Variety (December 1952)

so VACOfiYlLLK pmmff Wednesday, December 17, 1952 Hotels Inside Post in Talent Race Miami, Dec. 16. 4^ Complexion of the seasonal run for the patron dough among nitery and hotel - safe interests here changed this week when Copa City lease was sold under foreclosure suit to mortgage-holders who made high bid. Sale thus darkened, even if temporarily,, the biggest buyer of talent along the glitter belt and brought to fore the fact that the aceanfront hostels will wind up heaviest users oT acts, with only, three cafes bidding for top talent. Copa City's builder and manager, Murray VVeinger, is expected to join Ciro’s in a booking capacity, with acts set for the darkened Copa shifting over to the swankery around the block. Lineup of talent for Giro's will include good por- tion of the toppers originally booked for Copa. -As is, the spot had Joel Gray, Harry Belafonte, Nat (King) Cole, Billy Eckstine, Edward Arnold revue on the agenda; with Frank Sinatra on a probable date in March. Switch of Weinger - booked heavy sugar artists will mean Martin & Lewis, Billy Daniels, the Redcaps and others used heretofore by him, ap- (Continued on page 52) Glasgow Municipal Circus (KELVIN HALL, GLASGOW) . Glasgow, Dec. 9. Harlem Globetrotters Cage City of\ Glasgow presentation of < 1*1 o KfTA r n ■ annual circus, with 3 Infaltfples, Smash «plojDfO in. Omaha ; Toni, Tina & Tony, Dale & Elton, Omaha, Dec. 16, Hugo Dartv; Arab Legion Liberty (Wenzel /• Kossmayer ), Charly Wood, Douglas Kossmayer’s High School Horse, Les Oliveras, Dun- can’s Collies, Rogge Sisters, Emily Pallo f s Ponies, 3 Bragazzis, Edith Crocker's Bears, Los On a, Paulo Troupe, Duart Sisters & Anton, 12 Lippizaner Horses (Wenzel Koss- mayer), Harry Fowler, vet manager of Ak-Sar-Ben Coliseum here, pulled his biggest coup when he brought in the Harlem Globetrotters’ bas- ketball show. The cagers and their show (three vaude acts) packed in 8,775 paid for a whopping gross of $18,- 570. Fowler, had been warned against booking in the show, since it bucked several local high school and college . (Creighton) home games. Next Ak attraction will be Olsen & Johnson starred in “Skating Vanities,” Jan* 13-18, scaled to $3.60. Victor Borgc will do two one- man concert dates after his four- week stand at the Statler Hotel, Los Angeles, Dec. 26. His first stint of nine performances will be at the Metropolitan Theatre, Seattle, Jan. 26. Then the comic will do one- nighters for a month, ending his tour with another theatre date at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Montreal, March 3. Borge will do a two-hour show with an intermission. While out on the Coast he will also try and squeeze in a shooting schedule on his Warner Bros, film pact. AGVA Prexy Hope Urges Support of.Performers On Union's Welfare Fund Bob Hope, president of the American Guild of Variety Artists, urged performers in a letter last week (11) to support the union’s efforts io establish a welfare fund, la sn Ottawa Vauder Suspends Ottawa, Dec. 16. New vaudfilm experiment at in- die Francais played its four-week minimum, then suspended until Dec. 29, grind film policy resum- ing meanwhile. Reason was pre-Xmas slump, be- ginning to be felt in fourth week, when SRO night performances tapered off except on weekends. Weak matinees, however, built a little, and operation stayed out of the red, despite entire fact per- sonnel remained fixed for period, only material being changed. JAY MARSHALL Currently SAN FRANCISCO California Thanks to SAM ROSEY, MARK LEDDY and HORACE GREELEY Mgt.t MARK LEDDY JACK DENTON World's Greatest Comedian (To Users of Chlorophyl) Glasgow City Council has snapped out of an easy-come easy- go policy, press-criticized in the past, and hit the jackpot with pro- gram of solid circus acts largely handled by London agency of Lew & Leslie Grade. Civic-sponsored enterprise, rightly rated one of the three most certain sellouts, in British show biz, annually scorns frigid trade, weather, and brings 750,000 funseckers into the build- ing over a six-week period. Midway, run jointly with the cir- cus at this time, together with trade exhibitions in the hall throughout year, annually yields $240,000 profit as a free gift to civic Com- mon Good funds. Repeated press theme that turn stile durability allows civic com- mittees to sleep on, is met this i&vm* 'by omsrgeliv* program* that I sent first-nighters home mor<? than - Vnd dr ew rave notices from our standard of decency* AGVA . fight la the 1 ‘ “ Comedian’s letter stated “Some Rio’s 1st. French Orch Since WW II at Gloria Rio de Janeiro, Dec. 10. First French orchestra to play Rio since Ray Ventura’s combo was here during the war has opened at the Beguin room of the Hotel Gloria. Fronted by Bernard Hilda, the band has Jackie Kern and Berta Cardona as femme vo- calists. Despite brisk competition, the new Beguin reportedly is doing “terrific” business. Elsewhere in town the Copacabana Palace has French baritone Paul Perry, the Vogue books local talent, and the Night & Day imports Continental names. of you, like myself, have been in this business quite a while. Others are new at the game. All of us, I’m' sure, 'realize that actors help one another. That’s why we have a union. That’s how we got. our union. “Traditionally, an. actor opens his pocketbook to a fellow per- former who is down on his luck. But in this industrial age, we can’t leave human dignity to chance. Too many people get hurt. “That’s why we have set up our AGVA welfare fund. Our program calls not for charity, but for equality. “As performers we are always ready to give our services in bene- fits. for many worthy causes—and I, for one, see nothing unreasonable in asking your employers to help us to help ourselves as well. En- lightened. employers, of which there are many, acknowledge their responsibility to the actors who have devoted their lives to this in- dustry. Unenlightened employers will not recognize this obligation and refuse to make these nominal contributions. “Let us not lose what we have gained. Let us go on to get the full welfare and insurance protec- tion that we need and deserve. It is our due as variety actors. It is our fight as dignified human be- ings. That’s why I accepted the nomination as president of AGVA, and that’s why I want to do the best job I can for my fellow actor. “That’s why I support. AGVA and that’s why I urge you to sup- port AGVA too.” N.Y. Apollo’s Stage Wait Till Xmas With Satchmo The Apollo Theatre, N. Y., has dropped stageshows until Christ- mas Day and will run on a straight picture policy until then. Louis Armstrong has been signed to head the bill resuming vaude at that Harlem stronghold. Although winter vaude cutouts are infrequent, house in previous years has eliminated stagers during lull periods, according to a man- agement spokesman. Louis W. Cohan takes pleasure in welcoming DAVE BERGER Manager past 10 years, Adams Theatre, Newark, N. J, as my assistant. • We are interested in a few more high calibre acts needing representation. LOUIS W. COHAN 1776 Broadway New York City JUdson 2-5135 203 Ho. Wabash Ave. Chicago, Illinois Dearborn 2-4768 , cilfc.. r.:, >. Responsible for rapid-fire run- ning is A. R. Delbosq, resident ringmaster of Blackpool’s famed Tower Circus, now emceeing Kel- vin Hall for first time. Heading animal importation is cavalry from Swiss circus Knie, in care of doyen horseman Wenzel Kossmayer. Routines include 12 Friesians with dummy riders pre- sented by Kossmayer from horse- back, the whole being in Foreign Legion motif, ando 12 Lippizaner horses that draw gasps. European circus sources say the firm of Knie has broken new ground in wheedling 12 Lippizaner stallions from the famed “Spanish School” in Austria, founded by the Hapsburgs 380 years ago and saved from Communist advance in 1945 by U. S. General Patton, himself a cavalryman. Seems certain that this is the world’s most expensive ringful of horseflesh. Knies are fortunate in having Kossmayer. Probably only Schumann could present this group to equal ad- vantage. Crocker’s Bears, one of Europe’s most polished wild animal acts, has three brownies running scooters, doing courting scenes with Edith Crocker, and riding a bicycle seven feet high. Bear’s antics get sure bellies, but act suffers from bull- dogmatic presentation and heavy Nordic accent of Miss Crocker. Charly Wood brings real acting talent to saloonatic characteriza- tion on unicycle and does tech nically excellent juggling mean- while. Number goes off to the best reaction of show. Les Oliveras, Spanish fixed bar act, do heavy tricks interlarded with good Groucho Marx stuff, and get solid credits. Rogge Sisters, three over- sized Nordic chorines, roll globes up a perilous incline circling .the ring. Wolfcalls alternate with heartfelt applause as the lush Amazons triumph over imminent spills and gain the summit. Los Ona (two males) have foot- balancing perch routine slightly more spine-chilling than British audiences generally go for. Climax is headstand on arm of perch 30 feet up, while top man aims knife drop at recumbent bearer. Bearer catches dagger by handle^ as it plummets towards his face. Duart Sisters & Anton, British fixed-trapeze number, score more for neatness and dressing than for tricks. Three Bragazzis rate sold with hari-caricature of “Barber of Seville” clown entree. Routine is ancient, treatment is 20th century, and stubholders show they* ap- preciate the novelty. Duncan’s Collies, famed to grandparents of present-day tod- dle-agers here, are surefire suc- cess anywhere. Scots motif and simple natural tricks call up un- inhibited palming. Two offerings of British Paulos show peril of putting domestic horse numbers beside Continental nags. A-pony routine of passable standard looks-ripest corn against the perfection of Kossmayer’s work. The other Paulo number has the family doing whirlwind capers on and off galloping equines. They score with this, but the act won’t compare with the familiar British act of Baker Bros. Gord. N.Y. Law Gives Aerialists Right to Cancel Contract Where Safety Is at Stake Aerial acts have the right to walk away from any engagement, irrespective of contract, if they feel that safety equipment in use fails to offer sufficient protection, according to the New York State Dept, of Labor, which has been placed in charge of enforcing. the Hatfield-Ten Eyck law passed by the Legislature in the 1952 ses- sion. Law, which went into effect Monday (15), was promulgated by the N. Y. State Board of Stand- ards and requires the appointment of a safety supervisor for each aerial act., tesjin^ qf safety devices arid has provisions for'safety belts, harnesses and life nets. State Dept, of Labor, no act is re- quired to live up to his contract if there are inadequate safety devices or if the devices on hand do not appear to be adequate. Regulation also requires that all persons, even if connected with the act, must keep away from “zone and area of possible fall.” YOUNG GOP’S TO TRY MOPS ON MPLS. SPOTS Minneapolis, Dec. 16. Ramsey County Young Republi- can League has taken upon itself the task of “policing” St. Paul night spots. It has appointed a “cleanup-of-nightclubs” committee to study the conduct of cafes. Instructions to the committee are to see what the various floorshows are like, which spots, if any, are serving liquor to minors, and stand- ards of conduct they require both from their performers and patrons. After the committee reports back to the league it, in turn, will turn over the findings to the city coun- cil. Affiliates With Natl Nitery Org Philadelphia, Dee. 16. Cafe Men’s Assn, of Greater Philadelphia has affiliated with the new national nitery organization. Theatre Restaurant^ Owners of America, following a series of con- ferences with Lenny Litman, Pitts, burgh cafe op and vice-president of the new TROA. The affiliation followed within 48 hours direct action by the American Guild of Variety Artists’ local branch, which scuttled a con- certed move on the part of the cafemen to pay the new welfare fund assessment “under, protest.” Nitery owners’ checks bearing the “protest” notice carried a provi- sion that the money would be returned in the event the welfare plan were found illegal by the courts or the National Labor Re- lations Board. AGVA promptly re- turned the checks and asked for either cash or unmarked checks. One of the cafes that balked was a North Philly spot, Peacock Gar- dens, which features weekend en- tertainment. AGVA yanked the show. With their holiday business thl'e&t&nfed, flfBSt of the local ‘clubs paid off, With cash’. lined up with TROA although im- mediate benefits were not appar- ent. Principal point q£ difference between the cafe owners and the actors is the question of employee- employer' relationship. The cafe group prefers to view the actors as independent contractors. TROA’s ace-in-the-hole is its re- fusal to sign minimum basic agree- ments with AGVA unless the wel- fare clauses are dropped. This is an academic gesture in Philly where no minimum basic agree- ment exists, due to lack of a con- tract. One, .result of the cafe con- ferences is that Philadelphia owners are linking forces with Pittsburghers in the legislative fight against the Saturday midnight clos- ing curfew, which is anathema to all Pennsylvania nitery ops. Chi Theatre Pacts Arnold leer Plus Aces, Step Bros. Chicago, Dec. 16. Chicago Theatre is importing an ice show for the holiday bill start- ing Dec. 26 for two weeks. Truly McGee is producing the blade re- vue which will star June Arnold, of the New Yorker Hotel ice shows in Gotham. Production will feature 25x45 tank. If innovation is suc- cessful, Nate Platt, Balaban & Katz booker, will keep the show on and possibly tour it in other of the circuit’s houses. In addition, Platt is setting two strong acts behind the skaters with the Four Aces and Four Step Bros. Puerto Rico (N.Y.) Yule Bills The Puerto Rico Theatre, Bronx, N. Y., Spanish vaudfilmer, will have two holiday stageshows dur- ing Christmas and New Year’s weeks. Carlos Montalban, w'ho signs the talent, has set the Nicholas Bros, for the Jan. 1 shindig. LEW BLACK and PAT DUNDEE (Beauty and the Least) A new note In Glamor Comedy QERBER-WEI8S AGENCY 1697 Broadway,N.Y. Club Dates NAT DUNN Blake Makes leer Bobby Blake, originally slated for the icer in the Hotel New Yorker, N. Y., has finally gone into that display. He was injured prior to the start of rehearsals and was forced to bow out, with his spot being taken by Ray Frost. • WHEN IN BOSTON It's the HOTEL AVERY Avary & Washington Sts. The Home of Show Folk .., show people rate '% special ratesl $ At the comfortable, modern John Bartram Hotel ^ • . • right “in the wings" of all Philadelphia thoatres.and night spots. John Bartram Horn Broad Street at Locust, Philadelphia, Pi* Robert Pearce, Resident Manager OQQQQOOoooooooooooooooooooooooboooooo