Evening star., 1943-09-12
or RadioL;steners
BY Ben Kabian.

NEW YORK.
Because its approach is different,
and because its reach is so wide
spread, radio is doing a pretty good
job these days on interracial rela-
tions, while Hollywood trails a poor
second with its lavish all-Negro
musicals and reviews. The difference
lies in the fact that radio gives it's
Negro performers something to say
pictures give them something to
do; radio gives them characters to
play-pictures give them musical
routines, elaborate settings and cos
tunes out of this world.
"Abie's Irish Rose" of course, has
long been in class by itself when
1t comes to Pumping for religious
tolerance. But last season, when
Amanda Randolph was added to the
radio cast, its authors made an at
tempt to plump for interracial un-
derstanding, too. The result was
that liberals of both races deluged
the authors with complimentary
fan mail. Amanda got the first
actual contract of her long radio
career and this season her part in
the script will be increased in pro-
portion to the message the authors
have to deliver
X X
Out in Hollywood two big pro-
grams are following suit. On the
Great Gildersleeve program. Aman-
da's sister Lillian Randolph, is a
cast regular. On the Judy Canova
program, Ruby cambridge does a
capable, efficient Job.
An odd side light on this trio is
that all of them have a Cleveland
background. The Randolph sisters
were daughters of Cleveland
minister, while Actress cambridge
studied there at the Cleveland
School of Dramatics. All three
started their professional careers as
singers-the Randolph sisters in
movie houses, Actress Dandridge
with the Hall johnson Choir.
**
Housewives are facing the day
when they'll have to decide whether
they'd rather hear Jack Benny. the
Aldrich Family, Burns and Allen
and other major network broadcasts
than the soap operas they're accus-
toned to getting as daytime radio
fare. The Mutual nets expert
mental plan to rebroadcast (by re-
cordings), during the daylight hours,
the night time programs of such
advertisers who care to try the ex-
pertinent, gets under way the day
after the last Worlds Series broad
cast in October.
The potential daytime audience
for these recorded evening shows
undoubtedly is tremendous. Swing
shift war workers, who are unable
to hear the live shows in the eve
ming hours, are almost certain to be
pleased by the new setup. Some of
the Nations housewives are bound
to listen, and then again, what's to
prevent people from listening to
radio show second time in the
same way one goes again to a par
ticularly good movie?
After jockeying between first and
second place all summer, Mr.. Dis
trict Attorney has once more taken
a firm hold on first place among
radio shows. Kay Kysers program
is second.
The biggest squirt in listening
audience gain was made last month
by the Jimmy Durante-Garry Moore
session, heard Thursdays. The pro-
gram climbed from 10th to fourth
place among the network leaders,
according to the latest official re-
port.
ONCE OVER LIGHTLY Jack
Carson's new maestro is Charles
Dant, who takes over the musical
chores formerly handled by Johnny
Richards Look for Casey" to
appear in Abie's Irish Rose October /
-. That's when Ann Thomas, who
plays the part, gets back to NYC
after Baltimore and Washington
tryout of Elmer Rice's new play .. :.
Rubinoff makes a radio comeback
September 10 with 4o-piece orches-
ira in a half-hour show The First
Nighter series returns to the air
over Mutual November 7. Barbara
Luddy returns as femme lead, with