Variety (January 1956)

Wednesday, January 11, 1956 P'SRi&rr REVIEWS 67 JULIE LONDON Songs 20 Mins. Cameo, N. Y. Eye and ear appeal mark Julie London a good bet for live show¬ casing. A looker, with a neat chas¬ sis, she delivers a well-chosen songalog in a pleasant, whispery voice. Her soft tones are best suit¬ ed for small rooms on the order of the Cameo, where she’s cur¬ rently making her initial New York nitery appearance, Miss London, who broke in her act on the Coast, moved into the recording field recently with a topseller, “Cry Me a River,'” on the indie Liberty label. Besides sing¬ ing, she’s alsq piled up a flock of film credits. Chirp perches on a stool for her song session, which takes in such tunes as “Say It Isn’t So,” “Easy Street,” “Get Out of Town,” “What is This Thing Called Love” and, naturally “River.” She also works over some num¬ bers written by Bobby Troup, whose trio shares the bill with her. Besides working on their own, the combo gives the songstress topnotch backing. On most of the numbers, she’s accompanied by bass and guitar, but Troup takes over the keyboard when she han¬ dles his compositions. Femme has a habit of jerking her bead, which at times is cute,, but on the overall tends to be distracting. Jess. BILL ST. CLAIR Songs 20 Mills. Bradford Roof, Boston Bill St. Clair, vocalist on local radio station WEEI, makes his nitery debut showing a powerful baritone and plenty of showman¬ ship savvy. A tall young lad with prematurely graying hair, he makes a , nice appearance on the floor handling his mike stint with ease. For his set, he’s grouped Sinatra numbers with patter on the climb to success and songs along the way. St. Clair does some oldies, “I'll Never Smile Again” and “Nancy,” then gives with “Young at Heart” and “Love and Marriage.” Piping is fine. His “Autumn in Rome,” “Old Man River” and special ma¬ terial “Armchair Adventurer” gets sock reaction. Lad looks good enough to go places without relying almost wholly on the Sinatra . identifica¬ tion bits. However, some work on song selection to showcase the po¬ tential unveiled in rendering of his encore numbers is indicated. Guy. LENNY COLYER Impressions 11 Mins. Palace, N. Y. Lenny Colyef, in next-to-closing on the current Palace bill, might be more aptly termed a caricatur¬ ist rather . than . an impressionist. He’s a comic who sticks exclusive¬ ly to impressions as the ground¬ work of his turn, and while some of them are surefire carbons, others are caricatures rather than strict imitations. Both categories are well endowed with an earthy sort of humor and some fair-togood material, and Colyer' comes off solidly, this despite having been preceded three’ acts earlier by another impressionist. Best in the caricature vein are Liberace, Johnnie Ray, Gabby Hayes and Gary Cooper, though the Hayes bit is a fine vocal imi¬ tation as well. On the vocal side are fine takeoffs on Nat (King) Cole, JPerry Como and Ezio Pinza. Colyer shows a good potential, and with some tightening and a little ' discipline, is a good bet for tv ap¬ pearances well as niterv and stage bookings. Chan. 'THE BON-BONS (3) Songs 9 Mins. Copacabana, N. Y. The Bon-Bons are a trio of blonde lookers, tastefully gowned and with a youthful scrubbed-up look that gives them a lot of plus values at the start of their turn. Although their bid for bigtime status with their bow at the Copa leaves much in the way of harmonic accomplishment, these youngsters indicate that once they get a vocal viewpoint, they’ll have much 'to offf r. At this point, they stress the jazz angle which, at least, gives them a chance to sing out in what resembles an uninhibited style. However, a frightened brand of orthodoxy persists. With further experience and seasoning, they should be one of the more reward¬ ing teams. Jose. VARGAS & ORTIZ & CO. Flamenco 25 Mins. Seville Hotel,. Miami Beach Add Vargas & Ortiz to the acts fully equipped to play the class cafe circuit. Youthful imports from Spain, they’re an exciting duo of flamenco artists boasting a distinctive set of routines. Add brilliant costuming and a warmth that’s unusual among the normally grim-faced stampers of the genre, and the tote is an electric, exciting session. Vargas rates with the best in his field, his solo Zapateado to the backgrounding of guitarist Manolo is a segment of sharply defined heel-tappings and palm-meetings that beguile the eye. With partner Dorita Ortiz, delineation of native dances such as a Caprice or a tor¬ rid gypsy pattern keeps enthusi¬ asm mounting. They’re also a solid bet for tv guesters. Lary. CINDY PARKER Songs 25 Mins. Normandy, Boston Cindy Parker, Hub thrush, back from Rome and London where she developed her continental format, unveils a soft, vibrant and carressing voice in a set which ranges from pops to blues. It’s especially marked with Italian and French •efforts sung in warm and affection¬ ate styling with boffo clarity and diction. Brunette chirp is a look¬ er, nicely proportioned over a five foot eight chassis, and exhibits great potential for intimate spots and class rooms. She has nice control of an. ear pleasing contralto voice which she dips to the lower registers for piquant effect on language num¬ bers. Although her pops and blues offerings are harmonious, her forte, backed up by aud reaction, is the linguistic efforts. “Anemaecore,” “Goodbye Rome” and “Souvenir of Italy,” in Italian, in which she accompanies herself at the piano, are commanding and accomplished. Relaxed and assured in front of the mike, this Irish chirp, who has a definite affinity for Italiano and Francaise, tabs as a professionally able performer. Miss Parker looks to ' make a rapid bid for honors among the ranks of the top small room chantooseys. Guy. AL & CONNIE FANTON Dances 7 Mins. Palace, N. Y. A1 Fanton is the son of Joe Fanton, whose aerial troupe were reg¬ ulars in the Palace’s heyday and of which A1 was at one time a mem¬ ber. Ill his New Act at the Palace, however, he’s teamed with his wife, Connie, in a tapdance turn which serves to open the current bill. Team is a par entry, show¬ ing pleasant but not-too-exciting chpreography that’s precisioned nicely in the execution. Aso solo stuff, Fanton shows some agile technique and turns in a flashy couple of minutes. Not so Mrs. Fanton, whose aero work is cut out. of the common cloth, but again, though . uninspired, is well executed. With Fanton coming off fine in his solo stint, what the team needs to work on is some more imaginative ensemble routines plus a more unusual aero stint for the femme. Another rough spot is the man’s lifts, which need some smoothing. At this point, an okay entry for general vaude situations. Chan. TED RENO Songs 25 Mins. Palmer House, Chicago It’s easy to see why this young singer from Italy was imported by Merriel Abbott, midwest enter¬ tainment director for the Hilton Hotels, for his Stateside nitery debut at the Palmer House’s Em¬ pire Room. Reno possesses all the basic tools of his craft which, with the proper breaks and tailoring, could spell an unlimited future hereabouts. Reno’s voice has the power and flexibility to punch over a song with both zest and subtleness. He can rear back and belt, or softpedal into a croon, as the lyrics demand. He also has the looks and the underlying poise for class projection in most any medium. He handles the English lingo eas¬ ily with just enough accent for a “romantic” edge. Still lacking are some showhianly touches of in¬ dividuality traditional with Amer¬ ican nitery salesmen of song, but when he gives out with a “Love Is a Many Splendored Thing” it’s the big voice that makes the lasting impression. Some mobility and flair is in¬ jected with a handmike tour of the floor in a fetching treatment in French of “The Boy from Paris” and a dramatic flavored “My Hands.” But mostly Reno dishes out a straight songalog with a minimum of patter. Dave. MURIO & SHEILA Dancing 8 Mins. Palmer House, Chicago This finely-drilled dance team from Paris displays the polish and excitement to fill the most de¬ manding assignments. Duo romps through a fast-paced admixture of graceful interpretative stuff and skillful spins and twirls in the aero idiom. Turn is highlighted when the lad spins his partner around just a few inches off the floor with a fragile snippet of cloth tucked un¬ der her arms and when he has her making like a top at arm’s length high above his head. Pair opens to attention with an interpretative dance involving a big purple cape that nicely sets off the distaffer’s bright and brief red costume. Dave. TRIO ARISTON Acro-Dancers 10 Mins. Palmer House, Chicago Jrio, comprised oftwo j*tiys and a girl, offers an energetic series of aero hijinks that holds uniform interest but lacks that one high spot to sock across the turn. Clos¬ est thing to a real puncheroo is when the two lads pose as the fore and aft of an elephant with the young lady astride for a clever comedy dance. Act is punctuated with the usual running and stand¬ ing flips. Hailing from Italy, youngsters have embellished their routines with some subtle comedic touches. Snake charmer pantomime is one such effective bit. The young lady, especially, is an eye-catcher with her gamin-like mugging. Dave. Unit Reviews Mpls. Auto Show Minneapolis, Jan. 7. Phil Silvers (2), Bill Lundigan & Mary Costa, Roger Kent, Chuck Miller Trio, Topnotchers (3), John¬ son & Owen, Wesley Barlow’s Orch (18), at Minneapolis Auditorium, Jan. 6, ’56; $1 admission. With such topnotch names as comedian Phil Silvers, In for the first two days, and songstress Patti Page, on hand for the balance of the run, this stage presentation in conjunction with this city’s first Auto Show in 18 years has what it takes in the way of marquee lure. More importantly, from an audience standpoint, it holds firstrate entertainment. Tossed in as an added attraction along with the routine display of 1956 cars, it’s a draw in itself. Appearing in his Sgt. Bilko video role, Silvers stirs up some 25 minutes of merriment with GI stor-ies and gags and comedy busi¬ ness, in which he’s joined by Mau¬ rice Gosfield (Pvt. Doberman). He even borrows a licorice stick from the orchestra to play a tune. Roger Kent, WCCO personality, introduces tv and screen star Bill Lundigan who, in turn, introduces the acts, tells several stories and exchanges persiflage with Mary Costa of his video shows. The pair principally serve decorative pur In the opening spot Johnson & Owen get the show off briskly with their difficult and occasional¬ ly comedy embellished horizontal bars stunts. With his two other singer instrumentalists, Chick Miller scores strongly, offering, among other numbers, the disk click “House of Blue Lights.” Plenty of lively musical shenani¬ gans by the madcap three Top¬ notchers also land solidly. Rees. Harlem Globetrotters Omaha, Jan. 3. Abe Saperstein presentation of exhibition basketball and variety acts, with Shari McKim, Bob Gusikoff & Richard Bergmann, Paula & Paulette, Carl Flynn. At Ak-SarBen Coliseum, Omaha, Jan. 2, '56; $3.50 top. Minus their longtime star, Goose Tatum, who departed to form his own troupe, the Harlem GioDetroiters basketball team this year is re¬ lying upon a new comic, Showboat Hall, and opposing Bevo Francis to pack in the cage fans. That the Globetrotter name is still strong was evidenced here when nearly 5,300 turned out — at a $3.50 top— on a Monday (2) night. And the four basketball teams (the Boston Whirlwinds, Washing¬ ton Generals and Philadelphia Spas travel with the Trotters) all received ovations-after their stints. As usual, Saperstein has sur House Reviews Palace, N. V. Al & Connie Fanton , Wanda & Armand, Ross Wyse Jr. & . Jan Adams, Julia Cummings, Marmilos (3), Jones Boys (4), Lenny Col¬ yer, LaFlotte Duo, Myron Roman Orch ; “ Hell on Frisco Bay ” (WB), reviewed in Variety Dec. 28, ’55 Current eight-acter stands a little topheavy in spots, particu¬ larly with two impressionists on the bill, even if one is female and the other male. These are Julia Cummings in the four spot and Lenny Colyer (reviewed under New Acts) in next-to-closing. Otherwise, it’s a well-mixed affair, offering little in the way of the spectacular but a wide variety of oke-to-good acts. Openers are the tap team of Al & Connie Fanton, reviewed under New Acts though this is by no means their first exposure. In the deuce are Wanda & Armand, with their musical and dancing puppets. The marionettes play and foot bells and an xylophone in fair fashion, and as a closer, there’s a dancing accomp to the xylophone. Ross Wyse Jr., now with a new longstemmed foil in Jan Adams, is in the trey with his standard comic dance turn. It’s always good for a hefty response, and Wyse. plays it letter-perfect. Miss Adams does her straight bids in fine acid style. Miss Cummings has a wellrounded repertoire of femme im¬ personations, best of which are Judy Holliday, Bette Davis and Mary Martin, all delivered with good • material. Opening number, though, is a special material song which could be dispensed with, since it bears no relation to the act which follows, Marvellos, in the fifth spot, have an offbeat magicmusical turn in which they use masks and mannikins as well as musical instruments as the basis of some slick disappearing bits with some weird physical humor thrown in. A little sharpening in the earlier portions of the act would build its potential, since it’s a slow starter but gets off to a solid hand. Jones Boys are a goodlooking, well-trained quartet ' who* click from the start with “It Don’t Mean a Thing If You Ain't Got That Swing,” send across a fine new ballad in “There You Are,” mix it up weJH with a calypso “Marry a Rich Woman” and close things with a rocking “Dem Bones.” Boys sing well and their staging shows thought and work. Closers are the LaFlotte Duo, a bicycle turn with the male half clicking through a variety of stunts on the two-wheeler, abetted by the femme in spots and joined by her on a unicycle for a rather limp windup. He’s a thorough pro, though, and puts the bike through some topflight stunts. Myron Ro¬ man orch cuts a fine show, per usual. Chan. Apollo, N. Y. Count Basie Band (16) vnth Joe Williams , Dyerettes (5), Colts (4), Coles & Atkins, George Kirby; " Green Fire ” (M-G). This is a class sho$ from start to finish — a proper entre to the New Year — and it’s capable of lift¬ ing the Harlem key out of several weeks of slow boxoffiqe. Count Basie, smoother than thq^ usual teenage rhythm & bluetf attrac¬ tions that the house features still gets the kids. But what counts is rounded the exhibition with some topnotch vaude acts. The six per¬ formers are spotted at the half¬ time of the Globetrotter game and keep the customers happy for 29 minutes. Shari McKim, trim baton twirler, opens with the usual stunts, in¬ cluding the torch finale with house lights out. Then come Bob Gusikoff and Richard Bergmann for a standard pingpong game of 11 points. Things really perk up with Paula & Paulette, vet trampoline act, although the attractive lassies could dispense with Paula’s com¬ edy come-in as a male drunk. Gals get a huge hand for their rope skipping, hoop somersaulting and spectacular pirouettes. Windup is furnished by young Carl Flynn’s aerial hand balancing stint. Lad does tricks worthy of Ringling’s center ring, including a one-finger stand, a la Unus. How¬ ever, he has to don the gimmicked glove after performing all his other feats without it, and this de¬ tracts from the presentation. Trump. that he drew a mighty hunk of adult goers too on opening day (6), and they’re the ones who can. push the take to a nice height. !r '* Basie’s musicians, partifeuflarly drummer Sunny Payne ahd’5ii’S ar¬ rangements, are so much /better than the 125th St. norm.*' •Has listenable stuff is spaced nicely throughout the bill and it gets a great rise out of the pews. Band vocalist Joe Williams has built sufficient rep, -it seems, so that he merits the closing spot for his three songs. He’s got a distin¬ guished baritone, and though his style is pretty much ungimmicked it’s all his own. As usual, the dance, patter and appearance of Coles & Atkins make the two stringbean hoofers an excellent insertion. There’s al¬ ways a poshy air about everything they do. The Dyerettes, five lithsome femmes, are good. Five lovely sets of gams apart, they can do most anything any well-trained dancer can do, either en masse or as solo¬ ists. A case in point: the pleasur¬ able aero finale. The Colts, whom Basie imported from the Coast, once more demon¬ strate what an r&b troupe can do when a master takes them in hand. Basie, or somebody attached to his organization, whipped these four colored youths into -a presentable team. As well as doing carefully chosen tunes, they know how to handle themselves on stage. The impressions of George Kir¬ by aren’t just geared for easy rec¬ ognition. He’s devastatingly funny in his takeoffs of luminaries. His bit on Joe Louis, for instance, is a caricature, not an impression. Art. If oliino, Paris Paris, Jan. 10. Henri Salvador, Guylaine Guy , Two Earls, Hammond Birds, Hans Bela & Mary, Mercedes Mozart & Ciro de Prado, Hall, Norman & Ladd, Andre Rochel, Danny Ray & Partner, Monique Larcohe; $1.50 top. Short sepia singer Henri Salva¬ dor looks 10 feet tall on the stage of this music hall. Comic, com¬ edian, crooner, able to caress a ditty into a taking tempo, he emer¬ ges a consummate showman. Salvador mixes risible sketches with fetching songs, guitar accomped, and a bounding animal vitality that is always infectious. This current Bobino show is a fine entry. Guylaine Guy belts out her songs backed by a pert personality. However, she still vacillates between the belt and chirp school, but , shows signs of emerging into a good singing act. More choice in rep and more in¬ dividual interpretation of her bal¬ lads should weld her into a song staple. Andre Rochel is a raspyvoiced chansonnier whose dryhumored analysis of human nature and current events makes for plenty of laughs. Hall, Norman & Ladd are a bedraggled Anglo in¬ strumental trio who give out with a burlesque concert good for many laughs on their fey antics and slap¬ stick. Mercedes Mozart & Ciro De Prado are a fine-looking terp cou¬ ple who do a Hispano castanet dance and a more modern item. Grace and smoothness overcome ordinary choreography and they look a good eye addition to house ranks. Hammond Birds are six cockatoos adoritly trained for a pleasant act as the waltz, ride, see¬ saw, put out fires and, in general, cavort wisely and cleverly. Two Earls are an excellent hand to hand aero duo who break into an electric mock fight good for salvos. Hans Bela & Mary add phospherescent lighting to a juggling routine to give this an offbeat look and make for a fine filler. Whirl¬ ing multicolored hoops make for the effects. Danny Ray & Partner has Ray giving out a well-manned magico act with a suave patter bit underlining his excellent manipula¬ tion of the many presidigital gim¬ micks. Partner is in only to hand over the material and for looks. So is pert femmcee Monique Lar¬ cohe, who introduces the acts in an arch manner saved by her pretty Mosk. N. Orleans Cafe Robbed New Orleans, Jan. 10. Thieves broke into the office of the Safari Room, nitery here, early Monday (9) and stole a safe con¬ taining $6,200. Police said $5,800 of the money in the 50-pound safe was in cash and $400 in checks. It represented receipts of the club since Dec. 31, they said.