Evening star., 1935-11-17
Women Top
New Talent
Men Who Get Chance
Outnumbered 10 to l.
Foot Ball Protested.
By Dorothy Mattison.

4 going this season on the rare
occasions when sponsor
proves willing to take a chance and
let a radio newcomer help sell his
wares. And it's wise sponsor indeed
who knows when to take chance
and get away from the tried and
true big-name stars.
Certainly no sponsor consciously
adopts the role. of a pflilanthropist
playing angel to an entertainer who
wants to get started on radio career
He is, first of all, a business manor
he wouldn't have the bankroll it takes
to put show on the networks. But
when a sponsor does pick wisely,
there's nothing like new voice TO
brighten up e show that's been heard
on the air year after year.
In the seasons parade of new talent
to the microphone, the ladies out
number the menfolk ten to one.
Actually. there have been only four
outstanding new masculine personali-
ties on the air this season-one of
whom, Michael Bartlett, has already
returned to the movie studios from
whence he came. Another is appar-
emily on the way out. also. He is
Marty May, vaudeville comedian
whose build-up Columbia has re-
nounced after several months cam
paign to catch a sponsors eye for
him. Who do you have left? Only
Wallace Beery, whose folksy drawl in
PRODUCES guests Of the Chateau va
riety bill these Saturday evenings
and Bob Burns, the biggest radio find
of the season.
Right here let's enter a prediction
that Burns Is bound for the top,
with his first definite step being a
contract for Paul Whiteman's present
sponsor.
VOU know, of course, that Bing
Crosby and Jimmy Dorsey's band
are due to take over Whiteman's
Music Hall hour. 1t looks right now
as if they will move in on the pro-
gram next month instead Of waiting
until January. when the Whiteman
contract expires. Right here is where
our prediction enters the picture
Bob Burns will very likely get a reg
ular contract on the Crosby program
shortly after the first Of the year.
Don't think for a minute that any
sponsor is taking a chance when he
signs up Bob Burns. He's just plain
good, with a gift for seeing hilarious
comedy in commonplace things. He
clicked right away when Rudy Vailee
and Paul Whiteman first introduced
him as guest star early this season.
And then, all of a sudden vaifee
ceased to aid the new comedian in
the radio career upon which he had
helped launch him. Why, after all
Vallee probably reasons should he
90 on giving a boost to the .Bazooka
tootin' comedian from Arkansas when
it looks as if he is about to sign up
with another program?
Burns, of course, has the advan-
tage of any comedian over a singer
or dramatic artist who hopes for radio
success. Just the fact that he is a
comedian brings an early verdict on
whether or not he is good enough for
the big time-comedy being an in
stantaneous thing in which per-
former clicks Immediately or not at all,
because a joke is either funny or it
isn't. There may be many singer
heard on the air for the first time
this year who will have rolled up
a following and a sponsor by next
season. But time alone will tell. Radio
is like that.
IF YOU are a radio fan but not a
foot ball enthusiast too. heaven
help you on a Saturday afternoon.
Every major station carries a foot
ball game-deSpite the fact that not
more than Is per cent of the popu-
lation think November is synonymous
with gridiron. I happen to be foot
ball fan-but that doesn't alter the
theme Of the letters. which pour in
to register disgust of many listeners
because they can't dig up some otner
good program for three solid hours
on Saturday afternoon. Surely, Il
one of the networks dared to be diff
ferent and present good musical
program it ought to draw thousands
and thousands of listeners.
Meanwhile, if it's radio athletics
YOU want to escape, WOR's airing Of
the hockey games from Chicago won't
help much.
SEND up another lament-this time
bewailing the fact that Hal
Kemp's scintillating rhythms are be-
ing cut to the bone on the Phil Baker
programs. True, it is supposed to
be Bakers program, but somewhere
between gags and accordion solos,
there ought to be more room for
Kemp'S tunes. And If the sponsors
are wise they will realize that Kemp
has a lot to do with the popularity
of this program.