Variety (Apr 1948)

49 milJSP BBVIKWS Wednesday, April 14, 194ft Kngfiii^ Circns dcks as Cosffiest Show on Earth; 4(I0G Production Nut By JACK PULASKI The cimis season officially opened last Wednesday (7^ when the Ringling, Barnum & Bailey outfit, topper of big tops, opened at Madison Square Garden to one of its biggest first nights. The ad- Vinee sale was considerably higher than that of last year, materially aided by an exceptional advance ballyhoo. Premiere was marked bv innovations, a few enors, much color, .and a flock of new tumS. The show is heavy on production, costumes alone costing $275,000. Total cost of dolling up tlie layout is estimated at miare than $400,000. iLfam it's a $6-top ShoW;.. RBB can well be classed as escapist entertainment, being splashed with Broadway showman- ship. John Ringling North, presi- dent of the Ringling family-owned corporation, has injected a mod- ernistic treatment to ^ form of per- formance that is basicaUy un- changed in its -essentials. Unless transportation interfCTence upsets calculations, the show is a shoo-in for another profitable tour. With close to capacity the* first night of the 33«day Garden date, very few in the house left before it came to an end at midnight. Yet, the performance could do with a I>epped-ap finalo. Of the imported turn.s, Unus stands out as the most interesting. He's billed as 'ttoe man who walks on his forefinger." He doesn't do that actually, of course, bnt tlie chap balaiices. on one digit upon a fluorescent sphere about a foot in'diameter. It's akin to a one-, hand handstand, only the fore- [ finger supporting his weight. Some } acrobats can balance similarly on i three-fingers in tripod fashion, but j a one-finger stunt has been regard-j groups is the highschool horse ed as impossiBlCf, and there are {turn. One reason for that is Cilly many speculations as to whether i Feindt, *rom abroad, who is Unus uses soine well-concealed i matched up with Claude (Miss) gimmick Units accomplices a iValois. One a blonde, the other juggling-feat-also, using another j brunette, both are patrician astride illuminated sphere on which he i their steppersl Working here, too, balances on his blaek, steel cane and manipulates metal rings former vaudevillian. It's billed as the Monte Carlo Aerial Ballet, many girls having cleated slippers which iU.*e inserted into trapeze slots for whirling. There seem to be more high trap pleat workers than cver noticed before. Included among the aerialifets is Natal, made up like a chimpanzee, he climbing to the rafters on a rope, Jap fash- ion, by gripping with his toes. Natal* .known as Favetier abroad, was good last year but is better now, his capers in the . audience evoking merriment. Alberfy's Dangerous Task Included among tlie thrill turns is the featured Alberty, who works atop a' steel swaying pole; he's next to closing. They say -the pole lias snapped in the past be- cause of a pound or two extra weight. Use of cleats on the high traps make the imported Mandos sister performance possible, and also for Trisco, who also was brought over. Mandos girls attract attention with an anchor-like iirop after starting with an troDr^jaw bit, Ira Millette and AI Powett, stand iard with the RBB show,-are up there, toOi The flyer group was in much better shape than at last season's opening, when the Behees couldn't go on because of rigging trouble. The display is well spotted in the middle of -the show. Better show- ing is accounted for partial by the fact that Art Concello is now general manager of the show, he having been one of the best all time flyers in the big top. Flying Brontes attract attention, with their best man working ahigh as a clown, ends having the Comets and Artonys. Most attractive of the equestrian song,' "Dear Santa." A baritone sings here and thi'ough other periods, vocal being another addi- tion to the performance. There's an amusing animal group, with Guerre and one clever sea lion replacing Tiber's aet. Eldridge's nionkeys is perhaps the most diverting act in the display^ Simian act is handled by Beatrice Dante, wh6 is Amazonian and looks the bigger lecause of the smallness of»the chimpanzees, one of which walks on stilts. Elephants lumber on and off for the finale, and they shake the big Garden. Pat Valdo is general director. There are liberal other program credits. Cast no, London London, April 6, Allan Jones & Irene Hexpey with Len Edwards, Harrison Fisher, Nonnan Wisdom, Wilson, Keppet gi Betty, George Doownn, Bennett tc Williams, The Neumm Twir», 6 Elwordos, Marie Wilson, MtfuHce Rdcco, Freddie Carpenter's Casino Girls, Harold Collins rtnd orch. Apollo, -N. V. Sam Donahue Orch (15) with Shirley Lloyd, Bill Loclctoood; Joe Liggins' Honey Drippers (6), Jackie Petty, Three Honey Bros., Crackshot, Edna Harris, Ray Mowe, Roscoe Dyle; "Exposed" (Rep). around his neck, legs, the other arm and the cane itself. Several months ago life showed pictures of UnuS' stunt, the layout com- ing from' the magarfne's Paris bu- reau. Until him on either end in the .display are Los Onas-and the Reves, also imports, these being perch acts. Outstanding, too, among the im- ports is Frikncis Bcunn, also work- ing in' the center. He's an adrpit juggler, one of '^he fastest workers seen in a long time, and his skill in manpulating rather-large col- ored rubberballs on -a mouthpiece, his head, fingers and feet is remind ful of Rastelli, the ItaUan, seen only at old-Palace and a few Amer- ican cities in sensational perform- ance. Bi^unn is flanked iiy the Chiesas; whose slack-wire juggling is something; the - Peredoffs and Rolando. Brunn is behind schedule at the Garden, being contracted last year, when North went scout- ing for material in Europe for the . first time since the war. But Brunn couldn't appear'then because his passport .was held up. the 'Alzanas a TbrlUer The Alicanas give the' show a classy thrill act, as they did last year. On the high wire it's cur- rently a three-^ict, one of the girls having been badly hurt falling in Miami last fall, and she's just been discharged from the hospital. Harold Alzana ascends to the wire by walking up a steep cable, and he comes down that way, the feat being height^ed when he drops, the balancing parasol. On tHe' - ground is the father, who steadies the swaying cable. He caught the girls when they fell last year, and as a result wears a steel brace. _ There are no other high thrill acts, such as the upMde^own cydl- ing turn .of last season, but there are two attractive barefeet areial- ists. Rose Gould'and La Grange. Opening night Miss Gould was annoyed when Iier ornate cape was stepped upon at tlie entrance, and she refused to go through with her routine, skipping the one^arm stimts which topped her turn. That made La' Grange's performance stand out all '.he more; her grace- ful descent on the single -webbing brought hearty audience response. La Grange comes on with one of • Jolm Murray Anderson's euiicmble number^, directed by Barbette, is Joe Moeser, all three changing from one ring to another, but the classy girls are the ones who catch the eye. Display is billed Dixie, embellished by production, rigs having showgirls who are real lookers while the drivers are prob- ably the toughest looking mugs ever. Riding* opposite one show- girl is Emmett Kelly, the clown who can't be bothered with smil- ing, his trademark. The comic works throughoiit. Lou Jacobs, the other top clown, didn't have a chance to bring out his king-size motor car full of clowns on the first night, show being overboard on the running time. . Bareback group is somewhat weak, the Loyals taking -the center ring to fair effect. Zoeppes take the center , at the end of the num- ber with Cucciola, bUled as the "midget zooming clown," with Whom the act does a "mechanican.' routine that's fairly amusing. Liberty act group has three rings occupied and, for a change, Gena Lipowska shows something new with duos working front to back. Louis Gauticr- and Mroczowski han- dle the other liberties Opening are three wild animal acts andi* again, dark-skinned Damoo Dhotre, with leopards and panthers, seems best, but Rudolph Mathes tigers had the center spot held by Prosky's beasties last year, Konschnan's bears are at the other end. Animals perform within nets, making for quicker dissembly of the arena cages. Nets look flimsy but are made of steel wire. While the nets are being disposed of, the Ugo troupe: springboard ove elephants to thrill the kids. ' To Dande the Kids In the group having tightwire turns there are two other imports, onekbilled the Italian Zavattas, and, there's also a' Spanish act with the same name. The unicycle and bicycle acts in the dispjlay are di- verting, and some of the stunts are (»£Ceptional, Clowns are given plenty of leeway this season and have a "three-legged hosss-opry;" sort of stagecoach holdup. : The fu-cnian save my bride perennial is out. Actually there are three or four specs but the principal production number is "Night Begore Christ- mas," which is elaborate. Billing for this is given to North, Ander- son, Miles White for the costumes (Brooks,(?os,t\iD(ie,Cp.,), ^i}d Jlenry Sullivan,' who arranged the theme Current layout at this Harlem showcase shapes up as soso. Sam Donahue's all-white band shares the marquee with Joe Liggins' small combo. The Honey Drippers, while the - balance of the bill is filled out by dancer Jacide Fetty, an ofay aerobatic turn labeled Three Honey Bros, and the house's standard comedy quartet. Donahue's crew, comprising three rhythm, five reed and seven brass, tees off the show with a blazing number garnished by the leader's hot sax. The boys ap- parentiy are proceeding on the theory that a sure way to register is via as much noise as possible. At one stage of tfae ^ession caught all hands peeled their coats to cool off. , . Outfit continues the tqn'id motif with a neat arrangement of Robin's Nest," drawing salvos from the aud. Its male vocalist Bill iiOCkwood, does okay in pip ing "I'll Get Along &>mehow,' followed by '.'I'm in the Mood for Love" for nice returns. ^ Bpxom Shirley Lloyd, Donahue's chtcper, gives out with "Exactly Like You" and encores with- "When a Woman Loves a Man," which fails to measure up to her opener. In the closing groove, Liggins' aggregation reprises its success scored here last year. Pianist leader guides bis colleagues through some infectious jrhyUuns made so by neat arrangements. Smair group consists of three rhythm, two sax and an electric guitar. Boys dish out a quartet of tunes to a solid reception. Best of em are "Siboney" and "Jackson Boogie." Their instrumental work is occasionally bolstered'by group vocals as well' as Liggins' solo warbling. It's a crack, all-around sextet. ■ , ' Miss Petty and the Honeys are reviewed under New Acts. Comedy is capably supplied by Crackshot, Edna Harris, Bay Moore and. Roscoe Dyle. Gilb The packed house at the opening show was a tribute to Allan Jones' film and disk .-eputation. Receiv- ing an ovation when he appeared, the fans were soon shouting for popular numbers. He was in good voice, and his program was well- chosen, cohsistiJig mainly of old- time favorites. Opening with a Gei-shwin medley be followed with "September Song," "Begin the Be- guine," "Whiffenpoof," '"More Than You Know," and for encores Donkey's Serenade" (assisted by Irene Hervey), "All the Things You Are," "Falling in Love" and Alone." Jones is a worthy top- per of 'the bill and should attract good business. (Jones lost his voice, Saturday (10) and the Borah Minevitch Bascals were rushed into the breach.] Casino Girls open show followed by the Six Elwardos, hand spring- ing, acrobats who work hard to garner applauise. Bennett and Wil- liams are next with their phono- flddles and prize crop of chestnuts and Maurice Rocco, the boogie- woogie pianist-dancer, whams with sock routines. A new British comedian, Norman Wisdom, wins laughs with a novel act which needs sprucing for better effect. Harrison and Fisher, dance team, bring down the flrst-'half curtain tO' a fine, welL'deserVed. re- ception. Second half consists of an unin- spired routine by the Casino Girls, excellent contortion work by the Newman Twins, a breezy and amusing session with comedian George Doonan, the evergreen Egyptian" dancing of Wilson, Keppel and Betty, and the Allan Jones act. Marie Wilson, tisick cyclist, didn't show at performance caught. Cane. Nichols score. Works with hoops with alniost a dozen spinning at one tinie> to sock over for gasps and applause. Billy-Wells'and Four Pays pur- vey standard tumbling to good ef« feet. Topper hi* to solid reaction when males work those twist-tum- bles with partners. Comedy slot Is held by Ross and Stone. Material could stand sharp- ening. As seen, went in fair fash- ion with the guy okay on his bal- lading, and his elongated partner point for the gags, as well as con- tribing game nifty high kicks. Fredarry trio round out things with their bike stint. Stunts are worked to proper point for aud ef- fect. Hit with the bit where one jumps rope on cycle to solid palm- Lary. Ortentel, Chi Chicago, April 9. Milt Herth Trio, Bonnie Baker, Andre Dancers (3), Frank Mar- lowe, Carl Sands Orch; "Matina of Millie" (Col). HippodFoine, Bnlto Baltimore, April!0. Woodson Sisters (2), Maude Hilton & Ann Jane Mason, Ann Rnssell, Yost's Colleens (5), Jo Lombordi House Orch (12); "The Sign of tlic Rom" (EL). Collection of femme acts, rou tined and billed as "Girls On Pa rade," smartly emceed by Maude Hilton t<J good musical backing by Jo Lombard! house orch brought on stage, makes for a pleasing frolic. Past opener is provided by the Woodson Sisters, nice looking duo of tapsters, who contrib strong acro-contortion stuff for nice re- turns. Ann Russell follows with inipres sions of various types of band chirps built .nto a "Ladies Who Sing With a Band" lyric and winds stint with mimicry of Hepburn, Bette Davis, Hildegarde and others. Gets results and sets mat- ters for Maude Hilton to bring on Ann Jane Mason for an ex- perienced sesh of good crossfire that garners plenty of laughs. Gals know their timing and make every payoff count for the maximum. Closing slot ii allotted to Ben Yost's Colleens, quintet of singers who blend effectively in a swmgy opener wrapped around "Sunny Side of Street," "Forty-Second Street" and "Beale Street," fol- lowed by a South American med- ley^ which holds pace. Legit handling of operatic "11 Bacio" reveals some flashy colora- tura stufl' that makes for a solid clincher. fittrTrt. Capitol, N. Y. (FOLLOWUP) The rising-pit style of presenta- tion, prevailing at the Capitol thea- tre, contributes considerably toward creating an intimate at- mosphere in that house. How im- portant that eontribution is «an be readily seen now that the pifs lift is being repaired and the regular house stage is being used. Victims of the switch are the Slate Bros. (3), who went itt Thursday (8') as replacements for Martin and Lewis, who moved over to the Copacabana. The Slates, previous clicks here, lose many of their comedy values when working farther away from the audience, and, of course, it's to be emphasized that it's no fault of their own. On show caught, the zanies took a long time getting started. Many of their bits of business didn't jell, but eventually, they won over the mob and walked off to good resujts. They're trying out some new material here which needs considerable working upon before hitting stride.^ Fay Carroll, wife of Henry Slate, pro- vides her usual song and visual as- sists for nice salvo. - The Tex Beneke band continues on the show, hitting a nifty stride. It would be better if their 25-min- ute continuous band sti'etch were broken up with another act. In a vaude house this running time makes for monotony, during the late stages^ , Jose, This is strictly a "quickie." After months of star attractions, current show is lightweight fare. Revue starts off with mild "Yipee-yi-a" as house orch plays medley of western tunes, mosHy shopworn. Use of the violins in most of the cowboy ditties are on the symphbny, rather than si«e- brush side. Smith Howard, band singer, is a little out of his croon- er's range in "Empty Saddles." Andre dancers, recent European import, just closed at hotel room ' here. A class act, they lose much of their effectiveness by overlong waits, okay in niteries, but awk- ward on the stage. Also they could build much stronger by saving some of their best flips for. finish. Petite songstress, Bbnnie Baker, makes .fine appearance clad in . white, sequined evening gown, but ; detracts from it and her vocal ef- forts by hugging the mike tlvough-. out her song stint of old faves. She does series of child-voiced hits, to nice reception: Frank Marlowe takes a beating in knockabout routine and except for the period when he abuses his lanky frame, 4ias a ttard tune get- ting laughs. Lad h$s an engaging personality, but corn he dishes out is still green. Milt Herth Trio works before special drop, riding up from the pit, to strains of "Bye, Bye, Black- bird." Words are flashed on the screen and aud joins in for a bit of community sing. Ralph Sutton» pianist, does "Tea For Tv/o" in ■ concert style, then swings over to boogie beat with Herth joining on the Hammond organ to zip up the old standard. For specialty, musicians give oiit with "Herth-Quake Boogie," which features Garry Chester on the drums, In this number, Herth has sock visual spot, working the or- gan with his feet. Special under- light attaohmeut throws spot on footwork. For closer, trio races through "St. Louis Blues" for boff applause. Zabe. j HKO^ Boston Boston, April 9. Shirley Ross, Johnny Morgan, Kate Murtah, The AcromaniMss (Z) antl for opening day only, Tony Martin; "Casbah" .( U-I ). Olynipia, Miami Miami, April 10. Jan Bart, Howard Nichols, Ross & Stone, Billy Wells & 4 Fays, Fredarry Trio, Les Rhode House Orch; "Voice of the Turtle" (WB). Current bill, though lacking in names, provides more novelty than some previous layouts. Topload of variety sets in healthy fashion with the stubholders, with Jan Bart, a favc here, adding an extra fUip to the proceedings. The popular tenor knows his way with a song, and. wraps up with the wide range of tunes he essays. Highlight is his vocal mimi- cry of Kate Smith, Crosby, Ink Spots. Vallee- and his wind-in to Although leaning heavily on vo- calists, current bill scores with sock performances. Gets off to a fast start with solid turn of the Acromaniacs, three boys clicking with aero and tumbling. Kate Murtah, formerly of the Murtah Sisters, now doing single, follows -with comedy songs. Wows with impersonations and downing for solid returns, Johnny Morgan garners plenty of laughs. His easy style and good sense of timing wins good returns. Tony Martin made personal ap- pearance for opening day only, as bally for his pic, "Casbah." Kids around with stubholders and sing.s "Make Believe," "All the Things You Are" and "There's a Woman For Every Man," tunes from the pic. Accompanied by composer Ben Oakland at piano, follows with "Champagne Waltz" and "I'll Dance at Your Wedding" for a beg- off. Shirley Boss, talented fllm.ster, closes bill singing "Donegal" and "But Beautiful" for nice reception. Follows' with medley of songs made operatic with the aria from , "Pagliacci" the rouser. Tosses in i famous by yesteryear faves. such Girl That I Marry" and "Magic in the Moonlight" to show versatil- ity. Builds to a begroff. Rest: of lineup Is heavy on visual stuiir. Jii^gliMg 'tt1bks« 6f HowUrd as Nora Bayes, Helen Morgan and Eva Tanguay. , Billed for rest ol week, but not appearing at fii-st show ,are the Hartnellfis- "' ' •' Eitc. ■