Cantor is in the great tradition." . . . RICHARD WATTS, JR., ' Herald Tribune. "The eyes still pop and the feet still work their way with remarkable speed and nimbleness. The crow.d loved it." . . . LOUIS KRONENBERGER, P.M. WARNER BROS. > HOLLYWOOD THEATRE New York City NOW "The first nighters cheered Eddie when he brought his amazingly vital, electric style to the fresh ma- terial and blistered their palms when he slapped on the well-known blackface makeup and trotted out his hits of the past. A gay, tuneful and opulent musical comedy. It's a handsome gift to Manhattan's playgoers and they should embrace ii gratefully. Cantor jfi terrific. The show girls and dancers ore lovely and accomplished, in the best 'Zieg- feld Follies' tradition. You won't find a more effective eye tonic the length of Manhattan's Mcdn Street. 'Banjo-Eyes' is d best bet for the Broadway entertainment sweep- stake. Weather clear, track fast and Cantor up. Could you ask for anything more?" ... ROBERT COLEMAN, Mirror. <