Variety (August 1950)

Wednesday, August 30, 1950 Hadacol Caravan New Orleans, Aug. 26. Connee Boswell, Mickey Rooney, Roy Acuff & Smoky Mountain Boys, Minnie Pearl t Dorothy Dprben’s Chez Paree Girls, Frakson t Buglin* Sam DeKemel, Anita Martell, Ma- rie Germaine LeBlanc, Emile Par- raLarry Logan, Ann Maudele, Sharkey and His Kings of Dixie- land, Gene Meyers* Caravan Orch This talent-studded show, which bowed before 17,000 persons here in City Park Stadium, is actually a bigtime medicine show. It is spon- sored by State Senator I>udley Le- Blanc of Louisiana, who manufac- tures Hadacol hair tonic, and pres- entation here is first stop on a tour of 15 cities in seven southern slates. It's a mammoth affair, with a great variety of topflight acts headed by Connee Boswell, war- bler and showstopper (she’s a na- tive of New Orleans, and making her first appearance in years be- fore the home town folks), and Mickey Rooney. Rooney takes over as emcee for a time and grabs a good share of the plaudits with his singing, jokes and impersonations of pix celebri- ties, and cutting up in general. He even takes ove.; as drummer with Sharkey and his Dixieland crew. Mis§ Boswell’s singing is socjco, retting heavy palm-pounding with such numbers as “When You’re Smilin’,” “St. Louis Woman” and others. She plays and sings “Piano Roll Blues” as encore and has to beg off. Folk song fans get their share of entertainment, too, for Roy Acuff and his Mountain Boys and “Cousin” Minnie Pearl, the rural comedienne, on hand for one of their “Grand Ole Opry” sessions. Minnie Pearl’s country” humor brings heavy yocks, while Acuff a . n( L 5??, experts turn out the stuff that has made them jukebox faves, including “Wabash Cannon Ball and Hillbilly Fever.” The eye-arresting Dorothy Dor- den line fron Chicago’s Chez Paree, in chassis-revealing cost fumes, are spotted in several elab- orate production numbers, being especially fetching in “By the Sea- side” and in “Dance of the Flow- ers,” a really high-caliber dance choral group. Frakson tosses in legerdemain, making a radio disappear in thin air, grabs cigarets out of‘the air, etc. The crowd ate it up. Buglin’ Sam DeKemel, who plays hot jazz on an old bugle, gave the “Hedacol” Caravan a hot sendoff after Mayor DeLesseps Morrison Welcomed the show to the city and made Senator LeBlanc “an honor- ary citizen.” Anita Martell, British comedienne, comic juggler, clicks, as does Emile Parra, who takes over from Rooney as show emcee. His singing and eccentric dancing draw big returns. Ann Maucelle’s fast acrobatic turns get whistles for more; Germaine LeBlanc, Cana- dian soprano, isn’t in her element, but displays nice pipes in a couple of arias. Larry Logan, harmonica virtuoso, nabs cheers.' Sharkey and t his jazzmen have the huge stadium ‘jumping with their Dixieland, highlighting such tunes as “High Society” and “When the. Saints Go Marchin’ In.” Sup- porting the various acts capably is an 18-piece stage band under the baton of Gene Meyers. Everything about the show is big- scale. Searchlights comb the sky, fireworks burst noisily, a calliope plays, and the entertainment is aimed at pleasing everybody. Price of admission is a boxtop from a bottle of Hadacol, manufac* tured by LeBlanc at Lafayette, La. Liuz. EVELYN MAROVA Dancing 7 Mins. Carousel, Pitt Since ballet has liberally filtered into the theatres, there’s no reason why there shouldn’t be a place for it in the cafes, too. Miss Marova should help stress the vogue. She’s a tall, sexy-looking brunet with a pair of pins that are not only good to look at but exciting to watch in what she does on them. Her toe work is slick and showy, and she manages to give out with a slight taste of the classic forms while still keeping the act well Within the mass groove. Miss Marova’s pirou- ettes are done with a flair, and she turns out as many as 20 of them at one time, which is great audience stuff. ' Gal does three numbers and builds them smartly for pyramid- ding returns. Only mistake she makes is in introducing her last two numbers. Although the Vien- nese accent is attractive, dancer’s so much out of breath that some of the illusion she has created gets lost. , A ■ A cinch in class cafes, hotel rooms and theatres, Miss Marova, who recently changed her name from Evelyn Marr for professional purposes, looks like the goods. * Cohen . smoothly mixing musical unusuali- ties with pantomine. Lynn never speaks; Margot does so only brief- ly, with a noticeable accent. He stands on a chair for several of the comedy bits; one with a make- shift bagpipe (hot water bottle in- cluded) particularly caught the fancy of a very responsive audi- ence. Duo took three bows. They should be liked in many houses, although sixth slotting is pretty far down. Jaco. PATTI THOMAS & FRESH- MEN (3) Dance 8 Mins.; Two Palace N. Y. Patti Thomas and the Freshmen Impress as a good dance turn for most visual situations. Team, com- prising a girl and two boys, have a series of good terps of which a tap interpretation of the . hula gives a solid curtain, Work has a high degree of originality, and there’s enough freshness to warrant attention of the well-paying situations. Jose, LYNN & MARGOT Musical Novelty 9 Mins.; Full Colonial, Albany English couple, on this side only briefly, offer a fast-moving musical novelty, with conriedy. Man is dressed and works in.the music hall style, prop mustache, odd clothes, bizarre shoes (used in one spot for music) and lapel- pocket dusting brush. His partner sticks to straight music effects for the most part. She plays an xylo- phone or marimba, accordion and a string instrument. He uses a series of horn arid pipe instruments (long and short) a bag pipe and— at the end—a tire pump. Act works at a brisk tempo, LINDA FRANCIS Songs 9 Mins.; One Colonial, Albany Attractive brunet, spotted fourth on a fine opening bill, alternates between bouncies and ballads at final evening show. For a girl of her stature, Miss Francis displays a sizeable volume, which she mis- takenly builds to over-loudness through hanging closely to mike. This causes spots of blasting. And mike is raised so high that lower part of singer’s face is not always visible, . Miss Francis possesses a throaty quality- that registers nicely in “I. Want To Be Loved” and “Jealousy” (closer, for Which she announces a special arrangement). She opens with a fast-tempo selection, then a slow one, both rendered with im- pact. A South American number, used for an encore, lets the act down. Miss Francis should have pos- sibilities when more style is de- VelopecL Tastefully dressed in a white strapless gown and matching arm gloves, she is demure and, in- gratiating. Took two bows in a house Where songstresses seldom draw whistles. ; Jaco. ROMANO & CUZZINS Songs, Comedy 9 Mins.; One Palace, N. Y. Romano & Cuzzins have the basis of a workable turn but fail to impress with their, potential on this engagement. It’s a song and comedy duo with glaring weak- nesses in each, department. . : Duo could get by with better impact on their singing since their comedies impress as being of the parlor variety, depending mainly oh the facial grimaces of one of the pair, Jose. FR ABELL & COREY Tight Wire 7 Mins., Full Palace, N, Y. _ Frabell A Corey impress as hav- ing been around for some time. They are tight-wire workers essay- on TV Continued from page 2 they could’work effectively with- out the yocks of in-the-flesh audi- ences, he pointed out. Star Speaks with considerable authority on the matter as he ad- mitted he was instrumental in in- troducing. live audiences to net- work radio. He told how back in 1931 when he Was broadcasting on NBC for Chase & Sanborn, he agreed to permit a studio audience with the proviso it would neither laugh nor applaud. Ban was. broken shortly when the group in- voluntarily erupted into teehees during a Cantor-Jimmy Wellington skit imitating two lady truck drivers. Such audience reaction was un- heard of in those days of radio and Cantor said he expected to get chewed out soundly by the J. Wal- ter Thompson man handling the show. But the agency thought it was wonderful ~ so the studio audience era bowed in; Incidentally, Cantor said the show’s Crossley never again at- tained the same peak. NBC’s Chi-originated “Ransom Sherman Show” was cited as a tele case in point. Show originally started with no live audience per- mitted iri the Studebaker theatre. Then, on orders from N. Y., the curious were invited to drop in. But they were asked not to ap- plaud. Request was soon forgotten with the result that the home audi- ence begin writing in they were missing some of Sherrriari’s lines* Cantor pointed out that the so- called “spread” made necessary on AM shows to make room for the down-front applause is particularly deadening in video for the parlor dialers. With the high costs of the younger medium, home viewers and sponsor are entitled to a full half-hour of entertainment and not 26 minutes of production padded out with studio hysterics, he de^ dared. “it’s reached the stage where 50% of the radio studio audience doesn’t know why it’s laughing,” he said. Cantor also disclosed that he plans to carry his tele show pretty much on his own shoulders, work- ing only with a few supporting players. “After all, Colgate and NBC aren’t paying me this heavy coin to be a straight man for some guest star,” he argued. , He said his first show would be| built around skits from his pix and musical comedies. Continued from page 1 son Welles’ “Men From Mars” broadcast over a decade ago. An official of WDSU-TV, which presented the show, said it was a horse opera in which one sequence called for the Pearl Harbor allusion. He said that anyone who had 1 viewed the picture from the begin- ning must have been aware it was part of the script. WEEK OF AUGUST 30 Numerals In connection with bills below indicate opening day of show whether full or split week Letter In parentheses Indicates circuit <FM) Fenchon Marco? (I) Independent? (L) Loew; (M) Moss; (P) Paramount; (R) RKO; (S) Stoll; (TLTIvoll; (W) Warner; <WR) Walter Reade NEW YORK CITY Capitol (L) .31 Noro Morales Qrc Hal Le Roy Phil Poster Roslta Serrano. Music Hall (!) 31 Glenn Burrlss George Dyer G A F Szony Jessica Halst Nonchalants Corps de Ballet Rockettes Sym Ore Palace (R) 31 Spider Bruce Watson Sis Bud A C Robinson Wally Vernbn Bernie. George Ralph &. Lorraine <2 to fill) Paramount (P) 30 C Cayallaro Ore Jean Can-oil 4 Evans Alan Dale with Sapphires . Roxy (I) 1 Philharmonic-Sym- phony Ore Eileen Farrell ; Strand (W) 1 Anthony, Allyn A H Patrice Wymore ■ Paul Winchell Gordon MacRae Florian Zabach Apollo (I) 1 Billy Eckstine Dizzy Gillespie Ore Berry Bros China Doll 1 A Calypso Boys . Pigmeat Markham CAMBRIDGE Central Sq. (P) 3 only Asylum of Horrors CHELSEA Olympia (P) 3 only Asylum of Horrors CHICAGO Chicago (P) 1 Victor Borge Fontanno Sis Bobby Van Wayne Marlin 3 Regal (P) V Toni Harper Larry Darnell Paul' ’Hucklebuck Wilson Bd Shorty Johnson Chubby Newsome Dusty Fletcher T A M Conine . CLEVELAND Palace (R) 31 Louis Prima Ore. George De Ritt - Ryan-A' R McDonald LYNN Paramount (P) i only Asylum of Horrors MIAMI Olympia <P) 30 Rfcfredy Celia Cabot Johnny Coy Bob Eberly Johnny Morgan NO. CAMBRIDGE Harvard (P) 4 only Asylum of Horrors PAWTUCKET Strand (P) 30 only Asylum of Horrors PHILADELPHIA Earle (W) 1 Louis Armstrong Or Sarah Vaughan Mantan Moreland 'fPo y , l c soMmerville Strand (P) 1 only Asylum of Horrors WASHINGTON Capitol (L) 31 Going Native Local Talent . Howard (I) 1 Ravens Calvin Boze Bd Ruth Brown Apus St Estrellita Harold King. '. Washingtonians. Ore WOONSOCKET Stadium (P) .31 ohly Asylum of Horrors BRITAIN Cincy Escapes Scare We, the People” script sched- uled for Friday (25) on NBC dealt with the hypothetical atom-bomb- ing of Cincinnati, with the wiping out of almost air of its 800,000 pop- ulation. As originally planned, broadcast would have used actual namfs of streets, names Of fac- tories destroyed such as Procter & Gamble and other details of the imaginary blast/ . Web’s program department, how- ever, feit that the airer might have resulted in another Orson Welles’ “Martian invasion”, panic, despite the introductory disclairiier that it was merely a fictional portrayal. Script was therefore altered to re- move the. specific references to Cincy and toned down to avoid another catastrophe scare!. However, a few hours before the. broadcast, the sponsor; Gulf, I yanked the script in toto and sub- • stituted an adoption of its video j countei'part, which was on woman's i suffrage. j ing a turn with precision and tricks that bring the desired quota of applause. The duo perform many of the standard tricks. In addition, they display some terping on the line that assures them a solid sendoff. Jose, ASTON Hippodrome_<1> II Eddie Lee Johnny Downes Joey Hopkinson Eddie Arnold Billy Barr Dump Harris & Stan Patricia Leigh Monty Marvin Bennett O’Loghlan DeVere Lovlies BIRMINGHAM Hipp'odrome (M) 31 Issy Bonn BonmA-Chords 6 Sweet Notes VAT Elliott Len Clifford St F Maurice & May Patricia St Rudy BLACKPOOL Grand (I) 28 Josef Locke J Radciiffe Co Francis A Gray Joan Stuart• Annettes Ladies' Jimmy Wheeler Larry Drew Opera House (I) 21 Tessie O'Shea Nat Jackley Jerry Desmonde ' Terry Thomas . Ben Yost Guards 5-Glanders. Sheila Mathews Maureen Sims Tiller Girls Palace (1) 21 Norman Evans Gray A Austin F A P King Senor Carlos Bil St Bil 3 Cordells Maple Leaf 4 'John Tiller Girls Tower Circus (I) 21 Charlie Calroli Paul Co Ernie’s Scalions Gilbert Houcke Pierre Alizes Jacques A Maryse 7 Ashtons Roberto Chiesa Co 3 Peters Baudy’s Animals Knie’s Horses 3 Goetachls Dor chesters Laconas Jimmy Scott Annettes Circusettes t .Balcombes WINTER GARDEN Pavilion (I) 28 Jimmy Edwards Joy Nichols Dick Bentley Costello Twins ' Nino Wonder Dbg St Clair A Day ,3 Bassi Peter Grant ■ Patricia Hartley . Bobby Beaumont BOSCOMBE Hlppodrdome (l> 2B. Billy Whitaker Mimi Law B A M Clayton C Fairweather Phil Lester Pat Hagen Sonny Hughes ;. Elizabeth parsons . ■ Eric Marsh ! Hi Diddle Diddle, i Debs Terry’s Juveniles BRADFORD ' Hippodrome (M) 28 2 Berty Borrest B Reid A D Squires Jimmy James . Co • 2 Marchants Roger Smith Walter Jackson ' Bartlett Sc Massey BRISTOL Empire (I) 28 Jimmy Gay Johnnie Carlton Margi Morris Eddie Stacey - Johnnie Marsh Ann Gaynor Bertie Sellers 2 Arct .Hippodrome (S) 28 Allah Jones ~ Ernest Arnley A G Cookes Pony Rev Hackford St Doyle TattersaU A Jerry 2 Valors Eva May. Wong Linda A Lana CARDIFF New (S) 28 Cheerful C Chester Fred Ferrari Arthur Haynes Edwina Carol. Len Marten Ken Morris Bollana Iv.anko 4 Marriott A Wcnman 5 Brahims CHISWICK .Empire (S) 28 Hal 'Monty Johnny Denis Co Venue •Rosemary Andree Flack A . Lucas Margerita St Charles Kirk Stevens. Zio Angels DERBY Grand (S) 28 Vera Lynn Scott Sanders North A. Stoyle 3 LeRbys Cottrell Bros A M Freda Wyn Charles Hague Slim Rhyder EAST HAMPTON Palace (I) 28 Dorothy Ward Harry Seeombe Fayne & Evans Harmaniacs ' . Percy Rich . A Eva Krazy Komcdy Kirks * Windsorettes Grace Mars Syd Jackson FINSBURY PARK .Empire <M) 28 Kemble Bros Monte Rey Bernard Miles Elwardbs ' Semprini. David Poole Peggy Cavell Veronica Martell Tommy Fields P A M Honri GLASGOW Empire <M) 21 Eddie Reindeer Delta Rhythm Boys Gloria A Splendid Squadronaires Charles Warren A J Frances Duncan Dcy Dey A Dey GRIMSBY Palace (I) 28 Elthnm A Sharpe Marianne Margit Koliar Merry 3 Magyar Ballet , D St S Stephens LEEDS Empire (M) 28 A J Powers Nicholas Bros. Allen A. Lee Radio Revellers Worecambe St Wise Ivor B. Keys Don. Philippe A M 2 Colombus Madge Kent : LEICESTER Palace (S)' 28 Mischa Auer Janet Brown Johnson Clark Shires A Tyiee . Moran A Elof Nixon A Dixon Desmond Ellis B St R ttema . LIVERPOOL . Empire <M> 28 Big Bill Campbell Lance King Senorita Valeska 5 Mighty Mohawks • Sioux Dakotas Crosbie A Brennan LONDON Palladium (M) as Lena.Horne Billy Cotton Bd- Harvey Stone Bernard Milef Stump A Stumpy Elizabeth A Collins Les. Romanos Palladium T Girls Skyrockets Orch MANCHESTER Hippodrome, <S) 28 Rose Murphy;- Vahcouber B6ys Bd Canfield Smith Max Bacon Steve Conway . Banner Forbutt Alan Kay & Gloria Rex A Bessie ^ NEWCASTLE Empire <M) 28 Godfrey A Kerby Len Young 4 Doumers Mandos Sis Curzon 3 Carroll Levis Co NORWICH Hippodrome (1) 28 NOTTINGHAM Empire <M) 28 Barclay Sis Anne Shelton. Pierre Bel Binnle Hale Dick Henderson H Mooney A V King Archie Elray. 3 Jokers PORTSMOUTH Royal (M) 28 Deep River. Boys Leon Cortez • Sid . Plumnicr Bill Kerr Medlock A Marlowe Oglo Mary Priestman . Kizma A Karen SCUNTHORPE Savoy (I) 21 Tex McLeod Harold Walden Vera Cody Cherokees Boots Gibson Ottawa Henry . Bunkhouse Boys Texas Cowgirls SUNDERLAND Empire <M> .21 Suma- Lamonte ■ George Mitchell Patterson A Jacks’ll La Celeste Jack Watson Leslie Sarony Ike Freednian.. McDonald A Grah’m SWANSEA Empire (M) 21 5' Smith Bros Scott A Foster . Morris A' Cowley 2 Cromwells Johnny Lawson 3 DAD Luplno Yale A Diane Martyn A Cooke WALTHAMSTOW Palace <0 28 Norman Thomas Les Cygne 4 \ Brewster A Lotlnga CANADA East Hampton Grenade (I) 21 Donald B. Stuart Harvards Campbell A Rog’rs’n Frank Wilson Reading A Grarttley MONTREAL Gayety (I) 28 Shelnia Dean Rollmer A Darrow Toy Yat Mar Doryce Drew • Kay A Aldrich 4 Day Dreamers Wanda A Armand Jack Waller 3 Ivanos Will Skinner Ore NEW T0BK CITY Blrdlano Chai’lie Parker Dizzy Gillespie Coleman Hawkins Bon Solr Jimmie Daniels Baby Hine6 Norene Tate Garland Wilson Ellis Larkin. 3 • Bop City Gene Krupa Ore care Society Gigi DurstOn Will Jordan Cliff Jackson Stuff Smith. Copacaoana Betty Reilly Bill Russell - Gilbert A Miller M Durso Ore R A A Farrell Harrison A Kay Peter Haqley F. Alvares Ore Diamond Horseshoe Walter Dare Wahl W. C Handy Billy Banks Gloria LcRoy „ Noble Sissle Ore Chic Mor.risbn Ore Rigolctto Bros: Jack Spoons Frank Evans Tommy King Harry Meehan Billy Banks Harry Armstrong El Chico Roslta Rios Los Gitahos Pjlarin Tavlra Sari to Herrera D-Alonso Ore . Leon A Eddie’s Eddie Davis Nola Pardi Jean March Wayne Thompson Bourbon A Bayne Irma Henriquez A1 Wallis Geraldine A Joe Little Club Ernie Warren Ore ’ No . 1 Fifth Aye Paul Gavert Carolyn. Maye Jimmy Lee Christine Barrett Downey A Fonvillo . Hazel Webster Old Roumanian Sadie Ranks Olive White Christine Scoville Alverda Marsha Stevens Joe LaPorte ore D’Aquila Ore Park AvO Scotty Graham Hotel Ambassador Jules. Lande Oro Hotel Asfor Xavier Cugat Ore Hotel Blltmoro Sydney Ross Harold Nage) Oro Hotel Edison Harry Ranch Ore Hotel New Yorker Charlie Peterson Rookies Jean Arlen B. Pennington Arthur Johnson HotoI Plaza Bob Grant Ore Mark Monte Ore M Bergere Emery Deutsch Hotel Roosevelt Teddy Powell Ore Sidney Kassimlr f Hotel Staffer Jan Garber Ore Hotel Taft Vincent Lopez Ore Latin Quarter Alan Carney Mons. Choppy Mar vellos Gloria Gilbert Ralph Young Naamnn Dcrs Art Waner Ore Penthouse Paul' Taubman Riviera Billy Daniels Buddy HaOkett Jack Cole .Dcrs P.at Terry Arden Line •Walter N.ve ■ Ore' PupJ Campo Ore / Versailles Bernice Parks " Emile Petti Oro Pancblto Ore Village Barn ' Gerry Fitzgerald -Tex Fletcher Freda Wing 4 Some ' David Blight Waldorf-Astoria Fran Warren Dick Contino.. Griff Williams Or# . CHICAGO Blackhawk “Roaring Twenti es’ Mimi Kelly . Joel Friend- Ray Hyson Margaret Banks Jesse Elliot Ray Arnett Bobo Lewis Bobby Barry Henry Brandon Ore Chez Faroe Jackie Miles Chandra Kaly Dcrs Alice Tyre 11 Dick Winslow Gee Davidson. Oro Harper Flaherty Bob Fitzgerald Skating Blvdearr Mary A Fitzgerald Phyllis Miles Maxwells (2). Frank Masters Oge Palmer House Evelyn Knight , Helsings Georgie Gobel Jayne Walton Billy Chandler. Ore.* H Edgewarer Beech Jiminy Nelson Darkens D Hild Dcrs Jimmy .Dorsey Ore Hotel Stevens Joan Hyldoft Arnold Shoda Jerry Mapes Jack Raffloer Farrar A Carter. Douglas Duffy Lew Parker Eileen Q'Dare De. Mattlazzis (S) Abbott Dcrs Eddie O'Neal Ore Vine Gardens Jan Bart Mickey Sharp ,