Variety (April 1953)

52 vai»bviiui PwMErr Night Club Renews Continued from page 48 Latin Quarter, NiJIv chores that are highlighted *by Andre's lift and spins of two of the girls simultaneously. Mons. Choppy's 1 act is also ab- breviated to the Brittany .Wedding scene, and with two of the partici- pants already painted backstage and the whole affair having a rushed air, much of Its effective- ness is diminished. Girls used in his current turn could stand some more practice in wiggling their backs, producing the winks and muggings on faces painted there. That's always been a high'spot of this turn, and it's largely neglected here. Songstress Betty George comes on without an intro—a mistake. Her stint is confined to three songs, one a special material bit, another a Greek love song and the third a barrelhouse type. Gal, who’s strong on looks but onjy so-so on projec- tion, ought to change her material to include one ballad and one num- ber from “Kiss Me Kate," in road company of which she appeared. Latter would lend some audience-' identification, currently lacking. Production numbers are loud and brassy as ever, and girls as goodlooking. Dagenham Girl Pipers score with bagpipe and drums and Scotch terping. Murphy Sisters lend comedy values with their heavyweight can-cans. Carl Con- way does nicely by ‘ production songs and Midge Miner is on brief- ly with some ballet spins. Fleet- woods dress up a production dance. Backing by Art Waner orch^is good, ditto the dansapation. Buddy Harlowe Trio alternates for' the 'Latino steppers. Chan. . Sons Soixei? Monti real Montreal, April 5. Mouloudji, Eric Victor, Rollo & < Cressy , Claire LeClerc^ Jack Styka Orch (5), Peter Barry Quartet ; $1 cover, taining a neat pace and having the good sense to get off when ahead. Rollo & Cressy round out a solid showcase with their East Indian dancing, exhibiting much improve- ment over last Montreal showing. The Styka band cuts show music with Peter Barry's combo doing interlude sets. Newt. SENSATIONAL" DANCE ACT (THE VALENTINO WHIP) WESTERLY and GAIL Dir.: PHIL BUSH 1650 Broadway, N. Y. C. JU 6-2313 The ever-changing show formula at the Sans Souci has finally come up with a combo that should re- coup recent losses. Besides cur- rent layout and to cinch future shows, the management solidifies its position naming Carol Grauer, longtime local showman, to emcee and produce the entertainment side of this operation. Grauer operated the old Samovar Club for more than 20 years and has -a solid rep in Montreal for finding and pre- senting some of the best talent ever to play this town. Headliner in present offering is a 19-year-old from Paris called simply in typical Gallic fashion, Mouloudji. Apparent nervousness on his first appearance here didn't help youngster to register as strongly as anticipated and his song selection left something to be de- sired even for those familiar with his work in France. There is a great deal of the Charles Trenet song approach ih Mouloudji, but an inherent show savvy and ex- perience should soon boost him out of the carbon class. All material is French and the occasional English intro, though brief and halting, sets him up nicely with localites. Songs,, for the most part, are predominate- ly on the lively, comedy side and the idea of wearing a V-neck sweater and open shirt points up overall youth and freshness. Hoofer Eric Victor plays Mon- treal again for the first time in several years and hep tapster still clicks with his offbeat choreog- raphy and routines. Best on show caught was his interp of an inves- tigation via TV to the music of “Where or When.". Claire LeClerc, an attractive chantootsie, is effective. She han- dles ‘both French and English standards with equal facility, main- Chcz Paree, Oil ' 1 Chicago, April 3. Lem Home, Alan King, Lou Wills, Jr., Johnny Martin, Chez Adorable s (8), Brian Parnon Orch (12); $3*50 minimum, $1.10 cover. This three-week bill stacks up as one of the best in Chez Paree re- cent history. Not only graced by the presence of Lena Horne, it also features an up and coming young comedian, who is aware , of the foibles of bistro customers, and a musical comedy dancing star, who is the best opening act this midwest showcase has had in many moons. Chorus has taken on several new members and .the numbers should be okay after more rehearsal. Orch has been augmented from eighted to 12 pieces for Miss Home’s stay, in addition to which chirper also has' a terrific three- man rhythm group. Miss Horne hasn’t played a Chi nitery In three years, and this room in more, than five. With a packed room on Good Friday night, it's obvious that she's been away too long. In this silent and emotionally charged room she projects an aura of sex that is carefully and skillfully developed. She wraps her voice around “It’s All of It Yours" fOr a starter and does several others of the same genre. Songstress really moves in with “Beale Street Blues" and the impact grows with surcharged “Papa, Doht Preach to Me.” She couldn’t get off the floor after her first set of five numbers and had to do three more, topping it off with a torrid “Stormy Weather." Alan King, young comic* has the recent returnees from the Florida climes in stitches with his topical stuff. However, it’s not too local- ized for the unfortunates- that couldn’t make the winter vacation grade. While he reaches once in a while for a tinged quickie, on the whole he keeps them pretty clean, relying on the material, which is fairly sharp, and punchy delivery. He covers the field from marital problems, parents, chil- 3 rd Return Eng ag ement! •COPACABANA Is** <i- NEW YORK and DRESDEN Thanks, JULES PODELL April 121k, “KATE SMITH SHOW,” NDO-TV (4th Return Engagement) * Personal Management KENNETH LATER Hotel Warwick, 54tH St/ and 6th Avt. Hew York, N. Y. dren and the effects of teevee. The subjects are ’ familiar, but the clean-cut qtiipster-weaves them well. He tears apart “Babalu" for a finish, but this is a little over- long. Had to beg off. Lou Wills, 4 Jr„ a recruit from musicomedy, is also a new entry in this nitery and takes over what is usually the throwaway spot; not in this case, however. After* fast tap opener and a takeoff on Ray Bolger, the terper starts some ap- plause-catching back flips and cartwheels. He cinches a begoff with four full-twist butterflies 'that awe the crowd. Johnny Martin "vocally paces the production numbers and Brian Famon’s larger group helps to add to the lustre of Miss Home’s stint besides filling the dance requests. • • Zabe. Sands, Las Vegas Las Vegas, April 2. ' Anne Jeffreys , & Robert Sterl- ing, Jimmy Boyd, Senor Wences, Dolores Gay, Dick Beavers , Copa Girls (10), Jay Calkins, Ray Sin- atra Orch (12); no covet or mini- mum. Wednesday, /April 8, I9 53 Waldorf-Astoria, IV, V Mary Meade ‘(with Ted Grouva) Nat Brandwynne and Mischa Borr Orchs ; $l-$2.50 cover. The latest of Mr. Sc Mr s% nitery teams—Anne Jeffreys & Robert Sterling—although not exciting in the electric, vibrant sense, never- theless Unpart good showmanly values during their 30-minute turn. Pair look good for drawing, okay biz t{ie fortnight. The Sterlings have a smart act, bordering sometimes on the oVerly- effusive while stressing mutual af- fection. Miss Jeffreys holds the main musical load, with her vis-a- vis coming in for good accounting vocalistically during rides along the harmony. Best pairing is “Kiss Me Kate" medley. Sterling’s solo,. “Girls Will Be Girls," and the amusing hoke bleating of “Back in the Hills of Beverly." Jay Calkins is the helpmate on the 88. Jimmy Boyd: presents something 1 of an incongruity in his placement | between class acts of the Sterlings and Senor Wences. Freckle-faced, carrot-topped moppet, clad in west- ern style and strumming a guitar, makes off with big mitts while ex- ercising soprano tonsils on disk faves; Has good stage presence for a youngster, and receives his best plaudits for carbon of “Mommy Kissing Santa Claus," Senor Wences’ cleverness in his ventro chatter grabs high praise. Especially outstanding are his five- way gab and trick plate-spinning, meanwhile chattering various Voices to make for closing ovation. Copa Girls, in holdovers, look fetching. Ray Sinatra orch per- forms expertly. Will. Following the engagement of Patachbu, an authentic Gallic im- portation, the Empire Room con- tinues the French influence, at least by .association. It features Mary Meade, an Oklahoma gal who has spent the last three and half years in Europe, mostly in Paris where she was a headliner at the Casino de Paris. This is the chirp- er’s Gotham debut. A blonde looker sporting a Gre- cian hairdo and elegantly gowned in white, including a white fur cape, Miss Meade is as American as they come despite her European sojourn. Because of her cafe ex- perience on the Continent, one might have expected a concentra- tion on foreign songs. However, singer’s songalong is weighted 011 the Yankee side, built heavily around the theme of “It’s Great To Be Home Again/’ which inciden- tally is her opening and closing number. Chanteuse largely side- tracks standard and pop tunes and relies mainly on specialty material dealing with Parisian influence on Americans. Despite comments on her open- ing night nervousness, Miss Meade belted out the tunes with author- ity. It's obvious that Miss Meade has worked on “getting up an act," since she does not rely solely on her voice to sell her songs. On one occasion she dons a 10-gallon hat and six-shooters for an item deal- ing with a Texas gal in Paris where “the Eiffel tower is just an oil tower with no oiL" On another shs picks up a hand mike, flits around the floor and talks to ringslders in French and English about swap- (Continued on page 54) Bandliox, N. Y. Billy Eckstine, Count Basie Orch (with Bixie Crawford ), Bru- beck Quartet; $3.50-4 cover. Billy Eckstine hasn’t played a Broadway nitery since Bop City, in 1949, and on opening night (3) of his two-weeker at the Bandbox, friends of Mr. B. welcomed him home warmly to the tune of an overflow house. It was sensational biz considering Good Friday. Fresh from a 126-city tour starting last September, Eckstine is in fine form, offering a wide as- sortment of songs from strong rhythm numbers like “If You Feel Like Singing" and “Mardi* Gras' 1 to ballads ("Because You’re Mine’’) and his own special com- positions, "I Like the Rhythm of the Riff" and “Jelly, Jelly.” That Eckstine’s been missed was evidenced by fervent audi- ence requests for old faves, the singer obliging pleasingly with “Body and Soul," “Tell Me," and “I’m. Sorry," as well as his origi- nals. Dressed in cerise corduroy jacket, he pulls the vocal stops, from shaded whisperings to full- bodied tones, in rendition of Caravan," with strong beat of Count Basle’s band providing solid backing, and softly dusts through One For the Road." Big spotlight outside the Band- box gave a Hollywood opening touch to the preem with customers responding by bulging the waiting line. The Basie orch with the maestro at the ivories, thumps out a deep, bouncing beat, and the Brubeck group gives a change of pace on the mellower side. Basie singer,! Bixie Crawford, has a nice turn! at. Tt’p Almost Like Being in Love." * PATRICIA AND CAPPELLA "Not seen hereabouts in sev- eral years is the GREAT DANCE DUO of Patricia and Cappella. They've been showing off their DAZZLING ADAGIOS in EUROPE for the last four years, THEIR VER- SION OF THE 'TIGER RAG' IS A SIZZLING ROUTINE." ' By LEI MORTIMER. Daily Mirror, April 3 "Patricia ancl Cappella are expert Ballroomologlstes . I • their routines are IMAGINA- TIVELY CONCEIVED and his holds of her In upside down and other equilibrium and GRAVITY - DEFYING HOLDS ARE SPONTANEOUS AP- PLAUSE GETTERS." Abtl, Variety, Mar. 25, 1953 "Patricia and Cappella are a FLASHY DANCE TEAM with many interesting lifts and spins . . . the dance patterns not only show off the gown to its best advantage but ALSO HER SHAPELY LEGS." ft. Dana, , N. Y. World Talegram, Mar. 24, 1953 Now Appearing HOTEL PIERRE Closing Sunday, April 12' Thanks fo STANLEY MELBA JACK DENTON WORLD'S GREATKST COMEDIAN (A1TRIL FOOL) C/O IRVI NO CHARNOFP 1619 BROADWAY, NEW YORK CITY DANCERS OF DISTINCTION NEUE FISHERY JERRY ROSS I Management Associafes-JACK VAUGHAN—PEGGIE GATES 7 East 5Sth Street. New York , Currently CHASE HOTEL St* Louis COlumbus 5-0232 r J