Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-20

that one could see the blood vessels swelling
on the actors temples and the conclusion of
the sketch found him utterly exhausted. Later
Hall learned that his tremendous effort had
been to some degree unnecessary When next
cast in a somewhat similar part, he acted id
without the great repression of the first at
tempt. Instead he stepped back or turned
slightly from the microphone whenever theA
role demanded loud or high tones. The eff
feet was, In fact, better because it was moreI
natural.
There are, one might say, two schools of
thought concerning the best method of repro-I
ducing intense emotions and loud tones overI
the air without blasting. One advocates keepSI
ing the voice low in any scene, however force-I
full, and creating the effect desired by varyingI
the tempo. The other insists on what might
be called stage tones tuned down for the mcro-|
phone by the process of turning the head. InI
the opinion of most students of radio produce
ton, each has its peculiar advantages For
the experienced radio actor probably the first
method Is the better.
But it can be acquired only after long and
rigorous practice and even then only by those
who have O natural aptitude for broadcasting.
The second method has been most serviceable
in coaching celebrated stage stars for eve-
ning's program On the air. Naturally, it would
be both difficult and unwise to ask that such
artists discard the splendid stage technique
they have developed through years Of expe-
rience, yet If they projected their stage tones
into the microphone the effect might be dis
appointing to their admirers and possibly haz-,
ardous to their own popularity. The director
of radio pfaylet solves this problem by per-
hitting them TO use natural stage voices ana
indicating exactly the angle at which TO speak
into the microphone as different emotions are
portrayed.
1 recall one occasion when FRITZ Scheff
appeared In a radio presentation of her famous
operetta Mile. Modiste." On the stage her
voice is charming; on the air 1t threatened to
blur into incoherence. 1t became necessary
for me to tell her just where she must stand,
Just how she must turn her head, just how
loud she could sing. She stared at me in
amazement
Listen my friend" she said. IF you would
try to tell me how to act in the theater should
probably have you thrown out. But this is a
new art and I realize that you know more
about it than do. So proceed"
I did, and her act went over big. The
experienced radio artist, however, neither needs
nor desires such detailed direction. She is, in
fact, rather proud of the fact that her voice
is SO attuned to the microphone's possibilities
and her knowledge OF its requirements so thor
ough that the man at the control bears need
seldom twist his dials. Always her voice is
low, pure soft and compressed
Vaughn de Leath, famous as 1.-THE Original
Radio Girl SINCE into the microphone in so
low and intimate a tone that the orchestra
leader must bend forward with his ear close
to her lips in order to follow her
Jessica Dragonette, whose clear, sweet so
prano charms millions of admirers throughout
the United States, has also mastered to an
extraordinary degree the art of using low, pure
tones when singing into the microphone. Like
Vaughn de Leath, her radio technique is per-
feet.
Radio programs, it must be remembered, are
largely directed at those who are not trained
for art, either histrionic or musical Their
audiences absorb principally through the emo
tions To those listeners, many of our famous
soloists of the stage concert hall hold no
great appeal Such vocaliStS leaders,
trained for artistic imperialism; and radio be-
cause of the wide human touch, has little place
for that quality. Even turning from the micro
phone ON high or loud notes cannot always
keep the imperialistic suggestion out of a
voice trained for and accustomed to grand
opera
Public men, no less than actors and actresses,
learn by frequent broadcasting to develop midi
vidual styles in radio technique. Possibly
there are no speakers who illustrate this more
clearly than do former Gov. Alfred E. Smith
and Mayor James .. walker of New York. The
formers technique might be compared to that
Of the stage opera star. He retains his plat
form style before the microphone. gesticulating
voice of emphasis. Often 1t Is necessary for
the technician In charge Of the broadcast TO
signal that he must keep facing the micro
phone, and the man at the control hoard,
whose duty 1t Is to maintain an even voice
level, Is constantly manipulating his diRlY,
13i ANY N as tcb6JTigAt 1859,