The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-06-16

Now, when I pick up my small portable and tune in on some super program, sometimes I think of that long ago time when lay alone in that sanatarium room, and radio was my friend And a warm and kindly feeling fills my heart But even at that radio today, to me is as big a mystery as of old-a magician and a dream.
 The wizardy of radio however is not confined always to radio itself. It has produced other magic makers like the Sound" men who evolve real and authentic effects through many and devious ways. Over WATR, for instance, on The List ening Post Tuesdays thorugh Fri days, l0:45 a. m.), when the days drama calls for an entirely different and eerie effect, you will sometimes hear the echo of an echo. They tell me 1t can be very weird. Maybe you'd like to know how 1t Is done
 The new combined vocal and sound phenomenon, l am told, is created through the use of two meg aphones, a sounding board and a sheltered" or isolated" micro phone. The actor speaking a line places the broad end of a small megaphone near his mouth. The sound of his voice is carried out through the small end of the mega phone, and into the small end of 8 much larger megaphine, which is held tightly against the first one.
 The sound of the voice then bounces against large sounding board, and back into the micro phone, which is carefully walled in on three sides. The result is a strange, ethereal, floating quality which is unlike other radio sounds
 The three singers, two colorature sopranos and one contralto, chosen from among the 9,8l3 contestants, in the Hour of Charms" nation- wide quest for a Singing Cinder- ell" will be heard in final competi- ton for 13-week contract with Phil Spitlany's all-girl orchestra, in the broadcast over Station WABC on Sunday, June 25, at 10 p. m.
 The finalists are: Marie Rogn. dahl, 20, coloratura of Portland. ore; Monica Mais, g, colora tura, Of Jamaica, B. W. T.; and Gloria Halliday, 19, contralto, of Baltimore,
 Miss Rogndahl junior at the university of Oregon, will sing the Bell Song" from 'Lakme," by De- ibes. The singer, a member of sey- eral honorary musical societies, is a favorite at Red Gross drives. War Bond rallies and army camps. ton.
 Miss Mais owes the start of her musical education to chance. She was informally entertaining class mates at school in New York, sing ing songs of her native West Indies when a voice teacher. the late Pro- lessor Adler Silva, overheard her, and insisted on giving her voice les- sons. Since then, she has appeared as guest soloist on numerous club and educational programs, and has been featured at the Annual Chor- al Festival at Scotia, Conn.,, and in the New York Public Library con- cert series. Since her appearance as Q semi-flnalist on the Hour of Charm" contest, she has been en- gagged as star of regular broadcast series over WQxR. New York. Her solo, in the June 25 Hour of Charm" broadcast, will be william ele," by Dell Aequa.
 The third finalist. Miss Halliday, also IS experienced as @ radio soloist having sung over VEAL, Baltimore. The young contralto is a graduate of Western High school and studied five years at the Peabody School in Baltimore. She is prominent in amateur theatricals, and sings in her church choir. Her selection for the contest finals is Brahms "Lull- aby."
 Winner of the contest will be an. nounced on the July 2 Hour of Charm. She will be given a 13- week contract with the Spitalny or- ganization, at $l50 week.
 It was pleasant to pick up a copy of my favorite radio magazine, Radio Daily the other day and to see the name Of Charlie Mann at the top of weekly news review column. Charlie used to work in this shop. He's in a nice spot also now, for Marvin Kirsch and "Shappie" are great guys.
 A few paragraphs up I mentioned one of the sound effects sometimes heard on WATERS program The Listening Post" We'll If you want to hear sounds of another sort tune in next Saturday, June 17th, 7:30 p. m. on the NEG network and catch Roland Young, famous rip per" of the movies, guestins as armchair detective on Ellery Queens Adventure of The Blue Chip"
 MT. Young will appear for the U. 8. Treasury War Finance Division, urging purchase of War Bonds in the Fifth War Loan.
 Tn New York for the. star role he played with Margaret Lindsay in the Broadway stage show, Another Love Story" MT. Young also was featured with Cornelia otis skin ner this season in a series of sketch- es on the Dinah Shore radio pro- gram.
 In his "Advenure of the Blue Chip" slick sleuth Eliery Queen finds himself Investigating an un- expected murder case during gay weekend ct the seaShore.
 Sergeant Tom Veilie has invited Ellery. Inspector Richard Queen, and Nikki Porter to his summer bungalow at Zorn's Beach.