Variety (Jan 1948)

llew M' Material a IMnst' for Wm Beach; Othei: Nitery Reviews ]By tARBT SOltOWAY Miami Beach. ' The "New I^ok" is spreadbg to the nitery business—especially here In Florida. Accent this season, seems to be on new faces, or new routines to the old faces. A new cycle in the cafe business seems to be readying here, with th€ trend forecasting a^ switch to fresh names by the vet mitery attenders who congregate here from all corher* at snow time. Pte* 10 days' plethora of openings proves the fact in no uncertain terms'. Appairently the customers who have repeatedly seen the same faces in New York, Chicago and elsewhere are hankermg for a fresh note. If the-vet acts set far future •dates are wise, they'll come in with » jjwitch of new routines to meet the new trend,,to answer the yen for the new and the difflerept in material end staging. ,lUustration of the payees^ reac- tion came with the preems of the Colonial Inn, Copacabana's intro Kay Thompson and the Williams brothers, the»" Latin Quarter's an- nual teeoff, and the I4ttle Hou- maafe^ a° complete depioture in smsiUer elub policy. - In the case of the Colonial ton, there came first proof'that the lush (and dry as dust) plush production •with no imagination and repetitive dance and songs is not going, to pay ■ ©a this season. £i^te«> lovdfes, origioal (and mew^gless) «nd a layout of WMMs tkmt add Up lilBymore, to pull patfohs. ; C!«I«niat Bill ' TSaWets Kay Balger. In another firaittj^ hisswae dane^-comeaics would ,be standout. In Colonial Inn setup he follows a continuous array of dancing and jumbled song, with Joan Edwards the only bulwark to break the monotony of parading gills, ^orgehusiy icostumeff. 'What maizes If tougher Is the early spot- ting of the Jack Cole group* ^fhose Ihdonese dance versions would be show: - stoppers anywhere. " They are the only bright spot in the first half of the show* • . . ■Polger's mixture of satire and dance nostalgia, ■ ■with its tinge «f l)tight humor, IS class, ilewever, U Ws present spatting, he has to over- eome the lethargy left by some of the preceding acts. To his credit, the limber lad wins them over with his rhumbaddicta staketfff, balhrdotn-' ology satire and soft shoe eccen- tricantics. Big timeiness comes through, with the showmanship and taow-how the|e at all'llhnes,;, Kay'*li»iBp*»»''Soek«-. ' • " III contrast to the Colonial Inn's obscuring of top talents via un- ■ imaginative ptibductioni is the Copa- cabana's new . show, which fouSt « fast paced, fairly brief group Staging to the much publicized Xay Thompson and the Four Williams Wally Wanger's production is briskly paced, neatly staged and touildS to the star sequence without getting in the way of the tables holders' food and liquor wants. Gene , Barry's baritonings supplement tlie I iproupingEf in top manner. Buster' ' Burntil and Conute Anderson ban' (ffle. the ferp slots smoothly, and larry Storeb, in the supporting spot, leaves the' impression that in any other show, he'd be a standout with '' his mtniicry of Bollywood greats Uid the drunk femme bit, I<atter . xotitlhe is. intelligent, smart and a liowl getter. Storch gathers some iiealHiy- palming: ttritb the sequence; <even though Si was obvious the packed house was waiting for MOss Thompson and Williams brothers. Theirs was a palm-whacking 35 Winutes with encore-begging returns <tom the tab payers, ' Secret of the wham qualities of fl>e..g^up lies in the stai^Bg. Fronj Sue walkon to the bows every move seems to have been carefully rehearsed. There isn't a wasted movement or lyric line, with the CQntinuous flow building to tiie sock effect engendered by the overall im- presb. Whether it's her Beatrice Lil- lieSh hoydening .with the four talented males on loves In her life, or the Gertrude lawrence approach to a Noel Coward plano-dialogue, it clicks. Topper, and in zingy con- trast Is the saga of "Moitle, the Brooklyn Goil" on a holiday. It's a commercial, different and handled in the . full ana always carefully trained showmanship that stamps big time. Latin quarter Probably the answer to the cafe problem in tiiis area Ues in ttie Latin Quarter" show. Handsomely staged and a blending of diverse talents, the itme. KameroVa revue Should revitalise take of this spot. tRier?'^ Myron C.ohen for draw Value. His masterful dialectoppprs follow a tough aJrray of talent. 'That he holds them all the way marlcs him as a c&fe pirofif potential. What aids him in making his spot so neat a. niche is the varied ' assortment that preceded him.. He builds to the climax with his mixture of Irish, Italian and garment center dialects. Among the supporting acts there in the Les Compagnons de la Chanson. An attraction that has already started, comparisons with the Copa's Kay Thompson group. Though their' stuff is done in French, the sight angle so heavily played is universal. Their takeofls on "Boogio Woogie," a group of donkeys,, ai^d. ;^cid(er irersi^n of ; a syinphony and concert ^boger^ seWed up show; And the regrOup' ings of the..nine members during the numbers, is smart showmaldng in playing iip ttieir individuality, The Bebonairs, five lads who work in and, out of the prodvtction num- bers, with some neat harmonies and even better hooflng make for an- other palm rouser with their .solo spot "ISSachino Ase" routine. Dif- ferent, fined with' topical humor and intelligently handled. The Del Rios <3), fiEst solo turn, impress with ifoeir adaSio-balancing for neat returns.. ' . On the production "end, Wally. Wanger has provided Mme. Kame- tiova with as attractive a group of dancers as can be seen around town. And in turn, she has given the group lavish costuming, imagina- tive routines, said added Jack Stantoni with 'his well turned danc- ing and singing, Don Saxon in the emcee-song slot; Wendy Bishop to lend her harmonies and Patricia Wymore, -an orb-filliag tapstress. jay Shea's wcheBtral baclsgrounding shows careful rehearsing and top musiciasshlgEK , ^ ... ; ;iriMbdi-Ca(« Cia«ks . . 1%e IJtSe Romiaania is a de- pattore 'ttds' town wltii its heavily Yiddish atmosphere and show. On the site of the old Kitty Davis' the room is set to reap healthy ■ profits from the consider- able trade around the Beach that »wiU go for the Roumanian cuisine and the type of show. This time out there's Moise Oysher.. His can- tor's lieds are a solid click withUie' payees. Personable and a master showman, he adds' the necessary voice tremolos and schmaltz to make them sit enthralled with his top vooUisongs. Mi<A«il Bos»ibere htosis-m-c's and Sascha tJitmilt adds his Shglish- mangpOng' gags and efMent ac- cordion mttsic-makjng to . add ' a bright spot. There is a soprano with standard Hitssian and English songs and one oit the members of the gypsy orch cohtribs a~few num- .bers on an or^an. What they come for is obviously the Molshe Oysher cantorittgs and the Michel Rosenberg ' broadisms, plus that Roumanian cuisine, There's a big audience for them to draw from. Arid' there'll be plenty of the jaded nitery goers dropping in. to see what it is all about. Minimuuii» are in force in all the spots, ranging from the Colonial Inn to the little Roumania, with the Colonial and I^atin Quarter includ- ing food or -beverage, and the Copa and little Roumania a strat^t beverage fee at an average of of Cfershwini Bach, Chopta, and Others. Between playing of "Holiday for Strings" Borge munches a sandwich and segues into "Miarzie Doats" from "Hora Stacatta." He makes another attempt to re- vitalize the English, language with his reading of Shakescteare,, as it is punctuated, whicU gives nim sock Ray Morton backs show neat- ly, also for the dance sets. Zobe. Emnire IUMWI9 Clii (PAbStEtt JlOVSE) Phil Reoan, Andrea Dancers (3), Cardciids, Murray Ariiold Orch (14); $3.50 minimum, ^1'cover. In these days of warMing it's good to hear a singer who puts it right-on the line...That feeling, to judge by the <^cores IPhil Regan drew from a rbiniA in wfakh every square of white w*s covered,' is neither isolated- nor old hat. Began has the traditional Irish ap- proach to a baUad. There's that vague: brooding' undertone best summed up in '"all their wars, were merry and all their songs were sad*" This quality givts extra sell to his "Rose " of Tralee," - "Anniversary Song," "When You Were Sw^t Six- te^tP' and others. It's sont^thing that can spiU over %to tnawWshness, but Regan's restraint is txeat and exact. 1 . At one point he deliberateiy piles up the Gaelic stlimaltz via a vocal intro and then? while sentim^talists grow wet-eyed, playfully., switches to "Feudin' .& Jlghtin'.'' Irish novel- ties such as "O'Brieh's Got No Place to- GO" and "Deir Old I>oneg^" brought brisk salvos even though most of the aud couldn't tell the difference betwe^ a Hibernian and a shillelagh. Cardenas, youthful Mexican jug- gler, scores with stick twirling and ball bouncing. Teen-ager dora dex- trous juggling of spheres frtnn fore- head to napeof neck, thieaposses them from hand to hand via the Moulder route. Nice bit has him twirling a ball like a hoop with a stick in ids teeth. Juggler .draws heavy hand with three-ball twirl as closer. The Andrea Dancers are reviewed under New Acte. Baxt. WEEK OP JfANVABT 7 la «««ai«!«iM.«rM eMalW «a» af «ii«iw ;' ~ wiMtkar fail «r Witt-wwk to BareatlieMk liidlaitM dnadti (I) IsiUpeBdMtl OL) Locwi (P) ftimmtmtj «> KKOj (W) Wurmrt Nisw TOM ernr tornxof toorsey Pro ;rimnir BdmondMa Ronald* Brnt« ft U»raulM Rockett^ Gorpa a* Ballet iSlea ClOb Smi Oiro ' .^j. Xwrwnaurt (r) '> Stan Kenton On June Christy Martiq Broa staiDv ft stvmnr Vto IMuttOii* ■ ■•muKr.-m *■ lAnnr Bom .WieM Bww BcatttcojCmtt Co. Bollace Shaw Senor Wencea ' Ink Spots Herble Fields Ore Frank Vartowe Miriam I.aVeU« BBONX inaawr (I) »-u Bolf Syda«y Bbnkr Bt<n' Joan Btarjr .Jordan Ik fairmi ' Ann.B»W3<ter ^ SlaUHnh <D «-U Paul BeeUer Co RlslIeUos Broa- Almee Sis J>anlay Shaw Bamona Lane Trip * Pall Mills Bros Jan Ansuat - aeorsia K«ye Paul * PMletto Oiimtal (O • Donald jO'Oonnor Martells % Mlanon Carl Sanda Ore , (two to nil) _ Besal (P) • willy Bryant Show Chaa Ventura Oro Oladya Palmer HABTFOKB. State <n *-U C. "Thorithm Oro The Harnionicatt . Uarllyn MaWell Elinerald Sfa fllorla KinB , Clarissa Joey A,dama Mark Plant . Charlie Banwt WC Hadda BrtMtba 611 Lamb Bddie Kector Joe Allen _ . , • O-Donnell * BlaJr BoMa-.nnkiM Bolibr^Capo p«nn >I«njFiaM> SacasaS.vOra ■"■.^ : .Icc^hni ■■■ Boyd Heath H. R. ,WJiltehous» , Roya Curie Ben' Rtbble Ore Three Ribs 1* Harflnlqa* Jan Xurmy HlKUelito Valdex Ralph Font Oro T & P Rodrlidun Ann Triola l,eon b EdOo's Eddie Davis Art Waner Ore Mayo Bros Marlon Slannera Boy Davis Rita I^pex Wally Dean She^terd Uno OM Runwialaa Sadi* Baniha ,. Joey Dean' Joe LaPorto Or* O^Adntla Oro Paul Be«kley Co ' Tpm lieTaat Hiriam Qwynn Uartell Brpa„ ^. Hop, Sltl» * JwmP MEXT TIMC THY EDDIE SMITH AGENCY M wiiMii--9irijm Maylttlr R»»m, Chi <BLACXSTONE HOTEI.) Chicago. Victor Sorg'e, Ray Mwtoii Oreh (g); minimuiit, i^JSO; $1 cover,- « ■Victor. Borge, humorist-pianist, seems to be right at home in this swank rOom. Lanky 88'er, attired in tails, grimaces through his opener, 'Fire Dance." After telliiig about his lack of success with needed in- ventions, Borge laments the fact that while eVCTJtwng is going through an inflation period language is still uninfiated. 'words that liave number sounds tilt them are given an exb°a digit be-ten for benign, etc, while aud chuckles at his reading of ro- mantic sequence from a book. Borge runs ipto his hex when he asks for miusifial selection from the aud and a fetnme keeps repeating "Clair ©e liWne.'* Humorist gags with gal until she leaves the room and then proceeds to tinkle off "Clair," superbly done. In the mu- sical selection number, pianist works ''Happy Birthday" into comnndtitms Century il*UH, IV. Y. (HaTEI< COAIMOBOBE) Mel Terrne, Sunny Dunham Orch (14) witii Pete Hanl«»; Niofc Perito •Quartet; $1 cover after 10:30, $1.50 Sotttrdfti/s. With band biz continuing its downward spiral and only the very few top ones able to draw <m fh»r own, the Hotel Commodore's Cen- tury Room has instituted a policy of coupling a name singer with orchs thato fall just below the top cate- ,gory. Thus, Vic Damone was brought in last month to bolster the George Paxton crew, and now Mel Torme has been pacted for the Sunny Bun- bam run at the room.. That the policy pays off is evident from. the fairly large - patronage. Bunham-Torme combo opened the night before Christmas Eve (23), just in time to catch the' holidscr crowds. Top biz was not stymiM even by the record snowfall that struck W. Y. Friday <26), with hotel guests, who were unable to. go else- where for their • dinner and enter- tainment, subbing for ' those who were unable to keep their advance reservations. This date marks Torme's third ma- jor booking since he arrived in N. Y. last spring, having played the Copa- cafoana in June and. the Paramount theatre in the fall. Lad has im- proved considerably since that Copa opening. With most of the triclcs of the trade down pat, he no longer impresses as just a "precocious" Md Vflttt a "stylized voice but rather as a seasoned performer who has something .novel to sell and knows how to sell it. With the Dunham crew giving him excellent backing, he opens here with"lovely Day to Be Caught in the Hairi." He does a standout job with "Christmas Song," which he wrote in collab with Bob Wells and which is naturally tailored to his unique style.' He plugs his Metro film, "Good News," via "Pass the Peace pipe," and then comes back to do a medley of three oldies topped by "Reverie." Closer, in Which he plays a hot drum in the "Want to Beat a Drum" number, demonstrate his vemtiHty and iiets him off to nice applause. ■ Duniiam orch, comprising six brass, five reed and three rhythm (plus thie maestro on ttie trom- bone)., fits neatly into the general tenor of this roOm. With a good dance beat, the crew steers away from jump, tunes, cpncentrating on new and standard ballads inter- mixed ."with slow-beat rhumbas. With the elimmation of hot stuff, Dunham himself relies entirely on his trombone instead of doubling on the trumpet as he former]^ did. Pete Hanley, the band's vocalist, has a big baritone voice which he modu- lates Well for the mike. He han- dles his ballads neatly and looks like a potential comer. Nick Perito's quartet, comprising an accordion, -bass, guitar and sax, takes over for the relief job and in standout manner. Hop, Skip * Jump The Uoyds WMtaker 'Bros Roberta Carttn Nlchslo & Penny BAI^nMOBC: Hippodrome <I) R Crosby Sia Cy R^vea I.ewla ft van Jim Wons Troupe Royal (D » ininola Jaojpi.et June Rlehmond John Mason Co. Step Bros Bobby T Davis State (I) 8-10 Delia Ray Qene Doyle Dawn Bros (One to mi) ll-M Wills S)0 & Paul Jack Olien The Elutocrats (One to flU) CAMDEN X«nreMi (I) 9-11 Wolandl Billy Carr J 4t I> ReadlnE O'Neal « Kathy Allen tc Kent cmcAfio ChMco (P) » VaraMW <I) « Bernle West Wallace Puppet* 3 Amauts Berk Ss Hollow BBADINO , Raiah (I) 8-10 Bay HSberle Oro Robert Alda Aim Russell ROCKFOKD Pnlaee <D « Revue Clorlflcd Chris A Cal Pat & wnia iX,eVolO Morris & Ryan James «: B Paysee Lou Sc D Bernard Paul Vfallcer Ore SPBINGFEEXD Court S<I. <I) 8-11 The Whirlwinds 2 Valors Wally Overman Sonny Sparks Harris & Allen The Colstons- M'ASBINiatOIl Cin«M il.) 8 Walter is a Brown Ray & Nardo ' Great Barton Dave Appolon Var m U-U lECorane. SWdt 0« Xrwin.Kent' Ore Harvey Stan* " CAmpacMina Ceomle Tappa Simlth Sa ■ Siatticla AdiUr C*»'VaMeB auepBth pmeron iptt Vivitntg ^a«ent Ti-avors O Kuhaa Biea Sonla Corlls " Connie Sawj er Jean Palmor Koli^ann Ptuait I W«Uy Blpekor v Bplvy's Sptvy Tholma Oiirpoiiter Garland Wllso'a ' VeirwillIcR Ilona Massey Bob Grant Ore Panohlto OrO TiHnke Bntn Piute Pete I«icllle l'.,ane IrOu Apparetl: v Populatreei . Baccaneers Ore VUfatgre VoUsuara Irwin Corey I*e Wiley' Max Kaminsfty • Bo^ Frye. . Waldort-AHteKia Carloa RaiulreiE Bstelle ijloan KaX Brandwynn* O Jlisha Borr Ord 0HIC1&6O Blaeblwwk Ray Olsen Howard Brook* Shirley White T tc 3 Mahoney ClH« T*W Marty Ctould On satty Kallen MarUn & I.ewJa Betty Bruce Paul sydell HeM HadotoM' Bay Morton Oro Victor Borsa BMict KaaHUtk '' Pierre Cartler Betono IDelsea O Th« Stwm-rt* {«) Tony Dlpatda OrO Uanrlce tc iLtaryea Nino Mlto » ^ BlU iaMMOer.OtV larty Boas Mlnda Imt Mary F. Klncald H Eii«eWnter Beach George Olsen Oro Vim Ymx. cm Bnsatelle Dorothy Boas Blrn i^ncel Amanda I,aJne Kaye Ballard Pearl Bailey Jay Marshall Hal Cooke Three Flames Carnival Kd Wyna Elsa & Waldo Graham sis Ray Ja«*|UeUlnt chas Irwin Chas aiadanan Oi Gad Ord . Cafe Saclett. (DawatavjB) Rose Mqrphy Dorothy Jarnac Hope IToye Dlaihond Horsesbee "Mata «: Hart (Ihoral Octet Gleb Tellin Oro Jujintfer Ballet China DoU illne & liins Wons Sis I.aurie Eong Beatrice Fubr Oye II Curbello Oro Jack Prase Oro CMxtcalHUM Gertrude >71esen Sondra Barrett Jeff Clay Florence & Frederic Michael Bursa Oro Fernando Alvarez O P Bel Monte Victoria BirMo '' Rita & Roklh» liOS Fancfaoa Ilarrm Martha Raye Beatrice Hratt Dors B Yost Guardsmen Glisa Jayne John KlUot Mack Triplet* Nevada Smith KahSLZ&Ksi. 9 Fausto Curbello Stal. Art Itomaa O a<»tid; JSdIson. Tdmmy R*ed Ore No 1 Klltlt Ave Phyllis Grey Wllsoh & Hosier Hazel Webster Doivney & Fonvtlle tihrMightB Belmont-Plan Romo Vincent Jon Xfturenx Taylor Une CastlUauos Oro E^dle Stone Ore Hotel BlUmor* Russ Uor«att Ore Tom Grant Ore Hotel CMMRWdoM Sonny Dunham Mel Term* Mtttel t^edBtton Alomas Hatvallamt Hotel New Xorltcr X*rry Clinton O . Marshal Beard Phil Romayn* Terry Brent Jay Martin Helen I^ee Hotel Penneylvanln Franlilo Carle ilstel iNwnre T.«ndre & Vcrna Chas Reader Ore Van Smitli. Oro G Hay Terrell Hotel Plata ItildeKatde JodI Herron Ore Salvatore Gtorlo Hotel RooaeTelt Guy ];.ombardo O Hotel St MorHs Edo Ijubich Ore H«tel 8t Xetia Raye & Kaldl Nype ft Cot» Roily Rolls Andre Andre* tt Bonnlo liaazlo A Feplto Ted Strnetor Or« J Gunmer] S Hetel tttt Vincent Lopez Ore CUarllo Brew Havaaa-Madild iNoro Morales Ore Sharhey the Seal I-ea Canova (2) Preston Lambert Marian Fedele SoOB Stylists t4) . D Hlia DanwB (W) Hotel Slivrma'a NeUie Lutelicr ' Marty Hotran Freddie Slack OM Jeanne Wflllann Carl Marx- Pat Curran ' Xsitlii Qnarter BUly Vine Co Idtttn Lovelle? (13) Buddy Shaw Ore Blet Hyde. ndnter Uoon PMl' Began Murray Arnold Or Andrea Ads'gla Trio Budy Cardenas ttatel SteveMt Dorothy fihay Skltch IlelKlevson O Pryde ■& Day Birulevar-deara Tab Version Li^ MnHedforVaadfilmers ■ Possibility of playing condensed versions of Broadway legit hits ia film house is currently being probed by Michael Kalesser, legit proiSucer. It's Kalesser's contention that many houses witti double feature policies will soon find a dfearth of pictures. Consequently, he's planning to step into the breach with orie-hoiir con- densation of hit plays to replace the second feature. . , Kalcsser is ' currently touring northern New Jersey houses with a one-hour version of '^n- Approval." He's also plannlog production Barrie's *The Old Shows Her MedaU,'^ '*Rata'' and "TRoom Service.* Saiaiuu; Lake By nappy Benway Sarahac Lake, N. Y. Annual Yuletide party was given by 'the committee of "We The Pa- tients" at the Will Rogers. Enter- tainment was nicely handled by George Fee, Seni Okun and Helen Morris. During festivities all wera gifted. Carl Keasler acted ar Santa Claus. George Lay ton, announcer of ra* dio station WNBZ, offl to Pittsfielfl, IMbm., for the holidays. . Len Grottes took time out to visit the gang at the Eogers. George Powers progressmg so weu he'ig been upped tor meals and mild exercise. James Kirkwood, Jr., in from N. Y. C.' to holiday with his mother, Lila Lee (Murphy), who is resting at the Hayes -cottage. Emma Binkley shot in and handed her husband, John Sinl^ey, a real holiday surprise. Mose LaFountain, owner of Dur- gaft's nitery, played host to kiddies of the colony, with special show, refreshments and gifts. Many fhaqks to Sophie Tucker, Charlie Mack, Harry Blackwell, Jo- seph Vaughey, Mark Carson, Fred Doringer and Theatrical Protective Union, N. Y. C, for their gifts to the less fortunate of the colony. (Write to ttioie who are 111.) EstKer*» Vnude Bow Esther Williams has been .sigred for her first vaude date, startihg at the State Iiake theatre, Chicago, Jan, 22. Miss Williams, during the past few months, has made some per.wnat ap-^ pemrances in connection with hor Metro film, '"This Time for jfteepa." This, however, will be her first ap- pearance as an act