Variety (February 1944)

■W'e«lnes«lay, February 2, 1944 HOUSE REVIEWS 21 State, ¥. Horriet Hoctor It Three Hearts (4), Louis Jordan Orch (51, iVeo! Stunley & Marli, Tom Howard & George Shelton. Gloria Blake, Ed- wards Bros. (3J, Ruby Zwerling Bouse Orch: "Swing Fever" (M-G), rerivwed- m- current issue of ••Variety." ' Han-iot Hoctor, one of the smash terpors on the long-vanished big time, makes up with classic finesse and her slick, perfected routines, whatever she may lack in vigor. She moves across , the stage with imprcs.'fivo grace and polish, hitting the hiuh spots in her ballet and toe numbers lightly rather than forci- bly. She conies through with a cievor as well as skillful per- lormance—registering strongly as a liame bet for vaude and nitery iBookings. She has three vigorous femme torpers {Three Hearts) in support, these girls confining therh- sclves mainly to tap routines be- tween Miss HoGtor's appearances. Another outstandirig tttrn is, of course, the swell. Ijouis Jordan .live orch of five including drums, corneti sax. ecllo aiid piano. This small sepia unit is one of the best of its kind, both for distinctive orchestra- tions and surefire vocals. "Is You Is. Or Is You Ain't My Baby," "You Cin'l Get That No More" and "G. I. Jive" are tunes typical' of a sock repertoire. Neal Stanley,,-impersonator, has added his wife. ^ Marti, to the act, which nbW includes a more exten- sive list of takeofl's. They're an ex- cellent combo, cleaning up handily at show CauglVt, although some of the gag matei-ial could, be bright- ened up considerably. Their Jerry Coloniia-Vera Vague, and Nel.':on Eddy-Jcanetlo MacDonald impres- sions are among the best. Tom Howard and George Shelton, wiih dated material, dlick easily with their standard comedy turn. Their i-elatiyely simple routine, with the older of the partners trying to toll a story while the other heckles him , unmercifully, rings up a sui:* prisingly big score in the laugh de- partment. For the rest, lineup includes Gloria Blake, blond singer, in the deuce spot,, and Edwards Brothers, sock acrohiatic triOf- reviewed sepa- rately under New Aits. Mori. Fox. S<. Lmiis St. Louis, Jan. 28. Di(),e Eiiinstou Orch tl65 U'i£/i Ray Nance, Al Guster, Betty Roche. Rv.v Stewarti ; Cook & ■ Browji. Al Hibbler, Apus & Bstrolifn; "Casanova in Btirlesqne" (Rep). ' Hot iTiusic fans, particularly teen agers, are having a big inning cur- rently at this 5,000 seater where Duke Eilington, and a galaxy of sepia entertainers are dishing out plenty in 65 minutes. It's the first local stage show in many months and at' the session caught the huge bouse was almost filled. Ellington is a big fave. and any of his com- positions whether played by him- self- at the grand, or by his tootei's brought solid approval. Orch teed off with "Blue Skies" and, followed with "Slip of the Lip" W'ith Ray Nance doing the vocal and winning a healthy mitt. His danc- ing is also appreciated. Betty Roche scores with "Shoo Shoo Baby" and a novelty, number. Band's "Don't Get Around Much Anymore" keeps palm pounders in action. House also approves the acro-tap of Al Guster and "C Jam Blues," by the band. Rex Stewart of the trumpet section doing "Boy Meets Horn," registers another click. Ecconh-ic dancing of Cook and Brown wins the mob and when Ellington follows with a medley of his own compositions, the house rocks with approval. Ellington's latest song, "Do Noth- ing Until You Hear From Me" sung by Al Hibbler, a blind baritone, is sock. Apus and Estralita, a palter and dance team cop a solid hand with their zany stuiT. Session closes with orch's playing "Things Ain't What They U.sed To Be." Safin, IVaiional, L'villo Louisville, Jan. 28. Renfro VaUey Folks, with Slim Miller. Ernie Lee, Travefs Twins, Blue Mountain Girls, Holden Bros.. Earle Keller's Orch (12i; "Isle of Forgotten Sitis" (PRC). John Lair's barn dance gang, Renfro Valley Folks, who air dail.v program.s over WHAS constitute the entire stage bill. Evidently some pt the ,hillbillies were left behind.' as, ;, only 12 performers appear. ,Whereas newspaper ads promise "20 star acts," Opening show had few lively moments, .and moved at a slow pace. Ernie Lee, singer and guitar player, emcees spending most of his time at the mike; He has a radio rep and patrons gave him a warm welcome. He pleases them with his mellow,. voice aiid guitar accompaniment of "Have I Stayed Away Too Long." Entire routine is a succession of siring music and vocalizing of hill country favorites which the Renfro gatig does sing on the air. Fiddler? and guitar players are' seated on benches, and movd up to the mike v.'lien called upon. Most of the numbers arc doleful, and only touch of comedy is ln,iected by Slim Miller, rustic fiddler, who garners a few laughs with down to earth gags He also does a waltz clog which perks up the audienca for a lew moments, Holden Brothers, singers and guitar players, give out with "Be- lieve I'm Entitled To You" and .."I Died for the Red, White and Blue." Blue Mountain Girls, calico dressed gals, harmonize in typical hillbilly style, as do the Travers Twins. John Lair, who handles the troupe, did not appear at first show Friday (28), nor did Granny Har- per, elderly femme coinie and singer, and the Coon Creek girls. Barn dance troupe Which appears at the Renfro Valley shows lilcewise was mi.ssing. but v^'ere promised later in the week. Layout adds up as pretty monotonous stage fare, ex- cept for those /who follow the gang regularly on the radio.. Patrons iii fhis area are partial to.hillbilly en- tertainment, but the sketchy , lineup at show caught disappointed the cash customers;..:' ■ ■ ,, Earle Keller's house orch (121 play ,.stock tiines to open and close the show, and provide the only bit of life to the layout. House about one-third full at show caught. Hold. ( aphol. Wash. ; Wflsdiiifytoi!, Jan. 27. Ray English, Patsy ■'■ Brcu-er, Galente & Leonardo. June Lor- raine, Lynn Allison. Sam Jack Kani" VKvit'x,.: Kousey Oreh; "Ridiiii High." ■(Pnrl-.v'v- . '. ■■ ' ^ Gene Ford's "Hail to the Chief" revue, , ,i.s snappy entci-taiiuiient, leahiiig. tp ;the -patriotic side. Galente and. LeoriarSo, smooth team open ballroom with three routines strongest of which is a rhumba. June Lorraine goes over a series of impressions of Hollywood stars with her encore, a colloquy, between Katharine Hepburn.,: ,ahd ■ . Jimmy Durante,, tieing, the', house: into knots. . '■' ■ Patsy Brewer can make oldies click via individual arraiigeViients! House band didn't jive with her during, the first show, but they had cau.ght her style with "Alice Blue Gown" and result was a solid click. Ray English .wOrks energetically for laijghs and gets them. Routine is new to F street and he gets the cus- tomers applaudhig. Finish has the Kaufman musicians in red coats going into a service medley. Weir served vocally with Lynn Allison's coloratura, ■ :Arke. Baltimore. Jan. 30. Franks (4), Jack Marshall, Wells (.3), Bob Fuller's Singing Stylists with Jane Wood (7), f'efice fula'and House Orch (12); "North Star" (RKO). Layout's playing time is held down bv length of accompanying aim portion (."The North Star") and gets oft to an opening with Three Wells, male and two femmes in flashy tumbling after which Bob Fuller supported by ensemble of five supporting voices whack out an okay Cohan medley and a group of service songs in the accepted groove. Jack Marshall, a swift working comic with good gags and funny business wrapped around a special lyric .built to his hat twisting routine, draws laughs and sets the sta§e for matters well for Pour Franks in the closing slot. Evenly divided quartette plays musical inslrunienls and hoofs, ade- quately.. Satire on "Gone VVith the Wind" has fine comedy and closing challenge dance makes for a solid clincher. Biz very bis;. Burm. Aflauis, IN>\v«rk Newark, Jan.-27. Will Osborne's Orch (14) with Mariaiin; Marion Button, Three Stooges, Wally Rand; "Drums of Fv, Manehu." iRep.). Adams offers a neatly balanced bill this week. ■ Band has competition from supporting acts and that's on the unusual side for this spot. Lean, genial Will Osborne and his recently formed crew get off on the right fo6t with a stepped up ar- rangement of "Shoo, Shoo Baby" atid follow with "How Sweet You Are." His fair vocal talent is eu- hariocd by a friendly personality that gets across. Band, features a medley from VOktahoma," a solid scoring of "Rose Room." pointing: up, a clarinet and drum, solo. ■ , ' Mariann. fetnnve chirper, a willowy: blonde registers wU\\ "Embrace Me" and "No Love.", Marion Hutton, now a single, works hard apd. her efforts, in the main, arS ^appreciated. A ballad, however, , would help her routine. :After, hearing he" bang across four ^shoiit i arrangemeiUs, the listener hopes foi: but doe.-.n't get a change in tempo. The Three Stooges open without Moe Howard, who at show caught was bedded with flu. They do best with, creaky material apparently feeling there's no need for new gags as long as the ancient quips click. Wally Rand shape,s balloons into animals and does a clever takcofl' on Jimmy Savo. He's a pleasant bill .roundcr-puter. ; All in all, the .show provides Adams patrons with plenty hand Q.»oerci.ve.■ ■ .-. Rhiy. Stanley, Pitt Pittsburgh, Jan. 28. Tommy Dorsey Orch (21), Gciie Kntpa, Betty Brewer, Paul Regan, Edward Sisters (2), SentijnentoJi.sts (4), Afiito)! Raskin, Sal La Perc/i; "Henry Aldrieh. Hpiunts a House" (Peri. No matter how 'many times Tommy Dorsey fires one band and organizes another, he always man- ages to come up with a winning combination. His current outfit may not have quite the easy glide of the crew he brought to this WB de- iuxer last year, but it's still head and shoulders above the average, and for the most part right in the TD groove. Result is a show of 60 swift and', silken minutes. Then there's the added marquee lure , and socko entertainment by Gene Krupa, guest-starring on the drums. It's practically a two- man show, for Dorsey virtually per- mits Krupa an even turn under the spotlight. Skin-beater , also con- ducts the orch through "Sleepy Lagoon" while TD is trombone-solo- ing. Aflci-tying things up in knots in his .specialty. Krupa hikes dp\vn to the mike and speaks a few v.'ellr chosen and sincere words o£ grati- tude to both Dcirsey,, and the, aiidi- ence. If Krupa has been wary about public's reaction to his recent unpleasantness, he can forget about it. They were with him every inch of the way. '.,, Dorsey has four saxes, four trum- pets, four trombones, three Violins, viola, cello, bass, guitar, drums and piano, and the blend's right in his groove. Starts with "Song of In-: dia," featuring Sar La Perch, a local trumpeter \vho ,recently joined him after a yearwith Hal Mclntyre, and then brings the Sentimentalists down for "Sunny Side of the Street" and "Shoo Shoo Baby." They're four girls vhose voices merge pleas- antly. Milton Raskin, pianist, next goes to .'tovvn : dh a boogie- woogie and then it's Krupa for his sockeroo specialty, , He's a tough guy to fol- low but Betty Brewer, band's femme vocalist, ' overcomes the handicap. Crowd wouldn't let her oft and was still screaming after four numbers, "Put Your Arms Around Me," "No Love, No Nothing." "Can't Give You Anything But Love", and, "Murder He Says." Latter is weakest of the lot, it's not her type, • Although ads carried Jimmy Cook's name as featured male vocal- ist, he didn't show up with Dorsey and no explanation was given. Two outside acts both ring the bell. Paul Regan cleans up with his standard impersonation turn in a manner, that qualifies him for a berth with the top mimics, and Edward Sisters, pair of sepians, point out a satisfac- tory, but distinctive tap session. However, they share the . crowd's continuous enthusiasm tor the Dorsey show and go over big. Five shows scheduled for opening day (Friday) instead of the usual four. However, house was only half full at the first show, suggesting th^' getaway could have profitably been confined to the customary number of performanees. ,, Colieii. Karl«s Wash. ' WashiTiffton, Jan. 28. Dean Murphy, Hamuels (3), Paul Sydell & Spotty, Eileen Ritter, Jo Lombardi's House Orch; "Fighting Seabees." (.Rep). Harry Anger lengthened his stage this w-eek by covering up the pit and moving Jo Lombardi's musi- cians to the stage. After a produc- tion opening by Roxyettes, Eileen Ritter warbles "Shoo Shoo Baby" and a medley of pop tunes to pre- cede Paul Sydell and his trained terriers for a warm response. Three Samuels in gaudy blue military outfits do their tap routine, with the comic extracting a few laughs with his cuf-ups. Routine is familiar but done with showman- ship, Roxyettes introduce Dean Mur- phy, for a fast round of Hollywood impressions. He is a glib conversa- tionalist and his line Of chatter has many laughs. Encore is his cameo bf President Roosevelt in a three minute talk which has dignity and makes no attempts for laughs. Extra bit is an impression of: the first Lady addressing the Girl Scouts. This en- gagement is a special booking to allow . Murphy to emcee the mid- night President's.:, Birthday show. He's a solid click. Roxyettes close with a fast routine. This is' 4a n-iinutes of fast revue, bea.utifully liglited, stag;ed, and paced, . : , Arke. Tower, K. t'. Kansas City, Jan. 2S. Cocn, Steve & Teddy, Ray Mar- teli, Putty Petite, MacHorn. Ginge,r i:beri; Tower Orch (9) with Jack Parks & iVfarilyn Ballinger; "Heat's On" iCol) and "So'S Yotir L'ncle'; iU). .': ,: The 40-minute revue this week is a blend of four standard turns, a Discovery Night winner and the house orch, tied into a neat pack- age by a personable m,c., and brought up to the minute, \vith a bond pitch. ■ Show gets underway as the Tower orch swings out with "Dig Down Deep,'' with Marilyn Ballinger : chic, warbler, with two choruses. On first 'is Patty Petite, tall brunet tapster, in a couple of rhythm numbers. MacHorn follows with a juggling act. Indian clubs, along with a har- monica solo, and a f ast tap' wind- up. Juggling is really smooth, Current "Discovery Night" win- ner is a cute five-year-old. Ginger Ebort. Opens With "What's the Good Word, Mr. Bluebird?" and fol- lows with a fast bit of hoofing. Nearly tied things up at show caught. Ray Martell, emcee, is a mihiic whose subjects include film, radio and political persoijalities, Stubholders give him a nice: round of palmwhacking. In the closing spot. Coco, Steve and Teddy combine lifting and balanc- ing, stunts with patter and com- cry biz. The juves go for their clowning. They took two bows, Capacity when caught. Earl. Apollo, N. Y. Beany Carter Orch (14) with Savan}tah. Churchill; Nino Ghezzi. Evelyn Ware, Spider Bruce, George WiUiains, Johnn'y . Vigal. "YaJc" Taylor, Berry Bros. (2); "Whisper- ing Footsteps'' (Rep). ■ Beiwiy Carter's return to this Har- lerii, swing citad.^! marks his firsst local appearance: since his Holly- wood hcgira, where he was spotted in "Thousands Cheer" (M-G). Car- ter's current band, corhpounded into three rhythm, seven brass and four reeds, Is not one. .,pf.:Kis. best,: .but packs sufficient Sparkle:,without be- ing calorific, Sectionally, it holds up, notably in the sax division, but the ensemble efforts are limpid and riot on a par,with the solo work. As war bands go, ■ however, this one will do. Carter's own handicraft on the brass and reeds is, as always, in- vested with an exciting and in- candescent quality, and he keeps the band going in high gear. He's also an easy and; amiahle emcee in in- troing the numbers and foiling for Savannah Churchill, Mi.s.s- Churchill a sultry song-' stress, establiiihes herself : here in a brace of lowdown numbers that evoke' strong response. ' She's on for the i ump stuff, with Evelyn Ware, featured with the band, hand- ling the rhythm end. Latter is clicko in intoninig "My Ideal" and "Shoo-Shoo Baby." Nino Ghezzi, now going it as a single, has whipped up a hand- balancing variation of his former duo turh. posing, his frame on mov- able blocks atop a portable minia- ture stairway. Closing bit is his standard invei-tcd-jittei-bug routine, which gets, him off to a nice hand. The Berry Brothers, flashing a strong brand of torping are on for a knockabout finale, sending the cus- tamters: out in a lather. - Between specialty acts, the , Apollo house comics, headed by George Williams and Spider Bruce, beam their skits to an, appreciative audi- ence. Jona. Kmhasfiyn ZV. V. , (NEWSREELSl Push in Italy features, this week's array of new.sreel clips on display .here, headed by a very enlightening and interesting report by Gen, Mark Clark, with background shots of his troops on the move for added effect. Varied but a little slow in spots due principally to the length of .some clips and repetition, show is gen- erally, good. To the Clark item is tied a Pathe release, with action shots, showing the Canadians taking Ortona. Sev- eral German prisoners are cameraed, most of them appearing Surly. The same prisoners appear in the exact same shots in a Universal clip which follows, dealing with aid being rendered ■ starving and homeless Italian natives. Very interesting is Par's contri- bution on the new jet plane. While sequence explains that it can't be photographed, an animated drawing shows how the airship works, with a Washington Air Corps ofl:icial dis- cussing it briefly. In the flight di- vision also is the mightiest of planes, the hew Mars which recently took off for Hawaii. An exciting item is the one about Maj. Gregory Boying- ton who do\vned 26 Jap planes in the South Pacific tjtit is iipw, missing, A fierce air battle, is, incllicled;: Among mL-iceilaneous clips dealing with the war or personalities in .it are Ccn. Bernard L. Montgomery's, arrival in London,where a warm welcome is given him. an editorial item relating to the Polish-Russian question, a .short talk by Admiral Halsey in: which he makes a bond- buying plea, laying of an oil, pipeline in, Italy,, heavy howitzers being tested On homo ground, and launch- ing of a cruiser. This week's News B'orum has Marquis Chiicls, commentator, inter- viewing Sen. Kilgore of West Vir- ginia: and Congressman Gathing of. A.rkansa,s, who : present opposing views on the que.Stion of the soldier vote. Exceptionally well done and interesting as well as informative, A short that carries intense appeal lis a release in the This Is Ammca seric.';, distributed by RKO and called' '"Letter to a Hero." In addition to some sports and other matter, show includes a Lew Lchr special on point rationing with Edgar Kennedy supplying several laughs, C'mr. Oriental, Clil Chicago, Jan. 29. BiU Rob!H.<!on; Kidoodiers (4), Cook & Christy. Caimor & Ross, Lit- tie Sisters (3); "Su-ing Out the Blue" (Coll. All's well here this week with Bill Robinson heading an entertain- ing and diversified bill which has plenty entertainment. Ray Lang's hpu.se orch is on stage at this show', •: Gaynor and Ross give the show a fast start with a roller skating turn done on a raised platform. Out- standing trick, the feninie's one-leg spins, go oyer well. : The Kidoodiers, four males, click: with musical novelties and nonsense. Combine violin, bass, guitar and gadgets with neat harmonizing to put over "Circus Comes to Town,", "Chinatown." "Old McDonald Had.a Farm." "Old 97" and "Pistol Packin* Mamma." A hit. Three Little Sisters have the ap>- pearance of an amateur group caybrting at a dance school recital.-,, Girls have aero ability- and sohfiei tricks are oaky but they haven't a- good enough routine for big time. Cook and Christy are a comedy hit in this house. Christy who acts as emcee, and Cook both know iioyr to get the most out of a gag. Act ' achieves hilarious results. A hit. Bill Robinson comes on to a hand and there was plenty of palm, whacking throughout the turn. The audience goes for his stories an4 dance routines for a solid score. ' ■ Morg, IIKO. Itoston Boston, Jan. 27. Jimmy Dorsey Orch (-18); Peg Leg Bates. Coley Worth & Marcia; "Sing a Jliigte" (Ui; The; Jimmy Dorsey layout sets a high standard, band i,'; one of the, best, considering the tribulations all Qi'chs undergo these days and outfit is at an impressive peak oif excel- lence. Although, there are only two specialties with the band here, both :are vvQW,: Moreover, the tvvo vocal-: ists are fine. As a result the show has plenty (if drive, and it leaves, the, customers Wanting „ more—a sound practice. While there are 14 brasses, ar- 4-angements do not permit them to blow their tops until the final all- out number. The result is a steady build-up which sends the fans. All the jive numbers—"One O'clock Jump," "John Silver." "Holiday for Strings" and "King Porter" conse- quently brought a lot of hearty kudos. Gladys Tell, the orch warbler, does "There'll Be a Hot Time ih Berlin." "Shoo-Shoo Baby" and others, all with sock effect, while Paul Carley, a pleasant baritone, does "My Heart Tells Me," "How Sweet You Are'' and other squashy tunes, wringing them practically dry. Both vocalists win big hands. Peg Leg Bates floors- them, as al- ways, with his standard acro- tappery, and Coley Worth and Marcia, in the ace spot, are ditto with a comedy turn on the, rough side. Show clicks from the outset and biz, at opening, was mammoth, B(ic. Ko3ni^««. Indpls. IndiaiiapoU.5, Jan, 29. Carl & Faith. Simpson, DeBarrie's Birds, Dick Gordon. El Cota & Co., Wilfred Du Bois, Ace High Steppers (8); Ed Resener House Orcli; ''Coun- ty Fair" (Rep). Keith's stock is over par this.: week with a variety of musicai, comedy and novelty acts that cus- tomers like. Dick Goixlon sets'them a lively pace with his slick work a- emcee and scores on his own with vocals tonped bv "Great Dav," "My Heart Tells Me." "Oklahoma" tunes. Nice singing. El Cota. comic x.vlophonist and dancer, continues on the trail blazed by Prof. Lambcrti with something added thi.s year in the war of audi- ence participation. , Cnfn distributes paoer bags to the erow'd to blow up while playing "Pop Goes the Weasel." The DeBarries stir un some in- terest with their winged troupe in- cluding eight cockatoos and a bird, \vhich adds and Subtracts;' bv; ring- ing a bell the given nurnber::^ Of times. , ," ■ Wilfred DuBois gets a warm re- ception with his expert jur?f'ling of ring.s. hooos and balls. Climaxes his turn; bv mjinipulalion of four ring.s; while balaiicing a revolving bpiJ on his forehead. ' : ' (3ari and jnith Sim.pson nut on a .smart puppet show w-ith their at- tractively garbed marionettes, top- per being a .strip tease Line offers three snanp.v routines. Biz was lookr ing upwhen caught: Corh, Pete Dailey Named U Studio Publicity Head Hollywood. Feb. 1. : Universal upped J. - W, (Pete') Dailey to studio publicity director to fill the post held by the late Terry De Lapp, ■ Joe Lawlor moved into Dalley'i old,spot as .studio contact with iiewS; papers throughout the cuntry.