Variety (Jul 1946)

46 VAUDEVILLE Wednesday, July 17, 1946 Night Gob Reviews Latin <l«nrier, V. WaUy Wanger Girls, 4 Esquires, Gflil .Bcnnelf, Sirki de Vvsenof, francos & Cray,. Geraldiii'e DuBois, Bit & Cora Bnird, Murtah Sisters (3)., Paul White A Elroy Peace. Ted Lewis with his Orch; entire produc- tion conceived and produced by Lou U'ntters; Wnlli/ Wanger., production manager; costumes designed by Bitty Livingston; Hawaiian and .finale costumes by Mme. Berthe; dance director, Mme. Kamerova; orchestra- tions, M. Kameroff; opening and military costumes 1>B Broolcs; iimsi- cnl director, /or Ted Leu'is. Sol Klein; orch with Buddy Hnrlowe; $3.50 miti. As is invariably trie case with Lou Walters'' opening-night shows at his Latin Quarter on Broadway, this one, which he calls. "Manhattan Masquer- ade" as a framework for Ted Lewis, was too long. Much, too long. The opener ran over two hours. And yet. as Is also invariably the case with Walters, there is a plenitude of talmit that within the week will undoubt- edly be creased and sharpened to. perhaps, its proper playing time of 00 or 70 minutes. At the preem performance Sunday night (14) the defects were'obvious. The show is otherwise notable for a parade ol colorful costumes, some of the most consistently gorgeous beauts in any collective line, a couple of colored'lads who almost steal the show from the headline!', and an ar ray of lesser performers who are paced by Lewis' usually expert fronting. At the $3.50 minimum, the Latin Quarter remains one of the greatest cafe buys , in America. Along with the Zanzibar and the Diamond Horseshoe, also on Broadway: Earl Carroll's theatre-restaurant in Holly- wood, and some others of that ilk. it is an exemplary refutation of Washington's merry-go-round that nightclubs are gyp joints. This is mostly a troupe of perform- er's who have been traveling with Lewis for some time, with some out- side acts. The Murtah Sisters (3). with their special comedy vocals, and Bil and Cora Baird, marionel manip- ulators, get the major billing outside of Lewis. For Lewis this is a sentimental re- turn to the site of the Palais Royal, where 28 years ago he played one o£ his early dates. With the battered tophat and the licorice slick that have come down through the years as his trademarks, along with his "Is Everybody Happy," Lewis remains as corny as ever—and lust as sale- able. Whether he's foiling with Ger- nldine Du Bois, a shapely looker who knows her way around a stage; working with the colored Paid White and Elroy Peace, rasping a song or two, tossing peanuts to the customers, getting over a hot lick on thc'clarinrl —or just being plain Ted Lewis—he's still the master showman, a hark- back to another.era of show biz whose standards and showmanship must re- main as commercial as the American buck regardless of its age. The-Murtah Sisters are not espe- cially effective with their special songs, though the fault, basically, lies not in their own innate talents.- It's mostly the material. And "Old Man River," done by sister. Kate-Ellen, should never be attempted by her. Though her voice is deep for a gal. she still has to distort her pitch to achieve effect with a song that was written essentially for a bass. The opening-night audience, however, seemed receptive to the Murtah trio. The Bairds are still clicko with (Continued on page 48) THEY'RE STILL GOING STRONG BETTER THAN EVER/ FRED LOWERY AMERICA'S FOREMOST WHISTLING VIRTUOSO AND DOROTHY RAE THE GIRL WITH THE SMILE IN HER VOICE CLOSING AFTER 3 BIG WEEKS CHICAGO THEATRE CHICAGO/ ILLINOIS WEEK OF JULY 19TH CENTURAMA MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN Columbia Recording Artists Personal Manager: HAROLD LIE 35 East Wackcr Driva. Chicago. III. GENERAL ARTISTS CORPORATION Books Himoelf In Wynn Hammer, purveyor of sophisticated songs, finding sa- loon dates too infrequent, decid- ed agenting was more depend- able. Aligning with one of the smaller agencies, he set out to pact some bookings: for his Arm. First stop was the Hotel Elben, Morristown, N: J., for which Ben Friedman, bp, was seeking some- thing for his- new Mexican Patio. Hammer anxious to break the ice for his boss, auditioned his own act and booked himself in for the summer. BRISSON'S WOR SHOW K.0/S THEATRE DATES Because of his Friday night Mu- tual network sustainer, Carl Brisson turned down a two-week bid from the Chicago theatre at $5,000 per. Clash of time schedules between stage performances and his airers made it impossible for the Danish crooner as when he cut-in from Chi recently during a nitery booking. Chi theatre's 5-6 shows on opening Fridays how- ever forfend such pickups. Dickers for the Brisson show for early sponsorship decided him to stay with the radio. IreDet's Two-Timing Bookings Baffle Agency Bookings of Charles Trenet are still a mystery to the William Mor- ris agency. French chanteur, who recently was booked by ,the Morris office on a Canadian . concert tour, cancelled the agency-booked tour and is apparently making his own bookings while in Canada. He's set to play a Montreal ..odeo starting July 23, but handlers in New York are unaware of his play-dates. Trenet recently walked out of the way contracted dates when promo- ters failed to carry out their promise to give the Gaul cash In advance. Meanwhile he's leased a house in the Montreal -rea where he's vaca- tioning between dates which he's setting up himself, and is expected to linger there for some time, He's slated to do a film for Bryan Foy, and may remain in Montreal until he reports to Hollywood around the end .of the year. Tito Guizar Plays Delayed Waldorf, N.Y., Date Aug. 8 Tito Guizar, whose date at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel, N. Y., was twice postponed because of his con- cert and film work, is slated to open there Aug. 8. He goes in on the show with the Griff Williams band, making its eastern bow. The Williams orch has achieved semi-name proportions in Chicago where he played at the Palmer House and •Blackstone hotels. Layout succeeds the run of Guy Lorabardo band. Tidbits' Does Tiny Foldo After Week of Slim Biz "tidbits of 1946," legit vatider, folded, last Sunday (14) after a week of slim biz at the Plymouth, N. Y, Cast was paid off Monday (151 from cash security posted at Ameri- can Guild of Variety Artists. AGVA had union Jurisdiction since cast comprised 1 several vaude perform- ers, headed by Joey Faye. Arthur Klein took it over.for the Broadway showing and added pro members to cast. It never had a chance after the rapping critics gave it on opening night (10). Show had probably the smallest payroll for a revue venture yet to hit Broadway, with about $2,250 weekly salary nut for performers, with Faye and others getting major slice ol the coin. Guild Wants Another 5G From the Copa, A. C., To Cover Name Acts American Guild of Variety Artists is asking uppance of cash security from the Copa, Atlantic City, due. to policy switch, under Joe Moss aegis,, from modestly budgeted shows to more expensive layouts. Nitery has $1,500 up under pre- vious pact, which was sufficient' at the time to payoff in case of trouble. Matt Shelvey, head of AGVA, has notified Moss that an additional $5,- 000 will have to be laid on the line to cover such names as Jackie Miles and Sophie Tucker, who have been contracted to go Into the nitery. Miles is currently in for a three- week stint,, with Miss Tucker to follow. Drake, Brent Settle Agent Pact After AGVA Hearing Allen Drake, comedian, was given an out on exclusive representation pact with Harry Brent, agent, this week after a fact finding board at American Guild of Variety Artists had previously decided that agent, who had brought contract jump charges against the comic, had no grounds for complaint. Both parties have since gotten together on ad- justment which abrogates necessity of sending it to arbitration at AGVA. Drake, who is now agented by Sol Tepper, has agreed to pay Brent 5% of his weekly earnings for the year his three-year pact still has to run and also further compensate him for amounts agent spent for special ar- rangements and material. Saranac Lake By Happy Benway Saranac Lake, N. Y. Actors colony having summer the- atre drama festival, Stanley Woolf, producer, teed off last week with 'The Hasty Heart," directed by bdward Ludlum, co-starring Robert Van Hooton and Jane McCloud to zobb biz. Elda Benedict in from the Big Town as a newcomer at the Will Rogers. Tootie Emerson, who is doing OK. cheered by visits from Carman l J etrosino and Glenn Ferretti last week. Witeries and; roadhouses in full swing here are the Fawn Club. Brown Bear, The Birches, Raybrook inn, Swiss Chalet, Durgans, Henne- seys. Hotel Saranac, Alpine Tavern, Holiday Inn and Major Dawsons Inn. All doing nifty business. Mrs. Bernice Downs and daughter visited Margaret Doughtery, who is progressing via the rest routine, Sylvia Cohen, who beat the rap, spending her summer vacash here.- Continental Carnival Shows, in for a week's stand, did poor biz. Natives and visitors wouldn't turn out in the heated spell. Mrs. F. Grupp will spend two weeks vacash here to be near her daughter, Helen Grupp, who improv- ing nicely at the Will Rogers, Send birthday greetings to Dick Moore, Joe Kelleher, Helen Grupp, Margie Regan, Helen Morris and Mrs. William Garzke, all at the Will ! Rogers. (Write to those who are 111.) The Blue Angel, N. Y. nitery, closed for summer last week (13). Spot will reopen in Sept. Colonna Set for Roxy N.Y Jerry Colonna is set for the Roxy theatre, N. Y„ in mid-August. Hell be assisted by Tony Romano, who's now with Colonna on current tour of one-night stands. Others on the bill will include Lou Wills, Jr., recenty with "Are You With It," and Roily Rolls. Pic will be "Claudia and David" (20th-Fox). Vaude Union Cites Vet Joe E. Howard As 'Outstanding' Joa I, Howard, veteran song- writer-performer, has been awarded honorary life membership in Ameri- can Guild of Variety Artists. Ha will be presented with a silver mem- bership card by Matt Shelvey, head of AGVAv later this month. It's un. decided whether presentation will ba of ceremonial nature at Billy Rose's Diamond Horseshoe, N. Y., where Howard is currently appearing or elsewhere. Award is for Howard's outstand- ing accomplishments as an enter- tainer in. the vaude field and for his cooperation in the early days of AGVA. This is second such award made by AGVA. Similar honors were be- stowed upon Bill Robinson, Negro dancer, some months ago in conjunc- tion with his 80th anni in showbiz while appearing at the Zanzibar, N. Y. Latter was kudoed as the out- standing performer of his race, also for his-untiring efforts in further- ing progress of the union among Negro performers. COMEDY PATTER For All VroackM of Theatricals Fen-Master Gag Files Mm. 1 Tan-13 at $1.OS be* 1J Mfferort Script* for $13.00 A "MUST" KM MOUNTAIN AND All Of WW USOM INKWAJNW ' Not. 14 Tfcra 20 RIADY SOON! ($2.00 lack— DmM* Scripts) (O b PwpoM Atrmca Order ON IT) I u preparation ''Fmn-Xutar Bank aC Bln<«oa(v. Sktta a Bit.," alaa "Faa-Master Haaiar iir far Kmrta." $2.00 DcpotH m C.O.D. Oram FOR ALL MATERIAL PAULA SMITH to* W. Mth Stmt' New York. CHy U, N. S. HAL FISHER COMIC Dlr.i WILLIAM MOHBJ9 AGENCY New Tark • ChVasa - BaUrwaa*