Variety (February 1959)

7a NNKT OU BKHEWS 0mm Wednesday, February 11^.1959 St« Re^iSj W» Y» Vicky Antler with Sid Casimir, Milt Shaw and Ray Ban orchs; $2 and $3 cover. Vicky Autier, -who has been play¬ ing the Yorkville (Franco-Yien- nois) joints in New York, and mak¬ ing good impression, repeated on her “big time” preem at the class Maisonette of the St. Regis. Add¬ ing to the gala occasion were the Windsors (the Duchess looks upon Miss Antler as a personal prote¬ gee) and in the party, also, was yjfafo Maxwell, quondam songsmith, whtise tone, “All-Mine,” was given spotlighting by the chanteuse. . Miss Autier’s French aceent is authentic although, of blonde mien and manner, she probably has mittel-Europa roots which, of course, by no means detracts from personality, charm or showmanlyi appeal. She handles herself well, at the Steinway and with the port¬ able mike which she “caresses^or clips on her gown, she perambu¬ lates the room. A hidden mike ob¬ viously would be even better but the electronic hazard through un- forseen “shorting” is a constant: concern. As with most French, diseuses; plays the surefire circuit. Per¬ haps it’s best for audience appeal. Only rarely did a Genevieve (now quite the comedienne on the Jack Paar frolic) and still does Jacque¬ line Francois ignore the lack-6f- Francais knowledge and “inter-: pret” her own song styles. None the less it’s less nervous, from both customer and audience per¬ spective, for the artist to do the: surefire Franco-American hit pa¬ rade, in part-lingos of each. Miss Autier is less al fresco than Hildegarde but the alternation be¬ tween pianoforte and standup threshing perforce parallels the style. She, of course, differs in the more authentic Gallic accent as she does excerpts from the cata¬ logs of Gilbert Becaud, Georges Boulanger (“My Prayer” is as well known on this side), Charles; Trenet, Edith Piaf et aL Her "My Own Merry-Go-Round” is a charming interlude, and the stuff of playing “Tea For Two” with the left hand as counter¬ melody to a pot-pourri is from the; shades of yesteryear vaudeville, hut so old that it’s new. “Come Frima/1 half in Italian and half in French, points up the universality of the international Tin Pan Alley pop parade—tunes today are trans¬ lated and sung and interpreted with the sarde facility in the Con¬ tinental countries as from their Brill Bldg. ■ springboard. Miss Autier extends that with "Amor Y Mas Amor” (Love and More Love), an appealing Spanish ballet. She did well on the preem and augurs a good semester at the Maisonette which, fcr its next new entry, plans a more expensive “semi-name” than the parade of Gallic items. Miss Autier has her own skillful guitarist (Sid Casimir) who gives strong assist on the ac- comps and, per usual, she also has a strong assist in Milt Shaw batoning the No. 1 hand. His “society” dansapation also is tip¬ top terp music alternating with the Ray Bari ensemble. Per usual, maitre d’ August and his suave staff know their stuff with the class trade the St. Regis invariably attracts. _Abel. Tropieana# Las Vegas Las Vegas, Feb. 4. Ted Lewis & Co., Edie Adams, Alan Drake, Beverly Marshall, Ed- die Chester , Kathy Basic, Peter Hanley , Patricia Marand, Inga & Rolf , Dick Towers, Dancers & Showgirls (18), Hat Brandioynne Orch (17); produced by Lou Wal¬ ters; choreography and staging by Jack k Marilyn Nagle; $3 mini¬ mum.. Ted Lewis & Co., Edie Adams, ahd Allan Drake are presented here in an overcrowded package which should be a very good show with proper trimming. As it bowed on opening night, it was too mueh show, running nearly two hours— whieh is about 4Q minutes longer than average for Vegas. The Lewis company is strong in all departments. Lewis himself, with his patented nostagk; routines, got a warm reception from first- nighters. Eddie Chester, his "orig¬ inal shadow,” is back with him, 1 and also clicks, Kathy Basic, a brunet looker, scores with her vo¬ cals, and terp team of Inga & Rolf present a pleasing, graceful rou¬ tine. The bombshell of the act is a pixie-like singer-dancer named Beverly Marshall who brings down the house with her pantomimes. Miss Marshall is surefire star ma¬ terial. and would he an asset to a Broadway musical. j Edie Adams, a pet among Vegas showgoers, could very well head¬ line On her own, but time testtie-> tiona here diminish her impact. Miss Adams is beautiful, she has an excellent singing voice, and her warm personality is good for a nit- ery stage. Songs, including a clever opener called “Chinchilla/* and “Looking For A Boy,” and “Look To The Rainbow” get warm mitt- ing. Her spoof on the Jack Paar show doesn’t go over as big here as it might elsewhere, because the Paar telecast isn’t seen in Vegas. Miss Adams is one of tbe best mimics, and her takeoffs on Jaime Mansfield and Zsa Zsa Gabor are classics. Alan Drake’s rapid-fire standup turn is a standout. He gears his fast patter to his audience for top reaction, neatly blending his paro¬ dies, which are done in good voice. His skit about the difference be¬ tween a boy of yesteryear and one today asking fattier for the use of the family car is a gem of reality. Lite Miss Adams, Drake is ham¬ pered by abbreviation of the ses¬ sion. * Peter Hanley, Patricia Marand and Dick Towers are all talented youngsters who contribute hand¬ somely to the proceedings. Pro¬ duction numbers are imaginatively staged by Jack & Marilyn Nagle, and tbe backing by Nat Brand- wynne’s orch (17) is at its usual i high level. The Lou Walters pro¬ duction is skedded for four frames. | Duke. Diplomat, H’wood, Fla# Hollywood,'Fla., Feb. 9. Tony Bennett {with Ralph Sha- rcgi ), Paul Gray, Phil Lawrence & Mitzi, Henry Tobias, Mai Malkin Orch; $8 cover. The booking sked for the posb Cafe Cristal in this newery is on the upbeat, with this installation illustrating the rounded policy. It’s the only room in the area that, assesses a cover and gets it with little objection, thanks to the plush atmosphere and acts that fit the in- j time (250) confines admirably. . Tony Bennett is doing what i amounts to a new act. He has him-; self a fresh book of evergreens and one or two specials, notably "Sky¬ scraper Blues ,r and a fine neat- spiritual. Rest of the cleffings are okay, and go well, plussed by driv¬ ing delivery and warm personality. He could, however, strengthen the overall stint with inclusion of one or two clicks associated with him; that this would be a plus is indi¬ cated in the immediate palming when he does launch into one dur¬ ing latter part of his canto. As is, he still winds into a many-encored finish. . Paul Gray, who recently clicked as a last-minute add to an Eden Roc show, dittoes here. The tail, suave guy works laugh-wonders with the crowd, a mixture of for¬ mer Beach hotel in-the-knows and the Ft, Lauderdale-Palm Beach monied set. His underplayed, some¬ times sel&spoofing manner is class¬ room angled; it pays off in steady howl reaction, Gray’s forte is assessing current headlines and turning them into l highly amusing text. There’s an interweaving of broader stuff to hit all types; he tops it all with a lampooning of a couple of much- abused tunes to rate bring-back reception. This date is a bicycle P one for Gray—he's doubling from Murray Franklin’s all-nitery*on the Beach where he’s co-host-emcee- co-owner. Phil Lawrence & Mitzi are a brisk pair of vaude-styled hoofers who set proceedings off at a fast E ace. Henry Tobias is a capable ouse emcee, while Mai Malkin and I his crew distinguish themselves. With their showbackings. Ralph Sharon is a valuable pianist and batoning aide for Bennett. Due end of week, Georgia Gibbs and Wally Griffin. Jack Denison’s, L A. Los Angeles, Feb. 6. Dave Burton, Billy Dare; no cover or minimum. Jack Denison’s current offering of singer Dave Burton may not have the marquee allure of Mel Tonne or Herb Jeffries, who pre¬ viously played this spot, but his, ; continental manner may bring in ; enough trade to meet expenses. Burton, no newcomer to the nit- ery circuit, since he’s been indoc- trined in Las Vegas and Palm Springs, is making his first appear¬ ance in Los Angeles. His style of knocking out several songs in dif¬ ferent tongues is pleasing. Singer opens with “Just In Time,” In uptempo, and then flavors his repertoire with songs in Italian, French, Yiddish and .English. All come across authen¬ tically and, with some added terp- ing^ Burton’s act stands up okay for this supper club. Jackie Preiser on accordion; Dick Simmons,. drums, and Anthony Di- Maggio, bass, backstop the act in good fashion, especially on tunes like ‘ “YolarC” and “Gigi.” JK of a. Fontainefcleaa* M.H’eli Miami Beach, Feb. 6. Jack Benny with Gisele Mac- Kenzie , Chiquita & Johnson, Saca - sas Orch, Murray Schlamm; $3.50- $7.50 minimum. Hot on the heels of Red Skelton’s smash two weeks in this Land¬ mark’s LaRonde, Jack Benny is maintaining the hub-of-town as¬ pects of the 800-seater, to further solidify proxy Ben Novack’s ex¬ pensive premise that “them that' has, gits”—no matter what the cost. The Novack theory on losing less with a “most expensive” act is working into a profit span despite the $35,000 or so nut for talent each week of his season’s must-see names fun. Benny’s drawing a substantial type -of patron as against the mass-appeal Skelton. This is evidenced by lack of queries on the minimums, where in the Redhead’s case, the question was a frequent one. However, this might also be attributed to arrival in town of heavy numbers of better- heeled vacationers with onset of the peak weeks. Benny’s a long-rolling laugh hit with the crowds. His canny timing stands him in solid stead in this- big amphitheatre-like room. He hits fast with a series of topical lines anent the hotel, Novack, Castro and Cuban matters and this seemingly small—but howl-raising —talk on his peers in the biz. Tbe trademarked long takes, deceptive¬ ly diffident approach to his obser¬ vations and yarns are strongly effective in this layout. The giggles grow in a rolling wave to the far reaches of the room while he hits the puzzled pose to punch the top¬ per lines. He intros Gisele MacKenzie who sets up a zingy reaction" with her bright and forthright delivery of showtunes and cleffings she fea¬ tured on video; her encores build her French-Canadian songs. High style gowning (of which there are a series of changes) adds to the impact on the femmes, with the males going for her slick looks and vocalisties. High’point is hit in the session with Benny. The twin-vidlining spoof is a constant laugh spurrer, the banter adding to the overall build that winds them into a Wham palm payoff. For a Beach cafe, Benny as a name is money in the bank. As a performer, he is offbeat in the departure from the punching, many-faceted acts others offer. That the hip in the audiences go for his adroft, soft approach is further tribute—they’re the ring- siders who spread the word along the circuit hereabouts, that can make or break an engagement for any act, big or small. The word on Benny and MacKenzie can be couched simply: “a hit.” Chiquita & Johnson, familiars here, set matters off,with zing in tlieir display of gracefully achieved lifts, spins and twists that raise gasps. The tiny Chiquita is provid¬ ing more of her talented toe tal¬ ents,’. adding to the overall class stamp of their stint, Sacasas and his orch rate kudos for their adept showbacking. Next in view: Judy Garland, on the 18th. Lary. Queen Elizabeth, Mont’l Montreal, Feb. 4. Ballet Florence et Frederic de Paris (10), Beverly Lawrence , Denny Vaughan Orch (12), Louis Bonnet Trio; $2.50-$3 cover. A double bill in the elegant'Salle Bonaventure of the Queen Eliza¬ beth Hotel offers the song-and- piano talents of Beverly Lawrence and the hoofing of the Florence and Frederic Ballet with okay re¬ sults. Combination makes for. a diversified evening and the overall pace and number of performers more than gives the clientele their money’s worth. Florence and Frederic, who danced as a ballroom team for sev¬ eral years, formed their present company two years ago with Flor¬ ence still taking part in the oc¬ casional routine and Frederic do¬ ing the choreography. The seven femmes in group are all lookers, fill the lavish costumes attractively ; and, like the three male members, have talent to boot. 1 Miss Lawrence comes on follow-[ .ing the first production and whams over a collection of torch- ants which exhibit a good musical sense and a penchant for the off¬ beat numbers. The vocal effects more familiar to the jazz buffs catch the Bonaventure patrons off¬ guard at first, but thrush soon has and holds their attention. Miss Lawrence returns later for a piano sequence that sets her up solidly. Judging by the reception given her keyhoarding; Miss Lawrence, with¬ out falling into the category of a cocktail entertainer, could enhance: impact of her act by combining both her talents, . • Show is backed by' Denny : Vaughan and his orch in capable manner with the Louis Bannet trio [splitting interlude music. Lydia Scotte opens Feb. 18. Newt, Casino Royal, Wash. Washington,* Feb. 3. Les Paul & Mary Ford, Jackie Clark, Jay & Joanne, Jack French Orch; $1 cover, $4 minimum , Just listening to all that noisy applause around the Casino Royal gives an idea of how much Wash¬ ingtonians think Of Les Paul • & Mary Ford. The pair is here too infrequently to satisfy the local ap¬ petite for their skill in presenting music in a unique way. They’ve given a big boost to trade in Lee Zeiger’s huge room. Aided by hundreds of pounds of electronic equipment, including several tape recorders (amassed in a small backstage room which re¬ sembles a musician’s version of Cape Canaveral), they work audio miracles. Their two guitars can be tricked into sounding almost like a full string orchestra with drums, and Miss Ford’s mellifluous voice can be multiplied into a chorus of six. But she’s at her best harmon¬ izing with herself in trio, a la “Tennessee Waltz.” With taste and imagination, they pick and choose among various electrical possibilities to create di¬ versity from number to number. They’ve mastered the best devices (all controlled through buttons on Paul’s guitar onstage) for working smash arrangements for sweet ones such as “Vaya Con Dios” and rous-t j ers like “Bye, Bye Blues.” j Valuable assets for this amazing Mr. & Mrs. are their contagious ; personalities. Their naturalness | warms audience from the start: Jackie Clark, a young comedian, heaps energy into, his thirst for yocks, but he needs to create an individuality in presentation. The; dance team of Jay & Joanne,, also youthful, may improve with polish and experience. Boniface Zeiger has an asset in Jack French’s orch, which lends fine support to performers and pleasant dansapation. Carp. Chi Chi, Palm Springs Palm Springs, Feb. 3. Dorothy Shay, Frankie Scott, Martin Bros., Bill Alexander Orch; $2 coper. The Starlite Room’s bill this week opened fast with the Martin Bros., a top acro-juggling act. They performed even better in this nitery than on the Ed Sullivan show. The show slowed down to a walk up a mountain trail with the star Dorothy Shay. In between is Frankie Scott, a comedian with dubious material who’s saved only when he trots out a cornet and imitates Harry James and the late Henty Busse. Miss Shay has become more Park Avenue than hillbilly'by now without trying. And this time out. she wasn’t trying very hard. Garbed in a tight fitting gown of Chinese red which had a huge pompom on her derriere, she looked stunning and really beauti¬ ful, but she paces her numbers with languid side talk that adds nothing to the act. In all she knocks v off eight num¬ bers and with her old standby, “Feudin’, Fussin’ and Fightin’, end¬ ing on a yodelmg note that gets her a big salvo. But her chatter is cold. Scott’s text isn’t any better and his vulgarities explaining that Frankie Laine got his style of Singr, ing from milking cows and Billy Daniels from taking too much bicarb of soda was worse, since he lacks Miss Shay’s looks and air of refinement. But the Martin Bros, stole the show. [ Bill'Alexander’s orch is stepped up to seven. Dick Hazzard accom¬ panied Miss Shay’s'numbers. , Seal Cork Club, Houston Houston, Feb. 3. Wyoma Winters, Mel Arvin Orch (5); no cover or minimum. Wyoma Winters, a comely brunet whose hairdo is stacked* too, carries the blues with a touch \>f the torch in her 25-minute Cork Club opening, A versatile stylist, the femme stays mostly with a slow, pulsating beat which, while effective, doesn’t show a really fine voice to its best advantage. Opens with “Today I Love Every-/ body” ahd then. With a blue spot; setting the mood, thrushes “Come Rain Or Come Shiner” Top mitting j comes after “From This Moment i On/’ and the begoff, "You Made Me Love You.” . I A stroller, the femme was handi-1 capped in the opener when the handmike went but at show time, j Dragging a. stand mike around is rugged for even the falTand. stately Miss Winters. ' Skips \ Copaeabana^ V. IT# Jules 'Podell presentation of Johnny Mathis, Corbett Monica , Vivian Cook, Zeme North, Ron Stewart, Paul Shelley k Frank Marti Orchs; staged Jby Doug Coudy; music & lyrics, Mel Mit¬ chell, Marvin Kahn; costumes, Billy Livingston; $5.50 minimum. Johnny Mathis is emerging as a performer of stature. This young Negro lad, who has been breaking it up In bistros throughout the land and who is a top album disker for Columbia, definitely proved bis right to uppercrust ratings with his opener at the Jules Podell hospice. Since his last visit, Mathis has grown artistically and boxoffice- wise. He now shows fine perform¬ ance values, has more fluidity and his songs hit target with marked consistency. Of course,' there is still room for expansion. He still needs to learn to relax. There are seemingly some tensions within him that sometimes force him to make a mask of his phiz. However, the music is there. His songs get a maximum response from the femme trade, and he hits exciting rhythms, with, an essentially smqoth Nat King Cole quality which brings out frequently sexy overtones. .His tune selections are good and his musical background is tops. Mathis brought in at least eight of his own musicians to insure custom made arrangements. He stayed for 40 minutes doing tunes from his albums as well as his sin¬ gles, and a good assorment of rhythms and ballads. In support is Corbett Monica, a newcomer to the Copa. Monica is a pleasant youngster with an easy ! and ingratiating delivery. His stor¬ ies and lines sneak up on the audi¬ ence and he is able to get a steady line of laughs. In his Copa dehut, it’s a pity that he was confined ;to a comparatively small amount of time since he was building and needed perhaps a few more min¬ utes to reach his crescendo. He was well liked and well applauded. Opener Is Vivian Cook, a lithe looker who features some good spins in a fast-moving act. She works partly in the production where she does okay, hut saves the more potent material for her own spot which comes out well. The Copa has brought in a new and fancy Doug Coudy production. The line comprises an octet of lookers, most of whom are recruit¬ ed from the ranks of models. While they haven’t learned to step with ease as yet, they’ll probably soon hit the stride expected from the Copacabeauts. The singers, Zeme North and Ron Stewart, do well by the Mel Mitchell and Marvin Kahn tunes. Billy Livingston has designed a picturesque set of cos¬ tumes: The music by Paul Shelley is alert to the requirements of the acts and Frank Marti provides ex¬ cellent Latin dance incentives. Jose. Henry Grady, Atlanta Atlanta, Feb. 4. Norma Smith , Pee Wee Hunt & His Twelfth Street Rag Band (6); $3 minimum. This show is a change of pace for Henry Grady Hotel’s Paradise Room. Normally spot has its own band, Don Grimes’ to play for show and dancing. Rooking . Pee Wee Hunt and his crew pfbvides a dif¬ ferent style in music and a wel¬ come change all around. Not to be overlooked is the tal¬ ented Norma Smith, a’blonde sing¬ er, pretty and dressed in blue, who did 15 minuts despite a severe laryngitis. Thrush works mixes in some banter with the ringside pa¬ trons and does an all-around good job. She gets generous applause. Pee Wee Hunt and cohorts are right at hime accompanying a singer who specializes in tunes like “I Cried for You,” “I Get a Kick out. of You/’ “I Wonder Whose Kissing [ Her Now,” etc/ Band opens the show with “New Orleans Rampart Street Parade” runs right down the dixieland list with “Big Noise From Winnetka” featuring drummer Cody Sandifer and bass fiddler Joe Savage; “Sugar Blues,” with Hunt’s trom¬ bone abetting trumpeter Andy Bartha. Clarinetist Lee Cummins and pibnist Jack Condon round out the band and they climax their routines with a brassy “Twelfth Street Rag,” closing with “When the Saints Go Marching In” in a strutting parade around the room, threading their way among the customers to a fine mitting along the line of march. ^ Norma Smith (who records for Congress under the name of Norma Syll) in addition to her night stint sings at Paradise Room’s Lunch¬ eon in Paradise, with Don Grimes doubling as emcee and maestro. Luce.