Radio and television mirror (July-Dec 1951)

"I've really got to reduce!" — how many times have you promised yourself that and then kept putting it off. Delay no longer — let Sylvia of Hollywood tell you how to reduce The Common Sense Way. There is no magic at all about The Common Sense Way to a beautiful figure. But if you follow the suggestions Sylvia of Hollywood has for you in her book No More Alibis you may, perhaps, challenge the beauty of the loveliest movie star! Sylvia of Hollywood Names Names Sylvia of Hollywood has reduced scores of famous stage and screen stars — successfully. In this book Sylvia tells how she helped many of Hollywood's brightest stars with their figure problems. She names names — tells you how she developed this star's legs — how she reduced that star's waistline — how she helped another star to achieve a beautiful youthful figure. Perhaps your own figure problems are identical to those of your favorite screen star. New Edition Now Ready A brand new edition of Sylvia's famous book, No More Alibis, is now ready for you. This edition contains all the text matter of the original book, plus the greatest part of her splendid book on personality development entitled Pull Yourself Together, Baby. Now get Sylvia's secrets of charm as well as beauty! The price of this new edition is only $1 postpaid. Order today while supply is still available. Partial Contents — New Edition Too Much Hips, Reducing Abdomen, Reducing the Breasts, Firming the Breasts, Fat Pudgy Arms, Slenderizing the Legs and Ankles, Correcting Bow-Legs, Slimming the Thighs and Upper Legs, Reducing Fat on the Back, Squeezing Off Fat, Enlarge Your Chest, Develop Your Legs —Off with That Double Chin! Slenderizing the Face and Jowls, Refining Your Nose, Advice For The Adolescent — The Woman Past Forty— The Personality Figure, Glamour Is Glandular, This Thing Called Love, Cure-For-The-Blues Department, Take a Chance! ■ Bartholomew House, Inc., Dept. RM-251 ■ 205 E. 42nd Street, New York 17, N. Y. I Send me postpaid a copy of Sylvia of Holly I wood's NO MORE ALIBIS! COMBINED! WITH PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER, BABY! I enclose $1.00. | I Name I R please Print m M 'Address I I City State I 86 ■ each have some little story about how she takes us into her heart and helps out when we need it most. My time of need came recently when my brother-in-law died of polio. He was ill only four days. The shock struck his two-year-old Kathy the hardest. Poor little tyke, she sensed something terrible had happened, and she wouldn't leave her crib. With worry about the baby, the pressure of arrangements, and our own grief, my sister and I were frantic, and our mother was becoming ill. And there's where Kay McNeill stepped in. The day of the funeral she arrived at my sister's house, went right to Kathy, murmuring "The little darlin'." Kathy, who had not let anyone touch her, held out her arms and cuddled down on Kay's shoulder. Kay bundled Kathy, my mother and the two older children — Peggy, eight and Terry, five — into the car and took them to her home. She had gifts and games for the kids and rest and consolation for mother. By evening, the crisis of their grief was past. When they returned, the children were quiet and my mother looked ten years younger. With such understanding to depend upon, it's easy for Kay and me to become partners in arranging Don's schedules. No star can fully separate his public life from his private life. Social engagements and business appointments must be fitted together. Particularly when the show goes on tour, Kay must know the plans so that, among other things, Don will take along the proper wardrobe. Our telephone conversations will run like this: I'll say, 'Probably Don will want to wear that checked sports coat to the broadcast and change to his light blue suit for the civic luncheon. There'll be photographers around and it's better for pictures than the dark suits." Kay will answer, "Oh, my goodness, I'd better send it to the cleaners. We have to keep Himself looking handsome." The need for the two of us to take care of such details points up the changes since I first came to Breakfast Club. Originally, Don, Sam, Cliff and I could manage alone. Then, as demands on Don's time became heavier, Jim Bennett came in to help with business arrangements, and Fred Montiegel to handle the year book and public relations. Naturally, we needed more stenographers and secretaries, too, but the increase in staff was gradual until last Fall, when Don McNeill's TV Club went on the air. Eventually a producer joined the staff, writers came in, and other assistants have been added until the office is crowded. While we still maintain our happy-family attitude, we recognize that what started out as one man at a microphone has become a big business. The variety of my own work makes me wonder now why I ever dallied with the thought of becoming an actress. My day starts at 5:30 A.M. when my alarm clocks ring a duet. One is near my bed and the other on a dresser — so that I have to get up to shut it off. (All of us live in fear of oversleeping.) I dash to my kitchenette to put on the coffee, and by the time it's perked, I'm dressed. Sam or Cliff picks me up at 6:15, we stop at the office to get late messages, show continuity, Don's personal notebook and the commercials, then rush to ABC's Civic Theater. By 7:30, I have sorted the audience interview cards and given the best to Don for his final selection. During the show I'll either make notes on outstanding interviews or sit in for Lou Perkins, the assistant producer, whenever he leaves the control room. Returning to the Merchandise Mart, I'll have breakfast with Jim Bennett and Fred Montiegel at the M and M Club. Sometimes Don joins us, but usually he eats a bowl of Kix and drinks a cup of tea at his desk. Back in the office, I sort Don's personal mail, answer letters at his dictation and do the detail work of handling his financial affairs. I'll also keep him on schedule for meetings with sponsors, advertising agencies and staff. Now that television rehearsals are added, it's difficult to find enough hours in the day. I try also to plot so he has a little time to himself for rest and relaxation. My working day ends somewhere between 3 P.M. and 10 P.M. Needless to say, dates must be restricted to week ends, and sometimes even then, work interferes. Much as I love to dance, play golf, go hiking or fix a company dinner, the demands of Breakfast Club come first. Why, now that the glamor point is long past, do I continue to love it? I find my answer in letters from you listeners. One of my jobs is to select the poems used on Breakfast Club, and when day after day, I read intimate, personal accounts of what a poem or Prayer Time has meant to people hundreds of miles distant, 'it is reward enough. I feel, and Don and all the staff members feel, that if we can bring satisfaction, enjoyment or help to so many listeners, we have found useful work to do in this world. HAVE YOU SEEN the fugitive criminal described on the "True Detective Mysteries" radio program Sunday afternoon? s1 000 REWARD is offered for information leading to his arrest. For complete details, and for an exciting halfhour of action and suspense, tune in If 'TRUE DETECTIVE MYSTERIES" Every Sunday afternoon en 502 Mutual radio stations