Variety (Sep 1938)

30 VARIETY RADIO REVIEWS Wednesday, September 28, 1938 IGNACE JAN PADEBEWSKI Pianist MAGIC KEY Sunday (25), 2 p.m. WJZ-NBC, New York •From an emotional as well as an artistic standpoint, this concert was a notable international event, one of the most impressive ever offered on the Magic Key series. Coming at the end of several weeks of broad- casts on the European situation (and at the actual loment that CBS was airing a short-wave report about ap- prehensive crowds in LondonI) this magnificent old man, still a great artist in his 78th year, offered nearly an hour of immortal music. Some- how that inescapable art versus anschluss contrast added to the dra- matic effect. Even among the conce i greats Paderewski has always been a per- sonage apart. At 31 recognized as the greatest, pianist in the world, he still held that position virtually un- challenged at the age of ,71—a rec- ord probably unique in all artistic annals. But his piano genius has been only one of Paderewski's quali- ties of greatness. He has also achieved genuine distinction as a composer, statesman and, in a much less-publicized sense, as a philan- thropist and a man. Those qualities, plus his. dignity and simplicity, have endeared him to the general public and concert audiences alike. But more than that, Paderewski was always a colorful figure who infused his music with tremendous emotional appeal. All those intangible elements con- tributed to make last Sunday's broadcast something extra special. And the simple old man, making his radio debut to America by short- wave from a special studio at his home in Switzerland, fulfilled all the promise of the occasion. If, as some of the critics have said in the past, Paderewski has occasionally sacri- ficed technical perfection for emo- tional warmth, it wasn't evident. It w?.s a virtuoso performance of taste- fully selected program. Reception was almost ideal. Composers represented included Haydn, Mozart, Chopin, Wagner and Schubert. Paderewski was intro- duced by Max Jordan, NBC's conti- nental European rep, whose remarks were impressively concise. He spoke rather deliberately, with a notice- able accent. Although he must have been urged by NBC to do so, Pade rewski did not speak on the pro- gram. Show was m.c.'d on this side by Milton Cross and Frank Black led the NBC symphony orchestra in selections at the opening and close, RCA's commercials were shrewdly phrased to plug Victor's Paderewski .(and other concert greats) records, Hobe. AL JOLSON With Douglas Corrlgan, Martha Raye, Parkyakarkus, Tiny Ruffner, Lud Gluskta's Orch. Variety 30 Mlns. LIFEBUOY Tuesday, 8:30 p. m. WABC, New York (Ruthrauff & Ryan) Al Jolson's show returns to the air-waves after a summer's hiatus intact in its last season's cast lineup, with, of course, the exception of the guests. Tee-off stanza (20) had a strong name in 'Wrong-way' Corri- gan, it being the trans-Atlantic fly- er's first commercial air shot. Other- wise, as is often typical with name variety shows returning to the air after a seasonal layoff, and not yet in stride, it was pretty rruch of a clambake. Jolson's show in the past was al- ways a problem child so far as com- edy is concerned. Situation, is un- changed, the -laughs still being few and far between. Script handed Cor- rigan for by-play with Martha Raye, Parkyakarkus and Jolson was only fair at best. One hearty chuckle in the lesson to Corrigan on making love coming at the bow-off, when he mistook' a window for the door. Actually, Corrigan had little to do and little to say lor the $3,500 he received for the guest shot. A cou- ple of gags anent his flight were Comedy brunt still falls on Park- yakarkus and the Greek dialectician is still giving out w ! th thos. puns, anemic comedy at best. Otherwise, the entertainment was held down to a minimum due to the excessive greetings amongst the performers on their reunion. Martha Raye sang" but one song, a duet of 'A Tiskef with Jolson, while the latter's solos consisted of 'Walking Stick' and 'At Long Last Love.' On the straight music side, Gluskin's orch delivered 'I'm Going to Lock My Heart' ex- pertly. ' Commercials are hardly the be- lievable sort; a sketch insert between two femmes, one of whom suffers from something her best friend won't tell her about, but the per- sonnel manager will. A bath in Life- buoy is all you need, honey, etc.. and et cetera. Scho. Lanny Ross, starring in 'Petticoat Fever' at Fabian's Harmanus Bleecker Hall under new rotating stock-with-names policy in which Frank McCoy and O. E. Wee exer- cise a directing'hand, did a 15-min- ute song interview broadcast over WGY, from its Albany studios. An- nounced as 'a Times Union radio extra,' evening shot had George O. Williams, managing editor of Hearst daily, as quizzer. Program brought a breath of Big Time broadcasting ;o local field, especially in the vocals by Ross, to his own guitar accom- paniment. Led off with 'When I Grow Too Old to Dream,' a familiar which sounded fresh under his expert reatment. Closed with a number of his own done in the show. Interview ran off smoothly, although too much time was spent on Ross' athletic and musical activities at Yale, and vir- tually none on his show biz career. Ross did mention that his first broad- cast, outside New York City, was over WGY and short wave, on an unremembered date. JERRY COOPER With The Smoothies, De Vore Sis- ters (3), Eight Men, William Stoess, conductor; Jimmy Leonard. Songs, Music IS Mlns. TUMS Tues-Thurs., 7:15 p.m. WLW-NBC, Cincinnati (Kastor) Starting its. third year, Jerry Cooper added to the original lineup. Latter supplies a New York name and socko to an already sweet se- lection of talent. On airing heard he did nifty job of ballading, using 'So Help Me' and 'I Won't Tell a 3oul.' In each tune he was. richly backgrounded by the Eight Men, de Vore femme three some, and the Smoothies. A classy combo, the Eight Men are directed by Grace Clauva Raine, pipes sul- tana of the Crosley staff. Accom- paniment by Stoess orchestra, hotsy- totsy. Slow tempo of Cooper's numbers was cleverly r sandwiched with the modern zip of the . Smoothies (Babs, Charlie and Little), who went to town on 'Stop Beating Around the Mulberry Bush' in their own distinc tive style of arrangement. The. de Vores are a WLW standby on close harmony. Smacking of class from gong to gong, which goes also for.the spot' ting and brevity of blurbs, handled by Jimmy Leonard, this, stint's en tertainment value is beaucoun long for 15 minutes. Koll. 'CHECKERBOARD TIME' Musical 15 Mlns. RALSTON PURINA M-W-F, 7:45 a.m. WGY, Schenectady (Gardner) Waxers cut by World of Chicago to advertise Purina chicken and other live stock chow, as well as to plug Purina dealers. 'Checkerboard' in title is a reminder of dealers' identification signs: Talent includes Mary Jane, sin^-r; Checkerboard Quartet, Cackle Sisters, harmony- yodelers, and Otto's Melodians, in- strumentalists. 'Colonel Purina,' one of those drawling down-to-earthers popular with farm listeners, emcees and spiels. An occasional minor guestee is heard. On Friday the story of a successful farmer-user of Purina feed is dramatized, in- addition to musical part. Discs, neither real corny nor swin.iy, untrack entertainment which should please farm dialers. Most of the^- numbers- are old favorites, capably interpreted. Jaco. THE SHOW OF THE WEEK With Fred Waring, Ray Perkins, Stuart Allen 30 Mlns. Co-operative HOWARD CLOTHES Sunday, 6:30 p. m. WOR-Mutual, Newark (Red/ield-Johnstone) This is a new cooperative over the Mutual network for which the sponsor in the Greater New York area is Howard Clothes, a hungry ad-eater on the program. Not only the greatly overdone and long- winded plugs for this maker of $22.50' clothes marred the opening show, but the other elements of ad vertising helped make it tiresome, plus indicating that good judgment did not stand behind the first per. formance of the co-op. Divested of the unwelcome lot of plugging, the program still left much to be de- sired as debuted Sunday night (25) Among other things, original plans went haywire and there was too much alibing of that by Ray Perkins, r*. «., and others. Planning to use ..different name bands each week, opener scheduled was Richard Him- ber, but a behind-the-mike booking circumstance kept him off personally However, his band was on tap and Fred Waring was pressed into service as the name baton-wielder. Himber musicmen were actually led by Himber's vocal soloist. Stuart Allen while Waring read script anc fronted. Though in the nature of a face-saver, that being true, air audi- ences were led to believe that War- ing's band was playing, that Waring was trying to emulate the Himbev technique with a band that was actually Himber's anyway, and tha; Waring was taking credit on an outfl'; he has nothing to do with. Band numbers, employing the Himber technique and his 'rhythmic pyra mids,' were not too impressive, as it happened. - ; ./ Numbers''^were . announced, to gether with; plugs for two films, but that was not all over and above the Howard "ad sessions, two during the main part of the program, plus the sign-off. Perkins, whose materia" rated no degree above fair, aided in a plug for Waring's mixer and War ing received another plug on his coming air show, plus air lineage for his sponsor (Bromo-Quinine) Toward the end of the initial show Vincent Lopez was brought on as an advance ad on the coming 'Show of the Week' program. Each. week the so-called song hit of the week will be a feature. 'A Tisket, A-Tasket' was the first chosen, but that's weeks old, anc had the same second-hand flavor as most of the three news sessions in terspersing the action. Majority o] 1 the news i'.ems had been hearc earlier in the day on the air or were printed in morning newspapers, Vocalizing on program by Stuart Allen and others reached into no one's ears with depth and lasting meaning, being generally ordinary. Program will have to greatly im- prove to become b.c. of importance, though name bands I'^od up for will provide lure. Char. Follow-Up Comment 'The Green Hornet! series, origi- nating at WXYZ, Detroit, is aimed as spine-tingler and comes pretty close to the mark. It's frankly pulp mag stuff, with heavy emphasis on the' melodrama of nick-of-time res- cues, etc. Loaded with hokum, but shrewdly designed to aopeal to the thriller fans. CapaLly produced throughout, with almost continuous sound effects and all helping toward authenticity. . Stanza caught (22) Was labeled Sinners in Concrete,' and concerned a gang of hoodlums shaking down contractors. One of the contractors refuses to pay, is killed, and the city editor, who is secretly the 'Green Hornt* (sort of a 'Shadow'), rounds up the racketeers. Hardly rates as intellectual material, but hefty stuff for lurid crime stuff addicts. Char- acters are fairly well defined and played. Columbia Workshop treated Hilda Cole's 'Joe Swing Retires' to a lot of bedlam and some measure of in- teresting re-telling last Thursday night (22). Theme was originally wrapped up in a short story, which the Detroit Free-Press' Screen and Radio Weekly published. It's cen- tral character Is a hot swing bugler who does all his talking with, a trumpet and who it finally develops must be none other than the Great God Pan. Miss Cole, who does press agenting for Fred Waring, describes the figment as a drama with music on the fantasy side. Carelessness in production made it easy to substi- tute the word 'screwy' for 'fantasy.' Narrator of the anecdote is a rum- pot p.a. for niteries, to. whom had fallen the task of keeping the ec centric bugler in tow. The trumpet player, impressively played by Pee Wee Erwin, one of the crack swingsters in the New York area, had walked into the night club one night and invited himself into the presiding band. In quick time he becomes a sensation with the round' ers and the spot is jammed every night. He scorns cpin and contracts, and one night when a couple patrons take to swinging fists over a table he scrams. The p. a. follows him, as he is about to catch up with him in a nearby park he notices that the quarry's footprints have the con tours of a hoof. Eureka! it's the Great God Pan. Din and hubbub of a night spot was simulated throughout the mike retailing, with the result that the 30 minute passage must have made it tough oh the less delicate ear. Mark Warnow both arranged and batoned the incidental music, accounting for a decided entertainment lift to the production. William N. Robson di- rected. EDWARD Gw ROBINSON-CLAIRE TREVOR Blr Town' Dramatic 30 Mlns. RINSO Tuesday, 8 p. m, — WABC, New York (Ruthrauff & Ryan) Edward G. Robinson and Claire Trevor are back selling soap suds as the managing editor and his girl friend. Appropriately enough, the tee-off sketch (20) had the m. e. re- turning from a vacation (summer radio layoff) and the pair slip right back into the groove of the series of dis-associated mellers. As in the past, it's punchy, well-acted listening. Show last year built a C.A.B. rating of dimensions. First playlet, written by Harry Krooman, concerned the attempt of a crooked politician to suppress the press, even going so far as killing a reporter (not one of Robinson's), a cause celebre in fiction and fact. Robinson was given the opportunity for plenty of flag-waving and a do- or-die attitude that was highly rem- iniscent of Hollywood's idea of a city room, but it held the dial- twisters. Also held innate appeal for any juves who were listening, inas- much as Robinson had to utilize a flock of kids and a school: press to get out his expose of the politician's racket after the Illustrated Press was sabotaged. Like the Lever Bros. Lifebuoy commercials, the Rinso plug sins toward over-salesmanship. Opener had an 11-year-old kid reciting a poem qn the marvelous dish-washing qualities of the soap suds. Consider- ing the average adults' antipathy for precocious children, this method of plugging a product has its dangers. Scho. Ted Husing remains a synthetic broadcaster of football. He again emphasized this point when inaugu rating his 15th grid season. '.Last Saturday Husing was. at Minneapolis for the Minnesota-Washington joust, He had such a pretty pre-game lead All about King Football, the Gophers, the Huskies. And when the game started he told you whether they shifted right or left which back was close, which deep who carried the ball, and whether it was a gain or loss. Now he even tells you what type of Hock is used ahead of the runner. But up to the end of the first quarter Husing had not said a word about the weather, condition of the field, or the wind (if any). So as the teams changed goals we waved a fond farewell to Theodore. For us it was a quick season. RELAXATION TIME' With Nathaniel Shllkret Musical, Vocal 25 Mlns. RUPPERT BREWERY Tues. and Frl., 6-6:25 p. m. WEAF, New York (Lennen & Mitchell) Ruppert's beer is getting radio plugging via a twice-weekly nostal- gic music shot aimed strictly for the dinner-hour. It's. leisurely music in a saccharine tempo, ably purveyed by a 24-piece orch betonned by Nat Shilkret. A mixed choir of 12 voices backgrounds the orchestral effects and also Solos, both nicely done. Shilkret is under wraps, the sponsor stressing the title, 'Relaxation Time.' Commercials are spotted in three portions of the broadcast, beginning, middle and end. Appropriately, they are in line with the entertainment itself, staid and within the bounds of reason. Announcer, however, seemed to be talking a bit too fast on the opening shot (20). Tune repertoire at the debut was very much on the sweet side, in- cluding 'I Love You Only,' 'One Alone,' a song from the 'Cat and the Fiddle,' 'Donkey's Serenade,' among others. While beer is something of a hot-weather drink, the music was far from a heater-upper. However, it's a match for the mealtime spot and hews to the 'relaxation' theme of the program. It should gain goodwill for the sponsor. Scho. EDWIN C. HILL Commentator 15 Mlns. CAMPBELL TOMATO JUICE Mon.-Wed.; 7:15 p, m. WEAF-NBC, New York (Ward Whf.elock) Hill continues'as before, but re- vealed one new talent, interpolating commercials (once) into the text of his script a la Boake Carter. And he did this with admirable off-hand- edness.' A smoothie. He had plenty of news to play around with. His style is editorial* but actually he doesn't take sides. It's all illusion. That's playing it safe, considering the experience of one food house with an editorializes Hill's manuscript shows thought in preparation, and it was delivered with nice change of pace and linking together. Campbell Tomato Jujee claims are reasonable and in pleas- antly different, good taste. Land. EDDY DUCHIN With Nan Wynn, Jimmy Shields, Tony Russell, Tune Twisters, Mul- llns Sis. PALL MALL Monday, 9:30 p. m. WEAF-NBC, Now York (Young & Rubicam) . This is a thoroughly big-time stanza. Duchin's band is a stunning outfit, playing proficiently and with style. Arrangements are distinctive, colorful and arresting, while Du- chin's pianology is woven in and out to provide piquancy. Nan Wynn on the show caught (19) was subbing for Durelle Alex- ander, regular singer with the band. She wasn't identified on the Duchin show. Singer offered two numbers, injecting interest into 'Small Fry' and picking off a chorus in the or- chestra's arousing version of 'Alex- ander's Ragtime Band.* Naturally no temporary singer would be given much of a buildup. Male vocalists are Jimmy Shields, tenor, and Tony Russell, baritone. Former offered 'Some Day I'll Find You,' with backgrounding by the Mullins Sisters,- Latter was not billed, but did \falrly wfell with the more difficult 'I've Got a.Date with a Dream.' The Tune Twisters also wrapped, their tonsils around a single number, one of the choruses of the 'Alexander' arrangement. Besides his frequent and brief piano injections throughout other selections, Duchin offered one solo piece, 'Why Was I Born?' in wallop style. For the rest, the band offers exceptionally full though quiet tone, particularly achieving this effect in the brasses. The outfit also does a notable job on the accompaniments. Program was opened and closed with the tolling of 'Big Ben,' the clock atoD Parliament, London, and the English theme is stressed throughout. Commercials were rather frequent, but only two were of any length and all are cleverly written. Pronunciation of the cigaret as 'Pell Mell' is emphasized. Hobe. GOODYEAR FARM SERVICE With Don GOddard 15 Mlns. Mon.-Frl., 1:15 p.m. WJZ-NBC, New York (Arthur Kudner) Goodyear Tire took over Monday (26) the quarter hour following the National Farm and. Home Hour (now reduced to 45 minutes) to regale the same audience with a motley collec- tion of news and magazine items geared strictly for rural consumption. Considering the time sequence it's an unusually good buy, and the chances are that the tieup will prove a highly effective merchandizing channel. Program emanates from three dif- ferent points every day of the week but Saturday and Sunday, with Don Goddard handling the tidbits from New York, Phil Evans cutting in on midwest hookup from Chicago, and Robert S. Clough feeding the far wes+ern region from Kansas City Through this arrangement the daily event is able to groove itself to mat- ters of particularly local interest. Goddard's diction and voice fits In neatly with the assignment. It's pro- fessional and crisp, and makes no attempt to simulate a folksy homeli- ness. When caught Tuesday (27) his program was inclined more to play up such items as horeshoe, potato- picking and cow-milking contests than feature the farmer angles of the latest news. . Goddard gave assur- ances that, while there would be no lack of turkeys this Thanksgiving, reports were that the cranberry crop would be 40% off. He also related some statistical data on midget cows, and philosophized on the great help that science has been in making the farm home a brighter place in which to live. Ad copy treated with a Goodyear brand especially built for farm use and briefly called attention to the same company's battery radio set. Bill Goodwin Emcees Diamond Walnut Waxes Hollywood, Sept. 27. Half hour variety show headed by Bill Goodwin as emcee and George Fischer, film commentator, is being waxed by Lord & Thomas for Dia- mond Walnuts sponsorship. Goodwin also did a series with Ken Carpenter for L & T's Sunkist Or- ange account. LOUISE FLOREA With Jesse Crawford at organ Singing; Music 15 Mins. Sustaining Thursday, 6:00 p.m. WJZ-Blue, New York Louise Florea has a voice. Jesse Crawford grinds a nice organ. But neither of them have a chance when presented under the customary slip shod treatment afforded so many sustaining artists, which, in this case, was a prime example. Originally skedJed for a half-hour, starting at six p. m., singer was chopped to 15 minutes. Leopold Spitalny's orchestra was to back ground, but Crawford substituted at the organ. Added to this was a five minute late start because of news bulletins locally in New York, plus chopping off singer after eight min- utes on air to make room for resume of stations programs for the evening. Actually, station presented only a dash of Miss Florea. Girl, who has appeared on 'Show- boat,' 'American Album' and with radio's better male singers, is an ap- pealing soprano. Hurl. SPOTLIGHT ON YOUTH With Nancy Marshall, Barry Mahool, Robert Kane, Harry Kibbee, Ken- dall Wilson, Alda Luongo, John Frank, Henrietta Additon 30 Mlns. ^ ' ■ Sunday, 1 p. m., EDST WINS, New York Society's attempt to right the path of vagrant youth gains some meas- ure of compensation from 'Spot- light of Youth,* a program with a message. Culled from supposed true stories by William Hainsworth, ex- Secret Service agent, and adapted by Louis Tappe for radio, 'Spotlight,' while nothing new, manages to serve one excellent purpose—it's another link in the chain to stifle America's crime among its youth. Sunday's (18) program dealt with one youngster, who unwittingly, through the force of unmitigating circumstances, veered off to a ca- reer of crime, only to be righted again. Studio players, a stock cast, take up the dramatic cudgels each Sunday, with the other stories in the series all to focus upon the same theme. However, as dyed-in-the-wool en- tertainment, 'Spotlight' has little possibility of gaining adult appeal. Also on the program was Henriet- ta Additon, former deputy police commissioner in New York, who outlined the progress made by the various social agencies in Gotham to help its youth.