Variety (December 1955)

62 NIGHT CLUB REVIEWS Variety Wednesday, December 14, 1955 Hotel Plaza, N% Y. June Valli, with Fred Stamer; Ted Straeter and Mark Monte Orchs; $2-$2.50 convert. RCA disker June Valli who is also known to “the kids” via radio and tv, as well as the jukeboxes, has taken a large stride forward with this Persian Room engage¬ ment: For the Hilton hotel its also a bit of an adventure unless the thinking is to lure the holiday¬ ing Xmas season youngsters. However it works out is conjectu¬ ral because, fundamentally, this very competent -songstress is some¬ what immature for the medium. She has full awareness thereof, in her charming desire to please, and, in truth, she grows on the customers, but the real socko is lacking. This is not her saloon debut; Miss Valli was “noticed” in Variety at La Vie En Rose, N.Y., when it was under Monte Proser’s direction. Since then Proser and his financial mentor Milton Black- stone (of the Eddie Fisher Black- stones) have gone through a cou¬ ple of other operations—an old Proser custom—and Miss Valli, since that initial New Act review in May ’51, has made progress on her own. The then prognostication of her diskery potential has borne ^ Aided by special accomp Fred Stamer, Miss Valli is ap attractive brunet, attired in the best couture, and with a basic songalog talent that should prove generally com¬ mercial. Excepting, somehow, in this room. There is such thing as an affinity between a boite and its attraction—maybe only in Las Vegas does any act fit any room, although even there the vets will tell you which are best attuned for this or that headliner. When you’re a shade better than an in-between hit the compulsion for being -eminently objective creates a somewhat critical vacilla¬ tion. However, her managers will probably be the first to admit that, given another setting,' the end- result would be more completely satisfactory. , ' , Her penchant is for standards, from film and show scores, viz., “Lose That Long Face” and “Man That Got Away,” both by Harold Arlen from “Star 1 Is Born”; two' Cole Porter items, “All Right With Me” and “Thing Called Love”; two Gershwins, “But Not For Me” and “Can’t Take That Away From Me’ the cha-cha-cha " ~ ' show in itself, puts plenty of zest I into 'its numbers. Rhythms are crisp and well-defined. Crew is geared for dancing and listening, delivering in all departments with lop showmanship values. Lifting the curtain on the floor show are the Hightowers—Betty and Bob. Good crowd-pleasers, they combine graceful adagio with thrilling overhead spins and acro¬ batics. Gal, who has a nifty chas¬ sis, is at best in a deep back bend from a lofty perch t<P pick up a handkerchief between her teeth and flip forward into the arms of her hefty partner. The personable, highly talented and energetic Wilder Bros, net plenty of palm-pounding for their harmonizing, Saxophone rendi¬ tions, comedy and intricate arm in¬ terlocking' antics. The Charlivels, diminutive French trio, cause the biggest ex¬ citement. Hard-working Gallic lads whip themselves into a frenzy of flips, spins and twists, songs, in¬ strumental playing and precision terping, and leave the audience spent but clamoring for more. Pert Judy Gay and Johnny Ama- rosa vocalists with the Flanagan outfit, display nice pipes in their warbling during the show and on the bandstand. Liuz. Latin Quarter, N.Y; Hazel Scott, Romd Vincent, Nor¬ ton & P.atricia, Wazzan Troupe, Riveras (2), Lynn Christie, How¬ ard Mann, Mitchell Gregg, Line, Jo Lombari Orch; $6 minimum. Beverly Hills, Newport Newport, Ky., Dec. 10. Patti Moore & Ben Lessy, Mar- Absent from the Broadway scene for a number of years, Hazel Scott is back with her zesty 88’ing and throaty warbling as the headliner of Lou Walters’ always fast-paced Latin Quarter revue. Miss Scott, long a fave, apparently has geared her act to meet the LQ’s clientele’s popular taste. It’s a showmanly performance designed for sight as well as sound values. Sepia looker, gowned in shim¬ mering gold, has a way with a song. Her gasps for breath in the mid¬ dle of words, however, tend to de¬ stroy her otherwise effective phras¬ ing. Her deep voice has a sexy quality which she plays up with body movement and gesture. Shift¬ ing from the piano to the standup mike; she caresses “Autumn Leaves” in French, “More Than You Know” and “Nobody’s Baby,” among others. Her pianistic piece de resistance is “St. Louis Blues." As a closer, Miss Scott unzips her gown from the hips down and cir¬ cles the stage with simple dance movements to display her shapely gams. Romo Vincent’s pleasant kewpie- dollish manner places him in im¬ mediate rapport with the custom- over a highly entertaining batch pf material-in this cubicle. Octet : features Damita' Jo, a shouter named “Snake,” comic Jay Price and Gibson. They all take turns or give with ensemble musickiiig to r&b, ballads,, comedy, impres¬ sions and hoedowri for terrii re¬ sponse. Kallmar shows commendable fer¬ vor in lining out his tunes, to reveal ingredients for development into a potent personality. He goes the minstrelsy route, reminiscent of the grand old line of vaude stars, although his main shortcoming at present is working at a crescendo of vocal volume and energy sans needed shadings, Wally Wanger’s line of six dolls are lookers all, step lightly in open¬ ing choreo, and pose prettily for Miss Paget’s entrance in final scene. Puzzle is Alicia Marquez’ very brief shake on and off to bongo beats of'Jack Del Rio. The act is almost as fast as a twinkle of a sequin. Benny Short’s relief crew displays solid backgrounding. Will. Cordolms «>, DorotHy | ^ ^ Dorben Dancers (10), Dick Hyde, Gardner Benedict Orch (10), Jim¬ my Wilber Trio, Larry Vincent; $3 minimum, $4 Saturdays. tie,” and pops like “C’est La Vie,” “Love Me or Leave Me,” “Don’t Take Your Love,” also a credited salute to Fanny Brice’s “My Man,” among others. Per usual, Ted Straeter and Mark Monte bands .whip up the brand of “society” dansapation they like here. .Abel. New Frontier, Las Vegas Las Vegas, Dec. 13. Will Mastin Trio with Sammy Davis Jr., Gogi Grant, Dorothy Dorben Venus Starlets (20), Joyce Roberts, Garwood Van Orch (18), Morty Stevens; $2 minimum. A lively variety floor show is on tap at Greater Cincinnati’s plush casino, bidding to lessen the pre- Yule lull,- which follows the near¬ record fortnight's business of the lineup headed by Frank Parker. Patti Moore & Ben Lessy, popular via previous visits, ease through 35 fast minutes of singing and clownuing. Blonde Miss Moore, in flaming red gown, does most of the straighting for her bald and rubberlegs partner. Their vocals have a couple of special ditties which, like some of their lines, include off-color sprinklings, all in ■carefree delivery. % Marquis Family, here for the first time, merits early and often returns. Four trained chimpanzees, rrm.t iv iC , cleverl y routined and presented Sweet and Gen-1 £3“ • Preceding the big holiday rush, Will Mastin Trio with Sammy Davis Jr. will just about corner the Strip market. Davis uses the same opener with dad, Sammy Sr., and uncle Will, a volatile getaway employing the warble “Gee It’s Good to Be Home,” catapulting into challenge hoofing all around. From then on in, it’s Sammy’s inning and he parades his usual socko impreshes of w.k.’s. Both chants of “Black Magic” and a Jol- son “Rockabye” are socko, as is “Birth of the Blues.” Show biz saga reprises a touch of opener with return of Davis Sr., and Mas¬ tin to punch over “Happy Ending” for huge ovation. Gogi Grant, a very appealing thrush, received her start at the New Frontier’s annex, the Silver Slipper. This was a couple of years ago, and since that time she has been on the rise via nitery rounds and records. Miss Grant has facile pipes that carry her from belting to ballading with equal success. Dorothy Dorben’s “South Ram¬ part Street Parade” is a holdover, but fronts a new featured terper to the Venus Room, Joyce Roberts. Her acro-struts and baton whirls are very flashy, and add a neat extra touch to the brilliant curtain- raiser. Garwood Van orch is in top form, and receives the precise directions during the Mastin Trio- Sammy Davis turn from Morty Stevens. Will. cram eight minutes with, laughs and surprises. Dressed‘as mama, papa and little son and daughter, the chimps do acrobatics along with roller skating, unicycle and motor¬ cycle riding and rope skipping. Cordoline, also newcomers, are quick in adding boosters. White- gowned glittering bricktops, three play violins and the fourth an ac¬ cordion, dancing at the same time. A pleasing 20 minutes- for class spots. ■ Holiday verve themes three well- executed and dressed routines .by the Dorben Dancers, with Dick Hyde as singing emcee, to backing by the Gardner Benedict band, plus intermission music by the Jimmy Wilber Trio and Larry Vincent’s piano caperings %in the cocktail room. KoZl, good, chuckling mood. He eschews the vulgar and scores handily in song and story with a horse-play¬ ing barber, a revival meeting, a Texas cowboy and a Negro parolee. The last number—an involved story dealjng with a parolee and his prostie' girl friend—trips up Vincent. Number doesn't rate as an effective wrap-up. As per usual, Walters supplies his headliners with some of the top supporting acts around. In many spots, these turns would rate top billing. The Wazzan Troupe, with their whirlwind acrobatics and pyramid-building reaching to the nitery’s ceiling, has the cus¬ tomers gasping in amazement. The Rivieras pull a switch on the usual Apache set, with the muscular, blonde-haired femme - ^serving as the' roughhouse aggressor. Act is a great crowd-pleaser. Norton & Patricia, tv’s “Chance of a Lifetime” winners, should go places after their LQ engagement and it won’t come as a surprise to many if they’re held over. Good- looking youngsters have a socko ballroom act. Their terpology is polished and they carry off the lifts and acrobatics with consummate ease.-* Team has a younger-thain- springtime look in manner and garb. Of course;” no LQ show Is com¬ plete without the chorines and showgals and Walters’ crop, mainly in flesh-colored coverings designed by Freddie Wittop, provide the necessary pulchritude. Lynn Chris¬ tie and Mitchell Gregg are on hand for the production vocals and How¬ ard Mann comes through with a flashy terp in the opener. The showbacking and dance music by Jo Lombardi’s crew is excellent. Holl. Cote d’Azur, London London, Dec. 9. Wally Peterson, Derek Spanswick Orch; cover 45c. Wiiikiki, Honolulu ' Honolulu, Dec. 9. liftike Foster, Arlington Rollman, Neiani Correa, Danny Regor, Manu, Lima Sisters (2), Eddie Spencer & Top of the Islanders (4); $2 mini¬ mum. This presumably is the final show to be presented In Top of the Isle room under the Waikiki Bilt- more Hotel's present regime. New operators are set to take over the entire hotel next month. It’ll be surprising if comedian- emcee Mike Foster doesn’t stay on, no matter what entertainment policy the roof room switches to, because he’s the most versatile comic any Hawaii nitery has seen in some time. Foster is at his best in face and. voice mimicry. Patter is brisk and often sparkled with topical ad libs and routines are effective. Current show features Arling¬ ton Rollman, bass-baritone, on his way back to the States after six. years in Japan and the Philippines, where he played in nit-eries, filled concert dates, appeared in operas and with symphony orchestras, and co-starred in a Japanese pic for Daiei Studios. Rollman is singing pops and semi-pops here and doing especially well with such fare as “Donkey Serenade” and “Night and Day.’’ It’s a sturdy, well-groomed voice that will draw repeat biz once he bec'omes estab¬ lished on the mainland. Danny Regor ekes Les Paul-like notes out of a four-stringed uku¬ lele; Manu does some eye-catch¬ ing Tahitian-style dances; .Neiani Correa continues to develop as a ballad singer, and the Lima Sis¬ ters show why they’re rated among Hawaii’s top hula teams. Eddie Spencer and orchestra back the show and also play for dancing. Walt. The Cote d’Azur club in the heart of Soho, launched a few months ago, is the first successful attempt to bring some of the Left Bank atmosphere to London’s Latin Quarter. It is a modest- priced venture, run with- a club membership and an annual fee of $3. The nominal cover charge of around 45c is within the means of the younger office worker, and the purchase of drinks (both hard and soft) is at the customer’s own dis¬ cretion. Because it fills an obvious gap in London’s late-night entertain¬ ment, the club has been a stand¬ out success from inauguration, and is jammed to capacity most nights. As a result, the management has been able to offer cabaret attrac¬ tions above average for this kind of spot. Current headliner is Wal¬ ly Peterson, a Yank who came over for “Oklahoma” at Drury Lane and has stayed here ever since. He’s a personable, conscientious performer who has devised a slick routine, shrewdly geared to appeal to the younger type audience. It | is unsophisticated as it should be, „ ——-„ _ I but is delivered with enough verve Roosevelt Ilotel, O. Jand sincerity to hold the custom- New Orleans. Dec. 10. ers. A reprise of hit tunes from Ralph Flanagan’s Orch (10), {“Oklahoma” and “South Pacific” Charlivels (3), Betty & Bob High- f find favor with the ringsiders, as tower, Wilder Bros. (3 ), Judy Gay: \ d( > PW entiles. Foreign-language ?3 minimum 1 versions of standards help to effect ’--— I a change of rnood. The new hjoliday flavored show' Derek Spanswlck’s seven-piece El Rancho, Las Vegas Las Vegas, Dec. 13. Debra Paget, Steve Gibson's Red Caps (8), Dick Kallmar, Alicia Marquez <fc Jack Del Rio, Wally Wanger’s El Rancho Girls <6), Benny Short Orch (10) $2 mini¬ mum. Runes, Las Ve^as Las Vegas; Dec. 5. Dick Haymes, Jerry Lester, Dunes Harem Dancers (18),, Jay Rubanoff Orch (14); $2 minimum. Shoreham Hotel, Wash, Washington, Dec. 10. “Day at the Shoreham ” yeuue, with Charles & Lucille Cavanaugh , Chuck Brunner, Natalie Hope; Ian Bruce, Howard Hood, Bob • Davis, Shoreham Ballerinas (6), Singing Strings (12), Barnee Orch; cover $ 2 . 00 . Newest of Bernie Bralove’s re¬ vues is based on the simple theme that everybody—but everybody— has aspired at one time or another to- be a songwriter. Bralove figured if he tried enough people, he could come up with an original (well, pretty original) collection of music for his show. The Shoreham twist, however, Is something special. It sought out the would-be Irving Berlins among. its own employees. And the result is surprisingly good, considering everything. “A Day at the Shoreham” fea¬ tures “YOu’re the Nicest Thing,” u pleasant love song by Tom Young, the hotel’s house detective; “I Couldn’t Guess,” with words and music by Lahy Tellier, a barten¬ der at the hotel; *“Had I But Dreamed,” by Chuck Brunner, dancer and choreographer of the Shoreham shows, and “It’s Written in My Heart,” by "Barnee, the Shoreham Blue Room’s longtime maestro, who has composed a num¬ ber of tunes over the years. The show is opened with a- med¬ ley from original, tunes by five of the violinists in the Blue Room’s famed “Singing Strings” unit. As a second feature; the Blue Room currently boasts its first ice number. A small rink has been constructed in the hotel’s night spot. Charles & Lucille Cavanaugh headline the bill with a fast, tricky and difficult adagio on skates which would .be a topper in any supper club. ““Day at the Shoreham” angle is emphasized by the Shoreham Bal¬ lerinas, dressed in housemaid cos¬ tume, doing a dusting number. Natalie Hope, a new, young singer for this room, solos cop Young’s pride, “You’re the Nicest Thing,’*' and very weH, too. Alice Moreno, of the ballerinas, and Howard Hood, Ian Bruce and Bob Davis handle r a number angled at lunch¬ eon in the hotel’s Palladian Room; while' dancer Sally Edward^ and the Singing Strings do a cocktail hour number, featuring the bar¬ tender’s song. Other numbers fill out, with the finale labeled “A Night in the Blue Room.” “Day at the Shoreham” . is the supper show. An entirely different revue, “Wintertime,” is played for the dinner show, again featuring' the Cavanaughs on ice and with some smart terping by Chuck Brunner, who also sings in the finale. Same company takes part in both shows. Maestro Barnee Breeskin plays for the shows and the dancing. . Lowe. Blue Angel, Chi Chicago, Dec. 5.. “Calypso Magic," with The Duke of Iron, Bermudianna, Rivera, Mon-, tego Joe, Picon & Serena, Al D'Lacy Orch (5); $3.50 minimum. in the Blue Room has appeal for a variety of tastes and rings the bell all the way. The versatile Ralph Flanagan crew, a whole, orch docs a lively showcasing chore, as well as catering vigor¬ ously for the dansapation. Myro. Not for several days after the anounced opening did this show, headed by Debra Paget, get on the road with every component in place. Steve Gibson’s Red Caps were grounded in New Mexico be¬ cause of snowdrifts, necessitating Buddy Hackett’s carryover in the breach. Dick Kallmar, after open¬ ing night, was held in reserve, and Alicia Marque & Jack Del Rio filled out needed moments, x It stays, as is, until Sophie Tucker enters Dec. 20. Miss Paget, with her flame- tressed locks, is abetted by a sexy figure to enhance all thrushing and terps. This is her second tour to town, and the routining is similar, other than certain special material by Dick Hughes & Richard Stap- ley, with Buddy Bregman arrange¬ ments. Her opening chirp, “Let's Get the-Party Started,” spring¬ boards “Whatever Lola Wants,” with bouffant skirt dropped for slinky, felit affair the better to il¬ lustrate lyrics. Her terping set by Ruth God¬ frey is not a formidably difficult exercise, but gets the point over. Next peel is down to sequined leo¬ tard with ringside steppery and thrushing of “Oo Bang,” followed by more legwork for exit. Return comes after Red Caps to undulate a reprise of dance sequence in the pic, “Song of the Nile.” Steve Gibson never fails to sock Jack Entratter has a solid entry in Dick Haymes and Jerry Lester who, between them, design a solid hunk of entertainment fare that ought to do okay during this fort¬ night of the pre-holiday season. In keeping with his return to the bistro circuits, Haymes has estab¬ lished himself as a regular here. He embraces his songology of pops and ballads with a nonchalance that immediately charms his au¬ dience. | Crooner has the voice to depart to the semi-classics, playing .his bary pipes to belt “Old Man River.” Followup 1 Is a good “Let There Be Love.” He ripples the scales for his song identity, “Might As Well Be Spring,” during which accompanist-conductor Ian Bernard displays his nimbleness at the keyboard. Kicker to the act Is a sock “Carioca.” After an absence of three years, Lester Is a welcome sight. He’s still the surefire comic of old, and opens by way of somersaulting from the wings to a prattfall at stage centre. Yocks are big as he frames “Love And Marriage” around a series of one-liners. From his background he brings out a display of the old school of show¬ manship as he juggles tennis balls, toes a softshoe and spins tops amid his Lesterisms. Choreographers Bob Gilbert and Renee Stewart have drawn a pair of neat numbers for their Harem Dancers, a precision routine at the top set to “St. Louis Blues” and | a lilting eye pleaser at the center scored to a Parisian medley. From the initial downbeat to the final bar, Jay Rubanoff’s orch cleaves an excellent show. Alan. Hewing to the tried and true, the Blue Angel’s Gene Fardulli has put together another of his. now successful calypso formats. If you've see one, you’ve seen them all, but there’s some variety at least with the introduction of new characters even if not sufficiently so to be distinctive. The layout’s always open, revue- style, with everybody in the cast in the opening number. They switch around during the show, giving an impression of coherence as well as. flexibility. An often- employed gimmick has half the show starting in the back, of the room and then coming to the floor. It’s attention- getting showmanship. This package is headed lip by the Duke of Iron, a tall calypsoniah who retails his own compositions as well as the calyps6 , n standards, with an occasional ad Jib'jthrown in. He gets fair response. It would ;b« bigger if he did more standards and less originals. The latter gen¬ erally have, weak lyrics and are not too imaginative. Bermudianna, Rivera and Mon¬ tego Joe team up for a joint effort, and the mugging and terping he- tween the femme, Bermudianna and Rivera make for a pleasant, entertaining turn. Drum backing by Montego Joe provides a lively rhythmic backdrop; He later ap¬ pears in his own spot for a “Talk¬ ing Drums” bit that impresses. The deep, mysterious ritual thing with sex-appeal is provided by Picon & Serena; Picon being a diminuitive, flitting male and Serena being the over-lush, raven- tressed femme partner. They do a fire dance with Picon eating flame and both running fiery brands over their body. The seduction • dance comes later, with much symbolism, grunting and quivering on the floor. Gabe.