The Michigan chronicle. [volume], January 29, 1944, Page PAGE EIGHT, Image 8

About The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current

Image provided by: Central Michigan University, Clark Historical Library

                
PAGE EIGHT
CANADA LEE IN
LIFEBOAT FILM
WITH BANKHEAD
By CARL BITOV
NEW YORK <AKP>—“Lifeboat."
Vie most recent war Fox film, writ
ten by John Steinbeck and dcaiinc
exclusively with the merchant
fnarine-torpedoin* phase, reached
the Aster theatre last week
The ent;re action takes phee in
a lifeboat that see -, v t.> have been
set adrift u th one 1 nc passenger,
a female war reporter ev.dently
bred amidst a f ckie and self sh
type of ar.stocratic *>x\etv iMiss
Bankhead»
After brief intervals she is joined
by others who mar.i.ge to escape
through the water one by one a
fe w sailors, one < f which has been
wounded, a nurse a woman and
child towed "Charcoal' (Canada
Le«»; and finally a Nazi w.th h>
“dar.ke schoen' for ha\;nc s.vcd
h;s 1 fe and who subseqntly turns
cut to be the c; p'a n of the U-boat
lha sank their sh p
Before his n. va. r.-nk is fully re- 1
Vealcd his l.fe s aga.n thn.itci «d
The Nari rapt n s tti non .hi) 1
beaten and thrown verb * 'd h nr*
aelf Hardly has -th.s t>«-«■ n done
when they come .n >-.aht r? a N.tZi
supply sh.p to wh .h the 11 had,
been stead Jy steer :r.g thrnr Simul
taneonsly the l.i“rr bombed ..nd
sunk by ail ed plai es and the ver>
stirr.nf: st ry *s brought to a close.]
In the frequently abrupt manner f
the mov.e. Theie are als 1 lose and
recreation ep.*ode* t,» influence the
passing of t i e
There w 1 be those who feel that
for an in it a’, movie appearance M-
Lees assignment in "Lifeboat" is
far too skimpy. T.<- true that one
frequently has the feeling in the
story: ‘Where is Canada?" But he
does weave in and out some, now
4<ung some of the dirty work
spurned by h;s wh.te confreres, as
for instance purporting to be stum
bling over the Nazi captain as an
excuse for relieving him of hi*
compass, or aga.n snatching the
flask of water that had enabled him
to retain his vitality all the time
that the Americans were waning
from starvation and thirst com
bined. Yet we feel that there was
some compensation in Lee's hum
bled role He amuses the captain,
before the latter's death, by playing
American and Gerran folk-songs
§nd themes, one of the latter being
ro less than Walter s prize song
from Wagner’s "Die Meistersinger"!
Thi* could be interpreted as doff
ing the hat to the Negro because
cf his comparatively recent entrance
Into the world and knowledge of
the best in music.
HALL STAGES RECITAL
NEW YORK Charles Everett,
baritone. sang a group of French
•nd German songs and Negro spir
ituals in Times Hall. Sunday night
THE SONG y-Y ■
Ply J ■ HOF BERNAOETT£ reives A-jC' HH
the screen to new - H
Jennifer JONES, William K. N( 1 -II
EYTHE, Charles BICKFORD, ■
Vincent PRICE, lee J. COBB fjN| M
ond Gladys COOPER bring ‘ f
Franz WERFEL’S matchless ii | In , ’■
Uj *novel to life, magically /y • J "Hi
■ls 'directed by Henry KING, 'lff' 'H
■ ] produced bylWilliam PERLBERGIj if J’* / - §ffi
■I ♦ * ♦ . .|jg
|| Six men, three women at the mercy of the Tsc W \
|H-| tea ond each other! Thof’s LIFEBOAT* ffif
;K Alfred HITCHCOCK'S greatest 'Bj
HI duction, written by John STEINBECK,
■9 starring Tallulah BANKHEAD, with
m William BENDIX, Canada LEE in his
■'{ triumphant screen debut, and a y
§■*'l brilliant lineup of stars! ' jfML i^
Jm HiliiTTißH
LITTLE SAM’S
BAR
5027 BEAUBIEN AT WARREN
Air Conditioned For Your Comfort—Known from Coast to Coast
CATHERINE MOORE Presents
BILLIE CARTER, Emcee in
“Gay Nineties on Parade”
Featuring
* EVELYN WRICHT, Blues Singer
it “JAZZBO” WILLIAMS. Dancing Comedian
And the ‘‘MOORETTE" Dancing Ladies
CELEBRITY NITE EVERY TUESDAY
2 BIC FLOOR SHOWS NIGHTLY
10 JO PM. and 1 AM
DANCING AND FINE FOOD
it 808 PERKINS and His Star-Studded Orchestra
PRICES TO FIT EVERY PURSE
ATMOSPHERE THE FINEST
For Reservations Call Te. 2-8376 or Te. 2-8540
JAMES DAVIS. Manager
All Persons between \*es of 21 and 25 Must show Drinkers’ Identi
fication Certificate which Must be Obtained from County Clerk.
BUY MORE WAR BONDS AND STAMPS
“A Sensational Delight!”
BILLY ECKSTEIN in ‘HARLEM TO HAVANA*
CLOSES THIRD RECORD-BREAKING WEEK
Edna Mae Harris - Raoul and Ronnie - Leroy Pitts
MARCELLUS WILSON, MC.
Coming
Ann
Cornell
H rt HHHH
■o W ■ 'aHT'
*»r.'
a C'r./;2V,
H' v I
■ u
* A m#£>
IS
Attractive Edna Mae Harris, tier of stage and screen, is creating a
host of followers with her singing and dancing in the current
floor show at Broad's Club Zombie. She is shown here displaying
her wealth of charm and tha personality which has made her a
theatrical success.
Count Basie, Band
At Paradise, Jan . 28
Count Basie, famous Jump King
of Swing and his “One O'clock
Jump' Orchestra will open Friday,
January 28th at the Paradise Thea
tre for' a week's stage appearance.
The Count and his sensational or
chestra comes direct to the Paradise
from his outstanding engagement
at the Edison Hotel, New York.
Bill Basie gained his title of
‘Count’’ while in Chicago. Down
and out and without fare for a trip
back home to Red Bank, N J , he
filled in at a nickel movie house
as piano player with the local or
chestra. The royal manner in
which Basie conducted himself
when his fingers struck a piano
keyboard earned.him his title of
“Count" from the house manager
and the musicians in the band.
From then on, the U*l e stuck.
Included in the inspired Basie
band is the greatest rhythm section
in the country. With Jo Jones at
OtTBOitS OtDtST BIACt AND tan
■BwaA CLUB 7 ABRIE
83/5 oakt AND At hQtBROOK
Two Showi Nightly: 11 p.m.. 1 a.m. Reservations Tr. 2-9032
IN SHOW HERE
the drums. Freddie Greene on gui
tar. Walter Page on bass and the
Count, himself, at the piano, the
Basie rhythm section is described
by music critics as the finest in
the history of modern music.
Basie's distinct rhythm style set
the pattern for most of the name
bands on Tin Pan Alley today.
College Favorite Band
The Count's band has appeared
at Carnegie Hall twice during the
past two years in concerts of pop
ular music that drew rave notices
from critics.
Harvard University recently
voted Count Basie its favorite
among dance bands. The Count
has played for the smartest college
proms throughout the country, in
cluding the University of Pennsyl
vania, University of Virginia, Am
herst, Princeton, Harvard, Yale,
Michigan and many others.
Holds Box Office Records
In his many appearances from
coast to coast, Basie holds box of
fice records at hotels, supper clubs,
theatres and ballrooms that will
stand for some time.
James Rushing In Person
Featured in the band is 250-
pound James Rushing, whose man
ner of handling blues tunes is a
favorite with music fans from coast
to coast. He was the inspiration for
the hit song, “Mr. Five by Five.”
Another star performer of the Basie
crew includes Earl Warren, sax star
and romantic tenor.
Heading the huge all-star revues,
includes the pretty Thelma Carpen
ter, song stylist; Billy Bailey, tops
in taps; Willie Bryant, a riot of
fun. with laffs galore; Shorty Davis
the giant revue.
On screen, first Detroit showing,
stars Frances Langford, radio's
singing star in her first starring
film, “Career Girl.” Supporting
Miss Langford is Edward Norris
famous character actor; Iris Adrian
and Craig Woods. All-American
News completes the screen pro
gram.
Three Race Bands
AreNamedMoney j
Makers Of 1943
NEW YORK. (ANP) Colored
bands in general, and Lionel Harr.p
ton. Count Basie, Duke Ellington
and Cab Calloway in particular, ■
scored the.r biggest earnings dur- |
ing the year 1943, it was learned
this week, when reports based upon
income taxes revealed that Callo
way. Ellington and Basie each
earned approximately $1 000 a day i
with their musical aggregation last i
year.
The report showed that there was
a more even spread of profits,
among upper and lower class maes
tros in 1943, the equalizer being the
deeper bite tax regulations put on !
higher ncomes. Band leaders of all ‘
box office classes pyramided to j
higher grosses but after the returns
top names netted less while the'
smaller names netted more.
Increased income for less afflu- j
cut band leaders was based on the
acute shortage of available combi-I
nations, which kept the ones still [
.n operation working stead.cr. Dur- j
ing former years, elas-ses B and C ,
outfits have run into many “open” 1
days and since even this type of
leader has men on play-or-pay ar
rangements. they had a hard strug
gle to keep out of the “red ''
Colored bands showed the largest
earning increase of any group,
making 1943 unquestionably their
bigge-t year. While Calloway, Basie
and Ellington usually earn more
than $300,000 annually.
THE MICHIGAN CHRONICLE - - A RELIABLE INDEPENDENT WEEKLY
"T he
Best
Musical
In
Town
NINETY PARADE
SHOW FEATURE
AT SAM'S SPOT
Producer Catherine Moore calls
her current opu* at Little Sam’i
The Gay Nineties Parade" and of
fers a lineup of newcomer* for
your entertainment and approval
The skit leads off with a “Holly
wood Stomp” as executed by the
chorines and then let* emcee-singer
Billy Carter vocalize on “Mama, 1
Want to Make Rhythm," and “Choo-
Choo Baby.”
Jazz-Bo Williams comes on in a
comical attire and offers old jokes
and new ones to make you laugh
happy while singing and dancing
to "Lady. Be Good "
Productions number has the cho
rines in a dance giveoff featuring
Catherine Moore. Evelyn Wr.ght,
on old favorite at this spot, is back
to offer “Hey. Lawdy Manna" and
“See See Rider," for which she
gets much applause
Bob Perkins band swings out
wivir “Roll 'Em" for this share of
the spotlite.
Tenor saxophonist Chris Smith
was winner of the Artists Hour
contest and made “Flying Home”
his offering. Others in the contest
were John Miller, Langford P.
James sings his own compo, "Reck
lessly"; Nadine. Betty Boop, Mil
dred Le Gon, Catherine Hendricks,
Merline Arlington. Johnny McCall.
Any professional or amateur ar
tist is eligible to compete for the
ten dollar prize offered the contest
winner by Manager James Dav-is.
Jam Session At
Met. Opera House
Was Big Success
NEW YORK (ANP) The grand
old Metropolitan Opera House took
on a new and different life Tues
day when Esquire magazine spon
sored a jam session to usher in
the fourth war loan drive Admis
sion was by purchase of war bond,
$25 to SIOO and five days after the
sale was announced, the house is
said to have been completely sold
out. with 6.000 turnaways; around
$500,000 in sales was realized from
the event.
Also winners of the Esquire 1944
All-American Jazz band poll were
announced. Robert Goffin presented
the awards which were SSOO bonds
to the first team winners and SIOO
bonds to second team winners, plus
gold and silver Eskt statuettes Par
ticipants in the concert were Lionel
Hampton, Louis Armstrong. Jack
Teagarden, Billie Holiday, Coleman
Hawkins, Art Tatum, Mildred
Bailey, Barney Bigard. A 1 Casey,
Oscar Pettiford, Red Nervo. Teddy
Wilson, Sidney Catlett and Roy
Eldridge.
Coca-Cola's “Spotlight" program
picked up the affair via radio, di
rect from the opera house, with
Benny Goodman playing from Cal
ifornia and receiving his award on
the air from Director Archie Mayo
of 20th Century-Fox. After Spot
light the broadcast continued with
WKN and then WNEW. Both BBC
and OWI rebroadcast the entire
concert.
The program was covered by Life,
Click, Pic, Time and Newsweek
plus wire service representation,
while all the dailies were repre
sented.
Leonard Feather, Jazz authority,
served as musical coordinator for
Esquire.
J&,™
WAR LOAN
* Have you
BOU6HTYOUR
g^BONDS
PARADISE
►£37l] WOO DWA RD at PARSONS * TEJ 6653
*TORMERUI ORCHESTRA HALL * 2500 SEWS *
a \
■kS*4S\ V
The Jump King of Swing
M pi W% £ | COMING DIRECT FROM
J* £ |% THE EDISON HOTEL. N. Y.
and his‘ONE O’CLOCK JUMP’ ORCHESTRA
★ JAMES byVve” RUSHING
EARL WARREN
ROMANTIC TENOR!
★ THELMA CARPENTER
Lovely In Song!
PLUS HUCE ALL STAS REVUE:
★ BILL BAILEY
Tops In Taps!
★ Willie Bryant. World’s Greatest M.C.
A Riot of Fun! Laffs Galore!
(Entertained Thousands of Troops Overseas)
★ SHORTY DAVIS
it FREDDIE BRYANT
Star Vocalist
‘Swinging With;
Nitelifers’
By LARRY CHISM
SOME STI FF
More and more the boys are now
army bound, as Earl Johnston, Har
ry Solomon and others Duke
Brown, celebrated h.s 43rd natal
day last week Plans to take up h.s
drum beating again.... Billy Eck-
stein is nice
people and ap
pre c 1 ates the
press.... As does
bcautysome Ed
na Mae Harris,
both are cur
rently starring
at Club Zombie.
Edna Williams
is a BS G. ...
Marilyn Frank
lin is strictly a
YT Eula Mae
Sullivan has an
angelic face.
Team of Spiz
zy and Willie
■Hjto- A
Larry Chism
are splitting. The former is the pro
ducer at Club Zombie ...There's
big plans afoot to do something
‘big" for local musicians and en
tertainers Will be announced later.
...A certain booking agency is dis
solving its partnership Singer
Bobby Key and Spizzy Canfield
have been asked dotfn for induc
tion this week... .Playboys are get
ting jittery cause Unk Sam. threat
ens to break up their harems, for
the duration Since the man
shortage, gals are saying it’s all rite
for a wolf to have at least four
gals on his string. (Oh yeah?)
Met Warren Matthews, who Is
ambitious to make a fine name for
himself in the musical world. Has
plenty of ambition and fronts a
13-piece band, which is available
for engagements.... (Wish him much
luck) Matthew Rucker has a
rapidly going places band. Can also
be dated for your dance engage
ment... As can Jimmy Davenport
and his musicians. (Take your
choice, folks).
* * *
COMING EVENTS
Detroit’s first Artists and Models
ball will be held on January 31 at
12 Horsemen Civic center. Homer
Dennis, the favorite photographer
Eckstein, Harris Score
In New Club Zombie Show
By LARRY CHISM
The current Club Zombie show
may prove to be the season’s out
standing nite club attraction as
Billy Eckstein and Edna Mae Har
ris share the spotlight honors in
the sk.t, called “Harlem to Havana ”
A nautical setting and the music
of “Anchors Aweigh” opens the
skit as the sailorettes came unto
the floor for a dance routine as
the ship’s captain Marcellus Wil
son calls off his nautical crew.
Edna Mae Harris, star of screen
and mte clubs, comes on to win
her share of the plaudits with a
song written for her called, “Sugar”
and has “Choo-Choo Baby,” as her
second vocal offering.
Leroy Pitts lays down some right
eous tapsteps and intricate foot
work routines to win much ap
plause for hi* fine work. Girl* of
the ensemble then go into the mid
dle number with a dance to intro
duce Roaul and Ronnie, exotic
dance combine for smooth interpre
tations of South American dancing.
Featured attraction of the show
is vocalist Billy Eckstein, who
brings down the house and has fe
male hearts pulsating w;th his ren
ditions of “Do Nothing Till You
Hear from Me" and adds to his lau
rels with “My Hearts Tells Me" and
encores with “I’m Falling For You"
and “Jelly, Jelly Blues." The re
ception proves his popularity with
the patrons.
The finale with Edna Mae Harris
on the vocals and the girls of th«
ensemble ends a very worthwhile
JO (ONES
TOM-TOM FLASH!
it CEORGE SANDERS
Boogie-Woogie Hammond Organ
of local models, is staging the af
fair Make plans now to attend the
party and enjoy something dif
ferent.
Louis Satchmo Armstrong and his
gang will play a dance at Mirror
ballroom on January 30 for the
Paragon club Carolina Cotton
Pickers will play for your dancing
at Forest Club on Feb. 1.
ARTISTS BALL HERE
Camera fans are invited to bring
their lenses to the Artists and
Models ball to be held at Civic
Center on January 31. Glamorous
gals will be there to pose for you.
says Homer Dennis, sponsor of the
affair.
Top Hatters dance on Saturday
was a huge success, so my pet team
of pigeons tell me. . . Leman Chil
dress says that he will not be
making dates for the next month,
but is going to settle down and be
a one-man gal. (Oh yeah?) . . .
Mabel Hill asks that her friends
come to see her at Fairview San. . .
ATTENTION: BAR OWNERS
Unless the King and Queen (men
and women’s) washrooms are
cleaned up, this department will
publicly make mention of the de
plorable conditions found here
about the drink spots. . . . The pub
lic is tired of wading in and slosh
ing out of vour rest rooms.
BIG CONTEST SOON -
Vagabonds. Chas. Young. Dave
Clark and William Hines are plan
ning a contest for waitresses. De
tails of the contest, with big prizes
for the winners will be announced
next week. Watch this space for
the announcement.
AT ENRICOS
Took in Enricos with Mrs. Margie
Peterson who was celebrating her
birthday with hubby, Ray, her aunt
and friends. . . . Producer Priscilla
Dean has a fine show here of fe
male impersonators. Julius Dinkns’
band makes music for the show.
Emory Volupe is the genial man
ager. . . . Said she: "All you Amer
ican boys like me.” (Was she brag
ging. huh?) She is Cuban and
makes the most of her exoticness
to dazzle the wolves with her for
eign comeon.
floorboard offering at this popular
Oakland avenue nitery. Marcellus
Wilson is the emcee and Spizzy
Canfield is the producer. Harold
Wallace’s band furnishes music for
the show and for dancing.
First niters present were charm
ing Katherine Robinson, Jesse and
Thelma Hougabook, Mr. and Mrs.
Perry Webster. Mrs. Florence Ben
nett, Pauline Favors, Carmen Fa
vors, Verda Winston. Maudistine
Hr.rriston. Glendora Dales. James
Griffen, Sgt. Abe Schiller, Clarence
Dorsey, Mrs. Betty Lesley, Muriel
Coleman, Irene Carter, William
Wimbley, Otto Nichols, Gerald
Gates, Mildred Henderson, Mildred
Ford, Buddy Stevens, Wm. Hines,
Dorothy Payton and Grady Law
rence.
FREE DANCE LESSONS
All Typos BUf« and Social Danclna
Including
TAP. ACROBATIC. POR TROI
WALTZ, etc.
Children’s ana Adultr Clas»es
Prftrate Lessons
Itudaats ara Kehearaint for Coming
Musical Production
—ENROLL NOW—
Roursi I SO to 7 Daily Eicopt Baturdav
Unloss by Appointment
BUTLER STUDIO
OF DANCINC
At Madison
EARN WHILE YOU LEARN
1529 Beatiblrn Phone CA 111 V
★ ★
ON STAGE
* ★
I •**»»••• •« I
38?fl@gf jj^f
G M MIDNIGHT SHOW
™J amwr »» r
ncrease in mictsj
NEWS
Edna Mae Harris
Has Varied Career
By LARRY CHISM
“I like to emcee best," beauteous
and charming Edna Mae Harris,
movie and nite club star, stated
during an interview backstage last
week at Club Zombie where she
appears in the current floorboard
production.
Miss Harris, flashing a winsome
smile and in her most gracious
manner said that she was fond of
sports, especially swimming and
had appeared in several nite clubs,
stage productions and several mov
ies during her brief theatrical ca
reer.
"I was Joe Louis* sweetheart in
the picture, ’Spirit of Youth’," she
beamed, ‘‘and that was my favorite
movie role. Since then I have ap
peared in soundies with Marlene
Dietrich in ‘Garden Of Allah’; on
the radio program. ’Columbia Work
shop’ for eight weeks in New York
and on a program from Apollo the
atre. station WMPA,” she said.
A role of the vamp in “Green
Pastures" for seven years in the
original cast and bits in a picture
with Hattie McDaniels in Holly
wood were others of her long list
of theatrical successes.
"I enjoyed the role in *Green Pas
tures’ best,” she replied, answering
our question of her favorite stage
part.
WE PRESENT
The Dynamic Singing and
Dance Sensation—l944's Most
Unusual Personality.
TINY
DRAGOON
Now Open for Clubt, Bahquets,
Theatre and Nite Club Engage
ments. Also Dencea.
Call CL. 1150
2205 ST. ANTOINE
Room 40—After C P.M.
LEARN TO DANCE
—AT—
BETTIE TAYLOR’S
DANCE STUDIO
IN THE AIK COOLED
CLUB THREE 666
(U B. Adams Avenue
SPECIAL. ATTENTION GIVEN
TO CHILDREN
Girls from 23 to 26 Years Ola
Trained for Chorus Girls and
. Specialty Work
ENROLL NOW
Phone Cherry 1308
u *A..?tV.r* Rilev S7S7
W. Offer For Engagomonts
AMERICA'S LEADING
COLORED ORCHESTRAS
ENGAGE A NAME BAND
For dates and terms, write or wire
FERGUSON BROTHERS
AGENCY, Inc.
Artiste Representative
m N. Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, InA.,
Friday - Saturday (Matinee Sat. Open 1:30) January 28-29
MM top-right ■ |§
/V PLAYERS! I
mm oasiMNT ■ B
directors! p
mm am famous a m
writers! 1
Ifliftffk*.
Starting Sat. Mid-nite, Sun., Mon., Tues., Jan. 30, 31, Feb. 1
Wm A TEAM...,
WHAT A COH&H!
rinrr^
SS]
I jULVFZ* 5
_ innllir ° r * n * d *—*» Mil ■ bond for each seat In
4th BOND DRIVE rr, £ mt H,p • "
SATURDAY, JANUARY 29, 1944
Appearances In Club Ball, Wash*
ington. Elks Rendezvous, where she
first began to emcee floorshows and
a further tour of the leading nite
spots were included by the stage
and movie star as an interesting
life’s work.
"My favorite song," she ex
plained, “is the one I sing here,
'Sugar.' It was written for me by
Andy Razaaf. I like to sing swing
songs best." she’ added. She then
excused' herself for it was show
time, thus ending the interview.
raMUiwS la T*a sraatmt
this apace \wiXjiy star as tta
every weeP .Mi ***— l
As the Paris clocks struck midnight
their wonderful love story began. And.
in a way, it has never ended.
#♦ * *
Which is one way of saying that
MGM’s ’’Madame Curie’* is an im
mortal romance.
★ * ★ *
Lovely Greer Carson and - handsome
Walter Pidgeon—those two of “Mrs.
Miniver" fame—are the stars of
MGM’s “Madame Curie’*.
Jf t
wL. * jSg||
Ten other outstanding players have
. leading roles in this story that centers
around two important personalities who
lived in the Paris beloved of all!
♦ * * *
In this film are revealed—the miracle of
a great discovery—and the miracle of
an unforgettable romance.
* * n A
You'll be stirred by “Madame Curie**i
* * * *
; You'll bs deeply moved by this MGM
film. * * * *
You'll join in the praise of New York
critics and audiences who took thia
picture into their hearts.
♦ WWW
Leo says—“ Don’t miss it".
P.S. Follow
heart. Back the 4th
War Loan.
Tilj /
rBELA LUGOSI.TSSS
BIC FUN SHOW
One Whole Hour of ,
Cartoons and Comedies
| CH-1 - aurm 0, nOAOOST
WAITER
WANGER $
WE VE
NEVER
BEEN
LICKED
A UNIVERSAL PICTURE IF
\
WALT DISNEY'S
CARTOON
DONALD’S
TIRE TROUBLE’’
Wednesday Free
Dinnerware to the Ladies
Wk-
mSi
RICHARD QUINE
ANNE CWTNNE
NOAN BEERY, JR.
Martha 0 DRISCOLL
astir ssvinroit
wituta rstwiiT
ntii issnit
SOI SiU«l«
w.
Bill STERN
©r •*noi
Aimr mov