Radio and television mirror (Nov 1939-Apr 1940)

Secrets of the Lux Radio Theater (Continued from page 40) Claudette knew he was by far the best bet for this emergency. She didn't let possible embarrassment to herself stand in the way. Janet Gaynor can appear on a Lux program any time she's a mind to. Janet gets scared, though. It's the reason she doesn't appear oftener. She made an outstanding hit in the Lux version of "A Star Is Born" and "Mayerling." The • producers have told her that any time she needs a piece of change, to call them up. But she doesn't. She shakes in her boots for hours after her broadcasts. Bob Montgomery was pretty upset, too, but for a different reason on a certain day in September, 1937, when "A Star Is Born" was presented under the Lux banner. Seems they were having -a heat wave in Hollywood about that time and Bob, having half an hour or so to himself between rehearsal and the broadcast, had hied himself to his dressing room (which was NOT air cooled) and did what a good many uncomfortably warm young men would do, discarded most of his clothes. He was dozing peacefully on the sofa when came a stentorian voice: "Mister Montgomery! Telephone!" NOW the telephone below stairs in the Lux theater is in a sort of lounge, where people are wont to gather when they're not doing anything else. Several were gathered there now — Janet Gaynor, May Robson and others — and it was before this gathering that Bob appeared to answer the telephone. "Hello," he said sleepily, into the mouthpiece. "Hel — " And then he became conscious that all was not well with his appearance. "Cripes!" he yelled. "GOODBYE"— and retired precipitately, amid assembled hoots and applause. He was in his shorts! As you'll remember, it has been the Lux custom in the past to conduct interviews between the second and third acts of the show. And on one occasion, it was Evelyn Keyes, DeMille's screen protege, who was interviewed. During the course of the conversation it was brought out that one problem of DeMille's in coaching Miss Keyes, a southern girl, was to eliminate her southern accent. At the close of the program, DeMille was called to the telephone. "Long distance from Washington, D. C," the operator said. Then an irate voice came on the wire. "I resent youah effohts to change Miss Keyes' suthin accent!" he roared. "We suthinahs pride ouahsevelses on ouah speech, suh!" "But my dear sir," Mr. DeMille tried to explain. "I have nothing against a southern accent, except that an actress must learn to be versatile. Miss Keyes is being trained for many roles. She may, for instance, one day play — say, Queen Elizabeth. You wouldn't have her play that role with a southern accent, would you?" "And why not, suh?" he demanded. "And why not?" To which, Star-Maker DeMille had no answer. MARCH, 1940 "I'll be the laughing stock of the town..." MARY: Oh, Mother, why did that snooty Mrs. Palmer have to drop in today ! Now it'll be all over town that even my tea napkins look so gray, they aren't fit to be seen ! MOTHER: Lucky I dropped in, honey. That soap you're using is so weak-kneed it doesn't get things really clean. Come on — I'll show you how to say goodbye to tattle-tale gray. MOTHER: There! Just hustle home and put Fels-Naptha to work with its richer golden soap and busy, dirt-loosening naptha. Use the bar or the grand new chips. Either way, your wash will be so sweet and white, you won't recognize it! MARY: Whe-e-e, Mother! I'll say your tip about Fels-Naptha turned the tables! Mrs. Palmer came to tea again and her eyes simply popped when she saw my snowy linens. And she ended by askiug Tom and me to a party! Now— Fels-Naptha brings you 2 grand ways to banish "Tattle -Tale Gray" Use Fels-Naptha Soap Chips — wherever you've been using box-soap. They speed washing machines — because they're HUSKIER— not puffed up with air like flimsy, sncezy powders. And they whip up the creamiest suds ever — because they now hold a marvelous new suds-builder! Use the Fels-Naptha bar for liar-soap jobs — and get the extra help of richer golden soap combined with gentle naptlial Together, these two cleaners make the grimiest, greasiest dirt let go— without hard rubbing! They get clothes so white, they fairly sparkle in the sun! fELS-NAPTHA SOAP CHIPS V COPR. 1940, FELS a CO. 53