The Omaha guide., 1939-01-14

not too far removed from the Cat
fish Row. requirements.
JUDGES MAKE STUPID BLUM
DERS: But producers and those
who should know do not always
know, nor recognize talent when
they see it. It is difficult to believe
but sure that many drawing huge
salaries in motion pictures. vaude-
vile, opera, radio were not so lone
pushed aside with q glance
on overlooked entirely. True ar
tistic talent may deyelope miracul-
ously, yet surely there must be
some sign of It even in the sprout
ING stage. And the producer should
have an eye trained for such per-
eeption Usually the talent must be
a. pronounced as a Chesterfield
signboard before it is recognized
by The powers that be.
Ten years ago the celebrated
George eukor turned thumbs down
on Bette Davis at a Rochester thea
ire. In his opinion She was hope
less. A year later Bette Davis
crashed Broadway another year,
she made Hollywood and six years
later won the Best Performance
Award.
The late and immortal Schumann
Heink had as many careers as a
eat has lives. Her first try-out with
a Vienna opera was a miserable
failure. They laughed at her home
ly face, her clothes, her figure.
Somebody was mighty stupid.
Enrol Flynn was in pictures four
years before he forced the audi
ton that landed him in the top
crust. The role was Captain
Blood. He returned to the cast.
ing office time and time again
telling them: 1--WE had adventures
that make Captain Blood look like
q fairy tale. l can shoot, ride, swim
handle any kind of a boat. 1t won't
hurt to try me will it," Per-
sistenee and self-assurance won a
test and the part.
Duke Ellington tops the list now
but there was well remembered
time when additions seemed but
farce designed for the producers
idle moments. And the shaping
and re-shaping Of a band to anoth-
er's idea is something else again.
For a band or vaudeville until au-
ditions are frequently strung out
over months and months. Every
addition finds new faces in the
judges stand and the unit must
go thru its PAGES repeatedly while
The contemplated producers picks
imaginary flaws and suggests a.
Bsurd or impossible changes Such
Is the experience of every band,
however famous. -
Minta Cat, Ge9rgette Harvey,
the Southernaires, all have tales
to tell of additions at sometime
or other that would ended their cas-
reers, had not their own stubborn
ess prevailed.
HOW MATTHEW BROKE IN:
The writer literally forced the
hearing of Erward Matthew for
tho much struggled after Capitol
Hour. Fred Raphael was
additions in the broadcast
ing room. We took Matthews in,
unannounced and without appoint
ment and asked for an immediate
hearing. We were too late, said
Raphael and besides, their new po-
Icy was to have aspirants try out
over WIN, the Lowe radio station.
Let him come in and sing a song
over the air and if we like him
he said.
I refused point blank. Hes not
that kind of a singer, he is far
above that, and you'll be making
p mistake to let him go out the
door unheard." Nonplussed, RAJ
phael called a pianist and walked
resignedly to the control room. The
air became tense with excitement
at the first note. Orchestra men on
the point Of leaving crowded back
into the room, the pianist was
smiling estatically and Raphael
was busy on Mayors private phone
and thus was Matthews "dis-
covered
Walter Brennan gave an audi
ton for "Barbary Coast unsolict-
ed. He applied all made for the
nart n,inns an owe old hat ect.