Variety (Oct 1946)

WeclneB«lay, October 9, 1946 RADIO REVIEWS 53 ^rn AMEN SHOW . ■ _, SSth P«r«»nd Ho«», Minerva Plou», *S?rker Fennelly, Peter Donald, Kenny «" V- flwell Thoipas, guests, DeMarco Sisters, Al Goodman orch. >ivit»r' Fred Alien J-HuVer: Howard Riley « wins sin., 8:30 p.m. ItandaR" brands ^'eaf-nbc, n. y (J. Walter TdowpsorO Last of the big league comics to •turn lor the new broadcasting season, Fred Allen on Sunday (6) unwrapped his' '^6-'V^ version of "Allen's Alley" and his capsule kickaround of the contemporary scene. The usually reliable Allen can cover a lot of ground; he can spread out the mustard plaster to embrace Nick Kenny, Carmen Lombardo and Fofc Chicks ?ind a Chuck, and in- variably have enough left over for a once'ovei' lightly (with a dash of vitriol) to encompass Americana Absurdtim. That's why a large seg- ment of the listening pubhc wel- comes him back seasonally in ex- pectation of some fresh, pungent adult humor. For that very reason Allen on his premiere was a disappointment. For the first 20 minutes or so, Allen might just as well have been doing a guest shot on the show. Most of ihe Alley gang's back — "Senator Claghofn" (Kenny Delmar); Titus Moody (Parker Fennelly) and Mrs. Nlissbaum (Minerva Pious), with one new tenant, Peter Donald, who's doubling from his "Can You Top This?" dialectics to do an Irish bit as replacement for Falstaff. There's been.some reshuffling in the Alley this season, with the now standard Claghorn routine spotted for the windup. and Donald's triple-brogued "Mr. Cassidy" as the "opener." There's probably nothing wrong with the Cassidy contrib that some good material won't cure.; , But the overall effect of the Alley routine was to suggest that it's now worn prgtty thin; that another 39- week cycle might be milking a good thing too dry; and that perhaps it's time for Allen to grAb hold of some- thing nevif. The idea of building the initial script around Lowell Thomas and H. V. Kaltenborn — Thomas as a newscaster, and Kaltenborn a.s a naive .commentator getting his first intro; to comedy programming^— wasn't as funny as it might have shaped up on paper. It was unin- spiring at best and actually slowed down the show's pace. 'They re- vived themw^lves into a couple of interldcuters bringing on the vari- ous Allen show segments, with both out of their element. Allen got in his real innings in the closing minutes- with his bio- graphical, VMayo Pasteur Allen" surgery room dramatization. For a few minutes he wa.s in the groove. Rose. ABBOTT & GOSTELLO SHOW With Bud Abbott- .Mid Lou Costello, Marilyn Maxwell, Skinnay Ennis Orch; Jim Doyle, announcer . Writers: Parke Levy, Paul Conlon Producer-Director: Nat Wolff 30 Mins.; Thursday, 10 p.m. . B. J. REYNOLDS (CAMEL) WEAF-NBC, N. T. . ■ - . ^ , (Ksfj/) Abbott and Costello are back on the air for Camels after a summer vacation during which time they haven't picked up any new habit.s, neither good nor bad. It's the .same team at the .same corner selling the same stock-in-trade that's put this show among the 15 top-ranking com- edy airers. Only switch from last V?ar is in the supporting lineup *here' Skinnay Ennis and Marilyn Maxwell have replaced Will O.s- borne and Connie Haines. But with A&C -in .action for practically the rail half-hour, this variation is hardly felt. " Rap for comedy's declining estate °n radio can be pinned on this pro- with the others. Although Aobott & Costello function together as smoothly as ever, their results are ™'y as positive as the scripting. On J™ tee9fl stanza last Thursday (3), 'ne scripters unpacked a string 'of °°SS with a di.stinct Odor of camphor After the zany duo wound' "ar'ng to tatters sUch words as uncouth" and "couth," "immacu- '■'te and 'maculate," nobody would lave been surprised if they had tiqu" " whack at. the equally an- THB CAMPBELL ROOM IVIth Hildecarde, Dixie Walker, Bert Lahr, Tailulah Bankhead, Paul Barron Orch; Ernest Chappell, an- nouncer Producer: Anna Sosenko Director: Herb Moss Writer: Will Glickman .^0 Mins.; Sun., 9 p.m. CAMPBELL SOUP CO. WABC-CBS, n. y. tWard Wliecloc/c) Here's a new sponsor and network but the same reliable Hildegarde. Gay, effervescent, she .still—hands out songs in her distinctive, warm- ing manner, selects a supefxor class of guest star who gives eagerly, amusingly, and wraps it all ■ Up smoothly for a high-grade half-hour of variety entertainment, ■ This time it's Campbell Soups Hildegarde is chanting for, and Sun- day's (6) opening program naust have been good listening for the sales force as well as the general radio audience. Aside from the oc- casional cute-cute note that creeps into Hildegarde's emceeing, the pro- grain, jsjtrictly top-brackets. Sun- day she sang in excellent voice, in her usual smart style, and sang plentifully. There were "Live and Laugh At It All," "To Each His Own," "Sun in the Mornin'," "April Showers," ■•There's No Business Like Show Business," and of course the signature sign-oft, 'Darling, Je Vous Aime B?aucoup." A nicely-balanced selection. For the usual variety of guests that "wander" into Hildegarde's sup-r per-club room, there were Dixie "Walker, Bert Lahr and Talluliih Bankhead. Hildegarde's quips with Walker were amusing, and 'Walker's interchange with Lahr hilarious. Miss Bankhead ^ no one for even a Hildegarde to fence with^got off some neat digs in her drawling way, and then tangled with Lahr. The two enthusiastically threw insults at each other, and then joined in a highly entertaining skit ribbing the English, Miss Bankhead let Walker off ea-sy* although this, too, made for some good fun. Hildegarde float ed airily by them all and the fun flew. It was good banter. Sponsor kept the commercials down to two brief but succinct mes sag:es.. Paul Baron and orchestra added some smart accompaniments, and "The Campbell Room" was off on a rich journey. Bran. etc. routine of 'who's on fiirst? js obviou.slv pitching to the tnr """Elusive audience denomina- tht A '^'s successful. But mill, .u^^J lies in working a for- Sl' ^ ,P=''<' off the past, to oior " the preem session, more- Poinf. tu^'^i ^^^^ several gags with ex^tl.*''^* ■iv^'"^ blurred or non- aurtil • although the studio la,f'?"'=« gave out with, thunderous wnmif' i'""'^ dialers must have *bo"u'["«<3'-.what all the yakking was to^hit"'^ aid. Miss Moore, in addition atim P*"^*-^ >n the A&C comedy situ- s',' '•."J'**'' '^ver one number •piece with good results. Plues for "A DAY IN THE LIFE OF DENNIS DAY" With Dennis Day, Sharon Douclati, Ben Bernader'et, Charles Dant orch., Verne Smith, Frank Barton, announcers. Writers: Frank Galen, Russell Beees, Arthur AHsbere, Frank Fox, Bill Davenport, Producer: Frank O'Connor. 30 Mins.. Thurs,, 7:30 p.m. COLGATE. WEAF-NBC, N. Y. : (Ted Bntcs) Here's one that a reviewer, in all fairness, should ?it out-^at least until the second broadcast, and until Dennis Day can be judged more ac- curately as a comedian on his own. If last week's preem of "A Day In the Life of Dennis Day" added up, for the most part, to a good comedy routine, "credit it more to. the fact that Jack Benny lend-leased himself to 'Colgate for a one-shot to help Day launch his new program. For' the sake of accurate reporting, this vvas more of an elaboration of the Benny-Day Sunday night: routine, with even Don Wilson thrown in for an assist. The chances were better than .even that it- couldn't miss. But without the iBenriy hypo, a week-in-week-out half-hour of Day is still a moot point. That his writers on the initial show succeeded in capturing the .right tenripo' to match Day's eomedic; pattern,, augurs Weill for the show's: future. As such, Day bids fair to branch out' more, suc- cessfully that Phil. Harris, another alumnus of the LS/MFT semester who's doubling this, season into his own commercial airer. / Day's format will be a situation comedy—with songs. The vocals were there on the opening stanza (and up to theaisual high Day stand- ard), but as a situation comedy the show starts from scratch on . the second broadcast. Whether Day can hurdle it—-minus Benny— still re- mains to be seen. ■ . Rose. YOUR UNITED NATIONS With: Leon Janney, Rorer De Koven, Horace Braham, Dan Ockoi Joe Bowland, Gene Leon- ard, Kermit Murdock, Donald 'Buka, Art Carney, Adelaide Klein, Bryna Raeburn; Alexander Scour- by, narrator; .lack Costello, an- nouncer Producer-Director: Frank Fspp Writer: Williann Hodapp 30 Mins;; Tues., 11:30 p.m. Sustaining WEAF-NBC, N. Y. As a warmup for the UN General Assembly meetings skedded for the end of October after a month's'post-- ponement, NBC's University of the Air, in cooperation with the UN's information department, is present- ing this series of dramats on the work and progress of the world peace-makers. It's a serious, intel- ligent and interesting effort that should rate high on the list of dialers' "musts." But, unfortunate- ly, the dramats are slotted - into an extreme hour when most listeners are either too tired or not in the mood for this type of fare. Sunday afternoon would make an' ideal time.' . ■■ Aside from the time, the net has apparently (.inzippered its exchequer for this series, bringing together a large, crackerjack cast and a highly literate script. Material of this sort generally resists dramatic treatment but the preem stanza last Tuesday U) neatly achieved its effect via a counterpoint technique that shuttled back- and forth between high po- liticking and concrete personal re- action.s. , First I of three programs devoted to a review of the UN's brief his- tory, the session opened with a solemn reading of the world char- ter's preamble and quickly traced developments up to the current .squabbling at the Paris Conference. Program evidenced a descending line of hope as it contrasted the optimistic speeches of Molotov, Eden and Stettinius at the outset of the San Francisco Conference with the; morbid fears of atomic warfare today; , Keynote of the broadcast was sounded in the recurring line: "Where is the courage, the modesty, and the dispatch with which the peoples of the world were promised peace and a crust of bread?" Pro- gram frankly pointed up the cur- rent international, impasse, yet held out prom.ise without falling into a pollyanna tone. Question remains for future pro- grams whether the dramats will gloss over the fundamental issues dividing the big powers or tackle them fully and fearle.ssly. Henii. AMOS 'N' ANDY With Freeman Gosden, Charles Cor rcll, Lou Lubin, .lim Basquctte, Hattie McDaniel, Ernestine Wade, Delta Rhythm Boys; announcer, Carltod Kadell; mUsiC, Lnd GlUs- kin Writers: Bob Ross," John Medbury, Bob Fisher Producer: Glenn Middleton 30 Mins., Tues., 9 p.m. LEVER BROS. (RINSO) WEAF-NBG,-. .N.: Y.:- (Ruthrauff & Ryan) It's business as usual on the NBC net Tuesday nights since Amos 'n' Andy returned to the air a week ago (1). Very much as Usual. The two blackface minstrels of the air have been around so long, and their malapropisms, their minor troubles, their constant trust in humanity matched against their own excur- sions, into avarice—these things are as familiar to the listener as his own old hat. And reaction to the pair is on the same level—comfortable but unexciting. As usual, "Andy" was going to take someone over. As usual, it was he who was sucker. The same group of characters were there as of old. they tossed around the same load of gab, voicing and mild reference to men's foibles. Here and there, an old joke was brought up to date, bring- ing, in reference to OPA, shortages, etc. But one was reminded of a hack novelist who rewrote his 1905 best .seller, bv substituting an automobile for a buggy, and replacing the play- er piano with a radio—it was still a good novel, undeniably old and dated, but just as undeniably ac- ceptable to a new^ lot of readers. That's the situation of a show like this one. Amos 'n' Andy are part of our radio folklore. But their lon- gevity and . acceptance speak vol- umes about the absence of the ven- turesome, the fresh and the really new in top radio. The Delta Rhythm Boys did one number, "Loui.se." which was niftily integrated into the stanza's thin story line, and they did it well. Lud Gluskin's orch backed the thythmers but had little to do othcrwi.se, ex- cept for.helping the group with the Rin.so jingle.s. And Carlton Kadell did his part of the plugging well. . Cars. JOAN DAVIS SHOW With Si Wills, Wally Brown, Verna Felton, Sharon Douslas, Pat Mc- Geehan, others; Delta Rhythm Boys; Jack Meakin's Orch.; an- nouncer, Frank BIngman Writers: Joe Quillan, Bob O'Briekiy Nat Linden, Si Wills Producer; Dick Mack Director: Walter Bunker 25 Mins.; Mon., 8:30 p.m. LEVER BROS. (SWAN) WABC-CBS, N. Y. ^Young & Rubicom) Joan Davis had been given up by % number of listeners, expert and otherwise.. But on show caught \7) she left a more than favorable im- pression. Quite in disregard of the ballyhoo about her being "Queen of Comedy," the fact is that as heard ing. If her stable of writers doesn't let her down, she'll be up there in the high Hoopers before the season's over. she was fa.st, funny and entertain- Much of the dark talk about Miss Davis stems from the well-authenti- cated reports that the Lever Bros, think .she's too expensive a package and would like to drop her. .That's' strictly the bankroUer's businesss. But .showmanwise. Miss Davis is as good as anything on the air—no, that's not much of a compliment this year; she's really much better than most. . . ''■./. ', ■ On the show under current analy- sis, she turned in a floqk of laughs that were really de.served. Her sup- porters—* Si Wills; Wally Brown, Verna FeJtoh, Sharon ' DoUglaSi and Pat McGeehan ^ came through on their own and at the same time played like a team. A crack here or there was on the adult side-^ like the one about "Miss Weather- by's"; perfume smelling "like a morning in Duffy's Tavern'! rather than like- a night in Madame Du Barry's boudoir. But the delivery was good, and if a blue nose could take offense that's just too bad- for the bluenose. The Delta Rhythm Boys came through with a sock interlude, and Jack Meakin's orch did well by itself. The. commercials were businesslike and to the point. A good .show all the way around. Cors. Camel cigs. placed at the 10 and 20- minute marks, were not too rasping or too long. Tobacco company is stressing the results of a poll taken of the country's medicos and at the program's" windup reminds us Of its generosity in giving away free cigs to the boys in vet ho.spitals. ^ferw. MAIN ST., HARTFORD With Roy Hanson 15 Mins.; Mon^rSat., 12 noon; WDRC-HARTFORD Looking to hypo it? Siling curb- stoner, "Main St.,. Hartford," WDRC hit upon a plan .;o.f- using a mystery voice of the air in the midst of this interview show. At frequent periods, and- often at. the request of the in- terviewee, an unidentified voice, usually identified, with someone in public limelighf. ; is; dubbed into, show. Interviewees ; wjyo ; gue.ss RO.s- sessor of voice get a bUck. If they fail to identify .';ame, award is.jack- potted until someone gives the proper answer. Since, inaaglli-ating' this combina- tion , challenge arid jackpot twist,, station has noted a .terrific rnagnifi- cation of both its street and etheir audienco.<!. Also noted is the change in type of personalities who either participate ,i in or listen to .';how. Sh6w noW' interests persons of higher I.Q. than formerly were in evidence. Emsec Roy Han.son more than adequately handles the inter- viewing. Paces it nicely, frequently dubbing in humorous asides that make for a nice package. Eck. SPARKLE TIME WITH MEREDITH WILLSON .With Ben Gage, Annette Warren, Vivian, (jlary Trio; Gage announc- ing; . ■ Proiluccr-director: Myron Dutton 30 Mins.; Fri., 7:30 p.m. CANADA DRY WABC-CBS, N. Y. (J. M. Maihes) The Meredith Willsqn summer fill- in variety show has blossomed into a regular autumn airway tenant— with decision needing to be reserved,, Following his summer format. Will- son has his ace orchestra playing some neat tunes, Ben Gage alter- nating ably as baritone soloist and announcer, a novelty act included for further variety, and an added stunt' in the introduction of a young, new talent each week. Willson wraps up this motley with his drawling monologue of quips and stories, as he doubles as emcee and conductor. Trouble is, the drawling style doesn't suit the snappy musical tempo of other parts of the program, so that the half-hour'has a slow, dawdling pace that is noticeable. Willson's yarns are sometimes long and frequently disjointed and ram- bling, so that the attention wandecs. Program as a whole strikes one as somewhat nondescript, lacking point and punch. Sponsor seems overanxious to get in his licks. Friday's (4) opener having two commercials in the first six minutes, and five in all for the half-hour. Orchestra .seemed to be overdoing the theme song business a bit. too. Gage did a nice job Friday with "Sun in the Mornin'" and "To Each His Own," and the orchestra did it- self proud with a neat arrangement of "A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody." The Vivian Gary Trio, a novelty in- strumental unit, tinkled, through "Where're You At?" ISIew talent .for the week ' wa.s Annette Warren, pianist-Ringer, rendering, "I Don't Know Enough About You" in a bonniebakerish mite of a voice; But ■this, listener is still, trying to :.tie together remarks fey Willson' on Ameiri.ca,' luxury and songs like "Pretty Girl Is Like a- Melody," and Sam Ott, Soasa and Lor'd knows what el.se. They didn't add up. Broil. POT O'GOLD With Harry Salter orch; Happy Felton, emcee; Vera Holly, Jim*- my Carroll; Bob Shepard, Ly'a Sterling, announcers Writer - Producer - Director: Paul Dudley , . 30 Mins.; Wed., 9:30 p.m. LEWIS-HOWE CO. WJZ-ABC, N. Y. (Roc)ie, Williams & Cleary) "Pot o'Gold's" back and ABC's got it. The controversial .giveaway show that's based purely on chance (it they call your, home on the phone, and you answer, you get' $1,000), has returned under the same commercial auspices as of yore— : Tums. It was NBC's baby the last time it was riding the networks sev- eral years back with Horace Heidfs orchestra as the entertainment sop),. ;md when the FCC started giving it the critical eye Niles Trammel! & Co. considered it the better part of Wisdoni to let "Pot" do a scfamer.oo. . This ' time it was strictly a' toss up between ABC and Mutual Hhe only two webs that would take it), with the former getting the nod. As a concession to, Tums, it\s been slotted in the pre-Crosby Wednesday night slp't, debuting last week... (2X Now it's got a revised entertain-, ment format of an expanded variety pattern, with Happy Felton doing the . emcee-comedy chores; Harry Salter batoning the orch, and vo- calists Vera Holly and Jimmy Car- roll also spotlighted. Without that $1,000 come-on, the show isn't Calculated .to upset the natioh;s listening habit, (unfortu- nately, or fortunately,- according to one's, personal reaction to the "Pot" gimmick, it's bucking Up against the stiff Wed. 9:30 opposition of. the Dinah Shore show oh CBS and "Mr. . District Attorney" on NSC). ' ■ ■ Evaluation of "Pot" as a sheer game of chance still rrierits a view- . ing-with-alarm, for it's hatdly. the type of programming that will ele- vate the standards or professional ethics of radio. The NBG-GBS "no dice edict" on the show (accented anew last week when CBS rejected a thousand-buck giveaway idea cooked up by Joan Davis), still rates commendation^even though the two major webs have been winking the other eye «t their multiple audi- ence participation shows. The way some of them have been tossing the answers into the participants'. lap.?; . making it pretty tough to distinguish where skill ends and chance begins, invites a "who's-kidding-whom" at- titude. Rose. STRADIVARI ORCHESTRA Alfredo Antonini, conductor; Nino Ventura, Jean Carlton, John Till- man Producer: John T. Mitchell .30 Mins.; Sun., 2:30 p.m. PRINCE. MATCHABELLI : WABC-CBS, N. Y. (Morse International) The Stradivari orchestra, with an expensive instrumentation consisting entirely of Strads, is by now an es- tablished landmark on the Sunday afternoon radio panel; Program has . always dished out pleasant and re- laxing light concert piece,s, and change of conductorship from Paul Lavalle to Alfredo Antonini hasn't changed the mood and atmosphere of the .session. The lush and schmaltzy tone of the crew, coming from the all-string setup, gives out with .such ever- greens as "Blue Danube," "Caprice Vienois," "Surrender" and "Arkan- sas Traveler" there's every rea.son tor the average listener to stay tuned to this .session. Nino Ventura does the bulk of the vocal work and is joined by Jean Carlton in one number. Both voices are in keeping with the atmosphere created by the strings. Prince Matchabelli perfumes, which has resumed .sponsorship of this show after a layoff, gets digni- fied plugs by John 'Tillman. Jose. "INVITATION TO COLLEGE" 30 Mins.; Sundayi 4::<0 p.m. FOOD FAIR MARKETS KYW, Phlla. ij. M. Konii .Show is' one packaged by Bruce' Ellis Associates; New York, and has a high potential for "public service" tieups. Contestants are students- of high schools in Philly area. Winner of each series of broadcasts gets a, four-year scholarship to Temple University. Quizmaster of the .show, i.s Alan Scott, Mutual new.scaster, whp was well known in Philly as commenta- tor on WCAU. First local spot for Scott in mare than five year.s, he lends sparkle to the proceedings, keeping quizzer moving with rapid- ity. Eight contestants on opening show were smarties, with winner of first heat having, perfect score de- spite difficult questions. Judges in- cluded high city officials, giving "name" lift to contest, Shal, "ADVENTURES OF FRANK MER- , RIWELL" With Lawson Zerbe, Jean Gillespie, Harold Studer, Al Hodge Writers: Ruth & Gilbert Braun Producer-Director: Joseph F. Mans- field .30 Mins.; Sat., 10 a.m. WEAF-NBC, N. Y. Fir-st segment of a two-hour block of Saturday a.m. programs designed mainly for young listeners, these Frank Merriwelt aSr: .stories are' bound to garner plenty of adult dial- ' ei's as ttiey draw up bucketfuls of ' nostalgia from the well of days gone past; Stories are based on Btirt L; ■ Standish'.s 10c pulp classics which were so widely read 20 and 30 years ago but have a timeless appeal for kids of all sizes and ages. Dramats ar^ aptly .slotted; and if the series main- tains the excellent standard set by the preem program last Saturday, <5). finding a sponsor shouldn't be hard. ■ . Script for the show doesn't depart from the traditional conceptions of the Frank Merriwell .image. He's still a teetotaling, true-blue Yale man "who never lails the team in a clutch, Stories have, an obvious melodramatic frame, but on the ooenirig stanza, lots of excitement ; was generated. Overall production wa.s smooth in all departments, direction and cast blending nicely together. Sound ef- fects were adroitly u.sed to lend a realistic ajr to the' football game. Herm.