Evening star., 1942-06-23
After Dark
News and Comment of the Night Clubs
BY the Spectator.
Registered o 8 Patent cdnc.

Inc VagarleS OF tne pubic TASTE IN
dance tunes can be strange and fear
some, any orchestra leader probably
would tell you. The boys with the
batons spend a goodly part of their
time pondering new ditties, calling
upon everything from intuition to
logarithms in their efforts to de-
termine which Tin Pan Alley BRAIN
child is on the way to the Hit Pa
rade and which had best been left
in the Tschaikowsky library with no
variations. And when the boys come
up with a find" there's q rush to
preserve it for posterity on q record,
the top bands owing much of their
regulations to the platters played
over the air and in the juke boxes.
The phonograph business being
what 1t is. sort of commercial en-
terprise, one hit tune per record is
about all you can expect, it being
more profitable to sell two tunes on
two records than two tunes on one
record. And this, now, turns the
boys around now and then, the tune
destined to be sloughed of on "the
other side" turning out to be a SEN
sation. That's what happened in
the case of III Never Smile Again."
Even If we could remember who
made the first recording of that one,
you couldn't recall the name of the
song 1t was supposed to be on the
other side" of on the record.
All of which is bringing us around
to Abe Lyman, the fellow who fired
the musical shot heard cross the
street at the Victory Room of the
Roosevelt Hotel. Almost any eve
ming you migt, if you're in the
Victory Room at the right time, hear
Mr.. Lymans music makers burst
forth with an affair called Amen"
which is described as "boogie-
woogie spiritual" and which is turn
ing out to be something of a sensa-
ton. much to even Mr.. Lyman's sur
prise.
Amen started out as something
less than a hit in an Andrews Sis
ters' picture which was something
less than a hit. Mr.. Lyman sort of
liked it. included it in his show when
he played the Strand Theater in
New York recently. Worked out so
we'll Abe thought he might record it,
just sort of sneak it on the back side
of new record. And you know what
happened. Amen" is destined to be
the next Abe Lyman hit.
Mr.. L. is giving copies OF it, one
for each photograph to be found, to
the boys at Fort Meade, when he
plays there this week in another of
those shows Mrs. Maria Kramer, the
Roosevelt's owner, is continually
sending to nearby camps.
This week: East Lynne" Struck
with the notion that gasoline and
tire rationing can't hurt summer
theater to which customers can ride
on bus or streetcar. Harry Somer-
vile, the Willard Hotel manager.
Thursday turns the Willard Roof
into a music hall. The opening pro-
duction, the elderly tear -jerker
mentioned above, is to be treated, 1t
is reported, with some lack of rever-
ence by the group banded together as
the Willard Roof Stock Company.
and the customers. seated at tables,
will be permitted to weep softly into
their beers or sarsparilla or whatever
they want to weep into.
The cast, being directed by Dick
Midgley, is professional one, head
ed by Jane Middleton, who was
child movie actress as Jane Wray
and now is a grown-up movie actress
named Jane Walsh. Curtain time
is 8:45 pm. and the play will be
staged nightly Tuesday through
Saturday.
Fellow rushed up to the Madrillon
bandstand, demanded a rendition of
that Don't Sit Under the Apple
Tree" affair. got it. Now, he asked.
can you play American Patro'?"
You mean this" said Carr Van
Sickler, e-must-b be -vigilant- we
must be vigilant?" Man listened in
tently. Finally: yep, I'm right.
Same tune" II could have told you
that" said Mr.. Van S. Il played
that march in the First World War
in Boy Scout band"
"a
Show-shopping II anybody
ever wished Madeleine Carroll only
could sing, Jane Pickens, the lush
thrush OF Herb Sachs Del Rio is the
answer. Looks just like Miss Carroll.
And sings like nobody's business, as
any one will agree The new
Lotus revue features one of the top
acts of its kind, an acrobatic turn
that's different. With two legs be-
tween them, instead of the usual
two apiece. Large and Morgner whip
off some amazing feats, including
dive over four chairs to hand-to-
hand stand. Well, you figure out a
better way to say it in as many
words. Gautier's Steeplechase,
pup and pony act. which Is no
stranger to Shoreham Terrace ring
siders, is back there again. The
entire Casino Royal revue holds over
this week, Including Don Tranger,
who can play a saxophone and clar-
met and do Russian dance at the
same time. Also continuing Is
that brigt. flashing and spirited
gypsy revue a tthe Balalaika.
X
The Midnight Merry Round
Little Jack Little is scheduled
to continue the name" band policy
at Ell Patio. following the current
stay of Adrian Rollini. Refur-
bishing continues at Hotel 2400. The
dining room already has been redone
for the summer, with air condition
ing piped in. And now work starts
on turning the Lounge Riviera into