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ESTABLISHED 1888 BArclay 7-5371 PRESS CLIPPING BUREAU 165 Church Street - New York BILLBOARD CINCINNATI, OHIO ^/fffid ESTABLISHED 1888 Q BArclaY 7'5371 PRESS CLIPPING BUREAU 165 Church Street - New York BILLBOARD CINCINNATI, OHIO DEC 27 \m Picture Business Billboard Backstage ?╟÷ By JOE CSIDA ?√ß?√ß HOLLYWOOD, Dec. 20.?╟÷Las V^gas this week beat Hollywood at its own game. It showed all that it can out-Hollywood Holly-. j wood in the realm of the super- | superlative with little trouble. The opening of the Sands Hotel left even the "I've seen it all Hollywoodites wide-eyed. The fabulous opening?╟÷to borrow a I phrase from the movie press \ agent's vocabulary for want of a better word that could describe the event?╟÷attracted a dazzling 1 array of film, colony celebrities. The presence of Jane Powell and Geary Steffen, Spike Jones < and Helen Grayco, Terry Moore, I Esther Williams and Ben Gage, Denise Darcel, Frankie Laine and Nan Grey, Corrine Calvet, Arlene Dahl, Debbie Reynolds, among ; countless others gave the occasion a Hollywood premiere fla- vor that even HollysipssS* 5&?·|| \ can seldom equal. Film psess, antt for that matter, the rather com- l plete representation of v the na- , tion's press that turr^SLlxtut for the event, will long remember the Sands' opening and its marfage- ?√ß ment's gracious and generous I treatment. It's rather difficult ^ojfltme who has just arrived from Las Vegas By LEE ZHITO '*'-tcb ' Calpac Operating Company's} drive-in chain. In addition to thel Paramount plugs, Calpac is buying 1 spot announcement time on its! own station KLAC-TV for an| across-the-board (that is, Monday! thru Friday) campaign starting! Monday (22). A spokesman for Paramount^ estimated the picture company is | [investing approximately $100,0001 1 in spot production and time buy-s ing costs across the nation. Paramount also,will cash in onj TV exploita^clr^wfien Bob Hope's December 27 "Colgate Comedy < Hour" will devote the lion's share; of its air time to a complete re-'. view of all the Crosby-Hope-La- ] mour "road" pictures, including ( footage from each of the' films. I Paramount is wise in reminding! viewers of the yesteryear "road"! films. They were among the most! successful attractions at the b. q., > and Parasjs^unt doesn't, want to take a chance o& patrons forgetting that. In rekindling interest in the old films and giving viewers a taste of the "Road to Bali" en-1 try, it assures itself *>f^abig b.-o. pay-off. f&W'?√ß And speaking of pay-offs it re-s minds me, had I bet $25 on No.* 35 instead of a dime. . . . #sg*fp to turn his attention away from the star-studded shows and wheels of fortune long enough to get down to the regular course of his news beat. If an occasional "jackpot" or "lucky seven," or similar term that happens to be .on the tip of the tongue slips into this text, I hope I'll be forgiven. But while on the subject, it appears that Paramount is covering all TV bets within the next few weeks as far as its ballyhoo of the "Road to Bali" picture is concerned. As reported in last week's issue, Paramount produced a series of filmed spot commercials for use on TV stations thruout the country prior to the initial holiday showings of the Bing Crosby- Bob Hope-Dorothy Lamour starrer. - An example as to how Para- .jj||unt intends to hit a box-gfftdi jackpot thru the use of TV is seen in its Los Angeles area ?║||diQ$ line-:up. And it's a' lucky^s&veift- straight down the line. Paramount is buying time on all seven TV stations here Christmas Day to herald the film's opening at seven theaters. A total of 29 spots will be aired December ;|?·Lj -Of the seven theaters ^^^w^B^^I^^Si^ three will be drive-ins, part of the The Messrs. Jake Freeman and Jack Entratter and their cohorts sure tossed a mighty brannigan in LasVgggs *ast week when they opened their $5,500,000 Sandggjg- te^ a vast and lush establishment surrounding a room full of dice and blackjack tables and roulette wheels. Mr. J. Pluvius put the doublfe cross on?╟?the boys by arranging for a continual downpour most of Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, but this totally failed to dampen the spirits of the multitude. And when I'say multitude, I mean capital Crowd. For the press opening of the Sands show, starring Danny Thomas with Connie Russell and Lou Wills, the folks were jammed before the door of the Copa Room, and Vegas's movie-type L sheriffs and deputies had to use * <;very one of their many muscles T^vmaintain order. Entratter, of ^?╟≤N^e, has long held an enviable \ h. as a showman and_general ^M^jjg Ndo, thru his outstanding Nae Copacabana in New, HSfimK* ^egas with the Sands; ^ will win himsea ?√ß By JOE CS1UA '" . ?╟≤ . d Thomas developed a s^ere ease Sand, debut, &"?·&* Hal of laryngitis on wcuuwuuj, the names who'd been invited for the big bow leaped to the rescue. This resulted in a show containing Jimmy Durante, the Ritz Brothers, Frankie Laine, Jane Powell, Ursula Thiess, Denise Darcel, Ray Anthony and several other able performers, along with the regular bill. And consequently the Sands sustained the excitement substantially thru that day. The more cynical observers were insinuating that the whole thing had been carefully planned, but whether it was or wasn't is immaterial. It worked out most beautifully. The town seemed to be having show trouble generally. Over at the El Ra|t?·ho, Louis Prima disappeared on Wednesday. -It was ts^adl'i'ne'd had a heart attack, but others claimed he just up and left for other reasons. At the Sa- [hfir&that same night, Maxine, of dition to tne acxs mcuuU1iv,v., - Braudis at the Thunderbird had just finished playing Tennessee Ernie and Irene Ryan, and was | opening a new show with Bert j Lahr and Francine White. Belden I Kattleman's El Rancho, after Prima left, still had Harry1 Mimmo and Joanne Gilbert heading a big bill. Wilbur Clark's Desert Inn was starring Pearl Bailey. Over at Abe Schiller's Flamingo, Georgie Price was headlining large show, to be followed by Tony Martin. The Last Frontier was playing our old I friend Phil Spitalny, Evelyn and the Hour of Charm orchestra. At least one new hotel is scheduled for building in the near future, and one of the local operators told us he anticipated the erection of five new hotels in the reasonably near future. The town is shortly going to accelerate its push for convention business, and -T-i- A?·&?·K3 nf Ken hara that same mgm, pua&jggpj Vi , push tor convt the Andrews Sisters, developed s&\ under the able direction of Ken sore throat and couldn't go on^Froggely, managing director of sore tnroai emu w?╜*y~,. Oo on^Froggely, managing ^ These momentary crises, how:Jth?· local C of C, is ever-increas- ever, assume a monumental un^fEg its program to attract tourists ^^|MEtance in the ovex^Ml Las from new areas of the country,; x**.ASL\-mm *rh(>\ We've seen a few boom tow"* \\ HOUSTON, TJUA. PRESS Circ. D. 88,618 fiEC 22 1952 \pening Tuesday, ^s might have a /maintaining the ?? >wing day. But by ^st of coincidences, t^jpite scheme of ^M^s^P^e 1bw#'ls now the*f?o. 1 live^sfckow business center "pi the world ?√ß. . . and, in my opinion, will continue to be just that by an ever-increasing margin. While we were out for the om new areas uj. wjw, ^.~ We've seen a few boom towns in our time, and read and heard about many more, but this Vegas has 'em all stopped. And with Freeman and Entratter setting a; new pace with the Sands, watch. it continue to zoom. The 'Show Cuse Some More Las Vegas This and That Found While Unpacking After Trip By PAUL HOCHULl The morning after the Las Vegas night before: Finally made it back to Houston and normalcy, after a week spent m helping Jakie Freedman open his ftflflfls ?╟≤KoteLHere are a* few notes I found while unpacking. ^Affl^ands will be Las^egasi' newest for just about a year. Then, a $lt),000,08!feste!blishment will spring up on the amazing desert land. Jakie's place cost upward to $5% million to open. Application already has been made for a permit to build the $10 million hotel-casino. And all that must be cash?╟÷no mortgage is allowed on any casino . . ^Mmjkgk . # #,*'?╟≤-'' 'wK^.-yi^M THOSE NASTY COLDS Bad colds really hit the performg$s in the niteries. First Danny Thomas lost his voice?╟÷although there is a hit of press agentry in all those big names who took his place. . H'W>?·h&'- 't^&M^ v Then, the three Andrews Sisters (in the Sahara) became two for the night, when Maxene | couldn't talk. It was their opening night, too, which made it rough. Spike Jones and the beautiful Helen, Jane Powell and her husband, Geary Steffens, Mary Frazer and I "caughtltheir opening. ' Then, had what LaVerne called a "Cork Club, session"?╟÷a gabfest until the wee smalls. A procedure followed almost nightly when the girls played the Shamrock. 4 - "I don't know when we had a more wonderful two weeks," LaVerne said, "Please get us booked back there. Houston folks are so warm and real, it's a pleasure to play for them." (Aside to Jack Ferrell; Shamrock mgr., I didn't make a deal with, them?╟÷but they're ready.) I^IMI before long. Better hurry, too, because his price is going up after each successful engagement. He's strictly a "sight comic," but he's a wow when you see him. Speaking of Ed Sullivan's show, Spitalny said he was heading east to be on the Jan. 4 show. We'll probably get it on film a week later, "I'm working on a production number for the girls," Phil said. "We call it 'This Is America.' Try arid, catch it, because I think it will be good." - ' 'ji|?· Bert Lahr's in town, too. He's going into the Desert Inn after Pear J Bailey. "I haven't played Houston in 30 years when I was in vaudeville," he said. "Hold on, I was there about 10 years ago when the big Army ands Navy Relief. Caravan came through. - ^$$m "We played a great big place- (the Coliseum), and people paid "as high as $100;to get, In." That was^4te,ga show. Bing Crosby, Claudette Colbert, Bob Hope and. a jflliQHkjKhSk.' IPPPe ?√ß # ' # # DANNY THE. ORE AT Danny Thomas, he of the sore, throat, is a showman's shovanan. Opening night the audience just wouldn't let him off. He worked, almost two hours. He's got one story that knocks me out. "lifr has a routine about various tradesmen getting into show business. "There's Honest John, the Used Car Dealer," he said. "Then I have a friend who is a plumber named Carr. Do you know what his slogan is: Honest Carr, the Used John Dealer." m Yep, this is some town for entertainment. HELEN GRAYCO 'Black Coffee' for 'road.' LOVETHQjgt BWS- Phil Spjttalny (who has Teas':$$-:03BH&r&, Evflyn and her Magic Violin in Ihe Last Frontier) also'-wWted to ti&lk about Houston. Hasn't been here for several seasons^Hen he played under the Edna W. Saunders banner. -'^f-jH "Tell George Kelley I'm still trying to find stjeaks as good as he serves," Phil said. d^'Jlllf Every time Phil comes to Houston, he eats sail his meals with George, then has him bundle up some steaks and send them to his New York apartment. For a gal, Evelyn can do a good job at the table, too. Last time Phil played our.City Auditorium, he,announced from the stage is was the "dirtiest place" back stage he'd ever seen. It was duly reported by yours truly, 'and the next day, the mayor ordered a quick clean-up job. "I hope they've1 kept it .eleaa$ ^pS?·f& disgrace," Phil said here* Ted Fio Rito's band has just cloi^d^^iancho Vegas, where Joanne Gilbert is head-limng her distinfctive*'POT|s4k.rd never heard her before, but she seems to be a comer, she hm% nice selling style, does excellently in. semi-torero.ballads that neWli, lump-in-throat effort. "g " " . \o'.ss s .ig -?√ß #4t , # * 'WlfrmiG RESPECT' However, hit of the show was diminutive Harry Nimmo, the "with big respect" comedian. You probably have seen him. on Ed Sullivan's TV show- *'$??-?╜&| Harry would kill 'em in Houston, and I hope somebody books him