Variety (July 1957)

."Wednesday, July 3, 1957 PRsSIETr NIGHT CLUB REVIEWS 53 Copaeabana, N* Y» Jules Podell presentation with The Sportsmen (4), Sue Carson, Landre & Verna, Tom Rockford, Marilyn Cooper, Jeff Bolton, Mike Dwrso & Frank Marti orchs; line routined by Doug Coudy; costurjnes, Sal Anthony; music & lyrics, Durso, Mel Mitchell , Marvin Kahn; $5.50 minimum. Summertime is the season for experimentation at-the Copa, and this bill* results in a payoff with the Sportsmen, Sue Carson and Landre. & Verna, contributing to a well-rounded bill that should keep most customers happy* Layout, in¬ cidentally, is one thaHeans heavily on variety. It’s been a long time since the Copa has had one of the standard ballroom teams in the room, and Landre & Verna present a pretty picture indeed with a graceful line of terps and good overhead lifts. A ballroom team comes off almost as a novelty in these precincts. In Miss Carson, Jules Podell has booked a personality who can de¬ velop ultimately into a draw. She’s S ert and personable with a clever ne of material. Miss Carson has been in New York on a couple of previous occasions, but in this big- time bow, she impresses as a comer. Her bits include a song on the cleverness of men' and the various methods of overcoming femme resistance. There’s also a spot of impressions'that come over excellently. She gets her yocks and' she registers strongly in every direction. However, her previous notices indicate that she’s been do¬ ing this act for some years. Should she emerge as a Copa steady in-’ stead of someone merely passing through, an enlargement of her catalog seems mandatory. She has the innate ability to reach higher brackets. In the Sportsmen, the Copa has a solid singing group which gets top returns in a comparatively i long stint. The group hit interest, immediately with a recital of per¬ sonal history and thence Into a series of novelties, with only a passing mention of Jack Benny on whose show they attained national eminence. Their novelties cover a wide variety of subjects includ¬ ing spoofs of Texans, Mexicans-, and a well written and sung treat¬ ise on Las Vegas. The results are high. Production aides include the song and dance work by Tom Rockford, Marilyn Cooper and Jeff Bolton of course, the Doug Coudy- routined line. The Mike Durso orch, per usual, supplies snappy musical background and Frank Marti Latins it up for the relief. The. music and lyrics .by Durso, Mel Mitchell and Marvin Kahn are another plus. Jose. Black Orchid, Chi * Chicago, June 25. Jack E. Leonard, Pat Morrissey with Harry Slottag, Joe Parnello Trio; $1.50 cover. Jack E. Leonard returns to the Windy City appropriately trimmed of poundage for his opening at the vestpocket Black Orchid. His act knits right into the windup of thrush Pat Morrissey’s pipings for a solid show without letdown. Leonard surprises the house shortly after Miss Morrissey leaves the platform by striding among the tables under, a Panama hat and heaving wisecracks at the house. After his belated formal intro pn the stage, he continues, his string of quips directed.at former em-j ployers, the band and any identifii- able personages in the house. He managed to get a heavy response opening night. ^ The vet comic scores heavy with his''burlesques of phony stage mannerisms and trickery. Platinum-topped Miss Morrissey is the sawiest of the Orchid’s re¬ cent femme pipers. She manages best with swifigy numbers like “Lover Man” anto“Goody, Goody.” A special material bit, “Weak for the Man,” fares less well with a crowd that expects the piano- caressing. full-throated song belt¬ ing that gets “Miss Morrissey her best response even if overworked through her 35 minutes at the mike. Credit for singer’s. Success with her jazz-numbers is in part due to her 88er Harry Slottag. Backing from the Joe Parnello Trio is also adept. Sally Blair takes over July 15. Leva. El Rancho, Las Vegas Las Vegas, June 25. Sophie Tucker , John Ca/rroll , Kay Brovm, Renee Molnar Dancers (9), Dick Rice Orch (12); $2 mini¬ mum. Sophie Tucker socks across a bagful.of brandnew material in her return to the Opera House, which rewarded her a noisy ovation on opening night. She gets her biggest yock of the evening with “Calypso Soph,” 'a* number in which she wears dazzling gold jersey pants and spectacular headgear, an outfit she describes as “one that cost me $1,500 for a laugh.” Other fresh numbers Which make this probably the best act she’s ever done here, include “I’m Song-Happy Sophie,” “Why Go To Havana?” and “Enter¬ taining Papa,” latter being a bluish bit about a gentleman named Irving. Miss Tucker’s vet accom¬ panist, Ted Shapiro, scores as a comedian When he -fills in with three minutes of dialog during one of her costume changes. John Carroll is on bill, sharing a skit with Kay Brown, who portrays a teenager drying to convert him to rock ’n’ roll. Carroll’s powerful pipes boom “This Could Be The Night,” “Around The World in 80 Days” and assorted songology to serve as a perfect balance for the chirping of Miss Brown, Pair make a delightful team as they sing “September Song” in the square and hep versions, and engage in some funny chatter exchange. Spe¬ cial bow should go to the talented Jeff Lewis, pianist who wrote skit, did arrangements, and con¬ ducted orch. Eddie Fox staged the clever number. The Renee Molnar Dancers (9) add electricity to the festivities, which are skedded for four weeks. Dick Rice orch backs the package with appropriate flair. Duke. Riverside, Reno Reno, June 25. Jimmy Durante with Eddie Jack- son, Sonny Kiiig, Jackie Barnett , Amazing Monohans (3), Riverside Starlets, Bill Clifford Orch; $2 minimum. There’s a new spark in the Du¬ rante show caused by a collection of talent which is used sparingly but spread all the* way through. And while Durante .gives each per¬ former plenty of opportunity to shine, the Schnoz still focuses most attention with his. disgust, anger, and bull-whip commands. A continuous barrage of songs, interrupted by his chastising of the orchestra, wandering customers and groups of waiters, is inter¬ spersed with his standard gags but the-reception has never been finer for him. The addition of Sonny King as a kind Of straight man is good and King works in well with the Durante brand of fun-. King is originally introed as a single sing¬ ing a couple of songs. This could be eliminated. The show is already running overlong. But cowering before Durante and getting car¬ ried, away with his-songs is one of show’s high points. . Ben Wrigley is another brief but hilarious addition, with his exag¬ gerated walking and dancing. Du- rante’s writer, Jackie Barnett, makes another brief but enjoyable appearance, singing a couple ^of songs Durante has turned down. These three, plus the still crowd- pleasing Eddie Jackson, make for Durante’s most continuously enjoy¬ able show in a long time. The Riverside. Starlets are worked in with the Durante rou¬ tines, too. The “All Girl-Band” is especially outstanding and as usual the George Moro Line is sensational. In their opener they are almost too much to follow with an exciting rock ’n’ roll session. To add to the fast moving show, the Amazing Monohans couldn’t be more aptly named. They even look great in their mistakes. The two youngsters spin and somer¬ sault fearlessly on the feet of the juggler. An exciting, entertaining trio. Bill Clifford’s band somehow keeps pace with the unpredictable Durante and falls into the “traps” with gusto. Mark. < , The Seville, L* A* ^ Los Angeles, June 25. Loray White, Lester Horton Dan¬ cers (6), El Escobar Orch (6); 'two-drink minimum. Current entry^ celebrates this Santa Monica BlvH. boite’s first an¬ niversary. A lively ensemble .of dancing and singing, show fits into the -present trend of Latuning. Tagged “Caribbean Cruise,” the -Lester Horton Dancers and Loray White are topbilled. Sepia thrush sandwiches her numbers with the six terpsters, setting the trhvel scene with an opening “Let’s Get Away From It AH,” and scoring with “Black Coffee” and “Love.”- - Dancers are on for. four fast numbers, bizarre costumes adding to the eolorful effect. Opener is a rhythmic fire dance which catches the Caribbean mood. Balance are exotic in style, staged by Roland Dupree. El Escobar orch lends slick back¬ ing for entertainment as well as providing the beat for cha cha cha dance crowd, Whit. * Mocambo, Hollywood Hollywood, June 28. Billy Daniels, Benny Payne, Pdul Herbert Orch (7); $3 cover. When the late hours pack in with pros and the high spenders line the walls; and adorn the tables, it’s an infalUble sign that the.reason for it aU is someone out of a spe* cial mould. This, then, would glove-fit the magical talent of BiUy Daniels, who has been around the Strip as often as any idol of'the saloonatics. For just short of an hour he regaled the sitters and tipplers with his own unique brand of musical exercise topped off with “That Old Black Magic,” which not even he could foHow. It was a $10 opening Thursday night and from the storm of applause no one re¬ gretted the outlay. Daniels has achieved a distinc¬ tive style that many have tried to copy but could merely imitate. Most of his numbers have the familiar ring and he wisely avoids special materials. Only the “Masculine Touch” has an air of newness and his toying with it makes it an especial delight. It’s his selling as much as his singing that has won him such high favor in the clubs. Whether it’s a zephyry whisper or belting foray into a high, ear-cupping register, he takes it snugly in stride. The gesture, the smile and sway give his rhythms the added touch of the consummate entertainer. The au¬ ditors shouted-for add got “Yid- dishe Mama,” plaintively folksy and turned to a golden brown. While Daniels is the main draw and deservedly,.not to be dismissed as mere accompanist and arranger is Benny Payne, whose duets with the bossman are gems of matched harmony. He has a spot of his own and comes off as weU as Dan¬ iels, which indeed is not faint praise, . Paul Hebert’s crew on the stand gives mu§icianly backstopping, no sinecure considering the Daniels styling. On deck is Edith Piaf, coming up July 19, giving the Mo a pair of solid attractions for the floating population. Helm. Viennese Lantern, N» Y. Rita Dimitri, Yasuko, Ernest Schoen Orch; $3.50 miniumu. Max Loew’s Alt Wien hideaway has gone far from its native heath in securing the current biH. Al¬ though the eustomers of this spot are accustomed to international bookings, the current combination of a Greek chanteuSe and a Japa¬ nese singer is far-reaching even for this audience, However, the enter¬ tainment results are in keeping With the high standards of this spot. Miss Dimitri, with a previous N.Y. cafe history at Le Ruban Bleu, who essayed the role of La Mome Pistache in the touring com- S any of “Can-Can,” furnishes an- lteresting grouping of songs. Some of them need a stronger projection,, but generaHy, she makes "out exceedingly well in this intimery. Her tunes embrace those displaying the Franco - Hellenic ancestry which, includes a French medley, “Misirlou”” and a batch of numbers from “Can-Can.” She makes a good appearance here with weH-stacked architecture and gets an appreciative mittihg. The wandering strings headed by Ernest Schoen take some pic¬ turesque tours of the Loew hospice. The orch’s tunes are international In scope and give a further note of intimacy to this room. Yasuko is further described under New Acts. » - Jose. Bllnstrub’s, Boston Boston, June 25. • Russell Arms, Conn A Mann, Maxwells (2), Dalton & Bailey (3), Moro Landis Line (10), Michael Gaylord Orch (10), Lou Weir; $2.50 minimum. RusseH Arms exudes personal¬ ity in all departments—piping, chatter and and participation bits —heading the final layout of the season at BUnstrub’s 1,700-seater. The Era label and “Hit Parade” singer has to take three encores to satisfy BHnstrub denizens. Open¬ ing with “I’m Walkin’,” he segues to “Evangeline” for nice rounds, goes to a salute to Jimmy Dorsey with “So Rare” and puts over a tour de force “Hit Parade Story of 1957” telling a story using prac- ticaHy. aH the year’s song titles. Clever gimmick nets him a big round. . He takes “Singing The Blues” for a ride, goes into the aud sing¬ ing and smooching with femmes, and is back onstage with “Dark Moon” ..baHad to big mitting, Yanking off his bowtie and drap¬ ing his coat over shoulders, he gets off a howling Elvis PreSley “Heart¬ break Hotel” impresh and winds up to clinch solid with his hit disk, “Cinca Robles.” Conn & Mann, pair of clever tap terpers crew cutted and dress suited, open the show with a dead¬ pan tap routine to weird music breaking out into wild abandon and then back to the deadpan. They take mike for choruses of "I Could Have a Ball,” do some split bit terp carbons of Jose Greco and don tophats for “Tea for Two,” clinching with a Chaplin walk tap for nice palm whacking. MaxweUs, formerly with “Ice Capades,” transfer their zany nut costume aero act from skates to stage, doing lifts in slow motion style. Crowd pleaser is a one-hand stand on partner’s head. Under¬ stander balances six colored wicker blocks on his soles while partner climbs up to top taking a straight down and roH over for clincher. Dalton & Bailey is standout aerial with femme plant in aud who comes on to essay the trapeze in street cISthes for big aud laughs. She swings on the trapeze up the ceiling of the room with socko breaks for heavy rounds. Two femme partners open with slick tricks and style while third Of trio goes through her dizzying trap routine. Guy. Lake Club, Spgfld., III. Springfield, Ill., June 25. Jeannette Star , Ray Cornier, The Balladines (2), Miriam Sage Danc¬ ers (6), -Buddy Kirk Orch (8); $1.20 admission after 8 p.m. In keeping with Springfield’s Capitennial celebration (June 30- July 6) the 125-year-old city’s fore¬ most nitery is offering the “Capi¬ tennial Follies,” a revue with gay ’90s overtures. Acts performing in olio.fashion are woven into a gaslight era theme punctuated with audience participation a la community sing¬ ing, square dancing and other pe¬ riod effects. Even the waitresses, bartenders and busboys are in cos¬ tume commemorating the bygone days of Lincoln land. Topping the bill Is songstress- comedienne Jeanette Star, a junior red hot mama who places * her weight at 280. Her opener, “I’m Fat,. So What?,” sets the mood for her jolly renditions. She asks for laughter with visual gimmicks, but seldom in the lyrics of her songs. Mostly, she belts in a straight man¬ ner such tunes as “Nobody’s Sweet¬ heart Now,” "Smack Dab in the Middle” and “Make Me A Pallet on the Floor.” The latter is the Ethel Waters blues version, not Blind Boone’s ragtime ditty. Ray Cornier, billed as the “Har- mo-Maniac,” uses his horizontal saxophone to nostalgic effect with “Peg ’O My Heart,” “Darktown Strutters’ BaU” and other early era melodies. He has no trouble winning encores, one of which at show caught was variations on a strain by W. C. Handy. caUed “South St. Louis Blues.” The BaUadines, European dance duo, open the layout with an* Americanized can-can in Conti¬ nental costumes which fit in snug¬ ly with the Capitennial capers. The boy-girl team turns to more serious terping in “An American in Paris” sequence featuring some acrobatic tossups that are high for the Lake Club’s low ceUing. For a finale, the pair executes a spirit¬ ed Charleston—spirited in that it has more aerial derring-do than associated with the Roaring ’20s version. Wayn. Statler Hotel, L. A. Log Angeles, July 2. Carl Ravazza, Chop Chop & Char¬ lene, Eddy Bergman Qrch (11); $2-2.50 cover. Carl RavazZa’s current three- week stint iri the Statler Hotel Ter¬ race Room wiU find favor with both the rounders and out-of-town- ers frequenting this supper club. At Thursday’s (27) opener, singer, who makes, his entrance via the rear of the room singing an origi-. nal “welcome to the show” time, held tahlers in tow throughout his 45 minutes on mike. Repertoire, Which utilizes his particular voice; quality to best advantage, is com¬ prised of a variety of tunes that range from baUads to specialty songs. Ravazza’s Voice, although good, is not the best around; his sense of showmanship, however, is tough to beat. Ravazza scores best by the way he puts over a song; also in knowing just what to say in be¬ tween numbers, especiaUy to the femmes who seem particularly captivated by the guy. . Chop Chop & Charlene, a Chi¬ nese magician and his pretty, assist¬ ant, continue to prove that “the hand is quicker than the eye.” The vet magico also scores with a variety' of tricks that though oft seen, continues to mystify. Kafa. B’cb Club* Wildw’d, NJ. Wildwood, N.J., June 28. Ketty Lester, Ronnie Eastman, Danii & Genii Prior, Penny Parker, Barbara Bowman, Bob Lapkin Sky- liners (3), Charlie Spivak Orch (17); no cover or minimum. Ketty Lester, a bright newcom¬ er, draws the opening assignment in this new 3,100-seat palace of pleasure in exotic black and red decor. Well-groomed and striking¬ ly gowned, she projects a varied assortment of seven songs to the most distant corner. Miss Lester is theatrically ex¬ citing and rhythmically uplifting. Although a trifle nervous in the Madison Square Garden-like spa¬ ciousness of this after-dark spot, her vitality and throaty projection attracted -generous applause from opening night ringsiders. She intros with “Little Girl From' Little Rock,” segues into a torchy “Let Me Love You” and “I Love to Love.” One of her best numbers follows, a ragtime-styled “Play Mr. Bailey.” This number nets plenty of favorable reaction. She changes pace for “I Get a Kick Out of You,” followed by “He Flipped” and “Nobody’s Chasing Me.” Her slick training by man¬ ager Dorothy Shay and winning patter indicate a future headliner. Comic Ronnie Eastman offers clever pantomime routines to a taped accompaniment. Spirited Danii & Genii Prior give zest and freshness to the dance depart¬ ment. Charlie Spivak orch continues to do its top-rank job of providing the danciest music and is admira- hlv conducted for the showback¬ ing. Math. Statler-Hilton, Dallas DaUas, June 28. Blackburn Twins with Jerry Col¬ lins, Bob Cross Orch (12); $2-2.58 cover. Identical male duo has been around the nitery circuit long enough to know the score. Pair, a big hit two years ago in another room, keeps the customers on this return date and it augurs a neat b.o. for the fortnight. Opening (27) found the Black¬ burn Twins taking the tablers in hand easily with a fast opening vocal, “Let’s Get the Show? On the Road,” and they kept the rapport with the trademarked mirror rou¬ tine. Comic addition, Jerry Col¬ lins, abets the 45-minute show with his terp hits and gags. Sesh gets a little overdone on the third- sex theme, until the talents get to¬ gether for some fancy hoofing and top throwaway lines for a begoff. Trio melds aH the w r ay for a good showcasing. Top assist comeg from the Bob Cross band, which also packs the large floor for leather-pushing turns. Trio winds July 10, with Gogi Grant due July 11 for two frames. Bark. Frolic, Revere B 9 eh Revere, Mass., June 27. Baker Sisters, Tommy Wonder & Margaret, Buddy Thomas Line (12 ),Cliff Natale Orch (5); $2.50 minimum. Zany Baker. Sisters got off a pol¬ ished funfest in Mike DeUa Russo and Jimmy Celia’s seaside 400-seat- tr in their swan song as a sister act. At close of this stint (6), Thelma leaves the act and Bobbi breaks in a new partner- on six-week USO tour to Korea. The two funmakers get big aud reaction here from walkon and fracture with Jimmy Durante and Helen Traubel im¬ presh. Thelma has a boff Roberta Sherwood carbon and BobbLsooreS ’ in a whacky Elvis Presley routine and a nicely etched Pearl Bailey impresh. They nab heavy mitting with a nostalgic vaude turn, “Me and My Shadow.” The singing comediennes nabbed two encores and were off way ahead. Tommy Wonder & Margaret, re¬ cently at Blinstrub’s in Boston where they broke in a new act, are sock in 10-minutes v of faacy terp¬ ing and a novel bit by Wonder ^ ith femme dummy. Buddy Thomas stages, a sUck capsule revue with production piper Bob Warren and platinum-topped Jean .Thomas singing their way through aud to stage with ‘‘Meet The People,” With line of nine femmes and three lads in dance numbers in groups using both stage and top- stage levels, Warren & Thomas duet for big mitting and Warren takes a spot for big voiced render¬ ing of “Granada.” Thomas uses all his people on stage all through with handsome costuming and slick choreography. Cliff Natale batons the show with a crisp beat This layout exits Sat¬ urday (6). Jerry Vale and new show open Sunday <7‘. Guy.