Miltown Revisited

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In 1952, the Sahara Hotel was the sixth resort to open on the Las Vegas Strip.  A North African desert theme was conveyed minimally in the hotel's architecture.  A visitor would occasionally come across a fake camel or a fake Arab guard.  

By 1956, the Sahara had the nickname "The Jewel of the Desert."  It was considered one of the premier destinations on the Las Vegas Strip.  The hotel managed, with its high-energy shows, to establish itself as a magnet for Hollywood elite.  Its Casbar Lounge was the hottest spot in Vegas. 

It was in 1956 that the Sahara presented Bud Abbott and Lou Costello in a new musical comedy revue called "Miltown Revisited."  Many years ago, I read in an Abbott and Costello biography that the duo performed all-new material in the show.  As I understood it, the revue was designed to be a new start for them.  But this was later contradicted by Ken Berry, who sang and danced in the show.  Berry only remembered Bud and Lou performing two of their old routines.  Was this true?

I recently found a review for the show in the "Night Club Reviews" section of Variety.  The review is dated Wednesday, December 12, 1956.  It can be found on page 68.  It reads as follows. 

Durable comics Bud Abbott and Lou Costello bring a new musical comedy revue into the Sahara Hotel's Congo Room for a three-week stand, billing their effort as "Miltown Revisited."

Although A&C are surrounded by a group of talented youngsters, the production misfires in the comedy department, partially due to the overplay of swish gags, which seem to go over the heads of the audience, and never are popular among Vegas homeowners anyway.

Opening number is called "These's Nothing Like the Thrill of a Military Drill, which features the Upstarts (four guys and a blonde) and the SaHarem Dancers of the line.  The marching chorus soon deteriorates into the first of the swishers, when Abbott & Costello take over the act.

Second number is the "Miltown Revisited" theme, featuring singing tapper Ken Berry, a young and willing performer with an oversized uke (or is it a pint-sized gee-tar?).  Berry shows promise in an overcrowded field with his contortions, but in this show he gets lost in the slapstick.  A skit that is supposed to be funnier than it turns out is "Mayhem and Strauss" which gives the josh treatment to the "Student Prince" with Costello leading the clowning as a Heidelberg student, complete with beer stein.

Holding forth next are the Upstarts, featuring Bill Norvas and Dee Arlan, which are distinguished mainly by the worst line in the show, "Careful, Gladys, you'll throw your Swarthout."  They also sing, drawing good response fom three jive numbers.  "You Gotta Love Everybody," "I Want a Girl Just Like the Girl That married Dear Old Dad," and "Rock and Roll Square Dance."

Something titled "Christmas is the Warmest Time of the Year" comes next, and begins with a sentimental Yule message, turns into slapstick and ends on a sad note that confuses the audience, who can't figure out if there suppose to keep laughing at Costello.  In the bit, Costello is the pathetic Chaplin-like figure spreading Christmas cheer, only to be clouted around the stage at intervals by Abbott and assorted others, including even Santa Claus.

In the semi-final, the best talent in the show - Joby Baker - does his stuff.  Billed as "NBC's newest comedy find," Baker turns out to be one of Jerry Lewis' countless mimics, but is better than most.  He gives the impression he could do much more with better material.  His best spots are his Elvis Yokamura, a Japanese R&R fidget, and, of course, his mimic of Jerry Lewis.

The windup is called "Family Entertainment," a flashback to the vaudeville days of old, with members of the cast making like Sophie Tucker, Al Jolson and Eva Tanguay.  This is all a buildup to Abbott & Costello's "Who's on First" baseball routine, that surprisingly draws top laughs and applause.  The A&C company includes, besides Berry, Baker and  the Upstarts, Nina Varela, Norma Nilsson and Mary Louise Hoffman as foils for the horseplay of the comics.

The show was produced, written and directed by Sid Kuller, with music composed and arranged by Jerry Fielding and staged by Al White Jr.  Supervisor of it all was Sahara entertainment chief Stan Irwin. Music is by the Cee Davidson orch.

So, Bud and Lou performed two of their classic routines - "Who's On First?" and "The Military Drill" - and two new sketches - a "Student Prince" spoof and a Christmas sketch.  It sounds like a typical episode of the Colgate Comedy Hour.  I don't know exactly what I was expecting, but I was expecting more than this.  I have great faith in Bud and Lou's talent and believe that they were capable of redefining themselves even at this late stage of their career.  "Who's On First?" is a great routine.  The Variety critic observed that the old routine (Bud and Lou had been performing it for twenty years) "surprisingly draws top laughs and applause."  But something new would have been nice.