The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-12-06
WAVELETS
BY ED LEAMY

Jimmie F1dler, whose airy cnatS
and comments on the film industry
and its stars are heard Sundays at
9:45 p. M, EWT., over WATR and
the Blue Network, has had as ex-
citing and colorful a career as
any he discusses.
Emerging from World War as
the youngest commissioned officer
in the Marine Corps Che was II
when he enlisted), Fidler did every
thing from washing dishes in a
Hollywood cafe to press agentry for
the stars, before finding his own
niche.
A fan letter to Betty Compson,
silent era beauty, which the gra-
cious star answered personally, was
the start of it all. It encouraged
Fidler to sell a thriving auto &C
cessories business to try his luck
in the land of make-beleve.
First prize in movie magazine
contest won Fidler bit parts in sew
eral early films. In a few months
he had worked his way up to semi
| important roles, one of them as
the brother Of Wallace Reed in
always Audacious." Then, in 1920,
the studios suffered their first
major shutdown and, caught in the
panic, he was reduced to dish wash
ing.
Later, a succession Of breaks,
leading to the editorship of the
Hollywood News, resulted in an
offer to go with the old Famous
Players Lasky Company (now Para
mount, doing publicity for its
stars. They included Rudolph
Valention, Wallace Reed, Mary
Miles Minter, Gloria Swanson and
others. There he found his meter
and later launched his own private
publicity bureau, handling as many
as forty big-name stars and direc-
tors at once.
An urgent request to pinch hit as
interviewer on the old Hollywood
on the Air" series, was Jimmie's
introduction to radio. His breezy
style and ingratiating mike man
ner opened a new avenue which be-
came his road to fame as Holly
woods foremost radio commenta-
tor.
Born in st. Louis, raised and edu-
Gated in Tennessee and Mississippi,
Fidler stands feet 9 IL inches in
height, has blue eyes and blond
hair, and tips the beam at 155. He
is a four handicap golfer, fastl-
dious dresser, a "lunch counter adj
dict" and he plays piano for his
own amusement.
Jay Somers, scripter OF 'The
Chamber Music Society OF Lower
Basin Street." the Blue networks
-for-all, believes in keeping his
guest stars in charatcer-a bit OF
reasoning that has resulted in the
colossal audience popularity rating
(18-plus in Crossley) the program
has achieved. -.
"Since Basin Street IS built
around the idea OF giving a celebrat-
ed guest star the pointed edge OF
Milton Cross verbal stllleto, 1t might
appear that all we have to do is
insult him with any old gag that
pops out of the typewriter" reflect
ed SOm1neTS. buI CdCii COiiCuy
situatio has to be tailor-made. We
do ridicule the star but satirical ref
erences to his ability must be en-
tirely plausible.
you'd not think it very amusing
if Lauritz Melchior, a recent Basin
Street victim, had been cast as a
flippant, fast-talking comedian. He
Just wasn't the type. The logical
role for him was that Of an opera
tic star with a hidden desire to play
IN vaudeville and Groom, la Slna-
ira and Crosby. Melch!or cooper
ated beautifully he had listened
faithfully to records Of these great
pop singers, and then topped his
performance with the worlds ham,
miest verion of Pistol Packin' Ma
ma Everyone connected with the
program felt pretty happy at sign
off time, including the studio ush-
ers, who are very hard to please"
Sommers, whose Chamber Mu-
sic Society of Lower Basin Street
scripts are not written on the back
Of a pair of brass knuckles, contrary
| to popular opinion, became a writer
| under circumstances that read like
an Alger success story.
He was an undergraduate editor
of the City College of New York
daily paper, until student prank
resulted in his expulsion. Sommers
hen decided on a business career.
He toiled industriously in the mine
to half-past five manner" and
wrote humorous letters to a girl
friend In his spare time. She thought
them pretty funny and showed the
letters to a producer who was look
ing for someone to write scripts