Radio and television mirror (July-Dec 1951)

his mother's advice, but when he ran into Darla at church (just as she had planned) his resolve melted. "I promised to take you to the Palladium," he sighed with mock resignation. "We'll just have to go and suffer through it." Even before their Palladium date they visited Venice Pier Amusement Park where the thrill of holding hands made the zooming roller coaster seem tame as a wheelchair. They ate yards of hot dogs washed down with gallons of pop, and coming home they stopped in at, of all places, a drive-in diner for more food. Over a turkey sandwich, Bob started to sing "Estrellita." Darla joined in, then sang lead with his tenor. While amazed car hops kibitzed for two solid hours, they sang just about every song written. Their mutual interest in music thrilled Darla, and although she had never sung duets before, she loved it ... or was it Bob she loved and the duets only because of him? Bob was studying opera and financing his studies with night work as a waiter. Darla worked part-time in a candy store owned by family friends. The friends had a son whom Darla dated, and when Bob learned of this, he decided on a course of action. They had been going together nine months, and that night they were sitting in a Paulette Goddard picture. Suddenly Bob leaned over and whispered "Gee, I love you." Darla didn't, couldn't, believe him, so she brushed it off with a casual "Yep." But it hurt. Then he said it again. Darla snapped "Will you stop that — you don't have to say that you know." "I mean it, Darla, I really do." She wanted him to mean it, wanted so much for him to mean it, she couldn't talk, couldn't think. As though in a dream she heard him continue, "We're going together, aren't we darling — steady, I mean." She found her voice with a fervent whispered "Yes." Now their music came to mean even more to both of them. They sang duets in church and operas at Bob's school, the American Operatic Laboratory in Los Angeles. Bob had a quartet with his sister Ellie and two other boys, and when Ellie left to sing with Tommy Tucker's band, Darla took her place. The trend changed from quartets to quintets, so when Ellie left Tommy Tucker she rejoined them, singing lead with Darla second. Ellie later moved on to other assignments, and the choristers shifted about to form their present successful formula as "Darla Hood and the Enchanters." They started singing with school bands, for fun, for experience — and for free. Once they hit big money singing for a UCLA fraternity, where they got five dollars, split it five ways. They sang at an informal studio show on a lot at 20th Century-Fox. and the studio's music supervisor, Charles Henderson, engaged them to do background music in such films as "A Letter to Three Wives," "Mother Is a Freshman," and "Apartment For Peggy." They made recordings with Benny Carter and Stan Brown, invaluable training which paid off on a later audition for Ken Murray's fabulous stage "Blackouts." Meanwhile Darla was working feverishly for graduation, and her heart was set on being an Ephebian honor student. Bob helped her with research and homework, and when she got too tense he relaxed her by kidding "You can do it easy, there are only five hundred in the class." And she did it. Straight A's in her senior year placed her among the twelve graduates to qualify for the Ephebians. With her diploma came the best present of all, a sparkling engagement ring. Darla wanted to get married that very second, even before she left the platform, but Bob thought it best for them to wait until she was eighteen. Waiting was the most difficult task either of them had ever done. Moreover, singing jobs around Hollywood grew tough to find, and after the group did background music for Ken Murray's "Bill and Coo" picture and auditioned for his "Blackouts" they disbanded temporarily. To get some silver lining for their hope chest, Bob worked at the Automobile Club and Darla became a typist at an insurance company. Time seemed to drag. In November of 1948 Darla and her mother made a short visit back to Oklahoma. Just after they left, Bob got a call from Ken Murray saying he thought they could use the Enchanters. Bob streaked for the Western Union office. All the words on the telegram seemed like pure gibberish to Darla except the two words that jumped right out "be married." She was on a train back within the hour. "If there wasn't a train," she declared, "I would have walked back barefoot on a barbed wire fence." The Bride and Groom program wanted to broadcast a pre-wedding interview, and at first Darla refused. However when she learned that the ceremony would be completely private with their own minister and guests, she consented. Listeners coast-to-coast tuned in, and the program showered the young couple with wonderful gifts including a dream honeymoon at the Santa Yuez Inn at Pacific Palisades. There was music under the stars, champagne in the room, soft lights and swimming pools. The most perfect honeymoon a boy and a girl ever lived — and loved. During the run of "Blackouts" they lived in a small Hollywood apartment, and when the show came to New York they moved with it. After the show closed and Ken returned to the coast, the Enchanters were featured by Paul Whiteman on TV. Ken came back to New York with . the complete plans for his big TV show, and immediately called the Enchanters. It was like old times again ; they're an enduring combination. Darla and Bob are living in a small apartment hotel in New York where she's teaching a kitchen stove to sing sweet mealtime music. Eventually they hope to have three or four additional little consumers about the house. Meanwhile television is their life, they both love it and have great hopes for their future plans in front of the camera. If you drop in for a friendly visit with Darla, chances are you'll find her talking about her favorite subject, however it's not TV. It's still Bob. And in the next minute, with no coaxing at all, she'll bring out her favorite dress to show you. It's a yellow pinafore skirt she wore to a certain barn dance two or three careers ago. Lydia O'Leary's SPOTSTIK. Instantly Conceals Complexion Blemishes ■ SPOTSTIK "Miracle" Covermark in Stick Form • Conceals from sight skin eruptions, unexpected redness, discoloration around eyes, even dilated blood vessels • Easy tn use • Remains intact until removal • Safe, soothing • Variety of shades at department and better drug stores. 3g| Only 1.25 Federal Tax Free ■Efit^Hc^i*!. Visit New York Salon /*• Guaranteed by 'A for FREE Consultation. \Gooi Housekeeping J or wrjte for " 2«4»mTi«»^5^ descriptive literature. LYDIA 0'LEARY.nc. OEPT. T.S.4. 41 EAST 57 ST., NEW YORK 22 PERM ABOOKS 'One Tropical Night" NOW AT NEWSSTANDS MUSIC BE YOUR OWN TEACHER! Learn at home this money-saving way It's easy as A-B-C, do matter which instrument yon want to play. Yon learn by playing real melodies from actual notes instead of tiresome exercises. Everything is In print and pictures. First yon read bow to play a tune. Then a picture shows yon bow. Finally yon play it and hear bow it soonds. Some of onr 850,000 pupils are now BAND LEADERS. If yoa want to learn music fast. send post card for FREE 36 pace Booklet and Print & Picture sample. Mention instrument. Don't delay— write today! (Our 53rd Yr.) U. S. SCHOOL of MUSIC 4396 Brunswick Bldg. • New York 10, N. Y. EVEREST & JENNINGS WHEEL CHAIRS for Smoofterf Performance [ Special 8" Caster | \U N I V E R S A Vj Outdoors or in, Everest & Jennings Wheel Chairs handle with ease! They fold for travel, work or play. Attractive, light and strong. All welded joints. Folds to 7 0 inches. See your dealer or write for catalog EVEREST & JENNINGS 761 N. Highland Ave., Los Angeles 38, Calif. Housework Easy Without Nagging Backache When kidney function slows down, many folks complain of nagging backache, loss of pep and energy, headaches and dizziness. Don't suffer longer with these discomforts if reduced kidney function is getting you down— due to such common causes as stress and strain, over-exertion or exposure to cold. Minor bladder irritations due to cold or wrong diet may cause getting up nights or frequent passages. Don't neglect your kidneys if these conditions bother you. Try Doan's Pills— a mild diuretic. Used successfully by millions for over 50 years. While often otherwise caused, it's amazing how many times Doan's give happy relief from these discomforts—help the 15 miles of kidney tubes and filters flush out waste. Get Doan's Pills today! 103