The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-07-14
R U Listening?
with CHARLES MANN

First Lady of the airwaves, Agnes Moorehead, has been signed by RkO to replace Gladys George in one of the leading roles on GOV EMINENT GIRL. Miss George de- clined the role to take the role now being played by Miriam Hopkins on Broadway in THE SKIN OF OUR TEETH. Tallu Bankhead is the originator of the role. Miss Moorehead joins a cast that in- cludes Olivia de Havilland, Sonny Tufts, Anne Shirley, James Dunn and Una O'Connor.
 Orson Welles and Norman Corwin are collaborating again on radio shows Morton Downey's success 1t the Starlight Roof in New York resulted in an additional months engagement there ;. The Revuers, whom we acclaimed highly in this column several months ago when we saw them at the Carleton, have been signed for the movie DUF- FY'S TAVERN.
 Arch Obolers THIS PRECIOUS FREEDOM, film about Fascism In America, has been purchased by MGM, who will ko ID it in the files for stock footage rather than re- lease it as a feature or a short .. It was originally filmed by the Gen eral Motors Corporation, but was not released by them because the material was considered 'hot.' Claude Rains appeared in the lead.
 STRANGE AS IT-Martha Foley, editor of the annual best Short Stories" was the first to publish William Saroyan in Story" maga- zine. She notified Saroyan of the acceptance of his story by wire, ''That's unusual" replied Saroyan, then a Postal Telegraph messeng- CT I deliver wires, not receive them" Then he sent story every day for 30 days and letter relating that he became interested in writing when he came across an old German medical book. Martha Foley published that letter, instead of the numerous stories. The re- suit was: The Medical School of the University of North Carolina paid Saroyan S100 for that rare medical book:
 SIDELINES: Maestro Meyer Da- vis' makes a fortune on bowling all leys. His Washington place has been selected as one of 12 outstand- ing bowling spots by the American Bowling Congress Johnny "Black Magic" Mercer owns the Capitol Records firm with Buddy DeSylva, the Paramount producer. Capitol Records is directly across the street from Johnny's NEG stu dio Mary Margaret Mcbride was top writer before she was an ace radio columnist and still collects heavy fees on magazine pieces and books Ray Block, maestro of the CBS Playhouse. was a profitable farmer long before it became patriotic to be one. He drove the horse and buggy that be- longed to President RoOsevelts mother ~. Johnny Richards, band leader on Jack Carson's program, was ton music arranger for Para mount Pictures before he formed his orchestra.
 Johnny Mercer and Jerry Colon- na get Hollywood's biggest guftaWs with this silly dialogue. Colonna: five been playing your records four at time-one on top of the oth- CT. Mercer: That's impossible. How can you play four records one on top of the other? Colonna: Long needles.
 Upton Close, Mutual commenta- tor, received a persona, invitation in the form of a caricature. from Colonel Hunter and the boys in the Second Army to review the summer maneuvers in Nashville, Tennessee. Upton Close is heard over WATR and the Yankee Network Sundays at 6 p. m.
 Headliners Make Smart Diners: Tyrone Power and his Annabella slipping orange juices unnoticed in the Galerie Pompadour of the Cafe Louis XIV Betty Hutton, stick of blonde dynamite, putting salt in her grapefruit juice at Ce- ruttis . Gypsy Markoff, just out of the hospital after that plane crash, enjoying life all over again at the open-air Cafe Francais . . Meyer Davis feeding his favorite