Evening star., 1935-12-29

some OF the shows now being heard.
All Of which creates nice little
lull in which to indulge in that
ancient practice Of drawing up a few
new year resolutions. Just for q
starter on the eve Of the brand-new
year, how about asking for continued
improvement In handling studio au-
diences so they won't interfere with
the unseen audiences enjoyment of
radio shows? And wouldn't 1t be q
good idea If at least so per cent Of
those chemically blue vocalists were
asked to tune in on JeSsica Dragon
cites songs-or Is it hoping too much
to believe that la Dragonette's gayety
Is contagious enough to do them
good?
A LSO in order would be q resolu-
ton to move either Lily Pons or
Fred Allen to a different broadcast
spot-to save the weekly struggle over
dialing at 8 on a Wednesday night.
And why wouldn't it besa good idea
to ask the broadcasters 10 resolve to
look up some arrangers who would be
willing to keep the instrumental
soloists in mind when they fix up
tunes for an airing?
1t would be gratifying II Maj. Bowes
could get interested in a resolution
to be more reticent about airing tele-
grams relative to the size Of the great
big heart every one knows he has .
If WOR could resolve to book Reed
Lawton for an occasional evening spot
so plain working folks could hear
him If C. B. s. could find q
sponsor for Clyde Barrie, although
it's a step in the right direction when
he goes on that Wednesday Sis pm.
program this week and II the
dance bands could get over their
lugubrious spell and adopt sprightly
tempo now and then. It might prove
to be a good move for Jimmy Durante
If he should resolve to stay in comedy
character roles after his Jumbo"
show runs its course which
to think over, too it doesn't
take long for the pair of them to
pail in straight comedy before the
microphone. And, by the way, Won
der If Cantor isn't hopping out Of
the proverbial frying pan into the
fire by moving away from the COM
petition Of the Bowes' hour only to
land opposite the Jack Benny show.
That gets us around to the need for
resolution which Benny should
make-to pump more laughs into the
show than it has been averaging dur
ing the past three weeks.
THERE'S some sort of lesson TO be
learned from the Monday 10 pm.
bill on N. B. c. Almost every broad
caster and every sponsor is on the
lookout for something impressive and
spectacular in the way Of radio fare.
Yet look at this particular show. It's
one of the Oldest commercials on the
air, and one Of the best, too. Yet
there's nothing spectacular about it.
It's Just good, comfortable, tuneful
show, with very little advance hoop
de-doo. Which may point the way
to another resolution for radio show
men: Quit trying to startle the
audience. Just go ahead quietly and
be entertaining"
Meanwhile, some Of the script
writer's could busy themselves with a
resolution to tune in every week on
N. B. C.'s Radio Guild and take a
tip or two from Shakespeare on how
to write for the air! Writing at a
time when stages were bare Of scenery
and other technical aids =. Shake
speare seems to have done right well
by radio! And another thing .
however, the battle between the
American Society of Authors, Com
posers and Publishers VS.. those five
anita. S. c. A. P. music publishers
should turn out we listeners ought
to stand united in making resolution
to protest if they start to revive the
old practice of shouting appreciation
to the copyright owners every time q
tune Is aired.
lust launched on Columbia net
work after more than two years
OF the air, Harry Reser is due to 60
home again home being, for him,
N. B. C. Beginning January IL he
will have a $3.50 pm Sunday spot on
his old network No contract has
been signed yet, but James Melton
probably will be the regular soloist
for the N. B. c. Friday night Prom
show With his own Wednesday
night program folding, Conrad Thi-
bault will be back on the Show Boat
next week.
Every one had a guess about what
would happen to the Beauty Box show
But apparently few guessed right
Yet news that IT will shift to the
Columbia chain January IL to be q
Saturday, PM, feature should ac-
casion no surprise. It's right in line
with the current tendency Of spon-
sors to shift networks about every six
months or so with view to reaching
different audience. Inasmuch as
Al Goodman's orchestra furnishes the
music for this bill, his present N. B.