from The Dallas Times Herald - Friday, November 22, 1963 - Page A25

Show Biz by Don Safran

Carousel . . .

SPEAKING OF the president and vice president visiting Dallas today, they might get a kick out of an item from a press biography of folksingers Peter, Paul and Mary, who'll be appearing here Saturday at the SMU Coliseum. The item, which we imagine was a typographical error, or at least we hope it is, read: ". . . they performed at the home of Vice President and Mrs. Johnson, Carnegie Hall, N.Y." Could be lonely around the fireplace after shows . . . Dick Harp snared winsome jazz singer Melba Moore for this weekend at the 90th Floor . . . Dallas oil-man Buddy Fogelson, co-producing Broadway's "The Golden Age" threw the towel in after eight performances. Show closes Saturday despite winning over every critic but Walter Kerr.

Reviewing Stand (Statler's Clary) . . .

THERE'S NO escaping politics this Nov. 22. Note the above and then note that the elfin French boulevardier Robert Clary opened a three-week engagement at the Empire Room of the Statler Hilton last night with Richard Nixon ringsiding. He was with a group from Pepsi Cola that also included the chic and glamorous as ever Joan Crawford, but more about that later. If you remember M. Clary from "New Faces of 1952," you know the bombast and ruffled elegance of this totally captivating performer.

Robert has that marvelous character face and moves like a marionette on ice skates. He is the complete performer in that when he sings, there is more than a song; when he moves, it's the right eccentric steps. He sings his "New Faces" medley, a poignant "When the World Was Young," a staggering "West Side Story's" "Officer Krupke" and one of the most joyful and inventive "76 Trombones" ever put to stage. With it all, the Don Ragon Orchestra easily cuts through one of its toughest shows. The Empire Room has had phenomenal luck its last three bookings, and with Robert it has one of those rare striking talents that give supper clubs a reason for being.

The Night Line . . .

BACK TO THE politicos again - when Richard Nixon walked into the Empire Room last night the Don Ragon Band was playing "April in Portugal." Mrs. Nixon's favorite song, said the former vice president . . . Nixon was introduced by Clary as, "either you like him or you don't." which broke up Nixon . . .

The former VP got a big chuckle out of Clary's line "I sent Lady Bird to Greece to bring back a few dance steps for me." . . .

And speaking of dancing. La Crawford, looking every inch the movie star with a white fur hat, was first on the dance floor and requested twists all evening . . . On to other things

from The Dallas Morning News - Friday, November 22, 1963 - Section 1-19

Dallas After Dark by Tony Zoppi *

Robert Clary, the French musical comedy star made his Dallas supper club debut at Statler Hilton Friday night and committed the most common error in show business. He failed to get off while he was ahead.

While Clary has made his mark onstage and in films, he simply isn't strong enough vocally to sustain at length in clubs.

His manner is friendly and his songs are backed by tasty arraignments, but vocally he is far short of such Empire Room greats as Tony Bennett, Mel Torme and Frankie Laine. Perhaps an opening act would have solved the problem. It would have allowed Clary to condense his turn to a solid 28 minutes of sock tunes instead of 45 minutes of this and that.

Former Vice-President Richard Nixon and film star Joan Crawford graced the ringside and drew tremendous ovations when introduced.

The Statler announced the signing of Jose Greco & Co. as its Cotton Bowl Week attraction. Greco once held the box office record at the hotel.

* Zoppi's deadline was 11:00 PM and he waited until the last minute to leave to provide his review of Clary's show. Both Richard Nixon and Joan Crawford were there when he left.