Variety (October 1954)

56 VAUDEVILLE OrieV of the ]byproclu6ts of trie record' riame 6fA,, has. beeij’tfafc lessehfrigVmpoirtaticA of New. York niteries.As' k’^sribwcase ’arid -name builderi.' Trie .necessity of making good at; either ttie Copacabapa 'of the La'ti Quarter is no longer the prerequisite of creating a head- liner, nor does the billing “direct from the. Copa or LQ" have the bo. potency of its former years, according to many in the talent agencies. This amended type of thinking, has made it difficult for the . N. Y. spots, to get some of the headliners that they would get ordinarilly, Reason lies in the fact that the billing of a recording star with name, of label mentioned has a greater potency these days in the hinterlands. Since the record names appeal primarily to the juves, a click at?'-a N. Y, nitery means very little. As a matter of fact, many feel that the direct from N, Y. tag declined in importance, with the foldo of the N.. Y. Paramount, since that label was universally, respect- ed in the younger set. The cafe associations now mean little to the youngsters that the diskers appeal to. As a result, it’s more difficult for. the agencies to lure a record name into a Manhattan nitery. In former years, salary was no object, iiias- much as a Gotham date repre- sented the climax of many years Off building. A s success at the Copa or another representative N. Y. nitery meant that the big money %vas close at hand. Today, the spots have to bid, like any out-of- town nitery. As a matter of fact, many artists are fearful of coming into a top N. Y. showcase. Many of the newer crop of singers are without the stageshow and nitery experience to make good before LEW BLACK and PAT DUNDEE (Beauty and the least) A new not* in Glamor Comedy . .Staged by Marvyn Nelson Direction NAT DUNN 1050 B'way New York N. Y. critics and. knowing firSt- nightersr‘ajpid so.would rather.sit: out; a date in the midtdwners.' • However, singers without • recprd experience .‘and, comedians still, prize an exhibit in a Gotham big- seatet, sinde ’it still remains ah im- portant avenue of exploitation when there is no disk to aid them. The starmaking potential of N. Y. spots has been cut down consider- ably with the fold of several nit- eries, but those remaining ban still do a lot of good for performers. But in these instances, talent is an important requisite. Colorful Career Ends In Death of Reynolds; Unique Ziegfeld Tie By JESS FREEMAN Adams Earle Reynolds, who died recently at 86 in Lafayette, N.• Y.; had a spectacular career of the kind which makes show biz the biz there is none ; like. Originally in the 1890s Reynolds Won the world’s speed ice skating cham- pionship at Lake Placid. He and his wife^partner Nellie Donegan Were among the first, four names voted into the .Skating Hall of Fame , when it was organized last February in New York City. The. team of Reynolds & Donegan was indeed a pioneering act of the present flourishing iceshow pro- fession. But for all his world travels in early vaudeville days and a 37-year career on the blades, Reynolds was far more colorful than even this suggests. He was a man of varied talents. For one thing he was “betting commissioner” to Bet-A- Million Gates. Reynolds himself made plenty of moola and his own luck included the inheritance of a fortune estimated at $250,000 from a brother, after the skater’s own earning; powers Were dimin- ished.. For one period of his life Rey- nolds worked for Florenz Ziegfeld. Some said he was a pressagent. Others Said he Was a valet. Any- how, it was his job to. lay the daily theatrical clips before Zieg- feld and pictures of Nellie Done- gan kept appearing in the papers I and the clips until. Ziegfeld’s curi- osity was excited. Nellie Donegan herself was a character out of the old, old show world. Originally With the Dunedein troupe of by- cyclists, She took up skating and became “The Lady of the Aigrets,” having a fabulous collection of ex-; Otic feathers in the era when they were fashionable. She died in the Ringlirtg Circus fire over a decade ago. She was then playing the steam piano (calliope) for the show. 1/&RIETY Mull Hosp Troupe Series For Thanksgiving Armed Forces Entertainment Services is mulling, a series of troupes to play Army, Navy, Air Force and Veterans Administration hospitals ,during the Thanksgiving, holidays. Under plans now being discussed*, the, -.venture would be similar to, hospital entertainment generally provided around Easter. , Number of troupes hasn’t yet been specified, ’ but will depend upon, number of hosps requesting the.showings. Monte Proser expects to ink his lease for a nitery rOom in the Hotel Shelton, N, Y., sometime this week. Proser stated that the hotel will enlarge the room to a 500 capacity.. New tag for the cafe will be La Vie (sans Rose),.and he says he ? l-l com- bine the major features of all the cafes he’s ever operated, Proser says he’ll bring in the food policies of . The Beachcomber, which he had on Broadway circa 1939; the show standards of The Copacabana, which bore his name until a few years ago, and he’ll inaugurate book shows a la Theatre Cafe, which he operated about four years ago. This time it Will be originals instead of musicals, which had a run on Broadway. Decor, Says Proser, will be. from La Vie en Rose, which he operated on the site now occupied by Gilmore’s Steak House. Medicos ask FEDi ban ON SHOW Biz HYPNOTISM Federal legislation banning hyp- notism by entertainers or magi- cians was recommended by the Academy of Psychosomatic Medi- cine. Dr. William S. Kroger, asso- ciate clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology of the Chicago Medical School, told the Academy meeting last Week in New York that hypnosis was potentially a val- uable ally of medics, but its appli- cation hks been hampered by the aura of “hocus-pocus” which has been placed upon it by the enter- tainers. Dr. Kroger reported that the American* Society for Research in Clinical Hypnosis is preparing recommended Federal legislation to make sUch demonstrations ille- gal. Medico, at the confab; exhib- ited a color film showing delivery of a baby while mother was under influence of hypnosis. It was ex- plained that the mother was aware of what was transpiring, but felt no pain because of the relaxation that hypnosis induced. BUDDY LEWIS *nd RHILUPS — AMERICA’S MOST VERSATILE COMEDY TEAM — YEAR TOGETHER CURRENTLY: TOWN CASINO BUFFALO (For the Happy- Weeks—and the Return Engagements) LATIN QUARTER (Boston) - CASINO ROY ALE (Wash) - 500 CLUB (Atlantic City) CELEBRITY ROOM (Philadelphia) - GATINEAU (Ottawa) - CHEZ PAREE (Montreal) CASINO THEATRE Toronto) - CHUBBY'S (Camden) - TOWN & COUNTRY (Brooklyn) VOGUE TERRACE (Pittsburgh) - ELEGANTE (Brooklyn) - 3 RIVERS INN (Syracuse) ALSO THANKING OUR LUCKY STARS: PATTI PAGE * EARTHA KITT * CONNEE BOSWELL SUNNY GALE ★ LOU MONTE* ROSE MURPHY, Etc. Direction! GERBER & WEISS 200 W. 57th St., N.Y.C, CO 5-8680 Wednesday, October 13, 1954 Burley Back to Pitt Af ter 8-Month Lapse Pittsburgh, Oct. 13. Casino Theatre, town’s only bur- lesque house, reAit last. Friday (8) after being shuttered since last February. George Murray, long- time peel wheel comic, is back as manager, a post he’s held here for the past three seasons, and his wife is also back to put on the produc- tion numbers with the permanent chorus. . Georgia Sothern is the first star. For a time, it looked as if bur- lesque was doomed here, and prob- ably w°uld have been if I. Hirst had been successful in renting the Casino to outside interests. There had been dickering for it at one time another for. vaude, legit stock and boxing, but none of these deals came, through. So. Hirst de- cided to relight and see if the strippers’ medium, Which has been on the decline locally for some time, might possibly come back. Renault Repeats Usual One-Gag Stand to 250 Of Faithful Followers Francis Renault. repeated his perenni&l, gag at the Carnegie Re- cital Hall, N.Y., Sunday night (.10). As usual, Renault played before a cozy audience of about 250 devo- tees who dig this kind of stuff the most. Renault’s female impersonations are variations on a single joke which the pundits have classified under the transvestite syndrome. The joke, which may hit outsider# as somewhat tired and even sad, nonetheless seems to have a power- ful kick for the initiates. By the use Of tone or two key phrases, like “his father was a sailor” #r “we’ll go camping tonight,” Renault can consistently set up a chain reaction of giggles and titters that never quite manage to build Into a mas- culine yock. For this fall's concert, Renault’s gowns were created and made by Baron Max Vori Waldeck, with hats by Cesar Rubio, feathers by Peter Adano and flower gown by Billy Livingston, according to the pro- gram credits. As i clothes horse, Renault’s modeling is not calcu- lated to drum up much business for their establishments. Renault’s repertoire, like his- gags and gowns, has not changed much over the past 10 years. He still does takeoffs on the standard operas, such as “Carmen’’ and “Madame Butterfly,” interspersed among material songs with tairiely naughty lyrics. Repault is in fact, most shocking When, he pulls his Wigs Off at the end of each number to reveal his relatively masculine hairdo. Renault was supported by A1 Friedman, at the piano and a group of vaude turns headed by magico Robert K. Verbeck. Also on the bill were Jack Entiling and Gloria Armstrong, singing duo, and a jiive tap dancer, .Ray Vincent. Herm. DONOVAN TAKES OVER PITT'S WILLIAM PENN Pittsburgh, Oct. 12. Jerry Donovan, .until recently, owner of the Vogue Terrace, has bounced back Into the local nitery picture again, having just taken over, With a silent partner, the William “Penn Tavern from Jimmy Sundry, Donovan, who had been an auditor for Andy Chakeras first at Vogue and later at Greater Pittsburgh Airport’s Horizon Room, bought the Terrace from John Ber- tera, to whom Chakeras sold it a couple of years ago when Chakeras took over the nitery and conces- sions at the Airport, and not long ago peddled it to Bill McCune. In meantime, Bertera is planning to get back in action again With a new place of his own he’s contem- plating building. Understood Don- ovan retained a small piece of the Vogue Terrace when, it was sold to McCune, but that he has sold it with his acquisition of the William j Penn. Historic Frisco Palace May Go Iota Sheraton Chain; $7,000,000 Deal Sart Francisco, Oct. 12. Announcemeht is expected short- ly of the sale of the Palace Hotel to the Sheraton chai . The Shera- ton interests have made an offer for the historic Frisco hostelry, and the: offer will be taken up a special meeting of the stockholders sched- uled for next Monday (18). It’s believed that Sheraton of- fered around $7,000,000 fof the Palace. Last April, an offer of $5,200,000 by Conrad Hilton was turned down by asubstanial. ma- jority of the stockholders. The first Palace Hotel was opened in 1875 and was destroyed in the 1906 fire and earthquake. Enrico Caruso was staying at the hotel at the time. The present structure was built in 1909 and it is one of the. leading Frisco hotels. The Roseroom of the Palace Was the scene of Paul Whiteman’s early success, and Art Hickman, whom many consider to have been the predecessor of Whiteman in the early attempts, to orchestra jazz, prayed there for many . years. “Roseroom,” originally published by Sherman Clay in San Francisco, was dedicated to the shot. Roberta Quinlan Back To Niteries in Cleve. Roberta. Quinlan has been signed for her first nitery date in several years, Miss Quinlan left show biz temporarily following her mar- riage. Initial date has been, set for Fri- day (15) at the Harmony Ranch, Cleveland. She was formerly singer on the Mohawk Carpet show on NBC-TV, JOE LOCO QUINTET EXCLUSIVE BOOKING CONTACT IRV NAHAN 1015 Chestnut St. fhlla.. Pa, WAInut 2-7722 Tbe Puppet Master* NICOLI and PHILLIP KNIGHT PraiMt Their HolffOver LATIN CASINO, Phila. DICK HKNRV, INC. '1733 Broadway^ Npw York 19 mmmmmmMnnn WHEN IN BOSTON it's Me * , The Home of Show Folk Avtry I Washington Sts. ATTENTION... CLOWNS-ST. NICKS—NOVELTY SINGLES Tha EDWARD MALLEY CO., Ntw Haven's Leading Department Store, it seeking talent appropriate for Xmas “TOYLAND" promotion. Complete package entertainment, including Sqpta Claus, contidared. Must be available from Nov, 6 through Xmas. If you have something to offer— Writ* Employment Manager, New Haven, Conn.