ent000894-020

JACK CORTEZ' WILBUR CLARK'S DESERT INN p HELLO, AMERICA! C?╜LL:CR*?╜1W^FER2-7875;' Wednesday, January 6, 1965 Fifty-ninth KSSZlETY Annwersarr^^^ ' VAPPEYILLE 211_ Top Names Take Back Seat,LV Niteries Travel the NudityTrail DICK AUNT WESTON *" MARTHA Our 38th Week *t th?? Desert Inn, Las Vegas . In DONN ARDEN'S "HELLO AMERICA" 1 Produced by FRANK SENNES - / A'1; Conceived, Staged and Directed by DONN >RDEN Exclusive Mgt. 6EOROE SOARES, Las Vegas By FORREST DUKE Las Vegas. :~Nitery stages in Las Vegas, long the most lucrative showcases,for name talent, Are dwindling fast?╟÷ dwindling fast as showcases for. names, that is. The marathon spectaculars ,are taking the stages over one by one, and only . three hotels on the Strip?╟÷the*. Sands, Sahara and Flamingor-still use the star sys- tem exclusively. Thi& means that many of the top names, familiar for years in- Vegas showrooms with their sub- stantial salaries being' subsidized by casino profits, will either dis- appear from the Vegascene or move to lounges. The .-.successful long-run pro- ductions began at the Dunes in the ndd-?╟╓50S with Harold Minsky?╟╓s girly fshotfs being presented by Bill Miller. Minsky was the first to featutfefbare bosoms in Vegas, and the feature became so popular (?╟úmen <$me to see girls, and men are tttK&mes who gamble?╟Ñ) that the Stardust went all-out and im- ported the famed Lido de Paris?╟÷* with even more nudes than the Dunes had-?╟÷and kept the first edition 18 months. Subsequent editions have stayed 18 months and longer, with the current fifth edition-being well into its second year. , J Tropicana?╟╓s Folies Bergere The Tropicana was next to Jump on the?·hosom wagon, bring- ing in another Parisian show in- tact, the Foliess Bergere. Major Biddle, Dunes prexy, dis- continued the Minsky shows in favor of a return to a straight name, policy, but then went back to long-run specs with such shows as Broadway tabs (?╟úPajama Game,?╟Ñ '?╟ Guys and Dolls,?╟Ñ ?╟úTen- derloin,?╟Ñ .etc.), Steve . .Parker?╟╓s ?╟úPhilippine Festival?╟Ñ and ?╟úLa Parisienne,?╟Ñ before hitting the jackpot with Frederic Apcar?╟╓s ?╟úCasino de Paris,?╟Ñ starring Lane Benaud, who appeared for years as topliner of the original version. Biddle also got Apcar to pro- duce' ?╟úVive ?╟  Les Girls!?╟Ñ?╟÷another long-run musical with the bra-less I brigade, for .the Dunes lounge- Third edition of ?╟úVive Les Girls!?╟Ñ is current, and Apcar is prepping the second edition of,-?╟ .?╟ Casino de Paris.?╟Ñ ?╟≤ '?√ß JSfoting the success of double marathon shows at the Dunes, thn Tropicana management;1 has re- modeled the Motel?╟╓s lounge any will follow suit. 'fpf Monte ProseiPnrdught tab show? ?╟≤to the Thunderbird, and has been quite successful with. Vegaei ver- sions of such hits as ?╟úFlower Drum . fedng;?╟Ñ " ?╟úSdiiith Pacific,?╟Ñ ?╟úHigh Button Shoes?╟Ñ; ?╟╓and ?╟úAnything Gde?║.?╟Ñ Proser?╟╓s current click at . the T?╟╓bird is an updated version I of ?╟╓iMSSSai' I being*held over at least through the spring months^pf ?╟╓6&. Tabs Click at Biviera I The Biviera also had fine sue- [cess-with its tabbies, brought in and streamlined* by producer Sam- liny Lewis. They included ?╟úDamn ' Yankees,?╟Ñ, ?╟úGypsy,?╟Ñ ?╟úSiirfe Wong?*, L ?╟úIrma La Douce,?╟Ñ ?╟úLa Plum?½?╟╓ and ?╟úA Funny Thing Happened. ' n ' The Way (fo The Foriim.?╟Ñ Future Broadway shows at the Biv are I assured,since producer David Merrick is buying from two to four points as an owner in the I hotel. . Part of the Biv?╟╓s yearly show ,i [season will be devoted to!name en- |tertainment with such stars stand- ing by ak Eddie Fisher (parted for 111 weeks before he starts his new | Ideal with the Sahara), Harry.Bela- w |fonte; Debbie Beynolds, Dinah |&hOre, Tony Martin (a two jpoint owner), Cyd Charisse, Liberace, | Louis Armstrong, Frankie Laine, and the Kingston Trio. ?√ß - The Desert Inn will also ?╟ splifV the year between , names ?╟╓ and | specs. Current is the smash Dona jf | Arden extravaganca, ?╟úHello, Arnet- ?╟  lica!?╟Ñ featuring comedy team* of | Pepper Davis & Tony Beese.-'J)! plans to have such contracted stars as Jimmy Durante;!.. Phil Harris, Danny. Kaye, Andy Williams, -and the McGuire Sisters during*.the | six month per year period! when | there is no spec. -!> Castaways landed the long-riln Hank Henry shoiv When .th^sSil^er (Slipper was closed by the stale gaming control board for alleged | cheating; The show, with Henry and such perfdrmets as Lili. j?║t.' Cyr, Sparky Kayfe, Jack Lafsen [and Danny Jacobs,.is produced by Eddie Fox (also from the Slipper) and is assured a rim to infinity. Tallyho?╟╓s Revue PolicM* [ Producer and part-owner Steve [ Parker plans' a stretched out idter- ?╟≤ [national revue, sans names for'.the Tallyho. , , | At the Sands, impresario jjkck [ Entratter?╟╓s 'Stable includes, ^jiuch [names as Frank Sinatra, ?╟╓?╟úDean I [Martin, .Jerry Lewis, SammSf Davis J??╟? Danny Thoitiagr Bed Skgtton, Nbt King 'Colei* Payd Anka, ?╟ Joey Bishop, Vie 'Damone, Allan Shpr- .maiwJan Murray, Alan King, Patti Pag^George;VGdb?╜ Mart^ Allen.rr Sto^Stossi/ Peter Lind Ha|p| & Mai^rHealy. Even with these, a ?╟ú rejrort has Entratter eventually [ gorhg*3he"spec* route | 9 The Sahara?╟╓s Stan Irwin* parades : such *as Connie Francis, Victor Borge, Teresa Brewer, Sjohpny | Carson, Bohert- Goulet (recehtjy acquired from the Flamingo), Stay Start,- Shelley Berman, the Mills Bros.,' Phil Silvers, Sergio Franehi, | Eddie .Eisher; Dave Barry, Buddy Hackett, Buddy Greco and Pat* | Henry. sfec in sight here. Morris Lansburgh presents such | topliners as Joe E. Lewis, Ella Fitzgerald, Gordon & Sheila Mac- BaeJ Phyllis Diller, Enzio Stuarti, JackieA'Iason, Leslie Uggams, Sid' Caesar, Mitzi Gaynor, Pearl Bailey, ?╟  Bay Bolger* and Bobby Dartn. At Lpre,ss time, Lansburgh - had no | plans to change the name gimmick. Many stars, are expected to take lounge offers when and if they are squeezedfpom the main rooms. Dab Eowaii 8s Dick Martin recent- ly: made the* switch, with Rowan explaining to Variety: . ?╟ ?╟ We get more monqy, and we get more. | work in lounges*-We like it.?╟Ñ .1. :: # l