Radio stars (Oct 1935-Sept 1936)

RADIO STARS NOT long ago I was like some friends I have... low in spirits. . .run-down. . . out of sorts . . . tired easily and looked terrible. I knew I had no serious organic trouble so I reasoned sensibly. . .as my experience has since proven. . .that work, worry, colds and whatnot had just worn me down. I had been listening to the S.S.S. Radio Program and began to wonder if my trouble was not lowered strength in my blood. . . I started a course of S.S.S. Tonic Treatment. . .at the end of ten days I noticed a change. . . I followed directions faithfully. . . a tablespoonful before each meal. The color began to come back to my skin . . .1 felt better. . .1 did not tire easily and soon I felt that those red-blood-cells were back to so-called fighting strength. The confidence mother has always had in S.S.S.. . .which is still her stand-by when she feels run-down. . .convinced me I ought to try this Treatment. . .it is great to feel strong again and like my old self. Much more could be said ... a trial will thoroughly convince you that this way, in the absence of any organic trouble, will start you on the road to feeling like yourself again. You should soon enjoy again the satisfaction of appetizing food... sound sleep steady nerves... a good complexion... and renewed strength. There is no guess work in the S.S.S. Tonic Treatment. . .decades of popular acceptance and enthusiastic words of praise by users themselves speak even louder than the scientific appraisal of the progressively improved S.S.S. product which has caused millions to say to their friends — Makes you feel like yourself again © S.S.S. Co. A/otkinj Hut the Truth ? (Continued from page 56) Ed Wynn: "Definitely so. The suppression of tone made necessary by the mechanism of radio has, in my opinion, brought to the entertainment field a technique which is absolutely of no use to the stage whatsoever." Lucy Monroe: "The legit actor has four weeks and usually an out-of-town try-out to build and establish his character ■ — the radio actor a few hours at most. The fade-ins and fade-outs used to depict entrances and exits are a difficult angle of radio technique to master. As to singing . . . the technique of the concert and radio singer should be the same — excepting the fact that the mike mercilessly discloses faults of pitch, breathing and phrasing, often less noticeable in the concert hall!" Edward MacHugh : "I think radio and stage technique are as different as day and night. Radio has and will make great artists. For instance, a singer does not have to worry about his audience in the balcony being unable to hear him. He does not have to work so hard. He can therefore concentrate on pure tonal quality. He is not hampered with makeup. It teaches him control. It gives him full scope to truly interpret a song without making gestures which are sometimes necessary to convey meanings from the stage. In other words, I think only of tonal quality and interpretation." Do you find that plugging away at the same type of program week after week gradually diminishes your interest in that program? Harry Reser : "Yes — because it is almost impossible, due to available talent, agency demands, or sponsor likes and dislikes to keep from 'grooving' your programs." Kate Smith: "Not any more than an actor loses interest in a play that is enjoying a long run. The program may be the same but the songs change and I derive a great deal of enjoyment out of singing new songs." Boake Carter: "Why should it? Perhaps that's an unfair answer because I do news— and news is always varying." Ozzie Nelson: "I am fortunate enough to work on a very interesting program with charming and interesting people — with the result that I eagerly anticipate each Sunday evening." Eddy Brown: "// a performer has a definite idea behind his program building, no tzt'o presentations can be alike. Therefore his interest should never lag. I find each of my programs equally important. Have you taken sides in the current controversy between swing music and music of the more conservative variety? Ray Noble: "Must I be caught on this definition of swing music? Having once foolishly offered to define it in twentyfour words and finally compromised with a two-page essay, which didn't cover the facts, it seems to me that the only definition left is to say that swing music is just another malignant tumor in the disease of music. Seriously speaking, though, if one considers that it's something to do chiefly with rhythm, then Ravel's Bolero, most Irish jigs and a good typist on a noisy machine would qualify. And yet the lads in my orchestra are pretty insistent that the tune is strictly secondary (you can take my word for that ; if you're not in at the first chorus, you'll have to ask what we started out with) and that the rhythm is chiefly to blame. I can tell you this, however. You can't buy swing music — either the toys feel good and we suddenly swing, or they don't and nothing happens. Personally, I judge by my feet — they don't need to be told." Jimmy Fidler : "Good music of any sort suits me — but I suppose I am not supposed to answer musical questions even though I am a Fidler." Fred Waring: "Yes pro-sure thing!" anti-fad Hal Kemp: "Xo, we feature music of different types. If the public wants swing, we give them that. The public is the boss. It's hard to say how long the swing trend will last." -♦ Richard Himber : "Yes — my opinion is that swing is part of a musical cycle which is at present high and which will subsequently drop, to rise again in five or six years." _♦ Conrad Thibault: "Swing music is, to me, just a new name for 'hot' music." Glen Gray: "Casa Loma rose to its present standing by virtue of its featuring swing music." Ozzie Nelson: "I think .wing music is like rich food — to be used as a relief hut not as a steady diet." Abe Lyman: "No. A good musical organization can handle both types. I pride myself that my band does. Besides, swing music is as old as popular music itself. I played it with my first band in 1919." Bing Crosby : "Haz e been called the instigator." 64