Variety (December 1958)

Beeember IQ, 1Q5S QS MMEAlV %!3LVB ll#t^ M c r rc, W, IT* **An Evening with Richard Ro& gets” starring Mimi Benzell, Wil¬ bur Evans, Bill Tabbert; produced by Stanley Melba, staged by Do¬ lores Pallet^ conducted by Leon Leonardi, narrative by David Greggary: Joseph Ricardel arch; $2 cover. This is the best of the com- pcsers’ revues to daLO—and Stanley Melba, who pioneered the idea at the posh Cotilli(Hi Room, as an off¬ set to “impossible” salaries for “names,” has done mighty well with the two previous salutes, first to Victor Herbert, then Sigmund Romberg. Current ^‘Evening With Ricfiard Rodgers” is the best for several reasons, including a savvy script by David Greggory plus the fact that audience identification with Rodgers Iboth with Larry Hart and Oscar Hammerstein) is a shade more contemporaneous for a greater cross-section. Not to- mention, of course, that medley of Rodgers melodies, which is monument enough for more than one composer. From “Garrick Gai¬ eties” to “Oklahocia!”, from “Babes In Arms” and “Jumbo” to “South Pacific” and “Carousel/’ from other shows up to and includ¬ ing an excerpt from the just- opened “Flower Drum Song,” it is almost a case of who-can-hate-it? Given three pros like the looker lammister from the Met, Mimi Benzellf seasoned barytone Wilbur Evans who sang “SP” 792 times in London; and tenor Bill Tabbert who gave 1,700 censecutive per¬ formances as Lt. Joe Cable in the original “South Pacific,” it’s ideal casting. Their marathon of R&H (for Hart) and E3cH (for Oscar 2d) is an arresting cavalcade of popular standards that Tijfill long endure. Many of them mirror the folk songs of the days of our years, cer¬ tainly so far as the moneyed crowd that patronizes rooms like the Co¬ tillion is concerned. ’I^e staging, lighting and dove¬ tailing has been sldUfuIly blended. The narration is effective, hip, and circumvents making this sound like a living LP. The maturity of Lor¬ enz Hart’s lyrics will remain^ of course, a perennial monument to him. It's now a tossup which R&H .qualifies for the “American Gilbert & Sullivan” distinction—^regard¬ less, Dick Rodgers has produced an ^Itime Hit Parade that remains the dream medley for any Ameri¬ can composer to shoot at. Inci¬ dentally, in the current idiom of LP remakes and variations of the theme, this “Evening With Richard Rodgers,” and with the same cast, would make a very neat album. Special conductor Leona Leon¬ ard! batons a tiptop show; the three thrushes chirp to the hilt; the solos and duets and fbute en¬ sembles are smoothly projected. Withal, a fuUy satisfying evening of song. Joe Ricardel adds the necessary dansapation fillip; Pas- quall is the durable greeter at the door, the Pierre staff maintains parity, and the addition of “Gogi” as host seems certainly to have added to the b.o. And even a Paul Getty-owned hotel prefers okay b.o. Abel. Hotel Roosevelt, X, ©. New Orleans, Dec. 4. Joe E. Lewis {with Austin Mack), Kathy Carr, Bobby Blan- que, Leon Kelner Orch (10); $2.50 minimum, $4 Sat. Joe E. Lewis is back at the start of the racing season with some rou- tmes as well as his familiar clas¬ sics. It’s been capacity biz in the plush nocturnal rendezvous since he opened. The unpredictable pixie does considerable changing of the song parodies and gags with each show. In the 40 minutes he holds the stage, Lewis manages to keep up a constant flow of seemingly ad lib lines squeezed between the well- knowh “post time” imbibing. He seems to get better everytime he plaj^ Seymour Weiss’ bistro. His patter and parodies keep the yocks coming fast, as do his asides. Best are his song takeoffs on doc-' tors, a rocket trip to the moon, the popular hit of the day, “Volare,” with words about Brigitte Bardot, and “All 'The Way,” from “The Joker Is Wild,” a pix based on his ow’n life. Austin Mack does a top job as piano accompanist. Teeing off the show is Kathy Carr, a blonde thrush with loads of personality, showmanship and know-how with a rhythm beat. She scores nicely with songalog that in¬ cludes “Hello, Young Lovers,” “I Love Him So,” “St. Louis Blues,” “Shimmy Like My lister Kate,” “Bill Bailey.” Bobby Blanque, young baritone, shares in the evening's applause with a group of ballads. Leon Kelner’s musical crew con- REVlEWi^ trttates aa AEL-New Orleans med¬ ley featuring various members of band in solos. Kelner himself does a masterful job on the keyboard. Band keeps floor crowded during the ankle-bending sessions. Liuz. Hotel Radisson, Minneapolis, Dec. 4. “A -Night With Sigmund Rom¬ berg “ uhth Felix Knight, Earl Wrightson, Betty Benee' Don Mc- Grane Orch (10); $2.50-$3.50 mini¬ mum. After “A Night With Victor Her¬ bert’s” highly favorable impression and the boff mature ^spending” trade it attracted, the logical thing, no doubt, was for this swanky Flame Room to have brought in its successor, “A Night With Si^und Romberg,” patterned along similar lines. Judging by the jampacked open¬ ing dinner show, advance reserva¬ tions and audience enthusiasm, it looks as if this second offering wiU duplicate its predecessor’s suc¬ cess. Again the singers fit the tempo; and the numbers, culled skillfully from the Romberg hit musical comedies and of more re¬ cent vintage than Herbert’s but still possessing nostalgic charm, caress the ears pleasantly. In this connection, it might be said that this sort of fare ap¬ parently is local society’s dish as indicated by the fact that a some¬ what similar presentation, on ' a less major scale, is in its ninth big year at another tony dining spot, Schiek’s. Of the present personable cast, two members have some name sig¬ nificance here. Felix Knight has appeared a number of times as a single in this room and boasts a local following. Earl Wrightson, of course, is generally known through television and radio. Miss Benee’s operatic voice and beauty undoubt¬ edly will generate word-of-moutb beneficial to patronage. j All three performers contribute | equcilly to a polished, intri^ing performance. The fine vocalistics are supplemented by acting ability; which imparts added value to the numbers. The narration explaining the songs' original is laeed occa¬ sionally with witty verbal banter. Incidentally, this room has had both of these “nights” directly from the New York Hotel Pierre’s Cotillion Room. Even ^vith Don McGrane absent to attend his mother’s fimeral, his orchestra, as usual, performs its tasks admirably. “Romberg” is here until Dec. 30 when Hildegarde takes over. Rees. Americana^ ]|fiami B. , Miami Beach, Dec. 8. Eartha Kitt, Dusty Brooks, Lee Martin Orch. $3.50-$7.50 minimum. Eartha Kitt is playing an annual date in the Bal Masque and, from the turnaway biz on opening night, owner Larry Tisch could weU play her on a more frequent basis. The audience was comprised of regu¬ lars, some bus-tourists and a smat¬ tering of conventioneers. She looks to set a record gross- for her run at this time of year. Miss Kitt has a mostly-new act and the latter portion is an eye- filler and buzz-raiser. Working at start in be-caped ensemble, she doffs the outer garments as she progresses through her special- material newies, one dedicated to “millionaires” that contains lines worthy of any top comic’s book. It makes for laugh-filled returns into the middle portions for the straight song arrangements. Her ?‘Anna Lucasta” comes off in good fashion, desoite a hurried reading of the middle talk segment. It is when she hits the request trail and doffs her sheath gown (in itself form-reveal¬ ing) to display a tassled outfit that displays those exciting gams and torso, that she hits the big buzz and continued reaction rise. She reprieves her standards to continued build. Proof of hold on a class room comes when she works in a new bit, a temperature-raising bump-grind routine around stage. They loved it, and that takes in the large.femme contingent. Dusty Brooks is a young comic who comes through in good style despite coming on cold in the open¬ ing .slot. His is a mixture of the familiar and the fresh with the new^ slant dominant. Timing is adroit. With sharpening of some of his material he could be heading for .the fast-risers in short order. As is, he’s a personable lad, with a delivery that's briskly Mefficient. Running gag anent a cow builds his act as he threads it through to a surprise bit at windup to warm returns. Lee Martin and his orch back proceedings in. ton style. Due at end of week are Fernanda ^^’itel and Gene Baylos. Lary, j ' A. Los Angeles, Dec. 5. Wiere Bros., Mildred Seymour, Skrnnay Ennis Ordh (11); $2 cover.- They’re billed as the “unpre¬ dictable” Wiere Bros., but they’re not, not at all. This threesome does ^ a comedy act as precise as a tlght- wire act, and there are ho missteps. They are the only act in the floor- show of the Terrace Room at the Statler Hilton^ and they should be a good draw. The Only thing that could hurt them is that they have had considerable exposure in this area in recent months. But for a team that changes its routines very little, the'comedy holds very well, getting laughs—^big ones:—even from those who have seen the act fairly often. The Wieres—^Harry, Herbie and Sylvester—are celebrating this week the 100th anniversary in show business of their family. Every day of it is in the act—in the timing, the know-how, the showmanship. The team’s forte is the frontfd or flank attack on propriety and sobri¬ ety. A threerviolin rendition of Enecso’s "Romanian Rhapsody” be¬ comes a melee with Herbie and Sylvester dueling with violin bows, and balancing fiddles on their fore¬ heads. A misty version of “Clair de Lime” is played straight except that Hantys bow strings get loose and wavy as a horse’s tail. A Haydn excerpt becomes the background (or foreground music, since the ac¬ tion occurs in the bac^round) for a hat balancing act by Bylv.ester and Harry. Herbie plays straight through most of the act, while the piano accomp, Mildred Seymour, a statuesque blonde of heroic size, manages to convey the impression that she is the only sane person on the stage'awash with lunacy. It’s a very funny act and familiarity does very littie to dilute enjoyment of it. The act is in through Dec. 24, holding the stage for two shows nightly of 50 minutes each. Skim nay Ennis and his orch do a brief warmup medley of their best- known hits and provide dance mu¬ sic between shows. Powe. Sahara. Las ¥o<as Las Vegas, Dec. 2. "Hi Fi Holiday" starring Fred Waring & His Pennsylvanians, produced & staged by Waring; $3 minimum. Fred Waring and His Pennsyl¬ vanians are challenging the nudes and big name attractions in Vegas these nights with a toi^drawer package which doubtless wiU buUd via word-of-mouth. It’s a clean I show, exceUently staged and in ! good taste, which smacks of class and polish throughout. Congo Room is equipped with stereophonic sound, which p’eatly adds to the overaU effectiveness of the weU-paced musicale. War¬ ing is a smooth mx. who also clicks in the comedy department, espe¬ cially when he sings rock ’n’ roll version of “When I Grow Too Old To Dream.” Orch (20) and singers (19) show, versatUity in well- balanced repertoire featuring solo¬ ists Gordon Goodman, Leonard Kranendonk, Angela Mario. Livio Giorgi, Chuck Nelson, Jeannie Steel, Eleanor Forgione, Joe MafTne, and Patti Beems in such numbers as. “Song of the Open Road,” “He’s Gone Awav.” “Grafi- ada,” “Return To Me.’‘ “I’m Gonna Live Till I Die.” “Summertime.” “Love Is Fiin,” “Mv Romance” and “On Tod of Old Smokey.” Warren Hard, drummer, and Marjorie Meinert, organist, are impressive in solo numbers, and Irving Jaffa does a hit with minia¬ ture violins which is good for yocks. Final part of program is songalog saluting th^ various American holidays. Stan Irwin presentation runs through Def*. 22, Duke. Clii CliU Palm Springs Palm Spring, Dec. 2. Marie Wilson, Buddy Lester, Ben Yost Royal Guards (3), Bill Alex¬ ander Orch (7); $2 cover week¬ ends. Marie Wilson, Buddy Lester and the Royal Guards were booked into the StarUte Room separately hut played like a well packaged and integrated bUl. Show moved like fast old time vaude, with variety ^and fun aU over the place. Ben Yost’s Royal Guards open with a modest and warming intro in song and on comes Marie Wil¬ son looking as if age could not wither nor custom stale her in¬ finite and lusty . variety. Starty- eyed as ever,' but for real this time, as she has not played many niteries in her career on stage, pix and tv, she comes on in a shimmering white satin form-fit¬ ting strapless job, goes into her helpless and humorous gab which has been refreshed by new writenb #a Buddy Lester. An old hand at the Chi Chi, Les¬ ter was in top form at show caught and had the house howling nnd stepping all over his intrlevapt one-Uners. He stayed on too long but that was 'fee feult ef the -cus¬ tomers, not Lester’s. Two paro¬ dies of Ted Lewis for a finife were prefaced by a crack, “I don’t know why I do imitations of me, he never does one of me.” It must be love because Lester doesn’t have to imitate anybody but Lester to keep ’em laughing. Miss Wilson returns rigged in rhinestones and sings “Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend.” She is not a singer but who needs it with that figure? Then she brings back the Royal Guards who give a per¬ formance rarely exceeded in this %asis of the sand dunes. Some of their numbers have top concert quality. For a demanded encore Miss Wilson joined them in a clowning military uniform that fitted like Max Baer's would fit Buster Kea¬ ton. They kept booting her out of their numbers, stretching their arms that made it difficult to miss her poitrine. Previously she reprised the sob- ber of the autograph hound at Grauman’s Chinese, which she had done on the Ed Sullivan show. It was a nice plug for the humanity of George Jessel, anyway. BiU Alexander’s band keeps a fine pace with all the zany switches. Scul. Le Cnpidon, N. T. Sandu Scott, Ish Ugardi and Catun Orchs, Howard Beder; $3.50 minimum. Le Cupidon, ndw regarded as a prime showcase fm* femmes, is debuting Sandu Scott, a blonde looker who has been on the cir¬ cuits for some time. Miss Scott impresses as being endowed with a sufficiency of talent to get her across in most spots, and has an ingratiating manner along with a weU-developed voice. These seem, enou^ to get most singers over, especially in an in- timery such as Le Cupidon. Miss Scott has come in with an icxpen- sive act, even aside from eye-catch¬ ing couture. Her turn bespeaks a lot of preparation and work on the part of a complete staff, and there apparently has been a surplus of writers and arrangers—all of which has the net ^effect of -obscuring Miss Scott. She seems to be torn between the expression of herself and her colleagues, and it seems that the others are always winning out. What’s more, it’s to her detri¬ ment There are a couple of instances in which she's per^tted to be her¬ self briefly, and in these flashes she shows up as a likable singer and a warm personality. Her “Under Paris Skies” and “1^1 Blu” give her a chance to be herself. Otherwise her special material hides many of her virtues. 'The act contains a lot of writing. Even in the medley of oldies, there’s a con¬ trived effect with the Jolsonesque score. And there’s a lot of special material that hasn’t been kneaded- to her needs. A partisan crowd on opening night (2) gave her a re¬ sounding mitt. The Ish Ugardi orch supplies first-rate showbacking, Catun does the Latino material, and Howard Beder emcees. Of course, a prime attraction at this -spot is Robert, the ex-Versailles maitre d’ who is dispensing an excellent brand of groceries. Jose. London House, Chi ■' Chicago, Dec. 2. Cy Coleman Trio; $3 minimum Fri.-Sat. Gotham-based Cy Coleman unit is in its first Chi stand through Dec. 14. It appears to be another timely booking by the Marienthal freres, for Coleman is something of a “boy wonder” in the pop music field, just now riding on- the fame of having cleffed “Witchcraft’^ and “Firefly,” both current hits. Trio’s modem, jazzworks, often wildly improvisational, is always highly listenable, even for non¬ buffs. Uptempo stuff has'a basically non-cerebral vitality that’s in part due to the crisp, emphatic per¬ forming of all hands (Aaron Bell on bass and G- T. Hogan on drums). Fine example is “Hurray For Love,” the Harold Arlen de¬ light, which gets a real swingin’ treatment replete with catchy march flourishes at the open and close. Set caught offered wide ap- S eal in titles, among them. “Foggy lay” “Prelude- to a Kiss” (a dreamy Duke Ellington creation), and “Firefly,” latter given some Coleman vocalizing. Albeit progressive, trio works free of pomposity, and the let’s- have-fun spirit proves quite per¬ vasive, Combo will likely be op¬ tioned back here soon enough. Pit. . CueuMut H r u ve , L» A. Los Angeles, Dec. 5. Patrice Wymore, Betty Kean L Lew Parker, Orrin Tucker drch (13);‘$2-$2.50 cover, $3 mitiimum. First reaction to an eyening^ spent'with Patrice Wymore, Betty Kean and Lew Parker at the Co- coanut Grove is that it was a di¬ verting one. Still, to hit the profit point for the next three weeks, the big red room will have to bank heavily on Yuletide parties to swell attendance. Miss Wymore is a tall, shapely brunet with a pleasant voice and a somewhat frenetic approach. Were she to soften her movements, and avoid theatricality, her excit¬ ing personality would have an eas¬ ier time getting the upper hand. Her selections are apt — “Some¬ thing’s Gotta G/ve," “Let There Be Love,” ‘Toggy Day in London Town” and an excellent arrange¬ ment of “Secret LOve” to back¬ ground of a music box. Spicing the act is flamenco dancer Luis D’Urbin. Miss Kean and Parser, who in private life are Mr, and Mrs. close the show with some 40 minutes of every kind of humor in the book. It’s a new act—one of the few husband, and wife comedy teams in the country—and it's one whose name is likely to build. From the comedienne’s sedate entrance to the following display of her potato sack dress and cigar, from Parker’s straightman answers and satiric wit, it’s all slamhang entertain¬ ment. Best of the routines are in a restaurant and in the home of John and Blanche Bickerson, and the couple plays them to the hilt. On opening night. Miss Kean drew hearty response to her audience sojourns and made a laugh out of picking up one fondling what ap¬ peared to be Jayne’ Mansfield’s full-length white ermine coat. Orrin Tucker and his orch (13) are okay backstoppers for the 70- minute show. Ron. Tidelands, Ho«sten Houston,, Dec. 2. Rose Murphy with Slam Stewart, Don Cannon Orch (6); no cover or minimum. Rose Murphy, a big femme with a little voice, establishes a first with her Houston opening at the Tidelands Motor Inn’s Tideland Club. Hers is the first Negro act to appear on the city’s nitery cir¬ cuit, and the club’s stagesiders mitt the show in fine fashion. This thrush is not by any means a great singer, but her tunes are listenable and she’s at home vdth the 88s. Her jazz ivory goes big here. Equally well received is Slam Stewart, who has a way with a bass viol. He croons to his instniment as he plays it, producing a unique and pleasant effect as his voice mingles with the strings. Drummer Alexio Quintero does well with the love song of a tiger, chanted with the bongos, but this specialty was cut from the show after the Opening night presenta¬ tion. Otherwise he performs -on the conventional skins, and ex¬ pertly. Miss Murplp^'s act is well tailored to a small, intimate club such as this, whose floor-to-ceiling win¬ dows look out on the motor inn courtyard, (The drapes over the windows, incidentally, are now kept closed during the shows. One night during Marie McDonald’s recent opening of the club, a plajrful young couple in one of the apart¬ ments across the-courtyard failed to pull their drapes. Not many people watched Miss McDonald.) The Don Cannon orch backs the show expertly., the leader having cut the band from 10 to six pieces. The move is an improvement as the orch was too loud during the club’s first two weeks. This is a danceable combo and popular bere. Skip. Ye Little €lnb, L. A. Los Angeles, Dec. 6. Sharon Lauda, Joe Conely; two- drink minimum. Ye Little Club is giving Sharon Landa, an attractive brunet song¬ stress, her first pro outing in a tandem booking with Joe Conley, singer-comedian making his fir^ stand at this intimate BevHills spot. Despite the fact that Miss Landa is just breaking in, her swin^ physical mannei: as she sings comes across to good advantage. Her easy way of warbling through such tunes as “Just In Time,” “How Long Has This Been Going On?” and “That’s All” sustain in- teresl. She’s an okay candidate for a disk pact and film work. Conley, an energetic young man, falls a little short of his biUing as a comic. While his singing is good enough, his laugh material faUs flat He is badly in need of a bet¬ ter routine, Kafa.