Radio Digest (June 1932-Mar 1933)

She Plays 1,000 Roles By Herbert Polesie ORDINARILY one wouldn't think that teaching history to grammar school children was in itself much of a preparation for radio stardom, but for Rosaline Greene, dramatic star on two networks, it proved the ideal background for the part — or parts, we should say — she has come to play on the air. This talented, pretty girl has always been an omnivorous reader, and book women to her have always been real, but she hardly guessed all through her school and college days her great knowledge of customs, wars and characters of history would help her in impersonating the glamorous ladies of history. Rosaline Greene, has portrayed such a wide range of characters both real and fictional, that she can't remember the number. She once played several parts in six radio plays in the course of one week, and consequently doesn't feel it a bit odd to find herself talking to herself. Of the great women of history, she has interpreted the characters of twentyfive for the radio audience, but when she is asked how she manages to do it, she merely shrugs her shoulders, and points to the long row of books of history and biography in her library. If you manifest a deeper interest in her portrayals, however, she will describe some of the better known ladies' characteristics in detail. She will tell you Cleopatra's voice was high, clear and quick, that Lucrezia Borgia's utterances were as subtle as her poisons, that Marie de Medici spoke in an emotional and fiery manner, Catherine of Russia positively and almost masculine, and that if you would interpret Catherine of Aragon you must transport yourself into an ascetic, religious and convent-bred mood. Moreover, these are only a few of Rosaline Greene has one true love — she loves her books. the great ladies Rosaline has portrayed, and it is safe to say no woman lives or ever lived who is not susceptible to a vivid, realistic interpretation by this gifted girl. Joan of Arc, Nell Gwynn, Evangeline, DuBarry, Camille, Pompadour, Josephine, Elizabeth, Helen of Troy, Priscilla, Pocahontas, Marie Antoinette, La Valliere, Eloise, Mary, Queen of Scots, or Portia, they have all been studied closely and classified in Rosaline Greene's wide repertoire of the voice. Rosaline Greene was trained in the hard school of the WGY pioneer troupe, famous back in the chaotic and adventurous DX days of radio, after she had worked her way through New York State College by dramatic parts on the radio. She was part of the first efforts to cast for vocal types — something previously unheard of — and it was in the discovery that a certain type of voice was unmistakably associated with a dainty blonde or a glamorous brunette, and that, too, age, education, character, background and disposition became audible qualities, that the course of her radio career was directed. How well she has succeeded may best be shown by her winning the Radio World's Fair Award in 1926 for owning "the perfect radio voice." Rosaline's latest starring vehicle, "The Luck of Joan Christopher," heard thrice weekly over WOR, finds her in the character of an attractive, young girl from the Middle West abroad in New York in search of fame and fortune who becomes involved with a succession of men offering her aid but demanding a price for their assistance. The romance is from the pen of Val Lewton, well-known serial writer. Showboat (Continued from page 17) play on the Ed Wynn program and have distinguished themselves on several of the leading programs over both chains. The Showboat is wired to 48 stations; from WIOD at Miami, Florida, to KOMO, Seattle, Washington. The Showboat has particularly interested river residents who remember the original showboats when they flourished at their best. For example a letter was received recently from a fair listener in Memphis, Tenn. It was addressed to Charley Winninger and said : "When you locked the wharf master at Friar's Point, Mississippi, in your office last Thursday night, in fancy I saw again the miserly, mean old fellow who ran that wharf thirty years ago. and remembered vividly my personal experiences with him." This was quite a surprise to members of the community staff as the character was fictitious.