Evening star., 1936-07-12

back to humrning a warm tune or
two just to keep our chin up! Out Of
the current melodies 1t seems quite
likely there may emerge few songs
that may even merit perennial popu-
larity-mirroring, as they do, mood
more joyous than we've seen reflected
In the songs of the Nation since the
depression came along and provoked
us to buoy our spirits with plenty of
mad, mad music.
The tempo slows-and the songs we
hear are again soothing and charm
ing. A tenor lifts his voice at the
microphone and an old-fashioned bal
lad floats from your loudspeaker. A
soprano steps into the studio-and you
hear a song that might have delighted
grandfather and grandmother, If
they'd had a chance to tune in to
New York or Chicago or Hollywood
when they were sweet Is.
MEANWHILE, it's to market, to
A'A market to buy up some sure-fire
radio talent for Fall. That is the
theme song which is engaging the
sponsors now busy with show-shop-
ping. Al Jolson, for one, has been in
town dickering with three of them
all with an eye on a show for produc-
ton next season :. Phil Duey may
team up with Joan Marsh for a COM
mercial Phillips Lord has new
idea up his broadcasting sleeve 1.
DR.. Allan r. Dafoe is expected to
have q three-a-week commercial over
c. B. s. for a sponsor who makes
antiseptics the fact that it isn't
due unal the Autumn provides oppor-
tunity for his new backer to tune in
his present series and observe what
the lack Of adequate time and dearth
of angles not already aired in the
newspapers Is doing to that genial
gentlemans new career as broad
caster.
Joe Penner's new show is due to
originate in Hollywood, with Jimmy
Grier plotting the musical half. That
mail order house which. by now, also
has a stand on nearly every Main
street, will put on a variety show via
Columbia, probably Thursdays. 10 pm,
beginning September 3. Jennison
Parker, knocking out some scripts for
Al Pearce, gives rise to hope that the
hilarious antics of Pearce's Gang will
soon fnd their way back to the net
works :. Mornings at McNeill's' is
booked for Fall, holding over at N. B. c.
out of Chicago, with q revised title
due to its new tea-time air schedule
beginning September 80.
N. B. c. plans a comeback for the
Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, again
with Harold Sanford directing. Un-
daunted by the sales department mix
up which let the community sing idea
on the air the other week for an
other sponsor, that radio OUTFIT goes
ahead readying kindred bill for Fall.
but laying plans to let Jack Arthur
and q comic or two help the show
along. . The sponsor of the current
song program plans to take the air on
the heels of the new Maj. Bowes show.
beginning in September. :. The Kate
Smith show looks as if it would shape
up for a September II or "a debut.
The same network airing the
Smith and Bowes shows during the
new season. c. B. S.. draws the new
contract for Harry Horlick and his
Gypsies for Thursday nights, pm.
A ND here, while we're on the sub
ject Of Fall commercials. are a few
nominations some enterprising sponsor
might jot down as good bets for the
new season: The Kings testers, who
60 over both instrumentally and vo-
cally. Madge Marlay and Karl
Landt =. and Enric Madriguera, busy
Just now proving that he manipulates
a competent baton, even when his out
fit keeps away from the tangoes and
rhumbas for which 1t Is best known.
AS you look over the plans for the
new season, what do you think OF the
chances that the folks who go for the
Eddie Cantor brand of highly funda-
mental humor will lend an attentive
ear to the smooth, subtle melodies
turned out by Rubinoff? And do you
feel pretty confident that Jack Benny's
new script writers, Hugh Wedlock, jr,
and Howard Snyder, will keep the
Benny show up to the standard set by
Harry Conn when he was burning out
those scripts? Surely you'll agree that
the smartest radio move Of the Sum-
mer season so far seems to be Cara
vans" willingness to turn the writing
end Of its show over to fellow whose
business happens to be writing-Ru-
pert Hughes. Looks as If that show
might be setting a precedent along
other lines, too-with its doubling up
on orchestras to feature contributions
by Benny Goodman and Nat Shilkret,
too. It's just another step in line with
the movie business and its double fea-
ture bills. As one Manhattan COM
mentator puts it, all radio needs to do
now to claim complete kinship with
the movie house is to cook up some
way of putting on q bank night" g.. /.
The Hughes show has, by the way,
q neat idea for August IL, when it