Variety (June 1942)

Wednesdayt June 3, 1942 UBIETY REVIEWS 49 Night Club Reviews LEON & EDDIE'S, N. Y. Eddie Davis, Susan Miller with Al Siegel, Richard Lane, Sonia Shaw, Maurice 6 Betty Wielan, Edna May & Paul Winik; Tninlmum, $3.50 week- days, $4 Saturdays-Sundays.- Subtract from this show one of the best singing entertainers, Eddie Davis, who is virtually a show in himself, and one still has a lot of floor diversion left More in worth, if not volume, than is to be found in most niteries. In fact. Thfe place is drawing a heavy soldier trade. Un- derstood that L, & S.'s and Jack Dempsey's are getting the biggest Slay from uniformed men in the iroadway sector. The new show here includes five ac'is in addition to Davis himself, who's the rich, spicy dessert on top of the entertainment table d'hote served. They are Susan Miller (with Al Siegel, her coach, at the giano), Richard Lane, Maurice and etty Whelan, Sonia Shaw (New Acts) and the dance team of pdna May and Paul Winik (New Acte). Additionally the nitery has a line of eight girls. Miss Miller, recent discovery of Seigel's, maker of stars, has im- proved immensely since she played Loew's State a few weeks ago on her second theatre engagement; At that time she did not appear to ad- vantage, largely because she wasnt doing the right numbers. Moreover, she makes a more effective appear- ance and alreaijy has gained con- siderable stage presence and that something which makes a personality go a long ways. Miss Miller is doing five numbers that suit her exceedingly well. They are '3 Little Sisters,' 'Sleepy Lagoon,* 'Apple Tree,' Tangerine" and Tretty Baby.' The "Lagoon" ballad serves a nice relief for the rather torchy manner in which- Miss Miller does the other numbers. There is every indication now to believe that Siegel has another find. . Brother-and-slster team of Mau- rice and Betty Whelan is a whale of an act. They have three adagio routines that are extremely sockful. What set this youthful combination apart from the general run are the originality, fine timing and sensa- tlonalisBV of the routines. Lane,, who has played theatres, has an exceptionally fine ventriloquistic act with a dummy patterned some- what after the brash manner of Charlie McCarthy. Included in the routine is a song as done by the blockhead. Lane Impresses deeply with the high, screaming voice he - imparts to we former without any apparent movement of his own lips. Act draws plenty of laughs in ad- dition to scoring on the novelty an- gles. . - Davis* numbers include one around en air-raid warden for laughs, a parody on 'Heart of Texas,* a medley of patriotic numbers, There'll Al- ways Be An England,' which he re- cently broadcast to England by shortwave, and a southland number. His crisp gags interlard. Chor. PALUMBO'S, PHILLY Philadelphia, May 27. Harlem Hiflhlanders (4), Frank Schluth, Bob Karll, Sophisticates (3), Kaye tc Grey, Gloria French, Bobby Morro Orch (8), Henry Patrick; no cover or minimum. The 'Big Top' is the motif for the current bill at Frankie Palumbo's modernized bUtro in' South Phllly. And although some of it is strictly from com, neverthelesa, it goes over big with the large and. receptive middle-class audience which jams Palumbo's nightly for farewell par ties to draftees, celebrations for vic- torious bowling teams, bridge clubs, etc. Frankie Schluth, local comic, pilots the show. Schluth's stock-in- trade is a bewildering niimber of costumes and makeup which he changes In an unbelievably short time between the various acts. His gags and manner are pleasing and he euts the acts through their paces ke the veteran that he is. He knows Phllly audiences. Topping the bill are newcomers in this town, a quartet of sepia singers calling themselves the Hilrlem Highlanders. The lads come onstage dolled up in kilts and they play and sing Scotch tunes with a Lenox ave- nue rhythm. Bob Karll presents a highly enter- taining ven&lloquist act working with two dolls at the same time. The Three Sophisticates are husky gals who cut up a difiicult comic acro- batic dance act with plenty of kid- ding with the customers. The team is just starting to work together, oonslsting of Rose Mary Kenny, Margie winters and Penny Ray- mond. Kaye and Grey, longtime holdovers (30 weeks), continue with th61r act of comic songs and im- personations, while Gloria French pleases with her rendition of Victor Herbert ballads. The entire troupe takes part in the 'circus' finale, with Schluth acting as barker and the various members of the cast, including the Eight Yvon- ettes (house line) taking part. The kids portray freaks, acrobats, clowns, etc. The finale is followed by audi- ence participation stunts, a trade- mark of Palumbo's, in which defense stamps are given as prizes to win- ners of the hobby horse races, coca- cola drinking contest, through a nip- ple) balloon blowing, etc. Henry Patrick, an excellent bari- tone, strums a guitar and sings dur- ing the lulls, accompanied by a couple of members of Bobby Monro's band. House was jampacked when re- viewed, with a seating capacity of more than 600. Shal. VILLA MADRID, PITT Pittsburgh, May 27.' Etzi Covato Orch (5), JVfark Lane, Lucille & Eddie Roberts, Michael Strange, Nils Ic Nadine, Vanef tes (6); 50c. cower. For 20 years or more now Etzi Covato has been associated with clicko clubs locally. He was one of the owners of the old Flotilla Club (now the Yacht Club) when that boat was the prohibition ei;a's No; 1 pldce to go in Pittsburgh. After that he had a hand in the Plaza Cafe, a gold mine for a while; then the Italian Gardens, also a big money- maker until the room was torn down. Now it's the Villa Madrid, once a cafeteria and later a nitery called the Music Box which cost Joe HiUer a bundle of jack. And again Covato's connected with a winner. .May not have the swank of the first of his smashes, the Flotilla, or the early Plaza, but it's solid and currently rates with town's ranking cafes, Covato himself is .a former mu- sician who came up in the business the hard way. The band here still carries his name, but Mark Lane's fronting and Covato sticks to the managerial-host end, where his per- sonality and wide acquaintance among the burg's club-goers are bet- ter fitted. And pay oft more. Villa Madrid shows usually go in for at least one modest name (Rfl Dorsay, Pete Higgins and Dr. Giovanni have been some of the recent headliners), but current layout is nameless, al though okay. , . Headlining is a corking novelty (for a cafe) turn, team of Lucille and Eddie Roberts, who start out as con- ventional magicians and then switch to the mentallst stuff with first-rate results. Nils and Nadine are^ a .good- looking couple who specialize In ballroom adagio, with the emphasis on the adagio, and the strong-arm stunts, with the fast, continuous whirls, are showy and effective. Straight dancing is adequate, but its when they go in for the acrobaU(M that the couple gets over best. Michael Strange, local singer. Is turning his Villa Madrid engagement into a career. He's been held over time after time and not without rea son either—a good voice, a nice per- sonality and an altogether effective vocal interliide. Just a little ihore polish and Strange should go places, Club's line is called the vanettes, six good-looking girls, nicely cos- tumed but sticking to routines that don't call for much terp ability, which is perhaps just as well. G?ls are- striking enough, howeyer, to keep the eyes for the most part away from their feet. Covato's band is only five pieces, but it makes plenty of music, and practically all of it good, for dansapation and the show, which is presented three times nightly, with a fast tab version for the last one. Mark Lane also doubles as m.c, simply sticking to straight announcements. Cohen. CHEZ PAREE, CHI Chic4Cro, May 28. Harry Richman, Allen Carney, Es felle Sloane, Rufh Clayton, Coppeiw A Patricia, Chez Puree Adorables (12), Buddy FranlcUn Orch (12); $2.50 minimum. Harry Richman is back at the old stomping grounds and with him is a show that's fully entertaining dur- ing more than 75 minutes. _ Chez Paree Adorables (Ime) all lookers, smartly costumed, make three sock appearances. All the §reduction pieces are glamorously one, with the smart costuming en- hanced by the lighting. Allan Car- ney doubles as m.c. and handles it classily. . , ^, EsteUe Sloane is dynamite on the varied hoofing. Ruth Clayton, so- prano, making her first appearance locally commands a warm welcome. Carney goes over big on imper- sonations in his own solo spot. His bits of soap box oratory and night club driidcers in particular brought many laughs. Qappella and Patricia, smart-look- ing ballroom pair, are excellent. Spins and intricate aero work are their specialty. For a concluding number they do a Mexican dance that's a high spot. Richman's singing, as usual, is surefire. Starts with '(Soodbye Mama, I'm off to Yokah^a' and rounds it out with 'Old Gang of Mine.' It's typical Richman mater- ial. He gives his characteristic take- offs on Jolson, Brice, Cantor, Tucker —and Richman—and the songs theyi made famous. It is socko all the way for the veteran. Telling a few of his well known jokes and stories, Richman works into a piano bit that emphasizes his long-standing show- manship. Concluding his bit and the show, the latter sings 'Uncle Sam All for U. S. a;' with the Adorables doing military stepping in precision and forming a big V. Richman re- turns with entire company to lead audience in 'God Bless America.' Spot«is playing to a nice capacity with Buddy Franklin's music for show and dancing. It's a musical group that's been in and out of Chicago under various names. This, however, is by far the best musical aggregation Franklin has assembled. It's built on the sweet side, but they're capable of the jive and solid stuff, too. Loop. U. S. Shows Pep War Work sContlnued from page 1 Unit Review Hollywood Scanties (BBOADWAY, CHABLOTTE, N. C.) Charlotte, N. C, May 29. Tanglefoot, Howe Sisters (3), Bobo & Co.-5~(2), Bud & Ethel Winifrey with Oscar, Ned Haverly, Margo, Helen Rollins, Florefte, Ches Davis Girls (8), Carl Angelica's Band (4): 'Bullet Scars' (WB). •Hollywood Scanties' Is fast-mov- ing, old-time vaudeville peppered with burlesque. Ned Haverly, blackface, got top plaudits with min- strel turn. He opened singing '■Ragged But Right,' followed with a sand dance to get effects of train. This novelty was pleasingly executed with a flavor of minstrel Uiat socked home with old-timers. For an en- core he did a routine with a broom, sweeping up sand, singing and do- ing some neat monologing. Tanglefoot, comic, scored solidly with a pantomime comic turn. He's on twice, looking best in a feature bit, 'Just a Gigolo,' in which he's as- sisted by Billie Boyd from the line. Opens with a cafe scene in which girl tries to roll Tanglefoot and he turns - in some nifty comic pan- tomiming. Best bit comes when they do a song and dance, with Tan- glefoot standing behind Miss Boyd, but holding his hands in front of her to' create the Illusion that they are her hands. He goes through some nifty gestures that are good for heavy laughs. In his first turn he's quite funny in his impression of a man waiting for a bus and in an eccentric dance, 'Snake Hips.' Bobo and Co., magician, scored heavily with sleight-of-hand, han dllng .triclcs swlfQy and neatly and working in clever banter. A very pleasing turn. Bud and Ethel Wini frey with Oscar, a dog, open pleas ingly. Oscar, runs through nifty routine, rolling baby carriage, say- ing prayers, skipping rope, jumping through hoops, doing arithmetic problems, carrying out commands and riding tricycle. Howe sisters are okay in a - split routine. Although it is same stuff they did on last show here, the crowd didn't seem to mind. Jean Howe pleases with. some pretzel bending, walking up ladder on hands and finishing by sitting on\ her own head. Her sisters open with ac- cordion and violin, change to xylo- phone, and wind up with Hawaiian steel guitars in a fast and well ex- ecuted musical turn. Their rendition of 'Stars and Stripes' on the xylo- phone is spine-tickling. Girls have cute figures and nice personalities. Margo, from line, is an eye-filler in a semi-nude. Florette does a bumpstrlp that jars 'em to the back row and takes three bows. Helen Rollins, also from line, is okay In a tap specialty. Six of eight girls in line double in other capacities, which takes edge off their line work. Rou- tines are just fair. Girls show plenty of pep, but routines are mediocre and none too well re- hearsed. Carl Angelica handles band nicely and sings okay parade number. Full house when caught. Just. led the Air Force raid on Tokyo, and Lieut. John D. Bulkeley, of Bataan mosquito boat fame. Some of the British fliers who took part In the gigantic raids on Cxermany during the past few days will also be in- cluded, it is anticipated, They will be in the first of the shows to go out, 'United Nations Heroes Parade,' in which eight American soldiers and sailors cited for bravery in action and eight from aUied armies and navies will tour 21 cities giving first-hand accounts of their exploits. It isn't known yet who the 18 men. will be, but they are being flown to this country this week from United Nation's battle- fields in all parts of the world. • Trio of shows will have a sec- ondary purpose of selling bonds and stamps .and garnering coin for Army Emergency Relief; but their primary morale-building purpose far tran- scends mere fund-raising.' They'll provide both inspiration and first- hand information to. every stay-at- home, whether he be the man behind the man behind the gun or father, mother, sister or brother of U. S. fighting men. 'Heroes Parade' will be priesented at gigantic rallies, with the public invited to hear from the lips of bat- tle-tested men themselves how the United Nations are making out in this war. There will be no fund col- lection and no direct appeal to buy bonds, although it is anticipated that stadiums, ball parks and other such spots as the 'Heroes' will appear at, will be liberally plastered with 'Buy Bonds' banners. In between these gigantic rallies the men will visit war production factories and shipyards to shake hands with the workers who make the equipment they shoot, or fly, or sail. Workers will hear what that extra clip of ammunition, that can be made instead of taking an extra couple minutes for a smoke, can mean to a soldier in a foxhole. 'Army War Show* Second, of the Government spec, tacles, with 1,200 officers and enlisted men of the Army participating, will be the biggest of all. Tagged The Army War Show,' it will get 10c ad- mish at matinees and 50c evenings for the Army Emergency Relief Fund. It will go through 14 American cities, staging a 'battle' each evening and showing eithibits from every branch of the Army, from the flame-throW' ers of the Chemical Warfare Service to the 'walkie-talkie' radio sets used by the Signal Corps. The folks back home will be given a closeup of everything that Johnny Doughboy does from the moment he is inducted until he goes into com- bat. They'll see how he's trained, how his food is cooked, how he's clothed and the equipment he uses. Show opens in Baltimore June 12 and plays for four days. It goes to Philadelphia June 20-27, Pittsburgh July 3-6, and continues westward on an itinerary not completely made up yet. In the nightly 'battle' will be a' typical motorized Task Force of tanks, jeeps and .other mechan- ical equipment. Electrically-con- trolled bomb bursts will provide re- alism as the roar of 'enemy' planes is heard and searchlights and antl< on Studio Hamolas sContlnned from page 2: ducers, directors, writers, flacks and department chiefs, playing atmos- phere. There is also a cast of real actors, including Victor Moore, about whom the story revolves. Moore plays the role of a studio gateman who gets himself Into a predicament when he tells his son he is the production boss. To carry out the pretense, he is sitting In De Sylva's office chair when DeMille phones a ■ colossal production idea. Here is where Victor violates the most sacred tradition In Hollywood. Instead of yessing the Great Man, he answers: 'It stinks.' aircraft guns go Into action to bring them down. On display will be a Jap plane brought down at Pearl Harbor and a Messerschmitt ack-acked to death over London. Following the 'battle' there wiU be fireworks, one part of which will depict the recent raid on Tokyo. Pictures in pyrotechnics of President Roosevelt, General Mac- Arthur and other leaders will cli- max the show. As with the 'Heroes Parade,' every effort will'be made to attract workers in war factories. The Army wants them to see in action the ar- ticles of war they are making. Final show will be the 'Air C^aval- cade,' in which U. S. planes. Junkers, Messerschmitts, Airacobras and Zero fighters will stage sham battles-for the public at airports throughout the country. It will get imder way about mid-June at LaGuardia Field, N. Yk There will be no admission, but a heavy pitch put in for war bonds. Either Clark Gable or *Wallace Beery is expected to provide an added attraction with the 'Cavalcade.* Theatre and other show business - execs jn each city visited by the three Government units wiU be called on for assistance and advice in planning and promotion, The 'Heroes Parade' has been worked; out entirely by show business, with Spyros Skouras, prez of 20th Cen- tury-Fox, called to Washington 10 days ago when it became evident that the . whole thing had to be set up in a hurry and the film industry was the one group that could handle the job. With highly-trained or- ganizations in every key city. It was' hardly more than a matter of send- ing out telegrams of instruction to set the wheels in motion. Working imder Skouras on the tour are Hal Home, 20th-Fox pub- ad head, and Abe Lastfogel, topper of USO-Camp Shows, Inc., and the William Morris agency, as well as 'much of Home's staff. New Acts EDNA MAT and PAUL mNIK Dancing' 8 Mis*. Leon Se Eddie's, N: T. A dancing combination' that has flash, reflects ability and should be an asset not. only for niterlec, but also in picture and vaudeville houses. Paul Winik. slender youth, opens with a couple ballet tap routines, working fast, while Edna May joins him doing acrobatic and. high-kick for contrast. She is in the nature of a throwback to the kind of high- kicking which Evelyn Law, of Zieg- feld 'Follies' davs, and others feat- ured. Her back kicks ar« excep- tionally good. ' Char, SONIA SHAW Donelnr 5 Miiu. Leon 1; Eddie's, N. X. A Uthe dancer, who works singly here as well as In front of a line of girls, Sonia Shaw's terp technique suggests promise. Miss Shaw does a 4evU dance with the girls and another number, tag- ged a Javanese jitterbug, which is along cooch lines. Makes a nice ap- pearance. Cui'!' Cohan-'Yankee Doodle' ;Cootlnaed from pace Zs twice-daily basis, with continuous runs at advanced admissions and 50% straight from the first dollar, similarly to manner in which 'York' was sold. Some incidents In 'Dandy' are merely conceptions of the script wrlteis, as for instance the first meeting of Cohan and Harris in a cafe, when they get the backing for 'Little Johnny Jones' from a dialetlc showmaft. Tfa« writers probably had the late Martin Beck in mind. - As a matter Of fact, George M. and Sam H, met at a songwriters' picnic on Staten Island and they agreed to become partners on the ferryboat which carried them back to Manhattan.' It is true that there never was an actual contract between Cohan and Harris. Their agreement was sealed by a handclasp and they added or subtracted millions of dollars without a dispute. In the first five years of their partnership they bad a pact with Klaw & Erlanger. That didn't work out as well as expected, because K. & E. wera privileged to buy in up to 50% of Cohan & Ifarrls' ^ows; which were bits. Cohan & Harris had the same right In respect to Klaw & Erlanger shows; most of which were flops. Although ill at his country home, George M, Cohan keenly observed the advanced notices of 'Yankee Doodle Dandy,' in fact participated therein. At the request of the N. Y. Thnes, which has frequently re- quested contributions from the star, he wrote a script In dialog which appeared in that daily May 24. It is the supposed conversation between two old time vaudevilllans at the comer of 42nd street and Broadway, waiting for vaudeville to come back. One says it has happened and mentions the Clifford C. Fischer shows at the 46th Street and 44th Street, the other saying that one Is a Friars Frolic and the other a Lambs Gambol. The a.k.'s then talk about the new picture, one unable to grasp the fact that Jimmy Cagney plays' the part of Cohan, or understand why George M. isn't In it. Cohan's script kids Cohan, but gives Cagney credit for a great performance.