Variety (Oct 1939)

24 VARIETY RADIO REVIEWS Wednesday, October 18, 1939 Appeasement End Allows Handley To Razz Hider, and British Love It London, Oct. 5. VJt's That Man Again,' with Tommy Handley, Vera Lennox, Maurice Dcnhnm, Vernon Harris, Sam Costa, Jack Train and Jack Hylton's Band). J"ormcrly hogtied by British Broadcasting Corp. blue pencil ex- perts as regards gags on political leaders, radio comics are now reap- ing a rich harvest with a vengeance —and the unction with which they put over their stuff is indication of the fun they personally get out of it. Irreverent always. Tommy Handley, whose line is non-stop nonsense gags peppered wiih outrageous puns, keeps this show alive with a merci- less fusillade of crackis aimed at Hit- ler and Nazi bosses, each more auda- cious than the last. Effect to the listener (especially •when of British origin) is strangely refreshing, and without delving into the psychology of it a critic might assume that to be on account of both the satisfaction at hearing the heat put on individuals whom most have long utfrdially disliked and at being able to appreciate the funny side of the war. Providing an outlet for . strained nerves, BBC in programs of this class is doing magniAcent work. The public is delighted. By critical standards, show at nor- mal times would not rate above average, but Handley's personality is always at its most infectious when he Is up against it; by a combination of timing and unblushing effrontery he gives it a spanking pace, though wisely retiring at moments to give the band boys and other members of the cast a break. One of his best efforts in this number was a song Ekit on the Government censorship, and his references to himself as con- troller of.the Office of Twerps and Ministry of Irritation were thinly veiled reference to other of His Majesty's departments. Feather in BBC cap is to have re- cruited Jack Hylton and his combo to its variety strength, as few bands come across better. It's a sign, too, the BBC is alert to improving the quality of its wartime output. Television Review LANNT BOSS With Guitar, Novachord, Organ 10 MiDS. FEANCO-AMERICAN SPAGHETTI M-W-F; 11:05 a.m. 1VABC-CBS, New Tork (Ruthrauff & Ryan) Lanny Ross is a big name for a morning series. In consequence thereof, this Monday-Wednesday- Friday try may be watched with es- pecial attention by daytime adver- tisers. It is not from love of, but from success with, the daylight de- liriums that the sponsors stick so uniformly to dramatic script shows to the exclusion of music, song or comedy, So if Lanny Ross makes scratches on the C.A.B. seismograph It may have some influence. For his repeat to the far west, Ross gets a full quarter hour, but In the east he's curtailed one-third by the 11 a.m. news which CBS' Bob Trout cpiels. Ross Is not too well treated in hav- ing only a guitar, novachord and organ for musical support. That throws it all on him. He displayed a considerable range of. versatility from hot to traditional numbers when heard and should please gen- erally. The program has no par- ticular format so that production and continuity only classify under the heading: 'faint traces.' It is pretty obvious that Ross is projected as a voice of probable appeal—and a face to match, only there's no television— to the ladies. Imaginative showman- ship could presumably go a lot fur- ther in devising a better method of presentation than this as-old-as- radio straightaway. Otherwise its plausible to project him as a broth- time Nelson £ddy with overtones of Clark Gable. Jean Paul King, professionally in retirement for two years, returns to do the spieling for the Campbell soup subsidiary. Land. •JANE EYEE' With Flora Campbell, Dennis Hoey, ERie Sliarnion, Ruth Mattcson, Daisy Beimore, Phiilp Tonge, Eleanor BlUls, John Ciarlie, Lorna Elliott, Mary Newnliam-Davls, Faui Karbard, Byram Russell, Herbert Morrison, Naomi Campbell, Lil- lian Tonge, Olive Deering. Dramatic Play 95 Mins. Thursday (12), 8:30 p.m. RCA-NBC, New York Around television headquarters In Radl6 City the opinion is that the broadcast of the dour Charlotte Bronte story is an approximation of the Hollywood manner of picturiza- tion. That is not too extreme a re- port of Anthony Bandsman's tele- vised presentation, although the showing was much overtime, run- ning more than an hour and a half. 'Jane Eyre' was dramatized by Helen Jerome for Katharine Hep- burn and the play was presented with her by the Theatre Guild. Tried out on the road two seasons back, Mi.ss Hepburn was dissatis- fied and asked Miss Jerome to make revisions but no dice. Although 'Jane' did well on the tour Miss Hepburn refused to come to Broad- way with it and the Guild decided to skip the whole thing. After watching the tragedy in television form, impression is that Miss Hep- burn was canny. It might have been another 'The Lake,' instead of her currently smash comedy success 'The Philadelphia Story (Shubert, N. Y.). Bronte plays have been tried on the stage over here but none have clicked, despite London's showings. There is too much of the moaning wind across the moors to make for entertainment. Essentially there is too much trouble motif in the stories to attract the average playgoer but as a television stunt, it was excel- lent.- As the performance proceeded it improved.. The many problems of this experimental side of show business were obscured in the inten- sity of the acting. Stage lighting which hindered the early portion of the broadcast wa.-s more expertly handled thereafter with the close-ups particularly effective. Flora Camp- bell who played the title role was pictured with a hollow right cheek, either because the lights cast a shadow or a defect in make-up. Miss Campbell wore the same frock throughout, although there, is ah ex- tended period of time covered by the story. There were two intermis- sions, providing plenty of time for costume changes and even Scotch women have wardrobes. Dennis Hoey had the part of Rochester whose demented wife oc- casionally escapes from her guarded wing of the house and whose eye- sight is destroyed when he attempts to save her in a fire. Rather a heavy part but 'Jane' is essentially a woman's play. He is called monsieur and it-was pronounced almost the same as Eyre by the players, which was slightly confusing. Miss Campbell has been In legit for some time. She stepped Into 'Jane' on short notice when Margaret Curtis was forced out by illness, so her performance was exceptional. Last season she toured in 'Angela is 22'. Hoey had the same part in the stage version of 'Eyre' with Miss Hepburn. Among the other players who did well in the broadcast are Eflfie Shannon, Ruth Matteson, Daisy Beimore. Carl Harbord. Lillian Tonge and Philip Tonge. All are of the stage. ibee. AL PEARCE GANG With Billy House, Arllne Harris, Don Reid, Marie Green and Sportsmen, Garry Brechner, Carl HoS 30 MIns. DOLE PINEAPPLE Wednesday, 8 p. ih. WABC-CBS, New York. (N. W. Ayer) Al Pearce has a new' sponsor, but otherwise his comedy-variety stanza is pretty much along the same lines as before plus the addition of Billy House. It's still scarcely for the so- phisticates, but has proven Its draw with its own numerous band of lis- tener.";. Pearce repeatedly catches himself up with 'Here I am rambling on, taking up good time,' just as. if the dialers didn't know about such things as scripts and rehearsals. He offered another of his Elmer Blurt chnracterizaitons and engaged In a few comedy tussles with Billy House. Latter has a funny style and looked on the verge of a big clicko a year ago. He needs bri.ghter mate- rial. Bullseye on...the.show caught (11) was Arllne Harris, in her usual monoloR sketch in which she whammed over a marathon-tongued housewife bit. Well written, brilliant- ly handled and set off with a sock finish. Other stuff on the show includes Don Reid. a romantic tenor new- comer, f.Tir enough: Marie Green and the Sportsmen, a coloratura-soprano and male chorus turn with okay ar- rangement.';, and Carl HofT's com- mercial orche.«fra contribution. Carry Brechner handles commercials, which stre.s.<: Hawaiian nosfal.cia theme, with a soft, musical background in kind. Hobe. Follow-Up Comment ELMER DAVIS Newscaster 15 Mins.—Local REGAL SHOES M-W-F.; 6:30 p.m. WABC, New York (Cecil & Presbriey) After Raymond Gram Swing, the man who has most imprinted his personality on the public as a result of broadcasting war news this fall is probably Elmer Davis, a life-time worker in the fields of learned jour- nalese. Davis has a dry way of talk- ing, rather curt and sharp. A very American personality is his and a conviction of being fair-minded and clear-eyed. He cannot wholly es- cape, no more than the others on the air, the inherent limitations of what has happened today. And be- tween the scattered editions through- out the day, the intermittent flashes and bulletins heard on umpteen net- works and stations, there can be lit- tle expectation of fresh news at 6:30. That puts it up to the style and de- livery. Davis is different. He sticks to straight recital most of the way, but interpolates comment now and again. Program is significant In that .It brings Regal shoes into radio. Few shoemakers or sellers employ radio, coming under the head of missing business. There might, therefore, be a natural tendency to let Ref al over- spiel. Actually there Is quite a bit too much verbiage from announcer Roland Winters anent the product. Such overdosage traditionally tends to deplete the audience. Land. ■FIVE SHADES OF BLUE' Music 15 Mins.—Local Sustaining Daily, 5 p. ra. WNEW, New York Quintet is a swingy combo with good flexibility that socks home any and all tempoed tunes. It's a part of the new 10-piece house Crew put in at WNEW that can be Split umpteen different ways to make 'em easier to sell. Directed by Merle Pitt, who doesn't step- into the combo musi- cally, it's composed of Frankie Froeba. piano; Sam Frey. accordio;., Dick Kissinger, bass; Phil Kraus, vibraphone, and Max Ccppo, violin. Tricky arrancements. done from within the outfit, .itand out along with the ability of the men. When caught 'Peanut Vendor.' 'Melancholy Mood' and 'Time Out' were varied enough for any group. Each of the five t.ike occa.'ionnl breaks and de- liver 'em for all their worth. It's a livelv ouarter hour. HONEYBOY and SASSAFRAS With Tom Woods and Tex Burch Negro Dialect 15 Mins. Sustaining Dally, 7:45 a.m. WHAS, Louisville Blackface combo ride six days a week in an early morning slot. One member was formerly paired with Honey Wilds at WSM, Nashville, and as now paired works from script prepared by Mrs. George Fields, widow of a member of the old team of Honeyboy and Sassafras, .long on NBC. With- a real 'down South' line of dialect, voices are varied enough in pitch to make each character stand out Most of the dialogue is the familiar vaude type cross-talk al- though stanza carries thread of a story. Bulk of the gab was strung around a sum of money vwhich was to be held in 'escrow.' As the two shake dowb.to their chores audience team should find a following. They're standout ma- terial for local production. Probably using good judgment In not making tlie story too important to their act, as they pay oft here- abouts through dates in theatres and school auditoriums in the territory, and in that case a vaude type of routine would be their best bet Hold. CARSON ROBINSON BOCKAROOS With Bill, John and Pearl Mitchell Singing-Dramatic 30 Mins. MUSTEROLE Friday, 8:30 p.m. WJZ-NBC, New York (Erwin Wasey) There's little that's different about this reprise of last season's Musterole radio plug captained by Carson Rob- inson, one of radio's entertainer- pioneers. It's .super-hillbilly stuff, interspersed with a dramatic bit in which Robinson plays the leading roles. On its first program of the new season (13) the drama con- cerned itself with a kind-hearted sheriff (Robinson) and a bandit who really wasn't a bandit and helped the law get its man. It wa; kid stuff at an adult hour. The- yodeling of western songs by Robinson and his complement of chaps 'n' spurs entertainers is on key and adequate. Bill, John and Pearl Wright work as a harmony trio and also solo and do nicely. Except for the writing of that dramatic bit, the show is given fairly good treatment. Commercial plugs, with Jack Cos- tello, are off the cob. Scho. CHUCK WAGON GANG 15 Mini.—Regional BEWLY MILLS Dally, 12:15 P. M. KTSA-LSC, San Antonio (Cy Leiand, Inc.) . Long a favorite in the southwest, this group were employed to help baptize the new Lone Star Chain re- cently. Entertainers range from church hymns to cowboy chanties. Nice harmony, for a mixed quartet. Fort Worth is where the program originates. Cy Leland as combo advertising agency and announcer handles spiels in a nice friendly manner. Program ends with the clanging of an old-fashioned dinner gong. The Bewly Mills also has a travel- ing unit going through this trade area in a truck made to resemble the old 'C^uck Wagon.' Andy. LoretU Young came out all right lit the concluding episode of that Sil- ver Theatre two-part tale. She for- got one life, remembered another, then forgot that but finally floated safely into port on a .itrcam-of-con- sciousncss. (True Boardman does upon this technique). It was fast-moving melodrama in the realm of the psychiatric and with a strong hint despite di.<iavowals that nobody should take it to heiu't that doctors who run sanitoria are not indifferent to the payoff. Jesse Lasky has got his 'Gateway to -Holly wood' running more smoothly in entertainment content. Like many another. radio progrnin originally sold on the basis of its merchandis- ing angles, the listenable part of the Wrigley show was not for a time, on a par with its sponsor-excitable tie- ins. In other words, there" -was 3" tendency of the playlets themselves to roll over listlc.«:sly after the zingy exploitation build-up. Sunday (15) the script provided by Ray Wilson (with a bow for the 'idea' to Bobby Brown of WBBM, Chicago, a neighbor of P. K. Wrig- ley) was brightly projected. A plaus- ible framework for the sturdy pro- fessional 'support' of David Niven and £. E. Clive, it kept the two iicw- comeis, Mary Dugaii, of Memphis, and Henry. Stanbow, of Toledo, rea- sonably centre-.stuge without at the same time over-taxing their experi- ence. Considered as a sell-con- tained short story, plot with a be- ginning, a middle and a conclusion, the script was flr.st-rate radio. £. £. Clive injected life into the broad comedy butler. (The story concerned a supposed murder in the trophy room of a writer of murder novels.) Following the trappings now famil- iar through their long and skillful exploitation by Danny Danker for Lux, the Wrigley session calls atten- tion to the famous Hollywood names -"in the audience' and then thrusts the mike in front of them for a few words, mostly appropriate. Most of the remarks by Lasky and others are carefully qualified to get in the 'maybe' and the 'perhaps' ele- ments. Indeed these lines sound as if they were written by a lawyer. On the one hand, everything is done to glamourize the proceedings as constituting a -highly promising straightaway boulevard to film fame; on the other hand, the auspices has- ten to add they guarantee nothing; the candidates are on their own. The 'in the presence of fame' at- mosphere may be summed up as stat- ing the case ior the losers: 'at least they got inside for a few minutes; at least they saw Hollywood.' The boy, for example, was referred to as having the thrill of playing with es- tablished actors, although a few weeks before he had 'never even met a star.' Andre Kostelanetz, who refuses to believe his advisers, was one of those who said a few words. He has said as many on previous occasions with lit- tle encouragement to repeat. Dia- lects are best served for comedy, and he doesn't do comedy. 'Stop - Me - If • You've - Heard . This-One,* Quaker Oats' new qiiix program over NBC's Red, showed some improvement on its second broadcast (14), but the laughs still didn't come as fast as the indicated Promise of a gag-questionnaire, lilton Belie was much better and -laying off personal insults, but ex- perts Jay C. • Flippen and H.irry Hershfield, and guest James J. Walk- er appeared to be under wraps. They furnished about 50% of the punch- lines, but the gags -were poor and they failed to brighten them up. None of them came up with a singi* ad libbed sparkler. It was noticeable that the gag- picking isn't being confined to just that type of humor,, one brutal pun 'Why does a Jitterbug cross the street?' slipping In. 'To get on the other jive' was hardly a belly-laugh answer. Agency might taper down on tho^e commercials. Mentionin;; Quaker Oats with every gag becomes very tiresome. May be resented.. Red Barber, seemingly reacting from the tamene.ss of baseball all season, went really mayhem on the mike in sportscasting the N. Y. Giants-Philly -Eagles football game over WOR Sunday (15). Though pro game, from news accounts, was no tiddly-winks, such language as Barber used in his word-picture makes Ted Husing's now famed 'lousy' (in connection with a Har- vard game) sound prissy. Barber described Dave Smukler as MOYLAN SISTERS Songs IS Mins. THRIVO DOG FOOD Sunday, 5 p.m'. WJZ-NBC, New York (Clemenfs) Aside from the talent of the two little principals in the cast there were several things that puts this program In a cla.<» by itself. One of them Is the descriptive billing in the continuity and another is the pre- tentious ballyhoo which accompan- ies the series. They (the kids) are described by the announcer as 'the Cherubs of Radio,' while their work is referred to as 'heavenly harmony—an inspir- ation to worldwide peace.' Stated the ballyhoo: 'Never before in his- tory have children under 10 years old been given a network radio pro- gram of their own. Obviously, it Is news, when a sponsor is willing to risk $100,000 in radio network time costs purely and simply on two lit- tle girls only five and seven years old. It Is the first time in radio history that anything like that has ever happened.' The tots' inaugural program for Thrive (15) was marked by tele- grams of greeting from Kate Smith and Fred Allen. The themer for the orogram is 'SitMn' on a Log Pet- tin' My Dog' and between numbers there's a medal awarded to the dog herd of the week. The commercial copy hews closely to the sentimental tleup and the announcer gives am- ple attention to the tremolo stop. (Continued on page 53) ' running 'like a big goat' through the line; there was 'manslaughter on th« gridiron'; and they were tearing tacklers 'limb from limb,' according to this otherwise glib and literal eye. observer. Dick Fishell, alternating with Barber, gave his usually cool, clear account of the game, seeing many niceties in certain:plays that only a gridiron, vet would. Fishell also handles the commercials .now,..and does both ends of it very o.k. Allen Prescott, in one of his breezy, flip 'The Wife Saver' hou.><e- hold hint programs, aired at break' fast hour over NBC blue, skirted dubious judgment by Including a lip, from a woman listener, .on the eft'icacy of uncreamed, unsugared tea as a 'straightener up' following over indulgence In cocktails. Thi.s, hint came on the heels of a suggestion from Prescott as to a method of keeping washed baby clothes smell- ing sweet. Doubtful whether any 'family newspaper' would discuss agents to overcome the eCects of too much imbibing. Prescott even mentioned that he had heard straight coffee was a good ^settler' after elbow-bending. On the whole, 'The Wife Savei* continues to be an amusing variation of the usually dead-serious house-, hold service blocks. Prescott has • definite mike personality, with a flair for light comedy. Goodman Ace's script last week (Anacin, NBC blue) developed a whirlwind farcical pace when th* mechanics of misunderstanding be- came exquisitely mixed up about Jane jealously buying a mink coat to spite her hubby, who was behaving oddly because he was planning to surprise her with a similar pelt. Tb« laughs were coming as fast at timca as a Jack Benny program. This calls attention to two consid- erations: One, farce writing of sucb taut tempo is almost unknown to radio, and two, a domestic serial pro- gram that can punch the comedy bag with the muscle of the big-giggl* sessions is nearly alone in tuch ability. Ezra Stone's efforts, in his Jello- esque alter ego as Henry Aldrich, to stage a party for his mother and father was attended with much easy- to-Iaugh-at Tarkingtonish hokum last week. Author Clifford Gold- smith gets his effects with a canny- knack for manipulating familiar stops on the console of teen-age ab- surdity. Benny Goodman's was the band of the week on the Columbia Record'* sponsored 'Young Man with a Band' show Friday (13), and he proved solid copy for the idea of the pro- gram. Startoft of this session two weeks ago didn't conform with the plan originally laid out for the tima because of the refusal of Horace Heidt to ^cooperate. It now airs as m biography of the various leaders used with musical aid from the band in the telling. Following a couple of tunos which (Rodman recently recorded to plant the sponsor's reason for backing the show, Dan Seymour, announcer, started to trace the band's history, its difficulties in convincing peopl* that swing was oh the way. Seymour started with a highlight of Good- man's career, his first playing in Carnegie Hall, N. Y., in January, 1938, then went back to the begin- ning and worked forward. Included days with • a local Chicago school band, and on to association with Bix Beiderbecker while still a boy. etc. Musical interpolations froin Good- man's crew and the dramatizations of the various phases of the leader's life were well done. John Hammond came in midway to bring the story UP to the present. He discarded re- laying band news and told of how Charley Christians, the bands new electric guitar twanger, joined up. Followed with a sock session of the new sextette, featuring Christians, on 'Flvlng Home.' He's great. Slgnoflf was a moving arrangement of Ravel's 'Bolero.'