Variety (December 1952)

48 VADVKmiJK P$asmfr Wednesday, December 3, 1952 Miami Ops Fiqure Divvy Continued from page 47 Biggest money-maker last sea- son, Lou Walters Latin Quarter on Palm Island, probably the most lavishly laid out pleasure palace around, will tee off the Santa Claus period—always the opening week for the big shows—with the French idea associated with Wal- ters as the pull. He’ll bring in several new European importa- tions plus the additions of U. S. talent that fits the production. It is expected by most in the trade that he’ll duplicate last year’s click. Ciro’s Name Parade Ciro’s is also being readied. In the Copa-Beachcomber area, its opening is planned for Dec. 23, though the preem show has not been set. Booked for futures after that date are Nat (King) Cole, Billy Eckstine, Harry Bellafonte, Edward Arnold’s "Diamond Jim Brady’’ revue, and tentatively, for a March date, Frank Sinatra. On the; mainland, Jack Gold- man has had his checkbook^open for any of the toppers wanting a date in his Clover Club. He’s Sj wws.tt'VM'X*: W 'v .> THE BENSON BROS Streamlined Comedy Sensations Thanks to THE LAST FRONTIER. Las Vegas, for a swell engagement. Club dates Nov. 26—Deo. 2ff Available Deo. 26th • Contact GENE YUSEM Wm. Morris Agoy. Beverly Hills, Calif. WHEN IN BOSTON It's thm HOTEL AVERY Avery & Washington Sts. The Home of Show Folk tabbed himself a solid lineup with an agenda of Johnnie Ray, Lena Horne, Billy Gray & Ben L* *msy- Patti Moore, Jackie Miles and probably Spike Jones and his unit. The Vagabonds, down the line from the Clover, return to their operation first week in December and will feature their standard recipe — solid young supporting acts, with their own draw to bring the customers coming. Martha Raye’s Draw One of, the more consistent money-makers on the beach, Martha Raye’s Five O’clock Club looks set for a top take through the big months, with the Raye name value the answer to the dough design. Location in mid- Beach along the oceanfront is a plus factor. Among the intimate cafes, Bill Jordan’s Bar of Music opqns this week with the moderate budget setup that has marked successful operation for some years for the pianist-host. Charlie Farrell has shifted his entertain- ment wares from the Parle Avenue (which decided to discontinue the bar-lounge) to the Brook Club in Surfside. His big following devel- oped here through the past decade is expected to make the new show- case a hit. Supporting acts will be in same line—that of younger acts looking for a spot to show their talents. Mother Kelly’s is reopening again under direction of Chi- cagoan Lou Collins. He’ll follow same policy which marked • Julie Wilson, Gene Baylos and others as upcomers in past years. Pat Mor- risey, who gained attention in the landmark last two seasons, will return for the preem frames early next month. Hotel Competition Hotel row will provide the big- gest problem in the fight for pa- tronage. Saxony is going all out with three distinct operations. Pa- goda Room will be a 350-seat sup- per club with two shows featuring Los Chavales de Espana, Trini Reyes, and Pupi Campo orch. Lineup is booked for minimum of 13 weeks, with two shows a night. The Shell-I-Mar Room has been converted into a theatre-restaurant layout with stage moved onto the former dining terrace. Val Olman orch will play there with a top single act or two for the aud-ap- peah Third spot Is the Bamboo Lounge, which will present a trio plus local songsters. Sans Soucl ha3 lined up fh^per- jAKIE FREEDMAN President . s VESA*. NEVADA H.WAV •« • jack tNt((AmR General Manager ork .lemeni .... ‘"• mS& qg, The Sands, hotel 'on the he newest and fin * It la a “ in fabulous Las vega tei> and eaoh S r Si”s irs such as ie Ray* Martin J.u b, >ening day, an P Sands, , e y oan reach me at mo is Vegas, Nevada. Your jack Entratter in the sun formers who’ve clickecf there be- fore to make the Blue Sails Room one of the most popular around. On the booked list are Lenny Kent, Betty Reilly, Arthur Blake—typi- cal of the policy—-with runs ffom 10 days to two weeks, thus shelv- ing one-week with, option deals. Others skedded at Sans Souci are Reverlee Dennis, Phil Foster, Evelyn Knight, Dick Shawn and Johnny Johnston. Nautilus Hotel’s Driftwood Room shapes to go along with the idea of one show, one act. They’ve Gracie Barrie current with others of that calibre to follow. Casablanca has set Myron Cohen to initiate the Club Morocco sea- son around the holidays. The din- ner and supper show policy will again prevail here with hotel’s own- ers looking for the class singles playing the svelte hostel-cafes around the country, to follow. Casablanca will stress comedy names, with Billy Virte and Jackie Miles set for four weeks apiece and probably singing femmes in support. New Operations Entries this year in the patron- pull sweepstakes will be the new Algiers and the Biltmore Terrace. The Algiers has set Doretta Mor- row, Joyce Bryant and Rosalind Courtright with others in that class being dickered with. Definite also are Earl Wrightson and Ty- rell & Winslow. Biltmore has been angling Monte Proser and Nat Harrjs to run their cafe, far up- town near Surfside, but the com- mitment stage has not been reached. It’s a cinch, though, that they’ll be booking in the same type of performers as the others once the 250-roomer is finished. The Lord Tarleton’s Jolson Cor- ner, which presents the top acts on a club-date setup (once they’ve fin- ished playing regular dates); the Sherry Frontenac, the San Marino with Phil Brito hosting-performing, and the score of other oceanfront- ers in the club-date (weekends) bracket fill out the picture of the competition expected. , Then there’s the stripperies; the cafes featuring “femmics,” working in male clothes since recent crack- downs; the auditoriums in the twin cities which will present touring shows such as “South Pacific,” “Mr. Roberts,” among others; the con- cert and opera offerings; St. John Terre’s Music Circus season begin- ning in January. Thus the winter panorama of show biz here spreads into the • biggest contemplated in the history of this resort coast. Gambling Nix Nearby, by plane time—40 to 90 minutes—is Havana with its gam- bling casino plus plush produc- tions; Varedero Beach, Nassau and the Bahamas for further distrac- tions for local operators. They pose a problem for the big reason that there’ll be only sneak gambling hereabouts, thanks to Walter Winchell breaks on contemplated re-initiation of the old “wide open” days with resultant Crime Commis- sion . and local newspaper front- paging of the "pending” return of the "hoodlums” and undesirable elements. The law enforcement contingents immediately set up special squads to prevent any such return. Chi Chez Books Joe E. In Jane Frontan Missout Chicago, Dec. 2. Failure to obtain Jane Froman as the headliner of the remodeled Chez Paree for Dec. 29 has caused host Dave Halper to pact Joe E. Lewis for the second time in six months.’ However, comic will be in for only nine days as he has prior com- mitments. Chez then brings in Tony Martin Jan. 15 for two weeks and options with one headliner likely between the 8th and- 15th. Club shutters for the first time in 20 years Dec. 6 for painting and al- terations. Saranac Lake By Happy Benway Saranac Lake, N. Y., Dec. 2. Jesus (Gracia) Dominguez, W-B Cuban manager, took the tho- racoplasty operation with a smile and is now back at the V. C. hospi- tal resting in cqmfort. Ditto Ray (Loew) McCarthy, who mastered his second stage of the operation. The passing of Frank J. Birk, who built the Swiss Chalet supper club here in 1923, came as a blow to this mugg. Many times during Prohibition days would he call on us to fill in as emcee when he was short an act. He was always at the top on the list of donors for the old NVA and the present Will Rogers Hospital. Bob Smith of the Mello-Larks in from Gotham for medical observa- tion routine ; His roommate is Thomas Harnn of the same quartet who recwitly checked in for the o.o Morris Dwarski, V. C. hospital laboratory director, takes time out to act as chairman of the United Jewish Appeal fund for Israel. Sam (RKO) Kelley, ex-Rogersite who graduated here in 1950, in for ?Ano/ ar \ nual £ hecku P and rated a 100% to go back to work. Louis Williams (Pops & Louie) hit the jackpot and is now ambu- latory. Ditto for oldtimer Joe ^^nnessy, who kayoed surgery Thomas (IATSE) Shea, Middle- town, Conn., IA exec, shot into the general hospital for the bron- choscopy operation, which was successful. wJio are HJU . L KAYE SETS FOUR ACTS FOR N.Y. PALACE The act lineup for the Danny Kaye show inaugurating this sea- son’s two-a-day at the Palace The- atre, N. Y., Jan, 18, is virtually set. Darvas & Julia, Piero Bros. (2), Three Dunhills and Marquis & Chimps are pacted. Last-named is a European act that will make its first N. Y. appearance on the Kaye bill. Another act is still to be signed. Most likely candidate for the sing- ing spot is June Roselle, who toured with Kaye in the northwest. Darvas & Julia may double at the nearby Latin Quarter, where they recently completed a long stand. Dallas Gilds the Lily With Cuffo Champagne For Kaye’s Eve Extra . Dallas, Dec 2 ' Special New Year’s Eve midnight show by Danny Kaye and his f fll act revue has been set for Fair Auditorium during Cnfin Bowl Week, Dec. 25-Jan i Fv ° n show, at $6 top, offers free’ chain, pagne to customers at 11 lobby party and cuffo ContinenHi breakfast after the show. S decorations and favors also go to patrons at the preshow celebra- tion. Comic’s revue will show nightly with Saturday and Sunday mat- inees. Scale is $1.20-$4.80 for the 10 performances. With Texas U.-Tennessee U. again Cot f ->.: Bawl opponents New Year’s Day, Cotton Bowl Athletic Assn, has added sports lure by skedding the second annual South- west Conference preseason basket- ball tournament for Dec. 26-30. All seven Conference teams and Ari- zona U. will participate. Illness Forces Piazza To Cancel Memph, Others Memphis, Dec. 2. Met and TV soprano Marguerite Piazza was forced to cancel a sked- ded one-nighter here last Wednes- day (26) due to a severe cold. She wired local promoters that she was running a temperature of 103 and was ordered by her physician to cancel several of her southern bookings, including her appearance at the Auditorium here. The local appearance was being hypoed as a "homecoming” as the star in private life is the wife of Memphis business exec Graves Mc- Donald. No arrangements were made by the promoter here for an- other Piazza booking. . New York Fran Warren joins the Danny Kaye Xmas show in Dallas . . . Dick Shawn tapped for the Latin Casino, Philadelphia, Dec. 22; fol- lows with Tic Toe, Montreal, Jan. 14, and the Sands Hotel, Las Ve- gas, Jan. 29 . . . Dave Barry pacted for the Yule show at the Stanley, Pittsburgh ... Joe E. Lewis into the Carousel, Pittsburgh, Jan. 22. Houston Mary McCarty and Eddie Pea- body opened a stand at the Sham- rock Hotel, with Henry King the orch . . . Jack Carson and his troupe have been signed by the hostelry to open New Year’s Eve. • • • Booked for the Mural Room of the Baker Hotel, Dallas, are Los Chavales de Espana, Dec. 11-21. Chicago Ted Harbert has been named as- sistant to Merriel Abbott, director of entertainment for the Hilton chain . . . Regal Theatre is bring- Din * h Washington, Cootie Williams band, Swallows, Herb Lance and Joe Chisholm Dec. 10 and Duke Ellington and Bill Bailey vdn. y. THE CHORDS Instrumentalists without Instruments Club dates Week of Dee. 4 LOUISVILLE. KY., CHICAGO, ILL. and MILWAUKEE, WIS. Dir.: GENERAL ARTISTS CORP. Club Date Bookings by HARRY GREBEN 203 N. Wabash Ave. Chicane. III. NAT DUNN 1650 B’way New York JAY MARSHALL Star of "OLD FACES" Mgr.: MARK LEDDY m Y 0 I ROYAL GUARDS Opening Dee. 9 THE CAVE Vancouver, Canada 1650 EW NcwYorkltY Grant's Riviera RESTAURANT AND BAR 158 W. 44 Sf., New York LU 2-4488 WHERE SHOWBUSINESS MEETS * TALENT CONTEST * MONDAY NIGHTS Prizet Professional Engagement Duplicate Prize* Awarded In the Case ot Tlei Working ALL* Mediums ALL of the Time • LAKE CLUB*, Springfield, III. (Hold over) • JIM MORAN, "Courtesy Hour" TV*, Chicago (Asked back). • PALACE THEATRE*, Rockford • Wiconsin State Fair*, Milwaukee (with Arthur "Dogwood” Lake and Preston Foster) • Casino "Cafe of Tomorrow," Chicago • Brook Hollow Country Club, Oklahoma City (Asked back). • Casablanca, Canton, Ohio (With Bill Farrell) • "The Mounds," East St. Louis (Held over 3 weeks). m ***** JACK DENTON I . I World i Greatest Comedian j W 4 ' $<° ? « *l.v A* | (Anonymous)