Variety (December 1954)

60 NIGHT CLUB REVIEWS Wednesday, December 15, 1954 Coparabana, ST. V. Vagabonds (4), Maria Neglia, Martha Bentley, Dunhills (3), Pete Conway, Jean Stevens, Bob Swee- ney, Copa Girls (8), Michael Dur- so & Frank Marti Orchs; staged by Douglas Coudy, lyrics and music by Norman Gimbel (plus Rizo and Morgan; costumes, Billy Living- ston; $5 minimum. Frank Sinatra moves in next for the holiday show and this is the traditional .slow period. Current Copa pre-Christmas offering isn’t one of Jules Podell’s best. The Vagabonds aren’t the type of strong headliners usually identi- fied with the east side spot. They’re a good warmup team, capable of arousing ,the audience and placing it in a receptive mood, but the Copa needs sterner stuff. Familiar to tv viewers, via out- ings on the Arthur Godfrey show and “Colgate Comedy Hour,” the Vagabonds have the ability to evoke mirth. Their zany antics are strictly eornball, however, and re- veal little that is original or clever. Many at the show caught, however, appeared to enjoy the perform- ance thoroughly. Vagabonds are at their best when they stick to vocalizing, and a couple of special material num- bers, such as the “Salt Song” and an Italo version of “MacNamara’s Band” ("Marinara’s Band”), bring nice responses. Lads are a hard- working team, and never let up in their 30-minute stint of singing, clowning and mugging. They’re E robably a hot tourist attraction, ut not for Copa regulars. Supporting acts don’t make up for headliner limitations. Maria Neglia is a novelty fiddler who concentrates too hard on her facial expressions. She pouts, flirts and muggs to fit the style of the music. She dispenses with the bow and scores with one-handed strum- ming. Preceding the Vagabonds, she stays on for the lads’ opening turn and lends her fiddle for a hill- billy workout. It’s not all novelty, though, as she slips into a schmaltzy “Return to Sorrento.” Martha Bentley brings ballet to the night club floor, but not the type of pirouettes familiar to the Met or New- York City Center. An amazing toe terper. Miss Bentley provides sensational whirls, dis- playing outstanding agility and balance in the turns around the small-area Copa floor. The Dunhills are a fast-working tap trio, working away with great energy. Having returned recently from a tour of South America with Danny Kaye, they vary the routine with tribal dance indigenous to African miners. They don boots and remove their coats and move into a flat-footed terp that is unique if not overly sock. The Copa cuties are on display, of course, but one does not see them often enough, as they appear only for an opening and closing turn. Jean Stevens and Bob Sweeney carry the production vo- cals nicely. Pete Conway’s hoof- ery heeds some variation. Michael Durso orch, which provides the backing, is unnecessarily loud, be- ing too big and brassy. Holl. who makes a nice Impression as singer and male foil for the head- liner. Miss West titles their inti- mate dance, “It Takes Two to Bango.” Second vocalist, Don Kent, registers with good voice and personality. The nine muscle- men are still laugh-toppers with chest and abdominal ripples in time to the tunes in a colorful Olympics games display before the mischievous star. With its sparkle and vitality the show as received here on its return should register with the same healthy biz as be- fore. Juggler Rudy Horn, last seen here in the first Marlene Dietrich show, is just as adept at juggling balls and dumbbells. He excites on a unicycle while flipping six cups in pyramid fashion from his toe to the top of his head. The George Moro Saharem Dancers intrigue in a chorines’ backstage dressingroom number, with costumes and terps meriting the sustained applause. Sam Mineo conducts the Cee Davidson orch for Miss West capably. Bob. Black Orchid, i lii Chicago, Dec. 7. Buddy _Baer, Rogers & Cooper, Dinah Kaye, Rudy Kerpays Duo; $4 minimum. Sahara. Las Vegas Las Vegas, Dec. 7. Mae West (with Tony Dexter, Louise Beavers, Dick Dubois, Don Kent, othersl (19), Rudy Horn, Saharem Dancers (12), Cee David- son Orch (12); no cover or mini- mum. Boniface A1 Greenfield is plug- ging up the pre-Xmas two-week gap with an offbeat show that should get fair response at the door and slightly less than that at the tables. Most rewarding feature of the current card is the pervasive warmth of headliner Buddy Baer. Grabbing attention by his sheer size, the handsome giant holds the outfronters firmly with an affable charm that seems to forgive short- comings in phrasing and intona- tion. Still his voice, which has a nice baritone quality, maneuvers well on a virile catalog of ballads like “One For the Road” and "Soliloquy,” and he’s especially effective on a humorous specialty opener which outlines his career in the boxing ring and in Holly- wood. In general, he handles the uptunes best and should pare his routine as much as possible of difficult entries like “Funny Valen- tine.” He’s assisted on the bill by shapely thrush Dinah Kaye (see New Acts) and comedy team of Rogers & Cooper. No youngsters, R&C unreel an act that seems to have its roots in oldtime burlesque, one that would be better pegged for a barroom than for a chichi supper club. Comedy is broad, the gags corny and pedestrian for the most, and they’re interlarded with song fragments by straight- man Cooper and tap terp by Rogers, the buffoon. Roger’s Oljl Soldier pantomime, with Cooper narrating and providing sound effects, is by far their strongest material, and it’s saved for the getaway. Briefer comedy, but with better impact, is served up by the usually staid emcee Benny Dunn, who dresses in boxing garb with foot- ball shoulder pads to introduce Baer. It’s a quickie, but zany. Rudy Iterpays at keys and Dave Poskonka on bass back the acts fluently. Les. Shera ton-Carl ton, Wash. Washington, Dec. 10. Marguerite Piazza, with Jack Bunch, John Calti, Joe Hamell; Joe Ricardel Orch, with Sherry Gibson; cover $1.50 weeknights, $2 Saturday. Marguerite Piazza, who has clicked solidly on television and in grand opera, proves she can do it again on the supperclub circuit, delivering a carriage trade act which has pace, novelty, and al- most enough production gimmicks to turn it into a capsule revue. Miss Piazza delivers the voice, warm personality and, in the latter stages, a very handsome pair of gams. The elaborate production ideas are the work of Herb Ross, who is still busily polishing in ad- vance of the New York engage- ment at the Hotel Pierre in Janu- ary. Working with the star are a dancer, a mandolinist and a pianist, plus plenty of assist from Joe Ricardel’s house orch. It’s the expected Marguerite Piazza of tv’s “Show of Shows” w ho opens in costume as a singer of Italian light operatic selections, with Jack Bunch, in Pierrot cos- tume and white grease paint, dancing about her, tossing carna- tions to the women at ringside, and even working on a chair. John Calti plunks a small mandolin and lends a very mellow touch to the overall performance. Number is warm, friendly and definitely “dif- ferent.” At this point. Miss Piazza builds up to the weak spot of the evening. Dancer Bunch erects a small portable dressing cubicle about her and she switches to a sophisticated costume to sing “I’ve Got You Under My Skin”—which turns out to be a mistake. Gal wrestles the smooth Cole Porter standard as though it had to have it' shoulders pinned to the mat. Thereafter, however, Miss Pi- azza’s performance takes a sharp turn upward, and keeps on going up. She delivers a delightful chil- dren’s lullaby. “Blanket Bay.” the aria from “Poor Butterfly,” and bows off. She returns to heavy applause to deliver the real surprise of the night, a session of New Orleans jazz. Miss Piazza whittles her cos- tume down to a slinky number with the skirt slit on one side al- most to the waist. On this one she sings “Way Down Yonder in New Orleans,” “Birth of the Blues,” “When the Saints Come Marcning Home,” plays a kazoo, waves a Confederate flag, struts and cake- walks. Bunch works effectively with her as a jazz dance man, while four pieces of the orchestra strip to their shirtsleeves, seat them- selves on the edge of the band- stand and turn the music on hot. For a signoff, gal sings “Count Your Blessings.” A very solid act. Lowe. Ililz ( nrhon. Montreal Montreal, Dec. 7. Fernanda Montcl, Johnny Gal- lant, Joe Settano Trio; $1.50-$2 cover. Thnnderbird* Las Vcjjns Las Vegas, Dec. 9. Sons of the Pioneers (6), Har- bers & Dale, Los Gatos (3), Thun- derbird Dancers (8), A l Jahns Orch (11); no cover or minimum. Lacking only the fresh attack of a first-time-around presentation. Mae West returns to the stage where she made her nitery debut last July, to once again earn the acclaim due her now as a bistro ▼et. Trouper West, with added poise j overall impact with her wardrobe Since her last appearance here in Montreal at an east-end saloon, Fernanda Montel, via the boites of Paris and New York, brings a much more sophisticated, polished offering to the current showing at the Ritz Cafe. Show holds till A tall, handsome blonde chirper, Miss Montel further enhances her the result of her cafe experience, brings into her month’s stay the same show as the initialer. Hand- somely gowned in vivid scarlet sequins. Miss West jibes at sex in her long-familiar “come up and see me sometime” manner as she fronts her cast of 19 males. Still toppers are “Strongest Men in the World” and “I’ve Got Something for the Girls.” in which the famed musclemen do their biceps bits headed by Mr. America—Dick Du- bois. Miss West belts “I’d Like to Do All Day What I Do All Night” for 1 yocks. The soicily-vivid "Diamond Lil” skit scores with a strong nar- rative, assist from Louise Beavers. The star chirps “Frankie And Johnny” to resounding applause, and winds with “What a Night,” dispensing room keys with time assignments to the males to rock and husky piping, which maintains attention throughout. On night caught, Miss Montel fought the constant yammering of a most un- Ritzlike crowd who were more in the mood for “Beer Barrel Polka” than for her Gallic nifties. How- ever, this authoritive femme took them in hand and directing a few pointed lyrics their way, * soon quieted them to a murmur. Manner is much more relaxed this time around and the stiff, straightforward type of thrushing ot other days has now been sparked with a socko songalog and a routin- ing that has pace, ideally suited for the better-class cafe trade. With the exception of the occa- sional lyric midway through a number, all items are in French, with a bilingual intro that is pointed and explicit. Mixed in with a eornball group of standard Par- the room with laughter. Included ; isian pops are such standout songs in the 40-minute stint at the open- as “Don't Give a Darn.” “Piano of er was Miss West’s sly propensity j the Poor” and a moody “Dance on to halt the proceedings to enable I My Street.” Winds to rousing the press to flash pictures. ! reception. “Mon Homme” for a The lively show includes a new second encore and clincher rir*ws , Newt, 'H'-Ur ' **»»<•• U The current layout, a fortnight- er, runs 50 minutes and toplines the Sons of the Pioneers, who edify with prairie tunes. Neverthe- less the show has its work cut out trying to draw more than sparse audiences. Sagebrush ditties of the sextet, featuring a fiddle player, two gui- tars and a bass, include the theme, “Tumbling Tumbleweeds,’ “When Payday Rolls Around” and ‘ Tim- ber Tr#il,” the latter a tuneful under-the-stars campfiresite haunt- ing melody that pleases. The days of the pistoleers on blood-splat- tered trails are pictured in song, but this act is far from star cali- bre for the strip. Harbers & Dale are a well- turned-out couple in adagio, giv- ing a nice-exhibition dancing dis- play. Exciting turn is fast and fea- tures spins by the femme held aloft -by her partner. Their ver- sion of the cakewalk is excellent terps from old Dixie. The Los Gatos, an aero trio, is held over for a risley routine that thrills. The husky understander handles light partners with ease in balancing stunts in an act that’s as good as anything on the bill. A pair of new production num- bers move well to the nicely or- chestrated backing by the A1 Jahns crew. Bob. member to the cast, Tony Dexter, 1 sustained milting. . i •« K* Gnrilen Terrair, Philly Philadelphia, Dec. 3. Melanie Magnan, Farrar & Car- ter, Bobby May, The Franklin-Iccrs (4), Howard Retinoids Orch (8); $2 Tninitnurn, weekend, $2.50. Dolores Pallet, who handled the staging and choreography, has come,up with the best paced rink re ■ i.. /’ 1 revue the Hotel Benjamin Frank- lin’s Garden Terrace has offered in many a long freeze. The frappe frolics is subtitled “Cocktails With the Stars” and each number is named after a drink such as “Pink Lady,” “Vermouth Cassis,” etc., which seems more of a suggestion for the diners than anything re- lating to the doings on the ice. Melanie Magnan, former Aus- trian figure skating champion, is the solo lead and she does all the required leaps and turns and gen- erates startling speed in the spins for a flash finale. Although Miss Magnan gets the billing, the top performers of the show are Alice Farrar Si James Carter, * husband-and-wife adagio duo. Their, opener is a modified Apache number that makes the ringsiders sit up as Qarter tosses his spouse about inches from the ice. Bobby May, a juggler who has refrigerated his craft, provides an arresting interlude and what is always needed in rink revels—a touch of humor. May’s topper is his gymnastic cigaret lighting stunt. The line, captained by Lynn Clare, has four attractive gals, each of whom does a brief spe- cialty. They’re on three times and, since speed is a prinqe require- ment, the whole show runs through in less than 35 minutes. It’s fast, eye-filling and entertaining, par- ticularly for the family trade. Maestro Howard Reynolds, back for another season at the hotel, is an old hand at supporting cafe acts and supplies all the necessary mu- sical fanfare. Gagh. Black Hawk. Frisco San Francisco. Dec. 12. Barbara Carroll Trio, Buddy Motsinger; no cover or minimum. One of the most entertaining jazz groups to hit this aficionados’ hideway, the Barbara Carroll trio combines a solid bill of fare with a warm, ingratiating personality on the part of the leader. It adds up to solid selling. Playing a deftly designed pro- gram of jazz classics, showtunes and ballads. Miss Carroll succeeds in making all of them palatable to both the hipster as well as the cas- ual citizen who strays into one of these spots. She handled her own emceeing nicely and is ably assisted by a bass man and drummer. The tex- ture of the trio’s music is light. It sw'ings throughout and does not deteriorate into heaviness. The group also displays a novel twist in arrangements on some the old- ies. On the more moody ballads, such as “You’re So Nice To Come Home To,” Miss Carroll gets across the kind of melodic live the hab- itues love. Buddy Motsinger, a facile, en- gaging pianist, handles the chore of playing intermission music. Rafe. New Terrace Brill. K. C. Kansas City. Dec. 9. Bcverlee Dennis, Nicki & Noel, Tommy Reed Orch (8) with Jo- anne Lewis; $1 coyer. Revamped dinner-dance room of the Hotel Muehlebach has a blend of comedy and dancing as second bill since its recent reopening. Both comedienne Beverlee Dennis and terpers Nicki & Noel are new to these parts, and combo results in a moderately entertaining 35 minutes. Orch leader Tommy Reed dou- bles as m.c. and starts proceedings with Nicki & Noel, on for a round of aero adagio numbers, featuring good deal of airplane spins and aerial work. They vary the mood with a pantomimic terp of the dancehall hostess and her assorted customers. Turn is well paced, has a tinge of comedy in its finale, and gets show underway in good style. For her inning Miss Dennis has a variety of special material for her song and comedy antics. She’s especially effective with “A Chorus Girl’s Lament,” a telling, funny bit about the girl behind the girl be- hind the girl in back of the star. It’s the peak of her work, which includes a mimic of Sophie Tucker, a salute to A1 Jolson and some comedy jibing with the band and the house. Once a fairly frequent band- stand name in these parts. Tommy Reed and crew haven’t heen here in several years. Reed has made much of carrying a large crew’ and playing the one-nighter circuit. For the time being, however, he’s rounded up an eight-piece crew, featuring the reed section and in- cluding his own several saxes. Lineup has three reeds, with a great deal of solo and lead work from Tommy Reed, trumpet, trom- bone, piano, string bass and drums. Crew’ is very able in backing the shows, playing for diners in the early evening, and bringing in a catchy dance tempo later ! n thp evening. Quin, > ; \ i T ' 1 i * .• . . . . ! Nlutala, Honoluln Honolulu, Dec. 7. "Sunset Serenade ,” with Puan - ani Alania, George Naope, Nani Castro, Keoki Paoa, Leinaala Haiti, Tautasi, Winona Kaniho, Kamalani Momilani, Billy Heui Len Beachboys (3), Orch (10); $4.50 inch dinner. Niumalu's new Friday-night re- vue, in for 14 weeks, is a cinch to attract heavy tourist biz for it adds up a* one of Waikiki’s best enter- tainment bargains. * It’s a “first” in several respects —first modern revue (with black- outs yet) to be staged in a beach nitery here; first use of exclusively young Hawaiian talent, most of the singers and dancers in their late teens; and probably first time hereabouts that a hotel manager has emerged as a bonafide orch leader. . John Spencer, the manager- maestro, also is producer of the show and did many of the orches- trations, with Clem Low sharing the latter stint. In some respects, the music overshadows the onstage talent, but that will be corrected as the youngsters gain confidence. It’s almost a Hawaiian version of “New Faces,” with four young- sters impressing nicely—Puanani Alama, a graceful, strikingly-beau- tiful hula dancer; George Maope, a potential comic dancer; Keoki Paoa, ex-highschool grid star who emerges as a handsome singer of Isle ballads, and Leinaala Haili, whpse voice and technique are in the tradition of Lena Machado, the “songbird of the islands.” Paoa and Puanani, incidentally, stage what could be the most sensuous Tahitian dance presented in Ha- waii; it radiates s.a. but not in- decently. Mirror-backed stage, largest ever built for a Honolulu nitery, now includes swank curtains that per- mit extensive use of production numbers. Opening show went on without a dress rehearsal but the youthful troupers came through neatly. Walt. llotel Roosevelt, N. O. New Orleans. Dec. 3. Beachcombers (4), Betty & Bob Hightower, Dagenham Girl Pipers (12), Roger King Mozian Orch (15); $4 minimum , Neatly tailored bill at this plush nitery makes for variegated fodder, and most of the acts are aud- pleasers. The Beachcombers, three lads and a petite Hawaiian lass, rate with the most pleasant sirtging groups to play Blue Room. Their harmony technique is ear-appeal- ing and their numbers include enough clever accompanying ma- terial to give production values. Group presents topdrawer vocals including “I Got Rhythm,” “Love Your Neighbor,” “Count Your Blessings” and rousing “Hawaiian War Chant,” with some island gyrations by femme member inter- larding the latter tune. The Hightowers supply the dance interludes. Duo combine graceful adagio with thrilling over- head spins and aero terping. Best bits are redheaded looker’s back- bend from high twin pedestal and bit in which husky partner tosses her from platform to land in a full-split centerstage. Act is well- paced, done with finesse and ap- plauded all the way. Teeing off show is unusual nitery act. the Scotch-plaid Dagen- ham Girl Pipers, a dozen attractive misses who folk-dance solo and precision numbers to the accom- paniment of squealing bagpipes and heavy beat of snare and bass drums. Troupe got fair reaction at show caught. Liuz. Riverside. Reno ’ Reno, Dec*. 10. Bernard Bros., Vivianne & Tassi, Riverside Starlets, Bill Clifford Orch; no cover, $2 minimum. This show is in between holidays, following a big name, and has no big names of its own. It won’t fill tables but it’ll make the thin auds sound bigger. The Bernard Brps., one of the first record pantomimists in the biz, show their experience. In- stead of a couple of comics mouth- ing the words of records, it almost becomes a case of records fitting themselves to the antics of the comics. They’re that good. It’s the usual repertoire—the standard disks which other record acts have done less successfully. “Wait Till the Sun Shines, Nellie.” “You’re Not Sick You’re in Love,” and the Andrews Sisters’ “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.” Solo and dueting, the Bernards make rowdy but delightful fare. Props are crazy and costuming silly, but all fits. From the open- ing, as the ‘'Andrews Sisters,” the boys wear some red plaid play- (Continued on page 61) i . 4 •< > • '1 * s • ' i i i