Variety (December 1943)

42 ORCHESTRA GROSSES Wednesday, December 15, 1943 J. Dorsey Solid $44,000, Tops Chi; Himber23G,Hub,Hutton22 1 / 2 G>D.C. (Estimates, for This Week) 4 Bob Chester, Sah Francisco (Gold- en Gale: 2,880.; 55-79)-With.,'Iron Major' (RKO), and vaude headed by Three Stooges.-Third week lor Ches- ter and second for picture and vaude. Fine $27,000. Jlmmv Dorsev, Chicago (Chicago; 4.000: 50-85)^Plus 'Hi Diddle' OTA). Solid $46,000-mainly on band's ap- peal. Glen Grav, New York (Strand; 2.- 756; 35-S1.10>—With Willie Howard In person and 'Northern Pursuit - ., IWB| (3d ivk), Only,moderate $33w 000 or thereabouts, but holds. Woodv Herman, New York -.'-Par-, amount: 3.664: 35.-5.1.10)—"Willi Ma- rion Hutton, others, ou stage, and,'No. Time for Love' (Par). On week end- ed last night (Tuesday),. second, for picture and fifth for Herman-Hul- toivcombo, good $48,000 and goes an- other-round. - Richard Hlmbcr, Boston (RKO Boston: 31200; 44-99)—Plus Buster West and Lucille-Page, Ziggy Talent. Eunice Hcaley. others on stage, and "Crazy House' (U), . Seasonal drop under way but okay $23,000 is likely, evenly split between Qlscn-Johiison comedy and Himbcr band. Ina Rav Hutton, Washington (Cap- itol: 3.434; 30-75)—With 'Happy Land' (20th). So : so $22,500 but okay con- sidering conditions in D. C. Art Kassel, Chicago (Oriental; 3.- 200: 31-69)—With 'Something About Soldier' (Col). Smooth $19,000. Ada Leonard, Baltimore (Hippo- drome: 2.240; 17-66)—With 'Adven- tures, of Rookie 1 (RKO) and vaude lnclii ing Amy Arncll. Stage layout carrying load to fairish $14,000. Vaughn Monroe,. Providence (Met- ropolitan; 3.200; 36-59)—With 'Deer- slayer' (Rep). Fair $6,000 in- 3-day weekend run, weather hurting. Riiss Morgan, Indianapolis (Circle; 21800; 30-55 ^'Gangway for Tomor- row' (RKO) and acts. Band show got swell notices but mild $11,00.0 looms. ' Christmas slump being to blame. Louis Prima, Omaha. (Orpheiim; 3.000; 20-65)—With 'This Is Wash- ington' (RKO). Prima, getting small help from film, with thin $11,000 likely. Whole town off. Jan Savitt, Pittsburgh (Stanley:; 3.800; 30-75)—With Frank Sinatra and 'Falcon Co-Eds' (RKO). Band, of course, can hardly be considered major b.o. with 'The Voice' the big noise. And not so big at $32,500. this being rated a disappointment. Boys did point out that Savitt outfit is best he's had here. Raymond Scott, New York. (Cap- itol: 4.820: 35-$l : 10)—With Bea Wain. Jackie Miles and Al. Dexter's band and 'Girl Crazy' (M-G). Currently in final (2d) week, looking strong $56,000 or over. Charlie Splvak, Cleveland (Palace; 3.700; 35-55)—With 'Paris After Dark' (20th), and Patricia Morison on stage. Snow and mild film blamed for fairish $18,500. Jerry Wald, Newark (Adams; 1.- 950; 35-99) — With 'Here : Comes Elmer' (Rep) and stage show headed by Perry Como. Tidy $16,500. Perry Como being, rated big help to nice pre-Xmas biz. STAN KELLER CLAIMS 10G B R. FOR NEW BAND Stan Keller, leader of the. Towns- men quartet." claims to have $10,000 worth of-financing to underwrite the full-sized orchestra he will begin building arter the first' of the year. Currently at the ,.. Warwick : hotel, N. '.. Keller will remain there with his. srolip until the big band is ready. Keller, a sax player, formerly was with Carmen Gavallcio's orchestra. On the Upbeat Babe Rusin, J.iminy , Dorsey sax, has been .inducted in'California 'and .gu'es into the Army next: week. . nana Phelps has , replaced Penny Pjper as vocalist with Al Donahue's orchestra. ', Rcid Jaynes. Jr.; pianist with Billy Yates unit at Hotel Roosevelt, Pitts-- burgh, is the soil 'of the late Reid Jaynes, who .directed orchestra for years at Pitt's old Davis theatre dur- ing its 1 heyday as a two-a-day vauder. Gene llamld. arranger for Gracie Barrie. returned to NBC arranging staff* full time. Before joining Miss Barcie he was with NBC part lime. Les rown's band, currently doing o'ne-nighters- on the Coast, checks in at Paramount Dec. 27 for 'Bring on the; Girls.' Hugo Wintcrhalter, arranger, joined Tommy: Dorsey"s band per- manently. He was formerly with Vaughn Monroe. British Best Sheet Sellers {Week Ending Dec. 2. 1943) London, Dec. 3, If I Had My Way..:.,,.. . .. C, C.. Homecoming Waltz ;C. C. Sunday. Monday.........Victori My Blue Eyes.. .Southern Wing and Prayer.. . Francis, Day Someday Meet Again, . .Chappcll Say Prayer. .\ ...... . .Southern You'll Never Know,.Chappcll Silver Wings......:..,'... .Dash. ' Put Arms Around Me..'. .F-D-H This Is Army...,..... .Ciuvppcll In Blue of Evening.... . . . . .C. C- Music Notes Jimmy .Mcliugh and' Harold' Adamson drew the scoring job on 'New' Orleans' as the (list under their new contract at 20lh-Fox. Charles Previn set as musical di- rector for the. .Charles R. Rogers film, 'Song of the Open Road.' Johnny urke and Jimmy Van Hcusen clefiing live numbers lor 'The Road to Utopia' at Paramount. : Erich Wolfgang Korngold compos- ing score for 'Betweenthe Worlds' at Warners; . Milton Rosen and Everett Carter cleffed 'Rockiu' With: You.' 'Slightly Sentimental' and '1 ice to Know You' for '.'Cross Your-Fingers' at Universal. Don Haynes, former Glenn Miller manager, now a 2d Lieut, stationed at New Haven, where Miller also bases his Air.Force band, Haynes is in radio production. Lester Young rejoined Count Basic"; orchestra. 'Snookie' Young, trumpet, no relation, leaves band, replaced by Al Titian. Jack Teagarden's band checked in at Universal to play in 'Has Any- body Here Seeiv Kelly?-' Joe Sanders orch.opened two-week engagement at Vogue Terrace. Pitts- burgh. Saturday ill),, replacing the Bob Strong outfit. Band Review JACK KDWARDS BAND (14) Glass Hat, New York, Having started a.s a bandleader in bis Duke University undergraduate days several years ago, Jack Ed ward); is a comparative newcomer to New York, where he made his debut a;, a maestro several months ago at the Glass Hat. A personable, good- looking chap, with a pleasant bari tone, Edwards is apparently in an uncertain groove with the band. Right now .it's just another outfit, one that plays a nl'ery show well enough, as it's doing at the Glass Hat. but seemingly slated for nothing more by present in . icatjons. . Outfit consists of three brass, four sax; three violins,. piano, bass and drum, with the leader also able to fill in at a sax.: Edwards is the band's only, featured performer, and for a band to go places these days an prch requires ^specialties and specialists Of course, there's always the factor in these uncertain times of con- stantly shifting personnel, which makes It prohibitive for a band buildup. Edwards is off.the stand during the show, one of the violinists handling the stick. Kahn. TWO WRITERS WHO DO NOT W ANT TO GO TO THE COAST ALLEN DORIS ROBERTS and FISHER Writing Special Material for Su<li Cliarai-lers As JOE E. LEWIS ZIGGY TALENT LULU BATES CYNDA GLENN P. S.: By the Coast We Mean Brighton Beach Harry Revel writing four tunes for Harry Revel and Paul Webster cleffed-.-' ivin' In My Own Sweet Way' for'''National Barn Dance' at Paramount. Arthur Schwartz and Howard Dietz collaborated on four new num- bers for- 'The Band Wagon' at 20th. Scrgt. Ben Oakland and Geo.rgie Jessel have placed, their tune, 'You May Not Remember,' with ' Eddie Cantor for use in the lalter's nlmii- sical,'Show Business.', Kay Thompson sold 'She's My Tar- get for Tonight," comic song to Metro for a future musical. Conslahlih Bakaleinikoff checked in at RKO to compose the score for Eddie Cantor's 'Show usiness.' Dave Bernle is hew manager of California offlce for Santly-Joy mur. sic publishers. Arthur Franklin supervising the score on 'Rainbow Island' at Para mount. Alfred Newman- doing the scor ing job on 'The Sulli vans' at 20thr Fox. , ■ Judy. Williams succeeded Helen Forrest as vocalist with. Harry James' orchestra. Walter Scharf composing. original score for 'The Fighting Seabces' at Republic. Johnny Burke and James Van Huesen signed to write tunes for the Spitz-Goetz production, 'Belle of the Yukon.' Dlmltri Tiomkln composing back- ground music for 'Ladies Courage- ous' at Universal. » ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦«♦♦»♦»♦♦♦♦♦ Band Bookings ♦♦♦♦<♦ , ♦«♦>♦♦»♦♦♦♦♦♦ ♦♦ Bob Allen, Dec. 25, Mecca Temple, Scrantbh,. Pa.; 27. City And.. Fredr cricksburg, Md : 29-30. Poli theatre, Watcrbury,' Conn.; 31, Sunnybrook B., Pottstown.. Milch Ayres, Dec; 24, week, St, Charles theatre, New Orleans; 31, Maxwell Field. Montgomery, Ala Jan. 7, week, Riverside theatre, Mil- waukee. : Gracie Barrie, Jan. 7, week, Circle theatre; Indianapolis; 14-20; Parace theatre, Akron-Youngstown; . Benny Carter, Dec. 24, week,.Regal theatre, Chicago; 31, Armory, Louis- ville, Ky.; Jan. 1, 'Memorial '• Half, Springfield. O.; 7, week, Paradise the atre, Detroit. • ' Al Dexter, Dec. 26, Broadway the atre, Springfield, Mass. ' Glen Gray, Dec. 31-Jan. 2, State theatre, Hartford; 6,. week', Boston theatre, Boston; 14, week, Paramount theatre, Toledo. Louis Jordan. Dec. 24, Miramar B., Gary, Ind.; 25, Savoy B.,'Chicago; 26, Sunset Terrace, 'Indianapolis; 27, Armory, Louisville; 28, Cotton Club, Dayton; 29, Nu-Elins. B., Youngs- Bands at Hotel B. O.'s (Presented herewith, at a weekly tabulation, is the estimated cover charge business being done by name bands in various New York hotels. Dinner business (7-10 p.m.) not rated. Figures after name of hotel give room capacity and cover.charge. Larger amount desifjnates weekend and holiday price.. Compilation is based on period from- Monday to Saturday.) Cover* Totiil llnnd IIol<>l Ray Heathorton. .Billmore (400; $1-$1.50), Lanl Mclntire*..: Lexington (300; 75c-$1.5bV.., Benny Goodman'. New Yorker (400; $1-$1.50).. Tommy Dorsey. .-.Pennsylvania (500; :$1-$1.J0). Leo Reisman..,..Waldorf (550; $2) .;. Count-Basie; .. ...Lincoln (275; $1-$1.50)...... Guy Lombardo ..Roosevelt (400; $l-$1.5b).... Enric Madriguera Commodore (400; $1-$1.50).. Abe Lyman...... Essex House (300; $1-$1.50);, Wcoka l'liiycd 26. .98 . 9 » 10 ,.10 . 5 . 10 . A ,. 3 Vuut W*ok 1,150 2,000 2,525 3,075 2,500 1,850 2,225 1,100 1,200 Covers■ On Utile 36,125 173,325 " 24,275 33,175 30,900 8,400 23,775" . . 6,125 3,900 'Asterisks indicate a'suppoTliiig floor show. New Yorker and: Biltmort have ice s/ioii'S. Waldorf bus the jftartinans, Anuama'ry Dickey.' ' ~ Chicago Griff WUUams (Empire Room, Palmer House;-750; $3-$3.50'.min;). Eased off considerably but Williams.still big draw with fine 9,400. ■ ■ Jimmy Joy tNew Walnut Room, Bismarck hotel: 4G5; $1.50-$2.50 mill.). Joy. augmented by small Mooi- show drew good 4,500. Johnny Long.(Panther Room. Sherman hotel; 950; $1.50-$2.50 mini.). Long holding patronage to around excellent 8:000. N«ll Bondshu'fMayfair Room, Blacksione hotel,; 400; $2.50 rhin.), Bondshu and Carl BrisSon still drawing near capacity with 3,500. Eddie Oliver (Marine Room, Edgewaler Beach hotel; 1.100; 50c. and 75c. cover charge, plus $1.25 in in.V, Oliver kecps.briiigin''cm in, Last week hit big 7,900. .. ' '——' Los Angeles Freddy Martin (AmVassador; 90(l;';$l-$l.50>, Slightly off with rest.of town . diie to rainstorms and pre-holiday letdown. At that will get up to 3,800 covers. ■" ' . Joe Relchman (Biltniore: 900; $l-tl 50). Come rain or snow Reichman keeps BOwl comfortably filled. Close 10 4.000 tabs.'. Location Jobs, Not in Hotels (Los -All Teddy Powell (Palladium B; Hollywood, second week). Helped by turn- out of 6,500 at Hollywood Guild Canteen, bchotlt.. Clocked on the week at around 22,000, fine for Powell in this area. Frankie Master'i (Trianon B, Soiil.hgate, second week). Not too badly affected by the slump and should skim, past 6.500 payees. ■ Phil Harris (Slapsy Maxie's N, Los Angeles, sixth week). No slackening of pace here and 5,500 in prospect. (C/iicnoo) Lou Brees* (Chez Paree; 650; $3-$3.50. niin.); Still the town's really hot spot with Breese and Gertrude Niesen" responsible for around 5;700. Del Courntey (Blackhawk; 500; $l-$2.50 min.>. % Courtney going over nicely here with patronage sticking to very good 9,100. 10 Best Sellers on Coin-Machines .(Records beloio are grabbing vtosl nickels this week in jukeboxes throughout the country ns reported by 'operator* to 'Variety.' Names of more than one band or vocalist after the title indicates, in order of popu- larity, whose recordings-ore being, prayed.- Figures .and names in paren- thesis indicate the number of weeks each song has . been in the listings and respective, publishers.) 1. Pistol Packin' Mama (19) (Morris).. 2. People Will Say (12) (Crawford)... 8. Beautiful Morning (19) (Crawford). 4.'Victory Polka (5) (Chappell)..-...v. \ Bing Crosby .. ; |A1 Dexter ...... , ( Bing Crosby \ Frank Sinatra ;. \ Frank Sjnatra .. \ Bing Crosby . .Andrews-Crosby' . ... .Dccca .... .Okeh ..'. .Dccca .Columbia .Columbia .... Decca .... Dccca 8. My Heart Tells Me (3) (BVC)............Glen Gray. ...........Decca 6. Sunday, Monday, Always (17) (Mavfair) A ^l 0 ™^* • • • • • • • ■-Pecca' . ■ • • . (Frank Sinatra ...Columbia Dick Haymes ........ Decca 7. For. First Time (3) (Shapiro) 8. Put Arms Around M» (17) (Broadway) J-J ".( Dick Haymes .........Decca (Jimmy Dorsey Decca 9. They're Either Young (1). (Witmark)... ^ Qarber „ it 10. I'll Be Home Xmas (1) (Melrose) Bing Crosby Decca OTHER FAVORITES (These records are directly beloio first 10 in popularity) Paper Doll (26) (Mills) ....... White Xmas (Berlin) .......... Shoo-Shoo Baby (Leeds) Cuddle Up Closer (Harms) .... How Sweet You Are (Remlck) Bobgie-Woogie ; . . ............... ..Mills Bros ......Decca ..Bing Crosby .Decca ( Andrews Sisters ...... Decca } Jan Garber ............ .Hit . . Kay Armen .......... Decca . .Kay Armen ......,Dccca ..Tommy Dorsey .Victor town; : 31,- week. Fay's theatre, Phil- adelphia. Johnny Long, Jan. 2, Paramount theatre, Hammond, ind.;. fl, Capitol theatre, Manitowoc, ;Wis.;. 6, Palace theatre, South Bend; 7, week, Chi- cago .theatre; Chicago: Tony Pastor, Jan. 7, week, Stanley theatre, Pittsburgh; 14, four weeks, Roosevelt hotel, Washington, D. C. . Jerry Wald, Dec.. 23, week, Boston theatre, Boston; 31-Jan. 2, Metro- politan theatre, Providence; 4, four weeks, Frolics, Miami. At Donahue, Dec. 20, Heidelberg hotel, Jackson,; Miss.; 21, Arcade, Monroe; Ala.; '22, Aud., Shreveport, La,; 23, Aragon, Houston,,Tex.;' 24, Foster Field, Victoria, Tex.; 25, week, Robert Drlscoll hotel, Corpus Christi, Tex.; Jan. 1, Aud.,. El Paso, Tex.; 3, Luke Field, Phoenix, Ariz.; 6, six weeks, Palace^iotel, San Francisco, Billy Catlzone foursome, at:Hotel William Perm's Continental Bar for last 18 months, renewed for six more. If It s ii TL\E-DE\* /f An I m partem! Tunt'. H.ave you heard . . . "TURQUOISE" "YOSEMITE VALLEY" Two grand new western tunts . Professional copies available Timberland Publishing Co. Forest City, Iowa BMI JAN RUBINI M'orlil Fumoos VIOLINIST AND CONDUCTOR •In«t relumed from entertaining our fl«litln« bon la the flontli rHclflc.