Variety (Aug 1942)

48 REVIEWS Wednesday, August 26, 1942 Night Qub Reviews Latin Quarter, N. Y. •Folies D'Amour' uiith Helen Car- rol, Line (14), Bob Fuller Sextet, Patsy Lurain, Jade Ling, Stanley Twins, Paul Rejnos & His Toy Boys (2), 51ate Bros. (3) with Fay Car- roll, Gil Gatvan, Jan« Wood, Pamela firitton. Dr. Marcus, Ruth Daye, Don McGrane Orch (11),FernandoCanev Rhumba Orch; $2 minimum uieefc- days, $3 Saturdayj. For his second show at the Latin Quarter, Lou Walters has come up with an entertainitient that's as com- mercial as a Government Bond. Heavily peopled in a production that's divided in two parts, this re- vue has plenty of flash, color, girls and cuticle display to warrant plenty of biz. The title, 'Folies D'Amour,' perhaps isn't borne out in the flnail analysis, since there's little to sug- gest the label's Frenchy connotations, but the entertainment is there in huge lots, although it remains for the generally lavish production and les- ser-billed performers to supply most of the clickos. Heading the bill are the three Slate brothers, whose zanyisms a la Ritz brothers somehow don't seem to go over so well. Fay Carroll straights for them. A mildly comic bit, in which they toss a dummy around in their flnale, got them off to a big audience response. Miss Car- roll does some of the .production singing, and well, too, also enhanc- ing the act's decorative values with her blonde looks. Dr. Marcus, the comedian-magi- cian, is a sock manipulator of words and cards and scores big. He uses the audience participation angle in his routine, and on this show was particularly fortunate in having as an audience foil a beaut (pldnl?) who carried the magico's questions expertly to lend considerable laughs to the act. The standard Stanley Twins are still blowing smoke rings during their terp turn, while in another ap- pearance they do a 'shadow' dance. Helen Carrol is a blonde singer who does some of the production singing, and Jade Ling is an Oriental nude who decorates a couple of the pro- duction scenes. Possibly the top applause-getters are Paul Remo!! and his Toy Bot's (midgets). The turn is still the same one they've been doing in vaudeville for years, yet still re- tains its aura of novelty. The two male midgets do difficult balancing stunts, with Remos as the tinder- stander, the click climaxer being the balancing by one of them on a ver- tical pole, while the other is astride the top playing a miniature vibe. The Chadwicks (New Acts) are ballroom dancers, with the Bob Fuller Sextet a male vocal group that also doubles into the production numbers as chorus boys. Latter are particularly in their metier in doing the heroic type of times, all having good voices that blend well, notably in their reprise from the first show, the Cohan medley. The line of WaUy Wanger girls is composed of some classy lookers who also know how to step. Gil Galvan, esthetic dancer, heads one presentation number that in- cludes all the girls, and he serves as e quick, novel interlude in the poly glot entertainment. He also mnkos another appearance, in th^ patriotic finale, wherein he does a cape dance. Don McGrane's orch, with the ' leader in tails, handles the show ex- pertly, along with the customer ' dancing, while Fernando Caney's alternate crew takes over for the Latin dansapation. Pamela Britton. band vocalist. Is a stunning blonc*' looker, but her thin voice goes over only moderately well. She also doubles into some production num- bers. Singer Jane Wood works In a couple of production numbers along with aero dancers Margie Green and Patsy Lurain. Ruth Daye does a hussar strut In Another nuhiber. All acquit themselves well. Naka. BLUE ROOM, N. O. (HOTEL BOOSEVELT) New Orleans, Aug. 20. Phil Horris Orch, Larry Stewart, Lewis & Van, Tommy Trent, Rogers Dancers; $1.50 to $2 minimum Satur- days and Sundays. Phil Harris is no stranger here. His annual coming is the signal for this swank spot's biggest business. Room has had to turn hundreds away at each show. Current offering Is one of the best presented at town's leading nocturnal rendezvous in sometime. Genial and personable batoneer keeps tilings going snappily, his abundant energy giving momentum to the proceedings. He punctuates the show with stories and gags and scores heavily with vocals, whli<h, although heard here num". times in the past, are still enjoyed by Orleanlans who. frequent the spot, as well as visitors. Notable of these Is That's What I Like About the South.' Harris is also ace m.c. Orchestra, a little too heavy on the brass opening night, runs mostly to swing, with music keeping the floor crowded during the dance sessions. Lewis and Van open the floor show with distinctive tap routines to score heavily. Tommy Trent, working from behind scenery, gets plenty of laughs with his puppet comedy. The Rogers Dancers, two men and a girl looker, contribute a ballroom and adagio turn studded with comedy thars a thriller. They garnered plenty of palm-pounding. Larry Stewart, the band's vocalist and the only singer besides Harris, wins his share of the honors with his rendition of Tangerine,' 'Johnny Doughboy' and other pop tunes. Band's rendition of 'Jingle, Jangle,' to accompaniment of jingling spurs, both instrumentally and vocally, grabbed off plenty of applause, as did a medley of service tunes, which was appropriate closer. Liuz. stuff. Femme half bears striking re. semblance to Olga Baclanova, fllm and stage actress. With travel restrictions constantly emptying road bands, local maestri are getting the pick of Lo^al 60 books again, and Herman Middleman's managed to nab several musicians formerly with name outfits, and le- sult is a vastly Improved orch, both for the acts and dancers. Eddie Met- colfe, saxist and singer late of Leighton Noble, looks after the vo- cals, and very well, too. Cohen. Midway Gardens, St. Paul St. Paul, Aug. 15. Korn KHbbers with Bill Kelsey, Jack Rose, John Konchel, Matt Mortenson and Chester Wahley; no cover or minimum. RUSTIC ROOF, N. Y. (HOTEL SUEBATON) Michael Zarin Orch (4), Bill Sherr, Lady Anne; $1 minimum on Friday and Saturday; no minimum other nights. Spence Sawyer, known to many showfolk from his years on 44Ui street, wnere he ran several taverns, is general manager of this east side hostelry and has provided a cool, in- formal room that is on the beam for the middle-classers with a pound to spend and a yen for atmosphere. Entertainment is unpretentious. Michael Zarin's band includes his own fiddle, a bass, guitar and piano, with the latter doubling on accor- dion. The guitarist, Billy Sherr, also vocals and strollo around the room between band sets. The combo pro- vides pleasing dansapation that ranges from familiar semi-classics to pops and the Latin idiom. The stroller has a fair baritone, a fine repertoire that includes such old- timers as 'On a Chinese Honeymoon' and 'Pull the Shade Down, Mari- anne'; he .never overstays his wel- come. The prognosticator. Lady Anne, works the tables with a light English accent and a delivery that would be better were it briefer. The spot comes close to capacity (225) every night, even though it's been open only a couple of months and is off the t>eaten path. When it rains they use the awnings, and on Sundays, when the orch is off, they pipe in Muzak. Fran. YACHT CLUB, PITT Pittsburgh, Aug. 14. Herman Middleman Orch (8), Danny White, Juvelys, Collette & Barry Dancers, Eddie Metcalfe; $l.!»0-$2.50 minimum. Neat little show Sol Heller has booked into his river spot in the ab- sence of Little Jackie Heller, cur- rently in Hollywood, where he's just finished making a picture, 'Yanks Are Coming,' for Producers Releasing Corporation. It's not a big layout, being confined to three acts, but a good one, with plenty of entertain- ment sandwiched among a comedian, a flash dance act and an acrobatic turn. Booking is really a homecoming for Danny White, who got around Pittsburgh pretty regularly, both at Nixon Cafe and at Yacht Club's predecessor, the Show Boat, before he started on that just-ended two- year run at the Iceland on Broad- way. (Incidentally, he goes back there again in the fall.) White's a talented little fellow, a good m.c, an' able terp pantomimist and an okay singer of special lyrics. There's something a bit Chaplinesque in his general makeup, and without being an iihitator he frequently suggeste the film star in manner, particularly in that cute shuffling number he does. Over big here in all depart- ments and paces his varied talents nicely. Collette and Barry, a good-looking couple backed by four gals with plenty of s.a., bill their act 'The Lit- tle Show.' It's more than just a team and more than just a line, too, being the type of good-looking, flashy dance act that was practically a must on every two-a-day vaude bill. Col lette and Barry do a couple of grace' ful routines on their own, but most of the t',-e the femme quartet's in the background, which makes it a plenty decorative as well as a quite useful background. Their highlight is the spin in the old-fashioned gas buggy, with appropriate costuming, highly colorful, neatly executed and good for extensive palm-pounding. It the act belongs in the 'line' classi- fication. It's a superior line, with imagination and, whats just as im- portant, first-rate production. Juvelys, who replaced unicycle act of Macy and Brack, forced to pull out after single week for theatre bookings, played Stanley, WB de- luxer here, only a short time ago and they're cinch show-stoppers with their showy and unusual acrobatic In this pop family trade nitery, where beverages and food impose no hardship on the exechequers and where Freddie Fisher and his 'Schnickelfritzers* first skyrocketed into prominence, these Korn Krib- bers, another novelty band pat- terned along the same 'Schnickel- fritz' lines, seemingly has become a permanent institution. If anything, it has attained even greater local popularity than Fisher's outfit. Except for a brief and not so happy invasion of New York, where they went into the 48th St. Music Hall, and an engagement at the Dowling hotel, Wilmington, Del, they've been holding forth and dish- ing out mirth and melody at the Gardens for two and a half years. In Gotham, where they jumped di- rectly from the Gardens here, they apparently weren't the solid click anticipated and their engagement was shortlived. Here, however, they're quite some pumpkins. They've built up a large following, are rated tops hereabouts as screw- ball entertainers and they pack the medium-sized room to capacity every night. There's no dancing here. Like other screwball novelty bands at this establishment, they provide all the entertainment. Gluttons for punishment, they work steadily, without a rest or interruption, from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. nightly. "Their fare is the usual novelty musical stuff, vocalizing and slapstick clowning as- sociated with this type of amuse- ment. It's all very intimate and in- formal, the performers hobnobbing from the stage with the customers in front. Staged in a rural setting, includ- ing a backdrop hayloft with a wom- an's slipper sticking suggestively out of the hay, the performance utilizes a wide assortment of trick musical and other props. There's no subtle- ty or delicacy to the proceedings, and the occasional-naughty and sug- gestive songs and off-co lor business apparently prove inoffensive, instead never failing to provoke hearty laughter and loud applause. The boys are first-rate musicians and singers as well as screwball comics. They are said to boast a repertory of 100 different numbers and there must have been 50 of them utilized during the four hours caught .by this reviewer. Bill Kel- sey is bass; Jack Rose, sax and emcee; John Konchal, accordion; Matt Mortenson, drums, and Chester Wahley, piano and trombone. There are such numbers as 'Side- walks of New York', 'Mighty Like a Rose' and 'Bells of St. Mary's.' the two last named handled seriously by Mortenson as he pounds out music on illuminated vari-colored bottles. There's the familiar business of aid- ing the bass viol and the equally familiar impression of Bonnie Baker singing 'Oh, Johnny' by one of the boys. The boys, of course, also do female Impressions broadly with balloon busts in one comedy song number. There's also an occasional current hit parade number like 'Johnny Doughboy'. Most of the stuff is ensemble, but there's soloing now and then. Plenty of standees the week-night caught. Rees. El Morocco, Montreal Montreal, Aug. 17. Imogen Carpenter, Ludovic Huot, Claire & Arena, Rod Rodgers, Frank Lewis Orch (9) loith Colleen En- right, Harry Luzi Rhumba Band (3) House Line (8); no couer, minimum $2.00 Accent Is on singing currently, with Imogen Carpenter and Ludovic Huot carrying the burden and satis- fying crowds remarkable for their numbers during this torrid weather. The pint-size emcee. Rod Rodgers, is a pleasant-mannered, good-humored entertainer who does a spot of imi- tation (and singing, also), being easily the hardest worker on the bill. His line of patter is swiftly paced and smoothly rendered, and while some of the jests are on the antique side, he gets by on personality, and deserved the big applause he got.. Claire and Arena, the gal a blonde looker, put on an adagio act plus a little toe-dancing by Claire and some heavy aero work by Arena. They, too, like all the other turns, netted a heavy salvo. Miss Carpenter has looks and style, a tall brunet who knows how to wear clothes. Her volca Improves with hearing but Is a little on the harsh side at first' Her closing ditty, 'Pedro, the Pulque Man,' a Mexican genre song, tied up the show, and her encore, 'Johnny Doughboy,' touched oil heavy applause. Huot has a powerful, well-trained baritone and sings without benefit of mike, in French, Spanish and Eng- lUb, 'Les Clairons*^ ('The Bugles'), in French, is a spine-tingler that lifted the audience to their feet, and here the Frank Lewis orch did not- able work in support. 'Donkey Serenade,' in Spanish, and The Vagabond Song,' in English, with a 'Hell to Germany' variant, garnered him a well-merited ovation. Mildred Ray, producer of the Mil- ray girls house line, has achieved a noteworthy degree of precision danc- ing and out-of-ordinary routines. Her wardrobing, too, is distinctive. The line ap'pears three times during the 70-minute show—in a suitcase dance with mock strip-tease finish, in Moorish dance with cymbals, and as gypsies, with one of the gals throw- ing a fast set of cartwheels to close. They generally get a good measure of applause. Frank Lewis' band serves sweet or hot as patrons call for them. Vocal- ist Colleen Enright fits in nicely with style of band. Rhumba band is ade- quate. CUub three-quarters full at this mid-week catching. Lane. CLUB BALI, PHILLY Philadelphia, Aug. 20. Arthur Blake, Susan Carol, the Leslies, Barbara Belmore, Marty King Orch (6), Luis Fernandez Rhumba Orch (6), Bali-Lovelies (80; no couer; $1.50 minimum. A couple of newcomers hold the spotlight on the Bali bill this sesh. First, there's Arthur Blake (New Acts), who takes over the m.c. reins like an old trouper as well ^ tum- ing in an excellent hunk of enter- tainment with his amazing Imper- sonations of stage, screen and pub- 4ic personalities. Also standout is Susan Carol (New Acts), a blonde, eyeful who knows how to sell a song. Rest of the show features the dancing Leslies, a ballroom team that breaks up its routine with lots of variety—from a graceful Vien- nese waltz specialty to an old-fash- ioned Cakewalk, Barbara Belmore, a tiny redliead, takes over with -a bewildering whirl- ing dervish, aero dance. The Bali- Lovelies (line) live up to their bill- ing. Most of the band (Marty King) is new. The bulk of the original Bali orchestra has left either for the Army or war industry. The new edition of tooters is promising, paced by Tommy Donio, trumpeter, for- merly with Clyde McCoy. Lulls are taken care of by the Luis Fernandez rhumba crew. House was almost capacity at din- ner show reviewed. Shal. MURRAINS, N. Y. (HABLEM) Willie Bryant, Jomes Wylie, Sam Manning, Phil & Bea, Al Ouster, Edan Taylor, Leon Gross Orch (7), Line (8); $1 minimum on toeefcends. This spot, most recently the Club Mimo, along with Elks Rendezvous and Small's Paradise, are all that re- main of the many Harlem spots that drew hc'ty downtown patron- age in the haicyon days. 'With the loss of the downtown trade the operators were unable to match their shows against the non-Negro clubs and what resultea is currently on view. Okay for the local trade, but it will never please general palates. Show runs 90 minutes, which re- quires too much stretching for six acts and a line. Willie Bryant (New Acts), as m.c, clowns with each turn instead of letting them get off when they're through. The line grinds through three routines in lackadaisical fashion. James Wylie is a falsetto tenor who fails to go over. Sam Manning is next with a calypso routine of songs that never gets started. Phil and Bea, mixed dance team, do a barbaric routine that is nothing more than a procession of bumps. Al Guster (New Acts), who clicked in Duke Ellington's 'Jump With Joy' revue on the Coast last season, has the terps makings. Edna Taylor pleases in her deep, shouting voice and a blue repertoire. Fran. Mass. Roadery Casnahy Springfield, Mass., Aug. 25. War-time casualty hereabouts is Rovelli's, swank Post Road nitery. Main reason for closing—the cocktail lounge will remain open—is inability to get good help, according to Mrs. Anna Rovelli. Draft, war jobs and cushy loca- tions made it tough to get local bands; chefs and cooks just 'couldn't be found.'- Club reputedly represented invest ment of about $100,000. New Acts HABTHE EBBOLLE Songs > Mins. Balnbow Boom, N. Y. Of tall, stately appearance, but more willowy than the usual prima donna type. Miss Errolle shows her operetta training well in this, her nitery debut The manner in which she clicks marks her favorably and well for the cafe circuit Good showmanship is her utiliza- tion of the mike only for the opener, Emmerich Kalmann's immortal 'Sari Waltz' and then dispensing with it for 'One Kiss' and 'Make Believe,' two American operetta excerpts. The range and power of her vocal deliv- ery with the Romberg and Kern bal- lads mean that she must have held herself in check vocally with the opener, because she can fill any room with ease and grace. Of personable, brunet appearance. Miss Errolle is thus a decorative as well as artistic interlude. Her Rain- bow Room debut is an auspicious showcasing, and she will appeal in any type boite. Abel. ABTHUB BLAKE Impersonations 15 Mlns. Clab Ball, Fhilly Not just another mimic is this young fellow, but an artist in his line. Blake makes a study of the character, then writes his own clever material to add zip to the mimicry. He's thus built up an amazing re- pertoire. His impersonation of Bette Davis Is almost uncanny. He's got the wide-eyed gal's mannerisms and speech down to a T. Also terrific is his finale, a takeoff on Carmen Miranda, Edna Mae Oliver and Katharine Hepburn. He also im- peisanates Mrs. F. D. R.—clever, but not irreverent of the First Lady. Best of his male impersonations are that of Jimmy Stewart and Frank Morgan. The kid is also an okay m.c A click almost anywhere. Shal. AL GUSTEB Danoer 8 Mlns. Murrains, N. T. Al Guster does a ballet-tap routine to classical musical that, with work and experience, may build this per- former into more ambitious com- pany. He's a newcomer in the east, having worked mostly on the Coast where he had a spot in Duke Elling- ton's 'Jump with Joy' revue last sea- son. He reminds of Paul Draper in dance style and, in fact, frankly has totored with that terper. He's over the head of the general type of clientele at this colored nitery but would be a novelty in the ofay boites. Fran. WILLIE BBTANT Mornlns, N. V. Tall, thin, personable Negro used to front a band but in recent years he has become a top single comedian in Harlem. He's a veteran, having been prominent in' such legits as ■Mamba's Daughters,' plus having done considerable vaude and cafe work, but this is his debut for the 'Variety' New Acts files. His comedy patter was strictly Harlemese and beyond the ken of this reviewer, but strictly solid with the colored clientele. He knows how to handle an audience and punch laughs with the best of the colored m.c-comics. Fran, SUSAN CABOL Songs 10 MiDS. CInb Ball. PhUly A svelte, oomphish blende canary. Miss I Carol has a set of pipes which matches her looks. A former mem- ber of a sister act (the Benton Twins), the gal recently started out on her own, and from early indi- cations she's sure to click. Her voice, well-adapted for blues- type tunes, is pleasant on the ears. When caught she sang an original novelty number, 'Panic in Panama, 'AU I Need Is You,' 'Strike Up the Band,' and encored with 'What Do You Think I Am.' iShal. THE CHAOWICBS Ballroom Dsneing Latin Quarter, N. Y. 'The Chadwicks are a young ball- room team who'll need plenty of work before they can hope to gain the big time. They have the looks and a youthful verve that are partially compensating factors for their lack of experience. The one-armed lift and whirl by the male of his partner is their lone trick that rates as big-time; other- wise the turn is of standard variety. Naka. Leo Belaman orchestra returns to the Rainbow Room, New York, Oct. 28. Currently at the Beverly Hills C. C, Newport Ky.