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46 HOUSE REVIEWS Wednesday, April 2">, 1913 Strand, IN". Y. Vauohn Monroe Orcli (23> u-il/i ZifWV Talent, Rosemary Cali'in, JVorlon Sisters (4>, Bobby Rickey. Johnny Bond. Andy Booni. Alike Shelby; Steue Evans, Ben Ben, Jean. Jack & Judy (3): "The Horn Bloirx <il Midniotii" (WB>: rcrietced m "Varicljy. 1 ' April 4, "45. ', . — / Livolv lineup current at the WLS "National Barn Dance" Bettv June clicks in her vocal, "Thai Little Kid Sister of Mine." while the instrumental ensemble gives with plenty or good home-made harmony in "When Pay Day Rolls Around." "Honey I'm in Love With You." "Up i the Lazv Fiver" and "Twelfth Street 1 Hap." the latter, performed on a rack I of tuned bottles. ■ lie : Roy Maurice: eels a warm reccp- ' lion, for his routine ot difficult aero- ment C ' ^SE^iESX ^cTricks performed entirely o,hi. gender) start moaning as handsome Vaughn Monroe starts blinking into WTO c| *£, the spotlight. The : merest.wave.of >° ot ••Etfv 1 a graceful pinkie starts this mounmg .''>» oi **ypy.-i a graceful pin all over again, so Monroe, for on hour, waves both 'pinkies, and in between gives out with some throaty hands, making the most of a physical handicap. Ollie Franks gives ■ the th her free-style. sine- All in Favor Say I." Love. Love." in imitation of a sono- rita. a wild version of "Dance With; Dollv.""ahd "Rum and Coca Cola." The audience State, IV. V. Three Kings, Waller O'Keefe, Eddy Matison Co. (2). Pal Rooney, Evelyn Kiiiplif -Willi Herman Chil- tixon's Trjo, Coley Worth Co. t2); "The Picture ■ of Dorian Gray" (M-G). baritoning and flourishes a trombone With endless^erses now and then. The kids love it. v. gave her plenty of en Solid hit of the show, though, is Ben Beri. whose drolleries never de- tract from his expert juggling. The gent knows how to sell but. what s more important, he knows how to toss around , those spheres; Indian clubs and tambourines. And. like all good performers, in his field, he knows when to miss, fieri cashes in all the way and. despite fact that repeat bookings must make his stuff familiar to regular patrons, they con- tinue to gobble it up. Jugglers sup- posedly went out with watchfobs. but as long as guys like Beri are around to freshen tip their acts the loss-and-catch. boys will always be able to And work. Monroe troupe likewise kicks in with a nice job. So do Jean, Jack and Judy, comedy balancers and tumblers. So does Steve .Evan*, whose comic slant is about as subtle as a blockbuster. But he breaks up those payees • with a stew routine, impreshes of guffaWcrs in audience and other imitations. Singing maestro goes it alone to sock over "Tangerine" and "Without a Song." He goes into latter'right after Beri ties things into a knot, a tough assignment, but. with the help of sympathetic bobbysoxers. makes the grade okay. Monroe also lends his dulcet tones'to the four Norton Sisters for effective har- monizing, doing "Said It Again" and "Heart Sings.'' The gals are without him on the sprightly "Tabby the Cat" and click. • ,- . Other vocal specialties see Rose- mary Calvin and Ziggy Talent in the spotlight. Latter docs' the familiar "Pants Too Long" and "Vitamins", next to closing and wins the mitts. Instrumental- highlights are Andy Bagni's altoing of "AH the Things You Are" and Mike -Shelby at the keyboard' for "Warsaw Concerto." latter well arranged and performed Trombone section, with Monroe add- ed, also gets over doing "I Cried For You." Strong finale has cvevyonc at work for "Good. Good. Good." Monroe org is plenty versatile and talented and lie's a definite asset up front.. With added 'Strength from other acts the Strand has nothing to worry about. Donn. Apollo. N. V. Louis Armstrong Otcli wiili. Velwn Middlelon and Gerrn Craii>/ord; Slepin Fefchit. Red 4c Ciirley. Slim & Sweet?; "Destiny" (U) encouragement to go on. ■The Three Hearts offer something especially neat in tap routines. Bobby Lee performs smartly on the tight wire. 'His comic drunk routine is a click. Vein>s Dazell contributes an expert performance, on a perpendic- ular rope' and Rudy Horn docs a smooth, job as emcee, entertaining between acts with bits of magic and palter. He registers with sonic com- edy impersonations in his regular turn. :"-..'■'-■' Biz oke at opening. Cp'rb. Adams Kew»rk . Neti-aWc, April 19". Loiiis Prima Orch (16), Lily Ami Caroll: Intact ndtors 13). Cliocola- leers (3). Masters & Rollins; "Holly- \cobd. and Vine' (PRC). Apollo bill is not only due. for a big b.o. week but provides some of the heftiest applause fodder heard at this house in some time. Major reasons for all-around satisfaction, are provided by Louis Armstrong's jive and Stepin Fctchit. latter still being a big draw at this house. Satchmo's eloquent trumpet and groovey band hit the milting jack- pot with a well-rounded catalog that includes "Jumpin'," "Can't Give You Anything - but Love" and a "Ac- cent-chu-ate." Armstrong's solo and vocal work, as well as show- manship, ore factors in excellent account the organization gives here. Velma Middleton's warbling is similarly on the plus-side. Would do' better if displayed earlier. Fol- lowing Fe'tchit. she has to work ex- tra hard on "Saturday Night" and a blues number intei'spersed with some boogie work in order to get returns: big enough to warrant an encore. With Satchmo. slve. duets "Don't Fence Me In." Male vocalist. Gerry Crawford, doesn't show up as well. .He's too self conscious.. Fctchit, aided by ■ a' diminutive stooge, does his usual lazy act for powerful appreciation; while Red and Curley's taps, comedy and drumming session more than satis- fies. Slim & Sweets (New Acts) complete lineup. Standees five deep when cnug'nl. Jose. Louis Prima s gigantic pulling power is proved for the second time here this season, this being a return date after a slugefoo last fall. Since then his "Angelina" and "Robin Hood!' have taken on additional stature and- his canary, Lily Ann Carol, has set herself up as a G.I. platter favorite. Except for an overfondness for woppo patois. Prima's new program is a pip. Hot from Start to finish with the N'Awleans trumpeter jiving around in levee fashion, singing and sending the .gals''with eye-rolling in the tuttis. To "Angelina" and "Robin Hood.' whose scrambled language still makes 'em giggle. Prima .has added two new argot songs in the 6-8 Italian tempo mixed with rocking rhythm. They are '-'Whatsa Malta, Maria" and "Hey. Don't Squeeze-a the Banana." ballad about- a filching cop with plenty of lubricous overtones. Be sides, he jams through "Tomorrow.' "Just You Wait and See" "and "My Dreams Arc Getting Better" mostly on trumpet., but solid. Miss Carol is deservedly given the featured spot and looks mighty fetching in grey metallic cloth with a deep V-neck, plenty, decollete. Lots of oomph in "I Want to Get Mar ried" and "Rum and Coca-Cola. Then waxes sentimental with "I W;>: Here When You Left." . The Chocolateers are the Hottest act. being a trio of dancing fools and clever funsters. Pantomime tn famous recordings takes.up a lot of time as the Imaginators go through uninspired and self-conscious antics to tunes by Marion Hutton, Teddy Powell and the Andrews Sisters. Masters and Rollins indulge freely in double-jointed eccentricities, with emphasis of various dementias. Not. too well received, each stunt lagging in delivery. Bran. A bit of oldtime vaudeville, cou- pled with the new—that's the layout or the current. State bill. And it plnys well, too, generally speaking. M'.s diversified enough, certainly, and bespeaks careful, thought in booking, considering the increasingly grow- rig dearth of name performers. The old? That would -.be Pal Rooney, Yeah, he's still around. And kicking plenty, too. with the same old routines he's been doing for more than half a century. And still selling. All the old corn of old- lime vaudeville but still commercial. He's still plenty lively with his soft- hoc hoofing, and. he's scarcely wind- ed, when it's all over, at that. The crowd at this catching—oldtimcrs and youngsters alike—gave, him what was pretty close to being a show-stop sendolT. Again—the seasoned. That might be Walter O'Keefe, though not ■ in the chronological sense with which one might describe Rooney. It's just that O'Keefe has been around plenty long. And again, it's the same old story that has plagued him for years —material. He needs it badly, too. . Evelyn Knight, from radio and the niteries, can chalk up a new con- quest—vaudeville. The- blonde, song- stress, who has notably becn'boffo at the eastside hitery, The Blue Angel, where she's been a fixture for the past couple of years, is able to achieve an intimacy in a big theatre as well as in the boites.- This is hqr first date in vaude. and rhythm or ballad, with aid of a mike, she sells either equally as well. Miss Knight mixes her tunes well, as indicated by the four choices at (he show: caught "Irish Lullaby" as a starter, fol- lowed by,"Always,", then the rhyth-' mic "Dance With a Dolly" (which sent her soaring to prominence, via records), and cupped with .the oldie and.still-amusing "Saloon." Herman Chittison's Trio, who do the same for her at The Blue Angel, give her a sock instrumental background. Coley Worth, of late a frequent re- pealer at the State, gels plenty of laughs with his knockabout, and he really, reaches for gimmicks to get guffaws. But the. main thing is that he gets . 'em. He's an enterprising young . comedian who's a better salesman than his 'material would indicate.. He works with a good- looking gal foil. The Three Kings open the bill, a two-girl, one-man balancing unit that does some spectacular stunts. A good opener on. any vaude -bill. Eddy Mans'oh. harmonicaist. does, a good technical job, piano-accomped by his' wife. Rudy Zw'erling's'-house band is oh stage', supplying okay backup. . Knlin tenllon with deft stunts and comical patter. Don and Beverly make a smooth ballroom dance team. Their stunts of doing Impromptu stepping to audience requests Is an excellent closer. Brog. National; L'vllle Louisville. April 20. Beri Wheeler, Christine Forsyth, Tommy Hanlon, Jr., It Jean, Patti Orr It Artie Rice, 4 Morrocans, Earle 'Kellers Orcli; "Block Busters" (Mono). Palaec, Columbus, ©. Columbus, O., April 18. Tommy Do«ey Orch (28) with Buddy Rich, Stuart Foster. Boiiii. Lou Williams. Se)itime»tnli s | s (4) Nip Nelson, Lane & Claire; "Tlier* Goes Kelly- (Mono). ■ Stage bill is something of a hodge podge this week, but Bert Wheeler, comic, ties it together with a deft hand, and gives the customers a. nifty show. Four Moroccans open with their hand-springs, pyramid building, and bouncing routine that gets over nice- ly. '. Wheeler then intros Tommy Hanlon, Jr., and Jean. Young Han- Ion has plenty potentialities as a comic, although his material is not up to par, and slightly on the blue side. His sister partner. Jean, is a looker,-and with plenty of s.a. dress- es the act. Pair could go places with better material. ( Christine ■ Forsyth, tapster, is plenty rhythmic as she makes with the taps, and warms up the audience with a few semi-cooch gyrations. Wheeler indulges in a little foolery with the towering dancer, -all pro- ductive of laughs. Wheeler's routine is a confidential monolog. in which he ribs the other performers, whilst munching a.sand- wich and sweeping the stage. He is aided by Artie Rice, who heckles him throughout. Patti Orr, shapely, blonde, participates in an exchange of .chatter between Wheeler and Rice, and they garner plenty of laughs with a mock magic routine. ' Biz was light at opening show Fri- day (20). Hold. Oriental, Chi Chicago, April 21. Carole .Landis, Ross Wyse. Jr.. &, June Mann, Sid Blake & .Milkmaid* IS). Burton & Janet. Jimmy Vey; Forever Yours"' (Mono). Earle, Phill.v Pfiiadelp'n'a. April 20. Cliieo- Marx, Mill Britton Orcli M2i with Susan Carol, Buddy Ruy- nion. Joe Britton. AI Dellay, Runs Miller: "Earl Carroll's Vanities" (Rep). . Kciilt's,Indpls. ■ Indianapolui. April 22. Betty Jane & Gloom Chasers, Ollie Franfa, 3. Hearts. . Roy Maurice, Veniis Da;el.' & CO.. Rudy Horn. Bobbi/ Lee; "My .Gal Loves Music" (U>. .. 'Sam Roberts and Jliek -Boila ccle- 'brate their third anniversary as operators at Keith's with a lively aiid generous bill that runs a quarter of an hour overtime. It's built oh the surprise idea, "with only thfee of the six acts announced in the ads. and satisfies customer curiosity with a safe margin .to snare, although no big flames are. .involved.' Featured spot is given Betty Jane nnd the Gloom Chasers, down from Tho piano-playing member of the zany Marx Bros, comes here as a single this time and gives a pleasing performance. With spotlight on his tricky right in- dex finger, Chicb's stint at the Stein- way is worth watching as well, as hearing. He pounds oiit "Beer Bar- rel Polka," "Moonlight Cocklail," "Gypsy Love Song" and a couple of other tunes, abetted by members of Mill Britlon's band and an unbilled fiddler from the Earle pit crew. Britlon's routine is now almost stereotyped but judging from the chuckles in the audience it's Hill plenty commercial. .The band has added blonde Susan Carol to the team. Members of the band keep chasing her around the stage dur- ing the band numbers. The gal does a neal mike stint with "Tony's Wife," and a medley of pops. Laugh- getter is her rendition of "Injun Girl," backed by Joe Briltori and Buddy Raymon.' Latter also delivers a slick bit of hoofing. A' Dellay. bass-plunder, doubles at the mike with "I Didn't Know About You." Band number's include "Halle- lujah." ."Wiggle Woogie"'anfl the in- evitable "Poet and Peasant" during which the band breaks things up. firing guns, beating each other on the noggins until the stage, is in shambles: Added starter is Russ Miller with his act, which lias everything from trained dogs to unicyclcs.- It's a neat filler. House well-filled at opening show- (Fri. afternoon).. S/i«l. Orpbcnm. I.. A. Los Angeles. April 19. Carlos Molina's Orch (14). u-illi Bobby Riviera, Betty Wand and Mano Lopez; Afipnefito Vnldes, MoIdo. the Magiciaii, Don & Beuerly, "Die Cisco Kid Returns" (Mono). This week's; all-Latin offering al the Orpheum is easy to take for the rhumba fans and makes a. good change of pace from usual swing band bookings at this film-vau.de house! Carlos Molina's music is top- flight stuff in the arrangement and playing departments. Band has the strength to turn on the heat when needed, despite its 14 ( j)ieccs. In addi- tion there's Mano Lopez' elongated drum and Bobby Riviera's gourd shaking to keep the beat south of the border. It's all extremely listcnablc and musically expert. Miguclitb Valdcs. shares the top billing and docs his usual smart job of selling his Afro-Cuban songs. Singer depends more on his mugging llian voice to put tunes' over, but there were no' objections on this score, even though his voice can do okay alone. Numbers arc two groups of. medleys,, plus a new recording. "Good, Good. Good," and encore of "Babalu," always a click when wrapped up in the Valdcs style. - Molina's organization is small when compared to a few qf the overgrown Latin rhythm combos but' it ..slacks up with the best in know-how to dc liver. He opens show with "Rhumba Tela." Band's next spot is Musical Americas, kudoing Mexico, Colombia Venezuela, Cuba. Brazil and the U.S Finale tune is "Hello. Hello, Good bye, Goodbye," ringing down ; the curtain to neat hand. Molina gives himself a violin solo, "La Golon drina," midway to please. Best of orch's featured performers is. Bobby Riviera, 18-ycjir-old younn- at'er who sings "Si. Si. Si" and a med- ley-of Latin .tunes popular in the states. ■ Young man's romantic voice and personality have definite possi bilitics. Betty Wand vocals "My Heart Sings" and "Sibohey" in okay fashion. Most notable about her-spot is the boll backini! by the orch. Mano Lopez, minor edition ,of Mlguelito Valdes, puts enthusinsin into "I'm Learning to Spcnk. English" and trick guitar number.'. Young man bears down a bit too hard Tin the personality but, nevertheless', pleases Maldo is a clever Mexican magical trickster who gets plenty of at Headed by Carole ■• Landis. and paced by youthful Jimmy Vey. cur- rent bill is slani-bang from begin- ning to end. Jimmy Vey opens with, a line of hoofing done at breakneck speed and swings into three-mallet pounding of "Whispering" on the xylophone in different tempos, lop- ping his turn by dancing as he plays, for heavy palmwhacking. Burton and Janet provide some interesting, if not quite true imper- sonations in the deuce spot. Janet does funny things .with takcoffs of Greta Garbo, Veronica Lake and Kalherine Hepburn, more in a satir- ical vein than legitimate, while Bur- ton's best.- is his Groucho Marx im- presh. Close with Marx and Mae West characters doing a short dance to register. Ross Wyse, Ji„ and June Mann, standard comedy act. draw plenty of laughs with Wysc's dancing, chatter, falls and adagio lesson he gives Miss Mann. A hit- Miss Landis stops the show with her singing of "It Had to Be You," "More and More." "You Belong to My Heart" and "Candy," Had to beg off. Sid Blake arid The Milkmaids (New Acts'), combination, singing and audience participation gimmick using four men from the audience, proves a laugh-getter in closing spot, Morg. Capitol, Wash. Wasliinnfon, April 20, Cms Van. Evalyn Tyner, the Hick- ory Nutx. Ballamantacs, Sam Jack Kan/num'j House Orch. Lj/nn AIti son, Milton Slosxer; "Mr. Emanuel WAV Sam Jack Kaufman's orch opens show in an overture from the musi- cal-comedy, library, with Lynn Alli- son doing the vocals, Previously, Mill Slosser has the audience in good mood with his orguniog, - ac- centuating comedy lyrics. Trailers part introducing the three Ballama niacs in a satirical Eyptian dance, provoking 'laughs as the dancers posture in odd positions. The Hick- ory Nuts follow in a hillbilly rou- tiuc oh accordion, bass fiddle, guitar and violin. Gal of the trio cuts up a la Judy Canova, with instrumen- talists getting their chance in solo routines. The Ballarilaniacs are oh again in ballet costume introducing Evalyn Tyner at the Steinway. She opens with "Blues in the Night," followed by "Night and Day," then a das sical: routine. For an encore, "Old McDonald Had a Farm," with fluor- escent gloves, showing up'her neat finger work in a session of boogie- woogie: Gets nice band: Gils Van registers with his char- acter, songs. His line of comedy pat- ter ; interspersing song stanza also gets over solidly. The Ballamaniacs are on .again, this time six in the act, with a sailor routine which clicks for laughs. - Arke. When Tommy Dorscv comes to town he reigns supreme with local lads and lassies. He' had a record- topping visit here last year with Gene Krupa. This Tuesday-to-Thurs- day stand will feed b.o. coffers Show is smooth and. satisfying. "Opus One" opens the opus and band" intermezzos the acts that follow with such as Si Oliver's "Boogie Wooeie" "Well, Get It," "Summertime," and Others wherein the Sentimental Gen- tleman doesn't liberalize on: senti- ment, -but the noise is tasteful noise and, when, caught (Wed.. aft.), the youthful spectators ate it up with acclamation. Vocal division boasts Bonnie Lou Williams, cute and natural in her treatment of "Candy" and "I Should Care." Sentimentalists, are sexy-looking . female foursome who render a cur-. rent Dorsey. jukebox favorite: "Sun- ny Side of Street." Which brings up Stuart Foster, Dorsey's new vocalist (replaced Freddie Stewart) and the weak spot in show. Dorsey's single viewpoint with vocalists. is doing them n.g. Stuart is a Lombardo prod- uct, of six months and has other top- bana experience. T. D. now possibly trying to make a counterfeit Sinatra out of him, Audience generally rest- less throughout proceedings. All Sinatra and time-worn tunes: "Njght and Day" to "Old Man River." Fos- -> ter tries too hard to act Sinatra-like —it at leasl looks, that way from the audience—and audience must over- come resentment to realize that the lad has a strong, .pleasing voice. Buddy Rich.knocks himself out on drums with "Quiet. Please,", being forced to repeat with "Not So Quiet. Please." Nip Nelson. is headed for bigger, things with appealing comedy patter, strong big-name .imitations, smart name-band satires. Lane and Claire are slick dancers with bang- up finish. . Smart showmanship in band back- drop'of service-flag, with stars (37)' for Dorsey musicians in service. Gold one for Bill "Ehrenkranlz— killed in action.' . Sliia. Chicago, Chi Chicago, April 21.. Jerri/ Lester,. Tommy Wonder, Manuel Viern, Lou: Breese Orch (15) toilli Jean Williams and Mario; To- nio/il and Eyeru Niolif (CoD. ..Terry Lester heads the praclicaUy all-male show' this week, which' though short on femininity, is long on entertainment. Lester, last seen here at the Rio Cabana, has polished his chatter for theatre use and is the same hit as he has been in the-niter-'" ies. He works hard, mixing his zany Rays.' stories and. songs with things such as his comedy Scotchman and literally. has 'em in the aisles.' An addition to his routine, the sketch about the. bartender and the . little boy, is one of funniest things he has ever done. In closing spot he's a def- inite hit. Tommy Wonder delivers some nifty footwork, opening with a shuffling dance, done in top hat and cane, ac- centuated by sliding splits and ballet turns, followed by ballroom routines with Suzanne, his dummy partner, whicli he manipulates in such an ex- pert manner as to give her the ap- pearance of a live person. Garners heavy applause. Manuel Viera contributes a lively session of comedy chiefly throti'sli the. antics of his two monkeys who play several musical instruments and cut up in general. Finale has one of the monkeys riding saddle on. a Great Dane as he hits the hurdles. Clicks. Lou Breese Orch plays "Basin Street Blues," featuring the voice and hot trumpet of Mario, one of the crew,- and accompanies Jean Wil- liams, who canaries "There'll Be a Hot Time," "My Dreams Are Getting Belter" and "Candy" for a pleasing vocal session. Morg. ItKO, Boston Boston, April 20. .Larry - Flint Orcli (12). Gloria Jean, Johnny Morgan,. Gaunor A Ross. Watson Sisters. Milt Herlh Trio; "Tarzan and Amazons (.RKO). Kay Sinatra to conduct a 35-plece orchestra to accompany Allan Jones in an album of Cole Porter tonei for "Victor. _ A'balanced variety show obviously entrancing to audiences of whistling kids in need of fun. Gloria Jean, out of Hollywood, has sweet-young-girl technique, putting over "The Lords Prayer" in house where stomping. usually shakes rafters. Her "Siboney also clichs. ■ Baggage smashers living up to.lbcir: name blemished opening of-Milt- Herth's trio, with electrical tricks on Milt's keyboard missing. Fans un- derstood and gave big'hand. The Watson Sisters, full of gags- on girl- • ish beef, one medium and other stout, score with their standard comic stuff. Gaynor St Ross, class skaters with thrills, garner applause for dazzle- spirals and head-to-flobr biz. :Larry Flint's orch supports Johnny Mor- gan's laffacious mimicry of symphony conductor. ' . j- i Plenty of boss play by' all hands. , Dam*