The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1944-05-02
WAVELETS
By ED LEAMY
By ED LEAMY

"If you want TO get the best out
Of an actor, give him part that he
will feel at home In" says william
Spier, producer Of the CHS "Sus-
pense" Series.
Spier, whose breathtaking thrill
er si.amas recently earned him
Radio Life Magazines Distinguish
ed Achievement Award for radio
drama production, uses an Vlnortha-
dox approach In casing his "Sus-
pense" broadcast-he first obtains q
star and then seeks story TO fit
the personality, habits and hobbies
Of that particular player.
For example: When Spier wanted
to present OrsOn Welles In recent
broadcast he considered score Of
stories before deciding on The Mar
Vicious Barastr0,' by Ben Hecht. II
wanted q drama that would appeal
to WelIes' personal taste as well as
being in keeping with his special
talents" said Producer Spier
Knowing that Orson is a magic en-
thusiasts / decided that q part In
which he could play at his hobby
would be ideal for him. The Mar
velOus Barastro' looked like ma
turaI because he'd be enacting not
one but two magicians- / might add
that the 'BaraStrO' show was one of
the most successful we have ever
broadcast"
Katina PaxinOu's foreign accent
and her years Of association with
Europeans had q lot to do with
Spiers' choice Of THE Woman in
Red, In which Suspense" vehicle
the Greek actress starred as Nazi
agent.
Lucille Ball, whose dancing feet
carried her to fame and fortune,
needed a role in which dancing was
the theme in order to make her feel
at hom, so Spier cast her I'm "Dime
a Dance" and Lucille won new
laureHs as a radio dramatic actress.
The list Of stars whose Suspense
stories were tailored to fit their hob
bies and ambitions is virtually as
long as the roster Of Suspense"
successes. There was Fay Bainter's
portrayal of the mother in Life
Ends At Midnight" Miss BANTER,
one of HOllywood's most devoted
mothers was cast in story that al
lowed her m0therly instincts full
sway. Ida Lupin0, Is q student Of
psychology and SO it was appropri-
ate that she appear in The Sisters
q Suspense play dealing with that
subject.
That's why the stories are tailored
TO fit the stars, on Suspense
George McManus, cartoonist Of
Bringing Up Father" was asked by
Mary Margaret Mcbride on her pro-
gram recently why he made Maggie
Jiggs so ugly. He said, 'evey beau
tiful woman is ugly when she's mad
and Maggie is always mad"
Helen Hayes. the great lady Of the
theater. adds to her list Of notable
radio portrayals when she returns
to the microphone Of Cavalcade Of
America, Monday May 8, over NBC
% p. m) from Radio City. New
York. Miss Hayes viii be starred as
1t. Ann Norris, American Nurse In
Autobiography Of an Angel. She
was last heard on Cavalcade, De-
cember 20. 1913 as the Innkeeper's
Wife In Stephen Vincent Benet's
parable of the Nativity "A Child is
Born"
Every little girl who has dreamed
Of being q nurse when she grew up
has envisioned herself CARRIED IN
shining white tending to the needs
Of handsome patients. and Of course.
eventually meeting her hero. Ann
Norris did too. but she found II far
different when she went overseas In
World War II. She followed the
invasion OF Africa. Sicily and Italy.
She learned 10 perform miraculous
work with the barest materials,
learned 70 use substitutes when the
real things weren't there. She and
hundreds OF nurses like her perform
almost superhuman deeds for our
wounded fighters. Why do they do