Variety (December 1954)

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VAUDEVILLE Wednesday, December 15, 1954 Blueprint TV One-Niter ‘Circuit’ To Aid Singer-Disk Exploitation A series of local video shows has been lined up by General Art- ists Corp. in an attempt to create ‘. series of one-nighters to public- ize singers, disks and nitery en- gagements. As presently Wue- printed, an entertainer with a rid- ing platter and a nitery date in a major cafe can be given a senes of local video shows paying reason- able salaries while enroute to the engagement. Singer then will plug his disk releases, and while in that town will visit radio disk- jockeys. Lined up so far by GAC is WEWS-TV, Cleveland; WLW-TV, Cincinnati, and WBBM-TV, Chi- cago. GAC will book the shows on those stations to insure a steady flow of talent. Grande Quitting As Statler Talent Buyer John Grande, for many years talent buyer for the Statler Hotel chain, will leave that post Jan. 31. Estelle Reiss, his assistant, who has been with the outfit for more than 30 years, is also slated to vacate her spot. All talent buying will shift from New York to Chi- cago, with Merriel Abbott in charge. Chain has been merged with the Hilton Hotels. The food buying operations will also transfer to Chi in an economy move. According to GAC, the stations realize that the primary purpose is to exploit the artist, but they are willing to go along. Major rea- son is the desirability to get a lo- cal show starring such names as Patti Page as well as other diskers whom they cannot afford under other circumstances. GAC figures that the artist will be able to get maximum exposure both on video and radio, without injuring chances for network shows. GAC said that the singers frequently have to pay their own expenses on jaunts to publicize their disks. In this case, they’ll be able to take on these exploitation trips and come out ahead of the game . Jacoby Seeks Paris Site For Summer Blue Angel Herbert Jacoby, who operates the Blue Angel, N. Y., in conjunc- tion with Max Gordon, left for Europe yesterday (Tues.) to look for a site in Paris to set up a French edition of the Blue Angel, which he would operate in The summer. In addition to hunting a new cate site, Jacoby will tour Lon- don. Barcelona and Madrid, trying to dig up some new acts. Eckstine Subs Davis At S. F. Italian Village San Francisco, Dec. 14. Billy Eckstine opens at the Italian Village tomorrow (Wed.) replacing Sammy Davis Jr., whose scheduled engagement was can- celled due to his accident. Eckstine originally was booked for the Fairmont Hotel’s Venetian Room for November, but postponed that date until January. The Fair- mont engagement has now been cancelled entirely. JERRY BERGEN Currently PALACE Theatre NEW YORK Booked by Jack Kalcheim CORBETT MONICA Dir.: Garbar-Waiu. N. Y. CO 5-S680 When li Buffalo Step at the ROANOKE APARTMENT HOTEL An Apartment for tha price of a Room Complete Cooking fJcilitiot M. lenchner. Mgr., 206 So. Elmwood Av. Green’s Cuffo Vaude Date In Honolulu as ‘Brides’ Ballyhoo Goes Over Big Honolulu, Dec. 7. If composer-conductor Johnny Green ever gets tired of his pix music chores, he can go out as a single nitery act. He w'on’t run Liberace out of business, but he’ll present something far better than the usual “—and then I wrote” routine. His break-in date, if one wants to call it that, drew two capacity houses last week (3) to the Kuhio Theatre, which nominally is on a straight film policy, with the per- sonable musician putting on a 30- minute show. A cuffo date to help get his Metro studio’s ‘‘Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” off to a neat start, Green took audiences behind sound stages and told of problems faced in making Cinemascope shorts with M-G’s concert orches- tra. Personable gal musicians in the studio orch are selected exclusive- ly for their musical prowess, he in- sisted with a grin, and get fan mail. So does the serio-comic pic- colo player, Green said. After a 15-minute informal chat, which found the conductor insist- ing that longhair music can be fun as well as inspiring, Green played many of his own compositions— “Coquette,” “I’m Yours.” "‘Out of Nowhere,” “I Cover the Water- front,” “I Want to Be Loved” and “Body and Soul,” latter drawing top applause. He bowed off with a warm, touching version of “The Man I Loved,” played with the ex- planation that “I’m one composer who plays other peoples’ music, too.” Green shunned any vocals, claim- ing that “I sing worse than Irving Berlin.” Because the Cinemascope screen blankets the stage, the piano was on the floor in front of the stage, and Green exited simply by walk- ing out the nearby exit. Walt. MONTREAL VAUDER SET TO RESUME IN JANUARY The Seville Theatre, Montreal, will resume vaudeville sometime in January. Roy Cooper, of Mon- treal, will book. The Seville, which will be the second major theatre in Canada to be on a variety policy, closed down stageshows in the spring. Other major Dominion vaudery is the Casino, Toronto. Intime Policy Set For Miami Beach LQ Lounge Boniface Lou Walters will install an intime cafe policy in the lounge of the Miami Beach edition of the Latin Quarter. Labeled the Made- moiselle Room, spot will have an initial bill Dec. 23 including Gaby Bruyere, Andre Phillips, Lee Sharon and Toby Stevens. Lounge seats 200. The main room will have John- nie Ray topping the Dec. 23 pre- miere show, with the Kean Sisters coming in Dec. 31. Walters leaves for Florida Monday (20). The Treniers have been booked into the Lounge of the Riviera, Las Vegas, for 11 weeks starting April 8. Outfit has also been set for the following season for 12 weeks. Cohan Corner in LaG Hotel LaGuardia Hotel, adjacent to the airport on Long Island, opens today (Wed.) following a press and celebrity hoopla last night. In- cluded in the inn are a restaurant and lounge. Louis Ritter, owner-president, will unfurl a George M. Cohan Corner next week with former Postmaster General James A. Far- ley and George Jessel, lifelong friends of Cohan, officiating at dedication ceremonies. N.Y. s East Side Cafes Battling For Late-Nite Biz A bitter battle is being fought among niteries and cafes of east side. New York, for the late supper biz. The results of this battle are likely to have a major effect na- tionally on hotel and nitery think- ing. At the present time there are two operations that are being dished up as models and an excel- lent type to follow. One is the lounge of the Copacabana, the other being the newly-opened Em- bassy of the Hotel Ambassador. Both seem to be getting the bulk of the late business, although the Blue Angel and Le Ruban Bleu seem to be holding their own in this setup. However, the newer trend seems to be pointed in the direction of opulent surroundings where a cou- ple can hit the heights on a budget. At the Ambassador, there’s a $3.50 minimum with dancing as the major lure. But a couple can get a half-bottle of champagne for $5.50, and thus they can have a light snack and a qualify quaff at a reasonable price. The Copa brings it show to the Lounge from the downstairs room. It’s the only spot in that part of town where there’s a complete show at that hour. Pol- icy has made the Lounge one of the major hangouts on the east side and has emptied a lot of spots around town. Lush Refurbishing The east side bonifaces, of late, have been refurbishing their late operations. For example, Billy Reed’s Little Club has installed a singer, L’Apache (Andre Tofel). The Harwyn has instituted a dance policy. El Borraccho has taken to closing earlier, presumably an ad- mission that the quest of late biz is rather tough. The newer rooms that will open in that sector of town will go in for some sort of entertainment and/or dancing. For example, agent Ken Later will open the Patio, an eatery in the Ritz Towers. He’s re- furbishing to the tune of $250,000 and will open shortly with a policy similar to that of the Monseigneur, Paris. Several platoons of violins will stroll about the premises. With no dancing, there will be no 20% tax. Another room, the Larue, will reopen with two dance bands. Nino, a longtime east side restaurateur, will be in charge. Rita Allen & Ken I Thomson are reportedly behind the venture. In virtually every instance, the east siders have been forced to face one major problem—that of I instituting a policy that forces | them to apply the 20% cabaret tax. In virtually every case this has been done in an effort to get busi- ness during that portion of the night when the bulk of the popu- lation should be in bed. It’s consequently axiomatic that there would be a lot more talent and musician employment if the 20% surcharge wasn’t the major stumbling block. The test will come 1 a little later. Should the public ! rebel at this kingsized impost, then a lot of talent operations would go by the wayside. It has become evident that even during the wee hours the beaux will still shop around for price. The budget romeos will still go out to an attractive spot if the tab isn’t too high, and there will al- ways • be fgmmes to accompany them. The battle is being watched by execs of the Hilton and Kirkeby chains. For example, the Kirkeby management would like to get a policy for the Hampshire House and one that will make the War- wick better attended. Both are seemingly handicapped by their west side locations. ’ 59 THE DYNAMIC MAUREEN CANNON Hotel Radisson, Mpls. “Maureen Cannon proves for a second time that she’s the proper entertainment dish for a tiny supper club like this. Her vocalizing fits in well with her plush surroundings, and she’s good to look at. “Miss Cannon’s melodic ses- sion 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 or pace as she also demonstrates a way with ballads like “Look to the Rainbow” or comes through neatly with a Harry Lauder impression.” Rees. _ Chicago American MOVIE SCOUTS — ATTEN- TION: DON’T MISS MAUREEN CANNON “One of these evenings, should you happen to visit the Empire Room of the Palmer House where Maureen is the singing star, you will notice that she is adorable to look at — tiny, dark-haired, with bright eyes, dainty features and a lovely complexion. You will be aware that her voice is a delight to the ears; that she moves about the room with grace and poise; that she has a fresh, lively, endearing per- sonality. You will love her— not only for her talent—but for that great gift—CHARM. Here is a potential movie star if there ever was one.” By Ann Marsters. New York Daily Mirror MAUREEN CANNON AT WALDORF RATES RAVE “The wonderful job at the Waldorf Empire Room by love- ly, little Maureen Cannon, the Irish beaut, whose thrushing is big league anywhere.” By Lee Mortimer. P^rIeTy Waldorf Astoria Hotel, Empire Room “Miss Cannon, a wide-eyed looker gave these sessions a note of cuteness, pertness, which is also the feeling she purveys at this Hilton hospice. Her opening show called for a begoff.” Jose. PHriety Palmer House, Chicago “Maureen Cannon with vi- brant warbling pipes, and a belting manner. Miss Cannon has what it takes to impress on the boards, and “Bill Bailey” strutter gets her away to a salvo.” Les. Just Concluded Empire Room—WALDORF ASTORIA, N. Y. Empire Room—PALMER HOUSE, Chicago Thanks - MERRIEL ABBOTT RADISSON HOTEL—Minneapolis Followed by BAKER HOTEL—Dallas THUNDERBIRD HOTEL—Las Vegas Direction: GENERAL ARTISTS CORP.