Variety (December 1951)

48 VAvmtiux r. Wednesday, December. 12, 1951 to \ Washington, Dec, 11. Final plans have been set for the four large show: biz units which leave Hollywood by plane Dec, £0 to entertain troops overseas dur- ing the Christmas-New Year's pe- riod. Korea* Etc. Biggest party, slated for; Korea and other parts of the Far East, will be composed of Molly Picon, Jacob Kalich, Paul Douglas, Piper Laurie, Julia Adams, Keith Andes, Hillary Brooke, Raymond Burr, Yvette Dugay, Johnny Grant, Rich- ard Morris, Jane Nigh, Mala Pow- ers, Jan Sterling, Beverly Tyler, Janice Thompson and a five-piece band. Gary Cooper was originally slated to be in this group, blit ill- ness this week will probably keep him grounded in the U. S. Alaska Court Upholds Legality Of Ohio Anti-Slot'Law Columbus,/Dec, 11. Constitutionality of Ohio’s new anti-slot machine law was upheld in a test suit brought by Albert L. Dodson, of Urbana, according to Ohio Attorney General C. William O’Neill, . .. ., , ^ Ias * a \ -j. Judge Arthur D, Tudor ruled ■ T h e Alaska party that slot machines were ’■gambling George ^jI^H^^jrginia^Hall^devices, per se*”‘ and that the new Martin; Ray Milland, Ann Robin, j^ w • a ’’reasonable exercise of Aya Norring, Leonid Kmskey, Jean police, power and does not contra- Darling, Vivian. Marshall, Gloria yene any federal or state cbnstitu* Foster,^Harry Kahne* Akim Tanu* tional guaranty of property roff and a five-piece band.. rights.” * Going to the CaSean area will sh^lf it Z be ^ q }j ar d. qiSfeer’’ Jovcb- seizing approximately $10,000 worth lyn Johnson, Forrest Tucker, Joyce 0 f S ] 0 t machines, Characterizing it Mackenzie, Helene Stanley, Ray; mond Walburn, Pat Williams* Joy Windsor* Beverly, Shirley A Patti Taylor; Harry Brown & Harry Ty- ler, the Three Rios, Pat Moran and a five-piece band. JBurope Slated for Europe are Lionel As- cher, Betty Butler, Carleton Car- penter/: Carolina Cotton, Arthur Loew, Jr., Waiter Pidgeon, Debbie Reynolds, Barbara . Ruick, Audrey Totter, Robert _ Tucker, Keenan Wynn and Elsie Gould. Toppers Huddle Details of the trips were com as "an unlawful property.” confiscation of Sock ’Em in Las Vegas, Rack Up HG for Kids Las Vegas* Dec. 11. Jack Benny, Jane Powell,: Rafael Mendez and Benay VenUta, with talent roster, from current Hotel Flamingo floorshow, boosted Va retails OI me wipe were euin- riety Club Tent 39 Heart Fund by ple.ted in New York _ last weekend $ 11,200 ‘ in last week’s benefit at a meeting attended by Abe La^t- for handicapped children: fogel. Camp . Shows board chair- w „ / / *■.; m J-' man; Lawrence Phillips, exec v.p, Sellout event, at the Flamingo of Camp Shows; James Sauter, marked installation of new Tent 39. president of Camp Shows; Brig. Qfficers. also i'nduction oLa^^ Bark Gen. Charles: W. Christenberry, in ers voted mto the org this year, charge of overseas entertainment Richard Owens, representing Inter- ior the Dept, of Defense, and Col. national Ringmaster Robert J, _ — ,*.^M . . • . A 'M 1* A • ' Joseph Goetz; of the Air Force, in charge of routing overseas enter- tainment, Goetz and his assistants arrive on the Coast Thursday (13) to briefing the entertainers. Gen. O’Donnell, administered paths of office, while Ben Goff stein, Chief Barker Tent 39, handled welcoming ceremonial to incoming members. Jack Benny—New Act Two-hour show, which, followed THIS IS A BOOK? Yes, it’s; “A fabulous book — the biography of an, era, chronicling the ups and downs of every phase of the amuse- ment industry over a colorful 50-year span.” —Fred Allen. $5 at all booksellers, or from HENRY HOLT & CO. 257 Fourth Are., N. Y. 10 Christenberry is due in Hollywood the impressive ceremony, found next Monday (17), and will accom- Benny in top form making for his pany the unit which, flies to Korea, first nitery appearance, As emcee Lastfogel left for the Coast last and in closing slot hilarity, the week, while Sauter and Phillips comedian whammed the 600 guests start from New York on Thursday with topical stories. Payoff was (13). After the shows’ departure, surprise visit of Benny’s costumed Lastfogel will rest at Palm Springs vidshow' hillbillies, who twanged in an effort to cure a sore throat oatunes soberly. Hit of this group which he picked up in the east. The performers will ibe cocktail partied at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, Beverly Hills*, . Dec. 18, Kaye-Tptter Kudosed Washington, Dec.; 11, was moppet Lynette Bryant, tiny pig-tailed redhead in serioso chirp ing of /‘You Are My Sunshine,” While Benny sawed on his fiddle and combo backed. . Highspot occurred when Benny -rrttfor* i offered bids to scrape out "Love in start t6 fl " uh - some - Columbus, Dec. 11, A public hearing will be held by the Ohio Board of Liquor Con- trol next February on proposed changes or repeal of state liquor regulations, which have been dif- ficult to enforce. One of the changes affects female imperson- ators. Among the proposals is one re- quiring a fninimum of intensity of lighting on . licensed premises, The regulation at present requires one foot candlepower of light in bar ] areas. However, this has. never been enforced, and liquor agents have no light meters, for determination. A PAH: of the present regulation forbidding; entertainment consist- ing of ^persons of one sex portray- ing th?other sex would be deleted, but the ban off lewd, improper or immoral entertainment would be retained. Some months ago, two of Ohio’s largest, hotels were reported for citation. This was based on appear- ance of Adrian Ames at the Neth- erlands Plaza Hotel, Cincinnati, April 7, and Countess Maria Pu- aski at the Deshler-Wallick Hotel* Columbus, a short time later, to talk on "My Life As a Spy” before a bankers group, After gabbing for 35 minutes, she removed hat and wig and was revealed as onfe Martin Hughes.: The cases were tentatively dock- eted but later squashed When the board said the intent of the law was to "limitative , effect of the regulation to those cases where it was indecent, lewd or lascivious and riot, to apply to otherwise, proper, moral, and decent enter- tainment in which incidentally a person of One sex portrayed the character of another.” Another proposed change would free license holders from responsi- bility for gambling on their prem- ises, provided the license holder or his agents did not participate. ' .. 4 ‘ ‘ i . . ■ .* I _ Board . Sails Into Sally . Canton, O., Dec, 11, Ohio liquor Jfpartment enforce- ment agents have asked that the merit by the armed services here for their work in entertaining troops in Korea, Presentation was made at_n,USQ meeting held here. PATRICK JAN HE LEN E aid HOWARD Currently STATE, HARTFORD Doubling Milford C. C., Connecticut Dlr.t M.C.A. one in the house held up a couple Of century notes , if he wouldn’t play, but With $300 coming across to outbid, Benny battled his trade- mark tune; tp its close. Jane Powell Stops It Jane Powell roped d.o.’s imme' diately with terrif personality, on the floor* and proceeded to stop show cold. Sock showmanship and charming patter held her for many , . Pittsburgh, Dec. 11. cheers with each song, doubling First water show; ever presented k U( j 0S after barrelhouse piping re- in a' nitery—at Balconades_here-- pr i se 0 f “Royal Wedding” picture* CALI GALI Currently EMPIRE THEATRE Finsbury Park, London Rcpmanviil By EDDIE ELKORT LEW and LESLIE GRADE, LTD. 950 W. 57th St. | 235 Rogtnt St, gow York London/ Wl Sam Howard’s “Aqua Frolic^” caved in after a three-Wfeek rim: Howard and Lou Cecela had put a lot of . dough into, construction work so that a tank could be installed. They had figured on as much as. a winter-long run. Tanker did spo- radic b.o., pulling okay on week- ends but virtually zero during the week. Unit reportedly won’t be reas- sembled for cafes and Howard is calling .it quits in that field. Bal- conades will go in for regular va- I'riety bookings until after first of year, when it’ll probably operate weekends only until "Jewel Box Reviie” comes back from* Miami in May for its annual suihmer engage- 4TH SMASH WEEK it NEW YORK * > ■ Dtc«mb*r 16—ED SULLIVAN SHOW F»aiund in: ••STARLIFf* "FBI GIRL" (Warner Eros.) (Llpparf Frocfs.) Exctv$iy0 Aitfnogimiilf: MILTON DIUTSCH AGENCY SunsGt Boiltvard Los Adgslss How Could You-Believe Me?” Rafael Mendez dazzled with his phenom trumpeting,, aided by solid backgrounding of Benny Short orch ppdiumed by Chauncey Haines. Benay Veiiuta, incumbent Flamin go headliner, grabbed plenty of in- terest with neat songware. Over- all pacing was kept animated by insertion of other Flamingo * acts Boy Foy, Tong Bros, and some Latinterps by 'N.T.G.'s Calendar Girls. Abe Schiller acted as sec- ond emcee and No. 1 auctioneer, his great gab technique raising plenty moola for Variety’s Schoo for Handicapped Children. In staging the affair, Chief Bark- er Goff stein instituted first of win ter benefits to augment the alfresco “Night of Stars” Which has been presented for the past three years in July. With Variety Club’s In- ternational convention slated for Vegas April 28-May 1, Tent 39 is in. hopes of having first whig of school rbady for dedication. Will. permit of the swank Casablanca Club on Route 30, near here, be suspended because of the perform- ance last week (3) of dancer Sally Rand. Agent in charge of the Can- ton liquor enforcement district said three of his men saw the show and reported it as-‘lewd and lascivious.” Miss Rand said her lawyers would fight the N citation request although the action is aimed against Tully Foster, proprietor of the spot, Foster lost his liquor li- cense for 45 days last June, on charges of selling drinks on Sun- day. Ralph Wonders signed Jimmy Wakfely and Andy and Della Rus- sell to longterm personal manage- ment contracts under auspices of Arena Stars, Ine. r of which he is president. Cost $600 Extra for Tooters, So B’way ’Borsqlit’ Folds Hal Zeiger, who * produced "Borscht Capades,” .Yiddish-Ameri- can vaude revue, which closed last week after an 11-week run at the Royale, N. Y., declared that the. prospect of an added $600 weekly expense forced the shuttering. Zeiger said arrangements had been made for him to vacate the Royale and move over to the Broadway Theatre. When unions were notified of the change of address* Local 802 of the Ameri can Federation of Musicians in formed him that inasmuch as the Broadway was a contract house where four musicians are perma- nently assigned, Zeiger would have to assume the additional tootlers at the extra $600. Producer then stated it would be okay if union would remove four from the regu lar orch. The Local felt it Wouldn’t take that step. Zeiger reasoned that with the approaching- Christ mas* holidays and customary b.o. slump attendant, it would be best to close* Most musicians in the “Capades” orch petitioned the union to take* steps which would keep the;show open, but Local officials nixed ex- ceptions. SPECIAL PROFESSIONAL RATES Ltwrcne* A Khiin Avmmm at SIikIEm RtU ChklH 40 ,* llllMls LOmSmeS I- 2 IM BUD and CECE 'RHYTHM ON A RAMPAGE' Currently CAPITOL/WASH. Direction: M.C.A. ? T H E s $6,000 For 2 in t»as Vegas Las Vegas* Dec. 11. Film and radio comedienne Irene Ryan, who embarked on a nitery career last May, hits the big coin this week, opening at the Thunder- bird Hotel- Thursday (13) at $3,000 per frame for two weeks. She broke in her act. at the Thunder- bird last spring. Following the local stand, Miss Ryan goes to Chicago for a Palmer House date and an audition for CBS-TV of a half-hour comedy lay- out braintrusted by Phil Moore and Nacio Herb Brown. . San Antonio, Pec. 11, Gas Colias and Johnny Hamil- ton, operators 6f the Cork Room, cocktail lounge, will open a simi- lar spot in the Highland Hills, a nabe area. Helen Janotta will manage,. Bob Williams is new owner- operator of the Tropics, local nijtejfy, F. Jf. Nogueria has been named manager, pick* Worth orch is- - current, Eileen Scott is fea- tured in show. Booked for Christ^ mas eve is the Shep Fields orch, Anacachb Room of St, Anthopy Hotel and * Latin Quarter of Monger Hotel, have $10 as * the. cover for New Year’s eve, W. C. McKinney, operator of Shadowiand, reports ’he will limit the number of patrons to 500 on the eve. ROY DOUGLAS "Th* Doubls HMdGd Wit" anist«dl by Currantly- lAjIN QUARTER ’ Boston Msr.t MATTY ROSEN, IAS W. 4$ -St. PL. 7-5135 Now York CNrrGRtly CLUB 1-2 Toronto (this nay b. (ollownl by "3-4") Mg*.: MARK J. LEPRV Uo* N.wwn and Raya Sisters "DANCING DbLL-USIONS' 1 CLUB DATES Opening ROXY, New York December 21 PsrioRcri M aaa gs w snt THE WILSON AGENCY A Phil GRAE-Phil COSCIA f 1501 Broad w ay, N. Y. C* ■ a a i i