Variety (Aug 1942)

Wedneaday, Angast S, 1942 ROUSE BETIEWS 57 STANLEY, PITT Piffsburoh, July 31. Sammy Kaye Orch (16). 3 Non- chalants, Sterner Sxsten (2), Noncy Sorman, Tommy Rtfan, Arthur Wriflht. Don Cornell. BiUv WMUams, 3 Koydtts; 'Kid Gloee Killer- (M-G). Just back irom HoUy wood, where he and his band made their screen debut in Sonja Heple's 'Iceland' (20th), Sammy Kaye's putting on a bang-up hour of music and enter- tainment here. His outfit remains one of the very few in the name Add to stay A-1 in spite of 1-A and, although flock of changes have been made, replacements are satisfactory in every case. Like good wine, the Kaye style Improves with age and it's now achieved a smooth, silken razor-edge that's as gentle on the ear as the rustle of nylon. Even the strong brass has a muted restraint about it. Kaye gives the customers plenty for their coin including a good- looking set with several backdrops, keeping the general production it- self right at the level of his music. It's a fast 60 minutes, with no time out for encores and everything run- ning on clipped, concise schedule. Band consists. of two pianos, two guitars, drums, bass, three, trom bones, two trumpets, five saxes and Kaye himself on the clarinet occa..; sionally.' Maestro has developed as a showman considerably in last couple of years and now sparks the incidental comedy like a veteran. Plenty of laughs cooked up when Kaye announces 'another of our romantic singers* and entire gang starts rushing to get down front. Used several times, but never over- done and always good for guffaws. Show gets away smartly with •Jingle, Jangle,' warbled by the three Kaydets, and 'Left My Heart at Stage Door Canteen,' with the vocal by Don Cornell. That leads into Sterner Sisters, couple of local gals who were last here several months ago at Nixon in touring 'Hellzapop- pin.' They're a pair of blondly at tractive sexappealers who dance with easy grace and natural charm^ . and who keep their smartly-polished routines out of the commonplace grooves. A clicko turn on anybody's bill and over big here. Nancy Nor- man, Kaye's first femme singer, fol- lows with Take Me' and 'Wonder When My Baby's Coming Home,* and she's a plumply pretty youngster with a refreshing style and quite a bit in the pipe-line. Band has a corking arrangement of 'My Gal Sal,' with clarinet sextet leading off, the trumpets picking it UD and the saxes finishing it oR: 'Sleepy Lagoon' is another high spot, with Art Wright singing, and Kaye's gypsy song medley also carries a musical wallop. Latter has ft hoofing interlude by the Sterners iif native costume and gives the inning just the right fillip. Tommy Ryan, Kaye's ace tenor, mops up with 'Johnny Doughboy' and 'Begin the ' Beguine,' backed by the choir. The "Modem Design' tune's an okay en- try, with the audience coming in on the rising barrups, and for their' .next-to-closing, band gives out with a strong patriotic number in tiet's Bring New Glory to Old Glory,' from 'Iceland.' and Kaye's only reference to his film-making.' Three Nonchalants clean up, as usual, with their comedy'acrobatics, and continue to be just about one of best turns of its type in the busi- ness. Of course, that meek, mild little fellow on top could'make even a . couple of muscle-bound day laborers look good. "So You Want To. Lead A Band?' stunt follows, and it's a sock novelty plenty of ^ band leaders probably wish they had thought of first Biz big. Cohen, personalities on a personal appear- ance- and prove they're real enter- tainers. Their comedy is noisy, juvenile stuff but it goes. For a climax Berger sings 'Frenesi' (voice Is fair) while Chester does a Carmen Miranda burlesque. The Keller Sisters put a lot of sock into fine arrangements of 'Don't Sit Under Apple Tree.' 'I Don't Want t) Walk Without You' and 'Jingle, Jan CHICAGO, CHI Chicago, July 31. Ozzie Nelson Orch (13) tolth Hornet Hilltard, Bemie Jones; Bob Dupont, Armando & Lita; 'Take a Letter, Darlinf;* (Par). gle.' The girls have a lot more show sense than most of the sweet young harmony teams that break away from the bands. Ted Leary is there with his line of 'personal' stories. Scotch jokes and new words to pop- ular songs. The Donatella Brothers and Carmen (really a family act, because papa- and mama are in it, too) give a. lively touch of bright musical novelty to the bill. The two boys play the accordion,'sister dances, papa solos on the shepherd's horn and mama goes to town with her tambourine. Paul, the active member of Paul and Pettit, does some spectacular hand-balancing. He comes down a ramp and across the stage with roller skates on his paws. Corb. EMBASSY, N. . (NEWSBEEL) Newsreel compilation is much along the usual pattern at this the- atre, amply documented with war- time backgrounds and highlighted by a couple of excellent specials, Tex McCrary and John W. Vandercook. The latter is guesting for H. V. Kal- tenborn. Fox has one of the most interest ing clips of the week in the manh\int called by the FBI for three enemy agents. FBI asks the nation to join the hunt for the Nazi saboteurs, flashing photographs on the screen, with Fox amplifying the item with a vivid stock shot of an American be- ing beaten up by Nazi Bundists at the memorable Madison Square Gar- den. N. Y., rally. Dorothy Thompson is shown being hustled out by the gendarmes. Of prime topical appeal also is the Par clip of the trial of the eight Nazi saboteurs in, Washington, with the Supreme (jourt weighing the pleas for a civil court trial. Par's treat- ment of ' the subject is, of course, strictly limited, due to official cen- sorship, with only a brief shot of the accused presented. Justice Mur- phy arriving at the court house and stacks of law books being carted in. War news' includes shots of the British forces fighting Rommel in Egypt (Par) and closeups of British bombers in close-range attacks on the Nazi columns; training of glider troops (Pathe); flexible gunnery (U); medicos in maneuvers (Par) under simulated front-line conditions; Brit- ish Women's Auxiliar]^ Army group in some slick precision drilling (Pathe). Outstanding is the Fox clip on the U. S. Army war show in Detroit Miscellaneous items include a baby derby (Fox); a mule derby (U); Sea- biscuit retired to bis Kentucky farm (Fox); Shut Out winning the Arling- ton Park classic (Pathe). ■Vandercook answers negatively the 'query as to whether the 'second front' will come too late and takes the view that Japan can be defeated by direct attack so that it will not be neces- sary to retake the Allied territory lost first Mori. CAPITOL, WASH. Washington, Aug. 1. MatOia Raye, Condos Bros. (2), Steve Evans, Lynn Allison, Rockets, Sam Jack Kaufman's House Orch. 'Jackass MaW (M-G). KEITH'S, INDPLS. Indianapolis, Aug. 1. Archie Bobbins, Stan Ross, Hally Chester, Harris Berger, Keller Sis ters, Paul K Pettit, Ted Leary, Dona tella Bros. & Carmen (S); 'Escape jTom Crime' (WB). New Acts Ozzie Nelson is still a fresh-look- ing, young and pleasing band leader with an engaging grin that isn't hard to take. He made ait easy conquest of his opening-show audience and they approved his songs, comedy tid- bits and original duets with Harriet Billiard (Mrs. Nelson). Nelson does not rely on his >rowess with any instrument to win lis audience. Nor does he put on any melodramatic high-pressure. However, he has a slow, easy-going charm that easily insinuates its way over the footlights. . Miss Hilliard's'entrance in a flame- colored gown is the high point of the show. Her graciousness" and willingneEs to encore are winning factors. Although she does a couple of pop numbers very well, it is the Nelsons' dueled arrangement of the novelty, 'Come on. Get Up!' that holds the greatest appeal. This is amusing and has plenty of sock, ^heir rendition of 'How About You,' as a ,boy and girl who are trying to impress each oUier would do it is also good entertainment. Standard comedy dancers are Armando and Lita-, who start doing a straight ballroom stint which soon becomes a brawl, with the male of the team losing his trousers and the femme taking numerous prattfaUs. Pair is expert in its work but one sees too many of these comedy dance teams who utilize the same tricks. Bemie Jones, a member of the band, is a good comedian who does popular sonjs in Swedish dialect Bob Dupont's comedy juggling Is still done with precision and skill. The audience liked him. His best turn, of course, is juggling a couole of plates and an apple, taking bites out of the fruit on the way around until it is completely consumed. Loop. TACHT CLUB BOTS (4) Comedy Singing 15 MIns. Park Central Hotel, N. Y. Playing their first night club date in some five years. Yacht Club Boys, boasting two newcomers, continue in about the same tempp that made the foursome standout among com- edy quartets for nearly 10 years. Still follow the style of almost spiel- ing a song, with a fresh gag line on every verse. Chirrent array of tunes are nicely picked for a night club audience, with double-entendre or straight blue lines deftly handled by the four boys. Present combo includes Charlie Adler and (Jeorge Kelly, from the original outfit of 1932, with Rodney McLehnon and Billy Dwyer the new additions. Two newcomers fit m nicely, working together at one mike while the vets use another. McLen- non and Dwyer are in the groove m following the Irapid-flre wordage. Opener is 'We Like New York, being one of their whimsys in which they take an imaginary trip. 'Woo- Woo' is almost exclusively in the blue category, and a cleanup for laughs. 'Spain, Spain' is in much the same idiom. 'Saroyan,' used as an encore, is a kidding travesty on super-super.film productions, with the legit producer who went Hollywood as the butt. 'Doctor Schledder' is enttfely gag- ging, with * chart depicting femme beauty used for a satirical lecture by the bogus medico. Looks "^e this is -a new creation and it went over nicely. Wear. MUSIC HALL, A. C. (STEEL PIER) Atlantic City. Aug. 2. Paul Remos Co. (2), Nick Lucas, Bradforis (2), Hollywood Coeds (2), Dicfc Dana, Charles Kemper, Eddie Kaplan; George Haggerty, Ben Yost Singers (9), Music Hall Orch (11); 'Dr. BroaduNiv' (Par). 'Calling AU Stars' is the tiUe of the current show at Keith's, but there's no getting ■ away from the fact that it's straight vaudeville, one of the best bills of the season. Ted Leary slickly m.cs but there's no line of girls or other ornaments to gild the lily. Just acts, and the customers are happy. Archie Bobbins rates headline honors with his sock one-man variety show—gags, and parodies, impres- sions and what have you. He's bursting with personality, and radi- ates ^ood Auraor. He brings on a stooge, Stan Ross, made up to look like a refugee from the morgue, who joins him in series of clever imper- sonations, Ross going through the motions in the spotli^t while Rob- bins does the voice parts through a blacked-out mike. Lionel Barry- more, Ned Sparks and George ArUss are their- victims. Most of it is comedy, but it ends on a patriotic note as they do Abraham Lincoln giving a massage for today. Surprise of the show is the turn of Hally Chester and Harris Berger, two of Hollywood's little Tough Guys,' who forget they're minor fllm It's all Martha Raye in this 52 min utes of fast revue. Wide-mouthed comic bellows and mugs, sings and cracks wise, kicks off her slipper and tears her hat, in a routine that taps a reservoir of .energy for the re- ported 5,000 frogskins she collects for this F street personaL Opens with "Great ^ Day C:oming, Manana,' ihterspersing the lyrics with her own observations in a stag- gered arrangem^t that flts her peculiar style. Followed by Mr, Paganini' and '5 O'clock WhisUe,' punctuated with jokes about her re- cent tour of the army camps. Her symmetrical gams are freely dis- played in a couple of deft hand- springs. Condos Bros, only had eight min- utes; but began where most tapsters leave off. As precision steppers they're great and the audience, hun- gry for terpsichore by masters, poured it out for the team. Steve Evans starts off in low gear, but then works into his hunky souse, and winds up with other giggle and laugh imitations. Lynn Allisons coloratura has all its defects ac- cented by the microi*one. She is best in topical stuff. "The Rockets are introduced by an invisible Sam Jack Kaufman, recit- ing 'One Dozen Roses,' special lyrics devised by production manager Gene Ford. Stage is effectively frimmed with green and sUver fan for red-coated orchestra on band "^Capacity-business for last show Friday (30). Arke. Paul Remos with his midgets and Nick Lucas and his guitar head a good bill at Music Hall this week. 'While show has fewer acts than usual. Modem Minstrel parts have been built up with numerous comedy skits and so show nms 90 minutes: Midgets talk, dance and perform ai.' obatics to receive enthusiastic ap- plause, climaxed when one litUe fellow plays xylophone perched atop lo-i; pole balanced on shoulder of Remos. At same time other midget is balanced aloft by one'foot on side of pole. Lucas, accomoanied by guitar, sings 'One Dozen Roses' followed by 'Johnny Doughboy' and 'Painting Clouds.' Encores with "Tiptoeing Through Tulips,' which Is good for n.uch applause and is followed by 'Side By Side,' brought up to date with appropriate war theme. Re- ceived big hand at show caught Sunday (2). The Bradfords please in nice ball* room turn, going into a combination ballroom and tapping performance which was well received. Hollywood Coeds (2) in white chiffon and sequins, execute some fast spins while tapping out rhythms and snow neat teamwork in acrodancing. Ben Yost Singers give their usually good performance, with special notice for their vocals of 'Summertime,' 'It Ain't Necessarily So' and other selections from "Porgy and Bess.' Dick Dana emcees show and serves as straight for numerous comedy skits of the Modem Minstrels, which feature Eddie Kaplan, Charlie Kemper and (jeorge Haggerty. Music Hall filled at show caught Sunday. Carter. BOBBY TABLES Daneinr 5 Mitis. „ . Lcom A Eddie's, New York This Negro hoofer builds a stana- ard tap routine into a good dan<png novelty by biting into the ba.ck of a chair and lifting it over h^s h^d while hoofing, and by sin{°n8. "Jf teeth into the edge of a solid table and lifting it off the floor mto a spS Fto a finish he stacks three cLirs atop the table, and carries them off with his mouth. His tapping isn't bad, although sub- ordinate to the trick molar work and he does some eood sbdmg and jumping splits, mcluding a vaiUt ovM toe table into a split Over solid here. , , He's been working vaude theatr^ in this area billed as 'Snakehips (Davis). CASTAINE'* BABKT Ballraom Danclnc 5 Wiia. La ll»rttal«»e, N. T. Casteine and Barry are an expert dance team, but, even more to their credit are their youth and cradcer- jack appearance. He's the taU-aad- handsome type; she a smart-looking, pretty blonde and just as graceful. They run through the regulation waltz and foxtrot, vrindfaig up with a ballroom rhumba that's a strong applause-getter. They got over handily here when caught .and no reason why they cai- ; repeat most anywhere mey play. Scrto. THE GOLDEN PAIR Acrv-btUuKinx of the girl on the stock tums and whirls seems o'verly simple. On a - larger floor with a larger mat their work may look better. MEBCEDITA Sinclag 9 BUns. Ls Marttnlqne, N. Y. This girl Is a brunet beaut, a wide- eyed, dark-eyed Espagnol from Cuba. She's a liquid singer, passable but not outstanding, but her physical appearance puts her in the standout class as a sex-appeal asset for any spot especially one in' the Latin- American idiom. Right now she's just for cafes, or perhaps a strictly singing spot in a stage show. A new arrival in the U. S., she supposedly can't dish the English lingo, so all that's left on her menu is the singing, al' Latin tunes, end that aura of exotica that must not be overlooked in evaluating her b.o. appeal. When caught here she sang four songs, three of 'em ballads, and the fourth more -in the Latin rhythm tempo. She gets them over mcely, if a little woodenlv; but that parade interlude during the songs (obviously- to give the audience a gander at her beauty from all angles) is too much of a Narcissus display. . She'd be better - off with more facial ani- mation. Besides Mercedita and Castaine and Barry (also under New Acts), only other act In the show here is tibat of Jay and Lou Seller, more often seen in the picture houses than the niteries. Boys are- working a neat comedy routine as mx-£ of this show, interweaving their own dance and curved-ski crobatics for best results. They have an especially in- gratiating, style of bringing on the rest of the shorjir, but could punch it up further with better patter. An'added asset here is that line of six beauts titled the Marlniqueens, but probably most Important is the expert manner with which Emil Coleman's band plays the show and Noro Morales' crack rhumba crew gives out for the dancing. Scho. Bond Drive -Continued from pace ' " Chi ClanpdowB ^SsCoBtlBilsd.troH pace SI^^s wood Show Lounge and . Capitol Cocktail Bar are sloted to reopen. tonight (4). ■ Niteries occupy four -of most prominent loop locatioDa ' with Rhumba Casino, where trouble started, playing' top attractions. paign and shoot the works for a surplus return despite the shortage of time and the possibility that the picture people may not agree; to wait for and participate in the La- bor Drive, although this will prob- ably be sans the support of the ra- dio stations and legit, theatres; to wait imtil the Treasury Department sees its way .clear to set aside a week, or at the most a fortnight for the non-picture sectors of show- biz to beat their drum for the sale of war bonds and stamps. Charlie ittarnet band, which re- cently finished a month at Steel Pier, Atlantic City, goes back there for three more weeks, opening Aug. 24. Band is now at Strand theatre, N. Y. Leon « Eddk'a, New Y«rk A good-looking blonde couple who do a nifty rouftie bl slow moUon acrobatic and balancing holds. Man works in long black pante and bare torso, the girl in black scanties and mesh hose. , , j i^v All of their Ulcks are good with the finish really exceptional; to wit, both are prone, she wraps herself around his arm and he brings her up over his head as he rises. A class act that should do nicely for vaude and possibly for a spot in a musical, as well as cafes. MILDRED "WACKr WAYNE Comedienne 10 Min*. „ ^ LeoD Sc Eddie's, Ifew York This blonde hoyden, supoosedly out of Chicago, features a boisterous ad lib style that skips the round-hair- cuts but wIU cUck soUd with the hep crowd. Her scr«wball comedy TouUne In- cludes some singing—she stretehM 'Mr Paganini* for five minirtes—and plenty of footwork that is more like shadow-boxing than dancing and* repartee with the customers. . Strictly for the intimate niteries and the late shows. BOSITA and CAESAB (3) Dance It Mini. Leon Si Eddie's, New York This couple and their drum-beater dish out a torrid line of Cuban danc-. ing that needs the Sudamericano at- mosphere to really click. In the nearby La Conga or Havana-Madrid they probably sizzle. Costumes are neat, routines are pleasing, and they handle the mini- ature bongoo effectively. THE OLYMPICS (2) Roller Skaters 7 MIns, Leon St Eddie'a. New York A routine roller skatmg act that Is adequate as a curtain raiser. Male end of the duo is so big his handling PMUy DKm Philadelphia, Aug. 4. A drive against the .<iale of liquor to minors in Philly niteries was opened over the week-end by the city administration, and Navy authorities. Opening shot In the oampaipt was a raid Saturday night (1) on Lou's Moravian Bar, popular mid-rity boite, at which 42 boys and g'ftH in their teens were hauled away in patrol yrstgons, fingerprinted with most of them spending the night In cells. The /aid 'was staged Vy members of the vice squad augmemed by gobs of the- Navy's shore patrol, a*'te« complaints reached authorities that youngsters were frequenting sppU in midto'wn, since the city quaran- tined' the 'Barbary Coast' on Arch street Several hundred people, including many servicemen, were In the' Moca- vian Bar when' the raiders arrived shortly before midnight AU those who could , prove they were over 21 were freed. The minors were hauled away as were Sam Domsky, alleged proprietor, four bartenders and two waitresses. Craig Ellis, captain of the vice squad, warned that the 'over 21' sec- tion of the liquor code would be strictly enforced from now on. Army Ollleer's Plea Columbus, O., Aug. 4. Ueut, Col. O. M. Baldinger, com- manding officer of the Lodtboume Air Base,-near Columbus, has asloed the Ohio Board of Liquor Control to suspend licenses of itriproperly oper- ated drinking places in the Interest of soldiers. He was the sole wit- ness before the board in a license revocation action he had instituted against the Brysonian night club of Shadesville, O. He said his appeal was based on a morale issue. No immediate decision was made by the board on the unprecedented request Objecting to the testimony in ita entirety was Richard Rector, coun- sel for Mrs.'Sena Bryson. pwner of the- night club. Earlier, the dance- hall permits of six places, including the Brysonian, had been revoked by officials at Colonel Baldinger's re- quest