Variety (December 1914)

18 VARIETY r CABARETS sz The dancing event of this week was the American debut Monday night at the New Amsterdam Roof of Mon- sieur Duque, of Paris, where Duque is said to have occupied a local promi- ence equal to the vogue Vernon Castle has attained in New York. With Du- que is his dancing partner, Mile. Gaby (not "the" Gaby-Deslys). All the professional dancers in town who were loose for the evening went up to the Amsterdam Monday night, with their hissing voices trained to the min- ute. But none hissed, for after watch- ing Duque and his partner, the natives felt better satisfied with themselves. Duque may be Paris' best dancer, and if he has that rep there, it was too had for him the war ever started. He will never reach anything like fame over here. Reported to be the star Maxixe dancer of the world, that won't get him anything on this side, nor will his dancing. Besides a Max- ixe that could be but classed as ordi- nary, Duque and Gaby did a fast one- step that showed nothing. Perhaps in their routine of the two dances, there were a couple of steps, new over here, but not worth copying nor worrying over. Duque is a heavily set man of over 30 years, and Gaby is rather stout. Their advent, debut and per- formance do nothing farther than to say it is doubtful if any foreigner can excel the American professional dancer in the modern work, at least not to the satisfaction of Americans. It is hardly likely Duque will draw busi- ness onto the Amsterdam Roof. The Roof commences matinees this week (Wednesday and Saturday) with the two professionals presiding. Admis- sion is free in the afternoons. Douglas J. Luckhurst is dancing in Healey's main dining room afternoons. The Castles, upon assuming charge of the 44th Street Roof, will receive a guarantee, it is said, of $1,500 week- ly from the Shuberts, as the dancers' share of gross receipts. An elaborate celebration is being planned for the formal opening of the newly remodeled and redecorated Magnolia Palm Garden, Louisville, Dec. 15. A number of cabaret fea- tures are on the program. Mr. and Mrs. Carlos Sebastian re- mark that their salary was not attached at the Palace, Chicago, during their recent engagement there, when it was stated Edward E. Pidgeon had com- menced suit on an alleged breach of contract, he having secured an engage- ment for the act to appear at Atlantic City last season. The Sebastians claim the Atlantic City date was called off hv mutual consent. A large, popular dance place up Harlem way, where a fee is charged the guests for each dance, may be rented for private parties and balls next season. The place is doing noth- ing at all the first four days of the week, with a fair attendance only the last three (including Sunday). An- other dance hall of the same grade nearby is reported in about a similar state. For a time both these places made a mint of money for their pro- prietors. A larger and more expen- sively fitted out place also in Harlem can be had for the asking, it is said. who sat throughout his orchestra's per- formance. It sounded a little bully, but Banjo is the affidavit-swearing kind of fellow and you have got to be- lieve him. According to what he said, musicians were taking up all of the table space just listening to him. Wal- lace is there with "dance music," sure enough, playing the rags on "Watch Your Step" before the show got into town. the cabarets and dance places in the Bright Light belt and passed the word of warning in regard to the observance of the closing hour. At midnight a number of the Inspector's lieutenants made their appearance at the doors of all the places along the line and for the greatest part all late comers were turned away. However, those that were within doors went on with their wining, dining and dancing. Billy Walsh, a cabaret entertainer at Faust's (Columbus circle) for some winters past, has been engaged by the N. Y. Motion Picture Corporation for comedy work. The San Suci is to be reopened. Paul Salvain is said to be the man back of the operating company. Gil Boag is to be the active manager. The restau- rant is to be known as Mae Murray's San Suci. Miss Murray will have two young society boys as her dancing partners. Joel's is still the only all-night danc- ing place anywhere within walking dis- tance of the main stem, and is getting the greater part of its play after the curfew rings out at 2 a. m. After that hour the professional dancers and en- tertainers drift to Joel's. «i •Horse Show Night" at Healy's this Friday. Ten ponies from the horse show will be taken up the elevator and onto the floor of Healy's dancing floor cabaret. It has been done before up there. Variety's cabaret department said last week that if the orchestra lead- ers in some of New York's dance places would go to Rector's and listen to the repertoire of numbers Banjo Wallace played, they would have a better line on what to give their dancing patrons. Mi*. Wallace affirms that within 24 hours after the paper came out he ob- served in Rector's four leaders from as many prominent Broadway hotels, Sunday night witnessed the passing of the Broadway Dance as a resort for the steppers. Monday morning a sign was tacked on the box office stat- ing the establishment was closed for alterations. When the building is re- opened it will be as a moving picture theatre with a seating capacity of about 2,000. Billy Gane will continue as the manager of the place. Several policies have been unsuccessfully tried out with a view to attracting the dance- mad public. First the place charged an admission of 25 cents and served nothing but soft stuff and charged for each dance. Later a bar license was secured and the charge for the danc- ing was dropped, but this, like the pre- ceding policy, also took a flop. Bronson Douglas, formerly treasurer at the Grand opera house and Proctor's Fifth Avenue, has had a dance floor laid in the rathskeller dining room of [he Oak Cafe, at 23rd street and 8th avenue, of which he is the manager. Jules Keller, of Maxim's is interested in a project to establish a large year 'round resort at City Island. There will be a hotel with a cabaret-dance- restaurant, and a special reserved beach front on Long Island Sound for bathing purposes. Chicago, Dec. 9. There is a dearth of dancing ma- terial around Chicago at present and the managers of the better class of places are digging and directing every effort to secure names to head their dancing bills. Word has been sent east to several folks in touch with the step- pers in New York to be on the watch for any of the better known dancers who would like to come west. San Francisco, Dec. 9. As a departure from the regular cab- aret style of amusement, Manager Walsh, of the Odeon Cafe, is pre- paring to give the patrons "tabloid" grand opera with their meals. The operas will run about 30 minutes with girl numbers between the two night shows. Some time back he drew good patronage with light opera in "tab" form as the attraction. Cincinnati, Dec. 9. Charles Muscroft, formerly singing at the Chester Park club house, has gone to the Gait House, Louisville, to take charge of the cabaret there. Saturday night Inspector Dwyer, of the Fourth District, made a tour of all Detroit, Dec. 9. The Livingstone Hotel, just remod- eled, is planning to install cabaret en- tertainers. It will be the first hotel or cafe in the city to offer such at- tractions. BANQUET OF AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF FAIRS AND EXPOSITIONS AT AUDITORIUM HOTEL, CHICAGO, DURING THE 24TH ANNUAL CONVENTION, DEC. 3-4.