A SERIES OF SHOWS

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20821, 3 June 1939, Page 17 (Supplement)

A SERIES OF SHOWS

TO BE BOOKED ABROAD VARIETY FOR DOMINION Australia and New Zealand are to have a regular succession of variety shows which will be booked abroad as complete units and brought to these countries for a fixed time, said Mr Garnet H. Carroll. Sir Benjamin Fuller’s special representative with Harry Howard's “Hollywood Hotel” Revue Company, now in Hamilton. Mr Carroll is the only Australian to have produced an original grand opera—he staged Alfred Hill's “Auster” at the Melbourne Centenary celebrations. He has previously visited New Zealand with two of the Gladys Moncrieff companies. “Rio Rita” and “The Merry Widow.” “Prompted by the success of the Marcus Show, Sir Benjamin Fuller decided to bring ov<|r another show as a complete unit,” said Mr Carroll. “The entire company was booked in the United States, with a guaranteed playing season of 20 weeks. Its success has been phenomenal. Origin of “Hollywood Hotel” “The show consists of G 9 people. It carries 20 tons of scenery and five special electrical technicians. The name ‘Hollywood Hotel’ comes from a radio programme sponsored by a famous soup manufacturer in the United States. Harry Howard bought the rights from the radio company, he assembled the show in New York, and had the scenery designed by Clark Robinson, of Radio City Music Hall. The All American Ballet was trained by Chester Hale, who was ballet master to Florenz Ziegfeld. After the success of these shows Sir Benjamin Fuller is searching the world for more attractions. A new company, “Funzapoppin,” will open in Auckland on June 17.