Variety (March 1959)

69 Wednesday, March 25, 1959 P'Kriety NIGHT CLUB REVIEWS Fontainebleau, M. B’ch Miami Beach, March 21. Donald O'Connor, with Sidney Miller, "Olive, Los Gatos, Socasas Orch, Murray Schlamm; $3.50- $7.50 minimum. Delayed hy snows, Donald O’Connor finally arrived by auto to reopen the La Ronde Room after a two-night shutdown. To further plague resumption of the hot pace set by Sinatra, he preemed amid an unseasonable spell of heavy rains. Withal, the first show was comfortably filled, with pickup in reservations to point where Satur¬ day was a sellout. If the word-of- mouth so important to a click on this circuit means anything, his two-weeker should reach healthy gross status. O'Connor has himself a revised script from that at last season’s visit to these precincts. It’s a tight, fast, condensed revue with a classy staging devoid of any excess frills that might get in the way of up¬ tempo pace. The material reflects inventive preparation and provides a broad base from which he dan work out sbng, dance and comedy. In the song-dance facet, lie sets a solid solo opening slot, then brings on tiny partner Olive, via clever use of screen device that has her shadowgraph-terping in magnified size until bring-on for the buzz- raiser caused by actual mite height. On her own, she belts out two solid pipings, then pairs with_ O’Connor for a smooth sesh of lifts-lined ballroomology that earns heavy returns. With Invaluable and longtime comedy partner Sidney Miller, peak points are hit during the trademarked songwriters setting from which they wheel out in rap¬ id and howl-filled-succession a series of zany impressions. New is the Van Cliburn bit—a yocking in¬ sert—among the spoofings that hit howl payoffs for the Chevalier- Tucker lampoon; ditto with Lili St. Cyr, Dean Martin, Crosby, Dietrich, among others. Washington localed, topical-pegged .lyrics thread the satirizations together and add to overall values. Solo, O’Connor again spins out solid vocalistics and, per always, is a deft, smooth¬ ly effective, makes-it-look-easy terpster. The Los Gatos trio add the nov¬ elty touch to the package with their comedy balancing and tum¬ bling that well earns a steady stream of gasps. Sacasas and his orch are firm showbackers. Due April 2 is Johnny Mathis. Lary. Chi Chi, Palm Springs Palm Springs, March 17. Mae West & Co (14), Harvey Stone, Bill Alexander Orch; $2.50 cover. Having run into a series of frail males who had to cancel because of infected throats, the Chi Chi Starlite room switched to dames with better staying power. First they brought back Lili St. Cyr, who seems weatherproof in the raw, and followed her with Mae West, who talks sex for 30 minutes but never so much as takes off her white feathered headdress or her white fox wrap. She lets her sextet of musclebound boys do the strip¬ ping for her. She looks tired, and except for the quartet in tails and tophats who sing and dance the opening commercial dealing with Miss West’s sex allure, everybody else in the act looks worn out, too. Louise Beaver, acting as Miss West’s maid and remembered from the Beulah series, got a bigger hand than the star. Michael Ed¬ wards tried valiantly to put ardor into “I Kiss Your Hand, Madame” but Miss West plays it as if the madam were a frontier pollyadler, not a lady from old Vienna. Harvey Stone preface Miss West’s Kinsey report wdth 25 min¬ utes of lively and ribald humor and gets far more laughs w r ith his sex material than the old champ. Al¬ together it was a tired night for partisians of “The Pleasure Man” kind of humor. Bill Alexander’s orchestra did okay. Sam Mineo conducted for Miss West’s body punches. Scul. Black Orchid, Chi Chicago, March 17. Shecky Greene, Ford Hines, Joe Pamello Trio; $1.50 cover. This dual comedy blast is easily one of the merriest offerings mounted-by the Orchid in recent memory. It’ll be a shame if Lenten apathy and Form 1040 homework should cut the biz the layout merits. Ordinarily, Shecky Greene, a hometowner away for a year, fig¬ ures to pack this small room. His current exercise is the fulfillment ef lotsa promise, a deft diffusion of satiric impressions and standup gags that rated the hearty laugh for a 50-minute course. Young comic , worked much of the opener sans mike, which conked out early and provided dandy grist for his ad lib mill. He showed re¬ markable facility for seizing on a dampening situation to milk it for its hilarious most. The p.a. troubles may have shredded his format, but not his sharp mimicry and timing. Greene’s range include Las Vegas nudity, tv blurbs, limp-wristers, a Jolson-phrased “Roek-a-Bye,” a Greek waiter bit, and an especially incisive portrayal of Danny Thomas in his Chi salad days. Latter is a double-edged delight for locals who remember Thomas when. Phil Ford & Mimi Hines re¬ peat their preem success here of last October. Couple ingratiates strongly with throwaway nonsense, sparkling spoofing, and very listen- able songstering—the femme, in fact, possessing thoroughly legit soprano pipes of refreshing charm. Charm, indeed, marks the whole act, with Ford a savvy and discreet foil to his wife’s delicious nonsense, particularly via a wacky “Cynthia and Reggie” sketch. Fine show¬ backing from Joe Parnello’s three¬ some. Joey Bishop returns April. 1 . Pit Shamrock Hilton' H*st’n Houston, March 19. ‘Jack Durant, Landre & Verna, Carl Sands Orch (9); no cover or minimum. Jack Durant brings material tried and blue—mostly tried—into the International Club’s Continen¬ tal Room at the Shamrock Hilton and builds the act into a solid send- off 30 minutes later. Certainly the hardest working comic making the nitery rounds, he turns a six-course parlay into top yocks and more palming than seen at a convention of magicians—the six courses being gags, impressions, songs, a bit of dancing, and participation, and pratfalls (5). A comic with a short breath and an infectious laugh, Durant paces the stage, jumps down among stagesiders to slap the usually co¬ operative customer on the back, all the while tossing off gags he knows from experience will bring top re¬ turns. He’s never disappointed. The laughs grow in volume until he begs off. Seems certain to build the house to near capacity during his stay. A local ballroom team with a national rep, Landre & Verna open the show and also draw top ap¬ plause during their 10 minutes. Although the terpers had only four hours’ notice and a brief rehearsal, that wasn’t apparent to ringsiders. Pair exhibit grace, and Landre, a former pro boxer, has few peers as a “lift man.” Many a customer looked on with envy at the ease With which he handled his wife. Carl Sands-orch was great in a backing job, particularly as there was little rehearsal time for the suddenly lengthened show. Carol Chahning comes in for two frames March 31. Skip. Hotfel Mnehlobaeli, K. C. Kansas City, March 17. Enzo Stuarti, Elisa Jayne , Danny Ferguson Orch (7); $1-1.50 cover. The Muehlebach has changed its scheduling of shows for the -Ter¬ race Grill temporarily, and the current booking covers March 16 through 26, instead of the usual two-wedk stand. Current session offers singer Enzo Stuarti and dancer Elisa Jayne with the back¬ ing of Danny Ferguson and orch, and the 42 minutes provide pol¬ ished entertainment. Miss Jayne leads off with a mod¬ ern jazz terp to “Bluesville,” a tune written for her, and show’s top¬ flight maneuvering. She shifts to impressions in terpsichore, bring¬ ing off Bette Davis, Maria Callas. a Kabuki girl, Ed Sullivan and Marilyn Monroe, injecting comedy chatter along with her dancing for unusually funny results. Her third entry is a straight mambo. also to an original, “Mambolisa,” for a click finish. It’s her first entry in towm and a fortunate one all around* . ^ bas been about three years since Stuarti debuted in .town, and the interlude has served to mature his presentation and his person¬ ality. His is a voice that rates among the best, and he uses- it excellently on a variety of stand¬ ards and originals. Midway he does “If I Love You,” “Arrivederci Roma” and “September Song,” all vocal treats. Along the way he also offers “Yours Is My Heart Alone,” “Jalousie” and “Come Back to Sor¬ rento” among the w T ell knowns. and originals “Just Say I Love Her” and “We’re Not Strangers.” It is all fine singing. Tito Guizar comes in for a re¬ turn date March 27 for two w^eks. Quin. Hotel Roosevelt, N. O. New Orleans, March 20. Jimmy Durante with Sonny King, Johnny Mack, Sally Davis, Jack Roth, Jules Buffano, Tanya & Biagi, Durante Girls 16); Leon Kelner Orch; $2.50 weekday, $4 Sat. minimum. Jimmy Durante’s name on a mar¬ quee means only one thing: $chnoz- zola. The velvet rope went up early opening night and it looks like jampacked houses for the entire two weeks. This trip Durante has perhaps the best comedy act of his long career, presenting an abundance of new material and some new faces to join him in his classic mayhem-comedy routines. With him as usual are Sonny King, his young singing partner; drummer Jack Roth, pianist Jules Buffano and a two-ton gal loaded with per¬ sonality, Sally Davis, plus Johnny Mack, whose softshoe terping pro¬ vides a brief respite from the mad¬ ness of the master laughmaker and cohorts. Durante seems to have an in¬ exhaustible goldmine. His language mangling was never funnier and no member of the cast escapes the brunt of his attack. He’s a constant delight to his audience, whether strutting, tossing hats at his aides, thumping the piano, clowning with the six luscious dolls in his line or tpssing off quips and asides. One of the high spots is Du¬ rante’s new routine that spoofs French night clubs, with his girls contributing his version of the “can-can.” He turns up in this bit with beard, gold cloth vest, high hat and cutaway coat. The mittings are plenty powerful after he and King conclude. The energetic King’s dynamic piping and his pseudo-wranging with the Schnoz seems to get bet¬ ter every time he appears in Sey¬ mour Weiss’ plush bistro. He car¬ ries the heaviest workload with Durante and they clicjc together all the way. Preceding Durante are Tanya & Biagi, who start off as a suave ball¬ room dance duo with finely delin¬ eated spins and lifts and wind up in a comedy bit that had the table- holders howling. Iii their serious moments their routines are grace¬ ful and flashy. Team is skillful and pro, and bow off to big hand. . Bobby Blanque registers with an assortment of songs with the band, and Leon Kelner’s musical crew backs Durante nicely and plays rhythms that keep the floor crowded for the s dansapation. The maestro does a' ;masterful job at keyboard. Liuz. Jefferson, St. Louis St. Louis, March 11.. Sonny Mars, Habers Dale, John¬ ny Polzin Orch (7); $1.50-$2 cover. Sonny Mars, a. comedian who hasn’t been around as long as some of his material, manages to rise from out of the chestnues regard¬ less by dint of sheer persistence and an engaging personality. First- nighters were a littie timid with the yocks at the start but warmed up considerably to an audience par¬ ticipation gimmick in which Mars makes like a magician with maestro Johnny Pclz n as his stooge. None of the tricks comes off, of course, but the frustrated magic is good for king-size chuckles. Mars is an energetic funny man, end as apt to. sit in a customer’s lap as to pitch a quip into the mike. He works like a l"ojan to lure the laughs, and if one gag doesn’t do it, the next one usually does. And by the time he bows out the audience has definitely gone over to Mars. . ' Harbers & Hale, a smooth dance team featured at this Sheraton-Jef- ferson Boulevard Room in seasons past, make a pleafcarr; session of it with a potpourri of fancy footwork, from gilding pdetry m motion to a spirited cakewalk. Next floor show headliner: Don Cornell, due in March 29. I Godd. Queen Elizabeth!,' Monfl Montreal, March 17. Jana Mason, Norton n Patricia, Denny Vaughan Orch (12), Louis Bannet Trio; $2.50-$3 cover. Despite Lent and Holy Week which usually exact a fairly heavy nitery toll in Montreal, biz in the Salle Bonaventure of this Hilton- operated hostelry maintains an okay level. Much of this is due to the solid piping of Jana Mason and tlje terp antics of Norton & Pa¬ tricia. . Both acts (booked by the May Johnson office which has taken ove • the entertainment responsi¬ bilities for the room) have ap¬ peared at other times in Montreal but neither with the current im¬ pact. A striking brunet in a revealing, fashionable gown, Miss Mason im¬ presses with her fine voice and a collection of songs that are ideally suited to this particular spot. Al¬ though Miss Mason has developed an act and style of singing similar in some ways to Lena Horne, this attractive personality has plenty of individual touches that set her apart. Opening briskly, she mixes tem¬ pos with taste and garners solid mitting for her “I’ll Be Seeing You” and “Come Rain or Shine.” Manner is pleasant without being folksy and patter descriptive but brief. A surefire act for any of I he better cafes. In opening slot, Norton & Patricia impress with their spins and lifts and make one wonder what hap¬ pened to the art of ballroom danc¬ ing that, at one time, was regular* fare in every nitery show. This lofty room makes a perfect setting for team, giving them plenty of space to move, and they need every square inch as Norton spins his petite partner through routines that brings spontaneous applause. All numbers score, with . their interp of a music box sequence a particular highlight. Newt. Diplomat, H’wood, Fla. Hollywood, Fla., March 22. Toni & Jan Arden, Gene Baylos, Augie & Margo, Henry Tobias, Mai Malkin Orch; $3 cover. Current package in the Cafe Cristal is illustrative of the consis¬ tent quality of shows booked in the smartery since opening last De¬ cember of “this year’s hotel” on the Gold Coast. Toni Arden has taken on new depth and lively personality with the joining of brother Jan. Always a quietly effective songstress with an adroit, way of phrasing her tunes, plussed by a high ranging, full throated approach, she is ex¬ actly that in forepart of the act. It is when Jan joins her, following his own solid session of purveying smooth and artfully delineated currents and evergreens, that the teaming zings the act into a mitt- sparking affair that winds big. It’s also in this segment that Miss Ar¬ den displays the new zest and sparkle, notably when their duet- ings call for change of costume by her, into a late ’ 20 s flapper affair and display of graceful, zip-filled dancing bent that brings sustained plaudits when she essays, with brother, a medley of Charleston- Varsity Drag-Black Bottom terp- ings. It earns them demands for more, and when the calls come for reprise on “Padre” solo, she keeps them appreciatively rapt despite the odd-for-the-mood costume. End result is a begoff, for both. Gene Baylos, who has played vir¬ tually every cafe—regular and one- nighter—along the Beach circuit, has finally made it here. He w orks out the same act, line for line, mugg for mugg, “ad lib” for “ad lib” that he’s been doing for a decade or more. Result is a ses¬ sion of peaks and lulls that should guide him to a reappraisal of the old, and addition of some new if he’s to avoid the point of diminish¬ ing laugh returns. He’s a basically prime funnyman who seems to have hit too well-worn a gag- groove. Augie & Margo are repeating the hit course set at the Eden Roc sev¬ eral weeks ago. They’re a con¬ stantly improving young pair of dy¬ namos whose inventive and orig¬ inal twists, slides, spins and mod¬ ern dance paterns spark a constant mitt reaction. Lary. &tenlien 7 S' Host on Boston, March 17. Danny Dillon, Ozzie & Anita Reyes (2), Don Dennis, Sherry Michaels, Tony Bruno Orch (5); $2.50 minimum. Danny Dillon cuts it up with some, new impresh bits in his re¬ turn date at Max & Joe Schneider’s theatrical boite in the Hub’s «how | area. He’s incorporated carbons of Charlie Weaver, Paar and others off the tv screen to go along with rundown of cartoon characters. Opening with song hit, in which he carbons stage and screen and pop pipers, he segues to slick takeoff on Bing Crosby, and does a way out,- “This Old House” putting :n all the sound effects, from creak¬ ing doors to whistling winds. Ozzie & Anita Reyes get heavy mitting with torrid Latin terpery. Don Dennis belts out “Chantez, Chantez,” and takes “When We Were Young” for slick ride in his piping spot betwixt emceeing the show. Sherry Michaels, lush red head, opens the show with some top aero bits, using chairs and lighted candles and twisting her body into some impossible-looking positions. Guy. Eden Roc, Miami Beaeh Miami Beach, March 22. Maurice Chevalier with Fred Stammer, Tybee & Brascia, Walter Nye Orch, Jackie Heller; $5-$7.50- $10 minimums. Maurice Chevalier is making his first appearance in these parts in sevaral years and on results of first weekend of shows ‘one nightly) he looks likely to rack up a gross reaching—on comparative basis— the Joe E. Lewis-Eydie Gorme highs. Nostalgic is the word that can best describe the Chevalier stint. Everything bears his stamp of warm charm and showmanship. During the hour or so of Cheval¬ ier’s dippings into his past and as¬ sociated hit roles and songs, he keeps the packed room in hushed and appreciative attention, albeit the vocal talents, never big, have now reached a lyric-talk stage. He wins them with the charm, holds them with the personality and magnetism. Admitting 70-plus in the age dept., he’s as spry as ever and raises appreciative multi¬ chuckles and mits when he does a song-dance takeoff on the cur¬ rent rock ’n’ roll craze. His auditors are comprised of the post-40 set, with a healthy sprinkling of the younger genera¬ tion on hand to see a legendary per¬ former. For the former group he obviously evokes pleasurable mem¬ ory moments with his way with a saucy line; the amusing fractured English gab, and the rundown of the evergreens. The younger part of the audience mitts a smooth working, always-at-ease, always-in- command pro. He refers to Sophie Tucker and paeans her with a re¬ prise on “Some Of These Days," plus a couple of special material numbers with some spicy lyric themes. The big reception these got may suggest “more of same” additions to his book. They kept him coming b.ack for encores and demands for more after the begoff. Show openers are Tybee & Bras¬ cia who mark a big click with their torrid terpings. Their twists and weaving are eye-compelling. A flamenco-lined routine is an added zinger-upper to overall constant applause stirrings. Opening March 27 are three seasomtopper re¬ turnees, Joe E. Lewis, the b.o. champ, with Eartha Kitt and the Dpnhills. Lary. Chez Paree 9 Chi Chicago, March 22. Mickey Rooney. Joey Forman, Pat Morrissey (with Harry Slot- tag), Chez Adorables (7), George Cook Orch (12); $1.95 cover, $4 minimum. Mickey Rooney’s first Chi nitery venture appears too dependent on an uneven script that collects cor¬ responding reaction. More to the problem, however, is that he’s con¬ fined to dialog humor with no chance to show off other facets. A song - and - dance interlude would have been helpful, for example, and perhaps a dramatic cameo from his picture credits. Even in present form, the act could use more unharnessed Roo¬ ney—the brash and puckish little guy of fond memory. These quali¬ ties crash out only intermittently, and while they register fine with the house, also -point up the act’s lulls. Star has a fortunate vis-a-vis in Joey Forman, a glib and attractive workman who brightens the stage considerably on his own and as Rooney s foil. Imminence of Acad¬ emy Awards is peg for Oscars to “best chef” and “best waiter” of year, w r ith Rocney and Forman al¬ ternating as recipients. Parody is only mildly effective since the tan¬ dem bits are laced with obvious gags. Most inspired moments a"<? takeoffs on “Bridge on River Kwai” pic and “Candid Camera” tele- sfiow, with Rooney mugging it up 'fine to overcome a spotty script. Forman also tallies with celeb im¬ pressions. and in a solo spot pro¬ vides a nice rundown of Las Vegas tourists. Local thrush Pat Morrissey, also making her Chez bow. is a plati- num-coiffed syncopator who doesn’t so much sell a song as herself, via stress on the beat at the sac¬ rifice of lyric ken. She does, how¬ ever, have a pleasing catalog and, here and there, some diverting pat¬ ter, albeit at times ,a bit too stagey. Harry Slottag is her efficient piano accomp. Chez Adorables are a fetching if indifferent curtain - raiser, and George Cook’s crew furnishes good showbacking. Layout’s in for two weeks. Pit. Sheldon Schultz, agent, has been shifted by General Artists Corp. from Chicago to New York.