Variety (May 1946)

Wednesday, May 22, 1946 VAUDEVILLE S3 Bookers, Agents Frantically Spade For New Talent to Bolster Limp B.O. Business drop in vauders and jiileries is resulting in one of the most widespread searches for talent since start of the war. Cafe, theatre operators, etc., are fearing that, un- less new names nre developed, the slump may become permanent. Consequently, they are in a . sweat to dig up potenital name fodder. Indicative, of how widespread the lalenl dragnet is fanning out is seen in the trip by Lou Walters, operator of the Latin Quarter, N. Y. He is now in Paris looking over some po- tentials; Paul Small is in Hollywood trying to induce Aim players to make vaude and nitery appearances. Talent agencies all over the coun- try are digging deeper than ever to sign up new players. Effort to create acts of box-office ARTHUR BLAKE Present* Hit "SYMPHONY IN SATIRE" Opening June 4 TROCADERO, Hollywood Personal Management IRVING ROMM value to theatres is the teaming by the William Morris agency of Ann Dvorak and Dick Foran, film play- ers, with Bill Goodwin, radio an- nouncer. Trio is now being submit- ted to vauderies. Al. Grossman, N. Y., agent who recently returned from the Coast, is now submitting El Brendel, vet vaude and film comic. Agencies approaching the Holly- wood names report that more would be willing to go out if more vaude time were available. Limited num- ber of deluxe houses is currently a drawback. On the other hand, vaude bookers declare that with a guar- anteed flow of headliners, more thea- tre time could be opened, but feel many houses cannot gamble on flesh policies during current shortage of names. Danny Thomas' 1st Film Booking Snagged On Conflicting Cafe Date Danny Thomas is bumping into difficulty in getting out of current contract at the Chez Paree, Chicago, to go to Hollywood to make his first picture. Thomas, who opened at the Chez May 8, has been contracted for eight weeks, and he's due on the Coast June 4. Conferences are currently being held by the William Morris agency and Joey Jacobson, Chez Paree op, to cut short his run. Possibility is the Chez will release Thomas prior to June 4 with stipulation that he play out the remainder of his date when film is completed. Similar situation was experienced recently by Martha Raye, signed for the Charlie Chaplin pic, "Bluebeard." Working at the Latin Quarter, Chi- cago, she had difficulty getting out of the date. Thomas has been signed by Metro to appear in "Unfinished Dance"-for- merly "Ballerina"' which Joe Paster- nak will produce with Margaret O'Brien and Cyd Charisse starring. Henry Koster will direct. HERMAN HYDE IS BACK AGAIN IV2G Per Day—Hay? Hollywood, May 21. Gene Autry and his nag, Champion, are drawing $1,500 a day for their joint rodeo thosping, which isn't hay for Autry and a lot of oats for his hoss. Troupe's nine-day gallop in the Cleveland Arena grossed ap- proximately $75,000, which is neither hay nor oats. New Big-Coin Nitery for Phila. New large capacity nitery to play lop names is being planned for Philadelphia by Frank Valentine, a newcomer in the cafe trade. He's calling the spot the Mocambo, and is planning to preem it around Sep- tember. Pescon has . already approached agencies for expensive talent. He's attempting to get either Milton Berle.or Sophie Tucker as his open- ing headliner. with ROBERTA LIGHT Currently (Week May Uth) LOEWS STATE NEW YORK Management MILES INGALLS and JOE FLAUM GOLDSTEIN REELECTED PREZ OF AAA IN N Y. Hymie Goldstein was reelected prexy of • Associated Agents of America, N. Y., agent group at an- nual election held last week; Syd Leipsig was ■ reelected veepee, with Jimmy Daley succeeding Paul Les^ ter as secretary; Jack Segal succeed- ing Harry Stone as treasurer, and Harry Dell retained as sgt. of arms. New board of governors comprises Eddie JLuntz, Paul Lester. Sim Kerner, Nick Eliott, Juliet Heath, Oscar Lloyd and Harry Stone. Organization comprises 90 mem- bers not aligned with Artists Rep- resentatives Assn., major N. Y. agent group, who concentrate on club date bookings and lower-budgeted niteries. After induction of new officers, resolution was passed pledging 100% cooperation with American Guild of Variety Artists on achievement of better working conditions for. artists and agents, with a special nod to Matt Shelvey, head of AGVA for "his understanding and fair dealing with group in the past." Fred Barry Released By Gov't to Play Date Fred Barry, of the dance team Fred and Elaine Barry, was released Friday (17) from custody of Federal immigration authorities to fill a date at the Statler hotel, Boston, where he opened Monday (20). He is an English subject. Barry was detained last week upon arrival in Miami Beach from Rio de Janeiro. Being an alien, fed- eral' permission should have been obtained to leave the country, and he failed to secure it when he left for Rio. It's Barry's contention that he became a citizen by virtue of his father's naturalization papers. Barry is at liberty pending fuller investigation. Montreal Druggists Spend Much Qoin for Talent Montreal, May 21. A new trend in high entertain- ment budgets for an industrial con- fab may be started in these parts by the National Assn. of Chain Drug Stores. Org is bringing Phil Baker and Lucy Munroe to its convention at Manoir Richelieu, Murray Bay, Que., June 8-13. It's also reported that Lily Dachc will be on deck, but what her chores will be remains unknown. Detroit Double-Take Encouraging: Sinatra $58,600, Tex Beneke Vaudeville bookers and agents have been heartened considerably by the business cleanup in Detroit last week by Frank Sinatra, at the Down- town theatre, and the Tex Bencke- Glenn Miller band at the Michigan. They see in the $108,400 gross com- piled by both, in opposition to one another^ that there is nothing wrong with the theatre b.o. that good b.o. names can't cure. Sinatra, working the smaller Down- town, with a "Blondie" film, rounded up a gross of $58,600 in round figures, earning himself almost $30,000 on a Ella Logan Nudges Riviera Jackpot For Up to $5,000' Slice Ella Logan will play her first nitery date in the N. Y. vicinity in some years when she follows the first show, with Ted Lewis, into Bill Miller's Riviera, Ft. Lee, N. J., June 20. Contract calls for a sliding scale which will permit singer-come- dienne to take out as.high as $5,000 weekly. Deal was started by Music Corp of America before Miller appointed | Lenny Green as his exclusive book- | er, and went through without him. j Riviera opens Thursday (23) with Ted Lewis and Noro Morales bands. Lewis gets $9,000 weekly for his stint, while the Latin crew draws $2,500. 50-50 split deal (he was guaranteed $25,000). This figure was lower than anticipated, but between $4,000 and $G,000 was lost when ho tickets were sold after 6 p.m. on Wednesday (15), the night of Sinatra's Old Gold broadcast, and another night prior to that because Sinatra was ill. The Bencke-Miller combination with "Cinderella Jones," in the larger Michigan, surprised everyone, even the band's handlers. Sinatra figured to make the week miserable for the Michigan, but the band and picture popped up with an outstand- ing $49,800 gross, far above the thea- tre's normal take. For its end, the band drew $13,900. Sinatra is currently al the Chicago theatre, Chicago, on a $25,000 guar- antee with a. 50-50 split over $60,000. Ciro's, Hollywood, Breaks Ban June 3 With DeMarcos Hollywood, May 21. Ciro's Hollywood, which starts a 30-day suspension period June 3 for liquor law violations, will reopen either July 3 or 19 with the De Marcos. Ballroom pair will get $2,- 000 weekly. Herman Hover, spot's op, is also dickering for Tony Martin as subse- quent attraction, but deal is hot yet set. THERE ARE MANY SINGERS. DANCERS, DANCE -TEAMS, ACROBATS, NOVELTY ACTS. EMCEES, COMICS, AND A FEW AUCTIONEERS .... BUT ONLY ONE "MAP AUCTIONEER" And Thai "MAD AUCTIONEER" JACK SHEA NOW HEADLINING HIPPODROME BALTIMORE. MD. Week May 23rd Booked by JACK KALCHEIM 1560 Broadway. New York City Pitt Canteen Holds Pittsburgh/ May 21. Although servicemen's canteens all over the country are folding, the one operated here by the USO and Variety Club will continue to op- erate just as long as there's the slightest need for it. Canteen cele- brated its third anniversary Friday U7), having opened May 17, 1943. Average daily attendance last week was 804, and as long as there's a fairly large volume of military traffic through Pittsburgh, USO and Variety Club will keep the canteen going. Liberty theatre. Elizabeth, N. J. vauder, closed May lfi for the sum- mer. Reopens in October. NO MATTER WHERE! THE IDEA IS THE SAME— SOMA CORTIS INTERNATIONAL SINGING STAR Delight* DETROIT: "Soda Certlt hat an o i lie m ely wide vocal range, woa- dtrhil Interpretive cm- trol and dramatic nnderttandlng." — H. Hart. News. Clicki la CHICAGO: "Soola Cortii carve* a niche for herself !■ Ike Mayfalr Room of the Blackitoae wlrfc accented tongs.' — B. Lecke, San. CLEVELAND: "Sonlo tortli It gifted with both voice and appear- • arice. She It a meno-soprano who can really sing."-— E. Bacon, Newt. CANADA: "Mitt Cortlt hat tome definite claim to be regarded at a vocalist of distinction and style."—S. M. Powell, Montreal Star, - AND KURRENTLY: KILLING THEM at the BELLERIVE HOTEL, KANSAS CITY OPENING MAY 27 THRU JUNE • KING EDWARD HOTEL, TORONTO. CANADA