Radio and television mirror (May-Oct 1940)

By GEORGE FISHER Listen fo Fisher Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoon as well as on Saturday night over the Mutual network. DICK POWELL, at this late stage, is just beginning to take piano lessons. "I've faked playing a piano so many times in pictures," he told me, "that I decided to try to learn how to play one." Dick's return to the air, I am happy to say, has given him a new lease on his screen life. He's just completed "I Want a Divorce," and goes right into "New Yorker." * * * The real reason Rudy Vallee is promoting that new Pirate's Den Night Club in Hollywood is to pay a debt of gratitude to Don Dickerman, who will manage it. As owner of the famous Heigh Ho Club in New York, Dickerman gave Vallee his start ten years ago. It was there Rudy climbed to fame as a band leader and crooner. It was at the Heigh Ho Club that Rudy originated the famous salutation "Heigh-ho everybody." So you can see that it's true that Rudy never forgets a friend. Dickerman had been playing extra parts in motion pictures, when Rudy accidentally ran into him at a night club. Rudy personally solicited such stars as Bing Crosby, Fred MacMurray, Errol Flynn, Bob Hope, Johnny Weismuller and others to lend their financial support by going into the club as partners with him. The kitty holds a nifty $75,000 to make certain it will be a success. * * * Does radio develop new stars? Bob Hope answered that question on his recent personal appearance 40 ■ There's a story behind Rudy Val lee's interest in the Pirate's Den Night Club in Hollywood. Above, with some of his helpmates in costume, Rudy, Bob Hope, Ken Murray, Tony Martin, Jimmie Fidler on floor. tour. Last season, he took only Jerry Colonna of his radio show with him on personal appearances. This season he also took along announcer Bill Goodwin and Brenda and Cobina. The popularity of the girls and of the announcer-turnedcomic had shown such a sensational rise with radio fans from coast to coast that Hope decided to capitalize on it. He did — Hope broke box office records from coast to coast. * * * Mary Martin, who pulled that surprise marriage to Dick Halliday without telling a soul, except her mother, is a bride with three wedding rings. The first one was a friendship ring with two clasped hands. The Hallidays didn't like it well enough, so they went out and bought a big, elaborate one. It was too heavy for Mary to wear. The only answer was ring number three, which Mary does like. The first to wire her felicitations was the original daddy of the New York show that made her famous, Eddie Robbins. "I thought," wailed the daddy her heart belonged to, "that you were going to wait for me." * * * Irene Rich, who is definitely through with "ingenue" parts both on her broadcasts and in motion pictures, did more good for herself than even she expected. The Crossley rating of her show zoomed to a new high. Her film role of an Aryan mother of two in the Nazi picture, "Mortal Storm" for MetroGoldwyn-Mayer won the applause of no less a personage than Louis B. Mayer. "After all," says Irene, "why shouldn't I be able to play mother roles? Didn't I raise two kids myself?" Irene's two "kids" are Frances, an expert sculptress, and Jane, happily married. * * * Some whisper columns ago we told you to expect to hear Shirley Temple on the radio following her sudden departure from pictures. This prediction was scoffed at by Shirley's mother, who flatly refused to admit Shirley's exit from 20th Century-Fox and her eventual appearance in radio. But, as predicted, Shirley will be on the air and most likely the moppet will be heard along with your regular radio diet come Michaelmas. Shirley's invasion of the ether waves is a little late. Four pictures ago (1938) Shirley could have received as high as $25,000 for a single broadcast. Now she will probably sign for 26 radio appearances for the same sum. Shirley's broadcasts undoubtedly will have a bearing upon her future film box-office draw. But whatever her film future, you can depend on Santa Claus to bring Shirley to your house on Christmas eve, and not through the chimney. * * * The portable radio has finally RADIO AND TELEVISION 3VIIRROR