Variety (December 1954)

Wednesday, December the Kramer Dancer* to spell the duo. Opening night saw two sell- outs, a novel experience for this spot, auguring a successful two- framer. Daniels, working in gen- tler manner than formerly, still retains his growly, at times fre- netic stylings. On this outing he adds some of the stronger current hits to his standards, and walks off to plaudits with “Black Magic.” Encore is “My Yiddishe Momma,” to keep them pounding for more. Cohen, a regular returnee here, comes up with new character-yarns to embellish his assortment of funny tales about New York’s garment centre types and other gentry whom he can pinpoint in dialect. A suave raconteur, he rings up a consistently high score on the laugh-meter. Interjection of topi- cal lines adds to overall yock-rais- ing w'ith his change of name for Fontainebleau • to “Fontanbloom,” a gag already being passed around the town. The Kramer dancers of- fer up routines that look much like those the small units purvey on more modestly-budgeted tv shows. More imagination would help mat- ters. LATIN QUARTER Lou Walters has come up with an opulent production with a healthy sprinkling of novelty acts plus toppers Yvonne Menard and Johnnie Ray. The Gallic touch is more evident than ever in the brilliant costuming and revue con- cepts, interlarding of Spanish rhythmics adding to the Continen- tal flavor. Certain to attract the wolf and balding contingent around is the group of showgirls he’* brought down this year. Ray, on after the 90-minute show, takes to the mirrored stage as though he’d been working in this spot for years. Backed in apt manner by Arne Barnett and his orch. Ray spells out his collection of torchants, jump tunes and re- vival meetin’ styled arrangements to continuing table pounding. Stagewise. he’s a confident, assured performer who captures the aud quickly and keeps the receptive mood maintained throughout a 30 some-odd minute stint. Delivery is more relaxed than in former ap- pearance in these parts, but enough fervor is retained for the trade- marked style. There are plenty of calls for his standards in the en- core segment, enough to keep him on longer. Gauging patronage during first two nights, he’s the extra fillip that fills the room to overflowing. Yvonne Menard, imported from the Folies Bergere in Paris, lives up to her buildup, physically cos- tume and terp-wise. Working throughout the 90-minute show she keeps changing “costume,” said adornment usually consisting of just enough to keep within bounds of the law. Volatile and orb-filling, she works with Alan Conroy and John Delaney in the varied routinings, among them ex- citing adagio and Latino terps. The Stuart Morgan dancers, now a trio, raise gasps and mitts with their adagio. Federico Rey (Freddy Witton), who created the dazzling costumes) and partner Pilar Gomez are stand- outs in theTir Spanish dance. Lu- cienne & Ashour. with their Apache mayhem, add to the French motif. Almost stealing show, the European imoprt, a dog act, billed as “Excess Baggage,” add a new touch to this type turn. Using shaggy-haired little canines guided by a huge sheep dog, their original tricks earn steady returns as they are guided through their paces. Kathy Barr adds up as a well- versed songstress, teaming with personable Ralph Young in the production numbers staged by Mine. Kamarova. Another stand- out is Renita Kramer who, in a brief stint, wrapped up a Peacock dance idea that is one of the more inventive to be seen around. THE BEACHCOMBER With Martha Raye out of the show (see separate story) this big- gery Is continuing on with Vic Damone. Jack Carter and the Nov- elites. Though lacking a femme feature, the combo plays well. Da- mone is a much-improved cafe per- former since seen here several years ago. The personable young songster now delivers his wares in easy, mobile manner. At best in the ballad department, he switches to faster-tempoed tunes effectively to keep the tablers interested all the way. His selection of standards and current pops is an intelligent one, adding to the impact. Carter is a regular along the bistro beat here and. per usual, belts out his chatter and impreshes at a fast pace to keep the giggles Continued from page 43 pianist, billed as “Lydia.” Al- though not fully geared to nitery needs, de Cordoba and his troupe keeps them intrigued with their na- tive routines. The flamenco pat- ternings are fiery and are brought off with authenticity, albeit the costuming—though equally au- thentic—is comparatively, shoddy, looking out of place on a cafe floor. Overall, the stomping, castanet w’ork and finger-snapping self-ac- companiment is brought off to healthy reception. Understood the act has been tightened and rerou- tined since opening nMit. COPA CITY Murray Weinger and Lou Cheslar have changed the interior of this biggery completely, turning what was a cavernous room into an 850- seatcr than manages- to take on an intimate air, thanks to a black, tufted ceiling and framed stage de- signed to project the acts clearly to every part of the layout. First show’ of the season i$ a smooth, cleverly staged production, all facets clicking solidly. Peter Lind Hayes and Mary Healy, via their effortless approach to intelligent and incisive lampoons on show biz and names-in-the-news characters, spark a continuous stream of laughs. Much of the ma- terial is new. with standouts lam- poons on Farouk, Liberace and Helen Traubel. Another bright spot is a heckling bit w ith Hayes in the audience offering up howl-rais- ing lines on Miss Healy’s singing, tablers and room decor. The tra- velog sequence is retained, but new lines are interwoven to impart the fresh angle. Their “Disk Jockey Blues” also allows for in- terjection of their ace carbonings. Eileen Barton, in this showcase, emerges a top performer. Her new routining and staging (for which she credits Milton Berle and Bob Merrill) is a well-rounded one that has her teeing off with a trio of hit songs she’s been associated with, then leads into a Harold Arlen tribute that displays talent for takeoffs on the greats who introed his songs through the years. Winds with a showmanly piece in which she relates her upbringing in vaude by her parents, meantime chang- ing into minstrel-man’s garb and makeup complete to blackface for a Jolson dedication that winds her into a wrapup reception. The Step Bros, add pace to the proceedings with their hoofery. tition is stronger than ever. There was a score of premieres through the week, the smaller rooms, such as the Sans Souci Blue Sails Room and Nautilus Hotel’s Driftwood Room, filling up early of an evening. Larry Storch is the current Driftwood attraction; the Facundo Rivero quintet is top- ping the Blue Sails bill. The big premieres were; SAXONY The Pagoda Room policy has been switched this season to a unit Idea, with Perez Prado and his orch holding down one segment of the show and the Hurtado de Cor- doba dancers the other. Though a 400-seater,. the confines of this layout are sometimes too small to contain the brassy arrangements that distinguish Prado’s rhythms. The goateed little showman is a colorful conductor, working his hands and at times legs in lieu of a baton. His 16-man group is a strongly disciplined one, the trum- pet section especially so when hit- ting those high notes that dominate the mambo-compos. Prado leads them through a di- versified compote that stresses the blare and beat, the mixture includ- ing standard American, tunes twisted to the mambo style. It’s an instrumental-song-solo act that runs some 35 minutes. The con- servative croft d this room attracts goes for the offering, with a goodly portion hitting the floor when the dansapat^on follows, to Indulge in some Pradomania, the hep hip- swingers adding up to a show in themselves. Contrast in the Hurtado de Cor- doba company. Working under a handicap at show caught—house bandleader Freddy Calo was hos- pitalized at the last moment for an appendicitis operation, and Prado does not play for shows—the Cas- tilllan dances were brought off in okay fashion, thanks to their own THE KOVACS (4) Aero 12 Mins. Palace, N.Y. The Kovacs are a lively trampo- line turn comprising three lookers and a well-built gent. They give the Impression of working hard, and present some novel facets in their act, such as coming out of the bedsprings onto a nearby table for hand-to-hand formations. Making their first appearance in this house, they show the need of some sharpe'r editing, and must ulti- mately cut down on their side tricks which draw attention away from the centre of their act. For example, while there is some hand-to-hand tricks, one of the femmes is using the trampoline. The audience doesn’t know which to look at. They do small dance steps while one of their number is working the trampo. All this by- play gives the impression that some of their main tricks aren't strong enough to stand on their own. They can use the extra show- manship in building up a focal point for their efforts. Jose. THE GARNERS Trampoline 10 Mins. Ak-Sar-Ben, Omaha The Gamers, young man-and- wile duo, currently a half-time at- traction with the Harlem Globe- trotters basketball team, are one of the better trampoline acts to play this territory in quite some time. They're definitely good bets for vaude and niteries—when the ceil- ing is high enough to permit them to work. Jimmy, a handsome, muscular youth just out of the Army, caps the turn with a nifty two-and-one- half somersault while Yvonne, a pert brunette, works fast and draws a big hand with her rope- skipping, somersaulting through a hoop finale. Trump. SCIPLINI’S CHIMPANZEES (2) Stunt-comedy 8 Mins. Kelvin Hall, Glasgow Amletto Sciplini, for many years assistant to w.k. Swiss trainer Rudy Smith, and more recently in charge of the chimps on the Ber- tram Mills circus, now currently debuts with his own act. Sciplini and his eye-filling frau (a Raspini and till recently member of the big unsupported ladder act of that name) appear in French gamin cos- tume, humans and all six chimps being dressed alike. Trainer Impresses inside seconds by reason of his effortless control of six anthropoids (five biggish and one baby) being quite free in menage at all times. Monkeys seem happy, and indi- vidual, off-the-cuff stunts by mon- keys with flair for improvising, are not discouraged, but each animal, though fetterless, is clearly under non-stop control from first to last. Stqnts include tightrope walk from opposite ends by two chimps, goofy business circling in opposite directions on kiddie-size tricycles, nursemaid business with baby chimp in pram, etc. Number closes with danceband scene, all chimps playing instru- ments on neat rostrum and taking turns to quit work to do conga on dancefloor. Act is ideal for cabaret, entirely free of any stunt which might be b.o. poison to sophistocates, rapid, well-routined, and everything ap- parently dead sure. Gord. LITTLE WILLIE Dance 10 Mins. Apollo, N.Y. Negro terpster has a pair of welk- trained feet. In a fast-paced 10- minute turn, which leaves him breathless midway, he displays a lot of clever cleating. He fools around expertly with a slow shuf- fle as well as with a machinegun- paced tap routine, lie’s in control at all times and the aud goes for his tapology in a big way. He’s an okay bet as a vaude opener and should do well in niteries. He’d better sharpen his patter, though. Gros. and Eddie rising. He tosses off a sharp series of topical lines, pointed barbs on the Miami Beach scene, then hits the palm-raiser route with his car- bonings. A tribute to vaude greats topped by the Jolson impresh is the zinger that earns him encores. The Novelties, also regulars in this spot, return with a bright col- lection of musical zanyisms. Com- bo of guitar, bass and accordion is a deft one, buttressed by a solid catalog of comedy-song material tailored to their predilection for mugging and impressions. They balance screwy hillbilly, operatic and tv lampoons with straight har- mony and solo instrumentals to set a breezy tempo for the show. BALMORAL HOTEL This new svvankery up in Bal Harbour, which will feature acts playing the smarter hotel-cafe circuit, currently is debuting its Embassy Room with Hildegarde and Jack Whiting. The terraced in- timery is a good setting for the Hildegarde stylings. Exquisitely gowned, the Milwaukee chantoo- sey sticks to her familiar format, in which ringsiders are worked into the act. Tecs off with new “Say Yes to Love,” accomped by composers Howard Fenton and Gene Bone, then moves to the Steinway for ballad, “All This Is Mine.” Special* lyric item is “Take It All in Your Stride.” switched from the distaffers to their escorts in the advice patter contained. The authoritative delivery held the first-nighters, usually a noisy crowd who attend every premiere. Passing out of the roses is worked in via community sing and bring- on of ringsiders for dance-smooch- sing sequence. Whiting follows, to spell Hilde- garde. Looking younger than ever. America's Great New Comedy Team Currently CORA CITY Miami Baach CORAL RECORDS Pie.i William Morrh Agemey GENE RAND JIMMY KANE Currently ALPINE VILLAGE, Cleveland Next Wk. CHUBBY'S, Camden Sensational Subtle STRIPPER EXOTIC PRIMA BALLERINA • CARMEN—Phil Dac. 23 21 • EL REY—Oakland ...Dac. >1-Jan.13 • San Francisco T • Los Angelas t • Los Vegas ? Contact DICK HENRY 1733 B'way., N. Y. JU 2-SOU KIRBY STONE FOUR ON TOUR HAPPY NEW YEAR! COMEDY MATERIAL For All Branch#* mf Thoofncofa FUN-MASTER THt ORIGINAL SHOW-BIZ GAG Flit fTho Sorvlco at tho STARS) first 13 filos $7.00—AN 35 Isowas $35 Singly; 11.05 p#r script. J VUI I^VA ill U II L. V L.A , the perennial musicomedy juvenile turns in a pleasant, albeit unexcit- ing series of show tunes he’s been associated with through the years adding s bit of light hoofery to balance matters. Immaculately at- tired in tails and top-hat, he makes for a smooth partner for Hilde- garde when they Join in duets and their best bit. “The Old Soft Shoe.” Finale is well staged, Bone and Fenton joining them for reprise on “Say Yes To Love.” In for two weeks, they should attract the up- percrust trade from the posheries, as well as the Palin Beach crowd expected during ensuing nights. PEPPI • 5 aw*. PARODISS. par Saak 510 • • MINSTREL BUDGET 525 a • 4 BLACKOUT BKS., aa. bk. 525 a • BLUE BOOK (Oaaa for Stags) 555 a HOW TO MASTER TH« CEREMONIES 53.00 GIANT CLASSIFIED ENCYCLOPEDIA OP O AGS, 5300. Worth ovar a thousand No C.O.D.'t BILLY GLASON 200 W. 54th St., Now York 19 —Dopt. V Orel# 7-1130 Closed Dee . 26 MOULIN ROUGE Thank You, Frank Sonant Opened Dec. 28 CIRO'S Hollywood