Evening star., 1937-05-23

prepared at any time to direct, produc
under his present sponsorship. This !:
Is the first definite action taken by
4 radio sponsor which recognizes the
possibility of televised broadcasts in
the near future.
Cantor readily agreed to this pro-
viso. I've got face that has done
all right on the stage and screen"
he said. "I'u have the same face
when television is practical"
Recognizing his talent as both
Snowman and producer, the agree
ment provides that, in addition to
starring on his regular programs, he
shall supervise and guide the pro-
duction of any programs which may
be featured during his personal va
cation. The new siX-year contract
contains no 13-week cancellation
clause, usual in most radio agree
ments between artist and sponsor.
TRNA PHILLIPS, author of the pop
ular "Today's Children" program,
has been writing at least five radio
dramatic scripts a week without in
terruption since October. 1880, and
she says 1t isn't work, it's fun. One
might suspect that a person who
had written two and half million
words of dialogue in daily INSTALL
ments might grow tired of it all, but
not Miss Phillips. She says that If
she doesn't feel like writing she waits
until she does feel like it.
She is believed to hold the record
among women radio authors for the
length of time she has been writing
daily scripts without break. After
writing other serials for 20 months.
she brought "Today's Children" to
the air in June, 1882, when that tre-
mendously popular program began a
run which carried it through more
than 800 scripts. Five shows week
have not been her limit. She has
written as many as 10 l5-minute
shows and one 3O-minute show each
week and is at present writing both
'Today's Children" and The Guiding
Light"
HENRY NJ NEELY, who comments
on "Everybody's Music" under the
nickname "Old Stager," isn't old and
he isn't a stager He's alert, bright
eyed, with wiry iron-gray hair. He
gets around places fast and always is
pursuing such fascinating tangents as
taking pictures of dancing dogs and
boxing cats at night clubs and photo
graphing Lily Pons at the opera He
loves Beethoven but also Carmen
Lombardos "Boo-Hoo." He keeps a
card file in his hotel of every moving
picture and song hit that comes out
He can tell you without batting an
eyelash what the most popular tune
of the week is. In fact, he is walk
Ing Hit Parade"
AS for the "Stager" part of the
nickname Nicely never has had even a
walk-on part in the theater. He was
a music critic for years a newspaper
man. foreign correspondent, and the
friend Of every musician in Philadel-
phia But the nearest he ever got tc
the stage was marrying an opera
singer. Yet "Old Stager" has beer
his nickname throughout his radio
career. He has grown famous on the
strength of it. He got it back in the
early days. about 1925. when a pro.
gram was featuring Jessica Dragonette
in revivals of musical comedies ano
operettas. Nicely was the music com.
mentator on the show, and the pro-
ducers thought it would be a good idea
II he reminisced Informally about
things-like an old matinee-goer o1
the pastor an "Old Stager."
nON WILSON, husky announcer
for Jack Benny. halls from Lin
coin, Nebr. He played foot ball at tn,
University Of Colorado and won all
American mention, broke into radio a.
q member of singing trio in Denver
migrated to San Francisco and be
came an announcer there. N B. c.
hearing his work, asked him to COM
to New York. He has been heard will
Grace Moore, Leslie Howard, Nelsol
Eddy, Fred Astaire and Phil Baker
Wilson Is feet inches tall, dark an,
confesses to a displacement of 2l
pounds, having shed 10 pounds TO
movie work.
JOHN NEsB1TT, popular youn
commentator of the "Passin
Parade was born in Victoria, Britis
Columbia. He is a grandson of tn
famous American actor. Edwin Boott
made his stage debut at the ag
OF 4, when he wandered down tn
hall of theater building in Bosto
and on to the stage where they wer
fehearsing The Blue Bird: starte
as radio announcer in San Fran
cisco in 1929, later took up news
paper work and then returned t
announcing chores. From the rank
OF unknown radio people. he has be
come one Of the airs top-notch CON
mentators in one year.
UNI AND ABNER (Chester Lauc
and Norris Goff) were born j
Mena, Ark, and have been pals sin,
boyhood. Prior to radio activitie
Lum was in the auto finance busine
and Abner was employed in h
fathers wholesale business. Tht
were invited to go on the air for
service club as a black-face team. /
the last minute, they switched
rural characters, whom they ha'
been impersonating ever since; a
now being heard from Hollywoo
where they recently celebrated the
seventh anniversary on the air. Bo
are married; Lum has two daugl
ters, Abner one son.
CLOAKED behind the invisibih
Of the microphone which broa
casts the adventures of Aunt Jenl
are featured some Of the fairest laH
In broadcasting. When they are n
participating in this broadcast, ma,
OF them fill feature and star roles
Broadway productions. Several