Variety (Jul 1948)

98 HOIJSB RKVIKWS Wednesday, July 28, 194S Jack Beimy, Phil Harris'Palla£iiin Cficb; Harry Richman's London Hit Palladium, l^oudon London, July'20. Jack Benny, Phil ■ Harris, Mary tihnngstone, Marilyn' Maxwell, Flock & Lucas, Frank' Marlowe, fire Merry Macs (4 >, Nor Kiddie, Betty Kaycs (2), Miss Inger, The Myrons (2), Woolf Pliillips & Sky- rockets- Orch., ■ For more than an hour Jack Benny ■& Co. had the Palladium audience eating out of thcjir hands. Benny, himself,' displaying charm and poise; Phil Harris punching over • his personality with every movenjent, and the 'two' f e m m e members of the team, Mary Liv- ingstone and Marilyn Maxwell, sodked .acros.s a lively line of song and patter. ' / ■ Benfiy had a packed house ap- parently just waiting for his act, ■attd from the moment he stepped lip to-the mike they were with him 100%.' His well-timed gags regis- tered all the way. Harris made his fil'$t London appearance notable liy captivating the jaudience the moment he walked oti., Introduped as "Mr. Faye"—an old gag, may- be—it was in the riglit key and everybody lapped it up. His exu-. berant personality clicks whether he's- singing "Dark Town Poker Club" in his own style, indulging in a love episode with the distaf- feis foiling for Benny, or just be- ing himself.. . . It. is a long ^time since a Palladi- um first night was in such recep- tive mood, and Benny & Co.'took full ad('antage of it. >They kept the sliow moving, and they kept tlie public laughing. Woolf Phillips' Skyrockets Or- chestra.(pit) set the tigiit pace for tlie show. Flack &: Lucas, with nicely timed dancing'act, broke in- to the Benny program to giye the house a chance to relax. ■ It was very nearly^ an all-Ameri- can show because, apart from the Bennyites, there was Frank Mar- low (held over from the previous •bilO doing the .same act and the audience liking it even more, and the Merry Mats, Yank rhythmic quartet who sing a Wide variety of numbers with remarkable timing. Betty Kayes lias the unenviable task of opening but her performing Pekingese are more than a pleasing curtain raiser. Nor Kindie, self- -styled comedian, fails to amuse, with some very corny patter, hut tii'e Myrons won weli-deserved ap- plause for a first rate balancing act; Mention should also be made of Miss Inger, acrobatic dancer, wM performs with grace and vitality. Myro. Casino, I^ondon Lojidon, July 13. Harry Richman, with Jack Gold- en; Senor Wences, Winifred At- 'losU. Lo Estrella. Mable Lee & Co. (l'O )j Uiclc & Dot Eemj/, Gerry i-^LeadeT„ 3. Botonos, Roy Lester, ■MelvilU' & Rekar, Harold Collins tcOrch tall striking figure with neat vocal range, does nicely in song stanza. Teeing off with "Ol" Man River," she follows with "On With the Mot- ley" and swings to high pitched classicals for solid response. Gerry Leader precedes BichKnain, giving a- breezy few minutes of sound impersonations, also ' take- ofl's on Donald Duck, Clara Kluck and Danny Kaye. Clem. Oiyinpia, Afiaini Miami, July 24. Fred Lowery & Doroth?/ fiae, Johnny Morgan, Kate Murtah, Har- ris- & Anders Elsie & Alex Korda, Les Rhode & House Orch; <'Ruth- less" (EL). In this type of family vauder the bookers can gauge with fair consistency the topliners they'll need to head repeat acts each seminar. Current layout employs It in return date in. Fred Lowery, blind whistler. His reception from the walkon is solid. And his whistling of pops and classics wraps things up. With partner Dorothy Rae, who vocal- izes iit top manner, he gets them with "Stardust," a couple ot origi- nals by Miss Rae and the finale "William Tell Overture." Had to begtoff. Emcee Johnny Morgan clicks with his Introes and in own spot witli his Cleanly defined routines that measure up for laughs and palming. Supporting acts hold up nicely in the buildup for the toppei-s. Elsie and Alex Korda open show with zingy routines that warms up house. Rate Murtali is a comedi- enne ■ wlio\ varies her comedies and singing In a well-balanced pattern, and closer is a palm, rouser . via Harris - and Anders imaginative and breath-taking acro'stunts. Les Rhode and house orch lian- dle backgroundings aptly. Lary. Oriental, Chi Cliicogo, July 22i Keenan Wynn with Vkie Sherin, Dorothy Claire, Paul Remos & Toy Boys (3), Mildred & Jimmy Mul- ca.y( Carl Sands Orch xjoith Marilyn O'Shaugn^ssy'; "Street With No Name" <20th). Following Sophie Tucker's ex- tended run at this house might stack up as- a tough assignment, but Harry Richman hurdles this 'by warmth of reception given him ..when he, too, bowed in again after an absence of ,10 years. His rich persoriality roused to enthusiasm an unusually apathetic first audi- ^ence and had it clamoring for more as he reprised'^ many of his •yestei-year song hits. ■ The older the number, the better they liked it and each - few ,;bars of the '■familiar tunes won ■ appreciation. .'"Shake Hands With a Millionaire." ""Futtin' on the Ritz," "April Showers'' and "I'm GJad to Be An Actoi:," tribute to , fcUow stars, were all' equally ' popular. Hap- pily reunited with his one-time pianist, Jack Golden, star could have kept on till midnight. Three Botonas open show with skilled balancing and aero feats, ■ followed by Roy Lester; with com- edy monolog. ■ Dick and Dot Remy score with their novelty tumbling and clown- ing routme, put'over with art in- f.ectious gaiety. Winifred At- well, sepia pianist, garners ap- preciation for her classical and pops, ranging from Grieg's Piano Concerto to swing and boogie tempos. . Sehor Wences gets nifty re- • sponse .with his diminutivg dummy. As a'Ventre he has few equals. Closing 'first half is Mable Lee, supported by nine- musicians and dancers. She sings four drawly (Southern numbers but fails to project as well as in her receht appearance in tlie musical; "Calypso." ppciniiig second half are Mel- V1116 ana Hekar; club juggling team ' Witli much skill. La .Estrella, a Keenan Wyiin is making his first vaudeuappearance with Ukie Sherin as straiglit man and heckler. It's obvious that little preparation was siven to mah-in-aisle banter which iia.'i audience gasping at the oldies. While Wynn's "Guzzler Gin" rou- bine gets laughs', it's'a carbon of .Red Skelton's, whom he credits for it. Perhaps on comedian's next try he'll come up with some of his. own and new material, because lad has what it takes. AH he needs is proper material. - Dorothy Claire, formerly of "Fin- ian's Rainbow," is a well-stacked bWndo who socks over her songs in hep fashion, opens with "How You Going to Keep Them Down on the Farm'.' and segues iptb: "How Are Things' in Glocca'Morra?"-, for nice returns. Follows with "I'm Jusit a Girl That Can't Say No," which gains her more pattycakes and encores, with "I Want a Man" ior exit. . Paul Remos and Toy Boys are strong openers with slick aero tricks.' Spread balance on cigaret held in Remos* mouth by midget get strong reception as does shoul- der straddle backbend picking up glass of water. One of the lower- casers grabs a skirt, and two truck ofl' to solid returns. Jim and Mildred Mulcay do neat stint on harmonicas, femme^, show- ing up neatly on pop melody. Duo win nice hand with mouthing oE "Second Hungarian Rhapsody" and finish strong with "Tiger Rag." Carl Sands house orch runs through the international rhythm book on Will Harris', house: producer, tune, I "Sweet Sue." Mildred O'Shaughnes- |sy, vocalist, does fair job on i "Shine." ' Zflbe. tine, and the assist of a raucous voiced gal to add interest. But it is the star himself who rates kudos for ability to parlay a pleasant personality, a film rep and a typical Western twangy voice into a first class vaude act. Ritter uses his aides well, interspersing his own patter, and songs with a ballad by Tommy Durden, who has a good, dear tenor, and "Begin the Be- guine" as a guitar solo, well, han- dled by Spud Goodale. Other cowboy. Rusty MacDonald .wields a steel guitar. Besides emceeing the act, Ritter does three numbers, "Ballad of the Boll Weevil," "Rye Whiskey" and "Tlfe Soldier and the Deck of Cards." Latter rates top attention as a typical, senti- mental sagebrush recitation, which Ritter milks dry. Boots Gilbert, the cowgirl of the act, rounds out the routine with an earthy type of humor and her own version of "Feudin' and Fightin'." Gal's style is authentic, but her accent is so broad that at times it's difi'i- cult to catch the words. Payees go all out' in reception of act. ' Ladd Lyon, a frequent visitor here, clicks in his novelty aero routine. . Has a standard audience participation gimmick in wliich he gets a "volunteer" to learn the routine. Latter is an expert, and part of the act, of course, but even those who have seen it before en- joy the clowning and the building up to the climax when the stooge goes into some highly technical aero stunts. Format of act is hep, and there, is enough freshness in stunts to make up. for repetition of the old gag. Garners fine response. Opening the trio of acts, - cut down from the standard four be- cause of the long cowboy act, is Betty Jane Smith, terping recruit from the musical comedy, who does a fine job of pacing the bill with topdrawer tapstering. She changes tempo often, utilizing a ballet technique at times. Her terps have variety, style and class to rate beaucoup mitt action. Lowe: ^ Apollo, 1\. ¥. . Buddy Johnson Orch (16), with Ella Johnson, Arthur Prysock; Charlie Parker's Orch (5), 3 Brown Buddies, Madcaps (2), Spider Bruce Co.; "Heart of Vir- ginia'' iRep.), S<eel Pier, A. €. Atlantic City, N. J., July 2Z. Peggy Lee, Theron-Troupe, Roy Douglas, Artie Dann, Dave Bar- bour, Behney Girls, Johnny O'Con- nell's Orch; "Trapped by Boston Blackie," (Col). With Peggy Lee giving in a man- ner which has won her a follow- ing all over the country, mostly through her disk hits, bill here is better than usual. Show tees off with Artie Dann, doubling as emcee, introing the Behnj^ Girls for nice tap session. Perone family, cycling act follows with fancy and trick pedaling for neat returns.., Brief takeoff on the late Joe Jackson was a nice nos- talgic interlude, with rope jump- ing bit a solid clincher. Koy Douglass, ventre, follows and his patter with dummy, and songs was ^ amply rewarded. Miss Lee, blonde and niftily gowned in a black mid-riff crea- tion, 'spots her song stanza, ac- companied J9]j; her husband, Dave Barbour^ guitarist, and his stringy trio. Starts with "Do 1 Want You" and. theh drifts into a r h u m b a tune. P^ollows a. medley of her top recordings including "I'll Dance at Your Wedding," "Golden Bar- rings," "Why Don't You Do Right?" "Trouble Is a Man" and tops all with "Manana," which brings down house. Dann spots his comedies in next slot. His patter and comedy bits are tops, pointed up by takeoffs on Jelson, Jessel, Cantor and Durante for solid returns. ; Behney Girls in a Hawaiian bit close to neat appreciation. Rou- tine is highlighted with strobolite effects. . Walk. IIi|»podromc, Ilalto. Baltimore, July 24. Horace Heidt's "New Stars on Parade" with Don Rice, Jeanne Harvey, Jack Green; Jimmie Gros- so, Johnny Vana; Melodares (4), Pat Theriault, Stanley Morse, Har- old Parr: Jo Lomhardi House Orch (li); "Thunderhoof (Col). New Acts EDO LUBICH Songs With Guitar 12 Mins. Le Ruban Bleu, N. Y. Edo Lubich sugge.sts that he's a lammister from a gypsy ensemble of which pirobably he was the num- ber leader. So he stepped out on his own. In black tie to self-accomp \ on the guitar, he does two Latin numbers, one in French, and finally the Romanyesque U. S- pop, "Candlelight Cafe." Nary a sugges- tion of a straight Roumanian and Russian gypsy air, with which he is probably most expert (unless, of course, he does it at sonie other ' Latin shows). Militating at Lubich's adventitte as a soloist is his rather matui-e mien, thus not matching the ro- mantic aura. He is a be-mustached individual who perches aloft a stool, in order to balance the gui- tar, and chirps his four songs in'a pleasant enough voice. He also doubles later into a little entr'acte relief pianolog for the regular Steinwayist. Abel. t'apitol. Wash. Washington, July 27. I Betty Jane Smith, Ladd Lyon (2), Tex Ritter (5); "Gi7)e My Re- gards to Broadway" (20t/t). No question of who's headlining .this bill, with moppets packed four deep to get a peek at a Western star and White Plash, the mo.st beautiful horse in the world. Actually, the cowboy act is adult, rather than juve, calibre, with a dash of animal act thro,wn in. Lat- ter, which" consists of having Flash do a few tricks and then take a bow, doesn't quite satisfy the Juves, but their ciders find act good entertainment, Ritter has an accompaniment of three guitars for his hjljJbiUy rou- Harlem's Apollo theatre seems to be going counter to the general trend of vaude presentation inas- much as the major stress is on bands, with only a pair of acts in support. The current bill with two musical outfits. Buddy Johnson's band and Charlie Parker's five- piece crew gives the new layout a top-heavy musical schedule. Ordi- narily; this type of booking can be worked, out so that tlie similarity can be eliminated. However, with Johnson's orchestra blowing hot and heavy and P.arker working in the same vein, there's a surplus of torridity which doesn't go too well even in this sepia showcase which thrives on this type of diet. Johnson provides some moments which indicate that he can work himself into one of the more pop- ular colored maestri. His opening number, "Holiday ^ Samba" was treated in an original and exciting manner. Probably' this piece had more melodic passages than his fol- lowups. . His style is generally: in- teresting, but he should offer some numbers in the more popular idiom so that the customers can note the Johnson applications upon some- thing which is familiar to them. The band's vocalists, Arthur Pry- sock and Ella Johnson, show up well. Prysock doing "Because" is given ■ interesting backgrounding which takes it out of tlie classic category. Miss Johnson with "I Could Be Out," backed by quartet of the band's sidemen, hits a nice stride here. Johnson is attempting some showmanly displays. The introes are by a quartet, generally in rhyme, and,. crew does frequent .sl.andups which at times leaves only Uie rhythm section on the. stand. Parker is, one of the more cele- brated saxi.sts who's been a draw in the 52d street, N. Y., cubicles. Coming Here with combo of trum- pet, piano, bass and drum manned by competent confreres, he offers highly interesting treatments, but on his closing spot of the bill, the audience is a little worn out with complicated arrangemertts. In pres- ent state, the Parker crew is more suited to cafes than theatres, but his skill on the sax is evident throughout. ■• Spacing band numbers are Three Brown Buddies, whose dance turn wins appreciation, and the Mad- caps (2) (New Acts). Spider Bruce and Co. get laughs with Ihcir comedy skit. Jose, This is a sparkling array of youthful talent, briskly paced and smartly projected and given an ex- tra boost into sock entertainment by a fortunate combination of Don Rice in the emcee slot and Jo Lom- bardi and his house orch for musi- cal backing. Rice keeps matters at merry gait and pitches in for well- spaced comedy bits. Lombardi cuts show with a know-how solidly backed by his sidemen. Heidt has assembled the winners of his radio quest for talent, and as expected,-it's topheavy with in- strumentalists and vocals and prac- tically all on the male side. Jeanne Harvey starts matters with ■ slick hoofery followed by Jack Green with musical tapping on bottles. Real lift comes next via Jimmie Grease giving- out with personable impressions of musical instmments and name singers. Gets big response on version of Frankie Lainc and scores mightily. «Sock is continued by Johnny Vana, youthful xylophonist who pitches in with hoofery in addition to vi-braharp and hectic hide thumping. The Melodares, three boys and a gal, offer vocals of of familiar themes plus a groovey working,out of "Tiger Rag." Make way for Pat Theriault with some extra-solid banjoing followed by Stanley Morse, a lad with a trom- bone and talent. Gets a legit and robust tone out .of his horn and does numbers with assurance. Closing spot is allotted to Har- old Parr, blind singer who looks good and gives out with topflight vocals to nice returns. Does "I'd Give a Million Tomorrows," "Do You Ever Think of Me?" and "Cool Waters," with assists from Theri- ault on guitar and the Melodares for background harmony. ■ Rice lias plenty of funny ma- terial and props that gets 'em from the teeoff. He's unquestionably one of the most improved comics caught here in moons and should be a natural for more ambitious company. Biz okay. Burm. MADCAPS (3) Harmonica, Comedy ; - 10 Mins. ApoUo; N. Y. This youthful harmonica pair hSve a well-worked out music and comedy routine which, upon fur- ther, development, will find them suitable for the deluxers and cafe!;. They have the basis of a good work- able act which a$ yet lacks the smoothness and polish of their more experienced confreres. Turn accents comedy. One of the team carries the burden of the zanyisms with burlesque juggling and some odd bits of business which get the measm-e of this house where they were the sole ofay turn on the bill. Musically, they're okay, show to advantage during their. brief • straight har- monica renditions. Team is well-groomed and makes a nice appearance. Jose. NAOMI STEVENS Soiiss 11 Mins, Le Kuban Bleu, N. Y. Naomi Stevens is a cute blonde of average height but gives the suggestion of being more petite than she is actually. Possessed of . a nice voice and an eager and in-- telligent face that is tlioroughly in- gratiating, she is a natural for >tlie intime' bistros of this calibre and with even more important material should go far. Her special lyrics right now are good but a shade too precious al- ; beit effective, notably "Love is a Four-Letter Word," "Gin Rumba;" _ "Girl's Best Friend Is No," "Love ' With a Married Man" and the like. It's a shade on the too-clevcr side, which is all right so long as she stays in the Ruban Bleu-Blue Angel league. However, she bespeaks even more important potentialities. Abel. MARTHA SHORT Sonss 10 Mins. Penthouse Club, N. Y. Martha Short is an attractive, light-skinned colored singer wlio leans toward blues and ballad.s. She shows an apparent inexperi-. ence in selling, and her phrasing is not all that it might be. Intimate spots such as the Pent- house Club seem Miss Short's metier. At that, though, a wall sep- arating a terrace from the main* floor makes it prohibitive for any performer to achieve maximum en'octs. Kofi 71. HDBT IN AUTO CBASH Toronto, July 27. Following motor accident, Bar- bara Smith, songstress, suffered a broken back and will be hospital- ized an a cast for six months. Singer was filling an engage- ment at the Club Norman here. Paiey After Berie I j^SSS t^ontinucd from page i .^i his emceeing Of the Texaco Star Theatre which is booked by the Morris office on the rival NBC net- work. Although the comic is ten- tatively slated to do another series of four shows for Texaco, no defi- nite deal has been made yet. The possibility of Berle's sale to CBS will not affect the Morris agency's relations,with the TexAco Theatre and NBC, inasmuch as at the outset of tjie program the Morris office made it clear that it was primarily a talent agency and its first responsibility was to the performers on its list. Conse- quently, it felt duty-bound to place as many of its acts as it could on video as weU iv?.qtl|ier nt,«>dia. N. Y. Jubitee s= Continued from page I a big scale. Among the event-s lined up are included a Golden An- niversary Exhibition at Grand Central Palace, showing the func- tioning of the various city depart- ments, a style show, an atomic en- ergy exhibit, and an International Dance Festival to be highlighted by the importation of the Paris Opera Ballet. These events will carry the Jubilee into October. Some hotelmen feel that the air- show to take place at Idlewild starting Saturday (31) will pro- duce the peak of hotel reservar tions. However, the number so far has been small. The showmen's opinion is that more spectacular events are need-, ed. Construction of the Park ave- nue ramp for a continual bazaar, originally intended by the Jubilee Committee, would have provided a stronger magnet, but that was kayoed. Cafemen expect to realize some business out of the affair, but not as much as would be brought in by a series of good.cOnxeutions. ,