Evening star., 1948-07-25
THE SUNDAY STAR, Washington, D. c.
SUNDAY. IS. 1915
or Radio Listeners
By Harry Macarthur

There for a time last week il
appeared that the break had come
There was a faint breath of hope
blowing across the hills from West
Virginia. Maybe one brave, prouc
man could turn the tide. 1t was JUS
barely, family possible, but maybe
q crusade was forming. Maybe some
woman would follow some night or
some other radio program and say
No, thanks, I have refrigerator.
Bert Parks might be startled some
Sunday night to be told, Sure,
know the name of the mystery mel.
ody, but won't tell you. Who wants
to bother counting $4,000 worth oi
automobiles, radios, diamond rings
fur coats and Venetian blinds In
this weather"
But the tide wasn't turned. Mr.
Jack L. Adams of Huntington, w
Va, finally took the $1,000 that Mu-
tual's Three for. the Money" want
ed him to have for being a good
guesser. The time had not come
to return radio to the entertainers
1t may, some one has suggested
60 on until Groucho Marx has an
opportunity to get his quiz show
something called Bet Your Life,
on the air. It is Grouchos fond
dream to present program consist
ing of questions any five-year- -old
could answer. When one is missed
Groucho will shout, You bet your
llfe!" and a clatter of machine guns
will follow as the contestant pays
off.
Among the more welcome new
programs which don't give anything
away except entertainment is the
Radio City Playhouse (WRC-Sat-
urday, 10 PM. The dramatic
shows-works adapted from stage
plays or original ones written espe-
cially for broadcasting-always have
provided some of the most reward
ing radio listening. The new Radio
City Playhouse is worthy addition
The program, a sustaining summer
fill-in for Kay Kyser, might have
been inspired by the Columbis
Workshop of considerable renown
1t is designed. according to an NBC
spokesman, for the writer who
wants to express himself in his owr
dramatic fashion; who wants to tel
fine story that is complete in it.
self" and not necessarily writer
within the limits of the formal o1
any particular drama program. "To
get script produced in Radio City
Playhouse" the man says. "a
writer need not have a name that
is a household word; he need only
write good plays"
Having read the first three scripts
and having caught up with the
program finally on its third broad.
cast, it is pleasure to report that
you'll find it we'll worth your while
This third play was "Of Unsouno
Mind" written by Harry Junkir
twho also directs the Playhouse
works.. The story of woman who
tries to drive an unwanted husband
insane, it was in the reading the
slightest of the three plays done sc
far. AS played by Jeanne Tatum
Casey Ain and Phyl Sterling
though, it came across the air as g
top-notch suspense drama.
1t is to be hoped that NBC keep.
this up, even after the summer
hiatus days are over. Radio City
Playhouse is a distinct contribution
to good listening.
The happiest local station manage,
of the moment is Howard STANLEY
of WEAM. Thursday morning a
II am. WEAM got word from tn,
Federal Communications Commits
sion that its application for in
creased power and full-time opera
ton was approved. Mr.. Stanley
who left high-pressure job with