Variety (November 1956)

Wednesday, November 21, 1956 54 wnanr aim Versailles? N* V. Dorothy Lamour (with Sal Mineo), Marvin Roy; Salvatore Gloe and Panchito Orchs; $5 mini¬ mum. Nick & Arnold's East 50th St. plushery, back in the name cycle after the series of floorshow revu- etfes, did well with Edith Piaf, now has Dorothy Lamour for two weeks (plus options) to be followed by Dick Haymes and Hildegarde, For the latter, incidentally, it’s a re¬ union with house maestro Salva¬ tore Gioe, who does such a com¬ petent musical backstopping job here, along with the No. 1 dansapa- tion chore, since he was her per¬ sonal maestro for a considerable spell. This is Miss Lamour’s first Gotham stint In some time. She has been touring the provinces, the Vegas spots, etc., and as befits her rich Paramount pic career she has been doing business. She evi¬ dences that there will be beaucoup customer traffic on the “road to Versailles, She has been optioned for an extra stanza already. Now talking the sarong bit, with only a snatch of the hula hands business, as part of the nostalgic, reprise, Miss Lamour is a fashion- plate as she projects her folksy j repertoire, attuned to the saloon trade. Most of it is standard stuff,, save for the opener, “Be My Guest,” and a couple of specials. In the latter department she needs an assist, and in at least one instance some sharp editing. This refers to the “Southern Hospitality In Hollywood” number, now a cliche premise. The standards Include “This Can’t Be Love,” “Apple for the Teacher,” “Moonlight and Shad¬ ows,”. “Tangerine,” “Personality” and. other “road” items along with “Thing Called Love,” “Danger In Your Eyes, Cherie,” “Piano Roll Blues,” “Rain or Shine,” “Little Grass Shack,” “Shine On Harvest Moon” and “Ace In The Hole.” “Gullable” is another special. She could and should use more exclu¬ sives. Miss Lamour looks well, dresses ditto, has a relaxed rapport with the customers, and evidenced good judgment on the. night caught by Ignoring one of those the customer- Is-tight parties, full ringside, and many of them. Just to add to it, it had to be the evening (her second night) when old boss Sherman Bil¬ lingsley was also ringside, a loyal disciple who obviously has not for¬ gotten his one-time band-singer. Looked like the Stork Club boni- face was vexed more with the moujiks than Miss Lamour whose aplomb was admirable. Thrush gives the spotlight to pi¬ anist-composer Sal Mineo, who did an air from a rhapsody he had com¬ posed for the Buffalo Philharmonic. It sounds like a nice strain for a “mood” or ballad lyric treatment.! Opening was an excellent magico novelty, Marvin Roy, assisted by an attractive femme, who did all the standard sleight-of-hand here¬ tofore done with needles and cards and balls—only he does it with miniature bulbs. They’re the new-type tungstens which are illuminated, sans bat¬ teries, and it makes for a flashy opener as he lights up interiors of milk containers, strings them up in pretty formations across the floor, and strings them up as they emerge from his mouth. It’s a flashy cafe act, the more effective because of the proximity of the ringsiders. It fits anywhere. Otherwise, the Gioe and Panchi¬ to bands do their stuff with the same competence as always. The Manhattan addicts of the Latin tempos particularly keep Panchito’s Rhumbas beating. Abel. HcricI Sf atler, Wash. Washington, Nov. 14. Carl Brisson, Emil Coleman Orch, Ted Alexander Quartet; $2, $2.50 cover weekends and holidays. This is Carl Brisson’s first ap¬ pearance in Washington in more than a year and it is obvious that he has waited too long. The vet¬ eran entertainer offers, his. usually smooth act and gets the kind of audience returns which have been coming his way for years. He reminds of a more graceful period of entertainment which ex¬ isted before rock ’n’ roll and its cousins, and which is likely to be back again when the bellowers are all gone. The Brisson act is little changed from his last Washington appearance. Undoubtedly it could be bettered by the occasional ad¬ dition of new material, but it is time-tested and solid as it stands. There is the Brisson signature song at the opening, “White Gar* denia,” followed by a warmup, “Hello, There,” then a switch into a medley from Sam Goldwyn’s “Hans Christian Andersen.” As per his custom, he-works closely around the ringside tables with* REVIEWS “ft’s Nice to Be Nice to Your Neighbors.” The singer follows up with three longtime Brisson faves which have an evergreen quality, “The Angelus,” “Little Manucur- ist,” and “Pink Cocktail for a Blue Lady.” Brisson moves over to a tongue twister, with a bottle of iced cham¬ pagne, going to the first person who can follow him and repeat the words. He has a flight Texas num¬ ber which, at the beginning of his current engagement, got Vice President Nixon onstage working with him. Then, for a signoff, “The Old Lamplighter,” surefire schmalz. His encore is from musical version of “Three Musketeers.” Brisson looks as handsome and dashing as ever in his blue dress suit and topped as he perches atop the back of a chair to offer several of his numbers. And there’s plen¬ ty of indication that he’s still the warbler the mature gals love to swoon to. Lowe. Sahara, Las Vegas Las Vegas Nov. 13. Kay Starr , Stanley Boys (4), Step Bros. (4), Sa-Harem Dancers (12), Cee Davidson Orch (13); $2 mini¬ mum. Back at her permanent stand in the Sahara Congo Room on the Vegas Strip this week is Kay Starr, who will have no trouble filling the place for her three-week engage¬ ment, judging by past perform¬ ances. In contrast to several previous unhappy Vegas openings. Miss Starr was never in better voice, having aborted other shows with untimely laryngitis. She does little that is new, but doesn’t have to create fresh material to bring down the house as the top ap-‘ plauSe goes to her most frequently- heard disk hits. She opens with “Come One, Come All,” follows with “When a Woman Loves a Man,” “Rock and Roll Waltz,” “Glad Rag Doll,” “The Good Book Says,” “I Really Don’t Want to Know,” “Side by Side,” “If You Love Me.” “Wheel of Fortune” and “Wrap Your Trou¬ bles in Dreams.” Judging by the response, she will be doing “Wheel of Fortune” and “R-R Waltz” as long as there is a Starr in Vegas. Miss Starr is supported by the four Stanley Boys, who this trip do no singles as in the past. Conduc¬ tor Dick Smith subs for regular Harold Mooney during the Starr appearance. Second spot is taken by the four Step Bros., longtime faves in Vegas for their routine which mixes taps and comic relief. Tap numbers range from mambo to the Charles¬ ton, with a lot between that defies description. , . Opening production number by the Sa-Harem Dancers is a five- minute fashion show, with gals decked out in glamor gowns' de¬ signed to give the ladies ideas and the menfolk pains in the pocket- book. Vocals are by Joe Marine, production by George Moro. Finale is a bit with Miss Starr, i Step freres and the chorus line that serves mainly to bring down the curtain. Producer is Stan Irwin. Music is by the house orch of Cee Davidson. OncJ c. BIS no Angel* IN* V. Annette Warren, Eddie Garson, Martha Davis & Spouse, T. C. Jo-ms, Jimmy Lyon’s Trio; $5 minimum. The talent roster at*the Blue Angel has undergone some changes since the club reopened in Septem¬ ber after its usual summer layoff. Only holdover act from the re¬ sumption show is femme imper¬ sonator T. C. Jones, who's doubling from the Broadway revue, “New Faces of 1956.” In recent weeks, Martha Davis & Spouse and Eddie Garson have moved into vacated spots, with songstress Annette Warren joining them last Thursday (15). The overall bill adds up to a neat en¬ tertainment session. Jones con¬ tinues to score via His girlie guise, while Miss Davis and her hubby display finesse on an assortment of rhythmic offerings. The former vocals and works the Stein way, while the latter accompanies on the bass. Miss Warren’s songstering is another plus factor. Her perform¬ ance is personable, her singing clear and her delivery effective. Numbers offered, mostly in the romantic idiom, include “Where Have You Been,” “Young Ideas,” “The Wind is Green,” “House of Flowers” and “I Could Have Danced All Night.” Tossed in as a good pace-changer and handled neatly is “Long Way From St. Louis.” Garson, a ventriloquist, is re¬ viewed under New Acts. Slick in- strumentalization is dished out, as usual, by the Jimmy Lyon's Trio. Jess. Pffisr&Fr Che* puree? Chi b Chicago, Nov, 16. Vagabonds (4), Dunhills. (3), Babe Pier,. Ronnie Eastman, Elisa Jayne, Ted Fio Rito Orch (11); $1.50 cover, $3.75 minimum. As usual when the Vagabonds headline here, the ropes were up opening night, and the enthusiasm of the patrons indicates biz will be socko for the run. Despite being overweighted with impressionists and impersonations, it’s a strong bill. The Vagabonds, also per usual, demonstrate their wellpaced, row¬ dy routines for makimum response. They spoof everything in sight, ending with choice satire on Arthur Godfrey and tv. The four boys’ keen song-comedy merrymaking is accompanied by their bass fiddle, accordion and two guitars. Elfsa Jayne opens the show with her slick and sexy dancing, includ¬ ing impressions of" how of a trio of Hollywood stars would terp— “Marilyn Monroe looks like two kids walking under, a .. blanket.” Babe Pier continues the impersona-r tion route, aping a dozen film stars and winds up with a devastating takeoff on Elvis Presley's “Hound Dog.” The Dunhills, male dancing trio, dish up some standout tap and soft-shoe routines, and end up with mitt-getting terpery in their socks. Pleasantest surprise on the bill is Ronnie Eastman, making his initial Chez appearance. He was kept on 30 minutes (that’s the same time allotted to the headlining Vaga¬ bonds). Eastman’s an outstanding record pantomimic, with numbers ranging from hillbilly to Don Cornell. It’s not just straight music, but music with every type of zany and hilarious ’ chatter dumped in at the most unexpected places. His fine lip-sync matches the boff original taped material, and he had to beg off. Frank Linale, the Vagabond’s conductor, cut a fine show, and Ted Fio Rito batons the dance sets. This bill stays until Dec. 23; how¬ ever, Cab Calloway . spells the Vagabonds for one week starting Dec. 10. Jerry Lewis is next, Dec. 27. Don. Bimbo’s, San Francisco San Francisco, Nov. 16. Dave Barry, George Wong Troupe (6), Landre & Verna, Dorothy Dor- ben Dancers (10), Don Menary Orch (8); $1, $1.50 cover. Dave Barry, a relaxed standup comic, headlines this well-rounded show, but the surprise act is the George Wong Troupe of six nearly incredible acrobatic contortionists. Barry mimics Churchill and the English in general, goes through such pleasant set pieces as “the gownless evening strap” and the slowness with which wives dress, and rates a heavy hand from Bim¬ bo’s clientele. He’s fast-talking, and If not so deft as some other comics, carries his end of the show very well. The six Wongs contort them¬ selves in every position known and pull off a series of intricate, co¬ ordinated stunts that have the cus¬ tomers halfway out of their chairs. Possibly the best are the contorted handstands from which a man and woman in the troupe build their own towers of blocks, then unbuild these towers. Landre & Verna are an average dance team and provide a little breathing space between the Wongs and Barry, while the Dor¬ othy Dorben line is getting to be first-rate, with well-above-average dancing and goodlooking produc¬ tion. Trumpeter Don Menary, tak¬ ing over for the retired Derfe Knox, has the band swinging smoothly. Whole swift-paced show clicks off in just under an hour and will play through Dec. 5. Stef. Fontainebleau, M. B’eh Miami Beach, Nov. 15. Phil Foster, Betty Madigan, Chi * quita & Johnson, Sacasas Orch, Murray Schlamm; $3.50, $4 mini¬ mum. Current package is illustrative of increase in- the budget for this plushery with others to follow in¬ cluding Nelson Eddy, Larry Parks & Betty Garret, et al, until Christ¬ mas holiday week arrives and the “big name” season sets in. Present lineup would be suitable for a midwinter spot; it’s a solid run¬ down. — Phil Foster is a staple in this town, playing six. or seven times a year. He's booked for two returns during season at Sans Souci, with Empress bidding for a later date in the spring. At show caught, Foster stayed on for over *40 minutes, with a goodly portion of the aud the con¬ ventioneer types, who went big for his Brooklyn-accented routines and tales of family life. Big howl- puller is his engagements with plain and fancy ringsiders in ad lib forays, some of it on the tv net¬ work rivalry. Tendency to hit pedestrian pace is still evident in some facets of his act, but overall Foster yocks them up to rate call¬ backs. Betty Madigan is a much im¬ proved thrush in the staging de¬ partment. She’s smartly gowned and coiffed and her vocal assign¬ ments allow for shrewd tailoring to her throaty style. Delivery is more mobile, befitting the cafe set¬ ting and taking her out of the re¬ cording-hit orioles with their dead¬ pan approach. i Chiquita & Johnson rate better ! than the opening slot. The duo are playing a return in this room and rate it; the gasp-raising and mitting rise early with the tiny Chiquita tossed like a feather and balanced overhead spins adding to impact. ,Her scanty costume adds to the eyebrow-raising, but once the duo hit the adagio work the table concentration is on the dar¬ ing, graceful routining. They’re show-stoppers. They're holding over, with the DeCastro sisters coming in to topline Tuesday (20). Murray Schlamm, house emcee, handles the intros in usual smooth style, with Sacasas and his crew ditto on the music-backing chores. Lary. Viennese Lantern? NX Vicki Autier, Dolores Perry, Er¬ nest Schoen Orch; $3,50 minimum. Cafes on the periphery of the midtown N. Y. sector seem to be becoming the most valued show¬ cases for fledgling talent, even su¬ perior in many respects to some of the more accessible spots from viewpoint of a full test of a candi¬ date’s potential. For example, Dolores Perry, a singer who first came to attention at the Palace Theatre, has a style that indicates much more ability than shown at that house. At the Palace, the audience, mainly de¬ votees of oldtime vaude, are loathe to look favorably upon anyone who doesn’t have a background that in¬ cludes at least several years on the Gus Sun time. Miss Perry’s bow at that spot was therefore far from auspicious. In her Viennese Lan¬ tern debut, she’s able to call upon her classical, training for a good part of her turn, and make a few concessions in the pop field, to show all-around promise. Miss Perry is a youthful looker who seems equally at home with big ones like “Vis d’Arte” and current tunes, mainly from musicals. She gets over handsomely. Vicki Autier, on a return to this cafe, again impresses her bigtime calibre both at the piano and her songwork. Miss Autier, a Mona- gasque import, has a wide streak of showmanship which comple¬ ments a liking* for her vocation. She shows off a well-constructed set of pipes in such diverse depart¬ ments as pop French tunes, trick piano work and an excellent floor demeanor. Ernest Schoen leads the string ensemble and chimes in with the vigorous voice. He's equally at home in the gemutlich melodies of Alt Wien as well as operatic arias, and his catgut work in this candle¬ lit ro6m provides an excellent at¬ mosphere. Jose. Italian Village, Lincoln Lincoln, Neb., Nov. 13. Jat Herod's Manhattan Cocktail Revue (6), Pat Hamilton Trio; $1 cover Sat. Vet vaudster Jat Herod has come up with an idea for nitery enter¬ tainment that should prove a boon for ops. He has surrounded him¬ self with five lookers to put on a “revue” that contains plenty of flash and adequate talent. The re¬ sult: ops get a package deal that packs plenty of ad appeal and yet is not overly expensive. Herod handles the yeoman du¬ ties capably, sandwiching, in plen¬ ty of comedy and turning in an outstanding inning with his violin. His aides are Betty Bryant (Mrs. Herod), comedienne; the Holiday Sisters, singers; Lori Pearce, acros, and Jo Herod (daughter)^.dancer. Show caught lasted 58 minutes and got underway with a three-gal chorus line. Costumes had a car- nival-ish look, but when the beau¬ ties shed their skirts all was for¬ gotten. Herod flipped in a few ad libs to give the Holiday Sisters, a pair of blonde lookers, a chance to switch into some clever costumes for a tambourine-dancing bit. One of them shows a fine flair for comedy. Herod's violin spot, in which he handles requests, is followed by a clever song-patter skit featuring his witty missus. Chorus is back for the finale, replete with baton twirling and football getups that go over handsomely In this college city. Trump . Riviera? Lai* Vega# Las Vegas, Nov. 14. Liberace , Jean * Fenn, Helen Wood, George-Liberace & His Sym¬ phony Orch (14), Riviera Dancers (14), Ray Sinatra Orch (12); $2 piinimum. The entertainment dynamics manifested by Liberace will reward the Riviera with five weeks of bullish biz. Unlike many perform* ers,' Liberace appears to be acutely aware of the fact that his aficionados like to see their favor¬ ites garnished differently upon each return. So, as usual, the otherwise familiar format that en¬ circles the Liberace colorations are again retouched with new flavor and zest through fresh 'Sequences that this time finds the showman assisted by—in. addition to brother George—Metopera star Jean Fenn and ballerina Helen Wood. Also once again, Liberace shows up in versatile character—as an ac¬ complished pianist tickling the 88s in pieces that range from barroom ricky-tick to Chopin; as a droll hu¬ morist whose keenly limed barbs (generally aimed at critics who, ac¬ cording to Liberace, use their pens to sketch him beyond the realm of show biz) and monolog about his various tv sponsors individually score howls; as a hoofer who ac¬ tually gets in a few well preci- sioned licks while tongue-in-cheek* ing the soft shoe; as a crooner sen¬ timentally reviving his w.k. faves; and as an. actor, portraying the younger Johann Struass during an excerpt from “The Great Waltz.” All in all, Liberace is a slick per¬ former who can successfully hold court anywhere. “The Great Waltz” sequence clinches the show. It's richly done and though it centers about Liber- ace’s piano interpretation of the Danube waltz, it also serves to fully bring forth the toe wizardry of Miss Wood while giving ri$e to the exciting soprknics of Miss Fenn. Earlier in the performance. Miss Wood recreates her spirited role from “Can Can.” But here, in visually accentuating the delight¬ ful, flowing passages of Strauss' waltz. Miss Wood unveils an elec¬ trifying movement on toes. Prior to this scene, Miss Fenn has al¬ ready alerted the audience to thd purity of voice with which she em¬ braces opera and semi-classic, cap¬ ping this portion with a humorous duet with Liberace. During the latter segment, Miss Fenn defini¬ tively revives Musetta’s colorful aria from “La Boheme.” “Great Waltz” vignette addi¬ tionally pages George Liberace’s sensitive violin, which is also em¬ ployed to background solos by Li¬ berace’s and Miles. Fenn and Wood. Riviera Dancers decorate, the Liberace flourishes elegantly. Ray Sinatra’s orch augments the- George Liberace symphony orch and, through expert placement of microphones, the 26-piece ensem^ ble lends full-bodied, sweeping sounds to the entire production. Concertmaster Walter Borsello cap¬ ably conducts during George Lib¬ erace’s absence from the podium. Layout roosts in the Clover Room until Dec. 19. Alan. Red Carpet, N. Y. Bobby Short Trio, with Ismael XJgarte and Sonny Rivera; Janice Jones; $3.50 minimum. A lot of operators are loathe to return to a talent policy once a cafe finds it can get along as a straight eatery. However, if there’s to be any late business, it seems that some sort of entertainment is necessary. In the case of the Red Carpet, boniface Freddy Jacobs, at one time operator of the Cameo, installed a late-show policy m hopes of reviving the spot. It seems to have done that, plus. The lure in this instance is Bobby Short, who came here for two weeks last season at the Bever¬ ly and stayed for 17. This person¬ able Negro singer seems to have loaded the room. Already set beyond December, Short is likely to go beyond that point. It’s an SRO proposition around show- break time in this eastsidery. Short is backed by Ismael Ugarte at the bass and drummer Sonny Rivera to provide additional rhythm. These lads do not stray from their in^trumentalizing. Short at the piano provides a song session in a manner that indicates he’s •having a time of it, and gets the audience in the same mood. Bulk of his tunes are from the musicals. He doesn't tamper too much with the melody, just enough to provide some fresh twists. It’s a session that high lights exuberance and vitality and with a grain of humor running it for standout results.. Janice Jones, presides at the piano during lulls and occasionally makes with a tune. This Negro songstress doesn’t thrust herself on the audience, but somehow effectively warms up the house for Short's sessions. Jose,