Variety (Jan 1949)

f46 Fmiy-ihird P^SSBBfW Am^tmvry MICHAEL DURSO and His COPACABANA ORCHESTRA Now in 3rd Year at the Copacabana, New York Thanks to th« Copo Management ' Direction: MUSIC CORPORATION OF AMERICA Si mi MICHAEL EDWARDS Currently Featured with MAE WEST in "DIAMOND UL" to Be Followed by Engafeiiients at LAST FRONTIER HOTEL—Las Vegas «nd AmkrIca'i For«m«ir Hotels & Supptr Clubi Direction: FEDERAL ARTISTS CORP. 8734 Sunset Boulevard. Hollywood CR^ 55251 CONGRATULATIONS TO JACK PARKER "Th* Jack of Oubi" Mt Too TOM FITZPATRICK MALINY Toilay tlie Knr«Nt Act on Kaftii—In ail lliiiidual nemlitatlan A Few Open Dates In April . Xext—Hotel ArJInictan, Hot Sprlncn, Arkiiniiaii r«im B«»rh and Miami Be*«h, >'lori<f i;, to Vollow Florida Nitery Comics Rise From Clucks to Clicks in Repeat Dates By LARY SOLLOWAY ■ ■ Miami. ■ Always an anomalous town, tiiis area is proving this season that the comedians who laid eggs, or just got by in past years, are clicking and making the spots they are working in; typical being Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis at the Beachcomber. Hottest thing since Kay Thomp- son's click at the Copacaf)ana last winter, the combo overcame the preem of the new and completely, advanced Copa City across the street to keep the Ned ■ Schuyler spot packed; despite Milton Berle's opener of the Copa and a folloWup show that has Xavier Cugat, Johnny Johnston,: Jan : Murray, Georgie Tapps, Dorothy Jarnac and a lavish production. .... Several seasons ago, thte, young-; sters .flopped at the Lou Walters operation on Palm Island. Their return here has brought raves from the same critics who belted theni in their last appearance in the Miami area. Gene Baylos-, current at the Five O'clock Club is another. Last year,- he teed off at the CloVer to bad critical and public reaction. Some weeks later he opened at Mother Kelly's and scored heavily, making a room that had been attracting in- different patronage. In at $500, he is currently tabbing over $1,Q00 at thfr Barken itinery and bringing in the biz. Jackie Miles, who opens with Sophie Tucker and Harry Richman for a return engagement at the Beachcomber in January, is still an- other. Before and during the war years, his was a fairish success, To- day, he is in the $5,000 weekly class, with the same basic act, but definitely a bigger audience attrac- tion with more laughs-. Current at the Copa City is .Tan Murray, who did not do so well some years ago at the Riptide and Kitty Davis'. In this engagement he is racking up the yocks in hear- tier manner "than when he teed off the first A^eason of the old: Copa with Johnny Johnston,'who, in him" self, is an illustration. Three years ago, a suspiciously platinum blonde crown-swoon lad, today he wraps up with a humble approach, a nat- ural hair color and a solid sesh of- singing. and died on first dates then came back to belt the tough audiences heretypical being Stan Irwin, Julie 'Oshins, Sunny Kay, Guy Rennie, Sid Gould, George De- Witt, Jatk Carter, Hal Fisher in the group. Mo.st of the nitery'ops, who take a chance on booking these acts back, seem to feel that this area's I supposedly blase audiences can I brush an act, yet, when they re- turn, hail them. Continuing, they observe that it might have been an off week, not actually: a bad one. At any rate, the illustration of: the faith the vet operator may have I in performers could well be illus- trated in the $6,S00 .salary Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis are being paid by. Ned Schuyler, who re- fused to book them last year at a much lower figure, and this ; time out is smiling happily while the cash registers ring—pointing out that he "took a chance"^much as so many of his rivals do here? a bouts. ■ ■ ' - All of it adds up to the fact that, with the terrific competigh come winter.: season, the bonifaccs will take a chaiice, because of a short- age in what they think, is a good comedy or act setup. .Solution may come with the opening of bookings to Negro performers, viz: the click of the Ink Spots at the Monte Carlo, and the subse- quent contracting of Lena Horne, Cab Calloway,. Louis Jordan, King Cole Trio;: Nellie Lutcher, et al, by the Clover Club, with, the Beach spots expected to fall in line by next season at the latest, once local laws are adjusted. For. the vacationing patron, it will be a welcome change from- the usual. HELENE and HOWARD Club Dates and Television Dir.: MATTY ROSEN . HAPPY 1949 - Preu A(|enr ami M«ilagor Sinet 1919 JIM WIHERIED 42 rue de L'Eehiquier 42 Paris 10, France Cablet; Witericfiw, Parit HAPPY HOLIDAYS Phyllis Louise Erom Lukewarm To Hot Same applies to many a comic or .singer who came here before to floppolo and now is back to click, betore the same basic audi- ence and critics. There's Lenny Kent at the Paddock; Johnny Howard in his own spot 'st the Albion; Charlie Carlisle at the Clover Club for a return engage- ment; Alan Gale, fairish hit pre- viously, a solid smash at his own spot, the Celebrity Club; Harry Richman, who was unhappy at a Copa date some years ago now re- turning for a third straight sea- son at the Beachbomber; Henny Youngman, who in pre-war years was unhappy here, but since has hit whenever he played; the emer- gence of young comics who jplayed Manny Opper fkof now (omtdion 86th Week Hollywood Shaw levngo fm. Mtt.: lllV LEVIN DILL McGRAW Singing Star Currently appearing. Bpston Latin Quarter (GOING INTO 8TH WEEK) Batton LaiiH 9wit«r Bookiiig by Dick Hanry, Wm. Marrlt A^tHcy MARIE McCORMACK Singing Sfylisi Eleanor Roosevelt's "My Day" "A cbormiiifl yomig woman with a lovaly vfict." . M Siillivaii, Now York Dally Newi Columiilst. "SHE IS TERRIFIC" : Portonally manai|«ii by: - BETTE S. WHYTE—PLAZA 5-9134 Best Wishes to p^^OiiETY 203 N. WABASH BUILDING CHICAGO HAL COWEN-MGR.