Variety (Jul 1946)

Wednesday, July 3, 1946 Top 'Name' Talent Nudging Out The Lesser Knowns on Loew 1-Nighters P&RIETY VAUDEVILLE 39 Further indications that neighbor- ♦ hood vaude houses are not the bo-' nanza they formerly were lor stand- ard acts is seen by the fact that the Loew onc-night vaude stands are eetting a consistent run of perform- ers in the $1,500 and $2,000 class who during the war years wouldn't con- sider hitting this time unless they were breaking in a new act. Leo Cohn, booker of the Loew one-night houses, has been getting acts like Henny Youngman, Jackie Glcason, Maurice Rocco, Ann Corio and others to make the rounds of all houses. This time the rea- son is the dough involved. Young- man, for instance, has been getting $250-$300 per night — considerably less than he would get on a #lub date. Gleasoh has been jetting around the same figure, while the others have been getting less. For the past few years, most ot these spots got names only when they were showing, or when they had to test new material. But today, this time is considered work, even if it doesn't pay as much as the one- week stands. Cynda Glenn's French Version of 'Anything' Cynda Glenn- sailed yesterday (Tues.) on the American Shipper for Paris, where the comedienne returns to the scene of past triumphs. Fluent in French, she was the first teen-age American to star in the Folies Ber- geres revues a decade ago. She has the rights to "Anything Goes," the Cole Porter musical, which she will self-produce and star in in Paris this fall. GUILD BENEFIT NETS 18G FOR WELFARE FUND American Guild of Variety Artists will realize approximately $18,000 net from third annual benefit held at Carnegie'Hall, N. Y., last week (25). Affair grossed around $28,000. Net will go to Welfare Fund of union. Jack Irving Upped To Midwest Regional Director of Union Matt Shelvey, national head of American Guild of Variety Artists, set up midwest regional branch of AGVA to cover entire midwest, area tor the talent union. Jack Irving, head of Chi branch of AGVA, has been upped to regional director in addition to current duties. He'll continue to head Chi branch but will also supervise other terri- tories such as Minneapolis, Mil- waukee. Greater Chicago to South Bend, Ind, Omaha, St. Louis and Kansas City. Most of these have local branches but will now be su- pervised by Irving out of Chi. New setup means that all com- plaints and grievances 'will now {clear through Irving instead of com- Riley's, Saratoga, N.Y., Reopened by New Owner Riley's Lakehouse, Saratoga, N. Y., landmark, reopened (29) under the management of Frank A. O'Connor, who for years was associated with his brother's in operating O'Connor's Grill in Albany. He recently bought it. . Bernie Collins' orch, a long-time feature at the bistro, provides the music. A new cocktail lounge has been installed. Spot will play "name" acts during the August racing season. Sum Is largest jn trio of benefits j j n g direct to Shelvey in the national held, being $6,000 over last year .office in N. Y. Those of super- end $5,000 over previous year, which j controversial nature that Irving can- seemingly justified the stance o(! not handle will be forwarded to Frisco Nitery Budgets Upped San Francisco, July 2. With most Frisco nightspots off 40% to 60% in business, and the bar- and-juke spots doing even worse, the town's smarter entrepreneurs pre turning to "name" talent to hypo biz. Result is that Frisco is enjoying the best talent in years, with Jerry Lester turning in four big money weeks at the Copacabana, Benny Rubin upping the gross at the Music Box, Dwight Fiske dittoing at the Kona Club and Sally Rand, despite police troubles, doing nifty at the Savoy Club, renamed Sally Rand's. Lester will be followed at the Copa by Lou Holtz. Hildegarde's July 30 premiere at the Mark Hop- kins will be a high point of talent parade, with that hostelry already sold out for first three nights and reservations coming in at pace which ; will make two-week engagement in sufficient to meet demands. I Only spots in town getting by without name acts are hotels, with I Ted Steele at Palace, Griff Williams .at Mark Hopkins and Eddie Fitz- | Patrick at the St. Francis, all paying off by attracting bulk of town's danceaddicts. AGVA to hit Carnegie Hall year. Bill comprised 22 acts, topped by Zero Mostel, Milton Bcrle, Eddie Davis, Lenny Kent, Carman Caval- lero, Gracie Barrie, Jerry Bergen and included floorshows from China Doll, Havana-Madrid and other ni- teries. this shelvey, as formerly, for final ad- justment. Shea and Raymond, after teaming for 14 years, have split with Ray- mond doing a single, while Shea will continue act with a new part- ner. CIRO'S REOPENS Los Angeles, July 2. Ciro's nitery reopened after a pe riod of rcdecoration, with Leonard Sues and his 16-piece orchestra dish- ing out music. Starring in the fioorshow are Tony and Sally DeMarco. AGVAs Payoff of $70,857 Debt To Allied Unions Cues Financial Status Gene Autry Rodeo Set For Mai Sq. Garden, N.Y., Sept Hollywood, July 2. Gene Autry set to topline Madison Square Garden Rodeo, opening Sept. 25 for 48 performances. All stock used in show, will be from Autry's ranches and affair will be produced by Everett Colborn, partner of Autry in rodeo, which just closed here at Pan-Pacific aud. Abe Lefton, oral ringmaster of ex- hibit here, set for same chore iii Garden. Paddock A.C. Draws 30-Day Padlock On Phony Booze Rap Atlantic City, July 2. All acts at the Paddock Interna- tional Cafe were cancelled as of July 1 due to an ABC order sus- pending license of the spot .'for 90 days, from July 1 until Sept, 29. This means spot is out of biz in peak of season. Penalty followed a plea of non vult entered by the licensee, Mrs. Rebecca Kravis, to a charge of pos- sessing three bottles labeled Cana- dian Club Blended Whiskey which were not the McCoy, according to ABC investigators. Samuel B. Helfand, ABC attorney, said that there had been discipli- nary action against the place five times within six years. License was suspended in Decem- ber, 1939, for 10 days for permitting a lewd performance and again in August, 1943, for 90 days on a simi- lar charge. Payoff of $70,857 indebtedness by American Guild of Variety Artists last Friday (28) to trio of affiliated talent unions, Equity, Chorus Equity . and Screen Actors Guild, presages the healthy financial condition of AGVA, vaude branch and youngest of the talent unions parented by Associated Actors and Artistes of America. Breakdown on the debt was $40,- 212.50 to. SAG, $11,500 to Chorus Equity and $18,874.56 to Equity. Matt Shelvey, national head of AGVA, and Dave Fox, head of N. Y. Local of AGVA, presented the checks at the weekly meeting of the Four A's, thus liquidating a debt contracted by previous administration of the talent union in 1939, when AGVA was formed to take over affairs of the then defunct American Federa- tion of Actors, which had been headed by Ralph Whitehead. The money had been used on organiza- tional drives and in setting up union branches in most of the key cities. When Shelvey took over the reins,, via appointment by the Four A's, he and the new administration had also inherited the debt. After three years of reorganization and solidify- ing of the vaude union, it has been brought up to its present healthy financial condition. . Collapse of the AFA came In 1939 after the foldo of the Theatre Proj- ect of Works Progress Administra- tion when legislated out of the Federal relief program. Majority of members had been culled from WPA. Consequently, when shunted baak to Home Relief they were un- able to continue payment of dues. Jackie Miles set for the Bradford roof, Boston, Aug. 1. Seattle Cafe Bonded The Showbox, Seattle, has signed minimum basic agreement- with American Guild of Variety Artists and posted bond of $4,500 to cover week's salary of talent booked in. Nitery carries a Class-A listing with scale of $85-50 and a six-day week for both principals and choris- ters. BACK AGAIN HAPPY FELTON AND THE SHEFFIELD FARMS RADIO SHOW "GUESS WHO" LOEWS STATE, Week Beginning July 4 \ GUESS WHO SATURDAY NITES AT 7 WOR for SHEFFIELD FARMS ASK ME ANOTHER SUNDAY NITES AT 6:30 NBC for ANACIN and KOLYNOS ThMfrei. MILES INGALLS • Radio, DICK DORSO