Variety (Dec 1942)

Wednesday, December 2, 1942 MIGHT CLUB REVIEWS 4S ROYAL CASINO, N. Y. Jerry Lester, Peggy Fears, Cabot & Dresden, Jane Kean, Stanley Twins, Allan Drake, chorus (7), two unbilled bands; $2.50 minimum. The paint wasn't yet dry on the walls when this spot, formerly the w.k. Lido of prohibition days, re- opened Friday night (27) as the Royal Casino under the management of Kenneth Later, a talent agent, and Abe I. Wasser, a nitery con- cession man. That the spot wasn't quite ready In other respects for its opening date was also Immediately obvious. The dinner performance went on minus Jerry Lester, who couldn't wait past 8:30 and still make the performance at the 46th Street theatre, where he's featured in 'Beat the Band,' and the rest of the pro- duction was so 'rough' that the first pejfpnnance was. announced as a 'dress rieheat.saX'^ , , . ". . ' The electricians were still working on the stage when the spot was half- filled at 8:30 p.m. By the time the supper performance was scheduled to start at midnight, the now crowd- ed spot had ironed out several kinks, but somebody failed to inform Lester about some of the other people in the show. The comic-m.c. had trou- ble remembering the names of those he was supposed to introduce, al- though it's possible the poor (and poorly handled) spotlight,* of which he frequently complained, might have disturbed his memory. Mile. Carise gets credit for stag- ing the show, but the credit should be faint She was given some fine specialists to work with, but in turn gave them nothing distinguished, the fine of girls being especially drab in their routines. The costuming, on the other hand, is fairly good. Lester's own buffoonery, when he wasn't complaining about tne spot, was excellent opening night He got a good laugh score. Also okay was Peggy Fears, although she appeared very tired at the supper perform- ance. ' Whether from last-minute re- hearsals, or nervousness due to a long wait, she was definitely not her- self at this catching. However, her natural savoir fare helped her through a situation that would have 9pelled trouble for a singer with less poise. Show's standout by a wide margin opening night was the socko adagio dancing of Cabot and Dresden, whose acrobatic ballroom tricks are on the sensational side. One of their great- est assets is their grace while exe- cuting the most difficult stunts; also on the plus side, of course, is their, neat appearance and nifty dress, Allan Drake, an extremely cap- able sleight-of-hand artist; the Stan- ley Twins, two good unison aero dancers, and blonde Jane Kean, singer, round out the show. Drake has an assortment of interesting tricks that are well executed. The Stanleys do two routines, fore and aft of the production, with their closing shadow dance by far the best. Miss Kean is capable with some rhythm songs, but hurt by Lester's failing memory. She rated a better break on the intros. Two unbilled bands alternate for the foxtrots and rhumbas, with the foxtrot crew playing the show in fair fashion. In this instance it may have also been a case of too little rehearsal. This location has been closed for years—latterly called the Tokay—and its reopening now marks another in- stance of somebody trying to cash in on the extraordinary nitery trade current in the Broadway vicinity. No reason why it shouldn't get its share of the trade, too, once the show's rough spots are Ironed out 5cho. Minnesota Terrace, Mpls. Jtfinneapolis, Nov. 28. Jimmg Richards Orch (11) with Micfcic A Sherrv Corroll, Si/lvia Froos, iMrralne Vernon, Freddy h Betty Robertos; $1.50 minimum. Bang-up floor show, modest In proportions, but extremely high in quality. 'Three corking acts are topped by Sylvia Froos, singing comedienne and an outstanding personality. With good looks, personality Salore and loads of showmanship, ne original material and artistry. Miss Froos impresses as a socko per- former. A stunning blue gown sets off the Froos charm to excellent ad- vantage. 'Is There a Latin in the House?' gets her off to a fast start. Her original version of 'White Christ- mas' brings a touch of the dramatic. 'Do It Now' is slightly naughty, but plenty okay. A comedy version of 'Chloe' and other old-time hits, wrapped up in a sure-fire medley, affords opportunity for effective im- pressions. Medley of yesteryear songs calls for audience participa- tion. She had to beg off. Lorraine Vernon's good looks and juggling with balls and hoops also are applause getters. The Roberts are a classy Latin ballroom couple whose routines run mainly to rhum- bas and sambas. New to Minneapolis, the Jimmy Richards' orchestra plays the show well and does a workmanlike job for the patron dancing. Outfit com- prises three rhythms and brasses each and four sax, with Richards himself taking whirls at the clarinet besides handling the baton and the emceeing. Ita arrangements of standard numbers call for the quieter swing. The CarroUs are an ac- ceptable sister singing duo with the band. Room about two-thirds filled at midnight performance night after TLanksgiving. Rees. Waldorf-Aaloria, N. Y. (WEDGWOOD BOOM) Xavier Cugat orchestra and choir, Rosario tt Antonio, Frakson; $2 minimum. Cugat proves anew his firm in- trenchment with the Waldorf pa- tronage. He had a big opening last Friday with two former W-A. acts marking returns, losario & Arllonio ('The Kids from Seville') aiid Frak- ^oh, magico. Both repeat tfllir standard stuff, as does Cugat, al- though all with embellishments. The maestro, for instance, has added a mixed choir of nine, which is tied into his Camel Caravan, and they whip up a good Cohan medley in between the maestro's svelte Latin dansapation. Rosario & Antonio, with their un- usual Spanish gypsy terping, are perhaps the foremost exponents of mixed flamenco teams, right in the groove with Areentinita, Carmen Amaya, et al. 'They're youngsters and were quite a sensation at the Waldorf when first brought up from Mexico City two seasons ago. Ros- ario seems to have added more flam- encj singing to their terps, and An- tonio's solo to "Three-Cornered Hat' music is an individual standout. Their flamenco rhythm is a strong finale. Frakson, whom Jack Conway re- viewed for 'Variety' back in 1926, at the Palace, is still doing his same routine with refinements. Then identified as a Frenchman, Frakson is actually Spanish and emphasizes that more today than perhaps in thtoe days. He still does the coins into the bucket trick, but instead of mesmerizing coins from programs, handkerchiefs, etc., as formerly, he's more famlUar at the Waldorfs Wedgwood room by making them 'rain' from the patrons' forehead, schnoz, ears, etc. He still does the marathon cigaret stuff although seemingly having dropped his card palming (with gloves) which CZardini since devel- oped. His disappearing radio is ne\yer although seen before. It re- mains a socko illusion. Altogethei new is the sprouting rosebush, from seemingly an inanimate prop, later 'cutting' off the roses, which are fresh (actually skillfully attached), and distributing them to ringsiders. Wedgwood Room has been done over neatly; ditto Cugat's caballeros with their slick chartreuse uniforms. i4bel. Fantatio, Buenos Aires Buenos Aires; Nov. 20. ilnn Royce, John Paris, Mary Lirio, Angel Ratti, Melle Weersma Band (11), Harrison's Tropical Boys (10), Jack Masters' Bohemians (8), Cesar Ginzo's Tipica (9). Restyled not only physically but from an entertainment point of view, Fantasio looks like a strong bid among B. A. summer night spots (it's summer here when winter in the states), provided local gas ration- ing doesn't cut in too much. Opened only last year under the manage- ment of Arturo Kutscher, it's been taken back by the owners, Castro Romay and Alfonso Menendez, who plan to operate it on their own, with artistic management by Jacques Boronskl, long associated with Clif- ford C. Fischer in the operation of (he letter's Paris enterprises before the war. Located about half an hour from town, overlooking the port of Ollvos on the Rio de la Plata, Fantasio is reminiscent of spots in Westchester New York and along the lake shore in Chicago. It Is a spectacular lay- out any way one looks at It and even more improved this year than last what with new lighting effects and redecorating. Melle Weersma, who's been off lo- cation Jobs for some time because of film work, is the featured band here. Weersma is Dutch, a composer ar- ranger ('Penny Serenade'), as well as Instrumentalist and gives his crew a distinct style. Band is now con- centrating on strong melody accent slowed rhythm and' with the volume subdued in keeping with the type of audience sought. Because Weersma can do his own note juggling, band has been able to feature many num- bers from 'Tin Pan Alley months ahead of other local bands whq have to wait for arrangements from the States. Ann Royce and John Paris handle the vocals with Wfeersma. with Miss Royce slinging the ingles like a Man- hattanite, featuring 'Baby Mine' from 'Dumbo', plus other tunes from film musicals. Paris, a personable lad with a nice style, gets the biggest hand with Irving Berlin's 'Be Care- ful' and 'Blues In the Night'. Har- rison's Tropical Boys, featuring Mary Lirio, are a sock congarhumba out- fit. Kay Latin Quarter, Boston Boston, Nov. 29. Beatrice Kay, Barbara Belmore, £qutIto Bros., (2), Don Arden Girls (16), 6 Debutantes, Dan Harden, Cantu, Tony Bruno Orch. (10), Don Rico Orch. (6). $3 minumum Satur- day and holidays, $2 other nights. Ever since Mickey Redstone took over the Latin Quarter and gave it big-time decor and production, it has been gaining a reputation as the swankiest-looking night spot in town. It has been doing a fabulous business among the sophisticates and the theatrical crowd, with plenty of yokels in for a look-see. (Since the tragic holocaxist at the Cocoanut Grove, biz at the Quarter has dipped markedly.) Beatrice Kay, topping the bill, Is a powerful draw. She's given the top spot, of course, and iBefintteiy^; makes the most of it, giving out with a generous batch of gay '90s ditties, kidding herself, the audience and everything else. She does 'Take Me Out to the Ball Game', 'Heaven Pro- tect the Woiking Girl,' 'My Gal Sal' and plenty of others, catching a solid reaction and begging off. Reappears in the finale, a rousing patriotic spec- tacle with script and tune by Lee Morris and a knockout production by Don Arden, who staged the whole show. Finale has costumes to match those of Broadway musicals, and, as the Arden girls are lookers, it's a wham topoff. Show opens with a production on a gaucho motif, using the Six De- butantes as vocalists. Cantu, Mexi- can magician, gets attention with his disappearing doves routine, and Dan Harden, the m.c, follows up with 'White Christmas', 'Donkey's Sere- nade' and Danny Kaye's Tchaikow- sky' takeoff. He's okay as vocalist but hasn't much of a routine as an m.c. 'There follows a cute production satirizing the 'Vara^ Girls', an acro- batic dancing session by Barbara Belmore and a fine routine by the Equillo Brothers. This leads up to Miss' Kay. The show is solid with visual appeal but needs a warmer type of comedy to make the cus- tomers, with which the place was jumping Friday night, feel at home. The show is skillfully presented on the club's unusually large dance floor. A draw curtain is used to g^oi effect, and the place's smart appoint- ments and swank atmosphere lend additional punch to the presentation. Hy Pastman manages the rendezvous for Redstone, and keeps it on a smooth and even keel. £lie YACHT CLUB, PITT Pittsburgh, Nov. 25. Herman Middleman Orch (8). Ethel Shutta, Georgie Tapps, Buddy Lester, Dorothy Dare, Hildeen; $2- $2.50 minimum. Sockiest show town's leading nitery has had in a blue moon. Not a weak spot in it and every act a smasheroo. Booked as sort of after- piece tie-in with world preem here of 'Yanks Are Coming,' produced by Lester Cutler, a Pittsburgher, and featuring Little Jackie Heller, who owns Yacht Club with his brother, Sol Heller. Also from the film is Dorothy Dare, former musical com- edy actress and leading lady in early Warner musicals who has been in- active of late. Appearance h^re should get her back in the swim again. She's a cutie, knows how to sell a song and looks like a million on the floor. Heller flew in from Chi, where he's been at the Latin Quarter for two months and stays for two more, for the opening but had time to do only one show at his club. Nitery lineup further tied in with the pic's getaway by Cutler's an- nouncement that he planned to use Georgie Tapps In his next picture, •Sweethearts of the USA,' . Third time for Tapps locally within a year. He was at Nixon last season in 'Pal Joey' and later at Stanley, WB deluxer, but he never clicked at either place like he does here. Pol- ished, stylized routines are red hot In intimate surroundings and he's a hard ?:uy to follow. Ethel Shutta does it, hough, and in spades. Special lyrics. In which she tells crowd at outset that she's no hotcha singer but has been around, is on the button and she follows that with a repertoire she handles punchily. Still no sub- stitute for class, Miss Shutta demon- strates she has plenty of It 'I'm Old Fashioned.' from 'You Were Never Lovelier' (Col), and 'Jupiter Forbids' from 'By Jupiter,' get bang- up deliveries and 'Farmin,' her old stand-by, is still a corking novelty. Crowd here wouldn't let her get away. M.c. is Buddy Lester, better- known as Jerry Lester's kid brother but a first-class comic on his own. His style, material and salesmanship are similar to Jerry's, and coming on right after Tapps and Shutta is murder, yet Lester holds 'em to their seats and keeps the howls coming steadily for quarter of an hour. That's a feat for anybody. Show opens with Hildeen, French gal ma- gician who has a nice bag of tricks, most of them feminized but as de- ceptive as those of her male col- leagues. No big tricks, but a lot of cute small ones. Music by Herman Middleman's orch okay. mae.<;tro manarinc in keep up the quality despite constant turnover in personnel due to draft and raids by bigger outfits. Current show packing 'em in at Yacht Club, giving spot Its top biz in months, with place so packed performers have to work on just a few feet of floor space each night. Cohen. HAVANA-MADRID, N.Y. Rosita Rtos, Oscar Lopez, Rayito de Sol, Lee Williams^ Pepito, Line (8), Velero Sisters Orch (10), Pepi- fo's rhumba bond (8); $2 minimum; $3, on Saturday and holiday nights. A book show, 'A Yankee In Havana,' produced by Fernando Luis, producer for the last eight years at the Spanish theatre in New York, Is being offered currently at this popular Latin-American spot in- .^tS&d.of. the..vsual.uray of acts. New policy, with one ofits most elabor- ate and satisfying shows at the Havana-Madrid, is a solid clickeroo, and likely to be better paced when the Four Diamonds team, now en- route from Cuba, arrive. New. bright costumes, obviously representing heavy investiture, plus a lineup of comely and tall femmes help make the three production numbers go over. Opening which is a typical Havana ensemble, a novel crinoline number with tricky minia- ture lights illuminating the chorines' limbs, and a hangup jungle drum production hit hold the show to- gether. Choristers not only have been taught to sing but actually .spiel the thin plot. Special music for the production is by Eliseo Grenet and Sergeo De Karlo. It's mostly lilt' ing. Oscar Lopez looms as a potential vocal find once he learns more Eng- lish. Despite the fact that Spanish alone is sung by Lopez, his vivid personality and easy manner of working on the floor put him in a class by himself as a Latin male warbler. He wowed the crowd. Rosita Rios, who has been around In Latin night spots 10 recent ^ears, is a happy addition to this lineup. Used in the crinoline number not too effectively, she comes back for her solo song session to score. Miss Rios sing in English, with a re- maining trace of accent that makes her ballading all the more piquant. 'Sleepy Lagoon,' 'White Christmas' and 'Always In My Heart' are her outstanding tunes. Plenty of paprika Is added via the two appearances of diminutive Rayito De Sol, exotic dancer. Both are barefoot dances. Both tunes call for the minimum of garb and maxl' mum of action, latter conceit being accentuated by bells worn about the hips. Velero Sisters' orchestra, minus the two stately femmes fronting, plays the whole show and for part of the dancing. It continues its solid instrumentation, with the two sisters leading and singing for floor dancine. Peplto's rhumba combo plays for dancing, with the maestro, a first-rate singer, stepping Into sev- eral production numbers of show. Business continues big. Wear. Cafe Society Uptown Kraft Sisters (2), Zero Mostel, Hozel Scott, Teddy Wi^on orch (7), Billy Moore's Trio; $2.50 and $3.50 minimum. Zero Mostel is back, Hazel Scott holds over, the new dance team, Evelyne and Beatrice Kraft, are slick openers, Teddy Wilson whips up the dansapation, and the sura total is a sock blend for the cafe customers at the $2.50 and $3.50 minimums. Mostel remains an effectively funny man, funnier now with assur ance, poise and the mark of ap' proved quality, so that it's an easier approach to the patronage. The dis- tinction that comes with skepUcism from newcomers and the camara- derie from satisfied customers la something to delight the heart of'any trouper, and only those who have traveled the road the hard way know what that means. That would be Mostel. He's still doing his standard Hitler double-talk, the Jimmy Dur- ante 'one-tooth-no-tooth' routine. Senator Pellefra and the Roseland jitterbug routines, and all remain big clicks. It's the same with that boogie- woogie exponent of Brahms, the very personable Hazel Scott who beats that Stelnway like Holy Cross beat Boston College, although in her case—at the Thanksgiving eve mid- night show caught—she was too much in the jive groove. Miss Scott is more effective when breaking up the blues, barrelhouse and boogie woogie with her neat arrangements of Vincent Youmans' stuff, and others. But that's a matter of routining. Evelyne and Beatrice Kraft are the cute sisters formerly in support of Jack Cole. They retain Cole's style of East Indian raiment and rou- tining, and make for a neat click in themselves despite the opening groove. They never lower the au- thenticity of the idiom, even unto the rousingly rhythmic finale num- ber, which is Oriental by way of Harlem in orchestral background. Teddy Wilson's team gives out its usually satisfying music for the hoof, as well as a riff specialty that always gets the jazzophiles. Billy Moore's equally expert trio plugs the waits. Ahel. New Act LENA HOBNE Sonra 15 Mins. Hotel SaToy-Plsza, N. Y. Lena Home Is one of the exciiing interludes which so often punctuate every show season, but somehow th« expectancy is never quite fully re- alized at this class hostelry. Th» booking of a sepia songstress into th9 snooty Savoy-Plaza (which mov* was not without some internal man- agerial discussion, according to re- ports) could have been capitalized tq the hilt but somehow it never came oft. Miss Home, while no newcomer to New York—cradled in Brooklyn, thence in a Cotton Club Harlem line and later a specialist in Ureenv/ich Village's Cafe Society Downtown— lives up to most of the intr.i-show biz excitement. She Is a dusky Hedy La- marr, a looker of arresting order, with gleaming white teeth and a fetching smile, who croons a song competently if not extraordinarily. That's the big distinction between be- ing a boflf and just pleasing. The elements which must project her to the heights perforce must now come from external forces. One fac- tor may be exploitation, another is presentation. On presentation, she gets just a casual intro by maestro Paul Baron who should b« given some more im- gressive libretto in order to build er up as 'the Harlem girl who put Hollywood oa its ear,' or some such jive; who waa nabbed by Metro- Goldwyn-Mayer (she can be seen in a bit in 'Panama Hattie' and is more Importantly spotted in the forth- coming 'Cabin in the Sky'). Miss Homes show biz rep is actually predicated on a localized s.a. charm, in that the film colony suddenly be- came very aware of her when sh* was at the Little Troc and the Mocambo in the film city. East coast exploitation values can yet project her into importance an'd^~ of course, if the press suddenly 'dis- covers' her, as was . the case with Hazel Scott's boogie-woogie pianol* ogy, it would turn the trick. On her own, however, Miss Home reels oft familiar pops in clearly dlc- tloned delivery, backed by an en- gaging personality. With a colored pianist accompanying her, she does 'I Can't Give You Anything But Love, Baby.' 'Devil and the DeeD Blue Sea.' 'Embraceable You,' 'Do I?? 'Blues in the Night' and the like. She's booked in for six weeks. Th^ Waldorf-Astoria also wanted her but Miss Home's manager-lawyer, Har- old Gumm, had her committed to the Savoy-Plaza. Incidentally, the Plaza zone of midtown Manhattan now has, or will have starting Thursday (3), thre^ femmes at the top three hostelries In that sector. Jane Pickens opens at the Pierre's Cotillion room on the third; Miss Home is here, and Hil- degarde continues at the Plaza, giv- ing way to Carol Qruce after the first of the year. And, incidentally, what has been happening to the Savoy-Plaza's food and standards of service? Man- power Is an obvious problem these, days but somehow other de luxe ho- tels have bad a knack of preserving parity, inside and out of the kitchen. Abet. Guild-Canteen J S^S CoBtbraed from pace 1 to report In their Income s^tatementa only the amounts paid them out of the programs' receipts even, though the real, or market, value of their services Is several times the fees re- ceived. The ruling is a departure from the stand previously taken by the de- partment toward charity' dates by high-salaried performers. For ■ while stars engaged in the practice of waiving acceptance of any portion of their salaries, asking that it be re- layed direct to some charity or wel- fare agency, but the Department stopped this with the observation that talent like any one else wotild have to limit their tax exemptions on charity contributions to 15% of their net income before deduction. Anything above that percentage ia taxable. AFBA Mlnimoms Hollywood, Dec. 1. Picture stars guesting on Lady Esther's 'Screen Guild Players' win be permitted to include only the American Federation of Radio Artists minimum scale paid them as taxable income onder a special ruling made in Washington by the Commls-' sloner of Internal Revenue. The 'Guild' program Is handled by the Motion Picture Relief Fund, and has now been undqr sponsorship for four years. Ruling was handed down following appeals by a committee. headed bi Jean Hersholt, president of the MP. Relief Fund; I. B. Kornblum, exec- utive secretary of AFRA, and Swell D. Moore, attomev for thp Pnn/i .