Variety (Jan 1942)

A6 HOUSE BEVIEWS Wedneadaf, January 21, I942 Sonja Henie Better Ban Ever In 5di Sock Ice Revue' at Mad. Sq. Garden By JACK PULASKI Whatever the Olympics stood for there is no doubt that the competi- tions produced the most scintillating athletic star, Sonja Henie. As she appeared at Madison Square Garden Monday (19), starting a 10-day date with her 'Hollywood Ice Revue," the blonde marvel looked as good as when winning successive champion- ships. As a matter of fact she is better, surrounded by the trimmings that go to make up spectacle. It is her" mtS" annual WpMiance with the skating show.' Perhaps it's incredible that a girl can make rink appearances for a few weeks each season and clean up a fortune, but she does it. Opening house was packed except for a few seals at the extreme side ends and a couple of production head. Miss Henie and Wirtz are the sponsors of 'It Happens on Ice." too, Harry Losee and Gene Snyder are the stagers. Billy Liv- ingston, of the Brooks costume com- pany, did the crack job of designmg. HIPP, BALtO Baltimore, Jan. 17. Cass Daley, Radio Aces (3),, Pnul Getrits, BiIl«.JJ?SlIs AJ Jayj: Douidsoii & Hugh Forme. Felice luln house orcli (13); 'A fledttme Story (Col). - This is a good vaude layout, nicely routined and well balanced. With house oreh moved on Stage and Paul boxes. At $4.40 top it means some- GerriU emceeing the f^'fKfJji front thins in show business to develop of the looters, show plays nicely and that kind of draw. at fast pace. Gernts, suave emcee^ Any show with Miss Henie in it- 'j^^ii.lf .S^f ea^"ily tt^^ would click. She is generous in her his uidividual spot easily later, appearances during the evening and Fast opening is provided by Buiy is still without a peer in performance, Tlie Henie show goes in for en- sembles rather than specialties, and this year's costuming seems more vivid and colorful than previous pro- ductions. There are new evolutions but the standout for Miss Henie is the tango, 'danced' again this season with Gene Turner, former Coast fancy skating champ. There were four encores, and it had to be Turner's luck to fall during the last one, a foxtrot. That means nothing to skating fans and excites a bigger volume of ap- plause. Turner is a graceful young performer. Earlier, to classic music, they duet to the Barcarolle. Ensem- ble then includes Can Can girls, the motif being 'Gay Parisienne.' First Miss Henie appears solo In a baby blue costume that looks like a swim suit. At the first part finale Miss Henie emulates a bird in motion, costume conception being further suggestive of the idea. Melody for the number Is 'Lovely Hula Hands,' and It is the most tuneful of the score. Splendid costuming is distinctly Hawaiian though when that interlude is an- nounced the locale mentioned is 'an Island in the blue Pacific' Stroblite effects are used, a phosphorous-nke substance. 'Song of Hawaii' further identifies that section of the show. Other songs are 'It Happened In Sun Valley,' 'Chattanooga Choo (Jhoo, "The Kiss Polka,' and>1 Know Why, from 'Siin Valley Serenade,' 20th Fox film, in which Miss Henie starred. For an ensemble number to be en- cored it unusual, but the trick is turned with 'Tonight We Dance. Girls are in red velvet gowns, the men In tails, an effective color com- bination. The easy swing and grace of the skaters drew a buzz from the ' hou$e, audience wanting more and getting it. It is rhythmic skating, ahnost waltz-like and the best en semble perfotmahce. There are at least five ensembles ■with no feature skating. Girls copped • big hand as Dresden dolls. They . mince around the arena in such a deceptive way that It does not seem like skating at all. An elaborate en- semble is 'Mexlcana,' another cos turning and lighting standout that preludes the tango. Show is not long on comedy. In the first part Goeffe Stevens has that assignment, introduced as a glamour boy of cafe society—a stew, in other words. He rather specializes in pratt falls and tumbles with a dummy, that part ofhis work seeming crude, yet they liked it. Just, before clos- ing there is a hobo number billed 'The Open Road,' skaters including some of the featured' males. Com- edy routine is akin to that ol the Four Bruises and one of that quartet,, which is in 'It Happens on Ice' at the Center, N. Y„ Is credited with it. Audience was ripe tor a change of pace and voted it very funny. Retained from last year Is Fritz Dietl, the clever stilt skater, who won an encore. New are the Brandt flsters, billed as precision skaters. Immy Caesar, Mary Ann Kramer and Charles Hadlett are Jump spe- cialists. There are flashier acts of ^e kind. Brandts also work with Peter Kilam who operates mostly on hi6 toes or rather the front tip of -Oie skates. Latter is of a quartet, others being Dorothy Caley, Jean Sturgeon and Tommy DePauw; which duo puUed a double fall just at the end of the routine. There is a patriotic opening with ttie ensemble dressed in silken redr -White and blue, a victory V getting the first big hand. Finale is 'Faii7- Tale Land,' with the whole company participating as nursery rhyrne char- acters. On one of two entrances men, Miss Henie comes on astride a sliatiiig St Bernard. Star has more costumes than ever before, appearing In three different rigs diu'ing one extended number. The show is again presented by a Chicago group of which Arthur M. wirtz is managing director and Wil- Uam H. Burke general manager and MUSIC HALL, N. Y. Wells and the 4 Fays, quintet of fast-stepping hoofers and tumblers who work singly and in mixed pairs to a strong finish highlighted by effective contortion bit by one of the femmes which drew hefty response. A parody on eating habits gets laughs for Gerrits and sets matters for the Radio Aces, talented vocal trio, who have been here before. Their three- way harmony scores from the start, revival meeting and Victor Herbert medley being highlights though lat- ter loses some of its punch from gagging which boys have brought into their turn since last seen. Their pleasant vocal blending shouldn't be discarded for speed alone. Did. .well, however, when caught and had to beg off. Gerrits' skating routine registered at this point, as also his juggling and figure skating while snappy comedy patter, plus formal attire, gives him distinction above conventional .roller skating turns. Cass Daley, who fol- lows, whacks out hectic, rather vigorous vocals, 'mugging her way into strong audience acceptance. Uses 'Yeah Man' for an opener, following with medley of parodies which earns a smart encore, 'Lament of A Laun- dry Girl,' Closing slot is filled by Ken David- son and Hugh Forgie, badminton champs, who bang out a novel spot with some f-ast birdie' whacking steamed up by an announcer calling the shots. It's good novelty for this layout. Biz okay. Burm. •Turn Back the Clock,' produced by Leon Leonidoff, tulth Robert La«- drum, Hubert Castle, Bob Dupont, Hlldo Ecfcler, Ntedolas Doles, Guv Smith, M. H. Glee Club, Corps de Ballet, Rocketles, M. H. Symph; 'Ball oj Fire' (HKO), reviewed in 'Variety,' Dec. 10. As though resting on the praises of its lavish Christmas and New Year's super-duper presentations. Music Hall does a Turn Back the Clock' this week and brings on a mildly en- tertaining revue. Old - fashioned theme gives opportunity for the Glee Club to drag out old faves, Rockettes to don can-can costumes and pro- ducer Leonidoff to bring in two standard vaiide turns, wireworker Hubert Castle and juggler Bob Du- pont. Nostalgia is made'pleasantly comic In the work of the Glee Club, by tricking the boys up in checkered suits and caps and having them adopt the old cliche poses. A neat laugh- getter finds one of the males in bal- let skirt and another in a lion suit, chasing each other while the war- blers do 'Mama, Don't Go Into the Lion's C^age Tonight' Ballet's contribution is a humorous gypsy dance, featuring Hilda Eckler, Nicholas Daks and Guy Smith. It's colorfully staged, but gets only mild audience reception. Rockettes are trimly costumed to let a bit more sexy than usual get across the foot- lights and to make that row of kick-^ ing- femmes eveh more spectacular than ordinarily. Castle's work, first on the slack wire and then on the tight is stand- ard for turns of this type. Highlight is his jump through a hoop. It didn't come off quite up to expectation when caught (opening day) and he didn't get a chance to repeat it. Dupont's juggling is the best there Is, with its combinatioQ of comedy and technique. Dupont wisely makes the technique just a means to get laughs, rather than taking himself seriously. Robert Landrum, a M.H. regular, ably warbles special lyrics provided by house lyricist Albert Stillman. Herb. returns In hula garb lor som« hip; weaving. Specialty, like several others, is so feebly Introduced It doesn't click properly. Comedienne Mabley le single bright spot on bill. Here numerous times before, she's definitely a more polished lunmaker now, keepmg the small house in an uproar with her typical talky ballads, patter and terp- Ing. She wisely took a loud heckler to task quickly, and dressed him down so deftly he remained silent the remainder of the show. Best songs were 'Ain't Got Time to Shake Your Hand" and 'Men Don't Care for Discretion.' AbduUa Troupe, only white act on bill, is a group of six femmes who do typical acrobats and pyramid stands. Registered solidly here. Anna Ba^ ter, garbed in a tux, contributes, a fast if commonplace tapstering bit -Alberta Perkins and Artabelle McGinty. two folksy comediennes, work'hard for laugh's in a flimsy skit. Vivian Harris helps intro the show and three ordinary blackouts. 'Great Day,' 'Blues in Night' and 'Sheik of Araby' . serve as vocal -vehicles for the Brown Sisters, per- sonable'rhythm warblers. Trio has merit and future possibilities. Choice of numbers here seems poor. Biz way off. wear. COLONIAL, DAYTON Dayton, O., Jan. 17. 'flouicry Follies,' toith Rigoletto Bros., Joe Termini, Aimee Sisters, Three Deans, Nash 4 Evans, BUiIce & Lambert, St. Claire Sisters & O'Day; 'Confirm or Denv' (20fh-Foi). EARLE, PHILLY Philadelphia," Jan. 17. Claude Thomhill Orch (17) loith Lillian Ldne, Dicfc Harding, Buddy Stetwirt, Martfui Wayne; Lime Trio, tarry Adler, 'Look Who's Laughine' (RKO). Larry Adler cops honors In this week's lineup at the Earle. Besides making his harmonica sound like a full-blown orchestra, he flashes plenty of stage presence andiquickly wins the audience. His tunes range from a Spanish flamenco number, through a Gershwin medley all the way to boogie-woogie, with each stop a solid click. He warms up with the swingy 'Choo Choo,' follows with the Iberian dance and cleaned up as he finished the Gershwin medley with 'Rhapsody , in Blue.' His encores in- cluded 'Star Dust' and 'Beat Me Daddy.' Thornhill and his crew, making their initial theatre appearance here, prove >an excellent' musical aggre- gation, though they need stage polishing. - For one thiqg 'Hiornhlll, who pilots acts as li the mike job is something he'd like to dispense with. He mumbles introductions, names of song titles in imlntelligible tohe and in a great rush,. At the keyboard Thomhill is. some- thing else again. Leader is .tops at the ivories, and the band's arrange- ments are excellent also. Best band number is 'Hungarian Dance No. 5,' with Thomhill at the piano. .Dick Harding, solemn-faced vocal- ist, looks a little scared as he sings 'White CliBs of Dover' and 'No Laughing Matter,' but he pleases, vocally. L'lllian Lane, an attractive brunet, has soothing set of pipes and scores with 'Dream's On Me' and 'Said No.' Other warblers are Buddy Stewart and Martha Wayne, attractive youngsters who clown their way through 'Rose O'Day' and join with the others in "Blues in the Night' Lime trio is okay In their turn wherein one of them, a rubber-boned Individual, gets knocked around emulating a sawdust stuffed me chanical doll. House jammed at show caught. Shal. FLATBUSH, B'KLYN Chlco Mora Orch (15) u>ith 4 Chtcolets, Bailey Sisters (2), Stggy Lane; Kitty Carlisle, Smith, Rogers & Eddy, Clyde Hager; Shorts and Newsreels. Lineup this week makes strong marquee dressing and, with minor exceptions, plays as well as it looks on paper. Chicp Marx band (Band Reviews) is main draw. With Marx unit are the Chicolets, vocal quartet; the singing Bailey Sisters and Siggy Lane, male vocalist all of whom are likewise reviewed separately with Marx. For the rest It's a solid vaude presentation, with Kitty Carlisle topping the outside acts. Miss Car- lisle went big with this audience. Svelte appearance and impressive delivery make her a class booking anywhere. Her dramatic interpre- tation of 'White Cliffs of Dover,' is exceptionally: effective, and she wiiids up appropriately with a med- ley of martial tunes dedicated to the U. S. fighting forces. Cylde Hager, with his longtime standard pitchman's routine, giving away 'pink passion' pills and potato peelers to an imaginary crowd, clicks nicely on comedy. Also hilarious are Smith, Rogers and Eddy, who clean up with their nifty aero hoofing. Biz good. Mori. APOLLO, N. Y. Intematlonar Stoeethearts of Rhythm (16), with Anna Mae Win- berg: Jackie Mabley, Brown Sisters (3), Abdulbi Troupe (6), Alberta Perkins & Artabelle McGinty, Anna Baxter, Vitiian 'Harris; . 'Flying Cadets' (U). Stage show here, per usual, nms 90 minutes, and too much of that time is left for the Sweethearts of Rhythm band. All-girl organization played here last September, when It showed potentialities. Based on this show- ing, it hasn't materialized. Entire bill is . slowed to-extent that even Jackie Mabley's expert clowning, near closing can't overcome it. It's an all-girl show, even to the other performers. Sweethearts crew carries a first- rate sax section of five plus three trumpets, three trombones, bass fid- dle, guitar, piano, drums and a gyrat- ing baton waver. Femme pounds her array of drums with authority, but spoils her work by copying so many male drummers and chewing gum. Different sections individually sound 'first-rate but never quite register except with a couple of low- down jive times. Aggregation also has difficulty at times in playing the show. Anna Mae Winberg, tall vocalist, impresses but doesn't get enough to do. Band has some first- rate singers, including a quartet (marred because p.a, system was on blink) and a singing drummer. One gal In sax department ducks out In the' middle of a band number and 'Bowery Follies,' with flock of good acts, maintains a fast clip. The two Rigoletto brothers,-after many years, return as suave as ever. Open- ing as magicians, their apparatus goes haywire, and they manage to put over a couple of teasers, like the interchanging bottle and glass of wine and disappearing radio, following some comedy juggling, they return for acrobatics arid hand- stands in the gay 90's fashion. Joe Termini had the audience in an uproar with his comedy fiddling, and banjo playing, -where he franti- cally tries to keep pace with the drummer. Going legLitimate on the electric gujtar^ and violin, he kept audience begging for more. Aimee sisteri, first of the special- ties, open with a clever military dance in which they maneuver on bended legs, giving appearance of midgets. Miniature guns add to the Illusion. Three Deans came through with a zingy potpourri of acrobatics, in- cluding tumbling, handstands and a three-run up a wall, ending with all turning flip-flops. Dick Nash and Janet Evans begin with a comedy dance act and then go into verbal chinning and some western roping, winding up with jumping in and out of a lasso in fast tempo. Blake and Lambert topnotch mixed singing team, offer straight vocals that go over fine. Repertoire includes such standard imps' aq. 'Sweet Mystery of Life,' Im Falling In liOve' and "Italian Street Song,' with "Row, Row, Row' for an en- core. Lambert also acts as emcee for the show. Completing the lineup Is a bicycle turn, St. Claire Sisters and O'Day, with conventional riding ol unl- cycles, plus ordinary and Ireak bi- cycles. It pleases. Line of ,12 has three routines, opening as'can-can and Floraddra girls, coming back later as Bowery lads and lassies in a typical East Side tap and closing with a Cakewalk in patriotic style. In another num- ber, 'Old - Fashioned Parade,'' girls appear in twos in . costumes of the nmetles while Miss Blake sings. Kany. ORIENTAL, CHI Chicago, Jan. 17. Ltbonati Trlo,.FredysoBs (7), Rol- lett & Dorothea, Chris Cross, Alice Dawn, Laurel & Hardy (3); 'Bombay Clipper" (U). STATEi N. Y. Vincent Lopez Orch., Bob Euani Sunny Price, Marter & De Lita, Karl ol« Stnger, Sonny Schuyler, 4 Le Ahn Sisters; 'Sfcytarfc' (Par). " Tha batonless maestro, Vincent Lopez, and his band have been the feature at the Talt hotel. For this stage date ^e has formed a unit show that is principally musical, providing a pleasant hour in the theatre. Ham' Gourfain, formerly of the Strand and Paramount, New York, arranged the routines and lighting, doing an effec'-. tive job. At the first show Saturday' every specialty tum fared welt Sunny Price, who. appeared in 'Du' Barry Was a Lady,' is one of th^ neatest of tap dancers.. Hers is pre- cision stepping and she handles her tootsies like a toe dancer. Pert ia- slyle Miss Price can step along in the- best company. Here she has the sup- port of excellent music from the Lopez orch. Sonny Schuyler who is with Lopez at the Taft does well with slow tempos in which he specialises. With This Love of Mine,' he had the four Le Ahn Sisters assisting softly at another microphone, but fared better with 'White Cliffs of Dover.' Later, with sorrel haired Karole Singer, whom Lopez refers to as his newest discovery, Schuyler duets 'You Made Me Love You,' with the bandsmen chiming in on some lines of the familiar tune. That comes after Karole Singer solos with 'WhistUn'.' An unusual equillbristic team is Martez and- Le Lita, the latter a blonde girl with a sure sense'of bal- ance. The routine is accompanied by south of the border melodies. Le Ahn Sisters nicely dressed in white satin, sit with the bandsmen and pro- vide atmosphere when not singing. Quartet opens with 'I've Got Rhythm' and follow with 'AH Out of Tune.' Unit's only comedy comes with ventriloquist Bob Evans and 'Jerry OTieary.' Evans is best when he has the Idd' singing, being particularly in form with 'Irish Eyes' and 'Write Myself a Letter,' also snatches of 'Indian Love Call.' Down late in the act Evans won the edge from out front evbn though some of the chatter could be brushed up. When Lopez takes to the piano he makes the ivories sing by nimble fin- gering that has been his forte year after year. His contributions, of course. Include 'Nola,' other- num- bers being 'Donkey Serenade' and 'Concerto for Two. Lopez drops a screen and projects the stills of band leaders who either started with his band or played with him before heading their own oufits. Those Ume-Ilghted are Tony Pastor, Xavier Cugat, Artie Shaw, Jimmy and' Tommy Dorsey, Glenn-Miller (named ^ his all-Amerlcan arranger) and Rudy - Vallee. About the latter Lopez says that on the first day with his band, VaUee asked for his autograph but 'since then Tve asked for his.' Bits of each leader's favorite numbers are played. ^ere is a patriotic finale, dedi- cated to the war's first air hero, Lieut Colin Kelly, Jr., the number played and sung being 'Keep 'em Flying.' Some of the specialists are inclined to run a bit overtime but the Lopez act Is satisfactory. ' Ibee. MICHIGAN, DETROIT Detroit, Jan. 18. Olenn Milter Orch (17) with Ray Eberle, Marion Button, the Modcm- oires, rex Beneke; Lorraine & Rog- nan. Phil Brestoff House Orch (18) i 'Sullivan's Travels' {Par). laurel and Hardy ore a smash at the Oriental. It looks like one of the big weeks since this house retumed to vaudeville. Comics played this town 'once before, at the Chicago, and also did well but nothing like here. Hokum skit about trying to get a driver's license had. house in an up- roar. It is material commonly asso- ciated with Laurel atld Hardy and effective at all times. Alice Dawn, something of a local name, scored sharply with vocals, nifty appearance and her treatment of pop tunes. Rdllett & Dorothea were on for a short turn, but good enough with their knockabout dance routines. Standard In the opening was the Libonati Trio,' over well with the xylophone work and boy and girl dancing. Fredysons turned in some excellent teeter-board acrobatics, with plenty of action and excitement throughout. - Chris Cross, one of the new crop of ventriloquists, is first rate. Biz big second show Saturday (7), Gold. Glenn Miller is going great guns with the school-skipper trade and shows that this house, which hither- to held that an orchestra needs bol- stering with a regular stage show line-up, wasn't wrong in letting this band go it practically alone. Lor- raine and Rognan, whose clowning kept them out for encores until they were almost out of material, are the only additions to the regular band setup and dovetail nicely. Miller must be taking it tot granted that It is his regular follow- ing out in front for he isn't bother- ing with any identification of bis tunes—which is a little hard on the strays. He mixes it up hot and sweet ■ from the beginning, with medley of 'In the Mood,' 'Sunrise Serenade' and 'Little Brown Jug. First one sells the audience pronto. With the kids practically getting out of hand it needed smooth-voiced Eberle to quiet them down with 'White Cliffs of Dover" before in- creasing tempo again with tne Modernaires in 'Elmer's Tune.' The five stay on with 'Everything i Love.' Miller lets his music speak for hinj. nicely blending the sweet and then letting out the polished brass, rcgisr terlng big with numbers such as 'Dear Mom' or 'One O'clock Jump- Marlon Hutton seems to have for- saken solo chores, singing, njosuy with the Modernaires in Nicke^ Serenade' and 'Chattanooga Cnw Choo.' Her personality impresses nonetheless. Also gaining recogni- tion was Tex Beneke, as sax and with impersonation of SUW Mason, _ , SRO biz at evening show Friday (16). Po"^-