SERVICES ENTERTAINED

Waikato Times, Volume 106, Issue 22659, 12 July 1945, Page 7

SERVICES ENTERTAINED

CLAUDE THORNHILL SHOW LARGE AUDIENCE DELIGHTED The opportunity of hearing a number of versatile and talented American entertainers of stage and radio in person was the rare privilege accorded an audience of service and ex-service personnel who filled the Theatre Royal last night, when the Claude Thornhill Show presented a performance which for sheer exuberance and whirlwind pace has probably never been excelled in Hamilton. The show, which was produced by Dennis Day, who has already claimed a large following among New Zealand listeners as the singer on the Jack Benny radio programme, was introduced to the audience by Wing-Commander A. S. M. Manhire, Officer Commanding the Hamilton air station. During the past five or six months the show, which comprises men drawn from a number of different ships and naval stations, has been touring various outposts in the Pacific war zone, including Saipan, Iwo Jima and the Gilbert and Marshall Islands. Lovers of “swing” music enjoyed to the full the numbers presented by the band, which comprised a saxophone, trombone, two trumpets, two clarinets, piano, string bass and percussion instruments. From the opening number, “I got those old HamilBlues,” there was no pause in the programme, which included instrumental and vocal solos, comedy numbers and concerted items by the band. Film Star’s Versatility Morton Abrahams, one of the most brilliant accordion players in the entertainment world, was recalled repeatedly, his presentation of an arrangement of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue” proving particularly popular. From. Brooklyn came the Graziano Brothers, whose comedy dancing proved one of the most appreciated»items of the evening. Dennis Day presented a number of vocal items to the delight of the audience. For many, perhaps, the highlight °J *he evening was the appearance of Jackie Cooper, who reached stardom as a child actor in “Skippy,” ‘The Champ,” “Treasure Island” and a dozen other notable Hollywood productions rather more than a decade ago, and who, bridging successfully the awkward gap of adolescence, appeared in a number of later films up to several years ago when he entered the United States Navy- Last uight he displayed his versatility by his adroit control of the percussion section of the band, showing an enthusiasm and obvious enjoyment which was most infectious. At the end of the programme Dennis Day briefly thanked the audience for their reception of the entertainment, Wing-Commander Manhire whose guests the show had been, and Vice-Admiral W. L. Calhoun, Commander of the South Pacific Area whose courtesy had made the visit to New Zealand possible.