Variety (December 1954)

58 VAUDEVILLE Wednesday, December 15, 1954 Vaude, Cafe Dates New York , Rosita Serrano, who’s been on the Continent for the past few years, is returning to the U.S. in January to play a series of cafes being booked for her by the Ken Later Agency . . . Stan Grover starts at the British Colonial Hotel, Nassau, tomorrow (Thurs.) . . . Johnny Pineapple preems the Chi Edgewatcr Beach Hotel’s new Polynesian Room, Dec. 29 . . . Jerry Rosen, former agent, named manager of the Leslie House, N. Y. . . . Cab Calloway went into the Casino Royal, Washington, Monday <13>. - Mae West has been signed for the Chase Hotel, St. Louis, in April . . . Georgie Kaye goes into the Latin Casino. Philadelphia, Dec. 23 . . . Jose Greco has a May date at the Palmer House, Chicago . . . Ben Blue tapped for the Chi Chi Club, Palm Springs, Feb. 17 . . . Geraldine Garner, billed as Sequin, who opens at the Empire, Newark. Dec. 24. picked up a few q?*d with her modeling of bikini suits at a fashion show at the Vanderbilt Hotel. N. Y., yesterday (Tucs.) . . . Cliarlivels to the Mapes, Reno, Dec. 31 . . . Dave Barry opens at the Clouds Club, Honolulu. Saturday (18) . . . De- nise Darcel to preem at the Hollen- den, Cleveland, Jan. 27 . . . Billy Grey to the Sands Hotel, Las Vegas. Feb. 23 . ? . Date for Billy Daniels at the Copa, N. Y., set for Feb. 24 . . Jack Leonard and the De Castro Sisters go to the Minne- apolis Home Show March 12. Chicago Lena Horne dated for Chez Paree three-framer beginning Jan. 19. with Mae West following in Feb. 9 . . . Yonely set for fortnight at Golden Hotel, Reno, Jan. 12 and four weeks at El Cortez, Las Vegas, Jan. 27 . . . Burl Ives play- ing Eddy s’ in Kansas City Jan. 21 for two weeks . . . Cross & Dunn open Riverside, Reno, Feb. 3 for couple frames . . . Four Joes and Jimmie Koniac set for month at Black Orchid starting FeU. 1 . . . Three Chuckles and Three Lads & Lass current at Preview Lounge in Chi. VXanety's Fork Rtp Gene Moskowitz hat torn* inside stuff on Syndicate Control of Paris Nitelife * * * on* of tho many editorial features in th* upcoming 49lh Anniversary Number of P^kIeTy DCE SOON Miami Beach Talent Battle Continued from page M CIRO RIMAC and REVUE Opening European Tour December 26th, 1954 at MOULIN ROUGE, Paris European Representatives Albert Tavel and Maruani Paris and Harry Foster London * e ♦ * ♦ MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OUR AMIGOS CHI EDGEWATER ROOM TO DEBUT FOR TERPING Chicago, Dec. 14. On New Years Eve, the Edge- water Beach Hotel debuts its Polynesian Room, a remake of its longtime vaude showcase, the Ma- rine Dining Room. Hostelry has re- solved to give up floorshow enter- tainment and will feature Hawai- ian music for dancing instead. Marine Room shuttered on Nov. 19, with Ted Lewis wrapping up its history. « Johnny Pineapple will open the new room, splitting dansapation chores with Henry Brandon orch. Jessel Sub for Lewis As Chez Paree Headliner . Chicago, Dec. 14. Chez Paree plugged up a New Year's week booking gap with the inking of George Jessel to spell Joe E. Lewis as headliner. Lewis cancelled when doctors advised he would not have been fully recov- ered from a recent ulcer operation to do the show. Peggy Lee is also on the bill, which kicks off Dec. | 28. Chez also snagged Lena Ho^ne for a Ihreeframer beginning Jan. 19 and Mae West for a fortnight starting Feb. 9. MCA Offering Gobel To Cafes; Beachcomber Bite George Gobel. who played cafe dates at a fairly modest salary a couple of years ago. is again being submitted for niteries at prices ranging up to $15,000. Gobel, prior to his advent on tele, was getting under four figures weekly for his vaude stands. Deal is being negotiated by Music Corp. of America for a stand at the Beachcomber, Miami Beach. Hollywood Ice Ilovuo Omaha, Dec. 8. Arthur M. Wirtz presentation in two acts <18 displays). Stars Barbara Ann Scott, Jimmy Grogan. Gundi Busch. Andra McLaughlin. Freddie Trenkler. Skippy Baxter, The Bruises CO. Bobby Blake. Assistant producer. William H. Burke; chorcoRranhy. staging and lighting by Donn Arden: manager. Ludolf Kasse- bnum: costumes by Raoul Pene Dubois; musical director. Paul Van Loan: stage manager. Ray Gavnor. At Ak-Sar-Ben Coliseum, Omaha, Dec. 8, *54; $3.50 top. KIRBY STONE FOUR ON TOUR Dir.: WILLIAM MORRIS Aqrncy Mgt.: WYNN LASSNER Assoc.. Inc. Saranac Lake By Happy Benway Saranac Lake, N. Y., Dec. 14. Earl Lewis, chairman of “We The Patients’’ committee here, an- nounced that preparations have started for coming elaborate Christmas Party and blowout. Don’s Melody Lounge, a local i nitery, opened its wfnter season 1 with Gladys Young from England, 1 as the show’s feature. 1 Ray (IATSE> King, of CBS, N.Y., in for a quickie visit to his sister, | Mabel King Hutchins, who is fight- ing a recent setback. Trudeau Sanatorium shuttered after 70 years of service towards tlie curing of tuberculosis, lack of patronage being the main cause. Last patient to leave the famed sanatorium was the ace second baseman .of the Giants. Larry Doyle, who was a patient there for 12 years. Joe McCoy, Loew manager who is taking the rest routine here, re- ceived word lie is a father; wants medicos to hustle his cure so lie I can go home to see the new addi- tion to his family. Harriet McKearnin in to hold a j bedside gabfest with her brother, Tom McKearnin, whose progress is a special item. Write to those who are ill. BIMBO announces the appointment of WILLIAM LOEB at DIRECTOR OF ENTERTAINMENT Bimbo's 365 Club 1025 COLUMBUS AVE., SAN FRANCISCO Address Inquiries Direct: WILLIAM LOEB ARTISTS’ MANAGEMENT 449 SOUTH BEVERLY DRIVE BEVERLY HILLS. CAIJF. CR*ttvi*w 4-4489 CRestvIew 4-192? Arthur M. Wirtz has always tagged his “Hollywood Ice Revue” as “The Show With the Stars.” And the catchline is even more apropos in his 1955 unit, the 20th annual presentation. For this year Wirtz has added two dazzling newcomers, Gundi Busch and Jimmy Grogan, to the by-now familiar cast of Barbara Ann Scott, Freddie Trenkler, An- dra McLaughlin, et al. Result Is the best show Wirtz has put into the blade field. Miss Busch, last year’s world champ, is given a big sendoff in her first act “Pastorale,” coming on in a eye-grabbing outfit of robes which she quickly sheds to go into her routine. In the second-half, she opens with Skippy Baxter in a symphony affair that goes over big. Gal has the looks and poise to be an ice headliner for many years. Grogan, also making his pro debut, is tallish for a champ skater but nevertheless handles all the tough stuff without flaw. In fact, the only criticism of his efforts would be the fact he makes it look so easy. In the second half, he teams with Miss Scott in a gypsy hit and makes a competent part- ner. Miss Scott, incidentally, also gets the red-carpet treatment in the first act, entering on a clever nightclub set designed by stage manager Ray Gaynor. In the big production effort, “Wizard of Oz,” Miss Scott brings on her French poodle. Pierre, while she does her solo bit. This is something few blade stars would allow, since the crowd’s eyes naturally are on the little pup as it skids along the ice attempting to keep up with his mistress. Miss McLaughlin is her usual effervescent self in two numbers, with calypso and Scottish themes. However, it seems as though her bits haven’t the outstanding back- ing and arrangements of some of her previous offerings, especially the jazz presentation. Skippy Baxter, always a favorite, opens and closes his single the same way—with a foot-to-foot backw-ard somersault that draws gasps. Bobby Blake seems improved in a clever “Revival Daze” display, and the comedy falls upon the vet- eran hands of Freddie Trenkler and The Bruises. Trenkler does his familiar “Bouncing Ball” rou- tine and fire-engine turn that vary ! little over the years. The Bruises, too. haven’t changed one iota. But their charwoman antics remain i near-showstoppers. Trump. which books Martin, refused to discuss the situation. Meantime, the big three among the straight night clubs in this area—Latin Quarter, Copa City and Beachcomber — tee off their seasonal runs next week, having finalized their opening show ros- ters. The latter two neighboring rivals will come up with the heavi- est roster of upper-bracket names, to meet not only the inter-trade competition but the imposing list of entertainment scheduled by the beachfront hotel circuit. Copa City will unveil its rebuilt main and late-room adjunct with a lineup that has Peter Lind Hayes & Mary Healy, Tony Bennett, Eileen Barton, Step Bros., Red Caps, a June Taylor line and David Tyler’s orch. On tap for ensuing weeks are Mae West and company, Jimmy Durante and his unit, Los Chavales de Espana, Sammy Davis Jr., with the most prominent names in television being pitched to round out the roster. TV Emanation Point Murray Weinger, general man- ager for the spot, has already re- vealed his plans for turning the club into a once-a-week emanation point for tv shows. Jimmy Du- rante will probably be the first to telecasUhis Texaco hour from that location. Current plans are to pre- sent one show nightly In the main room, with an all-night policy maintained in the adjoining lounge, enlarged for the purpose. Many of the acts booked will double between*the two opera- tions. Beachcomber owner Norman Schuyler, for a long time unde- cided on what he would do with the 900-seater this season, will re- tain the policy of recent years— buying the top names. First group is headed by Martha Raye and in- cludes Vic Damone, Jack Carter and the Novelites. Per custom here, there will be no produotion setup. Ticketed for coming weeks are Louis Armstrong. Ritz Bros., Sophie Tucker, with others soon to be announced. Schuyler will stick to combinations such as the first show, then the Ritzes and Arm- strong. He’s also bidding for Liberace at $50,000, Ann Soth- em and other personalities who’ve clicked on television or in pictures. LQ Extravaganzas The Latin Quarter will adhere to the Lou Walters extravaganzas, with the usual contingent of Euro- pean talent he brings in every season. To buttress the display he is adding some of the stronger* cafe acts around such as Betty and Jane Kean, Johnnie Ray, Harry Belafonte, among others. The Wal- ters production concept, however, has always done solid business, de- spite lack of a star name during some weeks of the annual run. Out of the competition for the big-salary acts, the Clover Club’s Jack Goldman has swung over to a production policy that has been drawing heavily in recent weeks. The Selma Marlowe stagings (now in her third year at this mainland bistro) blend lavishly costumed lines, novelty acts and for the top- per, a stripteuse. Sherry Britton comes back for a repeat run next week. Currently, Kalantan is the feature. Backed by a $3.50 food and beverage minimum, the idea has been paying off. Goldman’s, decision to adhere to this setup has made available Tony Martin, Lena Horne and the like, who pay the Clover an annual winter visit. Far In Advance The hotel rivalry is particularly strong this time out, what with the hoteliers booking far in ad- vance of the niteries. It adds up to a name-dropping list: The Sax- ony’s Perez Prado with the Hur- tado de Cordoba dancers, followed by Ted Lewis and company; Xavier Cugat, Abbe Lane and unit, and the Dorsey Bros, and their ar- ray. The Fontainebleau is set only for the first six weeks at the mo- ment. Vaughn Monroe, Richard Hayman and orch, and the Bel- monts will tee off, followed by the Lecuona Cuban Boys revue. They’ll add more within the next 10 days. Sans Souci will offer Larry Storch, Myron Cohen, Joel Grey, Joyce Bryant, Denice Darcel and Harvey Stone. Nautilus Hotel is concentrating on comics with Larry Storch, Morty Gunty (cur- rent), Gene Baylos, Phil Foster, and Joey Bishop already dated. Both the Sans Souci an<f the Nau- tilus will hold to their one-week- one-show nightly deal for the acts. The new Balmoral Hotel is setting in the type of talent that plays the class hotel cafes; Hildegarde & Jack Whiting, Kay Thompson, Genevieve and Peggy Lee, and for the music, Emil Coleman and his orch. Other hostels entering the run for the money are the Di Lido, starting with a Wally Wanger staged line, Bea Kalmus and what acts they can buy to fit their budget. The Casablanca, as re- ported recently, has an opening show for Xmas week; house booker Ivar Blacker says he has Billy Daniels (supposed to go into the Latin Quarter) and definitely My- ron Cohen. He is now in New York casting about for follow-up talent. ERNIE STEWART (Composer-Pianist) FEATURING HIS ORIGINAL PIANO BELL CHIMES (and Hi> Trio) 3rd Consecutive Year Th# SANDS, Las Vtgas Thanks JACK ENTRATTER MGT.: G.A.C. BUD AND CECE ROBINSON Still In TEXAS Back in N*w York for th* Holidays Management: MCA THE CARNEVALES (RALPH AND MARY) Currently XMAS SHOWS (Ohio and P«nna.) Thanks TONY 5ENNES Dir.: Jimmlo Husson Agency 119 W. S7th St.. New York CAB CALLOWAY Currently (December 13-19) ROYAL CASINO - WASHINGTON, D. C. Mgt. RILL MITTLCR, 1419 Broodway. Now York