Variety (April 1950)

NlGHf CL1TBIIBTIB WS We^oMda)', April 19 ^ 1^30 Wedgwood Roomy K. Y. (WALPOBF-ASTOBIA) Morton Downeyi Eddy puchin mnd Mischa Borr hands; $2 cover. Mortoh Downey.made the Wedg^ wood Room literally jump at his Thursday night opening, bouncing ^ ^ r . , that Steihway about like it was a. neatly bn both. Cee Davidson s her with Mis* Doran *« a lost but- terfly and France as the forlorn hunter is impressive. ^ Chez Adorables seem hampered by the four parade glrlSi who slow the tempo of the rest of the line, and both numbers are not Up to the usual Dorothy Dorben stagings. Tonv Fontaine is new produOtipn singer, doubling as emceei and do- portable and doing 55 minutes of an all-Amerioan hit parade. The creani of the crop of ^ American songalog judiciously- minimllzed the Hibernian and accented the famil- iar .ballads and rhythm numbers. The soupcon of * the Gaelic was just right, and not oyerdone, as has happenedv Instead, Dpwney, apart from using that come-ail-ye as a signature and applause- rhythmizef, blended his. oldies and neWies iri fetchlngf fashion,. working at the piano; with that portable mike attachmerit He is also backed I by his own carmen Mastren group (leader at the guitar* plus string bass,’ piano accomp and drums), and they all know hOw to pick up their cues, as if everything were .orchestrated. / The Eddy Duchin-DOwney combo is ^ socko at the Waldorf at least oiice-a-year. Duchin now goes with the lease; ai properly romantic- looking maestro at the ivories, in- terpreting the dansapation as if he knew what the-.Words meant-— Which he does. And which is a major secret for the smooth style th^t always distinguished his terp turiesteriiig as fau: back^ as the old : Central Park Casino days, when the gals would ask Sid Solomoh, “who is that Liice-looking kid 'play- ing the piano with LeO Reisman?” In fact, many a party engaged the pianist for interlude music; sans maestro Rt-isman, who then held sway in the No. 1 Gotham spot.. incidentally, Downey and Duchin represent the new successful type j of troubadours who have capital- ized personal popularity into social and economic payoffs .bn a large scale. It is reflected in their con- tinuing professional prowess, be- sides, the. .personal . values in that their foliowing, whether first-night or successiv'eiy, is widespread* loy- al and high calibre. Do whey also invariably achieves, the. unusual of drawing competitive bonifaces to his premieres* such as Toots Shor and Shermah (Stork Club) Rill- ingsley, who are his personal pals and/or business associates, as well as some doughty fellow thespians of the., prowess Of Ethel Merman, who did a cuffO stint at the open- .■:ing.:-.\,' The D&D cbmbp looks like . AA b.o. again. Chez Pai*ee9 €h( Chicago, April 12. ' Gertrude Niesen, Billy Vine, Lloyd & Susan Willis, Doran & France, Tony Fontaine, Chez Ador^' dbles (12), Cee Davidson Qrch, Chico Hhuhiba Band (5); mini mum $3.50; cover $1. showbacking is superb, and he also does well by the dance sets. Chico s rhumba group handle. Latin tune chpi es competently. Zabc* IShelbarne Lbniige^ Y» (HOTEL SHELBURNE) Juanita Hall, LucUle St Eddie Roberts, Louise Howard, Nornuih Walldce, py Coleman TiiO; mini’ 7num, $3.50. The Shfelburne Lounge is still enjoying lush business bri the strength of tasty presentations with standard talent.; The current show comprises Juanita Hall, re^ peating at this spot; Lucille and Eddie Roberts, Louise Howard, and holdover Norman Wallace plus the Cy Coleman Trio. . Miss Hall, doubling front “South Pacific,” brings along a degi'oe of novelty. She’s essaying a series of blues three nights weekly and dur- ing the rest of the week contents herself with tunes in other cate- gories. She’s especially proficient in her exhibits of iiidigp moods. She's doing a set bf numbers by Langston Hughes and Dave Martin, a moody, but engaging set which, under Miss Hall’s excellent han- dling, makes for a rewarding ses- sion. Miss Hall exited to. “Bali : H’ai,” Which she does in “pacific,” and did a begoff. : Lucille and Eddie Roberts make their mental act pay: off. They have a line of good small talk that blends, well With male’s table hop- ping, wherein he picks up object for his blindfolded partner to iden- tify, It’s an excellent baffler. What code or device is used during the urn is a constant Subject of specti- ation among the "sippers. It’s one of the best acts of Its type around. Louise Howard is no stranger to the small rboms. She’s exhibited the same line of zanyisms for some time, and it^s still good for heavy audience response. However, her comedies aren’t holding up too well for those that have caught her more than twice; She’ll be needing a line of new material shortly. Norman Wallace’s French chan- sons and gab are continuing to show improvement. The music by Cy Coleman at the piano, backed by bass and guitar, makes the in termissions' enjoyable. The Lounge, now a click in Sfter- dark ehtertalnments, has been ter miss in one respect. Spot has been loathe to take a chance on new talent. Regular patrons at this deserve a chance to get in on some discoveries. Under current condi- tions, the boite is a good exhibition hall, but it’s shamefully neglecting any creative, flair. Jose* Last minute switch when Asia Boys could not get a .clearance from (juba, brought in Lloyd and Susan Willis, This, unfortunately, makes bill topheaVy on terps, and although routines are dissimUar, it creates production lags. Also much of the headliners material could ;be sliced to improve pace. Particularly in the case of Ger triide Niesen, Who has interjected some tunes which Seem uhsiiited to her throaty. Warm torching. Opener, ‘Tf I Knew You Were Coming,” gets only polite response and it's not until she chirps “There’s No Tomorrow,” for which she rates a nifty hand, that she’s really in the groove, For change in mood, she does a bit of prancing to “Wedding Samba.” Her best is sexy torching of “Black Magic,” impresh of Jolson and “I Can't Get a Man With a Gurt.” . . Billy: Vine makes his first ap- pearance here, outside of a two- day fill-in stand, and inipresses as basic material for the big time, when he prunes his takeoffs and adds some stronger numbers. Comedian gets; off to a good start, clicks with his etching of vacation- ing Brooklynites, but his interpre- tations bf various other buffoons is overlong and not up to par with preceding bits. However, he gets hefty hand for burly routine with Mack Pearson as the psychopathic killer and Vine as defense attor- ney, Skit gets hilarious as Pear- son, as a. refugee guardian of the club washroom* gets manhandled by comic, twice his size and weight and dub bow-off to hefty mitt. The Willises get laughs with theii^ hoked Spanish taiigo. Male does okay with soft shoe of *‘Swa- nee River” but it’s the ballet num- ber closer with awkward leaps and near misses that gets the best guf- faws. Team exists neatly to jitter- bug routine. Other dance team, Do- ran and France* only do two num- bers, both in top fashion,, hut are lost as the chorus parades back and forth: throughout. Closing num-, lAtin Boston. Boston, April 14; Ted Levna, Elroy Peace & Paul White, Geraldine DuBois, Meribeth Old, Reed Sisters (3), Sol Klein Orch (15); $4 minwium. Ted Lewis, with battered top hat,! cane and clarinet is currently dish- ing out his particular brand of en- tertainment, which he admits is “pure corn,” at this spacious bistro with the same solid results he has had for the 43 years he’s been in show biz. Surrounded by his hand- picked lineup, including such regu- lars as Elroy Pease, Paul, White and Geraldine DuBois, and backed by his 15rpiece band* batoned by Sol Klein, the entire stint is one of slick showmanship,; the Lewis sense of timing and affability scorr ing neatly throughput. Lewis tees off with a philosophi- cal pitch to “Be Yourself,? follow- ing in , the same vein with “It's a Short Life,” which serves nicely: as a. warmup. Neat pace. is held throughout, Lewis sparking the production with bits of clowning With Pease and White, Who iiicir dentally are solid in' zany bit as the “Hot Coal’'. dancers, arid the well-stacked Geraldine DuBois. Newcomer to the troupe but; w.k. hereabouts is Meribeth Old, a look- er, who clicks solidly with a terrif aero turn. Miss DuBois gets neat returns in solo vocalizing of med- ley of oldies and teams with Lewis in, “Song of the Body and : the Face” for solid windup. Reed Sis- ters haridle Vocal Chores nicely, grabbing spotlight for “Show Boat” medley and also on vocal back- grounds. Although individual turns click nicely, top returns are garnered by Lewis with his trademarks, “Me and My Shadow*” strutting with Peace, his corny clarineting in “St. Louis Blues” and vocalizing of “When My Baby Smiles at Me.” Troupe is in for two-weeker, with biz holding up strong. Elie* J$0ip Cityf N0 Y* Woody Herman Ofeh (17), Sarah Vaughan, Fats Pichon; -admissiori* 98c; minimum, $2.50.: A strong and well-balanced tal- ent array makes the current sno^w here the best in months. With Lent over and the minimum back at its normal $2.50 level after hav- ing been a dollar less for some weeks, business at the table arena, as„:weU as in the general admission section, on the evening caught (13) indicated a sharp return to the right side of the ledger for this jazz citadel. • , Woody Herman, back in New York with a large band, dispenses the same expert jazz that has char- acterized every Herman herd- siiice he clicked, a decade ago. Eight brass, five reed and tlu:«e rhythm, sparked by Herman’s own superior Clarinet,: go through an assortment of blues and jump tunes, with the accent. mostly on solos rather than sections. Buddy Wise’s sax work and Bill Harris* tromboning stand out in the melange of instrumental rides, with Herman showing his accustomed brilliance on “Golden Wedding” and other of his staples. Small Herman jazz group, titled, as always, the Woodchoppors, fea- tures vibes* in addition to clarinet, trombone, trumpet and rhythm. Hermati’s jiVe and ballad warbling is as good as of yore, and his infdir- mial, tonguedn-cheek fronting and announcing provide the . finishing touch of showmanship to a thorr oughly satisfying band session. Sarah Vaughan has that rare combinatioii of a style and a legiti- mate voice. Her throaty, caressing; tones give a set of words a mean- ing not always put there by the lyricist, and the contrasting clear phrasing and shading of high notes lend vocal distinction to each ar^ rangement. Best of her riumbers at the show caught wrire “The Near- ness of You” and Gershwin's “Summertime,” a vocal gem^ Jim- my" Jones gives the sepia singer good. support at the ivories, with the Herman band also backing. Latter gives the current show more cohesion than is usual with the rotating acts at this spot, Fats PichOn, rotund .Negro pian- ist from New Orleans, Bounds out the bill, working solo without ac- companying rhythm or any particu- lar direct approach to the ring- siders. He lets his keyboard S^eak for itself* arid it has plenty to say. Unlike recent 88ers here* Pichon plays more ad lib and straight pia- no; when he segues into boogie, however, he shows some very pro- ficient left-hand beats and Tight- hand pyrotechnics. Current show is marking; Bop City’s first anniversary. Rich* Flame Room, Mpls* (HOTEL RADISSON) (Followup) Minneapolis, April 15. Mindy Carson, songstress, estab- lishes herself in this smart room on her first Minneapolis appearance. Petite and pretty,, there’s a m^* netic quality to her quiet style of warbling. Some effective lighting. Indi- vidual vocal touches ;and striking arrangements of sure-fiye numbers suited to her personality and style make fur unobtrusive showman- ship, At, show caught. Miss Carson, with her oWn capable accompanist, Andy Ankers, at the piario, and the Bob Cross orchestra ably backing her up, did nine riumbers, every one a Click. “When You’re Smil- ing’- was the teeoff and there fol- lowed “It Isn't Fair,” “September Song,” ‘'Some Time I’m Happy,” “I'll Remember April ” “Candy and Cake,” “Con’t Help Loving That Man,’’“Take Love Easy” and “Mad About the Boys.” The Cross or- chestra, as usual, left nothing to desire In playing the shoW and for patrons’ dancing. Room filled at Saturday supper show. , Rees. Biarlhe Room, Clil (EDGEWATER BEACH HOTEL) : . Chicago, Ai^^ Eric Thorsen, Lathrop Sc Lee, Dorothy cHild Ballet (10), Ruth Chio, Carmen Balcorn, Charles Sheldon, Bernie /•Cummins Orch. (Idj^ Jeanne Barrett; $1.20 cover, Currcfnt offering is one of the best in. recent months, and it’s re- flected in increased attendance. Show is slick in almost eyery de- tail, from tall, blonde Eric 'Thor- sen’s singing to Lathrop & Xee’s neat tap work to the ornate, and vivid production numbers staged by producer Dorothy Hild» This is Thorsen’s first Chi date* While stint is tailor-made for the intime type room, he handles him- self well i:i this large room. Singer spends most of his time table-hop- ping and singing to the customers. Femmes seem to love the attention. He opens with“It’s a GreSt Feel- ing,” shows fine range with “There’s No Tomorrow,” then goes over solidly with novelty, “Yah, Sure« Y'Betcha.” Amuses with take- offs on Bing Crosby Nelson Eddy; again displays vocalJiualities with “Figaro,” and draws, fine hand^ with “Peg O* My Heart^’^Standout is easy-going “Steppin' With My Baby,” in which he strolls, shakes hands with people, and sits down with customers. Enlists audi- ence for community sing hs closer. Lathrop Sc Lee show good preci- sion in tap wbrk. Good-looking pair synchronize well; on “April Show- ers” and high-hat strut. Miss Lee does snappy s6lo to “Who Cares.” Tearii closes nicely with .“Take It Eas3^” ■ Production iiuittbers ^are’ well- choreographed* tastefully costumed and expertly staged. Opejier^uses nifty lighting effects for Satah Wears a Satin Gown.” Hlld ballet goes through paces efficiently, and Ruth Ohio is effective as-'solo bal- lerina; Charles ^Sheldon’s voice isii’t quite right for the song, though. Sheldon Is better in finale, a beautiful number with a spring- time theme pointed up by Garmen Balcom’s harp work. Bernie Cummins orch does su- perb backing. Group displays more body than one would expect from only Id pieces. Fills floor for fox- trots and Latin rhythms. Jeanne^ Barrett, pert blonde* handles vo- cals nicely. ■ Cham Ylliaige Ralm^ .N0 Y0 (FOLLWIiP) This Greenwich Village spot, which over the years has escaped those drastic b o. fluctuations which have hit the nitery belt generally, is still sticking to the formula of dispehsing corn. The. hayseed decor is matched by the entertainment policy, which showcases urban-bred hillbillies, country comics and folk games for the family traded But the hlnterlanders are making this spot pay off* and the reasonable prices combined with, the Itiformal atmosphere are among the chief reasons. . Lenny. Herman’s orch and bari- tone Howard Saks (New Acts) are newcomers to the current hold- over • bill. Herman’s quiritet is a versatile, crisp-sounding preW com- prising the leader on accordion, one sax and three on rhythm. Combo has an unusually large rep- ertory of pops and polkas. During the customer hoofing patrons can indicate their request numbers on a blackboard from which Herman selects his tunes. Band gets a full-bodied effect via a new instrument, the organo, which is attached to the piano. Device permits simultaneous merg- ing of piano and' origan . sounds. Herman handles the vocals with pleasant tenor pipes. Henn, EinbjiBBy Room^ WabIi* (STATLER HOTEL) W^ashingtori, April 15. Dordthy Shay, Evelyn Tyner Trio, Steve Kisley Orch ( 10), with Peggy Taylor; cover $1.50, $2. Dorothy Shay Is money in the bank for the Embassy Room. She packs 'em in, they spend, and those ditties she sings has them beating their flippers with delight like trained seals. Caught at the late show Satur< day night, the “Park Avenue Hill- billie” had the situation well In hand with a smooth assortment of songs and some easy badinage with the hep audience In which were spotted such names as MPA prexy Eric Johnston, Frank Stanton, pres- ident of CBS, and even the Lone Rdnger, who had been doing a p.a. in town. Miss Shay is a rocking chair en- tertainer ^ slow arid easy. She handles that terrific collection of lyrics which have been tailored for her with a grand sen§e of timing arid With never any hurry, milking each line for ■ every chuckle and guffaw that’s in it.^ ; Of .course; “Feudin', Fussin' arid Flghtin’ ” has become a Shay trade- mark and automatically starts the mitt action, but the slickest number she, does is a thing called “Effi- ciency’’ about a mountain gal lit a Tennessee factory; Close behind for honors is the Agnes Klung “Winkin’” song which brings out the entertainer’s facial gestures to the best advan- tage; Among other numbers she of- fers in typical Shay' manner are “Uncle Fud,” “Mr, Berlitz,” “I’ve Been to Hollywood,” and the “Lit- tle Things You Do That Count.” ; For a change of pace, about mid way in her program she offers a sentimerital ballad, “I’m in Love With a Married Mari.” Sirice a good slwre of a dinner crowd stays overi for the late show. Miss Shay has a different, lineup of nuriibers for each show. . The Steve Kislcy Orch "^ accom- panies Mlfes Shay. Singing with the band Is Peggy Taylor, a deep throated. young thrush from/L.A., who will go*places with iripre stage presence and savvy in putting her numbers across. Spacing the Kisley Band is the Evelyn Tyner trio, solid faves in D. C, . ' Lowe, MbcNRiiilio^ HoUywood, April X3. Monied Lewis, Wally Cox, Roger Spiker Orch (5), Latinaires (5); coocr, $1.50, $2, Comedian Cpx, making his Coast bow at this swank Sunset Strip nitery* has taken oyer the screen sophisticates completely. He came on practically cold opening riight^aiid 20 minutes later his An clubs were being formed. Working in a tweed suit so rum- pled that it“reems to have been packed in a lady’s handbag, Cox looks like u civilian Sad Sack. He gets off to a slow start, particular- y with a crowd not expecting the wry, dry- hrimor he purveys. But it builds. The smiles grow into tit- ierS, the titteri$ into screams. Eyen-f ;uaUy, it’s a begoff. : The material is all g^ood. Whether t’s a takeoff on a stuffy small town banker addressirig the Rotary Club, or a “desbription” of the kids he used to play with. The delivery is sparked by a firie\ sense of tim- ing and leavened with the proper ouch of huinility. The results are opnotch. Chirp Monica Lewis* though top- billed, suffered opening night from following Cox. It’s a tough chore for anyone, and the singer would do better to open the layout. Open- ing night nervousness added to her troubles and her choice of ‘^They Wouldn't Believe Me” as an open- er got her off to a too-slow start. Once underway, however, she reg- ‘stered Well. Band chores are shared by Roger Spiker and the Latinaires crews, with the formeri; providing okay show bacMng. Kap, Garden Terrace^ Phllly (BENJAMIN FRANKLIN HOTEL) . Philadelphia, April 13; Jay Martin, Jack Warner Sc Shir- ley McGuire, the Vernettes, Earl Denny*s Orch; $1.50, $2.30 ritwii- munis. The Garden Terrace Roorii of the. Ben Franklin hotel, which had ice skating shows for nearly eight years, continues with defrosted supper club fare. The latest pro- duction is modest (three acts) but makes for a fast and entertaining 35 minutes. Jay Martin, who had the Woody Mahoney role in “Flnian’s Rain- how,” is an okay single. A highly presentable baritone, with a tenor to bass range, Martin knows how to use his voice effectively and command attention on the floor. He does best with “Lucky Old Sun,’* “Temptation” and a down-Memory- Lane jaunt that Includes “Say It Isn’t So,” “Remember,” etc. Jack Warner and Shirley Mc- Guire provide the dapee interlude. The Garden Terrace is one of the few rooms In town still regularly sporting a dance team.' Although the act lacks polish, this pair has a wide variety of Stuff and a lot of ideas about what to do with it. Young, wlrining and apparently tireless, it has possibilities. The Vernettes, who combine juggling with acrobatics* tee off the revue. Novelty high spot Is the man’s hand-balancing on stacks of blocks, which he tosses away one at^ a time until reaching the floor, Gogh, Oval Room, Boiitbit (COPLEY PLAZA HOTEL) Boston, April 14. Dunninger, Ranny Weeks Orch (8),. Tony Petei's Trio; - cover, $1.50;$2. Combining slick showmanship with uncanny mind-reading ability. Dunninger is currently baffling the diners in this swank room with guests wondering how he does it. While some are inclined to scoflF, windup of performance has even the skeptics admitting the guy has something,. Arinouncing that he will pay $10,000 to anyone who can prove he uses plants^ which he blandly states he “will never have to pay,’* he tees off with stint employing, a couple of male ringsiders in several card manipulations as neat warmup for ensuing: mental feats. Claiming no ability to read for- tunes, he passes slips of paper and envelopes to diners with instruc- tions to: write numbers; names and addresses' arid Urging them to con- centrate while he: waits for thought waves to hit him. Then he reels off answers that. could only be known by the writer arid at show caught Wasn’t tripped one. At one point he enlists a youngster, who touches his forehead for the vibra- tions, and cOrjpectly recites the se- quence of a series of numbers writ- ten on paper and held in the writer's hand. Dunniriger winds- by writing the total of four digit numbers placed on a slate by four enlistees before he is shown the numbers. After carefully checking the total by sev- eral payees Dunniriger produces a blackboard on which he previously had the total. Elis.