Variety (Apr 1939)

VARIETT RADIO REVIEWS ^edneis^aj, Aprfl 12» 1939 Follow-Up Comment •LIUIe Orphan Annie' is sUU wad- Uagedy, hut first mentioning the new Injt through the comic-strip adven- i Pope's Easter Sunday speech, ture stufllo ensnare the moppets lor Program was well written and di Ovaltine. Although often knuckle^ rapped by clubwomen, it was on latest hearing a shriewdly concocted chapter, concentrating lots of action and keeping the juve characters m the foreground. Contained enough excitement without going overboard on cUflhanger stuflE, At least—at the moment. . Currently has Aimie in the Arctic regions, where she and Joe, Daddy (presence of a parent presents a puz- zle to the infrequent listener) and Sourdough have found a deserted town with mysterious bear tracks in the street. Creates certain amount of atmosphere and suspense. Stanza contains a commercial at the. start, a blurb for membership in Annie's secret Society and a plug for the newspaper comic strip. Originates in the Chicago studios of NBC red. rected, the script depending to a great extent, oh actual quotes from speeches recently made in Europe by the ruling men. Hall of Fun,' over NBC Saturdays from Hollywood, was hodge-podgey and uneven last week. Ernest Trucx, ClifT Edwards, Dick Lane, Gordon Jenkins orchestra participated. Net impression was of production haste and confuslcn, with editing and pull- ing together urgently needed.' Walter Hiist«n and BobertSpeaight with Orson Welles for Campbell's soup last Friday night (7), doing an adaptation of Victor Hugo's 'I^es Mlserables.' In most respects the session was definitely below standard for night-time network commercial radio. Was over-written,, over di- rected ' and ■ generally! over-played. Too much ' hoke embroidery all around. Script failed'to catch the spirit of the chase, with Its mounting sus- Mnse, that is inherent in the story. Instead, it substituted a welter of grandiloquent phraseology, particu- larly in the narrator's speeches. Since Welles apparently was determined to run the gamut with his much-ad- mired voice, he turned the narrator and Javert parts Into a scenery- chewer's last stand. That was m- phasized by the eloquent under- playing of Huston In the Jean Val- Jean rolei Speaight was direct, precise, pal- Sably EnglisOi and generally satis- ictory as the bishcn), while Alice Frost tended to hit the Cosette and Fontaine parts too hard. There were enough sound effects for a Mars in- . vasion. Spy Stories.' dealing with the last war, seemed doubly timely over the past week-end as presented by the WPA radio division r 1 broadcast from WMCA, N. Y. It was carried through with commendable balance of scr^t and performance, and well able to hold attention of those to whom the theme would, at the start, exercise a curiosity appeal. Fred Allen (who has been spotty this season) was in clickish fettfe Wednesday nldit (5) over NBC red Show had variety, plenty of genuine comedy, some sock music and was expertly presented. Guest Inter- ■ viewee for the stanza was John J. . McKay, captain of a Hudson river ' ferry. That tunned Into an Ulumlnat- ' ing,. colorful and hilarious bit with Allen interviewing. Comedian drew plenty of interesting lore about ferry skipperiiig from the. pUot, all of which Was highlighted by the humor- ous, slant in which It was presented. ' Another guest on the show was George Jessel, who had only meager material but made It zing, in his bit with Allen, He also received a bushel of plugs for his ."For Men Only' program; Dramattd sketch for the i^ow was above average. Dealt with the hec- tic goings-on at the Titanic Pictures studio and was. pretty funny, but petered to a feeble tag. As usual, Allen led into the commercials with . redeeming originality, but he went as hokey as standard radio comics with his tbank-you curtain ^iel Merry Macs were forte, their best offering being an Infectiously swlngy ' version of Iffean to Me.' Mickey Booney made another radio appearance with the same routine concerning his song and his yen to plug it This time he ^7as on the (StiU-Screen Guild program with the production excuse,, previously lacking, that it was cuffo. It was consistently dull and so-whatish so far as Master Rooney was concerned. Whole program was hardly better than imlnspired entertAinmoit, rely- ing for value entirely upon the num- ber of the names brought together, rather than anythinf they did Or the inherent amusranent values of the script Joan Bennett's circuit of the major programs, always.for the pur- pose of being the wisecracker who ritzes the pompous guy, but. necks hot with the big lover, has now been jret^ well rounded out and ez- lausted. This time It was the man- boy Mickey Rooney who was fresh and the pash was Rudy Vallee. Apart from the dubious taste of let- " I an adolescent (hear, hear I) make passes over the air at a woman, it wasn't diverting. Vbllee acted the scene well, however. - George Murphy ' emceed, Oscar Bradley batoned and Rosemary I<ane sang. It was a van-load of talent not get- ting anywhere. Jack Benny and his associates gave out a typical Jelloesque show Sun- day. All of the standard tricks and the usual violent reflexes of the push-over Hollywood audience were noted. But it had little ^ontaneity. It would have been a good show for an ordinary comedian; iti-was an ordinary r^ult for a good one. Joe E. Brown (Post Toastles). moved last.wedi Into the Thursday evening spot on CBS formerly occU' pled by Joe Penner and accounted for a half-hour of humor that played as usual, to the six-year-old Intelli- gence. With an impressionable Hol- lywood studiO) audience to lend noisy vocal aid, the Brown stanza reached Its acme of lowlevel nonsense with the crashing of a raw egg against the' forehead of one of'the stooges and the program's regular wrong number telephone routine. Following Is a sample of the local fags which studded nie script: 'He's een making B pictures so long that he gives honey/ Kitty Carlisle's guest appearance on the Maxwell House coffee session (NBC) last Thursday (6) developed Into a mess of low comedy. Her tal- ents as a singer 'was treated as a mere runner-up to the fact that sooie fashion academy had just designated her the best dressed American girl. The crossfire that accompanied the description of the gown she wore for the occasion must have pained even the dames listening in. When Miss Carlisle finally got around to singing her selection 'was "When You're Away' and the result was a blend of nice tonal quality and --good-dlctloit— ——- March of Time (7> on WJZ, New York, highlighted the current Euro- pean crisis in kaleidoscopic fashion, with an underlying Easter theme to make the current events abroad even more incongruous' with the spirit of Christ Traveled swiftly, bringing in Chamberlarj, Hitler, Mussolini and other statesmen, stressing th« i&evltabW lidpehOing Greoehe and Chleo Marx on the Kellogg 'Circle' last Sunday night (9) over NBC red scored with one of their funniest skirmishes to date, although it contained some extraord- inarily sour puhning—even for the Marzes. Parts of the cross-fire ap- proached bedlam, with both comics apparently chucking the script over- board and flinging ad libs at each other. Some of the business 'was ob- viously visual mugging that tied the studio audience in knots, but simply provided a loud stage-wait for the dialers. Same was true at the finale of the gag-fest It was a flaw In an otherwise'hilarious stanza. Guesting on the show were Kath- leen and Charles G. Norris; Since they were working from a script the married novelist pair were unable to show their reputed quipping speed. However, the inning exhibited them to advantage. CUadeUe Colbert guested on the Chase & Sanborn program Sunday (6) over NBC red, linking with Don Ameche in sketch about romance in the newspaper business. It was a routine rehash of-typical Hollywood claptrap about the star femme re- porter and her 10-minute-egg. editor. What was supposed to be a pundi finish could be spotted from 'way off. And apparently on-the theory that newspaper work is a racket any- way. Miss Colbert and Ameche ripped through it at the top of Uieir voices. The studio audience is prob- ably still sheU-shocked. Ogden Nash, also guesting on the show, contributed original bits of his peg-legged verse, some of it perti- nent and all of it amusing. Edgar Bergen was unusually forte In ^o rounds with Charlie McCarthy. POLLY JENKINS tt PLOUGBBOYS With Vnole Dan, Walter, Pappy Mnsle 10 MIns.—Local Sostainlnc M.-T.-T.-F.; 5:20 p. m. WOR, New Yerk Hill billy session remotes from the Village Barn, nitery in Greenwidi Village, N. Y. With the exception of Polly Jenkins* piano bit, it's all or- dinary. On the stanza cau^t last Thursday (6), Pappy offered a mild baritone solo of 'Home on the Range,' Walter nasaled a - typically prame number about 'My Little Old Shanty* and Uncle Dan itallced the genial rube m. c. stint However, Miss Jen^ns* keyboard fingering was •reasonably proficient and ishtfwinanly. ' '' ffoM. NAME THREE With Bob Hawk 30 HIna. DUNHILL CIGARETTES Maaday, 8 p. m., WOB-MBS, New York (Blow) One more audience quiz show. They're now as common as exhaus- tion after the New Year holidays. With more, rather than less, the pre- diction for the summer, the publics ability to play aind like and listen to parlor games projected on a nation- wide basis ' seems unlimited. Until there is more conclusive evidence that their majestles^re bored, the advertiser wiUi a small budget and showmanship qualms will naturally think such a program as 'Name Three' is very ducky. And. with the customary mental reservations, it is. Hawk paces his show well. CTear and crisp and affable. All fairly easy questions,, but enough muff 'em to build up a kitty for the final toughie. Some bright musical cue wo^ helps. Land. FBANKIE FBISCH Baseball Comihant IS Mlnsv—Regional Sustaining WNAC-Yankee, Jloston - A former ball player himself, Frankle Frisch is bemg warmed up as a Yankee network baseball an- nouncer. Later he is due for-spon- sorship by Atlantic Refining. Frisch has an unenviable ■ predicament to face and beat He takes over the spot long held by Fred Hoey. Hoey was and is a great Boston favorite. Just now petitions are being, distrib- uted and a campaign of pressure against Atlantic Refining is being or- galnzed to get Hoey back. This is a bit unpleasant Here is one case where compari- son, no matter how'Invidious, will certainly be made. In' the opinion of many habitual listeners to sports matters Hoey was close to being the best baseball caller In the nation. Hoey himself had been persuaded to believe he was good and had wanted John Shepard to say It'with spondu- licks. That was the reputed end of a beautiful friendshm. Thrice weekly (Tuesday, Thurs- day and Saturday) the Yankee Net now airs Frisch in a 0:15 p. m. com- mentary on baseball. As a big-league player (he managed the St Louis Cards for years with plenty of first hand exj>erience, Frisch brings to the mike a brand of commentary that is charged 'with, auth^ticity, This should appeal to- the fans. His radio personality is very okay; too; and his deep, clear voice Is ^isy on the ears.. Although Frisch shows good pos- sibilities, he has hot yet arrived as a topfli^t commentator, for his in- experience at this new job Is plenty apparent C^liief reason is that he obviously reads from a script, so that his utterances lack the. spontaneity they might take on 'with more prac- tice. Doubtless, that is why he Is doing this preliinihary sustainer Fox. Kid Plot-With Post-Mimidi Twist St Louis, April 11. This Is the plot of "Scott Manley's Zephyr Squadron,' radi<r serial written by James Dutson and sponsored by J. D. Street Oil Co. over KSD: Two American kids, Scott Mahley and Happy Young, are assisting a world war ace, Andre Legere, to perfect an 'electron transmitter,' a defense armament so powerful that it will destroy bombhig planes in flight Their efforts to persuade government air officials to go to the secret proving grounds in the west are beset by spies of an interna- - tlonal group of munition makers who reaUze the acceptance of the invention will cripple their business and wipe out profits. Th? spies plant a time bomb in Manley's plane before he takes off •for his Washington trip and as they also start out to locate Legere's cabhi which they hitend to bomb from the air to destroy him and his invention. Of course, as all good stories for kiddles must end, Manley discovers the plot to bump him off,' makes a quick return to Legere's ■cabin, engages the spies* plane in an aerial dog fight untO Legere is able to put his invention to a practical test which is successful. The dialer is spared the horrors of the crackup of the spies* plane, etc. Closing commercial of the program caught contains 746 words and the opening 296 before story gets under way. Another plug of 273 'words.comes in the middle of the program. Sahu. AUTHOR, AVTHOR!' With S. J. Perelman, Ellery Queen (2), Ssth HeKenny, Carl Van Dorea 30 Mlns. Sastalning Friday, 8:30 pjn. ' WOR, New York •Author, Author'attempts 'Informa- tion Aease* humor along different lines, and misses fire. The laughs at the first broadcast were mi^ng; the 'brilliance' of the guests was forced, while Qie audience wasn't in 'par- ticipating' mood. 'Author's* formula is to give the guest-writers a short, dramatic or humorous sequence and have them spotaneously design a complete plot aroimd it, or from jt All of it sound- ed very suly and meaningless. S. J, Perelman, an established hu- morist, is the.m.c., and .apparently thinks that calling one of his guests 'a rat,* or some such flattering term, gets laughs. His guests, in turn, call him'a rat*. It's unfunny. Three sequences were advanced at this broadcast, with each of the guests (Ellery Queen is actually two people), giving their versions of -the plots to fit All of tiiem were trite explanations. Commercial possibilities - of this show Sppear very slim. Robert L. Shayon is the announced producer. ' Scho. Keama, BEBE DANIELS-BEN LYON With BUly BIssett Band, Tommy Handley, Sam Browne, Alice Mara and Adelaide Hall 30 Miss. BIN SO Sandaya, 6d0 pja. Badio Normandy (Fraaee) Rinso Sunday show is one of the bright spots of commercial radio over here. And an object lesson In mixing gaiety with melody. Ifs not a novel system to have a bdnd sup- ported by numerous Individualities, but these shows are given smooth presentation and well rehearsed con- tinuity. Billy BIssett recently took over the music side of the program, and his boys dish out the rhythm stuff in ear-tickling s^rle. Not over- loaded with brass, so 'uiat its manner is midway between swing and sweet, but most certainly not off the cob. To shake down behind a gang of clowns like the loronses and Hand- ley is a task for any music team, but these lads failed to turn a hair, com- ing into their niunbers with neat Sredalon as and when. Sam irowne, Alice Mann and Ade- laide Hall shared the vocals, hut the comics hogged most of the showl Question of this program is whether it is. well timed now that BBC shoots out its first Sunday news buUethi at 6:30. Currently with everyone hanging on to the reports from all over Europe, the broadcast is likely "to' be choice with many. second ABTHUB GODFREY Soncs 15 Mlns. CARNATION MILK Dally, 9 ajn. WOB, New York (Enirin Wo*ei;> Thotigh Godfrey compresses tunes, commercials, and an explanation of the processing of his sponsor*s coffee tightener into . a seemingly short quarter-hour, the impression is pleas- ant Voice is no great shakes, out a smooth, deep-toned, effortless deliv- ery belies that fact Details of how Carnation Is evolved consume a smart portion of bis tlme^ but the eleari crisp way iVs relayed makes It Interesting. Godfrey*s backed by an organ which comes in a bit too loud, at times almost drowning him'. Ifs nicely keyed, '&o«r6ver. - Okay am far«i< SUNDAY SONG QUIZ WHh Bob Steele,. Brace Harrid Kolb IS Hins^Local - mBBUP*S, INC. Saad ay, 12»0 pja. WnC, Hartford Audience is invited to name song tunes-after hearing cues in the lines of poetry while Harold Kolb at the keys plays the melodies. Program is simple but disarming Difficult to understand how any of them can miss the names of the tunes partlpularly if they have lived during the past two decades. Total of 51 prizes awarded. The program tightens up on the listener with a requirement that 25 cents in coin or money order must be sent in ex- change for silverware, if the partici- pants want to be eligible to receive one of the prlzeis. Mikemen Bob Steele and Bruce Keams do much to make the pro- gram effective 'with recital of the poetry cues. Program could stand tailoring and commercial In midway Is a groan-producer. Eck. THE FOL-DE-BOLS* Witb Ernest Araley, Irene North, WtUiam Stephens^ Gladys Veraon, Walter MMgley, Frederic Gregory, Doris Palmer, Cyril Fletcher, Saady Macphersoa Concert Party 60 Mlas. Wednesdays, 8 pja, BBC, Lendoa Greatorex Newman's well-known concert party got a tough assign- ment in replacing the aoe-hlgh 'Band Waggon* show. Wiedneday nites (for six stands only), so if effect of the first airing of the series emphasizes just how much British radio lost when their predecessor went off the programs maybe they're not entirely to blame. But Ne'wman must take tiie rap . for trying to keep in line by blatant copying of 'Band Waggon' material instead of concentrating on his o'wn line of stuff. In an hour's bill they gave not less than six skits on the other show, to- gether with several burlesques of radio features. They had an imita- tor of Syd Walker; they copied Wag- gon's parody of 'Snow 'White'; they even asked ■ listeners to send 'em weekly postcards' to decide a prob- lem Issue; and they pilloried the BBC Grand National commentators, an idea that has been worked regu- larly for at least 15 years. Taken this way, it's not good ehough,'~ahd' show will have to re-routine If it hopes to hold attention. Even the BBC variety orchestra lacked its customary 'umph.' Vocalists 'Walter Midgley and Irene North were okay, and gave the program Its best moments. Ernest -Amley, conversely, the alleged No. 1 comic, confined his technique tp a mlssflre attempt to emulate tbo Ar- thtir Askey personality. JACK BUCHANAN 'Monte Carl»* with Maggie Teyt^ NadtaM March, Qlbb McLanghUa, Charles Masw, etc. Mnslcal Play 00 Mlns. Friday, 8 pja. BBC, London Currently strong on ether ver- sions of past film nits, BBC is run- ning into snags all along the line with them. Iliere were hitches be- fore they got clearance on the Para- Lubifsch epic, and in the analysis it must be considered whether the program justified the. sweat in- volved. Important chiefly in that it brou^t Jack Buchanan back to the ail for one of his Infrequent spots. Against that is the miscasting of Maggie Teyte in Jeannette MacDon- aid's, part; though- she has, maybe, the better voice of' the two, she lacks mike experience' and had none of the gay vivacity the role re- quired. Also, yam had'to be con- densed to go In an hour, making its continullT- jerky in sppia, and Buchanan's got the rough part of the deal where ms share of the lime- light was concerned.- Saucy story was certainly worth recalling, and famous numbers like 'Beyond the Blue Horizon,' 'Always,' 'A Moment Pleaise* and Trlmmin' the Women* came over well, largely on account of customary excellence of BBC variety orchestra under Louis Le'vy.*s baton and fine sup- port by the Revue Chorus. Miss Teyte sang finely, though more In the operatic than musical comecty tradition, and Buchanan played with poise and -zest Nadine March was spirited as the maid. Doujglas M o o d 1 e * 8 production dragged in as many of the genuine Lubitsch touches as could, be sug- gested by radio,' Including handling of piquant dialog and neat repetition of music themes by unusual means. It somehow muffed the climax, thouj^, and If the program failed, maybe it was because the listener expected too much. XIVES AT STAKE* State Police Cases. 30 Miaa.^—Local • BEABDON FUBNITUBE CO. Saaday S pja, WOKO, Albaay A progrtim of sbme'local Interest and punch, although idea of pre* senting cases froih' state police files is not new in area. A group from "Troop G, Troy, broadcast a series- of sustainers on 'VlGY five years ago, with Dr, Bradley H. Klrschber£ as narrator. Itat one emphasized scientific phases of criminal investi- gation and despite a non-professional cast, did an effective public relations job for State Police. Present pro- gram is in supposedly more popular field of action drama, is an authen-. tlcated, localized version of old and robbers game. 'The Dresden Station Case,* dealing with a maniac killer, was*overloaded with gunplay.' - Questionable 'enter- tainment* for children, likely listen- ers. Other playlets are said to be quieter. Careful selection is, of coiuse, indicated tor a Sabbath af- ternoon block. Appearance of Major John -Adams Warner, head of state police, was a neat touch. Warner displayed an excellent voice (he Is better known to dialers as a classical pianist) and manner, in thanking WOKO for long-time cooperation, etc. 'Olives At Stake,* is sparingly bud- geted. Annoimcers Gren Rand (di- rector-narrator), Sherb Herrick.Bob Jones, Ellott Gove and Ralph Kenna work In two or three/roles.each. Other mikers Include Maybelle Hln- ton Osborne (perhaps the most pro- fessional of company), Harry Aiex- ander, Abraham Smith and Harold Gole. There Is a considerable plug;-- ging, not helped by fact staffer- actors double in It Contest angle, letter writing for a trip to World's Fair, etc., should pull. Wayne Schumaker, of Rochester, scripts skits. Jaco. . William S. Faley l>ack to New York after rest in Arizona and biz sesh in Hollywood;