Evening star., 1948-11-21
For Radio Listeners
By Harry Macarthur

One week ago tonight. radio added
a half hour of lustrous dramatic
entertainment when Helen Hayes
arrived at last to take over the spot
set aside for her on the Electric
Thester" tWTOP-Sunday, Q PM
This is not to say that the guest
stars who have been filling in fol
the actress while she has been busy
IN London with The Glass Me-
naeerie" have not been sufficient to
the tasks assigned them. Miss
HAYES Is lust something very special
and sllotting a weekly half hour to
her talent is the least radio can
do for her admirers.
Miss Hayes chose wisely to start
her Electric Theater" series with
Victoria Regina" the play she al
most failed to read which later be-
came a favorite of both the star
and her audiences. There was an
, added flip of interest last SUNDAY
nisht in the fact that Victoria
great great granddaughter and her
own consort were pleasantly in the
news by way of the maternity Waro
Of buckingham Palace.
Radios Victoria" it must be de-
cIsred. however, came of more as
a fond remembrance of theatrical
things pest than as dramatic
, entity in it's own right. A han hour
is not much room to move around
In, Getting a full-length play down
tn this size requires some heaVy
soueezing that leaves a lot OF It's
essence on the studio floor. ms
happened TO Victoria Regina" 1t
was good listening, all right, but 1t
did have the stamp OF one u those
movie "trailels." which list dla-
matte high lights without bother
Ing to connect them.
Miss Hayes. of course, could read
an ARMY tech order on a new car
burstor and make it sound rich with
drama or gay with comedy as she
wIIled. She could read the recent
election returns to Republican
committeeman and make him find
them full of charm. She can read
Victorias .well-known I'VE Are Not
Amused" and make it sound like
something she just thought OF.
Hiss Hayes voice is wonderful
drama tic instrument If we are des-
tined here to pluck our only profess
sjonsl theatrical entertainment out
rd the air we must be thankful that
she is likely to be with us steadily
for awhile. Miss Hayes can draw
In a full character with a mere
turn Of a vowel, as she ably DEM
onstrated again in her set of ex-
cerpts from Victoria Regina"
1t is good to have her back with
us.
The third television appearance
fthe first this season. of Arturo
Toscanini and the NBC Symphony
tWNBW-Saturday $50 PM has
aroused, as was expected. certain
amount of well-mannered contro-
versy. There are those who well
coined the opportunity to watch
Tescanini summoning Brahms from
his orchestra and who felt a richer
experience in the music through the
intimacy of this television medium.
There are others who contend that
watching the video picture detracts
from the music. that it places undue
emphasis on the perforne er. rather
than on the work performed.
It is true enough that the cam
eras can distract. 1t doesn't seem
to follow that they must distract,
however. Video seems to be suffer-
ing the same disease as the movies
when faced with the problem Of
adding the sight of symphony Or
rFestra to its sound-a nervous in
sistence on keeping the picture
moving. as If the music itself would
not hold your attention. The prob
lem hardly is an insuperable one,
though.
The discussion is largely academic
right now, anyhow, since NBC is
reported to have decided that pic
t,lres of an orchestra, a chorus and
q conductor do not make good tele-
yiSion Further telecasts af the