Variety (Apr 1942)

Wednesdaf, AprU 22, 1942 HOUSE REVIEWS 49 STATE, N. Y. 'Meet the People,'tdbUrid version of original revue; features ZaSu Pitts, Buddy Rogers, Sue Robin, Jimmv Alexander, Dorothy Roberts, Joey Faye, Jack Albertson, Buddy Pepper, Lorraine Krueger, Ted Arkln, Alice Tyrell, "Marion Colby, Howard Blaine; Ruby Zwerling's House Band; 'Gentleman in the DarW (UA) reoxeuied in 'Variety,' March 18,1942 There remains invariably a com' nion aSlnity between names' and boxofllce, but on this bill, at least, a notable third requisite is some- what lacking wherein at least one name is concerned. The word is talent 'Talent tor flim-making is some- thing ZaSu Pitts possesses in her own inimitable fashion. But in vaudeville there are no retakes, Miss Pitts, thus, as a vaudeville per. former without any particular good vaudeville material, is a negative factor in a bill that generally is notable, for plusses. She's the only minus. 'Buddy Rogers, who shares head- line honors with Miss Pitts In this revue of youngsters, some of whom -aro-.bnldn2rers...frpm._ J8>P original Hollywood and Broadway 'Meet the People,' is an indication of a Holly- wood personality who has delgqed 'Uie footUghts with some considera- tion for his audience, He has an inherent, though perhaps' modest, ability to entertain. Miss Pitts, of course, is trading on her name and, two fluttering hands. 'The name may draw 'em, but the wavering digits aren't enough to keep 'em suSiciently engrossed, along with some of the weak gag material styled along the lines that made her a .screen personality. Rogers, too, is trading on a name but only for b.o. lure. And while he's doing an act that has long since become standard With him, that of playing practically every Instrument on the bandstaiad. It's still enough to appease family-time audiences who like to think of their screen idols as people who are talented. The 'Meet the People' youngsters comprise the basic part of the imit, of course. Outstanding song number, as It was in the original production, re' mains 'Chi Chi Castenango,' with Marion Colby contributing the vocal In^ neat fashion. Miss Colby is one of the outstanders In the current tab, "also doing deadpan swing-sing- ing of a couple of numbers that are good for some of the show's better moments. Joey Faye, from burlesque and vaude, smartly paces the comedy in a couple of the sketches, notably in a stuttering routine Involving Miss Pitts, Jack Albertson, Howard Blaine and'Dorothy Roberts. Jimmy Alex- ander is the show's juvenile and turns a sprightly lyric, particularly In the 'Stars Remain' pop with Alice Tyrell, a thin-voiced soprano. Buddy Pepper and Lorraine Krueger are a cute couple in an early song and tap number, and later also in the 'Elmer's Wedding Day' scene, in which they're the bridal pair. As in the Broadway presentation, 'Wed- ding Day' is still the cllmaxer, and rightly so, with the 'whole cast join- ing in for an effective bow-off. Others who show up .neatly are Ted Arkin, impersonations, and Jack Albertson, who's In a duet tap* with Buddy Pepper, and also works in the sketches. Biz opening night (Thursday) at the last show was good; but the re- views the foUowing day on the fea- ture film didn't Indicate much b.o. help for the stage show. Ruby Zwerllng's house band plays the show In its usually capable man- ner. Naka. TOWER, K. C. Kansas City. April 18. Henry Busse Oreh w^th Lee Ed- wards, Fuzzy Combs, Carl Osborne; Thomas & Therese, Will & Gladys Ahedm; 'JuJce Bor Jennu* (U)T If 8 been two years since Busse and his crew last appeared at the Tower, and it's been too long both for the boxolKce and the .patrons. He's as triumphant on the trumpet as ever and master of a stage dhow neatly packaged in 55 minutes with a pair of tried and true standard acts thrown into the bargain. Opening on Saturday instead of Friday, as cus- tomaiy, Busse troupe plays only six flays, but will shoi* better gross than niany seven-day attractions. Fifteen-piece Instrumentation Is larger than most bands played here, and with trio of trombones and trio of trumpets Ifs stronger In brass usual. With some doubling in nddles and heavily-armed reed aec- ^OB, versatility of band is assured. Where some bands sen featured per- Son^tles and others concentrate on f. ."yie or novelties, such a setup as this inevitably polnta to plenteous and varied music as the tour de JgWe, and It proves the making of fne show. Busse has his own strong wjntogs mellowing his trumpet on his tradcmarked 'Hot Lips' as the opaier, and "When Day bDone' as a pud-show musical specialty. He's In lor otter choruses, but gives plenty or attention to featuring other In- rtnnnentallsts, nich as Russ Beaudine (a home town T)oy) on tnmipet and Carl Osborne, who adapts the Punch and Judy figure to fit his hand for novelty playmg of the horn. Vocals are a strong part of Busse repertory, •with Fuzzy Combs, sax, on the more lively pop songs such as 'Nothin,' and Lee Edwards as fea- tured vocalist on such dreamy bal- lads as 1 Think of You,' 'Everything' and Uear Mom.' if there is any criticism of the outfit it's the lagging tempo of Edward's crooning, but sUll It draws .customer approval. Per sonnel of the band works out favor ably as a glee club on varied types of songs such as-the corned version of 'Heart of Texas' and the sweet :rendItion of "When Day Is Done.' 'Hear a Rhajpsody,' in a challenge routine between muted trumptes and trombpnes. Is a.standout. Augmenting the Busse band is the balancing turn of Thomas and Therese and the rope twirling and chatter of Will and Gladys Aheam. The T. and T. duo are first rate as Thomas balances his femme partner sometimes on his hands, sometimes on his head, sometimes on his shoulders or feet It's precision work to the nth- degree, but good. The Aheam duo is a standard act of durable reputation and the two ^et ro05tj>ut QiJb.ej!L.assembIjge of ace rope twirling, terping by Sml' members, monolog by Will and gen eral stage presence. Universal's little musical film Is no marquee help. Quln. CHICAGO, CHI Chicago, April 18, Kay Kyser Orch (15) with Harry Babbitt, Trudy Eruin, Julie Conway, Dorotfiy Dunn, Ish Kabibble, Sully Mason; 'Design for Scandal' (Col.). The old professor Is back again and so the Chicago theatre is play- ing additional stage shows to accom- modate the larger crowds. From the time the curtains cart, until they close, it's Kyser—win, place and sho\v. Harry Babbitt tees off. with a sweet bit of vocaling on 'Miss You,' fol- lowed by Sully Mason's rendition of 'Zoot Suit' Boys have been around and know how to sell their stuff. Dorothy Dunn, Trudy Erwin, and Julie Conway, backed up by the band and Babbitt, turn In a nifty bit of harmonizing with 'Moonlight Cocktail.' Second part of .show Is turned over to Kyser's standard 'Kollege of Musical Knowledge.' Between the first and second round of 'Kollege,' Ish Kabibble holds the stage for his vocal' antics. 'Whole show is easy to listen to and nice to watch. Each man has an opportunity to show Ills stuff during the 65 minutes. Band is nice look- ing, with natty outfits and plenty of class. Business at Saturday (18) matinee was terrific. l,oop, PALOMAR, SEATTLE 'Bo&r -mui Seattle, AprU 15, Clay London, Lester Hording, Fetch 6 Deauville, Clayton & PhU- Hps, Leon Wavorro, Jerry Ross, Al VWs House Oreh (8); 'Heart of Rio Grande^ (Rep) ond ' 'Jail House Blues' (U). Wellrounded bill at the Palomar this . week, with Lestar Harding, young baritone, in his third week, and Leon Navacro, pianist, 'topping the show. Banjolst Clay Landon, reminiscent of Eddie Peabody, a great favorite here, opens 'with a fast medley of Stephen Foster tunes and further pleases with the sextet from Lucia and 'Little Sir Echo' played as two banjos might do It Cfalled back, he socked over "St. Louis. Blues'.for a fine response. Harding, who will be held for a fourth week, htts been a great crowd- pleaser here. After "Miss You' and a medley of 'Showboat' melodies featuring 'Old Man River,' which he rolled out in fine fashion, TTarHing was called back and did a medley of war tunes for a good hand. Peteh and Deauville, on third, do nice, fast .terping and put them over cllcko. Leon Navarro, lorindr o'rch leader, has an ingratiating atage manner, using a smart line of pat- ter which pleases almost as much as does his clever keypounding. He works In some nice gags and exam, pies of piano playing in a story of how he learned to play. A one- handed arrangement of 'Tonight We Love' pulled much applause, and his mixing of classics and swing, plus a catchy arrangement of "Tea for Two,' caused the crowd to call for more until he had to beg off. , Clajrton and nilllips, In the wind- up spot, have an unusual routine of balancing and posing, with the male part of the duo easing through feata of strength, such as holding his part- ner aloft as she stands on one of his hands, and balancing himself In a varied of positions while the girl walks an over him. Smooth weav- ing of the difficult stunts is a great crowdpleaser. Jerry Ross brings 'em on in pleas- ant manner. Fair house at first afternoon show. Reed. STANLEY, PITT Pittsbureh, April 17, • Claude Thomhill Orch (17), Billy Gilbert, Roe & Rudells, Lillian Lane, Martho Wayne, Dick Harding. Buddy Stewart; 'Bom to Sing" (M-b). Claude Thorohill's crack outfit can swing with the best of them and, at the same time, has achieved a style that's definitely original and com- mercial. It's a full-bodied crew, 17 men, and Thomhill is playing,, music thdt appeals to the head as well as the feet Stuff Is smartly arranged, which was to be expected from Thomhill, an ace in that line, but never .over-arranged, as is often the case ^with these extreme moderns. Altogether It's an orch that has what it takes to go places. With Thomhill himself at the key board continuously, lineup adm. tionally consists of six saxes, three trumpets, two trombones, two French horns, bass guitar and drums. Reed section particularly is outstanding, with the French horns figuring im- portantly and melodically as well in the crack arrangements. Band gets away immediately on the right foot tWOi'" fio'ihetHlft'g~'eJrtra'"*spewaI on '■Where Is My Little Dog Gone' and then switehes tempo to 'Autumn Nocturne,' follo-tved by the four vocalists, LUlian Lane, Martha Wayne, Dick Harding and Buddy Stewart on 'America, I .Love You,' an early high spot Rae and Rudells (onl^ two billed, but ttiere are three in the act, t«co men and a gal) pick it up there with some unbelievable tricks on the trampoline In what Is one of the finest turns of its kind. Lot of comedy packed into their 10 minutes, but that rope jumping while doing double and triple flip-flops Is the trio's piece de resistance. It ties the show into knots. Dick Hardy clicks vocaling 'Mandy Is Two,' which Mildred Bailey, incidentally, did just the week before, and lAiss You,' band then going to town again on an original la'beled 'Buster's Last Stand.' Best of Thomhill's singers. Miss Lane mops up with 'Don't Want to Walk Without You' and "Stardust' There's almost a Maxine SulUvanish quality about her voice, probably chiefly in the arrangements, which isn't surprising inasmuch as it was Thomhill who started the sepia lass on her way, too.' Lane gal Is joined by the other three for' "Somebody Else Is Taking My Place,' and Martha Wayne and Buddy Stewart follow with couple of cute novelty tunes, 'Count Me In' and 'It's a Mili- tary Secret' Miss Wayne geta by more on her striking face—she's a good-looking Bette Davis—rather than the pipes, though. Band's drummer, Irving Cotler, gives out In the next spot register- ing a solid hit, and 'Where Oh "When' and 'Yours Is My Heart Alone,' band numbers, permit Thomhill to demon- strate his keyboard magic. And it Is that Closing has BlUy Gilbert, assisted by his wife, in a little sketch that permits the film clown to go through his sneezing and word-gar- bling specialties with gusto and good humor. An audience-■wise down, the quarter hour, topped by his singing of 'Sheik of Arahy,' which he did In ■Tin Pan Alley^ (20th), is first- rate fuh; Sock show from start to finish, In fact Cohen. ORIENTAL, CHI / Chicago, April 17. Martha Raye. Condos Brothers (2), Arnolds (3), Ted Lester, Keaton & Amfield. Ray Lang House Orch (13); •Man Who Returned to Li/c" (Col). Basking in light of strong head- liner. Oriental this week has a good stage bill to back her up. Martha Raye is pulling them In and enter- tainihg 'them "supported by pleasing entertainment that moves along at a fast clip. House band has been moved up on stage, with Ray Lang, the leader, introducing a couple of the acta, one into the next Boys are okay on lool)[s and personality, and got good audience reaction. Act has plenty of class. Miss Raye Is spotted next, and gal really has tiiie localites In her palm. She makes no mention of Hollywood but goes right into her vaude turn and turns in a commendable per. formance. She has catching per sonality and her songs and mugging are okay. Opens singing 'Great Day, Manana' wiui interspersed mugging and wisecracks. Also does 'Mr. Paganini' and closes with '5 O'clock Whistle.' She does more than hold up her portion of the show. Lack of m.c. Is no burden, as Ray Lang brings them on with simple- introes.. Show runs 55 minutes and has been well planned. Pit band, working on stage in patriotic getting, backs' up show nicely. Biz good at today's (17) matinee. X.00P, EARLE, PHILLY Philadelphia, April 18. Connee Bosuiell, Cliff Nazdrro, Chester Dolphin, Johnnie ('Scatf) Davis Orch (13) with Gloria Van and Lynn Allen; 'Sullivan's Travels' (PaT,K.— ... . Connee Boswell. fans, of whom there are plenty In BlUy Penn's burg, certainly get their money's worth at the Earle this sesh. > The gal with the rich, golden voice seems anxious and wUling to sit there and sing all night And If the curtain hadn't come down when it did she'd still be there. That's bow the customers felt about it at show caught Sittlnf on a high stool, Miss Boss- weU wins her audience with her graciousness, Among the tunes she's peddling this week are 'Sweetheart or Strangers,' 'Heart of Texas,"White cutis of Dover,' 'Blues In Night,' and her latest bit, 'Nursie, Nursle,' in which she's aided by the men in the band. Also clicking with the mob Is sawed-off CIIB Nazarro with his plano-pounding, patter and double talk. Very funny Is now-familiar routine .In which he plays serious music on the Stelnway, interrupting himself at odd momenta with cracks like: 1 wonder what became of. Lan- don?' Johnnie Davis, who's lost a little boimce 'with his added avoirdupois, still neta plenty of kudoes with his peculiar 'type of vocalizing. Still good for laughs are his renditions of 'Sheik of Araby,' If I Could Be With You' and 'Russian Lullaby.' VocaUsta with the band are sultry-voiced Gloria Van and tenor Lynn Allen. . Chester Dolphin, with' his upside- down juggling and mystifying bal- ancing act, makes a return appear- ance here and Is plenty cllcko. He's assisted by a cute little number in an abbreviated costume who's not bllled-pbut should be. They were standing In the lobby when reviewed Saturday night Shot. KEITH'S BOSTON clever. acrobBUc. and. iumbling rou' tine. Trio works smoothly and nas _ click personality. Ted Lester, billed as 'one man swlnk band,' goes over. He works with a number of miniature musical Instmmento, pull' ing his pint-size horns from under neaih hu cape. His selections are well chosen, loo, he ending the turn with a violin selection played both right and left handed. Keaton and Amfield,' man and femme, 'with a standard deadpan opener, surprise with a fine stunt Keaton, working the mike, ad libs with the flour-faced gal. Finally he works into a song, and she comes to life. Bit by bit, Miss Amfield adds makeup and a hair-do. All this is done as she steps off a dance routine, (^maxing, she dons a snappy costume and she's glamor- ous. She and Keaton close with a straight dance number. Act geta across very well. Condos Brothers, deliver their own good idea of what hoofing is all about They have more than one clever routine, and they snap from Boston, April 11. Count' Basle Orch (16) with Jimmy Rushing and Earle Warren, Maxine Sullivan, Peg Leg Bates, Gordon & Rogers, Whitey's Maniacs (8); 'Butch Minds the Baby' W). One of the best all-colored shows ever offered here has plenty of stuff for the jive fans of Count Basle and good surrounding blU for the other trade. Only one weak spot a vocal of This Love of Mine' by-Earle Warren at the start. 'Basle Boogie' Is a loud, but solid, demonstration of what makes the band click, featuring the leader at the keys. '9:20 Spe- cial,' next-to-close, Is another special- ty that showa off the orch to good advantage. Maxine. Sullivan, top-billed with Basic, sings with this outfit for the first time; and when caught opening day . the new combo was not work- ing out so well. Band was playing too loudly for Miss Sullivan, but In the encore of 'St Louis,' they all got togetherwith' Jlhe..result that the Show jrfarts out.strong with "Three Arnolds, two guys and a gat doing ^laS^bad^ bi^ ia <.l«t,«,. .n-nhnTln tiimhlinff rou-1 "User naa. lo neg on, —Jinmiy RushiDg|--wl%'*~the-orcb, whams over blues vocals in the trey APOLLO, N. Y. Jay McShann Orch (14) with Albert Hibblcr, Walter Brown; Con- way & Parfes, Amaut Bros. (6), Willie Dee, Pigmeat, George Wilt- shire, Vivian HarrU; 'Wolf Man' WK Recently brought in .from Kansas City, home of Count Basle and other outstanding colored instmmentalists. Jay McShann's 14-plece Negro group h^ been' creating talk in this area. It just completed a stay at Harlem's Savov Ballroom, ^AJiop outfit com- posed of four sax, lour rhythm, three trumpeta and two trombones, it lives up to ita advance notices. 'While It Isn't too familiar yet with stage work and occasionally displajred raggedness hei'e, as a whole the group, has the goods. McShann plays a lot of piano and spends most of his time at the key- board' rather than directing. He kicks 'em off and flags 'em down, but In between times he's pounding the keys. With his help, a drummer .■with fine taste and good guitar and bass bat out strong rhythm base for the clean work of the sax and brasf sections. Band jumps, little too much this catching, even for the Apollb." Niimbers could be paced better, majority being fast and excit- ing. However, this band - should, come to mean something. Albert Hlbbler and Walter Brown are vocallsta. .Hlbbler; blind since birth, is situated on the bandstand at a mike to deliver "White Cliffs.* He's okay. Bro'wn is a good blues singer, if one likes that style. He found good reaction with this audi- ence, McShann's band has been com- pared lately to. Count Basle's. There's a resemblance In the rhythmic kick that It dishes out, but ita short reed and brass sections^ compared to Basle's fuller combo, make similarity stop there. His planoing, further cause for conipaU- son, is great -° Conway and Parks, dance-song duo, do nicely. .They fool around with "Zoot Suit,' some dance rouOnea and "Heart of Texeis' adding up i< neat sum for this house. Leg work by one on rhythm taps is neatly ex'- ecuted. Arnaut Bros, violin-comedy turn, recently worked, the N; Y. Strand and ifs hard to figure why they were booked here at a colored house. Their act is fine and got good reception-^ but nowhere near' the tesulta ob- tainable elsewhere. Start with Solo bowing by one, then four men and girl and 'various- combinations, play from trick positions. Finale la thev bird Hvhlstle pantomlihing, Willie Dee, magician, runs through series of clever slelgbt-of-hand tricks. Beginning with handkerchief bita, he slips Into pulling lighted vigareto out of the air, then card tricks. Winds up with a marionet. which repeata his cigaret-producing stiint and It knocked this aUdlence ' out He's a smooth manipulator and his trick of coming up with a lighted pipe at the bowoff, after all the tig- gies. Is a waUop. . Pigmeat, George 'Wiltshire .and Vivian Harris combine for . some funny gag sequences, as usu^. For- mer is. a particularly big fave at this house. Wood. ORPHEUM, MPLS. spot thai had'em yelping for more. Peg Leg Bates scores with his ace, famiUar monopede hoofing. Took a bit too much time for bis encore of medley steps, sans music, and slightly wore out the welcome when caught Whitey's Maniacs close the blU with a flurry of frantic jitter jump ing that defies description and grav' ity. They simply pick it up from where the Llndy Hoppers left off in their hey-day, and manage to have one of their eight i>erformers whiz- zing through the air or dusting off the boards In long-distance pratt slides every instant they're onstage. Gordon and Rogers, in the mid-spot keep moving In a zippy routine of singing, patter and hoofing. They sell their gags with 'a minstrel show- shouting technique, dazzle the cus- tomers with bright yellow and green outfita and finish off with diving spUta that bring on the duke din. Good biz opening show. Fox. , Minneapolis, AprU 18, Dick Jurgewf Oreh (14) with Harry Cool, Dorese Midgley, Hibbert, Byrd & LaRue, LaTie Bros, (2); 'Rings on Her Fingers' (20th). Here Is still another of this theS'* tre's good shows which, from a box- office standpoint. Is handicapp^ perhaps,, only by lack of marquee strength. However, Uie skilfully as- sembled layout leaves little to be desired for tans whose tastes nm to «$II-pIayed pop music, above-i>ar comedy aiid iocko, diversified -vaUdt^ vUle, Sweet swing, novelty stuff and vo- calizing, interlarded with much tom- foolery, are the Jurgens outfit's long suit Highly llstenable music is dis- pensed by the band's smooth-work- h'g flve~bras"ses,"foiu''saxes and quar- tet..QfLrHythins, Jurgens is a per- sonable emcee and leader"wKb wkH' Intermittent flings at hom-tootlntf^ singing and dancing, clowning u- most continuously with his boys. Band perhaps goes In a little too much for clowning, but these antlfis give the impression that It Isn't tak- ing itaelf too seriously, which Is an asset, and, withal, it turns out agree- ably swfeet melody. The gang, too, actually seems to be enjoying ita labors. 'Ragtime Cowboy Joe," the band's novelty number opener, has H^nr Cool, Minneapolis boy, exercising his pipes. It's a strong getaway with some effective comedy stuff. The gang follows this with an original version of 'Pagan Love Song.' First of the acta is Dorese Midg- ley's neat tap routines. She's a cum trick and youthful. Then Buddy Ma- reno, banjolst, steps out from the band to tie up proceedings with his singing aiid stepping. A medley of the band's own compositions com- prises "My Last Goodbye,' 'Do You (Continued on page 64)