Variety (Feb 1947)

Wednesday, February S, 1947 Names Snaring Top Grosses In Bway ffiteries Heavy investment in name talent lay Broadway bonifaces has virtually put the Stem in the prosperity brackets. Cafe business, which picked up appreciably during the past five week* has in many cases, approached the highs set during the boom war years. < The Vanity Fair which preemed Friday (31) with a show topped by Gertrude Niesen, anticipates a $50,000 gross for its first week of operation. Spot had one of the big- gest opening nights in years and did SHO over the weekend. If the 50G total is reached, Miss Niesen who's in on a $7,500 guarantee and per- centages over $42,000, will go into percentages. 01s$n and Johnson show at Nicky Blair's Carnival is similarly hitting top business. Gross is re- ported near the $49,500 pulled dur- ing it's preem session, while the Latin Quarter is consistently cashier- ing around $39,000. Diamond Horse- shoe biz has- also picked up ap- preciably, although figures werefit revealed. Other Broadway spots have picked up somewhat, but aren't showing appreciable profits. SONIA CORTIS INTERNATIONAL SINGING STAR Opening February 7th BROWN HOTEL LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY Opening Febroory 24th UNG EDWARD HOTEL TORONTO, CANADA Parodies! Special Songs! Bits! * Draw from onr library, one of the largest, most comprehensive in , Showbie! * J»« Catalog JTOEE! w Exclusive material onr specialty! J. & H. KLEINMAN 2S-3I-K 30th Road, L. I. City 2, N. Y. Telephone: Astoria 8- AGVA Drafting New Code to Curb Agents On 'Bicycling' Acts New code of ethics which Ameri- can Guild of Variety Artists is working out for the smaller agents and club bookers is expected to be drafted within the next few weeks, when latter 'will be called in for signaturing about the same time their new AGVA agent franchises are issued. Main point in the new code will curb practise of some agents in bicycling acts pacted on club dates to other than the pacted date and short payoffs for the additional ap- pearances. Such practises have been chronic, according to the union, among unfranchised agents whom AGVA up to this time' had not at- tempted to bring into the fold through stress of more important union matters having precedence. But now at the instigation of Asso- ciated Agents of America, official organization of the smaller agents and club bookers, AGVA has stepped in for their protection and will now require all agents be franchised either under group arrangement via AAA or individually. Bicycling complained about in- volves agents who book a team for $60 for an individual date, add two others and give the act $75 for trio of dates although reportedly collect-" ing full price on all. Enfranchised agents are said to have had a field day on this up to now and prac- tically with immunity unless acts thusly treated brought their beefs to the union. PROSER MAY ENTER ' PERSONAL MCI FIELD Monte Proser, operator of the Co- pacabana, N. Y., and who \vill soon open another Copa in Hollywood, is planning to enter personal manage- ment business. Proser, currently Co. producing the film "Copacabana," has already signed Bill Shirley, sing- er now at the N. Y. Copa, and plans to pact others. Proser aims to pact likely film material for future productions and who can be developed through cafe appearances. VAUDEVILLE 55 139 * 57th St.. N» Y. C. PL 9-7470 Carroll Expects to Start On H wood De Loxer in July Hollywood, Feb. 4. Earl Carroll figures building re- strictions will ease sufficiently by July to permit start on his 7,000- capacity de luxe picture theatre which adjoins his present nitery on Sunset and Vine. Charles P. Skouras (National Theatres) would be associated in this super-Radio City Music Hali type of theatre, to include plenty of parking, a general indoors market "to sell 'em every- thing While they're waiting to be seated," etc. Meantime Carroll is collecting $40,000 annually from a parking lot on the ground. Trio of Warner Filmsters Into Strand, N.Y., Vauder Strand theatre, N. Y., has "booked a show to be headlined by players from the Warner lot, starting Feb. 14. Alan Hale and Martha Vickers will stay for a three week engage- ment while Dane Clark will appear opening day. Cab Calloway was originally set to go in, but date has been put back. Pic will be "That Way With Women" (WB) in which Clark plays one of the leads. Louis Prima orch is set to open March 7. Martha Raye slated for her first Philadelphia cafe date in some years when she opens at the Latin Casino. March 24. 'SENSATIONAL-TWO-ACT REVUB' lovely lady of Song JANE , JOHNSON Bach fo Boogie Marimhht GEORGE GUEST HELD ©VIM-KING EDWARD HOTEL, Toronto Now York Rep—HARRY GREEN ANNUAL ACTORS FUND BENEFIT GROSSES 15G Actors Fund benefit at the Ma- jestic theatr*. N. Y., Sunday (26) grossed $15,000 which included pro- ceeds from the souvenir program. Most tickets were sold to a sub- scription list at premium prices. . Affair was produced by a commit- tee which included Arthur Hopkins, chairman; Vinton Freedley, Walter Vincent and Marcus Heiman. Those who appeared included Gracie Fields, Lew Parker, Ed Sul- livan, Sid Caesar, Frank Fay, Bern- ice Parks, Mary Small, Basil Rath- bone, Robert Merrill, Blanche Yurka, Walter Greaza, and part of the show from the Latin Quarter, N. Y. Frolics, Miami, Reopening Snarled by Salary Claims Frolics, Miami, which folded couple months ago after two weeks operation, is reportedly ready to make another try with burlesque policy floorshow. New financing has been interested and only remaining hitch on reopening is the insistence of American Guild of Variety Artists that before talent union okays spot, operators must settle several claims on unplayed contracts on the previ- ous foldo. Spot had sufficient cash up with AGVA to cover a week's salary on the previous operation. This was paid' off by the union when spot folded. However* after payoff it was learned that several unplayed con- tracts had been issued, which had not been included in the security up with AGVA. Union has leveled against nitery and demands payment of these claims, no matter who operates new venture, before giv- ing sanction on reopening. Jane Pickens slated to succeed Morton Downey at the Wedgwood room of the Waldorf-Astoria hotel, N. Y, starting Feb. 24. Mickey Rooney's Miami late at 16^6 'roves Gold Rush Still On far Names KETTERING SWITCHING TO NX AGENCY OF FB Tom Kettering, Frederick Bros, veepee in charge of the artist dept. on the Coast, will transfer 'to the N. Y, office next week. Shift was made by L. A- Frederick, head of the Coast office, who has upped Kettering's assistant, Howard Bruce to Ketter- ing's slot on Coast. Bill Frederick will continue to head the N. Y. layout. Office is planning a series of additions to strengthen the agency. Transfer and addition of personnel has hitherto been delayed until the decision on its injunction battle with Charles Yates came down. FB sought to re- strain Yates from working elsewhere until his 10-year FB- contract was completed.. Weinger Reported Buying In on Riviera, Ft. Lee Murray Weinger, operator of the Copacabana, Miami Beach, may be- come associated with Bill Miller in operation of the Riviera, Ft. Lee, N. J. Weinger and Miller were at one time partners in the operation of the MB Copa. Riviera, currently in a form of receivership in which Miller has a six-month period to pay off debts incurred in its first season of opera- tion, Will reopen in May with a name policy. Attempt to interest Weinger in the deal is seen as a bid to attract fresh dough into the venture. Nego- tiations have now been in progress for several weeks, and no final deal has been set yet. Miller is currently, operating the Embassy, N. Y. ♦ The tall coin of night clubs has been luring film names with increas- ing rapidity. Latest to be pacted for niteries is Mickey Rooney, who opens at the Copacabana, Miami Beach, Feb: 28, at $16,500 weekly, out of which he'll pay two acts. Rooney's deal calls for percentages when gross hits $48,000. Rooney is the second filmster to be used at the Copa this season. Danny Kaye just completed a two- week stint there at $20,000 per week. Cafes are also tapping the con- cert field. Katherine Dunham, who terped in longhair emporia, is slated to go into La Martinique, N.Y., Feb. 13 for .two weeks. This sepia dancer recently started a vaude tour, and will go into the Roxy theatre, N.Y., at completion of her La Martinique stand. Ability of cafes to pay top dough is causing many filmsters to lose their disdain for bistro work. Spots in Las Vegas and Miami Beach are currently able to get the top layer of film names because of the free- wheeling bankroll. The Las Vegas clubs with incomes buttressed by proceeds from adjoining casinos, are so far getting the greater number of top talent. Las Vegas Plunging Spots in that area have booked Abbott and Costello at $15,000 week- ly, Andrews sisters at $12,500 per. Gracie Fields came out of semi re- tirement to play a Las Vegas spot and since then has been wowing audiences in vaude and cafes. The big money offered by the nit- eries may' be able to lure other names into the cafe field, "Agents are constantly pressuring topliners to hit the personal appearance trail. With the five figures being preferred it's becoming increasingly more dif- ficult for the names to refuse. Ulti- mately, agencies hope to get the stars to play boites at lesser dough. MYRON COHEN Just Concluded Eminently Successful Engagement LOU WALTERS' LATIN QUARTER, New York Where He Was Accorded These Splendid Notices ' ". , . fame as a raconteur . has established himself to a four figure weekly earning capacity. "In his Latin Quarter appear- ance Cohen's material ... is clean and according to his exit hand is very much in demand by the au- dience . . . two encores . . . he's okay." JOSE, Variety. ".. . smashed all records at Lou Walters' L. Q. first week, Natch!" and '*. . . busting all records at L. Q. and proving the biggest laugh hit of seasons. Sunday night, Cohen busted the record seating of 604 diners, hitting the high water mark of 716! With 237 people unable to get in." and "Lou Walters trying to get rec- ord-cracking Myron Cohen to stay over, but Cohen must open at Kitty Davis' Miami' Beach on Feb. 12th." ED SULLIVAN, Daily News. "Myron Cohen Is skilled In putting over his stories at the L. Q. . . . new star . . . gives a singular demonstration of enter- taining . . ." VIRGINIA FORBES, N. Y. Sun. "Myron Cohen had one of the biggest openings in history in his Broadway debut at the Latin Quarter. The room was packed. Wnlters had to cut off reserva- tions 24 hours before. "The smash business at the L. Q. proves Myron Is a very funny guy, which we knew all along . . . They cheered to the rafters . . ." LEE MORTIMER, Daily Mirror. Personal Management ' * HARRY ABLER. 165 West 46th Street, New York * "He is one of those born story tellers with a natural sense of mimicry . . . Myron is a good en- tertainer. They say he has hun- dreds of stories. Well, they sound so funny and obviously so accu- rately are taken from real people and incidents, I could listen to them for much longer than the standard comedian's gags. He's just right for the L. Q." ROBERT W. DANA, N. Y. World-Telegram. .*. . . got terrific yooks ... a better selling job .. . Cohen is not a caricaturist, he Is a character actor ... a genuinely funtfy fel- low." The Billboard. KITTY DAVIS' AIRLINER Miami Beach FEB. 12-25 And returning for on addi- tional two weeks on March 25.