Variety (Apr 1943)

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_Ji2 HOUSE lUmEWS Vednesday, April 28, 1943 Harry James Jiv^B()llllls 4le Hepcats Into Individiial Riots at N Y. Par By ABEL OBEEN 4 The N. Y. Times made Harry jHmes' riotous business at the Broadway Paramount a feature 5lory. by three different byliners, ench tailing a new approach but all adding up to the same thing—to wit, that the new Pied Piper to the b.o., Hot Horn James, was something out of this world to the pantywalsted and zoot-sulted mob. As a boxoffice article there's no Suestion about James' iive-bomblng. vcr since last summer, he's been the Idol of the adolescents. And whatever the savants have to say about his aphrodlsiacal music, a closeup of what he does to young America on and off the hoof is something that can 'only be ap- preciated with one's own eyes. . The riotous opening day tWcdnes- dny). with kids lining up at 4 a.m. v-ith lanterns, and the successive Thursday and Friday, has now been fully recorded. But get a load of it yourself, and ■tand down front on any side aisle, and see how James sends 'em. For one thing, they park their coats- nice kids too, they are—and shag and mooch as James' jivers give out. Their surreptltiousness In dodging the ushers is a phenomenon that's only for the psychologists. It's akin to adults who might be doing a ro- mantic sneak in some hideaway rendezvous. Here it's manifested by the «arly-teen-agers blowing off steam on the hoof. Perhaps It's better thus. There's something healthier about this mani- festation of unbridled .juvenile spirit than what we now look back upon as Prohibition's Jazz Age—the era of F. Scott Fitzgerald's flippers and flappers with their bell-bottomed trousers and above-the-knee skirts, fortified not a little by bathtub vintage gin. If James' and Krupa's and Good' man's and Splvak's and the Dorseys' and all the other exponents* com- bined jive does nothing more than send the World War II crop of youngsters into frenzied jazzique hoofology, that's Innocuous. 'Call it war jitters, call it a pre- Tunisian war manifestation, call It anything,' says the N. Y. Para mount's managing director. Bob Weitman. 'I call It young America This is what the youngsters from coast to coast go for. Forget the boxoffice: that we almost take for granted on anything nowadays, al though James will hit a non-New Year s week attendance and money record this week. 'Nor is this new. This is really a renaissance of the .same thing as oc- curred in 1939 with Benny Good- mon. It was.dormant tor a spell, but the kids' matinee loyalty to all the band,:i;hows before and after Good- man, and up to the manner in which the James Boys are holding up the boxoffice mo pun. there!), is certainly evidence to all of as right along that this is what the American boys and girls want.' Sends 'Em All That it's not regional Is patent. On weekends the classy-chauffered cars still come in from the West chestcrs. and they're just as en' thusia'slic it. mayhaps, not as physl cally demonstrative as the Brooklyn and Bronx nickle-subway trade. The Brooklyn kids seem most rabid. But Brownsville or Bronx- villo, they're stvllzed in their attire and reaction, "The girls all look neat, with the standard blouse and skirt getup, plus socks and comfortable sport shoes. The boys are in the standard modified zoot setups, not as Harlemesque as might be eX' period. They follow the radio disk jockeys loyally and glibly reel off just how the bands; rate In jukebox sales. They follow the bands rather than the tunes In their dftk buys, al- though, with unusual discrimination, observe 'usually the song and the hit band go together'; unless It's some exceptional trademarked the matlc. such as James' Two O'Clock Jump' which. Incidentally, is the blow-off at the Paramount and posi- tively sends 'em. This is when the u.shers and Welt- man's asst. managers are virtually Bwampcd. 1'hc kids stomp in the aisles and appear to be on the verge of frenzy when the playing of the Anthem brings them lo nttenion. Actually it only chases 'em down- stairs for n smoke. At the mid- aftcrrioon show one /{roup admltled this was their third-time-around 'and if the picture w.is better we'd stay sume more' Another group of cute girl kids only confessed to twice and they 'may stay some mure' bccau.-:c ihry observed that the comedian-mlmio. Dave Barry, had changed some engs. and that James' fcmme vocalist. Helen For- rest, and the lerper. Evelyn Farney. also rhanprd ihclr costumos. But the safi-telling was a brutal thing for Barry: they (old him the toppers ahead of himself and he wasn't kid- ding when he said, 'I'll go cuh-razy tins week.' Roucb on Ushers Meantime, the (ishors go nuts, un- mire of themselves as they race down the side aisles and icU the kids, with not too convincing firmness, 'If you want to dance go to a ballroom.' The kids mildly sass 'em back; or say, naively, 'we just got here'; or just play hide-and-seek with the law-and-order enforcers. (More seriously, on the topic of the law, the extra dejtail of cops, in and out- side the theatre, is seemingly help- less; one had his ribs broken—he didn't know it until later, and the McBride's.-theatre ticket office, now has a boarded protection, on. after having its windows cracked by the humaii pressure opening iriorning. How these youngsters can get away from their homes at the un- godly 4 or 5 or 6 a.m. is .something that's individual case history. 'Oh well, Wednesday was a Jewish holi- day,' said one hepcat of 14. 'Oh, niursday, well we just didn't go to school,* another confessed.- As for the next day. 'Well, you know, to- day's Good Friday, so there's no school: besides my mother gets so much phonograph and radio-playing home she's glad to get me out of the house.' This answers why they dance in the aisles tat 44c. e6c and Mc admissions, even in the pre- noontime) when they can hoof their heads off at home, in peace, un- worried and unharried. to their home phonographs—excepting that mama no like. As for James, his team of eight brass, six reeds. 10 strings and three rhythm just do their job. grinding out six and seven shows, and it seems that all the kids live for is the finale 'Two o'clock Jump.' Buddy Moreno, his vocalist, also gets favor- able response. The Intervening Golden Gate Quartet do their business-like chores, but at the matinee se.ssions they're just one-to-ail (get much more re- spectful appreciation, as is their just deserts, at night when there are more adults). The convlncer to manager Weit- man was that opening show, when six couples stormed the stage, got onto the rostrum and hoofed to "Two O'clock Jump.' One of them was a young marine. He was as frenzied as any. _ . ^ But came the 'Star Spangled Banner,* and he was a new man all over again—a fine soldier, rigidly saluting the flag. And that went for all the kids. The national Anthem is a back-to-lifc realization of the serious side—and a cooler-offer. Oh. yes. 'China' <Par) Ls the fea- ture, reviewed in 'Variety' March 24, 1943. STANLEY, PITT Piltsburph, April 23. Xauier Cupat Orch il8), Lina Romay, Raul & Eva Reyes. Gene Sheldon. De La Cruz. Cugat Choir (.9); 'Hangmen Also Die' (UA). Flesh portion of bill at WB deluxer Is practically a quickie, due to length of picture, 'Hangmen Also Die' (UA), which runs 135 minute.s. Sounds like a screwy booking here, particularly for Easter Week, since it precludes the possibility of any turnover. House can't even<get the usual five shows in on Saturday or Easter Monday, despite fact that the Xavier Cugat unit, with one outside act. Gene Sheldon, is limited to 40 minutes. Added to general mystery about this combo is that 'Hangmen* is certainly no picture for children and, with a holiday, there's bound to be a flock of kids show-shopping. At any rate. Cugat makes every minute of the brief stretch allotted him count. And Sheldon, of course, is tying things into a knot, as usual, with the act he's been playing for years. There's something about the banjo-playing panto artist that doesn't pall, and his routine has the virtue of seeming perennially fresh and wholf^ome. He's assisted by Lo- retta Fischer, who comes on for a few minutes near the end. Cugat lineup includes. In addition to Lina Romay, his sexy singer: De La Cruz, patterned \ocBlly after DesI Arnaz. and Miguelito Valdez. pair of Cugat alumni, but not in their class; Raul and Eva Reye.s. classy rhumba dancing kids who are always sure- fire, and mixed choir of five men and tour girls, three regular fiddles (.sev- eral others double on the strings in certain numbers), four saxes, three trumpets. bas.s, drums, xylophone, a bongo-pounder and couple of ma- racas shakers. Repertoire, of course. Is strictly in the Latin-American idiom, with the featured numbers being 'Chiu-ChI' and 'Brazil.' Cugat himself has developed Into a corking stage personality, and even becomes something of a comic in his introductions. Tho Reyes and Miss Romay click heavily for him. with the former gping in for some mara- thon shakes that's a perfect illustra- tion of spontaneous combustion and perpetual motion, while the Romay dame, plenty onmphy. has a mice that's filled with shivering .seduc- tiveness. For a finish, enlii-e lineup comes on for a conga line, with Shel- don on the end of it gathering flock of laughs with some more panto. Cohen. ADAMS, NEWARK Newark. April 23. Charlie Spivak Orch il7) tt*ilh the Star Dusters (4). Belett h English Bros., Vat Irving: 'Clancy Street Boys' iMoMo). So-so setup this week, band being augmented by' only two additional acts and entire layoirt flashing on and off in 45 minutes. Show leans heavily on Splvak's band, outfit turning in a competent send-down job and clicking with the local rug- cutters. Orch opens with two Irving Berlin oldies. *I m Forever Blowing Bub- bles.' and 'How Deep is the Ocean,' finishing the set with Schubert's 'Serenade.' Numbers all feature Splvak's torrid trumpet, maestro tooting . the horn . with. clean-cut finesse. Spivak also gets in some hot licks in 'Let's Go Home,' a smart arrangement that goes over big. Vocal end is handled by the Star Dusters, quartet made up of three boys and June Hutton, sister of Ina Ray. Harmony is spotty - and cadence is irregular and lacking in distinction. When caught. Star Dusters offered 'Touch of Texas,' 'Moonlight Mood,' and 'People Like You and Me.' Belett & English Bros, tee off the opening act with some plain and fancy acros, comedy turn going over fairly well. Act would be improved if the muggin); were cut down and the comedy Duilt up. Too many trite situations. ~ Val Irving's single also suffers from too many vaude cliches and mother-in-law gags. Guy's radio mimicry is good, however, and his jitterbug takeoff is an ace laugh catcher. Went over strong. Jona. CHICAGO, CHI Chicago, April 24. Four King Sisters, Bob Williams, Oxford Boy* (2). Anthonv, Allyn & Hodge, Shirley Dickinson, Chicago Theatre Ballet (16); 'Happv Go Lucky' (Par). Current bill, headed by the Four King Sisters, here not so long ago with the Alvino Hey Band, marks the return of the Chicago Theatre Ballet in two attractive and nicely routined numbers. They open with 'Parade of Martial Miss America,' with the girls dressed as Waacs, Waves, Spars, etc.. and Shirley Dick- inson singing special lyrics to 'Easter Parade,' switching it to 'Victory Parade.' Midway through bill they do a number dressed In radium- treated costumes which gives an un- usual twist to the proceedings. « Anthony. Allyn and Hodge have the audience believing they are in for a routine of ballroom dancing, bu^ switch suddenly Into the comedy mixup adagio stuff. Latter bit gets its share of laughs although it seemed a little stretched out. Oxford Boys, who were a trio the last time they played here and now a duo. sock over a generous amot4nt of rhythmic impressions, including Henry Busse, Harry James, Kay Kyser, Fred Waring, Horace Heidt, the Dorseys and others, leaving to resounding applause. Bob Williams, doubling from the Palmer House, drew plenty of laughs trying to put his contrary dog through some tricks which never materialize. Sells the act ex- pertly and chalks up a hit. The King Sisters harmonize on such tunes as 'Why Don't You Do Right?' 'As Time Goes By,' 'Keep Smiling* and 'I Said No' in their usual fashion to big response. Then they step to side of stage to sing The Rosary' as curtains part to re- veal a lighted church window as the chorus comes on carrying lighted candles. A sock finale. Morg. GAYETY, MONTREAL Montreal, April 26. Ginger Healy, Joe Freed & George Rose, Louise Shannon, Broum & Lee with Li la McGee, Wynne Twins, Boo Lavon, Bill Kennedy, Clet>e t Keller, Al Gilbert Line (15). How ard Orch (9). Anniversary week at this theatre currently commemorates year of vaudeville, after many years of vaudeless entertainment in this city. Teeing off in hottest summer in years and followed by coldest win- ter of the century, it overcame these handicaps and from all indications looks here to stay. Current show is much above aver- age with several acts having to beg off after prolonged applause. Come- dians Joe Freed and (jeorge Rose in particular were solid with their smart patter and cleverly built up scenes. Louise Shannon also rates a bow for a snappy tap that went over big. Brown and Lee. foiled by Lila McGee, were the first of the acts to stop, the show. In Indian makeup, they have a bright line of patter and a knockabout routine which wowed the crowd, but their payoff was a turn with soft .shoe dancing, singing and clever gags. ' Wynne Twins, a big guy and a midget, had the fans whistling and .stomping. It's the kind of act tho payees here like. Ginger Healy. attractive redhead who sings acceptably and dances above level of average tease acts, also has what is needed to put her across. Boo Lavon does a half male, half gal act that won a big hand. Cleve and Keller, xylophonlqts, have a snappy act which garnered them a begoff finish. Bill Kennedy sings and doubles In comedy turns. The AI Gilbert Line, all eye-fillers, are improving all the time in their routine steps and their wardrobes are neatly varied and rich in ap- pearance. The Len Howard orch is amply adequate to all calls. Capac- ity house at opening matinee. Lane. EARLE. WASH. Woshingtou, April 24. Mario & Floria, Gene Marvey, Roxyettet, Jo Lom()ardt's House Orch; 'Edge of Darkness* (WB). Harry Anger has 36 minutes to fill on ' the stage, and he makes every second count Shew opens with an Irving Berlin album. . All the top numbers have been grouped with Lombardi's band doing justice to the tunefulness. Trailers part for 'Easter Parade,' with the Roxyettes emerg- ing from a Gay 90's millinery .shop in sky pieces of the period. They Intro Gene Marvey, heard here re- cently at Cojistitution Hall as a Si.<{- mund Romberg soloist. Marvey gets nothing on 'Black Magic' not suited to his vdice, but m going into some of the George Gersh- win romantics he had the girls audi- bly sighing. Then 'Loch Lomond.' which is perfect for his baritone, fol- lowed by 'Pretty Girl Is Like a Mel ody,' aided by the. Roxyettes, who parade the aisle in fluffy gowns and get the spotlights.. Heavy applause and could have stayed longer. Mario and Florio use the full stage. They're a corking dancing team, with the girl as fluf^ as a feather in the twirls and swings. They work hard and woimd up with 'Turkey Trot' in -the original and swing version. Roxyettes on again In costumes reminiscent of Easter lilies, with an appropriate dignified dance. For lighting, color and move- ment this show Is tip-top. Arke. APOLLO, N. Y. Earl Hines • Orch (17), Sarah Vaughn, Spick & Span, Bill Boitev Billy Eksteln, Jim More, Vivian Harris, George Wiltshire: 'Stand by All Networks' (Col). This week's bill clicks solidly with top orch, song and dance talent. Especially standout are the Earl Hines aggregation, Sarah Vaughn. Bill Bailey and Billy Ekstein. Hines keeps to the backgroimd but his combo is way up front with its deft arrangements of 'Easter Parade,' 'Old Mill Stream' and first-rate ac- companlments. Miss Vaughn, who also doubles as orch pianist, gets the benefit of this top support in her sock deliveries of 'Soldier Boy.' 'Here I Go Again' and 'Baby. Baby, Baby' that are soft and soothing. Ekstein, whose voice is as smooth as his appearance, maintains the high vocal standards with 'Brazil 'As Time Goes By,' and 'Black Magic' "The dance department Is all Bailey's. Latter, who appears in 'Cabin In the Sky,' filmusical. demonstrates his Hollywood rating with first class hoofing. Tops is his impersonation of Bill Robinson. He also has an amusing line of patter. Spick and Span, boy and gal tap team work hard but fail to get re suits. Comedians Jim More, Vivian Har rls and George Wiltshire gamer plenty laughs with their takeoff on 'Little' Red Riding Hood.' Biz excel lent for Friday (23) dinner show. CAPITOL, WASH. Washington, Apnl 22. Dave Elman's Hobby Lobby with Howard Klein, Francis Abella, Shir- ley Wayne, Ken Whitmer, Glenn Camp, Art Broum, Sam Jack Kau/- man's Orch,. Lynn Allison. Rhythm Rockets, 'Moon Is Dovm' (20th>. This is the best show Gene Ford has assembled in a long time. It's far off the beaten path, with acts brand new to F street. Applause Thursday night was terrific Show opens with a George (xershwin med- ley, using full-stage riesources, couple of fine voices, dancer and Rockets. Fague Sprlgman and Lynn Allison carry the vocals, which Include 'Em- braceable You,' 'Of Thee 1 Sing' "Lady Be Good* and winding up with a Springman-Allison duet, ■fie.ss. You Is My Woman.* 'Rhapsody in Blue' used Burrus Williams for piano solo, with Mimi Kellerman and Rockets traftsposlng it into lyrical movement. Classy overtures won loud .salvos. Dave Elman's Hobby Lobby i.s dif- ferent. Impresario m.c.'s without great po]i.<-h, but hLs acts are all good. Ken Whitmer proves a corking one- man band. Francis Abella introduces a parrot which not only talks to cue, but actually docs Imitations. The Filipino has his pet bird exception- ally trained. Shirley Wayne offers the grotesque violin playing featured in 'Hellzapoppin.' Glenn Camp intros piano-playing dog, who thumps out the notes of 'Home. Sweet, Home' then leads blind canine off by a leash. Elman builds this up for emotional wallop by a.sking applause be re- strained unlil dog leaves .stagf. Dude Kimball panics the house with mu- sical instruments made out of plumb- ing supplies, "^ith Art Brown'.s Easter songolog this 55 minutes reg- istered as Al entertainment, worth all the applause it received. Arke. J ROXY, N. Y. Tommy Tucker Orch (15) with Don Brown, Amy Amell, Kerwin Somerville; Marty May, Victor Borge. Roxyettes, Roxy Orchestra directed by Paul Ash; 'Heltp, Frisco Hello' (20«h). With certain deletions and inser- tions this show is a holdover from the previous four weeks, with 'Hello Frisco.' Tommy Tucker's orchestra' replaced Chlco Marx's (Marx couldn't stay due to prior commit- ments), and Victor Borge was added. Latter completed a stay at the Capi- tol, N. Y., April 15 and a week later opened here on a contract that pre- dated the Cap's, but fact that Borge is signed to Metro for films and they wanted him at the Cap first Induced the Roxy to let him go and take him for this' one week. Jimmy Dorsey opens today (Wednesday). Perhaps the outstanding feature of this show is the abrupt switch in .styles by Tommy Tucker's orchestra. Formerly a sweet band, the leader is placing' emphasis here on 'beat* music and it's hot becoming, and probably disconcerting to fans.. Cer. tain amount of jump stuff is fine, for any combination addicted to sweet stuff, but no sugary band has ever successfully made Itself over Into a jump combo, and Tucker Is making a mistake In brushing off what his band has become ioentified with, especially In such a showcase as the Roxy.' Band itself—Ave brass, Ave sax, four rhythm—Is decidedly im- proved. Opening with a brief, untitled rhythm melody. Tucker then brings on Don Brown, baritone, a good- looking boy with a-greatly Improved voice and nice style. He does 'It Can't Be Wrong* and 'As Time Goes By,' both with too-loud background- ing. Later In the show he brings on Amy Arnell, a .singer whose vocal reputation is based en a sonji ('World on Fire') rather than ability and she does the lone entry ('Papa s in Bed With. His Britches On') which spot- lights Tucker's past Miss Arnell also does 'Johnny Zero.* Only In one brief spot does "Tucker use the Voices Three, etc. Remainder of the bill insofar as Tucker Is concerned is 'Blue Skies,* during which the drummer Is spot- lighted in one of the silliest bur- lesques of a hot-drum break ever staged. Marty May's the m.c., a holdover. He offers some pretty worn gags, for which he politely apologizes, but on the whole the audience goes for him 'solidly, particularly for Imitations of a 'belching baritone' and a bal- loon-breasted prima donna. Borge is also successful with his 'phonetic punctuation' routine and the piano bits. It's virtually the same act done at the Capitol, with the exception of brief bits of busi- ness, and audience reaction is strong. Production accompanying the acts Is. of cour.se, chopped up by the acts pulled out. What transpires, how- ever, is the usual Roxy brand of color and taste. Opening number and a prolog to the film arc particu- larly agreeable. In this bit Kerwin Sommcrvillc. Tucker's sax-singer, gets t quirk break. Biz good. Wood. TOWER, K. C. Kansas City, April 23. Cyril Smith, The Elgins <5), Ada Lynne, the Rhythnwttes (3), Donna Sfioddy, Tower Orch urith Jack Park & Marilyn fiallinger; 'How's About It?' ([/) and 'He Hired (he Boss' (20th). Comedy highlights this week's 40- minute stage show of four standard acts, plus the 'Discovery Night' win- ner and house orch with featured vocalist. Biz over the weekend was up. Show opens on a seasonal note' as orch segues from introductory theme theme into medley of 'Easter Parade' and 'When You Wore a Tulip.' Marilyn Ballinger, pretty brunette warbler, takes the vocals both straight and swing. The girl is working up a nice following with her songs. Cyril Smith, on later in his own act takes over as m.c. First on are the Three Rhythmettes in a tap routine. Second spot goes to Ada Lynne, nice blonde, who begins, with a medley of 'Over There,' 'Good Bye, Broadway' and 'Yankee Doodle Dandy' in a fair soprano voice. Next she does a series of imitations of screen and radio stars, one of Mar- tha Raye being her best. Closes with comedy bit about origins of pop dance styles. Off after three bows. Following nice acrobatic routine by Donna Snoddy, six-year-old 'Dis- covery Night' winner, Smith gives out with an impression of how little things can start big fights in an English taproom, while the skit may be a little too Continental for many vnude patrons. Smitl) succeeds in getting a lot of laughs with it. His finale is his 'Old Sow Song.' Par- ticioation by the audience in the last chorus helps to send Smith off with a nice hand. Closing spot finds the Four Elgins throwing hats and juggling Indian clubs. Their hat throwing is neatly dohe, but their juggling is outstand- )ng. particularly when three of them feed the fourth from three angles. Their rross-fire also is expertly done. The house thought it was tops. Earl.