Variety (October 1952)

66 VAVJDEVIVXE Pft&IETY New Orleans Finally Gets Set on S3 La. Purchase Sesqui; U. S. Nods Fete New. Orleans, Oct. 7. E V. Richards, Jr., theatre exec- utive, has been named .general chairman of a world’s fair planned here in 1953 to celebrate the 150th anni of the Louisiana Purchase. Richard immediately called on some 450 of the city’s leading busi- • nessmen and civic leaders to give the sesquicentennial fete their fi- nancial support and asked-for a budget of $500,000 to work with. He said that the state already has appropriated $100,000 for the event. William G. Zetzmanh, temporary chairman of the fete until Rich- ards’ appointment, said the cele- bration will extend over a year be- cause the “city doesn't have the kind of facilities *to entertain the crowds we’re going to attract to this mammoth event.’’ He also de- clared that officials of those states 4 formed in whole, or in part, by the Louisiana Purchase already have written him to pledge their co- operation. The House Foreign Affairs Com- C urrently at Chicago's EDGEWATER BEACH HOTEL mittee in Washington has approved a resolution that would place the influence of the Government be- hind the Louisiana Purchase ses- quicentennial. Under a bill by Rep. Hale Boggs of New Orleans, the president of the U.S. would, by proclamation or in other ways, be authorized to invite foreign na- tions to send duty-free products, ..exhibitions arid delegations to the exposition. The Boggs resolution also gives the endorsement of Con- gress to the exposition. It was the New Orleans Item, leading afternoon sheet, that first suggested, back in 1938, the de- sirability of New Orleans embark- ing on a world’s fair. The war soon stopped plans, but before the conflict was over, the subject was again taken up. Brig. Gen. Raymond F. Hufft (R^t) was named executive direc- tor of the sesqui. He is former ad- jutant general of Louisiana, one of the most decorated soldiers in the state, and one of the owners of WTIX. “His job will be to drive home the ideas and. coordinate the committees,” Richards said. Theatre Marquee Light Ban in London Lifted London, Oct. 7. For the first time since the war, all restrictions on front-of-house display lighting for cinemas and other theatres are* to be lifted this winter.'' Hitherto, when there has not been a "total bar, lights could only be switched on after 7 p.m. Decision to relax the restriction was made last Thursday (2) by the Minister of. Fuel, Geoffrey Lloyd, following a promise from** electric sign manufacturers that lights would not be turned on in the West End before 5:30. Illinois Jacquet orch, Don El- liott and Terry Gibbs to preem at the Birdland, N. Y., tomorrow (Thurs.). .WAWAWW. & mm '--Vi* "•4 i * s*. BETTY REILLY with BILL RUSSELL and ROY MacNAIR Held Over CHEZ PAREE, Chicago ’Ev*n more potent than boforo . . , hat to bog off." ’A really first clati performer. • . hilarious" —Zebe, Variety. —Will, Variety. h ♦ .. Knows how to sell ... with the customers loving everything she did * • walks off with the major honors," ——Weiser, Billboard. Opening Oct. 28, St. Anthony Hotel, San Antonio Opening Nov. 21, Eddy's, Kansas City Opening Dec. 5, Park Lane Hotel, Denver Special Material by JEFF BAILEY Direction: MCA N.Y. Versailles’ Xmas’er Versailles, * N. Y., is slated to preem another revue around Christ- mas. Show will be styled along lines of “All for Love” which ran for 38 weeks. Georgie Hale will produce and George Axelrod, Max Wilk and Irving Graham will do the writing and songs. Same group did “Love.” AGYA to Set Up Lower Insurance Cheaper accident insurance will come to the American Guild of Variety Artists after Nov. 23 when present policy underwritten by the Insurance Co. of North America expires. Union’s national executive board, currently meeting at the Taft Hotel, N. Y-., started hearing new* plans Monday (6), opening day of the session. . At- the present time, two major plans are under consideration. The first, offered by Griffith Tate, Ltd., of “London,’ an affiliate of Lloyds of London, calls for a setup which will 11 cost 40c a day on club-dates and $2.50 per week, with an an- nual premium of $100. Tate’s U. S. headquarters are in Chicago. Other major plan is being sub- mitted on behalf of the American Casualty Co. This calls for a daily premium rate of 60c and a weekly cut of $1.59, with an annual nick of $47.25 on engagements lasting that long. Whichever plan is accepted, the premium will be considerably less than that currently in effect. Daily club-date rate is now $1 and week- ly cut is- $2.50. Benefits will be virtually the same. Accidental deal or total dis- ability is $7,500, with $50 in week- ly benefits plus payment of medi- cal bijls by the underwriters. The union's insurance plan now in effect has been one of its most controversial innovations. Pre- miums are paid by the employers,* who objected to the additional nick. At one time, employers offered to substitute another in- surance plan, but AGVA refused to go along. Rate was deemed to be unusually high. " / AGVA to Quiz Jerry Lewis Next Month on Cuffolas; Duo’s Troy Date at $4.80 Hollywood, Oct. 7. Jerry (Martin '&) Lewis, whose cuffo cafe shows has caused him to be fined several times up to $1,000, comes before the exec board of the American Guild of Variety Artists Nov. 19, again charged with violating union’s rule against such performances. Lewis, it is charged, performed at Ciro’s several weeks ago when he got into the act with Sammy Davis, Jr. (Will Mastin Trio). Since Lewis is now on suspen- sion of a $250 fine for a previous violation, he’ll probably be facing a double fine if found guilty, Coast AGVA rep Eddie Rio said. A guilty verdict would mean he’d lose the waived $250 fine plus a larger one which would be slapped on for the latest. Dean Martin, Lewis’ partner, has been fined several times, but Rio concedes Lewis is AGVA’s real headache. Troy Gets ’Em Troy, N. Y., Oct. 7. An appearance by Martin & Lewis, long sought by Capitol Dis- trict promoters, has been set for the RPI Field House here, night of Oct. 29. Scale will be $1.80 to $4.'80. The comics will play the 6,500- seat arena two weeks after Stan Kenton’s Orch, Nat “King” Cole and Sarah Vaughan appear with the “Biggest Show” company. H. L. (Jack) Garren, managing director, arranged both bookings. The Field House is also presenting a series of symphony orch dates, concerts and musicals. Toledo Sports Arena Dates Toledo, Oct. 7. The Toledo Sports Arena has booked the Mills Bros., Jan Gar- ber’s orchestra, and Danny Crystal, comedian, for Oct. 11. The King Cole-Stan Kenton-Sarah Vaughan revue will come to the Arena on Oct. 25. This season’s “Holiday on Ice” will be shown for nine days be.- ginning Nov. 22. The Grotto Cir- cus will be here from Feb. 2 to 8. Wednesday, October 8, 1952 Vesta Tilley & Ella Shields By JOE LAURIE, Jr. Show biz lost one of its real greats in the passing of Vesta Til- ley (Sept 16). She was the greatest of all male Impersonators, a head- liner both in England and America for many years. She first played Tony Pastor’s in 1894 and also the title role in “Algy” (in Chicago) in 1903. In 1904 she was at Daly’s in the title role of “My Lady Molly” and also played, with Weber & Fields. She started in show biz at the age of three and retired in 1920, She was married to Walter De Frece, famed music hall pro- ducer who later was knighted and became an M.P. p Her hit as a male impersonator opened a flo.od of male-imps. Hie men's tailor shops were jammed with “would-be Tilleys,” and many dropped out when they found it took more than just a well-fitted suit to become a Tilley. It also took a load of talent! Miss Tilley’s mail had many letters from male fans Asking her “who’s your tailor.” American audiences went big for Miss Tilley when she sang “Algy” (“The Piccadilly Johnnie With the Little Glass-Eye”), “Only A Chap- pie,” “Dear Boy, Tata,” “The Eaton Boy” and many more great songs. To repay England for a Vesta Tilley, the U. S. sent a little Balti- more born gal to London. Her name was Ella Shields, who has also gone. “Upstairs” just a little over a month ago (Aug. 5). She first appeared in England in 1904 singing “coon,songs” and made her first appearance as a “male im- personator” on the opening bill «L the Palladium in 1910. For many years she headlined all over the world. When vaude died v in Amer- ica she played nightclubs and a few years ago returned to England (where they never forget a favor- ite) and 'made a great comeback. On Aug. 3, while appearing at a Sunday Variety concert at a Lancashire seacoast resort, she just finished singing her famous “Burl- ington Bertie” and collapsed with a heart attack. H£r last words were, “Thank God, I didn’t let them down, I got through with “Burling- ton Bertie.’ ” She never regained consciousness and died two days later. (A third English music hall great, Lily Morris, died in London, Oct. 3, aged 68, but she was not in the same male impersonators idiom as these two.) Wouldn’t ‘Fool’ Aud 4> Unlike female impersonators, the male imp never started* out to “fool” an audience. You could tell they were women who dressed in male attire to put “novelty” into the competitive 'ranks of the sin- gle women acts. England had girls playing “boy parts” in Panto- mime lopg before us. We had a sort of male impersonator in our early burly shows, if you can call a gal who wore a man’s coat tightly buttoned over her bosom and, in- stead of wearing trousers, wore tights. These “boy parts” were usually played by the primas and was an excuse to show the gams without really being in tights all "the way up—and the majority of COMEDY MATERIAL For All tranche! of Theatrical! GLASON'S FUN-MASTER THE OXIalNAL SHOW SIZ OAS HU , (The Service of tho Stars) 35 ISSUES $25 Flttf 13 File* $7.00. All 35 Issues $25.00 Singly! $1.05 Each IN SEQUENCE Only (Beginning with No. 1—No Skipping) • 3 Bks. PARODIES por book $10 • • MINSTREL SUDGET $25 • • 4 BLACKOUT BKS.. aa. bk. $25 • HOW TO MASTER THE CEREMONIES (relisua), $3.00 GIANT CLASSIFIED ENCYCLOPEDIA OF GAGS, 9300. Worth ovar a thousand NO C.O.D.'S BILLY GLASON 200 W. 14 St., Htw Yark 1 f Dept. V Clrcla 7-1131 ROGER CARNE and CANASTA tht Cat ENTERTAINING THE BOYS IN KOREA Direction WM. MORRIS AGII.CY the gals had two beautifully look- ing excuses. In the early '90s a gal by the name of Lillian Western did a mu- sical act, dressed as a man, but played the instruments like a woman. There was no excuse for the male attire except to add nov- elty to the act; Another in those days, Ella Wesner, sang English Hall ditties with „a monolog be- tween (English-style) and head- lined in Tony Pastor’s first show. She did a drunk falling asleep in a barbershop. Kitty Bingham, daughter, of Prof. Bingham, noted ventriloquist was an improper Bostonian, dressed in full evening clothes, topper,- etc., and also’Sang music hall ditties and was a very big hit. There ^were a few more, but it was Vesta Tilley who really did the first honest male imper- sonation. Others, Too There were a number of real swell male imps beside Ella Shields, such as Della Fox, Kath- (Continued on page 69) FOSTER AGENCY* LONDON. presents Now Appearing CASINO, VENICE Italy American Rap. WM. MORRIS AGENCY TAVEL-MAKOUANI AGENCY, PARIS RICO TURCHETTI # ULTRA-SONIC GUITARIST * Currently THE BOULEVARD Direction MANAGEMENT-ASSOCIATES 7 East 55th Stroot New York HARBERS NOW CLUB REG AT BARCELONA, SPAIN and DALE ? FDOLINOFFS and Raya Sisters “DANCING DOLL-USIONS” Currently rko Palace New York Personal Management THE WILSON AGENCY Phil GRAE—Phil COSCIA 1501 Broadway, N. Y. C. ■ $50 to $150 Weekly Salary WOMEN OVER 11 FREE TO TRAVEL U. S. Transportation paid. No experience necessary* We train you to model hair styles. Salary while training. Write living age, height. Weight,celer hair and educatlen, te Mr. Coty— LOCKS LABORATORY 200 E. 3rd St., Mt. Vernon, N. Y. or cell Mount.Vernon 4-1700 JACK DENTON (1) World'! 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