Variety (Sep 1942)

S2 RADIO REVIEWS Wcdnestlayr September 23, 1942 ftATE SMITH with Ted Collins, Olyn Landlok Ray Milland, Ted Straeter, Jack Miller orfb, chorus IS Mlns. GENERAL FOODS Friday, 8 p.m. WADC-CBS, New York (Vouiij; & Riiblcaiiu Kulc Smith began her 12th season liist' Fi iday night (18) on CBS. The formal and cast of the show is the same, but she has now switched brands from General Foods' Grape Nuts and Grape Nuts flakes to Jello and Jello puddings. The star was in great voice for the seasonal opener and she once more demonstrated her unerring talent for putting over a sons. Ted Collins remained smooth ni.c. Olyn Landick resumed his huiKhiRalhcring back-fence spiel as the ■Rackensack Gossip' and Jack Miller again batoned the orchestJa. It was bi.c-lime and lush in the tra- dition of the scries. Miss Smith's songs, always the backbone of the show, included an arousinijly presented 'I've Got Rhy- thm." a medley of 'By the Light of the Silvery Moon,' 'Let Me Call You Swoclhearl' and 'Kalamazoo' with Ted Slraeter's remarkably helpful piano accompaniment. 'I Wonder When My Baby's Comin' Home" and the Marine Corps hymn. In addi- tion, the singer narrated an excerpt from Paramount's current film hit. 'Wake Island.' Although the piece Itself was stirring enough it seemed ill suited to a femme performer. Con.-isiing entirely of the monolog narration and battle sound effects, it was essentially a man's story and would have been more effective if read by a man, preferably one with the knowledge and skill of expres- sive under-playing. Ray Milland was the guest for the usual dramatic sketch, this time "The Man Who Played Death,' by Milton Cciger (his name was pronounced 'Gigger" on the air). It was a ma- cabre sort of a piece with a sur- prise finish and depending on a re- soiu'ceful and varied performance by the lead. Milland was only partially successful in the assignment, giving a curiously fiat effect and not lifting to a climax. As in other seasons, Miss Smith and Collins read the commercials in a light comedy crossfire. There were three major plugs, all written a little too ponderously coy. As a matter of fact, the continuity for much of program was over-written. Jack Miller's music was acceptably arranged, but the roughness of the playing sounded as it the draft board had been at work on the or- chestra. Harry Ackerman's direc- tion blended the various elements Into a smoothly paced performance. Kobe. 'OANG BUSTEBS' S* Mins. SLOAN'S LINIMENT Friday, 9 pjn. WJZ-Blue, New York (WortDtcIc & Legler) Following much the same pattern employed last season, 'Gang Busters' opened its new series with a blood- ler-than-usual criminal opus, ICiller from the Badlands.' Ebcpertly framed, well cast and directed—but bloody- Virgil Harris, the bank bandit-kUler, ultimately got his Just deserts, prov- ing, as announced, that he wound up where all criminals end, on a slab in the morgue.' Considerable time was employed to trade bad guy's Ingenious method of getting out of prison farm. He kills everybody in his path to gain freedom. Wear. DOROTHY THOMPSON News Comment IS MIns. CLIPPER CRAKT fl.OTllKS Sunday, 9:15 p.m. WJZ-NBC, New York (L'liiil Alof/iil) There's no telling appincntly. how the news of the day will road on Dorothy Thompson's emotional side. Last March when she opened her series for Clipper Craft ihc United Nations were getting quite a pushing around in the Pacilic but Miss Thompson look the broadcast occa- sion for going all out with benign and roscato contemplation of our siliiatron. Back for hor second sea- son last Sunday c20i Miss Thomp.son teed off on a mood that was far to the other segment of the arc. The Battle of Stalingrad, obviously, had the columnist down. Also the failure of Ihc United States and Britain to open a .sccord front by land invasion. As Miss Thompson saw it. the fall of Stalingrad would raise the ques- tion of whether Russia has lost Us ofTonsivo power for all time. Last March Miss Thompson con- gratulated the American people on the .speed with which they had con- verted their economy from one of peace to that of war. This time she wasn't .so optimistic. The home front, she said, was not yet fully adapted to war. We were still fighting with one hand tied behind us. The time had come, she added, for us to choose between discomfort and defeat. In her opening remarks Miss Thompson again explained that this weekly chore would be to survey the news of war from all the fronts and analyze the significance or implica- tions of the various events. Her Sunday evening entry gives the Blue three commentators, though not all dealing with news, within the space of an hour. There's Walter Win- chell at 9-9:15. Jimmy Fidler at 9:4.'5- 10. and Miss Thompson immediately thereafter. Odec. ■EYES AND EA.tS OF THE AOt FORCE' With Helen Hayes. Westbrook Van Voorhees, Jerry Tucker, Finis Bar- ton, Kay Renwlde, Susan Gouldins, Stuart Buchanan, Donald Bryan Orch 16 Mlns.—Local Sustaining Tuesday, 9:4S p.m. WMCA, New York To explain the work of the civilian ground observation corps and get recruits for the organization, the Arm Air Force Is presenting this weeklv 15-minute series on WMCA, New York. As heard Tuesday night (IS) 'Eyes and Ears of the Air Force' meet both its major requirements— it's entertaining and informative. With Westbrook Van Vorhees, the 'March of Time' voice, narrating, the show opened with the statement of the Importance of the civilian ground observation corps to the Army Air Force, then faded in and out of a co'iple of illustrative dramatizations. Finally, Helen Hayes, a volunteer ?round observer at her Nyack N. Y.) home, gave a straight ex- planatory spiel and plea for recruits. Her reading was notably rough, so presumably her script was illegibly typed or sloppily edited. 'Eyes and Ears of the Air Force' is dii-ected by members of the Radio Directors Guild. First three broad- cast were respectively directed by Earle McGill, John Macdonell and Phil Cohan. Script for the show caught was by Betty Wilton Baillie. Orchestra was conducted by Donald Bryan, WMCA musical director. Hobe. WINNER^ ma, ssociiilc Sliilmi. II I'D IM RED SKELTON With ITaYriett lillllard. Wonderful Smith, Tommy Dorsey, Truman Bradley, Oiile Nelson orch 30 Mlns. BROWN & WILLIAMSON Tuesday, 10:30 p.m. I WEAF-NBC, New York {Seeds) What was plenty good enough last .season is good enough again for Brown & Williamson, so the tob.icco firm has returned Red Skollon and virtually the same show to its Tues day night spot on NBC. The formal ?nd style of the show are the same and the products arc identical. Raleigh cigarefs and Walter Raleigh pipe tobacco. It was a click com- I bination last season and should rc- I peat this one. Skelton reportedly prefers to work pretty much off the culT. without too much rehearsal or prearranged busi- ne.ss. That probably contributes spontaneity, but it also results on occasion in a rough performance. The Skelton show, therefore, lacks the .smooth pacing of some more calculated name comedy stanzas. The consequent uncertainty about whether everything is going quite according to schedule may add zest to the show, but it al.so fails to get full value of timing and emphasis for the materiol. This effect, in some ways favorable and others distinctly not so, is heightened by the way the perform- ers themselves seem convulsed by their own jokes. That and the wildly enthusiastic pushover West Coast studio audience doesn't enhance the comic effect for the air listener. Skelton broadcast on opener (15) ran about 30 seconds short. High spot of the show continues to be Skelton's brat characteriza- tion from last season, including his 'I dood it* remark. However, it's evident that the pattern is beginning to become stereotype, so the come- dian and his writers should And ways of varying it or start looking around for a substitute. Harriett HlUiard remains Skelton's chief foil, depending less on her vocals. Ozzie Nelson also joins in the comedy, patter as well as baton- ing the band. Wonderful Smith had a brief comedy spot and, on the season opener. Tommy Dorsey guested for a moment to spotlight his own series for the same sponsor. Truman Bradley read the Seeds agency copy for B. Si W. As before, Skelton has a large writing staff. Including Edna Skel- ton, Jack Douglas, Ben Freedman, Dick McKnight, Leo Sullivan and Alan Woods. Show is directed by Keith McLeod. Hobe. •SPOTLIGHT BANDS' With Harry James Orchestra, Helen Forrest, Johnny McAfee 26 Mlns. COCA-COLA Dally, 9:39 p.m. WJZ-Blae, New York (D'Atcv) Coca-Cola has returned its 'Spot- light Bands' program to the air but to the Blue instead of Mutual Harry James' band from Parris Island, South Carolina Marine Base, led off. Though the series idea is the same—the presentation of top orchestras—the second series uses 25 minutes nightly on the Blue net whereas the initial setup used IS minutes-flv^ days and 30 minutes on Saturday on Mutual, nie new setup selects its orchestras via vote of soldiers, sailors, marines In training camps, the camp turning in the highest number of votes in proportion to its personnel being awarded an origination within 30 days. All broadcasts will come from camps, defense factories, etc. Initial show hit the bulls-eye in- sofar as musical quality is concerned. Harry James' band, picked up from probably a makeshift stage so far as acoustics go, did a crack job almost all the way through and his efforts were roundly cheered by some 10,000 service men. However, while the musical portion was A-I the same couldn't be said for the writing job. In very few of the many minutes taken up by the oral portion of the session did the writing hit a stride that might qualify it for a national network sponsored by a nationally known product. It seems that the men who dreamed up the lines strove too mightily, because much of it was overwritten. ITiere was one spiel, a sort of introduction to ^mes interpretation of the 'Marines Hymn, where a classic line appeared. It went, 'Parris Island.. .where mere men become U. S. Marines.' Re- mainder was a mixed up oration that must have put those devil dogs in as much of a fog as It put lis- teners. James' handling of pops and tunes standard with him was for the most part aces. He slipped on 'This Is worth FighUng For,' kicking it off too fast, but then again later he showed rare good Judgment by con- flnmg the exciting, but too tech- nical trumpet display on 'Flight of •Bumble Bee* to halt its normal length. Helen Forrest, vocalist, did a swell Job on 'He's My Guy.' Johnny McAfee's work on 'Fighting' was only fair. Commercials for Coca-Cola were nicely handled, too, with one excep- tion. They were mostly short, punchy bits. One, however, advised listeners the drink 'is a way of help- ing morale.' It wasn't at all tasty. Wood. MAJOR EDWARD BOWES Songs, Instrumental. ae Mins. CHRYSLER CORP. Thursday, 9 p.m. WABC-CBS, New York i.R\ny\Ta\iff & Ryan) Major Bowes' re-entry last Thurs- day (17), following what the net- works prefer to describe as a hiatus, projected among other things two statistical tidbits: it was his seventh year for the same account and bis 382d broadcast. The amateur format remains the same, the Major still interpolates such encouragements as 'wonderful.' 'alright' and 'very fine indeed.' the studio applause is as volcanic as ever (and that includes the plug response) and most of tljc participants are talented and enter- taining. The lone gesture toward 'streamlining' is the inclusion of a goodly percentage of servicemen among the participants. Everything proceeds at a leisurely but expert pace. The .showman.ly air pervades as sharply and in- gratiatingly as ever. The identify- ing dialog is well pointed with snatches of human interest. They rarely falter in speech and never in routine. The gem of huge returns has been polished mirror-bright by Ihc passing years, but the tradition of hit-and-miss remains. The caliph of the 'original amateur program' has paraded as many as 6,000 per- .sons before the mike. The commercial copy merely sought to impress the need for con- stant and proper maintenance, and the best experts in that line for Chrysler. Dodge. DcSoto and Plymouth autos would, of course, be the service departments of C. D. DeS and P dealers. OAec. OTIS T. WINGO Comment 15 Mlns.—Local Sustaining Tuesday, 9:30 p.m. WMCA, New York Tabbed 'Wingo on Washington.' th's new weekly comment sustainer' on WMCA, New York, brings Otis T. Wingo in an innocuous bit of palaver about the news. Wingo apparently feelj he has something to tell Uie listener, but he never quite gets around to saying it. He sort of sidles ui to a subject and sometimes even goes into a fighting crouch, but he never brings himself to throw a punch. Wingo's voice is strong and rather plain. His mode of speaking is commonplace. On his debut show Tuesday night (15) he referred to a certam play to explain a point he was tryipg to make. It was obvious he was talking about last season's The Wookey,' but he couldn't recall its title or hadn't taken the trouble to look it up. Furthermore, in\dis- cusslng the show, he made a small but vital misstatement about its theme. To those familiar with the theatre, it raised the possibility that Wingo'v-knowledge of Washington and current affairs may be as faulty. because of clumsy engineering, the initial program was cut-in from Washington without an Intro or even an Identification of the speaker Wingo made several pleas for listener mail during the broadcast Hobe. 'FRONT PAGE FABBELL' With Dick WIdmark, Florence Wil- liams, Betty Garde, Bill Shelley, James Fleming. 16 Mlns. KOLYNOS TOOTHPOWDER Dally, 5:45-6 p.m. WEAF-NBC, New York (Blacfceft-Samplc-Hummerf) 'Front Page Farrell' is the kind of yarn that probably once led imagina- tive kids to aspire to become re- porters. It's the kind of program that makes newspaper men mutter unprintable opinions about serial writers. In other words, 'Farrell' is pulp-mag romantic teflfy in five-a- week radio form. It was once spon- sored by Procter & Gamble in the midwest. Last season Anacin bank- rolled the show on Mutual, and now Kolynos toothpowder has returned LUX RADIO THEATRE '^How -Green -Was My Valley' With Walter PIdgcon, Donald Crisp Sara Allgood, Maureen O'Hara Ronny McDowell ' M Mlns. Monday, 9 p.m. WABC-CBS, New York (J. Walter Thotiipsoii) Hurrah again for good material in the hands of good actors. And nurrnh for the director who was reverent with the script and intelli- gent with the players. It not al- ways this way with radio drama nor with Lux. On occasion Lux will stoop to toast a silly marshmallow, something drippy and gooey from the girl - can't - make - up - mind-about- which-boy school. Radio like Holly- wood, and partly because of Holly. . wood, has to have its quota of B's (for bad) but when something like 'How Green Was My Valley' comes along it becomes clear that there's nothing wrong with radio that writers, directors and performers CE^'t cure. Saying which it is per- haps sobering to add that next week's piece for Lux is announced as 'The Magnificent Dope.' Or from a flying fortress to a wheelbarrow. lightly-packed, edged with sly humor, overcast with o sweet hu- manity the episodic tale of the Welch mining family came through the air like the man on the flying trapeze. The separate incidents ac- cumulated u force of believabillty and likeabilily that was far above run-of-the-mill radio drama. Mel- low was the word. There was heart- tug and under-tow and above all the cheerful fact of professionals that knew every line what they were about. The trouble with this Cost i.-i that it will make those marshmallow casts and stories that much more indigestible. The con- trast between real actors and some film stars can be extremely con- ducive to gastritis. In sharing the ovation the five billed performers should push in a little and allow bowing space for the gorgeous but anonymous actors who played the two pug-uglles and to the actor who made Mr. Jonas n villain to hate for life in something like six lines of dialog net. The commercials, for those who insist upon the full report, are chirped as the robins chirp in May. A throaty cry of sheer joy to be alive ana able to bath in the ca- ressing and beautifying bubbles of Lux. a cake to cling to in an un- certain world. Land. the stanza to the air, this time on NBC. There's something to be said for 'Farrell,' however. It isn't as bad as it used to be. Robert Shaw, who now scripts it, must have been in a city room some time, or at least have known a reporter, for he's taken at least a little of the Rover Boy halo oft the headline hero. Still, Farrell is the kind of comic-strip reporter who bursts in editors' doors with shouts about' his latest stop- press story sensation. He, the in- credibly corny city editor and the sappy Mrs. Farrell, are more in- terested in trying to track down petty racketeers than in the businesL<i of printing the news, but that's merely standard fictional journalism. There's an apparent effort to tie a reference to the day's war headlines into the dialog, but it has no direct relation to the story, so remains merely a pointless time-taker. The whole thing is faintly depressing. In fairness, though, scripter Shaw is probably dishing out what the im- pressionable public craves, while Bill Sweets Is giving It proficient di- rection. James Fleming gives the Kolynos toothpowder commercials a bang-bang reading. Ann Leaf plays the organ cues. Hobe. David Croiler has resigned from Muzak, Inc., to join the Chicago of- fice of the Howard Wilson Co., sta- tion reps; YOU CAN LAUGH IF YOU WANT TO . . . BUT . . . this is serious ! R is for B. J. SEYROLDS (my sponsor) E i» for ESTY advertising agency (bless 'em) N i» for NATIONWIDE hookup (I hope you'll listen) E is for EVEEY Friday Nite at 10:00 P.M., CBS W is for WM, MOBEIS (my representatives) E is for EDITOBS (in appreciation of their mentions) D is for DIAL-TWISTEES (thanks for listening) Put them all together and they spell RENEWED for another 13 weeks (It's Possible) HERB SHRINER William Morris Agency Camel Caravan