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PAGE 18 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1958 MIAMI BEACH SUN MILTIE'S HI-JINKS CONVULSE OVERFLOW PALM ISLAND CROWI By PAUL M. BRUUN Through a series of events, (Milton Berle's long awaited opening at E. M. Loew's Palm- Island Latin Quarter was taken over by the Hibiscus Mason Past Master's night. Every jeat was sold but the Bruun perseverance made room for those of the press who wanted to be present. Even though I might like a night off, my first obligation is to my readers, hence another prompt review, found only in the Amusement Section of the Miami Beach Sui The regular Donn Arden Revue wasnTaWSruT'"'praised' when this show opened. Still in place is the Original music and lyrics and elaborate productions which are accompanied by eye-filling beauties, both male and female, by costumes that are breath-taking, ditto as. to what is in them. It is an elaborately lighted show that had last night's audience cheering and* cheering and calling for more ana ^sTnore and more. The petite Gina Gehardi is still there and in better voice than ever, and when she got involved with Milton Berle in the Baby Carriage number, well, it w a s something. As we have reported time and time again, E. M. Loew took the rubber bands off his bankroll and had the bothersome posts removed from the Latin Quarter Which makes for a complete change. It not only seats more now, but there isn't an nh- tire show last night, this was the greatest the patrons had ever seen, and they aren't unseasoned patrons. I imagine I knew 95 per cent of those present. Berle takes the stage himself and he has a proved line or a gag for everybody and for every occasion. The waiter, the bus boy carrying chairs upside down or the Captain of Service is just where Milton wants ^hem to be when he wants them. He selects a ringsider or two for his "straight" man or woman and he has them and everybody else within the sound of his voice, in the palms of his collective hands. The first artist Berle presents is Miss Betty George, the "Greek Goddess of Song" and I might add, Queen of big bosoms. He gave credit to Joan Abbott for her "built just right" revealing gown, and from the moment she walked down stage center, until she was finally permitted to leave the stage,' Berle and Miss George convulsed the capacity crowd. Milton did everything but devour her. They danced, she bowed for the patrons, front and each side of the stage as well as for the boys in the orchestra. Betty shimmered and shook and everybody had an all^ shook-up good time. In fact, a bosomy good time. Oh yes, Betty sang one song, a chore I was afraid was going to be overlooked entirely. When Stan Fisher came out of military service of World War II, his first engagement was in the lounge of what is now The Tavern, which was operated by Wingy Grober and Charlie Block and I wrote what was his first i professional review. Last night. Milton Berle told me that he ei gaged Fisher for his "road company when he read this r< view. Stan has tremendous abi ity and showmanship with hai monicas. In fact, part of hi manship is that he doesn m look like an entertainer, h more like a businessman. Unci Milty might like to know that th young lady seated next to m during the first show becam quite incensed at his "slapping1 Stan when he came up witl gags, etc. Stan Fisher is far fox nice for anybody to slap, is hei verdict. So, there, you meai headliner. Hope you fee spanked, or fs it slapped. Unch Miltie borrows one of Fisher's harmonicas and joins him in t duet, or something simulating one, and this is giving Milton the best of it. The Metropolitan Sextet, whor Uncle Miltie introduces as "com tesy of Rudolph Bing of the Mel ropolitan Opera Association/' wa next. They belt out some opera se lections and Uncle Milton in ai "alike" costume, Joins^them^hj,, comedy, Berle joins them in some strenuous routines. Each does a solo and Uncle Miltie does as they do, in a straight tuxedo, such as the Dunhills wear. Just how smart Uncle Mil- tie is to engage in such strenuous exercise, I don't know, for this is for those who keep in condition. It is on this note that Berle trie to close the show, but at last eve ning's dinner show, he had difficul ty getting off stage and when hi did make it, the patrons insists that he return. The audience mad ho move what-so-ever to depart, fo they had Milton Berle and the weren't going to let go of him ur til they had wrung the last vestig of humor from him, and wring the did. I watched E. M. Loew and he was all smiles throughout t h i a show. At the end, Milton Berle asked for a big hand for producer Donn Arden, E. M. Lowe pushed him down front and Arden got a great big hand. As I surveyed last night's capa< ity crowd and the cheering an good-natured patrons, I couldn help wish tha+ all our clubs coul be so jammed for the remainir, weeks of our season. And before the evening ended Milton Berle asked the folks U go see his friends, Nat King Cob at the Eden Roc, Tony Martin a the Fontainebleau, Dean Martii at the Americana and he made i couple of mentions of Lou Wal ters' Cafe de Paris. This is as i should always be. During the evening, Wolfie's g a plug in the Milton Berle sho from Stan Fisher. WM