Evening star., 1951-01-14
Te|evision-Rodio
Mjndy Carson Did Us q Favor, All Right,
When She Left Pictures for TV
By Harry Macarthur

By Harry \
Mindy Carson's decision not to
sign q new contract with goth
Century-Fox was one of the hap
piest things to happen to tele-
viewers recently. Miss Carson,
you probably recall. found the
television offers much more at
tractive than anything turning up
for her in the movie line and
decided not to sign that film pact
which would keep her from TAX
ing a regular TV show.
The first steady chore she has
taken on is that of singing star
of Jack Haley's new "Star Re-
vue" tWNBW-Thursday, 9 p.m.)
and no comedian on television can
boast better support in this line.
Mr.. Haley is handy man to
have around in a comedy-variety
show, all right, but there must be
more than few who stay with
him here only because they know
that Mindy Carson will be back
again before the hour is over.
"Star Revue" Is good show,
expensively produced and attrac-
lively put together. Mr.. Haley is
an agreeable master Of ceremonies
and a singer who can do pleasant
and tricky things with song,
without possessing a vocal talent
that could be called immense with
any precision. He also displays
undeniable skill in the portrayal
of young men beset by outrageous
jests of fate.
X \ n X
Calling "Star Revue" a new pro-
gram is rather loose use of the
word, however. It is another
variety show in a pattern which
seems to have become fairly well
set.
| II "Star Revue" is in one Of
ltelevision's first ruts, though, Miss
Carson is. as the saying used to go.
lin the groove. She is one of the
most appealing personalities on
TV, reminiscent somewhat Of the
pre-S -Stromboli 1ngrid Bergman.
who had her adorers in vast
hordes. You will find Mindy Car
son admirers. Of course, who will
tell you that she has more of what
they like than Miss Bergman ever
had.
She sings song with q great
deal of Zest, anyway, and it does
not seem to matter particularly
whether it is rhythm number or
a romantic ballad. Her song
selling talent is one of those things
which can make an average Tin
Pan Alley tunesmith think he has
been a musical genius all along
but it just didn't show. 1t is good
to have Miss Carson aboard.
RepIocements Are Set
For Godfrey's Programs
After a great deal Of turmoil
stirred up by rumors and counter
rumors about Arthur Godfrey's
military status and future plans.
things have settled down quickly
at the CHS New York Office. AS
you already know, Godfrey is
slated for two weeks Of training
at the Naval Air Station in Pensa-
cola. where he won his Navy
wings during a recent summer va
cation.
This will start on January 18
and Godfrey is slated to resume
his busy entertainment schedule
on CHS radio and television on
February S. AS has happened be-
fore, two men will be needed to
fill in for him during the two
week period.
One Of these is a veteran at
the Job. Robert @. Lewis. who
will do the daily morning radio
show and Godfrey's Wednesday
night television show on January
"a and 81. Lewis is giving up
his daily afternoon stint on CBS-
TV after this week. but will con-
tinue with 'The Show Goes On,"|
seen on Thursday nights.
The temporary Godfrey replace
ment on Talent Scouts" on ra-
dio and television on Monday
nights. will be Steve Allen, who
recently filled in for an absent
Godfrey on the program and
made a number of friends while
doing so. He will be the Talent
Scouts" master of ceremonies on
January % and 20.
For the future. as much as any
body knows about the future,
Godfrey very emphatically" Is
not giving up his television and
radio chores, according to CHS
spokesman. He does plan a Eur
opean trip in February or March.
or possibly in the spring. This
would be a two-week observation
jaunt. though. and not depar-
ture from CHS.
Printed Word DuIIs
Edge Of Groucho's Wit |
Some future archaeologist is
going TO nave CerrlDle Glme |
trying to discover the nature of
our sense Of humor. Suppose, for
instance, that he digs us up and
learns that a great many Of us
considered a man named Groucho
Marx one Of the funniest men
around during the middle Of the
| Goth century. This will be true
enough. Before he came to tele-
vision his weekly radio half hour
was the only reason lot of tele-
viewers refrained from sending
their radio sets to the attic.
Now on television, he gets
away with murder. He conducts
q quiz show. makes no special
concessions toward it's visual
aspects, either in production or
performance and manages to be
genuinely funny much of the
time.
| Our archaeologist is due to run