Evening star., 1948-11-28

!
and his performance is always one
of consummate skill. Like vet
eran Shakespearean player, he
needs but to be thrown cue to
reply with the answering soliloquy
and the rest of the play. He has
perfect sense of timing and an
accurate feel for dramatic values.
He can let an audience and an op-
ponent relax, then suddenly. with
a verbal shaft, skeWer the opponent
and jerk the audience to attention
He can explode end harangue Wien
the necessity presents itself. His
personality is imposing and his wit
is quick.
Play without a Climax.
Both when opposing Mr. Brom-
field and when lecturing Represent
atiye Hartley, Mr.. Thomas was the
dominating figure. He becomes, in
these appearances, the central char
acter in fundamental drama, the
hero fighting against odds for the
triumph of right as he sees it. 1t
makes for dramatic radio fare, even
/ If the play seems never to reach its
climax
Watching Mr.. Thomas in action
informally. incidentally, spreading
Socialist doctrine and charm In
equal measure, sends you away with
the belief that he could win the
presidency If he could conduct his
campaign by visiting enough living
rooms. Television, if he wants to
take advantage of it, should be ready
by 1852 to let him do just that.
Thursday evenings Holiday Star
Vanities" (WMAL-TV added proof,
if any more were needed, that focus
ing the video cameras on vaudeville
is not enough. The performers were
fine. George Jessel kept the Thanks
giving revue moving with one of his
usual deft quarterback jobs in the
MASTER -of-ceremonies spot. The en-
tertainment was there, all right.
1t was there, but the sponsor, or his
representative at the controls, kept
stepping in front of it. After two
hours you can get awfully tired of
being asked repeatedly If you've
looked at her compact lately.
Returning after a commercial to
catch Mr.. Jessel in the middle of a
private joke with the studio audi
ence is hardly evidence of careful
production, either. For all the vast
amount of stellar talent entertain
ingly on display, there were times
when Holiday Star Vanities' had
slightly haphazard look, as If it
were the first of these affairs tele-
vision had attempted. If people
were learning lessons, it is to be
hoped that they learned them and
that things will 60 more smoothly
when the time for the Christmas
show rolls around.
Program notes:
Commissioner Guy Mason will
head the list of participants on the
broadcast opening Bill Herson's Doll
house, at Eleventh and G streets
NV, tomorrow at las pm. OH
WRC. Mr.. Herson hopes this year
to surpaSs last years record of "a
900 toys collected for needy Wash
ington children. WWDC
launched its campaign for Christ
mas gifts for those at the District
Home at Blue Plains on Thursday,
Daily broadcasts will be made from
the booth at Connecticut avenue
and K street. Starting today,
WASH-FM is devoting Sunday
afternoons to a flve-hour Sunday
Music Festival" featuring a full
length opera and recorded light
classics and popular symphonies.
Senator-elect Estes Kefauver
and Senator Homer E. Capehart
will discuss How Can We Reduce
the High Cost of Living?" this week
on the American Forum of the Air
(WOL, Tuesday, 10 PM. WTOP
adjusts its morning schedule again
tomorrow to make room for new
10 am. feature by Billy Gold, titled
This Is Washington" WCFM
will explain Supreme Court deci-
sons on Monday nights at 8, with
Your Supreme Court Reporter"
featuring Mark Woolsey.
Short wave note: The new Fin
nish transatlantic broadcasting
station at Pori will be on the air
with its inaugural program on Tues
day. The National Choir and Or
chestra will be featured on pro-
grams to be heard at 1919 mega
cycles at tbs am, 800 and 10
pm, EST.