Variety (March 1950)

Wednesday f March 8, 1950 Paramount, N. Y. Bob Hope, Jane Russell, Condos &. Brandow, Les Bibwn Orch (W; “ Captain China” (Pat), reviewed in Variety Nov. 2, *49. The Bob Hope: session at the Paramount is Expected to be a twoweek exercise in testing the house capacity. He is putting on a great show in the process. Personal ap? pearances are old stories to Hope. For years the comedian has been letting the customers gander him in Army vcamps, ballparks, etc., wherever there was a quorum present. And i.t‘s been paying off. The Paramount hasn’t seen business such as this in years. And, what’s more, the flow of business is something a showman dreams about. It’s almost a perfect setup. There are no lockouts, but a com slant stream of traffic in and out of the house. The breaks after both the picture and the stageshow are terrific* . As far as billings are concerned, a prospective customer has to look intensively at the marquee to learn that “Captain China’’ is also available. Hope and Jarie Russell get ■equal billing on the marquee, and the rest of the stagebill comprises the Les Brown orch and CondoS arid Brandow. The show is costing the house $50,000, plus overages. Hope gets all that coin and pays off the others. Hope’s personal gets the maximum measure; of 4he house. There’s a relaxed mien within his rapid-fire delivery. The highpoint of his turn is a nostalgic reminiscence of his lean days of the theatre. It’s done with charm and good humor, with the musical backing of “Thanks For the Memory,” and creates a inood that’s somewhat different than the Test of his act. There 'are.; of course, the inevitable references to his recent accident and Bing Crosby. He adds up to grade A entertainment. Miss Russell, in a low-cut gown, ves out with “Great Day’’ and ‘Lady Is a Tramp,” and combines with Hope, in a rendition > of “I Wanna Go Home,” She provides visual and vocal interest. The Les Brown crew, with an Instrumentation of eight brass, five reeds and four rhythm, gets little time to show its wares. The major effort Is a solo by saxist Butch Stone, who gets a healthy palm for vocal delivery of “A Good Man Is Hard to Find.” Condos and Brandow are reviewed under New Acts. Jose ,. Olympia, Miami Miami, March 4. Bert Wheeler , Hal LeRoy, Karen Tedder, Jimmy Troy, Arimnd Guerre Seals, Les Rhode House Orch ; “Montana” (WB), Bill on tap is refreshing and plays well. • Bert Wheeler is back, with the inevitable sandwich, the amiable emceeing and the ingratiating patter standard with him. Highlights of his stint are the session with Hal LeROy straighting, and the Karen Tedder bit. Per usual, his timing is expert. LeRoy is another standard here, and sparks the heavy palming via his hoofery and takeoffs on late Bill Robinson, Ray Bolger and Gene Kelly to wrap up okay. Miss ’ ?edder looks better here than in cafe spot she was in last week. The pops come over with more zing and the t6pping*hillbilly version of “Temptation” sets the applause meter rocketing. Teeoff spot sets a fast pace via comedy trapeze work of Jimmy Troy. Stunts garner gasps and laughs throughout, Armartd Guerre and his seals bounce the usual balls, make harmonica music and indulge in other amusing tricks. Les Rohde and house orch are okay on the backgroundings. Lary. Alhambra, N.Y. Andy Kirk Orch (12), Rose Murphy, Helene & Howard, Russ, Mack & Owen, Carl & Harriet, Freddy & Flo, Willie Bryant, S tanley Rawls , James Quintet ; “Bagdad" . (.U), *" RKO Alhambra's new vaude pol-. icy is finding it tough going this week, what with the strong competition offered by Louis Prima around the corner at the Apollo. At early show caught Friday night (3 ), house was less than half filled despite a lower admission scale. Layout, however, is : an entertain" irtg one principally due to the snappy work of Pose Murphy and Helene . & Howard, *. r Miss Murphy, in next-to-closmg spotj chee-chees her way through a batch of her familiar numbers to win strong returns. Pianistsongstress embellishes such faves as “Cecilia,” “Sweet Georgia Brown’’ and “Dark Eyes” with trills and. squeaky ; chirps, perennially her stock in trade. With three rhythm , four brass and five reed, Andy Kirk’s Combo gets the session off to a; brisk start to bring on emcee Willie Bryant. An Apollo alumnus, now a disk jockey, he ribs his alma mater without, mentioning it by name, discusses his sponsors and indulges in general banter for fair results. Carl and Harriet, boy and girl terp team* follow with some so-so hoofing. Ofay turn of Russ, Mack arid OWen registers handily with slapstick aero stuff. Freddy and Flo hold down the comedy slot with standard songs and patter that are still effective despite their age. in the finale . groove are .Helene and Howard, only other white act on the bill. Couple win a solid reception, for their satirical terp routinesand . especially click in bowoff jitterbug sequence. Overlong show might Well end here instead of bringing back Bryant, arid Freddy arid Flo, for some banal situation humor; Kirk’s outfit backs the program neatly. James Quintet, vocal and instrumental group, and mimic Stanley Rawls are reviewed under New Acts. : Gilb. ■ Fox9 :Hi, IjohIs St., Louis, March 4. . Vivian Blaine, Massive Twins, Vivyan & .Lillian Andrews, Don Henry. Trio, Dave . Barry, Joe Schirmer, Frank Panus Orch; “The Great Rupert” (EL), Customers are getting their money’s worth from the current layout, Spearheaded by Vivian Blaine, a platinum blonde looker. There’s a wealth of entertainment in the bill and only second to the Blaine gal is Dave Barry, who played the role of “Mr. Ripple” on Jimmy Durante’s radio show. In addition to emceeing, Barry kicks in with “Blowing Bubbles” in his rippling style, satires on Humphrey Bogart, Sam Spade and j Arthur Godfrey for heavy mitting. j He also tosses in sortie nifty chat j ter. ^ ■;... ' 1 Miss Blaine, in a fetching gray i gown splattered With sequins and ! with plenty of showmanship, socks J over “I Feel a Song Coming On,” ; “I Said My Pajamas,” “What Is • This Thing Called Love,” “Strangers” and “I Don’t Care,” ala Eva Tanguay. After Frank Panus maestros the orch through a swell medley ! of pop tunes to start proceedings. 1 the Andrews gals, eye-filling arid1 shapely blondes, attired in fetch j ing, abbreviated purple costumes, ) warm the customers Up with a nifty tap routine. Then the Massive Twins, a pair of muscular ycung ’uns, score with a neat exhibition of balancing. ... The Don Henry Trio, another youthful aggregation, and playing different sizes of harmonicas, wham over the Morpheus Overture, “Happy Feet Polka,” a medley that includes ‘‘Wonderful Guy” and “Sue” and after a burlesk on Spike Jones’ “Merry Oldsmobile” using a bunch of zany music makers wind with a sock interp of “Sabre Dance” that wins the mob. Joe Schirmer from the orch, now a feature act weekly, closes session with a red hot “Nola” for a neat hand. Biz ‘ Sahu. / HOUSE REVIEWS 55 Palace9]V* Y. June & Martin Barrett, Fayhe A Roxy» N. Y# work-burdened house-frau off on % Beatrice Kraft Dancers, Bill Nor a *Pot is almost a Classic, vae & the Upstarts (5 ), Dunhills ■ D®. Wolfe also gets added laughs (3), Buck 'Sc Bubbles, Beatrice Kay; .■ “Mother Didn’t Tell Me’ (20th), reviewed in Variety Feb. “a** . lina & Yvette l.*’50 -] . Louis Basil band dote excellent f %%ie*edint amSw Feb 1 -so ■' •— — I ly on the backing, seemimr ] remeweQf in v ariety t oo. i, 5U, than the past few weeks. HIS n su gcis auuea laugns Foster Dtlnnu MollnTstrbm ice with some topical throwawavs in /?? xlr-fi ?haw, Melw-LarK* bolt8 miu' ®U °f Whlch <M,ds upt0 tons ^Chl^Xbby^aC eb. ■ . . . . l inn Hr Yvette TAV> tonth I The current Roxy bill has the benefit of two veteran acts to back strongly what is 'generally an entertaining layout as a whole. The Standards are. Beatrice Kay, in the Closing spot, and Buck arid Bubbles with their Comedy and hoofing. . Plus which there is the added lure of a colorfully staged pro Zabc. Orpheuni, L. A. Los • Angeles, March 1. sAnne May & Henry Balabanow, ■' £n,lef reasorl the conflict caused Betty Black, Pat & Willa Levol lo, ■■■ !?L musical novelties, Fayne Joan Brandon, Mage & Karr, Peiro ^ Fps)rer» and. Wilbur Hall and ■Bros. (2), Buster Shaver . with1 Rene’ * , Olive, George & Richard, Bddie T he Palace bill, while generally maintaining quality in the individual turns, doesn’t add up as effectively as it should. Probably the reason is the conflict caused Arthur Knorr arid Sammy Rauch, not to mention A. J. Balaban himself. It’s, shows like this that makes Use of these acts on the does a great deal in de 01 * c°lprmA1? 5a?ed pro ^ olive, George & Richard fcddte *ame W. does a great dea ^ '5?tchful eye of Peabody, Al^Lyons Orpheum Orch ; stroying; the variety angle.. Arthur Knorr arid Sammy RaUch. t oh . -•nu,* I -Former ekes nut tunes nn ’ * w v ur.b(. VI/I to vy l I V i Tl u' .. « . ■ . W _. (9); “Blue Grass of Kentucky" ’ i ekes out tunes on glasses, i Tin v -r , U, . Urtrne ,,,h H, . ; ( Mono ) , bells, horns* while Hall and Rene j get a multitude of notes from such a reviewer delighted to let every1 « 1 diverse instruments ac trnmnet^ one get into the act for a credit i. Orpheum regulars are getting a ; trombone; tire-pumps Coins etc* or (wo. Any names missed? rplus show this week, what, with Hall has the? ^ added ^ advantage of v Miss .Kay, .with her Gay ’90s ni?i 3 : gettin« ^ughs out of elonfated fhSf «°f S0^Sal°S coupled with, tj9f % which enables him to .virtual that fine showmanship— can never : Sks ^off slowlv6 ly fly over the stage. Each of them fail to entertain no matter what j but th tim.e could have been used to better ad she does. There’s hardly anything: ! air that coufdVe PaCG 1S , vantage on different installments* different from her act here : since , a11 dt coulcA be flsked. ! ^ There are some youthful items her last date at the Roxy— but • E Idle Peabody, the perennial, ; on the show such as June and Mar when those final curtains, close in : could hardly get off, even after tin Barrett, Mello-Larks (4) and front of her, the reception is uri1 doing 11 numbers, at show caught, i Danny Shaw (all New Acts) plus a questionable. She can. still play ’ The zest he gets Into his banjo sprinkling of vet turnsi The Appleany where. twanging generates an. enthusiastic tons are also under New Acts. . Buck and Bubbles have also audience.. He’s also the first repeat i Chris, Cross, a repefitcr here, hardly changed an itena in their , ior the OrpheUm’s current vaude does well in the next-to-closi rig slot • standard routine which, they’ve ! policy, not yet a year old. j with an assortment of dummies* been fibing since they were two-a Second natural headline turn is He works with a life-sized femme day headliners. Yet, there’s no Buster Shaver and the three little doll, and puts; across spme sly lack of .entertainment in their turn : people, Olive, George and Richard J cracks that are laugh-productive, today. And the audience response Act has appeared at this house ai He gets good results with his ven1? J^Tjhere. Buck with his taps . regular intervals for nearly fco triloquy ^ while working a hand pupand Bubbles at the piano have the years and still finds a solid wel. Pet and a reglulatiori-sized dummy. There’s effort _ ’ tricks :to breathers ■ ■■ these days,, but with does the piano^ accompanrm^nrf or i give the show, a solid curtain, ■their kind of showriianship and hot vocaling and terping of the 1 Don Albert’s house orch showability to entertain, there is hardly ■ trio and act then climaxes with .backs with usual efficiency, Jose, anyone who can discern it. ! the ballroom stint by Shaver and . ■ ■ • . The Dunhills are three lads who ' Olive, i ' II r1 i The* Peir? Bros., two boys from Washington * Mareh 3. and th^’re ^ffectivel*asgusual tii?ga display unusual ! Mario & Fiona; Clifford Guest, few brief mo*S ' There?s a little anttspinnin* hats, ’ Sta»g McMann ; Trio, Wyman * act, but that’s not too obvious. ' them^ a ^ybie^ ^hand K^rr ! ■ — , Bill Norvas and the Upstarts, 1 please with -Drecision8 tans Ka nd ! Standout of current Capitol bill three boys and two girls, "go , temologv ma£ne a° shnw?S team 1S clifford Guest, VentrO import through what is a musicomedy LrPthegfive-sDot on thefiilf te /from Australia. Guest’s different type of . song presentation, some Joan Brandon suDDlies^a femme ; s^'le of volce throwing is suffeientwhat akin to the Kay Thompson touch to magic trf<^^ to line him up fpr white idea, only not as extensive. They’re [ ig foS^Mt ■ .House* . Coi-respcmdents* show for an improvement over their recent emntv shaker maeic ciaarettes a Prfesideht Truman over weekend, N. Y. Copacabana engagement, im i.^terious cane and agniftv eee honor the Aussie’s talents rate, ‘heir fresbngss and; i -“te ov^Pas*usiual.te^n*’ ( IlsIlonf^Sf’ ' Chicago, ;-.Chl Chicago, March 3. Cabot Sc Dresden, Rex Ramer, Mimi Benzell, Billy. De Wolfe , Louis Basil Orch; “The Heiress ” (Par), Circle, tnclpls* Indianapolis, March 5. Tommy Dorsey Orch, with Buddy Rich, Jack Duffy, Frances Irvin, Johnny Amorosco ; Guy Raymond, Church & Hale; “Backfire" (WB). i Circle audiences are finding Tommy Dorsey orch in a nostalgic mood this week. Maybe it’s because Gov. Henry F, Schricker presented maestro with a trophy at first matinee celebrating “15 years as nation’s foremost band leader,” in return for Dorsey’s promise to play for Young Democrats’ $25-per-plate Jefferson-Jackson Day shindig Sat. night He sticks to old bandshow format, highlighting his standby^ tunes— and customers love it. Newcomers to outfit have a lot to do with the click, hdwever. The wolves go for statuesque redheaded chanteuse, Frances Irvin, in big way. Hie difference she gives “All of Me,” “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” and “Just a Little Girl. From Little Rock” also make a big hit, Johnny Amorosco looks to be Dorsey’s best male bet since Sinatra. His handling of “Marie” and “Some Enchanted . Evening” Vocals is smooth. Buddy Rich is solid with his tom-tom Solo in “So of India.” Dorsey, on his trur rombone, and Jack Duffy, on tu sax, deliver plenty of good licks in “The Continental,” “Dry Bones,” “Pinetop’s Boogie” and other numbers that display band to advaritage. Acts get less prominence than usual in recent bandshows, but hold up their end of the bill neatly. Church and Hale get good response for smart tap routines and Gene Raymond is well received in his comedy and eccentric dancing turn. Corb. asm for virtually the same routine this time. Guest shows unusual voice variations and control, giving ing blonde singer who fills the two ■ ?iummyv ^ S ' mlnr i p 5 spot with four tunes. The old ' standard slack Wire turn of Pat & bls suit case, drinking Willa Levollo rouririis hut thp hill While his wooden partner sings wina L.evoiio rounds out the bill. mHqw Dl.y i Am” and talking while ..... ■' '• .. latter sneezes.. High spot of act is . 1B mr i the take-off, on a British fox hunt, ApollQ; complete with galloping of the Louis Prima Band%( 12) with K.ee horses’^ ^ hoofs,, calls of the huritsShort bill is the warmest re ly Smith, Jimmy Vincent; Will Mas men and braying , of the hounds, ceived by Chicago theatre audi Hn Trio,: with Sdmmy Davis, Jr.; This one really brings down the ence in several months, While the Johnny Moore's 3 Blazers, Holmes house. With no comic: on the bill, inajority of applause is garnered & Jean; “Undertow" (U-I). Guest’s rather muted humor, as by Billy De Wolfe, rest of the acts j -r well as his veritro technique, fills also get a hefty hand. Show moves [ Louis Prima’s annual stand at the empty slot, at a rapid pace. this sepia vauder usually hypoes Mario & . Floria headline show , Cabot and Dresden, youthful ; the take plenty, and this time out with their routine of trul eye dance team, make a strong impres1 is no exception. His is one of the filling ballroom terping. Couple si on with their terrific whirls, j few ofay outfits that can lure them stick to the conventiqnal in the Especially socko is “Perpetual Mo into this house, which has been tra numbers they choose, a fast opention” number, a seemingly endless : ditionally a field day spot for top ing, a Latin American medley of series of lifts and spins, Rex Ra Negro bands, Howe.ver; Prima stepping, and a final waltz type mer, English imported, sells in fine ’ with his solid trumpeting, comedies turn along soft, romantic lines, fashion his musical instrument im! and vocals is rocking ’em again and Fine teamwork and individual pressions, sans everything but the winning major share of audience . grace, plus a novel flashy display amazing nodule work. He starts off appreciation. Flanhed by the solid of whirls and addagio, lend act unwith a trumpet bit, but gets away' Will Mastin Trio, comedy arid hoof usual dazzle. Best bet is return from the usual . trite imitations, ing team, and Johnny Moore’s number, a novel version of the switching first to guitar, violin, or: Three Blazers, current session is 1012 turkey trot. Audience very gan grinder, xylophone, before goI solid all the way. enthusiastic. . ing into rapid vocal session on the ; Prima crew, comprising three Stagg McMann Trio keep things banjo. However, it’s his closer, ■ rhythm, five reeds and four brasses moving with their yari-sized har“Cocktails For Two” ala Spike (including the maestro), sets the irmnicas. They make lively curtain Jones, complete With all the band pace with a racy rendition of raisers and display variety and 'and other noises, which registers . “There’ll Be Some Changes Made,” skill in their playing. Though they solid. . with Prima clowning through the strive for novelty, best bets are Mimi Benzell, coloratura from vocal arid getting in Some torrid the tuneful and farniliar "Dance the . Metropolitan Opera Co., is turmpeting. Follows with an equal 0f the Hours” and “My Devotion.” surely a startling novelty In her ly torrid, session of “Black Magic” Wyman & White accent the muoperatic selections. However, she to set things for Holmes and Jean, si cal side of the bill with a medley sticks, to the tried and true; and ' mixed team, \yho garner neat ap? of top .tunes, including “You Are gets her. best response from high pi a use for their slick rhythm, tap My Song of Love,” “I Still Get trills. Her mid selection, “Over and aero dances. Keely Smith, at Jeaious When I Look at You,” arid the Rainbow,” while effective; ; tractive brunet band vocalist, steps a. solo from distaff m e m b e r, might be replaced by something out for sultry versions of “Charley “You’re Breaking My Heart.” They stronger, preferably from a musi-; ; My Boy” and “Ebraceable You,” blend voices well and to good efcal comedy. . Comely singer’s swing with Prima weaving in some clown feet, ending with a solid version of version, complete with bit of jive antics for additional lift. “Side By Side.” Lowe; walk and a slight bump, of “Lo, 1 Johnny Moore and the Three — .... • : Hear the Gentle Lark” for a closer Blazers keep show Tolling at high n<il,^10n lor* AI*Ic Ronhorl seems a bit incongruous, but audi with vocals and instrumentation. , Atis u«luicu ence of youngsters loves it. They Carry self-accomp 6n two am1 Rv British Variptv Union Billy De Wolfe gets Chuckles as plified guitars, bass and piano on i ^ ■.*. _ he walks on and recounts his mis “Keep Rockin,’ ” “So Long” ! .. London, March 7, erv with his film roles. His East “Rhumba Ching” and “Drifting” : Variety Artistes Federation last Indian h.oke dance, which leads to for solid returns. Mastin Trio fob week voted to continue the. ban his laugh-proVoking hairdo, and lows and mops up, due mainly to on perrhitting German and Japagirdle quickies, is a fine piece of the hep hoofing and comedy car nese performers to work in Britacro work. Boris Karloff, “Frank hons of Sammy Davis, Jr. a in; Around 5.000 members Voted enstein” number, in green spot, ' Prima band takes over fpr a sa three to one on the extension, with comedian jumping into first tirical Indian number plenty po This is the second extension on few rows has the jtives in screams. . tent on; comedy and giving the side the pan which was imposed at the His cast of characters of the men a field day in the gleeclub nf wnrUl War II Short* shabby bistro,; off the beaten road, setup. Jimmy Vincent, band drum" tvsftprthp war Man to Permit complete with emcee, line and pa) mer, is spotlighted bn “Dark Eyes” f a^aenr ^nd Jan ^ JnbSrtariK^ enrade girls, is letter sharp and rib and gang pulls all the stops^ ^ on^ hut tickling,; It’s still Mrs. Murgatroyd “Caledonia” for a sizzling finale f®Je-r^orisid. that the seatholders are waiting which bring! down the house. , promise was_inade for reconsia i for, however. Character of the • Edbd . reration in 1950.