Variety (December 1954)

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52 REVIEWS Wednesday, December 8, 1954 St. Itogis. Xfw York Rosalind sCourtright, Milt Shau: Orch, Ray Bari Ensemble; $1.50- $2 50 couvert. crew. “Caledonia” turns the whole thing into a jam session. Nanci Crompton remains to spin in ballet fashion to rate salvos The Antonio Morelli orch pro- HlinslrubVi* Boston Boston. Nov. 30. Johnnie Ray, Orioles <2>, Ar- expected delivery and some meta- phorical non-sequiturs that make Sahl a real comedy find. Winters, by way of contrast, is * ’ ' The Antonio Morelli orch pro- . . . ., . . vides good backing to Damone and This is a sixth engagement at the tbe pa j r 0 j heldover production Maisonette for Rosalind Court- featuring vocalist Chuck nauts ‘ 3», Rolando. McCaffrey & a comp i e tely different type of co- median. a story-teller rather than Basin Street. X. Y. Duke Ellington Orch (15) tcith Jimmy Grissom; Alec Templeton , Don Shirley Duo; $3 minimum. a monologist. He displays three i! cc £!u* h-in nf^Lp 6 ^ 3 ^ j tnis sesh. The trio of 88-ers (Duke good sketches, first of » h “>M Ellington. Alec Templeton. Don II lit b k r- Nelson; Bob. * Despite the fact this is Johnnie Ray’s second appearance here in “Marine Diary,” sounds as Shirley) are slick craftsman, but Susanne, Michael Gaylord Orch (12*. Lou Weir, organist; $2.50 minimum I n i i ni rui r* m « no i % i ri n n rnnoiiwr i n>wir light, which makes her an estab- lished commodity of proven ciura- {he , Ambassador llo.rf. I- \. sazM.y over a Year and heVno.; STwS il= 9 SSr£ W2,*^5 needs of this sort of fane) rain- Los Angeles. Dec 1. currently tiding a h.t record. situation and physical humor is his f;™'"S. a f h d , s n “ p *° d t °° ™ u h ch m “‘ skeller. That is to say sne is smart ; Jforry Jan*l Orch <16>, Joyce S»y continues to lure sizable auds; sketch of a gaso i ine station attend- same tmng - g00d as eact> may without doing it as a radio show, doing a half-dozen voices and even more c d up h . are in a con- straining the atlen- Bryant, Peggy Ryan & Ray McDon - *nto this outsized bistro Although ant seX rvi c i n g a new woman driver. ,ii clientele, which is aid; $2 cover. he hasp t lost any of the frenetic Last two turns, one on a British sty.e that zoomed him into promt- explorer and the other an old lady. over tion of the posh _ usually not the ideal audience for anv talent. Invariably there are Offbeat booking of Alec Temple- ton is the onI >' departure for the ... „ — The Ambassador aims at the nence several years ago. he has j ay t be stress on characterization l*/ 2 . ro ? m Both Ellington and tables at the Maisonette more las- younger set with this four-week cut the wailing down considerably. and the best. Shirley have been here before and • I t . ■ in i l.. t t t . nniv racnHino tn it ti-hon mctAin. » . ... , , « . «. each knows the requirements of cinated by their own private wit layout headlined by Harry James only resorting to it when custom- than bv the performer’s lyrics. It’s and the odds are the booking will ers voicerferously, demand his 1 help overcome some of the Decern- trademarks. “Cry” and “Little be- doldrums.. Hour-long show White Cloud.” could be trimmed to better effect! Giving out a tossup whether a deb with one eye covered by a long pageboy bob is more detractive than an o’der femme fatale from down Old West- bury way. who has been swimming in champagne. Either sort do all they can. within the scope of their phonev refinement, to keep the men in their party from giving ex- clusive concentration to tUe female at the mike trying to make a living. Miss Courtright holds the floor 25 minutes and evokes about the average tribute rendered in this cellar. It would be a truism to say she is as good as her material, which could be better. Actually it is perhaps accurate to report she’s better than her material. She works with authority and charm and rides over and largely dominates the wandering attention of those | giddv biddies who would be shocked at any hint that they were not well bred—they have money, don’t they? One song. “My Career.” which Lafaye unit’s only drawback is the shortness of their turn. Illu- sions created by the foursome the room and its clientele. Tem- pleton. who’s no stranger to cafe moving their lighted props in a c i, r 5 u _ it *. fel * gr ? ov ? easily unstintingly, Ray blackout setup are striking and and ga\e a completely winning per- * f /"\ !■ fYl o A /~\ A A 1 n fl H 1 f T r \ T I lvi t and some of the participants purveys a mixed songalog that in- their routines funny. Best of the *° rmanc f °P en i n f nig j t : . * or should adhere more closely to their eludes, along with his standards, three is the “John i Marsha” re- I . minutes, he delivered his classic own stuff, but the elements are on “Papa Loves Mambo." kidding deft hand. And budgetwise, it’s a Rood around with the “ughs.” practically Cocoanut Grove buy for this period flipping with "Oh. Such a Night.” of year. „ and inserting a bit of seriousness James’ crew works somewhat with a revivalist number. A bit under wraps for most of the eve- of byplay, via bussing several ning and gets an all too brief show- ’ femme ringsiders, nabs squeals; casing in the floorshow with James handling “Brave Bulls” and “Trumpet Blues.” while Gordon Polk is spotlighted on a vocal of cording set to action with a top 5™“' a .„ hat and an elongated ostrich D l ume way. Basin Street engagement Miss Johnson, who opens the » penap "f“„ n play “ g v ‘ s 'f* K51I a _ ~ a L| An J •% ctr\s\rl tOV *11111. XCnipICtOfl SCOTCQ With ^ a his jazz fingering of Haydn s “Sur- ratafn/ rff U cnrfhict nd if P rise Symphony.” a Gershwin med- le >\ a vocal on “John Peel” and his l tn^ e S if« n that n ffc" trademarked Bach interpretations. ! turn, it s th3t it s too polished Hp optc a npat rhvthm the Blin-j she appears so well in control of vi.wek.n ik.eci matters that “Funny That Way.” The trumpet ensemble work behind James is up to the peak expected of this aggregation and the overall result is a foot-tapping stanza that isn't found too often in hotel rooms. Peggy Ryan & Ray McDonald open with a song and dance turn that has some highspots. but is weakened by some bad comedy patter that produces, at best, sim- the net result is a solid showmanly stint. Balance of lineup is in me uuu-isne appears so weu in ruin, i ui ui f - wpnHpll Marshall «ha««) and strub tradition. McCaffrey & \ matters that the sense of spon- Bdi?Sn tdims) both out of Susanne. a terp team, set a nifty j taneity and the spark of enthusi- k Ellington lineup' For a closer pace terping to -St. Louia Blues! asm seem to be lacking. Jimmy T em o eton woriS^'with the fuli Mambo." following with a couple: Lyons Trio and Bart Howard pro- dieting with Ellington and of pleasing routines. Rolando, j vide pleasant entr'acte arrange- j ^MSgX boys^fnXme. W. feel and flavor of the old two-a-day I high swinging crossbars. undertakes to tell in patter the ups pers instead of smiles. On foot, the and downs of Miss Courtright in I team is topnotch: they have the show business, is a very promising idea that can stand embellishing with additional angles. Her simu- lation rather than mimickry) of Ethel Merman roused spontaneous appreciation and is in a vein of song humor that Miss Courtright can manage very well. In general, the patter stuff puts her over, and who plays this spot frequently, j ments. continues to astonish with his hand balancing stunts atop a lamp- post. The Arnauts. also w.k. here, score in the yock department with their zany fiddling and bird talk ^ routines. The Orioles, a boy and Combo (4); $2 cover. gal trapeze team, round out the bill with standout tricks on the; A breath of Paris in his rendi an attractive bit of rhythmic fun. Ellington continues as before. His work remains inventive and highly polished. Dishing out a flock Mocambn. Hollywood Hollywood, Dec. 3. Andre _ Philippe, ^ Paul Hebert of°melodies. old and new. the long * Latin session is tantamount to a concert. There’ll be no squawks about a musical shortage while Ellington’s {around. As usual, he gives top dis- Orch (5*. Joe Castro's " J r u,t 7 '"V 1 ; 0 ’ , ll1 ^. u , UM J “ < “ 5 ' , , I tion and selection of songs is D i av to his sidemen ~\t one'time a .!!i C H a : Ie T St .°_ n I uwt au !^f"!!? i offered by Andre Philippe, billed Sr another thev aU Ret a chance stuff is excellent with the Lan-1 band showbacks capably splitting cashire clog (look. ma. no heels) customer terp assignments with commanding peak interest. More organist Lou Weir. Elie. gamwork and less gab is indicated, i Joyce Bryant has too much change of pace to register at her best in this layout. Miss Bryant is best on the stuff with a beat and she pounds over material like “Running Wild.” but she doesn’t fare too well with the slow treat- ment of “I've Got a Crush on You.” she could use more of it. Her voice with George Rhodes accompanying, is a competent vaude-type instru- - ~ *** * ‘ ment. but the songs that are just songs remain a bit too conspicuous- ly •filler” for all that a trouper requires change of pace; St. Regis, per usual, provides al- most uninterrupted dancing via Milt Shaw and Ray Bari units They maintain a steady beat, and the floor is invariably crowded. The kitchen and service remain excel- lent.. The manners of the staff are impeccable. Only manners of the guests 'some of ’em) could be criticized. Land. Statler. Hartford Hartford. Dec. 1. The Dronan Bros. <2>. The De- Marios (2); Stet^e Kisley Orch, i ivith Dee Drummond; $1 cocer, $1.50 weekends. iu Current layout in the Terrace v. cimiinvt., • . . . . .. . Rcom is strong on the boards, but fo Jimmv M.Hnih* * ! ha5 liule marquee value here The L.cil-t £ y hJ oS. ^ u g K 'Dronan Bros and the DeMarlos rancrLln^nf avooi en I e tv.^ n ^ Krlt ^"'are both unknown here. Add this r a n gemen t r evea Isa th in v l hr a to^ factor t the pre . X mas dropoff and'caise. Next on tap will be Freddie • cute .. . _ . - . or another, they all get a chance as the ‘American Baritone from t a te over for some fancy toot- Paris, ’ in his Coast bow at this Rng. Vocalist Jimmy Grissom Sunset Strip spot. A personable CO mes through w ith treatments of young chap with a load of person-' "September Song.” “Do Nothing ality. his relaxed style provides Till You Hear From Me" and “I pleasant listening for those who Love You Madlv " drop in. An intime touch is given turn by Philippe as he opens in rear There have been quite a number of young pianists hitting the jazz and wends h?s way « the !«« '« and I h", Sh i r : 1 .ey rates as one of the best. He works with a bass accompanist. tables on tap Martin, returning to his familiar haunts on Dec. 29. Kap. to mike, warbling “Some- here in the Night.” “I Could Write a Book” is a novelty affair, and the French touch is ingrati-,. .. . .. .. atingly delivered in “Les Amants sl ^ uatlons de Paris.” again in “Chanson Fran- latter his sock number, and projecting a beat that’s imaginative and appealing. He's a socko bet for Gros. I the failure of the hotel to advance [ ^ ute as he fingers a tiger kitten publicize the divertissement and dummy. “When I Was Young” also Edriytt*. K. C. Kansas City. Dec. 3. Joanne "Wheatley < irith Hal Sands. Izas Vegas Las Vegas, Dec 1. Vic Damone, Louis Jordan A the rates big hand, closing for good Kanner), Landre & Verna. Tony effect with “Pigalle.” DiPardo Orch (8>; $1 cover. Paul Hebert s orch backs his 25 minutes onstage, alternating with • Since her former days with the there’s a good reason why , .1 room isn't drawing this sesh. rnirmnnt. San Franeiseo The DeMarlos open with skill- San Francisco. Nov. 30. fully executed terpsichorean rou- T _ ^ , - - . „ -. „ . . .. . Mary Knye Trio (5‘. Ernie tines and maintain same at a fast Joe Castro s Latin combo for^dance 0 r? anizatian - *^ oan 7u Heckscher Orch <12>; $2.50 cover, pace. Their patter efforts fail be- P at rons. Whit. “ v ' «cc«mo ah cause pair are breathless from a One of the strongest acts to hit prior dance. Number would have this Nob Hill nightspot in some been more effective if done in His Tympany Five (6), Nanci , time, the Mary Kaye Trio, opened panto. Cromptbn, Chuck Nelson. Copa ‘ to a sceptical house but by the sec- Girls <12). Antonio Morelli Orch J ond number had them wrapped up El Ranrho. I*as Yogas Las Vegas. Dec. 1. Sherry Britton. A l Bernie, Wheatley has blossomed out with a new versatility. With an espe- I cially able assist from husband Hal I Kanner on piano and on vocals, she has an act of real entertainment (12); no cover or minimum. Vic Damone and the Louis Jor- dan Tympany Five spotlight a sparkling fortnighter that should snag whatever biz is around right now. The stage of the Copa Room may be an odd place to spend a honey- moon. but. with Damone’s young spouse somewhere in the audience, it's not a lost cause altogether. At least, that's what his bank man- ager probably would say. With the aid of pianist-conductor Ian Bernard and drummer Sid Bulkin. Damone exhibits feeling and timing to present a program of vocals that bring forth a steady palm-slapping reaction. Thirty min- utes with Damone shows he’s ma- tured in voice and style to occupy a niterv niche all his own. “April In Portugal.” and “Dream Your Troubles Away.” are solid vocals. “Just the Nearness of You.” is mood-music at its best as the head- liner comes through with charm and poise. “They Can’t Take That Away From Me.” not unlike the Prank Sinatra version, nevertheless completely and by the end of the 50 minute show (including en- cores'. the audience was loath to let them go. Strong point of the act is its clever mixture of gags and songs. I The Dronans. vets of the hotel Barry Sisters. Louis Dance Trio,» * cop ®. that , rates * C i! asS r i^°i^i ‘ei Rancho Girl. (10i. Bob Ei:u f om )» ned ,? er ' W1 ‘ h ' he P 0 , 1 ' 511 ^ Orch till; no cover or minimum. danclng °' '- andre * ^ erna - the 40 circuit, take over the latter seg- ment of the show. Pair, in song and patter, sell effectively. Their harmony work is excellent. The pair indulge in some aud partici- pation stunts to effective results. The Steve Kisley orch plays A lean show greeted by lean audiences tries to hang on in a pre- holiday three-framer. The talent is composed of Sherry Britton. A1 They are a miniature musical com- ^adequately for dansapation before Bernie and the Barry Sisters. Indi- edy. Mary Kaye, leader and and after, in r.’dition to backing vidually. Bernie and the sister act * A. _ • i ! c I « ■ " - * » • • • • . . guitarist in the group, has a de- the turns. Th/jsh Dee Drummond lightfullv warm personality, a well- out at sesh caught with a cold. developed voice and natural grace on the stage. While her voice is the kind that is going to get plenty of raves from the jazz fans, she utilizes it as a vehicle for emotion and combines it with such a solid sell ’that whether she’s singing “My Funny Valen- tine” or “My Yiddshe Momma.” she gets across to all age brack- ets. She and Norman Kaye team for a number of ballads, fre Eck. Illuo Angel. Y. Jonathan Winters, George Lafaye & Co. (4). Mort Sahl, $tisan John- son, Jimmy Lyon Trio, Bart How- ard; $5 niintmum. are good. It’s the sum total of the 65 minute offering that leaves much to be desired. Miss Britton, show-closer, pre- sents the bare facts in orthodox minutes stacks up as one of the best shows seen here recently. Ballroom work of Landre & Verna specializes in aerial twirling of his partner by Landre. Through four intricate and compact num* bers their work has the utmost finesse, enabling them to bow off to a lively hand. For her share of the bill Miss Wheatley has a wide variety of songs, all slickly arranged. She opens with a spirited “My Song.* Semi-holdover bill at the Blue Angel puts the accent on comedy this time around, with the two an art. her divestment is accom- plished in such a flash, the art is forgotten as the dancer resorts to typical burlesque gestures. This act might hold up better in the open- ing rather than the closing spot. VUV » vivt isViliK, UOCTU Cl 3 O j • i t AI Bernie is a clever comic who background to the other. When i HI_: 1 _ a J ls »i._ «®”athan^ \\ !mers^ h^as emerges well w ith the same mate Frank Ro«s. whose main accent is on comedv, joins them for numbers stripteuse fashion. Although aivis- : - , .... . . „ , . , ing the sparse gathering that she a !l d *° d f ep i? a ad e will show how undressing can be Dancing in tne Dark. Second fluently one v-oice being used as a newcomers to the lineup both co- voice. that of Kanner from his mike at the piano, creeps in first time here for duo interludes, and this follows throughout her turn to give a distinctively different flavor. Carrying on her varied repertoire. Miss Wheatlv socks over “Hey There.” “Row. Row. Rolling Along,” “Been So In Love.” “Be- cause of the Mountain.” “Lover played the room before but Mort, ria , he - s presented on the Strip Sahl. a newcomer from the Coast. | before The deoerd^hlp vpt mn like “Mad About the Bov,” the'ef- is 7. aW . ng hi ? Gotham bow here perk up an audie P nc e b y chiding its ! G? m e Back to Me” and “Hymn de feet is electric. and *?e looks to be a steady attrac-; letharev H is wife-driving-th^-car L amour ’ in trench to close. Bow- singer. Norman tlon '■ nitery H n< U v cir_ ; 3nd other domestic jokes are nice off ls t0 resounding applause. . A solid ballad Norman llon in ine x * n 't er y Kaye handles solos, such as “The Holding over are the George j ril>tickiers and he ^is a pleasing Gal that Got Away.” with ease and Lafaye unit, whose i. usions are bleater with special lyrics to pop , appeal. However, his best spots I topnotch. and Susan Johnson with mne«. Impressions are okay and his has its ov n merits to stand on as i n the show are comedy. As a Li- a sophisticated song turn. As good emulation of a psychotic comedian, delivered by Damone. “September | berare imitator, he is socko and an entertainment buy as can be the character he does best, is a Song.” feelingly rendered, seems 0 n a little out of place in view of the youth of the belter. The special stuff in “I’ve Got Two Left Feet” is a sprightly laugh-inducer. A standout rhythm number is “Let There Be Love.” while by no means his best is “Sorrento.” With the voice of Robert Merrill so recently remembered in the same room in the same melody, Damone is better advised to resort to his other famil- iar tunes. The Louis Jordan Tympany Five —they are actually six musicians and Jordan makes the seventh— clicks solidly. By turns, every num- ber proves a rouser. The group’sfave “Nobody Here But Us Chickens” and “I Need You Now” are tops. “If I Give My Heart to You” is a nice ballad. “I’ll Die Happy." finds the leader in happy bv-play with diners and members of his Beguine. the Beguine.” where : found in town. | winner. Sahl is an unusual comic whos The Barry Sisters have come a bound to attract plenty of atten- long wav since last appearing in tion in his first New York date. He Vegas, the pair of dark-haired combines an offbeat style of de- lookers are singing with polish and livery with some highly literate entertain with song-chatter in con- material in a manner that’s going - - to make him one of those love- the device is for him to keep changing keys every couple of bars, he carries off a difficult com- edy assignment and makes it a standout funniest musical bit. Ross, the other member of the trio, doubles on accordion, drums and conga drum for added musical him-or-hate-him personalities, but backgrounds and is continually in | he’s sure to make a name for him- action mugging and cracking a fast I self in the process. His delivery- line of patter. Working together i reminds of the street-comer on the Liberaee bit and the “Be- j boogie who’s just discovered books guine. the Beguine” routine, they pack a solid wallop. The presentation of the group is and wants to tell the world about them—virtually stuns the audience at first, but rapidly proceeds to top rank. They have complete j panic the ringsiders. He heightens control of their voices, use dynam-' the sense of the offbeat by using ics cleverly, and switch from senti- the inflection of a semi-literate ment to comedy deftly. It takes a and the vocabulary of a Ph D., and lot of class to joke With a serious ' to this he applies some topical ballad and be successful musi- cally as well as humorously. > . Rafe. humor on a variety of such touchy fident style. They duet a novel ar- rangement of “Make Love to Me” for plenty of palm-slapping. “What’s the Good of All Our Money Blues’* is a happy character analysis and the personable team scores with Yiddish and Italian lyrics to “Dark Town Strutters Ball.” Their version of “I Believe” is a snug repertoire fit while the sound off” song-sketch called “Up Ilotol Raditixon. Mpls. Minneapolis, Nov. 27. Maureen Cannon. Don McGranf Orch (8); $2.50 minimum. Maureen Cannon proves for a second time that she’s the proper entertainment dish for a tony supper club like this. Her vocaliz- ing fits in well with her plush surroundings, and she’s good t« look at. Miss Cannon’s melodic session leans toward the lively. Singer vigorously belts over such rousing perennials as “Red Hot Mama” and “Bill Bailey,” giving them original, distinctive twists. However, there’s no lack of diversity of pace as sh« also demonstrates a way with the Lazy River,” is the sprightliest i ballads like “Look to the Rainbow” item on the whole bill. I or comes through neatly with a The Louis Dance Trio is a de- Harry Lauder impression, pendable holdover act. fronting the ! Don McGrane and his orchestra line, and performing a pleasing 1 lend their usual flawless support subjects as McCarthy, widescreens' ballet to the efficient backing of and help patrons to hit the hoofing and Godfrey.. Completely un-iBob Ellis and-his orch. Bob. i jackpot. Reea.