Evening star., 1949-11-06
News of Video and Radio
Wendy Barrie Just Can't Escape
That Man Named Godfrey
BY Harry Macarthur

~ siotty
Wendy Barrie must sometimes
feel like the most frustrated wo-
man In all television. Miss Barrie
has become the first well-known
victim Of an irksome old radio
programming habit that is show
ing itself In the new field For
years radio audiences have been
submitted to an annoying fight
fire-with-fire theory. A prime
Sunday night example of 1t is to
be found in the 7::so spot, wherein
Phil Harris and Alice Faye (NBC)
are pitted against amos n Andy"
(CBs).
The battle for those undeserved-
n powerful little Hooper points is
behind 1t all. Of course. Let one
network win 100000 listeners
with q eomedy-variety show and
all the other program directors
decide that a comedy-variety show
is the best competition for that.
The only result is a divided audi
ence, with neither program at
tracing the number Of listeners
It would at another time.
It seldom occurs to the oppo-
sition that the hour set aside for
q Milton Berle would be the ideal
one for sensible drama or SYM
phony. It would be nice, though,
II the boys in charge would just
give this a casual thought or two
as television programming in
ereases and improves. .
What has happened to Wendy
Barrie is case in point. Miss
Barrie probably is the first lady
Of television, and not by default.
either. She has charm, she has
wit and she is definitely photo
genie, or. If you can get along with
the word, videogenic. She is. in
other words, quite an appetizing
dish.
Miss Barrie's program. photo
play Time" is an informal affair,
blending interviews. bright chat
ter and usually some music here
or there. It sparkles with the
personality of its star. who al
ways creates the impression Of be-
ing an old friend Unexpectedly
and happily met at a party you
originally thought might be dull.
The two may not have a great
deal in common, but 1t is conceiv-
able that Arthur Godfrey admir-
'ers might also be Wendy Barrie
admirers. Each is an engaging
and witty personality. with q
knack for shopmanship and a
flair for the unhackneyed. Well,
Miss Barrie's ''Photoplay Time"
moved to ABC (WMAL-Tv) this
season and you know where 1t
turned up-at $3.50 on Monday
nights. opposite the CHS (WOIC)
Arthur Godfrey show. Talent
Scouts" Naturally Miss Barrie
was happy when the word got to
her that she was being moved out
Of that unhappy spot. She was
moved all right. She now Is seen
on Wednesday nights at S-oppo-
kte "A. G.. and His Friends"
Those Hollywood people who
eringe at the thought Of what
television might do to the movie
industry are unduly alarmed, II
you ask Rudy Vallee. Mr.. Vallee,
who has accumulated q large store
of knowledge about show business
through his years as an entertain
er, has leaped into television with
enthusiasm.
The only trouble he sees video
giving the movie producers is the
problem Of producing enough film
to meet the TV demand. This is
the field he has entered, as
producer and occasional actor. He
already has produced q number
Of short subjects for television use.
Since color is inevitable. the
dve-minute shorts Mr.. Vallee
makes are filmed in color. They
can be telecast in black and white,
Of course. but when color comes
the Vallee pictures will be ready.
Mr.. ValleeA prediction along
this line is large-screen projection
television, in color. within five
years. on sets costing no more
than 5000. He has no reason to
think this, but he does have faith.
Never sell American scientists
short" he was saying the other