Variety (Jun 1938)

SI VARIETY RADIO REVIEWS Wednesday; Jiin« 1, 193B FotlotV' Up Comment BBC Varieties, picked ui> by Muiual-WOR fi-om London, England, is the nearest approach today, on the air or in any tlicatre, to an old- time Palace vaude\rille bill. In fact, BBC labels its Saturday shows the 'Palace of Varieties,' being aiiHid 8:;i0 p.m. in London and hittine Ne\y York'five, hours earlier at 3:3U Sat- ui'Jay afternoons. This particular sequence (28) wasn't as blue as some of the slutt in the past. Maybe the networks have been cabling; back, and forth a bit. because certainly the BBC seemingly, had no strict cehsorshfp on the doule entendre with a sexy tinge heretofore. Not so much o£ it this past Saturday, wilh Rupert Hazel and Elsie Day top-lined. , Amone the' acts; Al Foley vocal- ized pops although a bit raispy in the throat. His "By a Pagoda' listens likely for the U. S.; otherwise his 'Mama, I Wanna Make Rhythm' and 'So Little. Time" are strictly Lindy products, Mr. Murgatroyd iand Mr. Winter- boitom were a sort of Gallagher and Shean cornbo,. their comedy dwelling al^nost-wholly on the 'darby.' One Robin Richmond rhapsodized so much about the 'modern marvel organ' that it souridcd as if he is payln.tr olt for. its use that way. Actually, it's known in America as the Hammond electric organ, (sans pipes), but seemingly a new thing in En'^land' and Richmond invited the public to'guess how.it L done?,' mennin? the playing. He played pjps thereon acceptably but noth-' ins to bother Milt Herth or Vernon Geycr. Thomas Conrad Sawyer's talks oh personalities over WOR, N. J., on two midday shots (Sweetheart soap bankrolling) are arresting. Sa\yyer is .a compelling, commentator, with an unhokey delivery and an au- thoritative, cultured manner. He blend?' his. personalities cannily, which is in itself good showrhanship. making sure that the' names in'the news, bracketed under' whatever treatment he gives them, aren't just dictators or -labor, union officials. He mixes it witli . Hollywood and stale, personalities, as we'll. Incidentally, Sawyer sounds a. good deal like George Fischer, the Hollywood commentator; National Barn Dance, perennial pro.?rammer of many years give out, continues, its-hayride. Cornier than ever. Singing canairy birds chirp in background throughout. Appear- ance of Oliver Burkhardt, bird sim- tjlator,. prompted sponsor (Alka- Silzer) to go overboard, oh Ceathr ered vertebrate. Besides virtually every song or tune having to do with feathered friends,' radi listeners had to listen to - banter. about the 'sweet singing chickadees,' 'a bird of a party,' 'canaries eyebrows,' and similar batnyard Crosleyisms. Uncle: Ezra, Henry Burr, able City Four, Liicille Long, Hoosier 'Hot Shots, the Vass Family, Bob Ballan- tin nd trio of Ann, Pat and Judy, were oh - one or more time,s. Three girls in last named combo were hot with a melodious warbling of 'Bob While.' Vass Family rocked the barn I with 'Little Bird oh Nelly's Hat.' Spotted .previously with another bird song. Oliver iirkhardt provided some six or seven' bird imitations and wound up with''Dance of Songbirds,' whistling' solo. Lucille Long's singin? of 'The Swallow' -was deft enbu'^h to bring the canaries (in the studio), in strong for back- ground music. Joe Kelly ^mcced with oozing joyou'shcss. Henry Burr, whose vocaling is an asset, collabed with Uncle: Ezra in a Memorial Day tribute as a. closer. Barbara Stanwyck made another guest appearance on the Chase Ss Sanborn show. Sunday night (29) over WEAF-NBC. Played the lead in a briefie from 'The Maghiftcent Obsession,' with Don Amcche in the supporting role of the reformed pla.v- boy. Actress scored a. smash on the assignment. Without tugging on ' the tremolo stops, she put oyer a warm, glowing characterization iDiicked with' emo- tion. As a cohtirast in style, she later teamed in a comedy session with pha'rlic McCarthy,' Pa'r drew their quota of laughs frorn a bit about life- savers. Actress' chuckle sounded as if she meant it. CLIFTON FADIMAN 'Information, ricase' ((uix Game 39 MIns.; Tuesday, 8:30^ p. m, Sus ininp , WJZ-NBC, New Yorit Thanks to the lively scripting, the saucy emceeing of,:Clift6n„Fadunan and the droll'situations that sponla- neou.dy result from the inability of erudite gentlemen to answer ques- fibhs'that presumbaly they ought to know, this stands out as a pip novel-\ ly. Some doubt might ai-ise among the merchandizcrs of soap a.s to whether the radio audience's I. Q..<s equal to the intellectual strain. Probably the program couldn't sell linoleum polish. On the other hand, It should make plenty of friends in families where the bookcase isn t innocent of all finger mark.s. Fadiman ,had Franklin P. Adams, Marcus Duffleldi Prof. Lewis Hacker and Dr. Paul de Kruit. Every tnne one of the gents flops the cash reg- ister .sounds and $5 is extracted f rom an NBC kitty of $100 and goes to.the propounder of the .question.' Fadiman sounds like a personality who will click oii the air. He's niin- ble wittcd, glib and quite a fellah. His in chore is book critic and editor. Others are changed weekly. although*F. P. A. has been on several. Land. Jack Benny gave'mo.st of his 30 miniites last Sunday night (29) to goofy dramatizations: In and out, but mostly missing. First part had the comic practicing for the rehearsal tor his next Paramount picture.. He had the blackface, Rochester, read- ings .. Joan Bennett's lines. Fair; though obvious. „ .; Latter portion was a continuation of his orevious week's Tom Sawyer' takcoiff. Benny doubly as Tom and the schoolmaster. Andy Dc'vitie was Huck Finn, Mary. Livingstoiie wfis Beclj Thatcher. Phil Harris was Tom's sissy brother, Sid. ost of the laughs came near the blose, when the schoolmaster coached the class to get off all sorts of jibes; at Fred Allen. Fa'niiliar mock ribbing test. Ted HiisInK ought to pay more at tention to his raciio program than to Winchell. His Monday night's de- fense of a printer's ink ribbing ad- ministered hini by the columnist isn't sufficiently exciting for, the listener- inners. The s rts' spieler can de- vote his groove on the cooperative beer show (Trommer's in New York) to lots more things than a road cornpany of the Winchell Bernie feudi '. gag. E. M. O.rowliz, original gossiper of the air, has revived his 'Emo Movie Club' on WIP, Philadelphia. Show Was started iri 1924, Now, afred quarter-hour nightly. ROy CAtWPBELL'S BOTAHS'TS With Zora Leenian, Ross Alden, Edith Davis, Leo Freudberg Orch 39 Mins.—Local Sustalninr Saturday, 2 p. m. WOR, New York Once weekly get-together of a va- riety of talent, ears nicely at a time when the air is usually not very en- ticing. Show is backed by the Leo Freudberg orchestra, WOR studio crew, ' . Roy CainpbeU's Royalists opened arid ran through the show with vari- ous :zingy arrangements. Zora Lee- man relieved with novelty-comedy numbers. Informal program in- volves a P.ock of studio banter, be- tween rriusiciaris, announcer and principals.' Occasional gag rings the bell, but for the: most part the. chat- ter is blah and ,it could, be done' without Ross Alden and Edith Davis com- plete the roster.- Alden is a high- ton , slightly nasal, ballaidier. He got off a couple of pops that were nicely done. Edith Davis gives out in a throaty bliies voice that's easy to listen'to. •JOYCE JORDAN, CIBL INTERNE' With Elipeth Eric, Erik Rolf, CUy- ton Collier Script Serial U MlBS. CALOX l»ally, 9:30 a. m, WABC-CBS, New York (Prowk <fe Turcher) Late spring starter, scripted, by Julian Funt and produced by Hi Brown, swerves a. bit off the beaten, path by draping' the dramatics for fcmine appeal around a young wom- an interne against a hospital back- ground. On its first pair of broad- casts program evinces slightly more than standard stuff, 'Girl Interne' is really more than that around, the hospital, where the; script has her heayily relied upon to perform the tough job^, and where she is taken into the confidences of the staff biggies. That doesn't really happen, of course, but il's .o. k. for a flve-a-weeker. In the first two epi- sodes, the interne has met her man ("brilliantyoung researcher), Ixiunced out In ah ambulance on a difficult case; given advice tb older, medicos and foiind herself with a motherless waif on her hands; Those complica- tions, which were smoothly injected, make for good going in script serial starts. Aside' from the chief character and her suitor, there is .also the older, kindly Gerraan-acpented able doctor, a standard type in all medical yarns since 'Arrowsmith.' Production is good, and no skimp- ing. String orchestra gets the shows on and off. Each episode is also clarioned by dedicating program 'to the women who fouj!ht for and .won the right to work side b.v side with men.' That always wins the femrnes. Miss Eric, from legit is able .and distinctive type, with her deep voice. Collier is'the male lead and Rolf the old doctor. Whole casto. k. Plugs for the toothpaste siren't top long. Bert.-. RAGS RAGLAND Comedy a MIns. ROYAL GELATIN Thnrs,, 8' p. m. WEAF, New York (J. Walter Thompson) Ra.gs Riigland, didn't give marked evidence of having a special talent I'bi' radio iii the bit he did during la.st Thursday night's (19) Rudy Vallea stanza. Perhaps the rhaterial helpsd make the impression le^ favorable, than it should have been. There was al.su the question 6f faulty technique, such as taking a silent count of three before delivering the gag line. On« aspect that stood up well during the. package of crossfire was Raiglarid's feed. Colloquy had Ragland arid boob-pitched personality on the ta- ceiving end of a ti-affic cop epi.sode^ A iiu.ggct. dut of the script;4ollow,s. The feed: 'Have" you .ever been up before .Judge Smith?' Ragland: 'What time does he get up?' Ragland was in 'Who's, ho?' shoirt-lived musical of the Current Broadway season, and has been si.i;- naturcd to do somie: shorts. He's a vet burlesque comic. For radio he needM writers who know how, plus lots qC personal grooming. Odur:. ROYAL WORTH ORCHESTR.\ 'Mnsic from Buffalo' 30 Mins. Sastainlhc Saturday, 1:30 p. m. WABC-CBSj New York Half hour .of luncheon , music by the Royal Woirth orchestra from a Buffalo restaurarit Cirew dishes out sweet swing in acceptable, lashioiii Solid workaday' dansapatiori. Worth avoids the blasting style of so many;eatery tune disperisers. His sax section is dominant. Va. CADS COLLEGE With Kenneth and George Western Archie GIen> Davy Burnaby,: Padr dy Browne, - Fred Morris, Cecil Johnson, Tom Kinnlburgh, Ivor Moretbn and Dave . Kaye, and Charles. Shadwell. and .B.B.C, rieiy Orchestra. 45 Mins. Produced by Ceorge Barker. Friday, May 6, 9:35 pJm. B.B.C., London. Lon(]ori, May 10 Comment on first of new. B.B.C. summer, serie.s raises problem of- whether a critic is'entitled to do his stuti without listening a pro'gram through. Bald fact, though, is the effort was so lacking in both humor and engrossment that it became i - po.ssible to make the grade: Basic idea is okay, consisting of a burlesque collegiate alttiosphere, show being loaded with comedians, singers and what have you, mas- querading as' professors or alumni.. Western Brothers are a topline ra- dio attraction heret but contributed little to' the entertainment, beyond two typical topical numbers, which, however, came too late. Othbr'play- ers ploughed through the ' heavy weather, but only Paddy .Browne; the sole femme of the party, (Jot any gusto inlo feeble line's. Program was flat when it opened, attempt to satire B.B.C. outside cominenlaries defi- nitely failing to click, while suc- cessive sequences wer interrupted by deadly pauses, which destroyed any idea of continuity, western Brothers, who are cred- ited with devising the shbwv declare they are sensitive to criticism, so maybe therell be a reaction in later editions of the series. 'PASSENGER TO BALI' Dramatic . Playlet 60 Mins. Sustaining Thursdayi 10 p.m. WEAF-NBC, New Vork Well acted but unsympathetic piece off NBC's sustaining shelf. Perhap.'J the program staff believed few would, tiine in .anyway with Bing Groshy cavorting on the other NBG~ net at the' satTie hour. Difficult to' tell whether radio adaptors-of .Ellis St Joseph's short, story intended to preach some sort of a moral to the» effect-that the new. order survives the old despite every set-back, or that the :.scriplers sought only a niellev melodrama. In either case it faltered far short of' its: objective. . Besides being belabored in untold^ ing, fable of a forlorn sea caplui having his lone worldly goods wrest- ed a\Vay by an anarchists revolutionist^ international agent or commiunist (as he is variously tabbed or described) Avas dismal fodder. To ask or tsxpect:' a radio audience to listen for nearly an hour is the height of something or othcr. ImplaUsibilitics and lack oC sympathy or humor marked the tale. Storm effects, musical backgrouiid and Milton Cross and Howard Claney narrating were able. No fault of (Veil- cho.snn cast of standard radio folk.s or Director James .Church that such an unpromising yarn was' handedl them for radio di.ssection. Al.so ques- tionable taste to have the giant,'dis'- guiscd as a Dutch liiissionery, liini out to be a revolutionist and win nioral victory. Wecir. MICHI6AI WXYZ HersTATibKi p.~V.*;':.?'f.^.Vie iii^ Network DETROIT MICHIGAN DOUBLE TRIO TIME With Milt Herth Trio, Tune Twisters 30 Mins. Sustaining Saturday, 5:30 p,m. WJZ, New York This is a corking half hour and should gain recognition. Its com- ponents are the Tune Twisters (3) and the Milt Herth Trio, which ex- plains the ITrio Time' billing, a bit off-the-cob. . Milt Herth is a swing wiz on the Hammond electric organ and has O'Neill Spencer, singer-drumrrier, plus another pianist rounding out the combo. On their Decca record- ings, Herth, Spencer and: Willie (the Lion) Smith; who whips the ivories, constitute the trio. "Time Twisters are a scat vocal trio, on the Mills •Bros, pattern,' Between the two they whip tip an assortment of novelty vocal and sWeet-swirigo that's big- league in calibre ana merits big time atten- •tion. Herth was a bit ahead of him- self perhaps last year when essay- ing his organ-swing instrumentation (augmented) as a dance band at the Shelton Corners (N. Y.), but next tall he should be riding the jive crest and click. His disks mean- time have been good advance agents, plus this- sustaining groove as a builder-upper. Abet. •HAIL VARIETY—THE ACT' With Ihe Two Leslies, ScoU anil Whaley,' New Trix Sisters; re- (corded ' voices of Lay ton anil Johnstone,, Flanagan- and Allen, supported by B. ;B. C. 'Variety Xiirchestra and B. B, C. Revuit Chorus, condiictcd by Mark H- Lubbock Treatment,, Gale Tedrlck Production, Roy Speer 42 Mins. Mon., May 16,. 9:35 p.m. B. n. C, London London, May 24 B. B. C. appears to be satisflcd with one formula for all of its big-entiir- laiiiment and retrospective programs,- and repetition of identical techniqus in.all such shows is apt to drift into monotony. First applied to top grade 'Scrapbook' series, treatrrient ha.s since been applied to 'Star Gazing' and 'Showmen of England' programs (among others), arid . now is forced into sei-vice for "Hail Variety' seri .s, of which this is the fourth, and typi- cal of the lot Basis-is a commentator, announcer, (Continued on page 39) GENE AUTRY SInccr CAMELS Mond'jy, 7:30 p. m. WABC-CBS, New York ,. (Esfy) Autry. singing cowboy of flims; did a guester for Eddie Cantor. It was worked in with some comedy' palaver that Kept it in the Cantor formula thipughout. It was pleasant prairi ippee in 'restraint. Land. What Is NEW In RADIO?