Variety (Dec 1948)

Vc4neaJ«y> Pecembey 8, 1948 Godfrey Ankles N. Y. Roxy Date In lecture Snafu; To Play Capitol Assignment of the film, "Yellow Sky," to the Danny Kaye show has caused Arthur Godfrey to step out of the Roxy, N. Y., mid-January date, and close negotiations with the nearby Capitol theatre: Terms of the deal were set, according to a spokesman for Music Corp. of America, which was handling ne- gotiations for Godfrey, with pro- viso that the-Gregory Peck starrer would be on the Godfrey bill. The second factor that caused Godfrey to break with the Roxy was the billing angle. MCA was reported dissatisfied with the Roxy's usual billing, and demanded that Godfrey's name should be more prominently displayed. Godfrey's Capitol salary will be $20,000 weeklyplus percentages to start at $84,000. For this, God- fi'ey will supply hand and stage show comprising some of his "talent discoveries" and probably one outside act. His Roxy deal was Originally set at $25,000 weekly and percentage to start at $110,000. A revised deal was subsequently entered into V hereby guarantee was cut to $20,000. and percentages would start somewhere below - $100,000. Roxy deal did not call for Godfrey to supply the band. Connce Boswell precedes her March 31 date at the Flamingo, has Vegas, with the Latin Quarter, Boston, March 13. ^ CAPPELLA and PATRICIA "THE SHOW WAS STOPPED by a THUNDER of applause by a cheerful American girl named PATRICIA with a LOVELY FIGURE, and her part- ner CAPPELLA. They could have CONTINUED ALL NIGHT as far as the AUDIENCE WAS CONCERNED,?' LEONARD MOSLEY, Doi'fy fxpress (London); "HIT OF THE SHOW is mode by CAPPELLA and PATRICIA." BERNARD BUCKHAM, . Daily Mirror (London). . Now in our 28th week in the Revue "A LA CARTE" at the SAVOY THEATRE, LONDON. Thanks to FIRTH SHEPHARD and HARRY FOSTER Chi Hotel's Matinees Chicago, Dec. 7. Boulevard Room of Stevens ho- tel institutes a new policy with Sunday matinees replacing the Sunday midnight ice show. Matinees at the-Boulevard Room are first for hotel and only after- noon show in Chi ,at present. Blackhawk restaurant tried Sun- day kiddie matinees last year, but has since discontinued the policy. Barney Josephson Takes Over Le Directoire; Seeks New Tenant for Spot Barney Josephson, operator of Cafe Society Downtown, N. Y., and owner of the building housing the defunct Le Directoire, N. Y., is seeking a new tenant for the lat- ter. Because of $4,500 rent arrear- age a dispossess notice has already been served and Josephson is ex- pected to repossess spot. : Josephson, who operated Cafe Society Uptown on that site be- fore leasing it to Max Gordon and Herbert Jacoby, Blue Angel boni- faceS) who operated as Le Direc- toire, said there has been a few offers for the cafe. However, he said, he will not permit it to be converted into a be-bop center. Ralph Watkins, operator of the Royal Roost, N. Y., was interested in putting fresh coin into opera- tion when it was Le Directoire. ■ Deal failed becau.se of necessity of re-framing the cafe's corporate papers which would make the new corporation liable for Le Direc- toire indebtedness. Le Directoire's losses was more than $100,000. AUSSIE NITERFS PITCH FOR AMERICAN TALENT The Celebrity club, Sydney, is the first Australian nitery to set U. S. headliners; Success of Fred- die Bartholomew, current at that spot, has cued the booking of Amer-, ican names. Maxie Rosenbloom follows Bartholomew, starting Jan. 4. Negotiations 'are current for Bobby Jordan of the "Dead End Kids." , Jerry Rosen set the Rosenbloom deal. Paul and Paulette Trio OPENrNG lATIN QUARTER, N. Y: JAN. 6, 1949 Xlianks to: Ion M'uUcni, Ri<j' I yte : . utiil. May tT»liitKoii :.. .IVrH. ..DIr;.: I.011 (Vluin .. . . am m. wioiaaii, c-iifotKo- Manny Opper fhol new comedian 81st Week Hollywood. Show lounge Cfiioago , Pvt, Mflt.: inv LEVIN: Mata & Hari Concerting -Mata and Hari, comedy dancers, are set for their first transcon- tinental concert tour. Tour is ■ set for 16 weeks, with five perform- ances a week, and wiU begin Jan. 3 in Lansford, Pa. . Coppious & Schang division of: Columbia. Art- ists Mgt. is handling. Duo will be supported by a com- pany of four, including dancers Zoya Leporsky, Norman Thomson and Tommy Marlowe, and pianist Charles Magnan. 45 Moss Given Year Sentence On Tax Conversion Rap ; Nat Moss, 55^year-old operator of the defunct 400 Club, N. Y., was sentenced to a year and a day In Federal prison for failure to pay $62,000 in cabaret taxes. Moss will be eligible for parole In about four months. Sentence was imposed on Moss by Judge Samuel Kaufman in the N. Y. federal court after Assistant U. S. Attorney Edward Rigney moved for 8'two-year term. . . Pleas for leniency were entered by Moss' attorney, Milton Kingsley, and Samuel R. Weltz, an attorney friend of Moss for more than 30 years. Weltz cited Moss' records in both World Wars, declaring that the boniface had served overseas in the first conflict, and shortly after Pearl Harbor had enlisted at the age of 51, and was released from the Army • after a. service-in curred injury. Judge Kaufman, in sentencing Moss, declared that there was no need to reform the cafe operator, but some punishment was neces- sary in the disposition of the case. At the trial, Moss testified he: had intended payment of the im- post, but condition of the 400 Club was such that he was forced to use the tax money in the operation. N.Y. Bomfaces Attempting to Trim Expenses to Stave Off Shntterings Wave of nitery foldings in New York is causing bonifaces to think along lines of cutting expenses in view of declining revenues. It's claimed that operating costs are the highest in history, while grosses are leveling off to the point where many spots are consistently in the red. Operators feel that unless operating costs are cut appreciably; many cafes must inevitably close. Bonifaces agree that there's .little chance of making any Appreciable cuts because, of : present competi- tion. Biggest item in cafe opera- tion is the high cost of name tal- ent, and if one cafe will not pay a four-figure salary, the spot down the block wilL Survey of the N. Y. boites discloses that the highest grossing spots are : shelling out hefty budgets for: entertainment. The Copacabana has Joe E. Lewis, who generally gets $5,000; Sophie Tucker, at the Latin Quarter, gets $7,500; Gypsy Rose Lee, at La Mar- tinique, draws $2,500, and Henny Youngman, at the Diamond Horse- shoe, $1,750. Salaries of this type make it difficult for the competi- tion to keep up with the parade. For example, the Harem, at- tempting to overcome competition of the down4fae-block Latin Quar- ter, was paying Myron Cohen $2,500. Against a lesser draw, comic might have come out ahead. Against Miss Tucker, he didn't draw enough to keep the spot in the black. - Cafe owners ;are: still to find a method of slicing overhead. It's felt that until a formula comes along that will obviate the neces- sity of using top names, more cafes' are expected to fold during the next year. Some operators have been I mulling a cooperative agreement to use acts within a moderate salary bracket. They've dropped Vak idea inasmuch as such an agreement, even if it could be; arranged, would jfiot work outiT Miami Beach opera-. 'tors: every year agree to stop: out- bidding each other for top acts. Before season rolls around that's all forgotten. Caesar's Moppet Concerts^ /Songwriter Irving Caesar : will give a cbildrens' matinee concert at Carnegie Hall, N. Y., Dec. 30. If N. Y. show clicks Caesar will take a troupe of performers on tour of i other cities. He'll give auditorium ' shows after school hours. I Booked for the layout so far are j Jason, magician; Joe Green & Be- 1 Be, and Tindaro, singer. Other I acts are being lined up by Jack I Lenny. "RED SHOES" a great picture "RED RIVER" a great western and noW "RED GLOVES" a great show "RED BUnONS" A GREAT YOUNG COMEDIAN CURRENTLY APPEARING PARAMOUNT, New York JUST CONCLUDED 4 WEEKS HAREM, New York ^ GUEST STAR MILTON BERLE'S TEXACO SHOW NOV. 18 WALTER WINCHELL says: "Orchids to Red Buttons." EARL WILSON: "Yoh owe it to yourself to se« this most tolked about eemcdiah." LEE M0RTI»4ER: "Red But- tons is one of the <|reat comedians of the era." ROBERT SYLVESTER: "Stood audience on its ear." VARIETY; "Berle and Red Buttons a bloie of howls on television." THANKS TO: NAT HARMS, MUTON BCHU, HARRY KALCHEIM, BECKMAN AND PRANSKY, IRVING GRAY, HARRY LEVINE, BOB WEITMAN, BOB SHAPIRO AND ALLAN "ACHTUNG" WALKER. ferionel Mm«gemmi:/ NAT DUNN. 1650 Broadwoy '■■!: Special Mottrial: . ELI BASSE, ALLAN WALKER. COLEMAN JACOBY A New American Citizen PUPI CAMPO And His Orchestra Doubling at— EMBASSY CLUB, New York - 10th Week, and CAPITOL THEATRE, New York - 3rd Week Opening— SAXONY HOTEL, Miami Beach, Jan. 7th • Thanks to My Pal, JOEY ADAMS With All These Jobs- How Come I'm Available? WHA HAPPEN? k/lanagement—WM. MORRIS