Radio and television mirror (Jan-June 1941)

■ Edgar Bergen dances with his latest "steady." Vera Gilmer, famous New York WBT's "Aunt Sally" model. Below, . Mrs. Pasco Powell, expert story-teller. What's New from Coast to Coast ■ Ginny Simms and Kay Kyser attend the preview of their new RKO film, "Yo_ .. Find Out." Below, listen to Father Young's Christmas program on NBC. BY DAN SENSENEY A JINX seems to follow Shirley Temple on her radio appeal i Last Christmas, when :,h, was "ii the Screen Actors Guild |, mil. she was ■ . 1 1 1 1 . ■ i 1 1 1 1 ■. In"" a r(l|,| Qnd the same lima; happened ihi . Fall when she starred In "The i, Mil,, .i Rebel" tor the Lux Thealei, Shirley came down with a fever of 102 degrees on Friday, and couldn't rehearse either that day, Saturday, or Sunday. She finally wenl en the air alter only two re hearsali and this on the Lux Theater, which usually rehearses teadilj i"i lime daj s Many an adult actor would have given a bad performance under such circ stances, bul Shirley showed no signs ,,i the lack ol adequate rehearsals, inid onl> a couple of snillles hinted thai she had a cold. There was iinolhei Utile difficulty connected with Shirley's Lux Theatei appearances, Charlie Forsyth, the ound effects man, went into .i [tore to I'm nine pistols with which to lire blank cartnde.es, and the proprietor called the police, figuring that anyone who wanted nine pistols was up i" i^> good. It took a telephone call i" Cecil IV DeMille 36 to convince a skeptical guardian of the law that all Charlie wanted them for was a Shirley Temple broadcast. Luise Barclay, who plays Connie Tremaine in Arnold Grimm's Daughter, returned from her Mexican vacation with two more suitcases than she started out with. Luise collects Souvenirs. You'll be hearing Alexander Woollcott as a guest on several programs this winter, and maybe on a regular show of his own in the spring. The moon-faced Town Crier has been ill, but now his doctor says he's well enough to go back to work. The illness sliced fifty pounds off the hitherto more than ample Woollcott figure. It's getting so NBC's glamour girls line up in the studio corridors to watch the entrance of Bernardine Flynn (Sade, of the Vic and Sade series). Bernardine is famous for her very daring and smart hats, and all the girls want to be sure to get a look at them. Her latest is a flippant bonnet of two strips of black felt, nicely titted to the head in back but flaring into two butterfly bows in front. That's all there is to it. Wynn Murray, the 20-year-old songstress you heard last season on Fred Allen's programs, is being screen-tested by M-G-M for a part in Mickey Rooney's new musical picture. * * * Since Virginia Verrill's recent marriage to Jim Breyley, young dance-band manager, jewelers are crediting her with a new idea in designing jewelry. The lovely singer on Uncle Walter's Dog House had her wedding ring made with a Vshaped slot on top, enabling the ring to fit snugly against the setting of her marquise engagement ringFunny nobody ever thought of it before. December 23 is the date this year for one of radio's great traditional Christmas programs. Mark it down on your calendar right now to listen to NBC's Farm and Home Hour on that day, when Rev. Francis C. Young and his boy choristers pre RADIO AM, TELEVISION MIRl*oB sent their annual Christmas show for the thirteenth time on the network. Father Young is pastor of St. Juliana Church in Chicago. He has always loved to write poetry, and in 1922 a Chicago station asked and received permission to read one of his Christmas poems over the air. Father Young, listening in over a friend's crystal set, was delighted, and the following Christmas he himself stepped to the microphone to read his own poems and present the choir of boys' voices which he had trained. Until 1928 the program was heard only locally in Chicago, but that year NBC invited Father Young to bring it to the network, as part of the Farm and Home Hour, and since then it has become a regular part of radio's Christmas season. The program is as simple and beautiful as the Christmas story it tells. Against a background of Christmas music, Father Young reads his most famous poem, " 'Cause It's Christmas." Then conies a short sermon — a plea for charity I 1941 and tolerance — followed by carols sung by the choir. Some of the carols are Father Young's own versions of German and Polish songs. This Christmas, more than any other, it might be a good idea to make a point of listening to Father Young's program, for its message of good will and peace. • • • Wisecracks aplenty from the radio stars who have put their signatures on cement blocks which are being embedded in the wall of the Earl Carroll Theater in Hollywood. Jack Benny wrote "Much Love." and Mary Livingstone followed that up with her name and "Me Too." Edgar Bergen's signature is in tun italics, underneath a big, scrawled "Charlie McCarthy ." Grade Allen contributed Ihe he .1 one, though. She looked :M the sic." ovei Hidoor which readi "Through in the world." and scribbled over hei own name: "What am / here?" Cupid made a raid on tin Bl ter pi" o victims. Fred Uttai. the li: announcer of the show, mai Madeleine Fuck, oi South ■ d went on a typical radio I ng exactly two days. Bet/y Tuthill. producer of lie IS 67) 37