Variety (September 1955)

66 VAUDEVILLE yasaETT Wednesday, September 28. 1955 Sennes Launching His 3d Moulin Rouge Revue Hollywood, Sept. 27. Frank Sennes launches “Paris Toujours!” at the Moulin Rouge tomorrow (Wed.)., third revue since he opened the theatre-restaurant Christmas Day, 1953. New Donn Arden show reportedly is costing in the neighborhood of $250,000, with more than 100 in the cast. Lineup of talent includes The Peters Sisters, Marquis Family, Andrea Dancers, The Cabots, Peiro Bros., Ffolliott Charlton and Jerry Gray band. Pony Sherrell and Phil Moody did music and lyrics, Harvey Warren executed sets and Mme. Berthe the costumes. Vegas Moulin Rouge Seeks 750G In Revamp; Talent Format Shifted Las Vegas, Sept. 27. Negotiations to secure a loan of $750,000 to bolster the financial foundation of the Moulin Rouge Hotel are under way this week, underscoring ‘ an overall reorgan¬ ization of the multi-million dollar interracial resort. A board of directors meeting was called for today (Tues.) at which time plans for revamping the hotel’s operational policy were to have been blueprinted, in addi¬ tion to discussion of the proposed loan. . The main sore spot, according to general manager Nate Schlaifer, is the hotel's entertainment policy. As a result, the hotel has pro¬ grammed efforts to hypo interest in the spa via a diversified enter¬ tainment lineup and various flack¬ ing gimmicks. For its revamped entertainment policy, which the hotel’s ops hope will lure a share of the tourist coin that is centered more on the Strip, two miles away, the inn has booked “mixed” combinations, both in the cocktail lounge and in the supper club. Opening this policy will be Les Brown and his orch, surrounded by a bevy of copper-toned chorines. Show bows Oct. 4 for a four-stanza run. ' In a deal with the Royal Ne¬ vada, which is also in the process of refinancing and reorganizing, the interracial hotel has pacted Georgia Tapps to stage its shows. Tapps has a two-year contract with the Royal Nevada as the lat¬ ter's. choreographer. The hotel is presently concert¬ ing publicity efforts at a Miss Moulin Rouge-Las Vegas beauty contest under the direction of pressagent Martin Black, a mem¬ ber of the former Dunes regime. The contest is being run in con¬ junction with the cross-country theatre itinerary of Lionel Hamp¬ ton and was kicked off at the Paramount, Los Angeles, two weeks ago. Winners will be judged from contests held in cities that Hampton plays, and finals will be run off in Las Vegas during Hamp¬ ton's return engagement to the Moulin Rouge over the Christmas- New Year's holidays. Finalist win¬ ner receives an assortment of prizes, including a show contract with the hostelry. Proser Signs Dp Haymes, Hackett Monte Proser, operator of .La Vie, N. Y., has been able to buy two names for the spot despite the competish. He has pacted Dick Haymes to open Oct. 6 for two weeks and' has inked Buddy Hackett to follow on Oct. 20 for the same period. It will be the first N. Y. date for Haymes in several years. This booking was made by the William Morris Agency. Haymes had been previously booked by Music Corp. of America, which is currently seeking an arbitration with the American Guild of Variety Artists on the matter of commissions and repay- (Continued on page 67) CARMEN MIRANDA LEFT 150G IN CAL. PROPERTY Los Angeles, Sept. 27. Carmen Miranda, who died Aug. 5 of a heart attack, left in excess of $150,000 in California property, it was disclosed when her widower, producer David Sebastian, was ap¬ pointed administrator of her es¬ tate. Assets, which also include $23,- 000 cash, will be inherited by Sebastian and singer’s relatives. Happy Benway’s 70th Saranac Lake, Sept. 27. Happy Benway, longtime Va- rety correspondent at Saranac Lake, marks his 70th birthday to¬ morrow (Thurs.) with an afternoon shindig at Don’s Melody Lounge here. The Variety mugg-of-the-moun- tains has been reporting on news of the patients at the Will Rogers Memorial Hospital here for two decades. In the vaude heyday, Benway was a member of the blackface team of Mulroy & Ben¬ way.,.. Cal. Trade Clubs Start New Boom For Live Talent San Francisco, Sept. 27. A new kind of business club has started a boom in live talent throughout Northern and Central California. Result has been a big jump in work for medium-priced acts—and the movement is threat¬ ening to roll Into the Los Angeles area. Here's how it happened: More than 20 years ago the Sac¬ ramento Chamber of' Commerce set aside one night a month for a social session capped by three or four live acts. A so-called Trade Club was formed to promote the night, for which tickets were sold. In addition, one business or a number of businesses sponsored each night, and derived free ad¬ vertising from it. The Sacramento Trade Club grew to the point where it drew 1.000 men to each session—strictly stag—but no one copied the idea until June, 1950. Since that time, 10 trade clubs have been formed in these California communities: Merced, Stockton, Oakland, Mo¬ desto, Southern Alameda County, Richmond, Berkeley, Bakersfield, San Bernardino and Fresno. In addition, the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce is now discussing formation of a trade club. What this means to show busi¬ ness is that these clubs have $300 to $500 a month available for a night of entertainment and want to spend. The official bulletin of (Continued on page 69) "Everything he does Is apt to be pretty extraordinary, and sooner or later Bob McFadden, just like Davy Crockett is going to sweep the epuntry." WINSOR FRENCH, Clovaland Praia. "He's ripe for some TV scout!" KU PCI NET, Chicago Sun Timas. "Freshest neW talent in showbusiness to¬ day!" BROCK, Dallas Ntws. THE SATIRICAL AND LYRICAL BOB McFADDEN Just concluded: HOLLENDEN HOTEL, Cleveland CHICAGO THEATRE, Chicago STATLER HOTEL, Loi Angeles BAKER HOTEL, Dallas CLUB CRESCENDO, Houston Currently: FONTAINEBLEAU, Miami Beach Opening Oct. 13th: ROOSEVELT. New Orleans Direction: MCA AGVA Going After Chi Peeleries; One-at-a-Time Strategy on Clubs Chicago, Sept, 27. Now that Chi's major talent showcases have been brought into line with American Guild of Va¬ riety Artists’ basic requirements, AGVA midwest regional director Ernie Fast is going after the Madi¬ son St. peeleries. The strip joints have always been a tough nut to break, and when Fast first came out here two years ago, he stirred up a hornet’s nest when he attempted to sign the Calumet City spots. Since ob¬ taining little success there, an armed truce has prevailed for some time between AGVA and the Cal City stripperies. Strategy now is to go after the top spots first and follow with the smaller guys. Also, Chicago Joints will be signed up before Fast tackles the outskirts. Another element in the new strategy is to sign spots one at a time, rather than all at once as was unsuccessfully attempted be- GM Power Spec Winds Up in Chi Chicago, Sept. 27. Casting of bread on the waters in the form of circuses came to an end here last Sunday (25) as Gen¬ eral Motors’ free power spectacu¬ lar, “Powerama,” pulled up stakes by Chicago’s lakefront to go into storage. The lavish cuffo display of GM's diesel-powered muscle, including a grandstand show produced by Edith and Dick Barstow, who also did “Motorama," played to 2,218,- 412 spectators during its 26-day run on the site of Chicago’s 1933 Century of Progress exhibition on the shores of Lake Michigan. Glori¬ fying the role of diesel power, the show exhibited diesel - powered farm machinery, d e s i g n e r s * “dream” cars, futuristic kitchens, a submarine, tanks, cannon, a Jet (Continued on page 67) Miami Beach Studying. New Ordinance to Ban B-Girk From Cafes Miami Beach, Sept. 27. A new ordinance aimed at ban¬ ning B-girls from Miami Beach cafes was referred to the city at¬ torney’s office this week, after city council questioned wording of the proposed law as it might affect the top "names., who work the better spots along the oceanfront. The recommendation for ap¬ proval of the ordinance came from Police Chief Romeo J. Shepard. In substance it Is framed from a sim¬ ilar law now in force in Jackson¬ ville, which makes it unlawful for employees in places licensed to sell alcoholic beverages to “drink, dance and mingle with or consort with customers.” In Jacksonville, the ruling applies to female em¬ ployees only. Attempts at enforcing a like law in Miami some time ago met de¬ feat when the circuit court of Dade County issued an injunction against enforcement after action brought by night club operators in that area, protesting the constitu¬ tional facets of the ordinance. Beach city councilmen, led by Judge Bernard Frank, questioned the wording, especially as it might be applied to such toppers as Joe E. Lewis (a close friend of Frank), Patti Page, Sophie Tucker, et al. Final decision was to reword the proposed ban “so it won’t hurt any local businesses.” Jacques Bonnet has been signed for musical chores at the Club £rj a , ° f the new Lucerne Hotel, Miami Beach. fore under the previous Jack Irv¬ ing administration. Fast is ask ing, and in most cases getting, com¬ pliance from local nitery and thea tre operators to AGVA's three ba' sic requirements. A three-point program calls for posting of a cash bond for entertainers’ salaries bv employers, signing of the minimum basic agreement regulating wages and working conditions, and week¬ ly contributions by employers of $2.50 per entertainer to*the union's welfare fund. Latest to meet all three require¬ ments are the Chez Paree, Black Orchid, Chicago Theatre, Moulin Rouge, Club Hollywood, Cloister Inn, and the Casino of Tomorrow all in Chicago or its outskirts. In addition, the Pioneer Club of Wichita, Kans., has complied with the three-point plan. AGVA Holds Off N. 0. Show Yanking, Pending Talks Yanking of the show at the Roosevelt Hotel, New Orleans, has been postponed, pending the agree¬ ment of innkeeper Seymour Weiss to discuss the issues involved with the American Guild of Variety Artists. Union had been slated to pull the performers out last Wednesday (21) on the issue of paying welfare funds. Weiss had stated that he was willing to make payments for the lesser salaried performers, but felt that it was ridiculous to pay an accident premium bite for the four- figured salaried performers who could very well afford to pay the $2.50 weekly levy. Eileen BARTON CORAL RECORDS Dlr.t WILLIAM MORRIS AGENCY WHEN IN BOSTON lt'$ th • HOTEL AVERY Tha Horn# of Show Folk Avery It Wasfciagtoa Sts. Radio la Every Rooai Representing ■dcHo Kaplan Aganoy Ino. fALACI THEATM.IUILOIN* i hoadwav, h. r. . pi.i. YOU ARE INVITED to sharo our pool and apartmant - accommodation* on tho fabulous Sunaot Strip in Hollywood Wo offor attractive Pally, Wookly and Monthly Ratof SUNSET PATIO HOTEL APTS. 8265 Sunsot Blvd.r Lot Angola*