ent000812-039

*j fi Part I Us Angeles, Thu r$., Oct. 11,1 956 MIRROR~NEV\f$ BY THE ROUNDER I SENNE5 HAS ANOTHER HIT When Frank Sennes, the Cleveland refugee, moved into the Hollywoodlands nearly three years ago^with his Moulin Rouge, Vine Street money was willing to wager that creditors would be yapping at his heels long before his shirts got back from the corner laundromat. With the unveiling of his latest and probably most pretentious: extravaganza, f<C?╟╓est La Vie/' on Tuesday evening, 91 ost of the doubters are scrambling to get aboard the Sennes?╟╓bandwagon. And well they ; should! The little guy - with the big cigar and heart to match has givep. this burg cafe shows that are the talk of the nation. Staged and directed by i Bonn Arden, ?╟úC?╟╓est La 1 Vie?╟Ñ is a spectacular mu-' sical revue seldom equaled, even during the era of such masters as Florenz Ziegfeld, Earl Carroll and George i White. Hollywood can be proud of Sennes and his but she is so much more pen tent than when I last saw her in the Statler Terrace Room. I Wisely mixing a repertoire! of songs that ran the gamut from musical comedy offerings to blues, and a smattering of rock ?╟╓n?╟╓ roll, and a lullaby, Miss Traubel earned a standing ovation. Even , the impromptu stage appearance of Jimmy Durante couldn?╟╓t stem the tide. It was Helen Traubers night. The familiar Wiere Bros, were - around the, premises, too. Even though the trio of slapstick, comedy artists haven?╟╓t changed a gesture with the years, their performance rewarded them with Moulin Rouge. Heading the imposing slate jpf artists is the former Metropolitan Opera diva, Helen Traubel. Perhaps* it is her Moulin Rouge presentation, hefty applause. However, the stint could stand some editing, It would assist alT concerned. Evidently, Janos and Bogyo were last-minute , Moulin Rouge, IFwood (FOLLOWUP) Hollywood, July 23. I Margaret Whiting and the Happy j Jesters have taken over the key ; positions in the ?╟úC?╟╓est La Vie?╟Ñ revue which has been running at the Moulin. Rouge for many months, and the prospects are for continued good business, For Miss Whiting it?╟╓s her first local nitery date in a considerable period (about five years) and she?╟╓s a stronger draw than ever, thanks to her re-; cent television action. Too, she?╟╓s | peddling her wares with ease to I make this her best local showcas-ps ing. Her 35-minute stint is an ingratiating songalog that covers a vast assortment of tune material, including a sock medley of songs defied by her late father, Richard Whiting. That medley alone would J stand up as strong nitery fare, j comprising as it does such tunes j as ?╟ ?╟ My Ideal/?╟╓ ?╟úGuilty,?╟Ñ ?╟úBreezin?╟╓ ! Along* with the Breeze,?╟Ñ ?╟úToo Mar- j velous for Words,?╟Ñ ?╟úBlue Horizon?╟Ñ and others that rate among all-time top entries. They?╟╓re sung with feeling and delivered with an ; eye to top audience response. She i also includes some of her disclicks, f like ?╟úMoonlight in Vermont,?╟Ñ | ?╟úSlippin Around?╟Ñ and ?╟úMight as i Well Be Spring,?╟Ñ interspersing j I them with patter that is light and I humorous. j _ The Happy Jesters peddle a good j 1 blend of harmony and humor in j their tune. It?╟╓s the type of act i which has become a strong lounge j attraction in recent years; spotted ! [ midway in a series of lavish pro- 1 I ductions, they fit the bill effective-> ly. Vocal imitations of musical in-: struments for a ?╟úDisk Parade?╟Ñ [ routine are among the offerings that stir interest. Kap. s t a r t e r s, inasmuch as their names didn?╟╓t appear on the program. The deft acrobats and their amazing balancing feats , are worthy of mention. They were featured recently oh the Eti Sullivan TVer. Last but not least is the magnificent chote turned in by Costumer Madame Berthe, who by the way flew in from New York for the premiere. Orchestral direction is often overlooked when one witnesses such a glittering debut as ?╟úC?╟╓est La Vie.?╟Ñ But I doubt that anyone could forget the job of Baitoneer Eddie. ! Q?╟╓Neal. The youthful maestro waved up a storm. u' Original music and lyrics are by Pony Sher-rell and Phil Moody, while the scenic designs were under the eagle eye of Harvey Warren. It was a fitting birthday gift for Sennes, who celebrated not oiily the premiere Tuesday evening,, but his birthday as well. Age? Let?╟╓s just say about 39. : ** TONIGHT?╟╓S DATES: Carl Ravazza and his sparkling voice in the Statler Terrace Room and a new Bar of Music' headlining the calypso yo-deler, Sir Lancelot. Tomorrow night ?╟úJazz East vs. Jazz West?╟Ñ moves into Jazz City. Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers will represent the East, while the Chet Baker Quintet will uphold the West?╟╓s honor. Also on tap tonight is the .opening of the Mills Bros, at (the Vegas Flamingo Hotel. J ^William Boyd ...bequest THE BIG-TIME: Mindy Carson?╟╓s sweb elegant recording of ?╟úIt?╟╓s Just My Luck?╟Ñ . . ?╟? Tommy Purcell?╟╓s dreamy pianotes at MaiMce, a popular place ... Dolores Morgan?╟╓s torchanting of ?╟úTell Him I Said Heb lo?╟Ñ . . . Gretehen Wyler (Hi, Doll!) at Le Cupidon . . . The book ?╟úLove Is A 4 Letter Word?╟Ñ by Anita Rowe Block . , , Eleanor Roosevelt?╟╓s story, ?╟úOn My Own,?╟Ñ ip the Feb. 8 Satevepost . . f Lpok?╟╓s article, UA Snob?╟╓s Guide to N.Y.,?╟Ñ by Russell Lynes . . . Sammy Davis, Jr?╟╓s remarkable ehtertainment Mindy Coral?╟╓s ?╟úHere?╟╓s Steve Lawrence?╟Ñ swellbum Carson v | # Max Lerner?╟╓s exciting tome, ?╟úAmerica Iflffie c_ sJ __)> SL People Retire Too To Suit Owners of Chibs By BOB THOMAS * \ HOLLYWOOD ?½ ?╟÷ Thie troublfe with the night cli|b business is thasl- Americans are going to bed earlier. ? It?╟╓s as simple as that, says Frank Sennes,, one of the most successful operators of the afterdark fun spots. Night club owners are singing the blues all over the United States. In Los Angeles, three big niteries have shut down in recent months, and the pattern is repeat-; ed elsewhere. Television is touted as the main villain, but Sennes j argues otherwise. ?╟╓ - ; ?╟≤ ?╟úOf course, TV has had a bad effect on hight clubs,?╟Ñ he said. ?╟úPeople are more content to stay at home for the entertainment Be- [ sides, they are reluctant ; to pay $20 or $30 to see a performer they may have seen last Sunday on TV. ?╟úBuit I think the main reason for j bad business is that people don't stay up as late. ?╟úThe war was great for clubs. Everyone had relatives and friends im the seryice and they were worried about them getting killed. So | they stayed out late and tried to enjoy themselves. ; ?╟úNow people go fb bed earlier. Night clubs can do a good busi-1 ness on the first show, but the late [ show kills them. I've seen clubs you could shoot a cannon throughj on the late show and not hit anyone. It?╟╓s the same way everywhere. If you can?╟╓t get a good crowd in for the second show, you can?╟╓t make money.?╟Ñ Sennes, a Warren, Ohio, boy who ! made good with 23 clubs in Cleveland, Cincinnati and other Ohio [ cities, isn?╟╓t discouraged. In fact, tonight he starts his fourth year?╟≤ of operating the Moulin Rouge here with a show billed as costing $225,-000. ?╟úI think you can sti! do business if you give the public a big, lavish show they can?╟╓t get on TV and if you can lure them in for the late show,?╟Ñ he said. ?╟úTo do that, we have a policy of a flat $3 per person for the late show. We give them a dinnerette and a show with 100 people on the stage. You can?╟╓t beat a deal like that.?╟Ñ