The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1944-02-24

Society of Lower Basin Street." the
Metropolitan Opera tenor Lauritz
Melchior has been signed for his
first film role, In the MGM COM
edy with music, Thrill of Romance"
s.. Phil Spitalny and his "Hour of
Charm" girls will broadcast their
March IL show from New Yorks
Waldorf Astoria, where they will en-
terrain at gathering of officials of
their sponsoring electrical appliance
es company One of radios ia
vorite dramatic shows, Grand Cen
trail Station" comes back in an aft
ernoon spot, when it returns on
March 4, at p. M, over CHS. De-
mands of swing shift workers for
night time calibre dramatic pro-
grams during daylight hours was
partly responsible fro the decision to
air the series as an afternoon fea-
ture.
Glenn Martin, pioneer airplane
manufacturer and builder Of the
Mars, worlds greatest flying boat,
and his mother, Mrs. Minta Martin,
80, grand old lady of aviation, will
be guests of Eddie Bowling, star of
wide horizons, new radio series pre-
sented by Boots Aircraft Nut Corpo-
ration, on the opening program Sun
day, February 81, at 4 p. m. EWT.,
over the Mutual Network.
Electriflying predictions for the
postwar future of aviation will be
made by Martin, who also will dis
cuss some of the complex problems
which must be solved for the plane
industry's place in the peace.
Mrs. Martin, companion and coun-
Sellor OF her famous son since he
built his first aircraft in 1907, will
! speak from her home in Baltimore,
addressing message to the mothers
of America.
Eddie Bowling, Broadway actor
playwright-producer. critics circle
and Pulitzer prize winner, star-mak-
er who started Bob Hope, Kate
Smith and William Saroyan, will in
troduce his newest professional ia
lent discovery, Maria Mendoza, at
tractive young dramatic lyric So
prano, who never got a "break'' as
singer in her home town, Cleve-
land.
Casey Jones, air ace of World War
I, test and speed pilot, will relate
a behind-the scenes story of con-
temporary aviation.
With Glenn Martin in the New
York studios will be war worker
chosen from the thousands of en-
ployees in the Martin Bomber plant
for his ability as an entertainer.
Another feature of the program
will be an attempt by Bowling to an
swer questions about the home front
from service men.
David Mendoza will conduct the
orchestra. Thomas G. Sabin will di-
rect the broadcast.
Although Ed Sullivans Monday
night CHS airer from the Club 81 is
only Is minutes long, preparations
for it are more elaborate than one
would imagine. Here's how the
show is put together.
Each Wednesday, Sullivan, his
producer, Kirby Aver, agency repre-
sentative Fritz Snyder, and Sulli-
vans managers hold a conference
They listen to transcription of
preceding Mondays show, make
notes on how it can be improved.
Guest stars are discussed at this
meeting and policy is deliberated.
After that, Sullivan's herculean task
is to round up exclusive news and
gossip that listeners could get no
where else.
When show day rolls around on
Monday, Sullivan is all set with his
news and gossip but the biggest job
of all Is done around O'Clock in
the evening. That's when he sees
his guest star and writes the inter-
view. With only an hour and fiji
teen minutes until broadcast time,
Sullivan must whip out an inter-
view, have it okehed by the guest
star and the CHS censorship, sub
stitute last minute exclusive news
in fact, he must often rewrite his
whole program as late as a half
hour before broadcast time. After
this. comes the rehearsal with the
broadcast on its heels.
It's a fast-paced procedure that
would give ulcers to the ordinary
man but Sullivan and producer Kir-
by Aver take it as it comes-With
the minimum of effort and the max
imum of efficiency.
Leading the vast parade of radio
and motion picture people who in
tend to utilize every available va
cant land space for crop conserva-
ton are Fibber MCGEE and Molly.
Fibber and Molly started work last
week along the general scheme of
the National Victory Garden Insti-
tute. and have pledged twenty
five per cent increase over their
last years crop.
Victory garden production must be
increased at least Is per cent or a
dangerous nationwide food short
age may develop this year.
This was asserted to California's
industrial leaders recently by Paul
Stark of New York, president of the
National Victory Garden Institute.
which is cooperating with the War
Food Administration to increase the
production of food.
Stark's recent visit to Hollywood
was part of a nationwide tour to get
industrial leaders to start company
Victory gardens for employees who
have no ground near their homes. In
connection with Starks speech it
was disclosed by M. @. Mcneil, chair
man OF the Los Angeles Victory
Garden Committee, that plans are