New Policy on Cabaret Acts at Cinegrill?

Is the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel Cinegrill nightclub thinking of phasing out cabaret acts?

Hotel management denied on Wednesday that it is abandoning the longtime cabaret format, but one of the club’s leading talent bookers said he was told that the room’s cabaret performances may be ending.

The cabaret issue surfaced with the sudden closing in the renovated landmark hotel Sunday of “Call Me Ethel,” a critically well-received one-woman show starring Rita McKenzie as Ethel Merman. Hotel management acknowledged that only two other Cinegrill acts--singers Vento and Gerrard and Susan Anton--are booked in December.

Bruno Fava, general manager of the hotel, dismissed the situation as “rumor” and said the hotel’s principal lounge is “too well known” to change its policy.

“It (the Cinegrill) does well and we’re happy with it,” Fava said, adding that the rumors “are probably” because Alan Eichler is no longer booking the room.

Eichler, a personal manager-publicist who has worked doing booking and promotion for the Cinegrill for two years, said that Fava told him “the cabaret format wasn’t working.”

“He (Fava) told me he was phasing out the room, “ said Eichler. “Then he told me to get my stuff out of my office there.”

Fava said that the Cinegrill will continue to play host to “12 to 14 acts a year,” with a 10-day run for each. In between, Fava said, there will “probably be a house band, a trio we can put additional people with.”

Among those Fava mentioned as possibly coming to the room next year are Yma Sumac, Eartha Kitt and Ruth Brown.

Eichler, who manages those acts as well as Anita O’Day, Kaye Ballard, Hadda Brooks and Nellie Lutcher, said that “none of the people I work with will be back.”

“I personally won’t deal with the room any longer,” Eichler said.

Fava said “Call Me Ethel” closed early because it “wasn’t drawing. We exercised an option to not pick up the last week.”

Vento and Gerrard are booked for Dec. 14-15, and Anton is booked for Dec. 29-31. Fava said he could name no secured booking after that.

“We’ll be going full bore after Jan. 15,” he said.