The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-08-28

Aympatnettc Anu unuefotaua1Hs lady, with everlasting youth in her heart and the American feeling for life in her soul. Long about the turn of the century, she vas shel- tered and coddlcd girl with leg.o- mutton sleeves: then. as now, she was known as Miss Hattie" But today's Miss Hattie has lived among trees and wild things: she has travelled all over the country in an old jalopy, making friends with everything from ''oakies" toI aristocratS. from generals Co gen. eral nuisanccs.
 She Is the character for which Ethel Barrymore. Of Americas first family of the theater. had waited before having her own radio pro. gram. Ethel Barrymore as Miss Hattie" will be a Sunday after noon 3:30-4:O0 D. nl.. dramatic fea- ture over WATR and the BLUE Network beginning September 10, as already announced.
 Up to now" Miss Barrymore says, "I had not run across a char. acter. in radio. that I approved of or was sympathetic to. This isI it."
 Miss Hattie Is the aunt of Rob Thompson" father of the typicaily- American Thompson family to be featured in the dramatic shows. As Q young bride. she left her cloister- ed, mid-Victorian life to accom- pafiy her husband. whose health was failing, to the wilderness of the northwest. The halpily-marrted couple lived in the forests for twenty five years, until Jim" died.
 Then Miss Hattie" got into Q jalopy and started travelling all over the country. For about flf- teen years, she wandered around. living tn trailer camps, occasionally leaving her car in the trailer camps and going to stay at the local Ritz hotel.
 Miss Hattie" got to know hu- man nature pretty well. But the war came. gasoline was hard toI get, the trips became shorter and slower. So Rob's aunt came to live with the Thompson family.
 Her arrival was at difilcult time for the family. and the show will open on September l7 with that ar- rival. Into the household will come a woman who understands just what the term. Love Thy NeighboT," means. Because of her kindly wis dom and the everlasting youth in her heart. she will be closer to the three Thompson children than their parents are.
 Ethel Barrymore as Miss Hattie" will be the story Of this woman and her folks. It will be the story of Americans, an extraordinarily na- tive story, of the kind Of Americans to whom self-reliance is more iIn- portant than security.
 It will Tevolve around the radio character for which Americas First Lady Of the Theater had been waiting.
 Kay Arnen who sings every morn. ing over WATR and the Blue Net work is another Paul WhitemaD discovery. It was he who brought her to the network last January. Since then she has appeared on the Hall of Fame" Lower Basin Street" and Broadway Matinee" In addition to her morning program she occupies the singers spotlight on the WATR-Blue show. "Varia- tons by Van Cleye". every Friday night.
 As I mentioned in an earlier column with the waning Of summer many old programs are returning t0 the air. and many new programs are about to make their how; Here's a list of NEG features:
 Thursday. Aug. 3i, s:30 p. m Maxwell House Coffee Time. starring Prank Morgan.
 Thursday. Aug. 3i. 9:S0 D. m. Joan Davis show with Jack Haley"
 Sunday. Sept. 3, A:30 D. m. 'MuSic America Loves Best" Jay Blacktan, conductor; guest stars.
 Sunday. Sept. 5. 6:30 D. m. "'Ihe Great GildeTsleeye,' starring Hal Peary.
 Sunday, Sept. 3. 800 p, m. Chase ~ nhnnoEH FEokEhtn othtFuab Edgar Bergen. Charlie Mccarthy. Mortimer Snerd and. introducing for the first time. Mile. X,"
 Saturday, Sept, Q, s:s0 D, m. Rudy Vallee ln brand new program Idea,
 Saturday. Sept, 9. B:30 D. m, Truth or Consequences" Ralph Edwards and his waeky crew,
 Monday, Sept. n, e:30 D, m, "tn- formation Please" Clifton Fadi- man qulxzes experts Franklin P, Adams, John KieTan and oaeaE Leyant,
 Friday, Sept, ib, B:30 D. m. 'Dut- fy's TaVen," I'd Gardner as Arehle: Florence Robinson, as Miss Duffy; Eddie Green, as Eddie, the waiter, Charlie Cantor, as Flnnegan,
 Friday, Sept, 22, l0:00 D, n "Amas 'n' Andy" with Freeman 00sden and Charles GorFell iD the title roles
 "Wednesday. Sept, sT. goo p, m,