Variety (Jun 1944)

40 VAUDEVILLE Wednesday, June 14, 1944 Joe Bessser Replaces Durant on Roxy Bill Joe Besser, comedian, has been added to the bill of the Roxy, N. Y., for week of June 21, replacing Jack Durant, Latter, who had a bid wait- ing for the Florentine Gardens, Los Angeles, secured a Roxy release to go into the Coast spot July 2. Besser heads for the Coast Aug. 5 lor a Columbia film. AL GAINES KILLED IN CRASH OF OWN PLANE -;'.:>;■. Miami Beach, June 13. Al Gaines, 44, w.fc. Miami Beach nightclub operator, was" killed last Tuesday (6) when his plane crashed near Belle Glade, Fla. .He was con- sidered a very capable pilot and served as a member-of the Civil Air Patrol. }'- : y'\ \*Vj : . . Gaines came to Miami Beach 10 years ago and operated El Chjco for the past two and a. half .years. He was associated with his ' brother; Sam,, in opening the Beachcomber three years ago and was also for- merly associated with Lou Walters in the Palm Island Latin Quarter for a couple of seasons. Another brother, Benny, operates the Vahderbilt ho- tel and the Pago-Pago room hete. Performers Gripe at USO-Camp Shows Failure to Specify Acts Required Syndicate Takes Over Slapsy Maxie'Sj Frisco San Francisco, June 13. Sale of Slapsy Maxie's to a syndi- cate headed by Sid Wolf and Eddie Fox was announced here last week* Purchase price was not disclosed. Sam Lewis, who managed the down- town night spot for the syndicate headed by himself and Ben Blue, the comedian, said that the reason for disposing of the.San- Francisco spot, which had been used for a continu- ation of their floor shows from Hol- lywood, was that wartime transpor- tation and conditions.made.it in.pos- sible for him to properly supervise both Slapsy Maxie's and the syndi- cate's Hollywood spot, the Wiishire Bowl. . , The restaurant's new. name i 1 - Club Savoy, and it's changing its policy to dancing plus floor show featuring acts and a line of six...' . •*. Long Branch Spots Go Under New Ownership West End Casino, Long Branch (N. J.) nitery, which; remained' closed last summer because of help short- age, unfolds June 23 under new own- ership and with Boyd Raehurn band tor initial four weeks. Casino, as well as the Colony Surf Club, West End (N. J.), was recently purchased by Jerry Pressman and Benjamin: Zucker. both ot Newark, at reported $250,000. Understood that new owners are Spending around $65,000 to renovate both spots. Colony Surf Club tees off season June 30, opening with Carlton Hauck's band. Combo , is set until July 27. v;VVV'^ ; V-.; ■■i'o FAMOUS BOOR, CHI, IN AGVA PAY JAM . .'• Chicago, June 13. ''• Acts, were withdrawn last week from the Famous Door cafe by Jack Irving, local executive secretary of the American Guild oi Variety Art- ists, when Steve Wojeskho.uskie, op- erator of the spot, failed to pay salaries! Wojeskhouskie had doubled his entertainment budget from $800 to 81,600 a week in order to regain some of the business lost by the 30% nttery tax, but without success. Claims to the amount oi $1,725 were- filed with AGVA by Gilda Gray, Babe Sherman, Marie Ortez, Lawrence Salerno. Dave Malcolm, Edith Ray and. the Jordan Duo, of which $400 has already been col- lected with payment's being made 'Ice-Capades' Grosses $552,000 in L. A. Run Los Angeles. June 13. Gross of $552,000 was rung up .by Ice-Capades of 1944" during its five- week run here; an increase of $216,- 000 over last; year. In its local stay, the rink show played to around, 262,- 000 customers, and to more than 2,000,000 for the entire season, New show, "Ice-Capades of 1945," was has been in rehearsal ever Since the troupe hit town, will rehearse five weeks more before opening a countrywide tour at the Civic . Ice Arena, Seattle, July 12-25. Com- pany, headed by John H. Harris has all its costumes and stage effects for the new revue. ■■>'■ '."■'" Bouche's Floor Show For N. Y. Casbah in Fall ' Casbah, class central Park South spot in N. Y., is.being taken over by Albert Bouche. the Chicago and Miami Beach nitery op, in the fall. Bouche always goes in for floor shows and plans a girl revue rather than this "continental" spot's for- mer policy of one or two class but low-cost acts. ./ .;;-.■' ■ ■ N.Y.,Huh Agcy. Deal Special Attractions, N. Y., agency headed by Mike Special, has swung deal with Tom De Petro, Boston in- die booker, whereby latter will di- vide his time between the Hub and N, Y. in assuming charge ot Spe- cial's newly established act depart- ment, y.i Jean Rose, formerly Special's as- sistant, has - been 1 upped to general manager of the agency, which has been specializing in writing and han dling minute radio jingles. Drop N. Y. Cafe Deal 4- Many unemployed performers and others amenable to accepting vaude routes via the USO-Camp Shows circuits; both here and abroad, are registering sqtiawks against the GI circuit for not publicly specifying, as they do privately, type of acts needed for nearby and offshore treks. It's their . answer to Camp Shows plaint of inability to pact acts, - Many acts claim they have sub- mitted themselves time and again fop; camp show work only to be told their type of turn was not suited for • the GI units.- Many rejected pcr- 'formers claim the camp show, outfit only wants novelty and girl combos, and that the circuit, will even take, amateurs in these divisions in pref- erence to seasoned performers. A lot. of performers- take issue with some, hookers that the GI's will,, respond only to bluish chatter. As one squawker put it, "sure they want to laugh. A risque gag now and then is relished by the men, but they don't want a steady diet of the filthy stuff either. Reception given con- cert; opera singers and others in longhair, category, bears this out. As loi novelty acts, there are not enough around , for regular spots, and those who are can write their own salary ticket. Hence their antipathy to camp show, dates." C ."'*.'."'-;.' Another rejected act pointed out that- he. doesn't blame the USO book- ers for passing up male chirpers, smce most camps have plenty of them, both professional, and amateur. Magicos, unless outstanding, are an- other dud, with servicemen giving the answers before tricks are half- way .through..;.; ,''.'/,■';.':'. ■ ;. ; : ].. ,v".-. . Report that USO-Camp Shows was Withdrawing shows and units from the camps because of the number of men sent overseas is incorrect. Pres-. ent plans do not call for curtailment but there is an increase in the num- ber of units to be sent to the lighting fronts, for which reason auditions are being held in various cities, 1,000 entertainers being sought. During the past two years, around 300 units have been sent overseas. At present there are 24 'shows and large units playing the; camps, while eight , are touring the base hospitals. Latter department is expected to be materially expanded as casualties re- , turn from abroad. There are also between 50. and 60 five-person Units playing remote camps and stations over here, that ''time" being classi- fied by USO as the "blue circuit.* McCannes-Barry Corp,, operator of chain of Brooklyn niteries, which was taking over a Manhattan site for Moulin Rouge, has dumped deal back into landlord's lap. Mitch McCannes originally set deal for five-year lease but when Walter Barry gave it the o.o. he tore up rental check. Barry contends it would take over $15,000 to recondi- tion place, and he felt the War Pro- duction Board would not okay such extensive alterations. Chocolateers* AGVA Fix -Daw Fwc;. -diret'Ka"-of Hew Y««k local of American-Guild of Variety Artists, was; ready tp yank two of the Three Chocolateers out of . the Cab Calloway vaude unit at the Strand, N. Y:, last Thursday (8),. for non- payment of dues, when the matter was quickly adjusted. Although the trio have worked steadily throughout season, with Cal- loway on his vaude 'and nitery dates, they, have failed, to pay; clues for months, according to Fox, Sammy Berke, act's agent, fixed matters, for the Strand engagement, at least. SMALL SETS COMEDIENNE Shirley. Dennis, singing comedi- enne current at the Latin Quarter, Chicago, has been signed by Paul Small for his new vaude unit, "Star Time," which is headed by Lou Holtz, the De Marcos and Benny Fields. Opens in San Francisco July 24. Al Trace band repqEts~*^-Cotumbia studio July 16"for part in new musi- cal, as fieTuntitled. '■'■ ' Saranac Lake By Happy Bcnway Saranac Lake; June .13. '. Valentine Parera, husband of Grace Moore, here for a general o.o. and check-up; after medicos O.K. he returned to N. Y. ,■ Passing away of Kitty Vogelle, ex- NVA-ite. shocked the members of the. colony, as She did so much to aid the.needy during recent years. Frank Gardiner,, former son" and dance man doing O.K. alter . 15 yeais' here. • "Dr. Abe Schiossrrian. ioi'mer" W ilT Rogers Lab technician and patient here, returned for general check-up. John Eaton upped for three sup- pers a week at the Rogers; ditto for Betty Blessing and Muriel Scheedel. Tops., for grit goes to Alice Van Ness, who a bed patient, but also, chief knitting instructress , at the Rogers. '■ ■Margaret Dougherty elated by re- ceiving word that her husband, Who is now in Africa, will soon have a long furlough to visit her here. Many thanks to the Rev. Alvin B, Gurley for taking time, out to hold weekly Bible classes at the Rogers. ' Virginia Brown Okayed' for extra jexfereise.' / .-, "'.;"-'.:-. .."„""■ ■ ■ '. ' Ben Nadler, Joseph Klein, Helen Inglee, Cliff Farmer and Horace Bentley all flashing good reports. Marge Barry is rehearsing Saranac Players in a group of playlets to be shown later. Dr. George Wilson, Rogers chief medico,. left on, annual vacash. Write to those who are ill. NOW KNTKRTA1NIXG tHK BOYS IX TI1K KIHOI'KAN THIiATKU OI;' OPERATIONS : * WILLIE SHORE I'eranmil Munwceniriit: AL HORDE ON THE LAND ON THE SEA IN THE AIR ART ESOEAN Touring. ..Dtuvil'' Lth! - Kric f'iiiiftl and Hmlsoli ■ ■: I'MTKI) ' .STAXJ'iS " ■ TREASURY SHOWBOAT "During the Entire Fifth War Loan Drive '■ ' ■■" .#«■;-'.'■ AI so Broa<lcast>nf,'' His Noted' ■ : J nVp^ryo.nations on t he Air fur. ■ GIBBONS ALE Stations WGBI (CBS). Stranton. Pa. V . WARM-.- Scanton. Ha. WBRE (NBC) Wilkes Barre, Pa, WBAX .Wilkes Barre, Pa. Dir.: NATIONAL CONCERT ARTISTS CORP. Dorothy Claire leaving Boyd Rae- burn's Band, at Commodore Hotel, ¥,Y._,_ ......v.„»w.., Versatility in tt,hythm KEN KENNEDY On Tour for USO Overseas -,;?