Evening star., 1951-01-07

The worst thing that has hap.
pened to George Burns this sea-
son is the enthusiastic welcome
which greeted his appearance or
the television scene. 1t will be
readily understood if Mr.. Burns
does not agree with this and it Is
not to be construed as begrudging
him the applause.
In the long run, however. 1t is
Burns and Allen and their ad-
mirers who stand to lose the most
because television was ready for
them before they were ready for
televiSion.
Situation comedy. when Burns
and Allen came along, was rare
commodity indeed in television
This made the comic adventures
of George and Oracle doubly well
come, cheered because they were
filling a vacuum and also because
the two are exceptionally able
performers and their skits usually
have been genuinely funny.
Their immediate success, though
has Mr.. Burns going backward
with his old art rather than for
ward with the new one.
His Delivery Is Excellent,
But to q Wrong Destination
1t has been painfully evident
to any one who has watched the
Burns and Allen TV show (WTOP-
TV-alternate Thursdays, 8 p.m3
that Mr.. Burns has been overjoyed
to find himself back in vaudeville
He is a master of timing and de-
livery, all right. but he times for
and delivers to his studio audi
Ience.
He even admits as much in an
interview in the December issue OF
the magazine Television. Speaking
of the differences between the
Burns and Allen styles, the come
dian is quoted as saying. "Gracie
plays to the four walls and is never
conscious of the audience. I'm
always aware of the people out
front and project to them"
In this same interview, Mr.
Burns has some other disconcert-
ing things to say about his and
Gracie's future plans. The first
is that the two are returning to
Hollywood to do their show from
herewith live" audience and
on film.
"Well use kline first" he is
quoted as saying. land If that
works we'll continue it. Otherwise,
we'll film the show. If both fail,
back we come to New York. For
kline, We'll use three cameras 81
multaneouSly. . II film becomes
necessary, it means employing five
cameras, which takes up too much
room. AS a result, you have to cut
down your audience. Your theater
also becomes overly warm from the
extra lighting, placing you at q
decided disadvantage with the
studio viewers"
If suggestion might be made
to Mr.. Burns. it is this: You will
really be on your way back to
vaudeville If you start thinking OF
the comfort of the studio audience
first when you are considering the
number of cameras and type OF
lighting to be used for TV show
Voices Of Experience
Are There to Be Heord
Mr.. Burns, you will note. has left
himself an out and admitted that
he may return to New York. He
might, however, save himself some
time and trouble by lending an ear
if it hasn't been deafened by the
seasons acclaim, to some voices OF
experience in his trade.
He might take note Of Alar
Young, for one. Mr.. Young has
been generally agreed to be one
of the more promising of the
young comedians, but his promises
have been befogged by kinescope
Mr.. Burns could examine, too
the case of Ed Wynn. Mr.. Wynn
happy in his Hollywood residence
did a series of television show.
last season. They were good shows
too, but Mr.. Wynn, on kinescope
couldn't pick up a Hooper tt
match a Nat second string pitch.
er's batting average.
1t was Mr.. Wynn's experience
with it which produced his now
famous definition of kinescope
Kin means cousin, he decided, and
e-scope, from the Greek, means
not to recognize; kinescope, there