Variety (January 12, 1955)

62 VAUDEVILLE Wednesday, January 12, 1955 Personal Management: JACK ROLLINS Diruction: MCA WILL JORDAN 365 Bimbo 9 * ODO Club 1025 COLUMBUS AVE., SAN FRANCISCO January 6, 1955 Dear Will: Thanks to you, all attendance records were broken during your engagement here at the 365 Club, Hope you will return at an early date. Sincerely, A. Giuntoli AG :e Guest Starring JANUARY 18th MARTHA RATE SHOW Tkank you HAL ORAUDIS for throo wonderful wookt at fke THUNDERBIRD, Las Vegas Currently GOLDEN SLIPPER Long Island, New York Opening January 18th FONTAINEBLEAU, Miami MERCURY ARTISTS CORP., N. Y. C. Night Club Reviews Continued from pace 60 IliLiln II., Miami HVh “September Song,” yock-raising spoof on operatic arias and artful twist en “Hernando's Hideway,” with switch centering the comedy theme on Orlando. Fla. It’s basic- ally a rhyming on the “House Is Not A Home Idea,” but brought oiT in good taste. Impact is solid throughout, earn- ing them an encore segment which features vocal impreshes in “Stars of Yesteryear.” it's an olT-trail limning, away from the usual take- offs. the duo taking turns at John McCormack, Jack Norworth and Nora Bayes. George M. Cohan, Gallagher & Shean and a wrapper- upper in Cross's carboning of Bert Williams’ poker game bit. The pair are a good bet for tv guesters while working the better cafes for which their concepts are obviously tailored. Wally Wanger’s production ideas are bright, featuring a fresh group of youngsters, colorfully costumed. Teenager soubrette Barbara Ann Sharma is a likely looking pros- pect for better things once she undergoes {he smoothening that comes with experience. Ted Law- rie handles the song leads effec- tively. and on his own scores hand- ily with a blend of American and Parisian chansons. Lad is a per- sonable performer who works out his catalog with polished ease. Martin & Maio blend into the en- semble numbers, then take off solo on expert French dance patterns to earn themselves healthy re- turns. Showhacking by Fausto Cur- ello and his unit is well handled. Lary. frofleendo. Hollywood Hollywood. Jan. 8. Louis Armstrong Orch (6), with Velma Middleton: cover, $2. All paths for jazz fans should lead to the Crescendo during the next two weeks, where Louis Armstrong is making his return to L. A. after more than two years. Satehmo whoops it up for even jazzier melodies than usual, on this first Sunset Strip appearance, and the engagement shou>d necessitate management hiring an extra- money-counter for what’s a cinch to be packed houses to his wind- up. The trumpet is as clear and enthusiastic as ever, and Arm- strong has arranged his numbers so that every man in the six-man orch gets golden opportunity to show his wares. Tunes are remi- niscent both of Basin St. and Canal St., where the lazy style is blasted frequently with brass, and their effect on the crowd was constant outbursts opening night. Satehmo is right in there singing, too, while using two hankorchiefs per show to mop up his enthusi- asm. More than a dozen numbers are crowded into the 60-minute frame, and it’s all according to what in- strument you like best to name a top tune. With “Sleepy Time Gal” for his theme, Armstrong socks over in very best style “Tin Roof Blues,” “Back Home in Indiana” and “I Found My Thrill on Blue- verry Hill.” “S’Wonderful,” with Barney Bi- gard on the clarinet, cops one of the biggest hands. Bass fiddler Arvell Shaw draws plenty with “The Man I Love,” Trummy Young with his hot trombone gives out with a terrific “Tain’t What You Do.” Billy Kyle fascinates with “Pennies from Heaven” on the piano, and Barrett Deems handles “Mop Mop” just right on the drums. On the singing end, Velma Middleton breezes into “Lover Come Back to Me” for fine effect, and pairs with Armstrong on “Big Butter and Egg Man.” Next stop for Satehmo—Florida. Whit. at the start quickly disappears. “This Can’t Be Love" is the teeoff, followed by “Lover Come Back to Me” and “When Your Lover Has Gone.” Also, there’s "I Can’t Give You Anything But Love.” Seems she can’t let go of love. It’s a class turn, right for tv exposure as well as the clubs. With no customer dancing, Sau- ter-Finegan crew puts the accent on sound effects. There’s plenty of “arrangement.” particularly in belting out “Eddie and the Witch Doctor” and “John Henry,” latter ballad also getting a robust recita- tion by Andy Roberts. S-F’s off- beat approach sells well. Don Shirley, although a holdover at the Street, doesn’t seem at home. His quasi-classical jazz pian- istics are beautifully registered but his message doesn’t get properly received in the spacious room. Gene. (RALPH AND MARY) THE CARNEVALES "IN A DUNCIN ' MOOD" Currently CASINO ROYAL WASHINGTON, D. C. Dir.; Jimmie Husson Agency 119 W. 57th St.. New York Itasin Street, IV. Y, Ella Fitzgerald, SauterFinegan Orch, Don Shirley Duo. Adviis • sion, $1.80; $3 minimum. Cellar spot has a payoff layout this time out with Ella Fitzgerald’s vocalistics balanced against Sauter- Finegan’s musicalisthenics. In be- tween, Don Shirley at the piano assisted by Richard Davis finger- ing bass. Full house on opening Jan. 4. Miss Fitzgerald, who’s played Basin Street before, has the cus- tomers with her right off. She’s “soft peddling” her songalog, stressing intimacy in style of de- livery and the effect is beaucoup agreeable. A show of nervousness ■loverly Hills, Newport Newport, Ky., Jan. 8. Bevcrlce Dennis, Stan Kramer , & Co., 3 Rockets, Earl Lindsay Dancers (10), Dick Hyde, Gardner Benedict Orch (10); $3 minimum, $4 Saturday. Favorable start for 1955 is sup- plied by the current two-weeker. Beverlee Dennis adds to her Greater Cincy gallery of rooters with a varied song cycle and occa- sional spicy quips. All of the ma- terial is special and sparkling and befitting her range of type take- offs. “Show Biz," which she introed here, parades the singing greats of this century and shapes as retaining a place for some time to come in her routine. Stan Kramer & Co., also back among warm friends, hits high as a puppet productioner. Miniature stage, characters and wardrobing are a show unto themselves. This includes recordings for Durante and other specialties. Finishes strong with his backstage assist- ants, mother and dad, joining in manipulating pairs of dancing fig- ures. Fast and unison-stepping 3 Rockets rack up lots of mitting in five minutes on the boards. It’s their first time here. Line of Lindsay Dancers has three spanking new numbers and costuming. Gardner Benedict’s combo and the Jimmy Wilbur Trio maintain a high standard of show- backing and dance music. Koll. Desert Inn, Las Vegas Las Vegas, Jan. 3. Jimmy Durante, Eddie Jackson, Jack Roth, Jules Bufjano, Kurtis Marionettes (2), Mary Meade French, Donn Arden Dancers (16), Carlton Hayes Orch (14); no cover or minimum. fashion and the capacity biz regis- tered nightly is no place for a guy looking for a quiet corner to doze off between dice-game sessions. The Durante tumult (in for two and a half weeks) is at the same old pitch, the hysterics stem from the same knockabout cavontings as the Schnoz tosses piano parts at his drummer Jack Roth or gibes with pianist Jules Buffano. Durante works much of the time with six girls from the Donn Arden line and most of the time with old sidekick Eddie Jackson. In the 50 minutes noisily consumed by the comedian, his effusive yellings, “Let me hear the band,” punctuate song faves. “It’s the Man That Makes the Clothes” is Durante buffoonery at its most hilarious, with the belles giving a broad as- sist. His search for the lost chord at the piano leaves the audience limp. With Durante at the 88. Jack- son belts “It’s a Thrill” and “Old Bill Bailey” to rock the room as the dependable vaude entertainer prances in his long familiar style. “The Rhumba Is a Marvellous Step” finds Durante again rollick- ing with the six chorines in a rhythmic Umbriago set. “Inka Dinka Doo” is the high-note end- ing to the stint. The Kurtis Marionettes is a clever novelty as a parade of color- ful and supple dolls dance to the clever string-pullings of Kurtis and his assistant. Kurtis also sings through the tiny characters, rang- ing from blues to opera, and the act goes off to a big hand. Tall, blonde Mary Meade French is a singer with a personality that pleases and a pleasant-enough voice. Her impressions of a bevy of femme singing stars including Patti Page and Dorothy Shay un- derscore good entertainment. The Donn Arden line number. Bal Masque,” Is a colorful, well- staged and costumed terp routine that scores with the customers all the way and the show is ably- backed by Carlton Hayes and his orch. Bob. Jimmy Durante makes his an- nual visit in typically boisterous SILLMAN SET TO STAGE NEW VERSAILLES SHOW Leonard Sillman will stage the new show at the Versailles, N. Y., to open at the nitery around the end of February. Sillman, producer of the current legiter, “Mrs. Pat- terson,” who has also done several editions of “New Faces,” will start rehearsals Feb. 1. Already signed for the show are Arthur Siegel and June Carroll as writers; David Tihman as chore- ographer, and Thomas Beecher, costumes. Cast is still to be set up. Most Versailles unit shows have run over a year. However, the cur- rent show opened Sept. 22 of last year. Glaser Books La Silva Into Palm Beach Club Simone Silva has been booked into the New Melody Club, West Palm Beach, Fla., by Joe Glaser’s Associated Booking Corp. She was packaged in a deal with the Harry Ranch Orch. Miss Silva, Italian filmstar, had her stay extended in the U. S. by the Immigration Dept, as long as she keeps working. Genevieve signed for the Palmer House, Chicago, starting Feb. 16, coincident with the release of her new Columbia album. The NEW and SENSATIONAL ESTRELLITA and RAUL in "Dances of Spain"