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PAGE \$ WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 25, 1957 MIAMI BEACH SUN CAPACITY CROWD THRILLED AT LATIN QUARTER OPENING By PAUL M. BRUUN E. M. Loew premiered his Palm Island Latin Quarter lost night to an eager and capacity audience of those who, even as I, have been reading the things I have written about it and wanted to see for themselves. I will personally guarantee that there wasn't a sigle disappointed customer. It was the first time I had seen the club since it was decorated, following the removal of the posts and the enlarging of the stage. Were I the Latin Quarter owner and had I been promised such a revelation, I would have been skeptical that such a drastic change could be made. As I entered, I wondered if I had gone to the correct cabaret. Even E. M. Loew is impressed, and by two things, the beauty of the finished product and the money required to make these changes: / In keeping with the "new" club, for it is a new club, Loew threw abandon to the wind and really took the rubber band off the bankroll. Donn Arden was commissioned to produce the best revue money could buy. The first thing that knocks your eyes out when the show gets under way is the beauty of the girls, first seen as "Angels/* all in the same wigs and all so much alike in stature, etc., that one wonders if he is seeing correctly. Scene 1 is "A Boudoir In Heaven." Please bear with me if I fail to get every act in its correct spot in this revue for changes were made on the program, and this is being written at 5 a.m. There is the Bob Devoye Trio, an American dancing act that is exceptionally good. They will make a name for themselves. A highlight in this show is Queti Clavijo, from Spain who is the Bull Fighter. She is surrounded by four matadors and supported by Adonis Puertas, guitarist. The world's fastest juggler, Rudy Cardenas is spotlighted and he has a bag of tricks, juggling, bounding balls, and tossing hats about with abandon. He concludes one part by having four, (inserted in each other) cups and he throws them into the air. Each turns over and he catches all four just as they were. I suggest you try this sometime, but not with expensive glassware. This "International Holiday For Love" revue takes the customers to the land of the Gondoliers, in fact, a gondola comes on stage. Then to Italy in an Italian Street Song, with Senor John Juliano and the Venetian Ballet. It was here that our ears picked up with the singing by Gina Genardi. And how could anybody have an international Holiday For Love without La Scala Time? For La Traviata the Prima Donna is Martha Errolle and the tenor is Gene Varrone. This is just another facet of a show designed to please all tastes. Sue Carson, the sophisticated imp has her own spot. She delivers some sedate mirth prior to going into excellent impressions of Billy Eckstine and his "yawning" type singing. She has Lena Home down to perfection and does the emotionless Jo Stafford and Pearl Bailey to perfection. One of Sue's strong routines is her "Seven Lively Arts For Ladies" in which she gives advice on how to handle the standardized appproaches men make to women, and she doesn't mean invitations to dinner. Sue engages in an interview with Edward Murrow and she confesses that by the time it is concluded, she has lost him his sponsor. Miss Carson is a petite and non-night-club-in-appearance comedienne who does very well for herself. On The Avenue in New York is a clever number. It has the Daddies pushing perambulators on stage, in which are live babies, who happen to be beautiful show girls at the Latin Quarter. This makes for mighty good entertainment, something different. (So write and tell me who, where, how many times somebody else did it!). The costumes are breathtaking and they are shown to tremendous advantage by the wide stage. The orchestra is farther back on the stage than usual, giving more space for the cast. The lighting effects have been enhanced and the overhead mirrors and the lights under the stage have all been brought right up to tip-top condition, all of which makes for more brilliant shows. The Bernard Brothers are back at the Latin Quarter from their native London. George and Bert have perfected routines which have become standard trademarks. They have recordings as though two girls were singing songs, and they, via pantomime, act and "sing" the tunes. Their costumes are basically large checked aprons, although they are constantly changing to what best suits the tune to be presented. They have perfected two "Musical" routines, "The Indian Love Call" and "The King And I." This shows imagination run rampant and these numbers had the customers screaming approval. In fact, a ringsiding regular told me of these when I walked in for the second show, he was that impressed. They conclude with some slow comedy conversation with George Price who is credited with handling their recordings. Were I staging this act, this would have to come before either of their last two tunes. I don't think it would disrupt their act too much. I would want them bowing off stage to the applause they received for either of their new tunes. I wouldn't permit them to take the edge off their own hilariously funny work. There is a West Indies scene, about Tobago, Island of Love. There are native boys and girls, vendors, a girl in the shower and she doesn't get her clothes wet. Name, Tanya Cor- lett, a singer in the rain, calypso singers, etc. The greatly written about "Rain Curtain" wasn't working the second show, something of a mechanical nature put it out of order, but it should be corrected immediately The motors for the overhead tracl on which beautiful girls will ride over ringsiders' heads arrived yes terday, so they should be in operation soon, perhaps tonight. As I departed the Latin Quarter last night, I congratulated E. M. Loew on his first success as a night club impresario. A weaker man would have fallen from the slap on the back he gave me. One thing is certain, as long as his fortune holds out, and existing circumstances continue, E. M. Loew will spare no expense to present the best money can buy at his Palm Island Latin Quarter. The customers are the beneficiaries. PAUL M. BRUUN MILTON BERLE GETTING READY: Monorail might just have a hand in some of the installations now going on in E. M. Loew's Palm Island Latin Quarter. This is the single track overhead transportation system which its inventors and backers hope eventually to install all over the nation, where fast, noiseless and out of the way transportation is essential. Last year, at the Latin Quarter, there were" swings which had the beautiful girls of the ensemble swinging high over the heads of the patrons. This year, the beauties will be taken for a "ride" over the ringsiders on a monorail system of transportation. Wonder how you go about getting the job of switchman on this railroad? Loew has decided not to book entertainment in what was the Mademoiselle Room. Instead, this beautiful gathering place, which has a tremendous fireplace at the north end, and speaker-entertainment facilities at the south end, will be reserved for special parties. The plan is that if your civic, fraternal or business organization wants to hold a special party or meeting, you can meet here. It can seat 250 for dinner, and the delicious food from the LQ kitchen can be enjoyed, private business or social events taken care of without interruption. Then, any time after the first show breaks, until the second show begins, these folks can move into the main room from which all posts have been removed, and dance and see the elaborate revue, without extra charges being assessed. A full and As you know, Don Arden is this year's producer and he promises ' to present a more elaborate revue than he creates for the Desert Inn, j Las Vegas, for in Miami Beach the shows run longer, bosses aren't' anxious fp?·tJheir customersito get to gambling table^^^^^a*^*^ Sue Carson, the star singer, will be the Dec. 24 opening head- I liner. Other features include the Bob De Voye Dancing Trio; the Bernard Brothers from London; Rudy Cardenas, juggler; Gena Gen- j ardi, featured chanteuse. All original music is being written by Phil Moody and Pony Sherrell. Walter Nye is the musical director. Of Miss Genardi, Variety wrote, "she is the up and coming Anna Maria j Alberghetti, /die has a powerful set of pipes and a delightful flair j for comedy." There will be a rain curtain around the stage in keeping with the tropical setting of the Latin Juarter. The stage has been enlarged, the orchestra is on an elevated platform permitting more movement and a deeper stage for the entertainers. The entire club is being re-decorated under supervision of Rube Bodenhorn. The ceiling had to be practically taken down to take care of the steel beams which made the removal of the posts possible. A complete new roof has been put on. F^rrv Rpp^tw v*ni u? S=2k JJfeLJLnXlv na