Variety (December 1950)

Wednesday, December 6, 1950 L^on White Blue’ Hopes to Get Into the Black in Chi; Major Revamp VAIJDEVILLB The American Legion hopes to ^ hring a virtually “new” shdw into the Civic Auditorium, Chicago, for the 6-week run starting Jan. 1 when Virginia Mayo and Michad O’Shea join “Red, White and Blue^ as supplementary headliners at $7,500 a week. Since the original LeRoy Prinz-Owen Crump staging- authoring in Los Angeles, two months ago, the patriotic revusical has b e e n constantly refurbished with name guesters added en route, and with business reflecting itself upward accordingly. However, the Legion adventure into show, busi- ness represents a $600,000 invest- ment to date. Admittedly there were many un- professional shortcomings, such as tough fpur-wall deals in certain key cities,« as against the more ad- vantageous Chi Aud deal at $7,000 a week, including ushers? treasur- ers and house crew. At $4.80 it is figured “Red, White and Blue” can gross over $85,000 in Chi. The Legion show is hooked up to break at $31,000 exclusive of added guests like the O’Sheas (Miss Mayo), Eddie Anderson (Rochester) may be added for the Cincinnati-Detroit weeks, before the pre-Xmas week’s layoff. James F. O’Neil, past national commander of the Legion, member of the show committee and director of publications, also details a more hep manner of ticket selling on block consignments to vet organiza- tions, industries, etc. Profits go to service men, whether Legionnaires or not, and dominantly they are not. Also presaging better business for “Red, White and Blue” are the increasingly better notices that the offering has been getting. The Indianapolis Star in reviewing the show from Topeka called it a “dazzling spectacle” and “the most lavish show of the revue type sent on the road since the golden age of Ziegfeld.” Paul Jaulus, formerly with RKO Theatres publicity staff, now work- ing with Jack Magner in General Artists Corp. flackery. Casino, Toronto, Drops Line for Regular Vaude Toronto, Dec. 5. On a new policy which will per- mit an increased budget for straight vaude bills, Murray Lit- tle, manager of the Casino here, has let his 18-girl line go and will now place the pit-band on stage. Charles (Chuck) Gregory, stage producer, will return to his home in Dallas, Texas, for a couple of months’ holiday; several of the girls have already obtained line jobs in Montreal and Buffalo. Bob Good- man stays on as m.c. Martin-Lewis Set For Miami Beach Chez Dean Martin &; Jerry Lewis may play the Chez Paree, Miami Beach, sometime in March; Deal was made last winter when the team was managed by Abner J. Gresh- ler. Since then, comics switched to Music Corp. of America. sSe sisl JIMMIE HUSSON "'Mr. Everybody" Curr«ntly-BEN All THEATRE Lexington, Kentucky DICK Rsurivm GENIK SAUNDERS "Courtship in Song" Palomar Theatre Seattle .. Thank, to JOE OANIELI Placed by EDPIE SMITH OFFICES PATRICE HELENE and HOWARD HELD OVER CHEZ PAREE CHICAGO; ILL Miami Beach, Dec. 5. Top niteries here will be find- ing plenty competition this season from an expected source—the mov- ing of the chance casinos south- ward to Havana, Cuba, and environs. First to be announced was a deal by Pittsburgh opera- tors to take over the Sans Souci in the Cuban capital within the next few weeks. Involved in the takeover are Normie Rothman, operator of the all-nite intimery Albion Lounge in Miami Beach, Chuck Teemer and Rocco Buffone, who formerly ran the Bachelors and City Clubs in Pittsburgh. They’ve signed Carlyle, local line producer, to stage the shows, and plan special flights (Havana is 90 minutes by air from Miami) for the casino minded who will be missing the old chance spots here. Sans* Souci is expected to open around Christmas. There’ll be other spots in Havana, as well as Veradero Beach (130 miles from there), with a big new hotel soon ready for opening, featuring weekend shows to attract the gambling gentry. Bill Liebow, Panama club, hotel owner is build- ing the luxury hotel. PHE REGAN SUES TO COLLECT ON OH. DEAL I Chicago, Dec. 5. , Phil Regan filed suit in Chi fedr eral court last week against Ralph Stolkin charging that film partner- investor failed to pay him 1/16 of profits in oil wells, which singer says is due him. Complaint states that he introduced Stolkin to in- vestors in Hollywood, with under- standing that he was to be entitled to half of profits in oil venture. Later this was cut to 25% and to now stipulated amount in suit. Singer claims that Stolkin made $100,000 out of two wells, with Re- gan only getting $6,000. He asks for an accounting and payment of monies allegedly due him. Brisson Vice Jane Russell For Shamrock, Houston Houston, Dec. 5. The Shamrock Hotel’s Emerald Room had its second talent cancel- lation in a fortnight today, when Jane Russell, booked for two weeks beginning Dec. 5, wired regrets. Explanation was “studio wouldn’t let her go,” Miss Russell had a secondary contract to perform for the ■ Interstate Oil Compact meet here Dec. 11-13. Carl Brisson has been pacted for the Shamrock. Previous cancella- tion was Toni Arden, who can- celled because of illness. She was replaced by the Modernaires, sing- ing group. Void of B.O. Draw Talent Shutters Fay’s, Providence I Providence, Dec. 5. • Fay’s theatre, whjch has kept ./Vaude alive in Rhode Island for ' many years and. which has hereto.- fore found it necessary to close down only in the summer months, will close its doors tomorrow, (6). I Edward M. Fay, chairman of Fay’s Theatre board, in announcing 'the shutdown, left the door partial- ' ly open with plans which call for a reopening if proper name ' tions can be booked for early' 19OT.. Hoopla in Monti Montreal, Dec. 5. Boite operators in Montreal suf^ fered a sharp setback last Wednes- day (29) when Premier DuplessiS announced at a press conference that “in accordance with Holy Year” and because both the big holiday eves of the year fall on a Sunday all cafes, hotels and res- taurants will have to stop selling liguor at '9 p.m. In other, words, the Premier’s announcement has vir- tually killed both Christmas and New Year’s Eve celebrations. Last year a similar announce- ment came from the Quebec Liquor Commission and. the loopholes found by club owners were many and varied but this year the order is direct from Duplessis who warned that' violations of his order would be “susceptible to the sev- erest pehalties . . even to the concellation of liquor permits.” With several new clubs having opened and with Montreal now showing lavish revues in its cafes, operators who figured on getting off the hook with the holiday take, are looking forward to a gloomy session. Several private clubs have already cancelled band con- tracts in yiew of the announce- ment as the threat of losing your liquor license is too important to take a chance with in this province. A move is on foot by one of the flashy saloons to get other operat- ors to move their New Year’s fete a day ahead, to Saturday night, when the law permits sales of booze until 2 a.m. To date this has roused little interest as some owners hope for a last minute re- prieve which is doubtful. The Premier also announced that all liquor stores (Government con- trolled) will be shuttered Dec. 23, 24, 25, 30, 31 and Jan. 1. One of the biggest show towns in Canada and the top tourist resort looks forward to bleak holiday season. ’Hopalong’ to Spark Rodeo at Houston’s 19th Fat Stock Show \ Houston, Dec. 5. Set to open Jan. 31 for a 12-day run with Bill (Hopalong Cassidy) Boyd, Tennessee Plowboy Eddie Arnold and his Oklahoma Wrang- lers as star rodeo attractions, the Houston Fat Stock Show is having the best advance sale of season boxes in its 19-year history. President W. Albert Lee, hotel and cattle tycoon, today reported 188 of the 20 boxes sold for $67,- 500, compared with $41,640 at the same time last year, when a record for the 1950 show was hung up. Boxes are sold for 16 of the show’s 19 performances of the World Championship Rodeo, at $311.04 for a six-seat box, $362.88 .for a seven-seat box, with 10% discount during advance sale. Everett-E. Colbum, of Dublin, TeXi, who produces the Madison Square Garden Rodeo, will produce the Houstoii event. Othei* acts will include the Hendricks family and a numbers of trick riders. The Show combines livestock exhibitions in the Sam Houston Coliseum annex and judging in the arena, with nightly and weekend matinee rodeo performances. Durr ing its 1950 run, 493,000 persons bought front gate tickets, 180,000 attended the rodeo. Romm Repping Contino Dick Contino signed a three- year personal management con- tract with Leonard Romm, eastern rep for Spike Jones’ Arena Stars, Inc. Joe Glaser’s Associated Booking Corp. will continue to book ac- cordionist. r cDn '/'■( Set Yank Acts For Medrano Circus, Paris Hollywood, Dec. 5. Peg-Leg* Bates heads the Ameri- can contingent to this season’s Medrano Circus in Paris. Troupe, booked by Carolina and Jo Brun- son, leaves for Paris Dec. 15. Others inked are Johnny Romero, Dolores and Don, Dianne Robinson, Jimmy Risk and Tee Gould. Mattie King goes along as dance director. yaudeville took another lacing this week with the Schine circuit dropping its stageshows, Possibili- ty is that this circuit will resume in time for New Year’s Eve, but noth- ing is definite so far. Last season the chain dropped its stage dis- plays during Christmas • week and picked up the shows in time for the New Year’s Eve business. Temporary closing of the 15 Schirie houses, comprising 40 days of playing time, are the latest signs of an increasingly dwindling num- ber of vaudeville stands. The Car- man theatre, Philadelphia, dropped vaude two weeks ago. Miami Beach, Dec. 5. Long brewing resentment by lo- cal nitery operators against book- ing of legit musicals, and one shot star (Eddie Cantor, et al.) attrac- tions into the newly built $1,500,- 000 Miami Beach Auditorium came to a head Monday (4) withjfiiling of a suit in circuit court by owners of Copa City theatre-restaurant asking for injunction to keep such attractions out of the municipal project Starlight Corp., which holds the lease on Copa City (Murray Weinger and Ned Schuyler), filed suit against the city of Miami Beach, the City Council; Auditori- um manager Claude D. Ritter, Jr., and indie booking outfit, Audi- tftrium-Attractions, Inc., contend- ing the city has no right to use the taxpayers money to maintain a theatre or nightclub in direct com- petition with priyate enterprise. The Municipal Auditorium, orig- inally voted $750,000 by the free- holders here, is now estimated to cost oyer the original figure. Ad- ditional costs came when it was found a full stage, flyers and dress- ing room adjuncts were necessary. The petition filed in the suit claims that employment of Rittef at $7,200 a year to act as manager and to promote and book attrac- tions puts the city in the entertain- ment business. Complaint con- tends that the city leased the place to private concern. Auditorium At- (Continued on page 52) "MOST ORIGINAL IDEA IN DANCE IN 20 YEARS!” Chgo. Herald-Aiiierican. KUP says: «AAI CONSOLO Ml MELBA get raves over their new bubble dance!” ANN MARSTERS: ^Bubbles—thousands of shimmering Iridescent bubbles—drifting from all corners of the ceiling . . , floating and bursting about Co.nsolo and Melba. A blue spotlight follows this, boy and girl as they glide swiftly across the floor, adding greater luster to the bubbles and a bright shimmer to the swirling, shock- ing-pink chiffon of Melba's gown. This enchanting effect Is the ‘‘Dance of the Bubbles” Introduced by Its creators during their cur- rent Chez Paree engagement. Here is an extraordinary team!’' ZABE, Variety: **0008010 and Melba refrain, from the affected posturing terping of their contemporaries, instead offer sprightly routihes; a beguine, an Italian Polk Dance and a polka. Ffemme has unusually expressive hands which she uses to good advantage. Sock piece Is waltz to “I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles” with soap bubbles floating down from the ceiling as gal dips and sways, seemingly chasing the elusive bubbles!” ' BENTLEY STEGNBR, Sun-Times: “Standout!” GENE Morgan; Daily nows: “AbsoUjtely charming agility!” , CHARLIE DAWN, Herald-American: “One qt few dance teams truly favored by Chicagoans . . . tremendous applause!” ATTENTION: Solt •xecutlort und performing rights to the “Dance of Yhe Bubbles” ere retained by the creators. Rog. A Copyrighted Nov., 1950. Menepoment: WILLIAM MORRIS ACEKCY . r • - , •(Kv' -T , . I t.t i' . . .j. »./ ^ ‘ < jS i Sr