The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-12-28


fly the music sheet on the stand.
Robust Mills, however, rushed from
the podium in time to recover the
copy for Whites entrance. It was
then that the lights suddenly went
out in the studio and for twenty
minutes the boys remained in their
places in complete darkness.
When the lights went out" re-
ports Mills, white was soloing
'Daybreak'."
American radio broadcasts short
waved to England and the number
of our fighting men and women sta
tened there have created a unique
situation in that the five leading
sheet music sellers in London and
environs are all tunes composed in
this country.
Lyn Murray. noted bandleadel
and choral director, has checked
the latest list of the most popular
songs in England and finds thai
besides being Tin Pan Alley crea-
tons, they are all ballads rather
than rhythm or swing songs.
Their titles, according to Murray
are IF I Had My Way revival;
Homecoming Waltz" Sunday
Monday Or Always" my Blue
Eyes, and Comm In On A Wing
And A Prayer"
Murray points out that those
songs were and still are leaders over
here and have been played consist
emily by artists who have been on
such shows as Command Perform
ance," broadcast regularly to our
boys and girls in service overseas.
Such an acceptance abroad,
says Murray. indicates how strong
link with home our popular songs
are to the uniformed forces from
the United States"
However" continues Murray, 'it
Is not always peaches and cream
for our popular tunes. Some Of our
songs are sometimes barred from
local radio broadcasting by the
BIC"
Latest example of such banning,
according to the bandleader, Is
Paper Doll" Frank Sinatra and
Bling Crosby have done much to
popularize the number in this coun-
try but the British Broadcasting
Company has definitely rejected It,.
It is maintained by them that the
songs lyrics would be construed as
IAN insult to English womanhood
and, If allowed to be broadcast,
would cause plenty of objection
from feminine listeners"
AS far as the fact that the lead
ing songs across the sea are ballads,
Murray believes that it's because
such numbers are just about the
easiest to sing, whether solo or in
groups.
Did You Know That: Joseph Cot
ten, of Misunderstanding Unlimit-
ed" was one of David Belasco's last
proteges he understudied Mel
vyn Douglas in Tonight or Never ~
and Belasco thought him a sure
fire bet for fame Don Bryan,
the Radio Readers Digest maestro,
was once a country schoolmaster
who spent more time rounding up
hockey players than he did instruct
ing them in the three RS" :. Bob
Burns, the Arkansas Traveller" has
been everything from a mandolin
player in a minstrel show, to q
salesman of silver polish, with a
brief career as a street car motor
man in between 1t took Bob four
days to learn how to turn the
handle . Bill Days, tenor star OF
Blue Ribbon Town." Is an expert
flyer. amateur photographer and a
pioneer in the field OF electronic
recording William Spier, pro-
Queer of "Suspense," does every
thing but act on the show he
selects and adapts the stories, di-
reefs the program and writes much
of the musical score :. Pat Barnes,
new emcee of Correction, Please,
was a vaudeville and film player
before turning to radio in 1881 as a
writer, producer and actor :. Phil
Baker, star of '"Take 1t Or Leave
It," Is the only musician in the
world who plays left handed &C
Gordon 1t was especially de-
signed for him and is insured for
| 100000 Georgia Gibbs, of the
Durante-Moo comedy show, has
been awarded the Treasury Depart
/ ment's "T' for selling more than
a million dollars worth of bonds,
via Treasury Star Parade" tram
scriptions, broadcasts and personal
appearances.
Seated side by side in the violin
section of the Musical Steelmak-
ers" orchestra, heard Sundays at
$50 p. m, EWT, on the Blue net
work, are father and son-Earl
Summers, ST., and Jr. Dad, a long
time employee of the steel company
sponsoring the program, taught the
boy how to play-but now, if any
"clinker" turns up during the fid-
die rehearsals, it's usually Junior
who is pointing out the faux pas
to the old man!
AAllrLI OllOlC UIl4S WCCh 40 SlCC1ul1y
showing friends her latest letter
from an overseas soldier admirer.
Instead of the customary address
on the envelope, the service lad had
drawn an alluring picture of sea-
shore. complete with palms, added
a heart enclosing "a. E. F." and
ended with ~. S. A."
The post office clerk, who appar-
emily had also read that Dinah is
widely known as the Sweetheart
of the A. E. F." forwarded it
promptly to Dinah in Hollywood.
Jimmy Cash. Burns and Allen
vocalists, has found an excellent
place in which to combine II not
exactly work and play, at least a
hobby and rehearsal. Jimmy. one