Variety (January 12, 1955)

VAUDEVILLE 61 e«1ne§«1ay, January 12, 1955 Heat On at Chi North Side in Polit. War; Cops Hurt as Big Conventions Open Chicago, Jan. 11. The heat is on in Chicago’s Near North Side, and niteries concen- trated in this area are caught in the squeeze of stricter law enforce- ment, a byproduct of the fierce Democratic mayoralty primary battle being fought here. With the city at the peak of its convention activity, local clubs are feeling the pinch as police make it harder to separate the conventioneer from his loot. Both the furniture convention, year’s largest in this town, and the imto show are being held here si- multaneously. Local fun spots look to make their biggest killing at this time, but this year it’s dif- ferent. Most of the Windy City’s night life is jammed together in an area just 10 minutes north of the Loop, and as soon as conven- tioneers unpack their bags they rush north to shower sheckles into the hands of club operators. "26” dice girls, waiters, checkroom girls, bartenders and car-hops. This year, they’re all crying the blues. The plush nite spots in this town are packed in this Near North bailiwick, mostly along Rush St. Most of the strip joints (skin | shows) are just three blocks west on Clark St. They are all included in the East Chicago Ave, police district, a captain’s plum. Mayor Martin Kennelly, just before New (Continued on page 64) GAC Signs to Book WLW’s Country & Western Acts WLW (Cincinnati) country & western talent will be booked by General Artists Corp. Radio and tele station signed a pact with the agency for representation of its acts in all phases of show business. Most of the acts, however, will be booked at fairs. Art Weems, GAC veepee, and Ken Smith, head of the talent di- vision of WLW Promotions Inc., a WLW subsid, inked the contract recently in Cincinnati. New Lanin Department For Industrial Shows The Howard Lanin Agency has set up a special productions de- partment to handle industrial shows. The Lanin office is the latest to go in for staging pro- grams for industry. With growth of closed-circuit teevee and with a greater accent on employer-em- ployee relations, industrial shows are becoming an important source of revenue for agencies. Myron A. Lanin will head the | new department, lie’s a veepee in the outfit. Vegas Frontier Sold for $4,000,000 Las Vegas, Jan. 11. Last Frontier -Hotel’s general manager, Jake Kozloff, last week completed negotiations to sell the hotel to three Beverly Hills, Cal., investors. The sale involves more than $4,000,000, which includes the mortgage, purchased from the Griffith Theatre interests of Texas, former owner of the hotel. In- cluded in the sale is 80^ of the stock. The buyers are Stanley S. Leeds, Irving J. Leff and Maurice H. Friedman. In addition to Kozloff, others dis- posing of their stock are Murray Randolph, Arthur Brick, Bob Kro- loff and Max Wittus. Beldon Kat- leman, owner of Hotel El Rancho Vegas, is retaining his 20^ interest in the corporation. Conditions of the sale are that the Nevada State Tax Commission must approve the new owner. Kozloff has been re- tained as general manager, al- though he will have no contract. Friars to Honor M & L Hollywood, Jan. 11. Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis are to be honored March 11 by the N.Y. Friars Club at a testimonial dinner highlighting the Friars’ Golden Jubilee. Tribute, to be held at the Waldorf- Astoria, will mark the first time the org has honored the team, or : any comedians of their generation. Yates, Ever a Pro, Passes Away On Cal. Golf Course By JOE COHEN "There’s a lot of money to be made in vaudeville, and if I had my old strength again, I could show you how r it can be done.” So said Charles V. Yates a month ago. Unfortunately, the formula by which he could make vaude and niteries pay off to a greater extent went with him on Sunday (9>, when he died on a golf course at Palm Springs. Cal., while in the company of Bob Hope, his friend and client of many years. Yates, 52. had suffered two heart attacks in the past few years, and about two weeks ago he entered a hospital for a checkup. Yates, even though he had been ill, ill, continued to explore the unusual paths of show biz. His major client, aside from Hope and Bea Lillie, was Christine Jorgensen, and he had hopes of building her into a per- sonality that would transcend the freak headlines associated with her. He had been routing hillbilly units from WSM, Nashville, and had been enthusiastic about open- ing a lot of time with the cornfed crooners. In a field in which competition is so keen that one agent regards another as a natural enemy, Yates was probably the best liked. Prior to his illnesses, he was one of the most active gagsters. In his horse- betting days, he would tell friends that he had enough information to (Continued on page 64) Personal Management Field Growing; See More Gain With Cleanup of Abuses Nam<* Policy to Stick With Oakland Spot San Francisco, Jan. 11. The Sands Ballroom, formerly Linn’s, in Oakland, is currently booking in names and semi-names on a weekend only basis and doing okay with the new policy. Mel Torme started the new idea there before Christmas and has been followed by Margaret Whit- j ing. Cab Calloway plays the spot for three days beginning Jan. 14; the Sportsmen take over next week. Ballroom operates on an admission charge and works the j visiting names with the house orch. Cuba’s San Souci Resumes Action ( Havana, Jan. 11. Sans Souci, one of Havana’s Big Three niteries, has reopened after being closed since last May. Ex-j tensive renovations in the Spanish- villa-style nitery are expected to cost about $300,000 when com- pleted. These include an indoor area to be used in rainy weather and an airconditioning system. Reopening of the nitery was scheduled earlier in December, but was postponed several times due to incompleteness of rebuilding. Early in the evening of New Year’s Eve workers were still busy put- ting in finishing touches. Only mishap of the night oc- curred when the area’s lighting ( system blacked out for two hours, i Candles were placed on tables. Norman Rothman continues as manager. Social director is Ben Krakover. In charge of the game room is Eddie Cellini, whose broth- er holds the same post at the rival Tropicana. Back with the nitery after several years is Carlyle, who produces the shows. Personal management of acts, like the agency business, has un- dergone terrific changes during the past few years. The management enterprises have become increas- ingly important as the agencies have become larger, and the indie agents are being pushed out of the way. As result, acts have had to retain personal managers in order to make some headway, not only within their own agencies, but within the business. Another factor that makes per- sonal management decisive in ca- reers of talent is the extremely keen competition for work. With employment opportunities becom- ing limited in many fields, the old methods of building acts have be- come obsolete. Even diskings no longer provide the tomplete an- swer to the rise of talent. This has become evident by the fact that there are certain categories of acts that rise with a hot disk and fall away when the Fieat goes off that waxing. As result of the greater com- plexities of the business, personal managements seem to become very important. Of late years, this kind of management has become big business. For example. Gabbe, Lutz &i Heller, Bullets Durgom, The Lou (Continued on page 64) Burlesk Comic Moore Is Badly Hurt in Car Smash Pittsburgh, Jan. 11. Benny Moore, vet burlesque comic, is laid up at the Wheeling, W. Va., hospital with a skull frac- ture and two broken legs as result of an auto accident. Moore, after playing the Casino here, was on his way to the Coast for eight weeks of bookings when a truck ran into his car. He’ll be laid up for some time yet, and may not be able to work again for the remainder of the season. CHRISTINE JORGENSEN Currently Appearing TO D0R0THY-A SON” EMPRESS PLAYHOUSE St . Louis * Exclusive Management: YATES ARTIST CORPORATION 565 Fifth Avtnuo, Now York Publicity: FRANCES E. KAYE A Co.