The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-12-13
nARRY GETS HEP

HARRY GETS HEP
 WATERS new announcer, Harry Robator, has Q few ideas Of his own about radio shows. Being Q firm believer In freedom Of speech, I've offered Harry the use of satur- days column each week for express sion of those Ideas. His initial ef- Fort follows:
 Greetings, Ladies and Gentlemen; Harry Robator speaking, not on the air this time but, In your favorlte newspaper. Tho Journal Column os the Aar--a weekly review og the radio ahowsl
 The week in Radio. Last Sunday, Radio brought to Che listeners of these United States tho first flash Of y11omentous Ilews-War in the Paclficl The electrlfylng bulletin came to us about mid-afternoon, as the networks broke Into regularly scheduled programs with the tragic news that immediately set in motion . sequence of special, unscheduled broadcasts. Last week American broadcAsters proved that our system o& gathering end disseminating radio news is the best, everl
 The people of the United states heard history being made when all the networks broadcast the presi. dents special message Co c Joint session of Congress. Then, following the request for formal declaration of War, those who kept their ears glued to loudspeakers heard the actual count Of votes being tabu. lated in the House. On Monday, F. D. D. rolled up . new daytime record with his Congressional ad. dress--some eO,000,00 tuned In. And Tuesday night, the occasion of his tirst wartime message to the people, no spoke to what Is unanimously estimated to be the largest audience ln network history. More than e0,. 100000 listeners hung onto his every word, While the Pfesldent's words were being heard in this country and Canada, shoFt-wave transmit. tors winged his voice around the world. And throughout the night the hIBtoFysmaklng speech was rn- broadcast, translated into eight foreign languages.
 Now to the serious--and some. times, laughable-huslness of TO. viewing, Mutual's "Three Ring Time" has switched networks and was heard for the first time last night on NBCS Blue hookup after highly successful run on MES, The show features actor ChafieA Laughton, laNgh.artlst Milton Harie, singer Shirley Ross and Bob Crosby and his orchestra. Highlights of the program have been the dramatic readings by Laughton at the close Of the sessioa; and the comic bouts between 8erle, who has been Q pro. feSSionAl funnymAn since he was c mere youngster, and Laughton, who in the past few years has turned 70 Radio comedy AS 0 relief from the heavy drama hO usually plays on the screen. The show 6 fairly good entertainment but it definite. y doesn't approach in smoothness and laugh material, Jack Denny's Sunday night get-to-gethor or Bob Hopes Tuesday night hais-hour, That certain Bomethlng-Koll calls it "it" and "oomph"-seems to be lacking. Production could be lroned out. And, as An after thought. we don't care for Bob Crosby's particular brand of music on the program. or course we do realize that MT. Crosby'S flower Of the flock can really give out with some solid dance music-Dixie style. And they do, no doubt, Send the cats, But wo prefer music less swingy for Q general variety program. But, be that as it may, good tuck to ''Three Ring Time" on its change Of air. lanes,
 Enough has been said, we think, about Spotlight Bands". The pro. gram sponsored by the Coca. Cola Company, represents more than just six nights Of good dance music each week; to Mutual, youngest of the three nets, It represents, as well, AAO AAABvet GpAAlHBkcbhk hcCOunt ever placed for one advertising account. The Hesitation hookup covers vlr- tually every state in the country And the program is consistentiy good. It Is Heaven on the cir lanes to the q ance-iand fan. And ct times, we have caught some really good background music for Q Ut. terbugs Paradise.
 Bing Crosby, among other things, ss the original crooner, the nations number.one song plugger and the worlds greatest collector or also-ran horses. But the strength of his radio lies as much In his personable na. ture as in his songs. Next week, we shall get around to the Kraft Music han And here's q parting shot from the Dog House Sage, Uncle Walter. "You may think you're in bad shape, but pity the poor pretzel, for, after all, Q pretzel is just c AAANOkA0ak thak asAk szaapx4AA asaA kakAl