Radio and television mirror (Jan-June 1950)

Though competition with Columbo was the greatest challenge a new singer could have, Bing had an immediate triumph. His recordings of "Stardust," "Sweet and Lovely," and "Just a Gigolo," among many others, sold like hotcakes, and he was sponsored by Cremo Cigars. In this program he had to put up with the appalling slogan "Spit is an ugly word," invented by the nowlegendary George Washington Hill, president of the American Tobacco Co. Hill was responsible, later, for "Lucky Strike Green has Gone to War," and the wearing repetition of LS-MFT, about which more in a later chapter. Another of the greatest of the singing stars was coming to the top in 1931. Kate Smith had started on local stations in Washington, D. C, somewhat against the wishes of her family. They wanted her to choose a career with an assured future — like nursing. Her first New York stage show was "Honeymoon Lane." She did the Charleston in it — all two hundred and more pounds of her, and right nimbly, too. People loved it. Then she played the black-face mammy in "Hit the Deck" and sang the rousing "Hallelujah." Then came "Flying High" but her success in that brought her only misery. Her size was the subject of most of the jokes, and they were cruel. Her grandparents were shocked when they came up to see it. "No amount of money can pay you for suffering such indignity;" they said, and young Kate wept, wishing that she had never signed a contract. Then a man missed a train and quite by accident chose "Flying High" to pass the time until the next one left. He was Ted Collins, official with the Columbia Phonograph Company. He sent his card backstage with "Important Business" scribbled on it. Kate almost didn't see him, thinking he was just another agent asking her to make a figure of fun of herself in a night club. She wept again when she found out that what he wanted was straight singing not clowning, from her. There has never been a contract between them, but they have been partners ever since. In spite of the fact that Kate's first broadcasts on CBS were in the toughest spot in all radio — opposite Amos 'n' Andy — she, too, was a hit from the start. High-falutin' language was the thing in radio in those days. Kate and Ted chose "When The Moon Comes over the Mountain" for her theme song, but they wanted something else for her introduction. They tried out all kinds of ihigh sounding phrases. Finally Ted scribbled a few words on a card, "Hello, everybody. This is Kate Smith," the introduction she uses to this day. It was a great novelty, in itself, because it set a new pattern for easy, unpretentious announcements. They still needed an individual way to sign off. After hours of thinking, Kate said, "How about 'Thanks for listenin'." Ted considered it. "It never hurts to say thank you," he said, secretly hoping that -there would be somebody not tuned in to the Fresh Air Taxicab, Incorpulated. No need to ask "Are You Listening?" in 1931, however. Everybody was. The country was broke. Radio was free. Besides, it was getting good, and was :to get a lot better. Next Month How the Jack Benny-Fred Allen feud started. The rush of talent to the airways. Burns and Allen, Show Boat, The Lone Ranger. Suppose you couldn't SEE i which shirt is cleaner Why . . you could tell by the smell ! The wonderful, clean fragrance of a shirt that has been washed with Fels-Naptha Soap proves that every bit of dirt and perspiration odor has been washed away — completely! And for whiteness . . the improved Fels-Naptha you buy today has a new 'sunshine' ingredient that gets white things — shirts, towels, linens — brilliantly, radiantly white. Yes, use today's improved Fels-Naptha and your white things will actually radiate new whiteness every time you wash them ! REMEMBER— ONLY FELS-NAPTHA GIVES YOU THESE THREE WASHDAY ADVANTAGES: Mild, golden soap. PLUS . . Gentle, active naptha. PLUS . . A newf finer 'sunshine7 ingredient that makes white things radiate new brilliant whiteness! Ask your grocer for Improved Fels-Naptha Soap, today. MADEINPHIU; Fels-Naptha Soap BAN/SHESnTATTLE-TAL£ GRAY*