The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-02-14

Whenever a new personality emerges from dark ooScurity, it be- comes the custom to probe, diSsect and otherwise microscopically exam inc him to see what makes him tick. Literally millions of words have been written tracking down the elusive charm of Donald Duck, Crosby's croon and the Varga girl. This year, it's fashionable to brood aloud, or in print, on why William Bendix is the man of the hour at the box office.
 Bendix, now starring in radios Life of Riley" Sundays at p. n., EWT, over the Blue network, is a refreshing departure from the gar- den variety of leadnig men. His voice, nkened to the sound of a rasp on wood, will never charm birds from trees. No culture clings to a line of dialogue, as read by Bill Bendix. He is the rough, un- tutored male who calls spade a spade and a woman ''goil".
 That's why he's believable. He looks like an honest artisan; Ben dix could be your brother-in-iaw who drives a milk wagon, swears at truck drivers and never forgets to feed his horse. Before the war, he delighted in taking the wife and kids on Sunday afternoon drive to the beach. Remember how your brother -in-law would sprawl on the sand, SnooZe in the sun and wake up with the worst case of sunburn on record? He'd VOW Never again, so help mel" and next week 1t would happen all over again. That's the Bendix type and when you see or hear him portraying "Riley" or a Marine from Brooklyn, you have the comfortable feeling of knowing him well.
 Bendix Is a comedian, but his comedy is not grossly exaggerated farce. It's the humor we best ap- preciate because it's drawn from life He was born and raised in tough section of Manhattan. Work, for Bendix, began at an early age and he had little time for lessons ir etiquette, or grammar.
 It's just as well. Bendix will earn more money than the President, this year.
 When Lauritz Melchior appeared on a recent Chamber Music Society of Lower Basin Street" program, his wife volunteered to help him pre- pare his repertoire, but after viSit- ing several music shops, she drew 8 blank. In desperation, sht telephoned a pal who owned some 18,000 records. Please" she in- quired in a charming accent, Have you any selections by Greunez?' The friend shook his head, but agreed to look thorugh his cata- logues. Hours later, the weary collector called her home. "Ie mus have been very obscure" he re. ported. By the way, how do you spell this Greunez?" Mrs. Melichoil patiently spelled it out for him @ R O O N E R S!"
 So hilarious was Melchior's i'm. personation of "Greuner" Frank Sinatra, the Met tenor was beseigec with offers to repeat his routine or other broadcasts, following its "Basir Street" debut!
 Benay Venuta, singer on "Duffys, was in an antique shop and the dealer tried to sell her an old violin
 This" he declared, lis the very fiddle on which Nero played while Rome was burning"
 "But." objected Benay, that's g myth"
 Well, didn't I say SOP" asked the dealer. "The name of Myth usec to be on the case, but sss's so old, il got worn off"
 Mercedes McCambridge, of the T Love A Mystery" cast, solved a minor mystery in her own home this week. In rearranging the bathroom medicine chest Mercedes placed an Bounce bottle of witch hazel on a table only to find a few minutes later that it had disappeared. Clues revealed only one possible suspect in the caSe-her two-year-old son, Lawrence. Investigating, Mercedes found the culprit in another room hiccupping violently with an empty bottle beside him. The doctor pre- scribed 8 sentence of strong coffee. Punishment; one hangover-small boy size.
 Tony Biacco, veteran accordionist with the Musical SteelmakerS'' heard Sundays at 5 p. m., EWT, or the Blue network, finds time no only to do heavy work in the stee mills of Wheeling every week da. and to put in ten hours of rehearsal for the "SteelmakerS" coast-to-coast broadcast every week-but also to spend additional hours teaching i young West Virginians how to handle the Stomach Steinway adept ly. One of Tony's proteges, Carl Phillips, age 14, was heard recently on the "steelmakers' show playing an accordion duet with his appar-