“HOLLYWOOD HOTEL REVUE”

Southland Times, Issue 23795, 18 April 1939, Page 3

“HOLLYWOOD HOTEL REVUE”

SPARKLING NON-STOP REVUE

Hollywood has for many years exercised a major influence on flesh-and-blood shows, and generally the influence has been for the better. To compete successfully with films, revue producers have been compelled to raise the standard of their productions, and some have attained a standard comparable even to Hollywood releases. In such a class is Harry Howard’s production, which can justifiably take its name from a centre which can teach it little, a fact which will be borne out when “Hollywood Hotel Revue” opens its Invercargill season at the Civic Theatre next Wednesday and Thursday week, April 26 and 27. Box plans will open on Thursday morning next at 9 a.m. at Charles Begg’s Ltd., Esk street.

Headliners in the cast of 60 are numerous. There is Bobby Morris, who for years has been principal comedian in some of Broadway’s biggest stage hits. He is perhaps the only comedian who has enjoyed the distinction of playing the Keith-Orphemium RKO circuit for three consecutive years. Maurice Briscoe, who will act as straight man for Bobby Morris, has a long line of successes to his credit, among them being leads in “Sinbad,” “Big Boy,” and “Wonder Bar,” in each of which he played straight man to Al Jolson. Miss Gloria Whitney is new to New Zealand audiences, as she is the first top-line “torch singer” to visit here. She has been featured singer with no lesser American band leaders than Russ Morgan, Paul Whiteman, and Guy Lombardo, while she comes direct from the famous Paradise Restaurant in New York, where she had the biggest floor show on Broadway. Robert Berry is the possessor of a magnificent baritone voice, and was chosen to sing the starring role in Schubert’s original production of “Desert Song.” Those are only the newcomers to the show, who were brought out from the United States to supplement the original cast. Besides them there are Jack Whitney, Magda Neeld, Park and Clifford, and the eight “Big Apple” Dancers. The last-named are high- spirited negroes, who dance and shout with a zest which makes everyody else look tepid. They are called America’s fastest dancers, for they are as furious as they are fast. With assurance, one can state that the Hollywood Hotel Revue will bring something of the land of the cinema to the Invercargill stage. It literally begins where the Marcus Show left off. ST. JAMES, GORE , In endeavours to pacify an aunt, prevent Cary Grant from-marrying Virginia Walker, hide a pet leopard and keep several other irons in the fire at the same time, Katherine Hepburn has the. busiest time of her screen career in “Bringing Up Baby,” which opens at the St. James Theatre, Gore, tonight. REGENT, GORE “Grandad Rudd,” which opens at the Regent Theatre, Gore, today, stars Bert Bailey and Fred MacDonald. There is also a good programme of supports, including “Many Sappy Returns” and “Feminine Fun.”