Variety (Dec 1948)

46 VAVDBVIIJJS V«Jn«idiiy» December 1> ItMH Miami Beach Niteries Face Stiff Competition From Hotel Rhumba Spots Miami Beach, Nov. 30.- The Miami and Miami Beacli cafe owners are faoed witli formi* dable competition from a multitude of hotels in the area. For the 'first time hotels are going in for Mclfi Vice Fox at A0VA Vito Aielfl has bWn moved up from we ^Philadelphia ^ratich of the American Guild of Variety Artists as isi' temporary replacement for Dave Fox, former AGVA east-r erh regional repi'esentalive who till ui * ^ 11 - resigned. Melfi's place in Philly holds Lave the problem of making ^a^'taken by Fred Nerritt, former the dirmg rooms pay off, many „f Boston AGVA office, will attempt to lure their own pa-) victor Rocco, AGVA organizer tronagt', as well as those of smaller, yov)!i, and Dorothy Collins, hotels-, With Latin outfits. | coordinator of the N. Y. branch, It's expected that the majority j also tendered their i-esignations of the large night clubs will be' la.st week. rhumba dance sessions on a large. hurl to some extent by the Latin band' invasion. A comparatively scale.: It's- expected that the gen- erally lower prices prevailing in the inns will cut heavily into the cafe patronage. For example, the Saxony hotel has already signed the Pupl Campo band; Other hotels are following suit by 'installing Latin combina- tions to entice the dance crowd. In fact; Giro's, a cafe which fea-i tured names for many seasons, has decided not to buck the competi- tion offered by rhumba bands and win operate on a music policy only. - Miami Beach hotel; operators are taking a cue from several N. Y. liitenes which:, have been ;able to eel along nicely on the strength of tlieir rhumba bands. Inasmuch, as the majority of the.' JANE: JOHNSON small number of vacationers are able to afford the steep tariffs in the c.?f£s. and any loss of those customers to the hotels wlU ^ felt. FRANKIE LAINE IN 3G PLUS SPLIT FOR LA. Hollywood, l*fov. 30. Frankie Laine has been Inked to return to Cocoanut Grove of Am- bassador hotel April 16 for four frames at $3,000 guarantee plus split over $5,000 realized from covers; each week. Leighton Noble's band, current at Biltmore, N. Y., will backstop at flat $2,250 weekly. AFM Buries Hatchet For Chi AGVA Benefit Chicago, Nov. 30, 0.&J.toStage '49 CNE Show Toronto, Nov. 30. Board of the Canadian National Exhibition formally approved re- turn of Olsen & Jolmson to stage the grandstand show at next year's annual two-weeks' exposition. Pos- sibility is that the famed: Calgary Stampede will also be incorporated in tlie proposed spectacle. Taking on the grandstand show for the first time this fall, Olsen it Johnson revue grossed $365,000 at the C.N.E,, with 24.000-seater grandstand scaled at $2 top for the 14-night run. In view of C.N.E; topping all records in its 69 years' history (paid admissions totaling 2;612,000), expo's running time in 1949 may be extended to three weeks instead of previous custom- ary two. according to Elwood AGVA Capitulates, Continued from par* « ; no musician need join AGVA to work in th« entertainment field. AGVA Fean Petrlllo Griib . Several members of thie Ameri- can Guild of Variety Artists na- tional board will seek to continue the fight with the American Federa- tion of Musicians. . It's held that the terms of the "surrender at Kansas City'' paves way for AFM head James C. Petrillo to grab off the performers* union In slices., It's held that unless Petrillo is stopped immediately, there will be no actors' organization lii a few years. ■ In New York, Dewey Barto de-. clared that the matter can be set^ tied peaceably. He will attempt to contact Petrillo through Local 802 officials in the hope of affecting settlement of tlie issue. However, some ijoard members feel that following the Kansas City settlement, no compromise favor- able to AGVA can be reached^ It's ■AmeActCt Foremost Marimbist Despite current battle between ' Hughes, C.N.E. general manager. American Federation of Musicians j ■ ■ - ■:: and American Guild of Variety | Artists in the midwest, AFM mu- i nvn DACTAM DCCTADCC sicians played for the AGVA bene-i RIVU, DUOlUll, IVCOlUIICO fit at Chi Stadium Sat. eve (27). Benefit for hospital and welfare fund was first ever staged by an AGVA local, according to Jack Irvin, AGVA exec. sec. AFM head James C. Petrillo in- formed the Chi musicians «mon i-,,vins will hi. heaHpd hv Hplpn Friday (26) that they would bel^*"""S wiu De headed Dy Helen STAGESHOWS DEC. 24 RKO theatre, Bo.ston, will play its first stageshow for tlie season Dec, 24 with Miclcey Rooney top- ping the bill. New Year's show fol- " 3/ allowed to play for Sat. night's benefit. Prior to Friday, per- formers did not know whether or not they would get musical accom- paniment.. Forrest and King Cole with Helene & Howard and the Martin Bros. Hou.se has been on a straight film policy because of difficulties with tlie American Federation of Musicians wtiich insisted on a mini- GEORGE GUEST JUST CLOSED BROWN HOTEL T|»nki to Ray LyU iinil Chntu Lurch HELENE and HOWARD CLUB DATES AND TELEVISION Dir.! MATTY ROSEN : V _i i Imum of ■ 20 weeks during the Chi AG V A Benefit Raises [season, compromise was reached 9?;r fAi- TTnenitsil Fiinrl guaranteed 10 weeks ^Oli ror MOSpildl -f unu tm-ough the year but will try to Chicago, Nov. 30. [provide more playing time as more American Guild of Variety Art-] attractions become available. . Ists Chi branch held a benefit last Saturday (27), for its hospitaliza-1 , , « tion fund. Star-studded revue, 'Hnliitav nn Ira Amaclt brought in over $25,000. | nOllOay Ott ItC Smibtt Gus Van, AGVA prexy, who at- tended, is thinking of giving a series of shows in other cities to aid the fund. Roily Rolls to Paris Paris, Nov. 30. Roily Rolls, pianistie comedian, is slated here for the ABC vaude- revue, next spring. Mitty Goldin has just booked him. Rolls has a Canadian concert tour ■ and a Miami Beach' (Brook Club) I ongagemen( in America, followina ] Jiis current N.Y. date until Christ- I mas at the Hotel St. Regis' Mai- I sonette room. $140,000 in Toledo Toledo, Nov. 30. "Holiday on Ice," at the Sports Arena, Nov. 18-28, including three: matinees, grossed a-smash $140,000 (including taxes ^compared with $125,000 when the show appeared for tlie same length of time last year. Show was scaled to $3.60. BRITISH COMIC FORMBY MULLING CANADA TRIP Glasgow, Nov. 23. George F orm by, Lancashire, comedian, talked here about :pos- sible trip next year, witli wife Beryl, to Canada. Formby returns to dates in Sweden: after pantomime at: Liver- pool. He ended vaudeville tour at Empire here, meeting hundreds of requests for ■ old ukelele favorites like ' Mr. Woo," "Cleaning Win- dows" and "Leaning on a Lamp-i post.(at the corner of the street)." Most recent pictures, he says, didn't do him justice, and he: has no pla ns for ■ return to screen work. pointed out that AGVA lost its first chanca of settling issue in its favor when it did not fight Petril- lo'i abrogation of an old agree- ment, under which musicians who worked as singers or dancers in stage and cafe presentations could join AGVA. It's also alleged that AGVA further retreated when it failed to battle Petrillo on his de- mand that harmonica players must also join the AFM. Prior to that ukase; musicians union refused to recognize the harmonica as a mu- sical instrument. The board members declare that the way is open for Petrillo to make further inroads into AGVA. Once lie establishes his jurisdiction over band vocalists, comics and dancers from band ranks, Petrillo can demand that all performers join the AFM if union musicians are to back them. Once that hap- pens, AGVA's career is ended. The board members declare they'll wage a fight to bring: the issue before the American Federa- tion of Labor council. Failing that they'll enlist the services of the Federal Mediation Board or if necessary, the Secretary of Labor. Wally BOAG iSO Performances in VAL PARNELL'S "STARLIGHT ROOF" London Hlppodremo STAGE . . . "Clever novelty — danen in fine stylt eiiaiiining •tag* personality," : A.URRICA: Mnrk J. Xeddr LONDONi Charles Taokci MIAMI BROOK CLUB SET Miami Beach, Nov. 30. Eddie McCune is slated to open tiie Brook club here around Jan. 15 on a name acts and band policy; Spot will again be managed by Nat Harris, operator of the Harem, N. Y. Saranac Lake ■ By Happy: Ben way: : • : Saranac, N. Y., Nov; 30, The Will Rogers hospital lost its liospital aura on Thanksgiving Day, ^\hen steward Frank Kaplan left i no stone unturned in making the holiday banquet and dinner one that will be long remembered by the patients. , .Eugene (Legit) Heed, who mas- tered the Broncoscophy operation, upped her for film shows,. The Birches has added amateur nights and the Howard Marshall Tiio to lure biz. Nitery is now under management of Frank Par- sons, Joe (UA) Phillips, who is doing a nice comeback, all agog over surprise visit from his sisters Frances and Tomniie Phillips, who planed in from N.Y.C. Cliarles Kaufhold joined the up- for-meals gang after recuping from operation at the general hospital;: William Morris, Jr, planed in to spend Thanksgiving with his mother, Mrs. William (Mother) Morris, at Camp Intermission on Lake Colby. Greetings and thanks to Joe Mc^ Carthy, exec of the Theatrical Protective Union, for the novels shot in to the Rogers gang. (Write; jto ,th9S<^ whp, nrp. UU National AGVA Regains Control of Philly Local Philadelphia, Nov, 30, The three-year flglit for control of the American Guild of Variety Artists in Philadelphia ended last week (24) with an agreement be- tween attorneys for. the national union and Philadelphia Local No, 6, Under the terms of agreement, whiciv was approved by Judge Harry S. McDevitt, of Common Pleas Court, the officers of the local headed by Dick Jones, prom* ised to. vacate offices in the Shu- bert Bldg. and turn over all books, records and assets of the local to Gus Van, prexy of AGVA. Irving R. Segal, counsel for na- tional AGVA, stipulated that in re- turn tor the agreement a suit brought against Jones and the i local would be withdrawn. ' i COMEDY MATERIAL For All Branchas of Thtatrlealt FUN-MASTER "Th* ORIGINAL SKsW-Bix Gog Rl*'' Net. 1 to 22 @ $1.00 •ach |Ord*r In SaquMce OniyJ. SPECIAL: Th* First 13 FIIm for $8.00 ! I ! • DirFERENT BOOKS OF PARODIES (10 In e«cl> Bosk) $10 per Book Send 100 for Iltiti of other romrdy mfiterlnl,' uouirfi; pnrodies, mlQBtral pntter, blnck-outs. etc; NO C.O,I>,'S PAULA SMITH .too .W.: 64ih Street, N«w York It Boswell's 4G in Buffalo Connee Boswell goes into the Town Casino, Buftalo, Monday (6) for one week at a salary Of S4,000. Singer plays the spot annually, butj as a rule, on a longer term; However,- Miss Boswell never works near or over the holidays.. NAOMI STEVENS "CHANTS WITH A CHUCKLE" HELD OVER Until Dee. T4th RALEIGH ROOM HOTEL WARWICK NEW YORK Walttr Winclicll loyt: "Things i lili«! Th* Deep Rivw ■oyt' Victor plotftr of 'Racow in Hoovta'." Currently CLUB BAGATELII NHW YORK All :MnJor Network!,; Thcatrci and Clubi,i U. 8, and Caimd* BOA r VICTOR rAVORIT.Et 1 BOYS i niri-riioi;—KO KIBKEBT. RKO PaUdlil*, New Tork M. N.». Clrale d-iSBB VALDO and PRINCESS PAT MENTAL MAGIC AT ITS BEST Walter Winchell Says:— "Vaido and Prinetss Pat Startle." Per. Mgt.; MAX TiSHMAN. 1674 Broadwoy. New York